It's about time to start being realistic

[YankeeDiehard1]

There is absolutely not one single reason to have a positive viewpoint of the 2003 Yankees.

Here however is a list of things that a realistic Yankee fan concludes thus far:

1) The hitting is absolutely atrocious. Look at other threads to see a list of dogs that have shut us down.

2) The fielding is a disgrace. Name a position and you will find a player that has not fielded well.

3) The relief pitching is a joke.

4) The starting pitching after a very strong start has been spotty at best. Mussina pitched tonight similar to long stretches of 2001 and 2002.

5) Joe Torre and his coaching staff are sleeping. Someone wake them up.

6) Injuries

7) American League East is vastly improved

How much less intensity can this team display?

[NyMike]

What time was it yesterday....or the day before....or the day before that...

Seems like you've been telling us to get realistic for a while now...

[ACPS]

Wake me when it's over!

[rightfielder21]

Originally posted by ACPS
Wake me when it's over!

What, the game or the thread?

[YankeeDiehard1]

I will repeat as long as there is a reason to repeat. This team is a sad shell of its former glory.

[Alex]

Alot of what you say is true, but it's also realistic to believe that we've only played a third of the season and things could still be set right.

[pbdunk]

There is reason to think with Bernie and Johnson back the Yanks will fight for first in the east until game number 162, but to be a realistic fan and not a blind optimist or apologist one must consider after two more bad losses to a fairly good team that the Yanks could win the east or finish, gulp, third.

[b. meachem]

let's talk about needs, people.

If constructed right and with healthy bodies our lineup is awesome.
However, the two major issues are:
1)Bench. I can't believe how bad Zeile, Trammell, Wilson, Gipson are. It's pathetic. We need a lefty bat.
2) Relief pitching. Hammond's been better, but I don't have a ton of faith in anyone setting up.

Matsui should be batting ninth. Is there any question about that?

[ACPS]

Originally posted by b. meachem
let's talk about needs, people.

If constructed right and with healthy bodies our lineup is awesome.
However, the two major issues are:
1)Bench. I can't believe how bad Zeile, Trammell, Wilson, Gipson are. It's pathetic. We need a lefty bat.
2) Relief pitching. Hammond's been better, but I don't have a ton of faith in anyone setting up.

Matsui should be batting ninth. Is there any question about that?

1) Agreed.

2) Actually, I think Hitch and Mo have been pretty reliable. I feel confident when they're coming in.

As for Matsui batting 9th, right now that would move the pitcher to the 8th spot. Though that might not be a bad idea.

[YankeePride1967]

This is absurd. The team is actually trying TOO hard. I guess the fact we are missing our two best OBP guys means nothing or our top set up guy. Yes we are not playing well, but don't think because YOU say something it's the truth.

[junkman73]

1)Bench. I can't believe how bad Zeile, Trammell, Wilson, Gipson are. It's pathetic. We need a lefty bat.

Unfortunately when you spend the bulk of you money for your starters, your bench will never be all that great. Its been that way for 4 years now. The last great bench player they had was Leyritz. That's not going to change in my opinion. The Yankees have too much invested in the players on the field.

[Bozidar]

Originally posted by YankeeDiehard1
There is absolutely not one single reason to have a positive viewpoint of the 2003 Yankees.

Maybe for you. The most of the rest of us disagree, i'm sure, Mr.Negative

Originally posted by YankeeDiehard1
1) The hitting is absolutely atrocious. Look at other threads to see a list of dogs that have shut us down.

The hitting has been atrocious lately, yes. We've also got a rookie batting 2nd, and two of our best batters on the DL, and Soriano in the midst of a slump, if you can call it that. Giambi's looking up, Ventura's solid, Jorge is solid, and playing in the NL doesn't help with our pitchers in the lineup.

Originally posted by YankeeDiehard1
2) The fielding is a disgrace. Name a position and you will find a player that has not fielded well.

Jorge, and Matsui have fielded well. Ventura and Zeile have been ok. Jeter's been fine. Raul's been fine. Rivera's fielded fine, as did Bernie.

Originally posted by YankeeDiehard1
3) The relief pitching is a joke.

with Mo out for much of the year so far, and Karsay out for the season, this was a tough break this year. I expect amove to be made, but there are a lot of good things happening in our bullpen. Hammond has been decent lately, and Hitchcock is showing signs that he can actually pitch in the pen. The righties haven't been much to look at though

Originally posted by YankeeDiehard1
4) The starting pitching after a very strong start has been spotty at best. Mussina pitched tonight similar to long stretches of 2001 and 2002.

yep, the starting pitching hasn't been great lately. They've struggled lately, and i'm hoping that the shot in the arm that Contreras gave us last outting, combined with a big game on saturday, can help set us back on track. We need these boys to start pitching like they're able. They can ALL pitch, they just need to do it consistantly. But that's the name of the game..

Originally posted by YankeeDiehard1
5) Joe Torre and his coaching staff are sleeping. Someone wake them up.

Agreed.

Originally posted by YankeeDiehard1
6) Injuries

Obviously.

Originally posted by YankeeDiehard1
7) American League East is vastly improved

Well.. the Blue Jays are. I wouldn't put much weight into what the O's have done, and the Rays still can't pitch, though with those young guys they sure can hit a lot better. Improved? Yes. Vastly? not IMO.

Originally posted by YankeeDiehard1
How much less intensity can this team display?

Ask the detroit fans..

[b. meachem]

Originally posted by Bozidar
.
Well.. the Blue Jays are. I wouldn't put much weight into what the O's have done, and the Rays still can't pitch, though with those young guys they sure can hit a lot better. Improved? Yes. Vastly? not IMO.
Ask the detroit fans..

I like how your analysis of the AL East leaves out the team that is actually in first place.
I don't think anyone is too concerned with the Rays or even the Jays for that matter.

[Bozidar]

Originally posted by b. meachem
I like how your analysis of the AL East leaves out the team that is actually in first place.
I don't think anyone is too concerned with the Rays or even the Jays for that matter.

Why should i mention the Sox? They're not improved, they're pretty much the same team they were last year, with a less reliable pen.

I'm not saying they're not good, i'm saying they're not improved much, IMO.

[ojo]

i think it's pretty obvious the tigers play harder day in and day out than the yankees. the tigers are overmatched. the yankees don't seem to have heart.

not sure who it is, but there's a complacent (who gives a sh!t) cancer on this team, and he's gotta get rooted out. i don't see the frustration. i don't see the anger. i don't see the desire.

[ACPS]

With guys like Raul Mondesi and Matsui on this team, it'll always be complacent. I can't think of anyone that would get fired up on this team, except for maybe Jeter or Giambi.

And if they did, Joe would probably pull them off to the side and say, "This is the Yankees, we don't do that stuff here." :rolleyes:

[ojo]

they have to realize each and every team in baseball wants to measure themselves against the yankees. each and every team will get up to play them.

they're not really worthy of national tv these days. christ what are they 2-5 this year on natty tv?

[VINCENZO]

They will be in the world series.
BET ON IT!
You know what counts? Money!
Go to a Vegas Web Site where it's legal to gamble. Look up the odds they're giving on who will make it to the series.
Yanks 8-5
RedSox 5-1
Toronto 8-1
Why do you think thats so? The odds maker is an idiot???
Thats why the casino is soooooo poor?
If you think they suck.....you can clean up. Bet Boston and Toronto. I really mean what I'm saying here.
You really think the Yanks suck....put your money behind it.
Scan your Vegas bet on the other two teams and post it here. I'll scan my ticket on the Yanks for 5 grand that they make it to the Series. Notice....not win the series, but play in it.
You see...I'm no idiot. I would not put in the bet to win it all. Why?
Because anybody can get lucky in the final 7 (world Series)
But....the 2 best teams make it to the World Series. Thats my bet. Yanks make it. I think, tho I didn't bet it, that the Braves will be in the Series, too!

[wileedog]

Originally posted by ACPS
With guys like Raul Mondesi and Matsui on this team, it'll always be complacent. I can't think of anyone that would get fired up on this team, except for maybe Jeter or Giambi.

Mondesi has shown more hustle than anyone - and I do mean anyone - on the current Yankee roster. There are a lot of things you can decide to pick on with Raul - not busting his ass this season isn't one of them.

[NyMike]

Originally posted by wileedog


Mondesi has shown more hustle than anyone - and I do mean anyone - on the current Yankee roster. There are a lot of things you can decide to pick on with Raul - not busting his ass this season isn't one of them.

Yep...people seem to just start making things up about guys they don't like.

Yesterday, we had someone saying he's the worst baserunner in baseball, and now he's complacent....

[cb2u]

When the team is losing like the Yanks are, sure it'll look like they don't have heart, like they are complacent, and so on. However, IMO, only the individual knows how much "heart" they have, and how much effort they are putting in.

These are proud, professional, fiercely driven competitors who hate to lose.....who hate it intensely, IMO. A complacent athlete who's not really trying his best will not remain in professional sports for very long.

What I will say is that they really suck right now. Kay said that in their last 29 games, they are 10 and 19. That just sucks.

Baseball is a strange game. What makes a hitter, who has been swinging a bat for the better part of his life, suddenly become mechanically unsound? And why then is it so difficult to correct? The same could be asked about a pitcher. And what causes a player go into a defensive slump? Baseball is such a mental game, and confidence level has so much to do w/ it too, I suppose.

[Alex]

cb2u - Absolutely agree.

[CommerceComet]

Just once, wouldn't you like to see a thread like this started by a "glass-half-full" person?

[pbdunk]

What is a 2003 Yankee half-full glass?

[CommerceComet]

Originally posted by pbdunk
What is a 2003 Yankee half-full glass?

How about, we are in first place DESPITE having Jeter, Bernie, and NJ on the DL for long stretches, Giambi slumping, having a much tougher early schedule than Boston, etc.?