MINNEAPOLIS – Hank Steinbrenner talking about next year was a strong indication he privately feels like a lot of other people: This year is gone.
After explaining to the Associated Press that he wasn’t giving up on this season and pointing to key injuries having played a huge
part in the disappointing year, Steinbrenner made a prediction about 2009.
“It’s not making excuses. It’s reality. That’s part of the game. That’s clearly our problem,” Steinbrenner said of the injuries. “We’re going to win it next year. If we need to add a top veteran pitcher, we’ll do that. We’ll do whatever we need to do. Next year we’ll be extremely dangerous.”
That’s when the Yankees hope to have free agent lefty C.C. Sabathia at the top of their rotation. After the way Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy didn’t work out, Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain getting hurt, Sabathia makes sense. But that’s next year.
What about the remaining part of this year? While time is running out, Steinbrenner’s comments caused a few heads to shake.
Joe Girardi avoided critiquing Steinbrenner’s comments but didn’t discount catching the Rays or Red Sox.
“I know we have had a lot of injuries to deal with,” said Girardi, who lost Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui for extended time. “But I still believe this team can win.”
Steinbrenner insisted he hasn’t kissed this year good-bye and said he was pleased with the effort.
“I’m not writing off this season. They’re trying hard to win. There’s only so much you can do. They’re not supermen,” Steinbrenner said. “No team I’ve ever seen in baseball has been decimated like this. It would kill any team.
“Imagine the Red Sox without (Josh) Beckett and (Jon) Lester. Pitching is 70 percent of the game. Wang won 19 games two straight years. Chamberlain became the most dominating pitcher in baseball. You can’t lose two guys like that.”
While Steinbrenner didn’t assess Girardi’s performance, a popular topic today after Girardi didn’t start Johnny Damon, the AL’s leading hitter, last night against Twins lefty Glen Perkins, GM Brian Cashman did.
“Joe Girardi has done a fantastic job. Unfortunately, we haven’t gotten to where we need to be. A lot of it has to do with health and a lot of it has to do with performance, ” Cashman said.
Is there enough time to get into October?
“You can’t think there is, you have to have an urgency,” Cashman said. “I know our guys understand that. I hear terms like flat but that’s what you look like when you are playing like we are now. Our guys care but they aren’t producing.”
The math paints a grim picture. Going into tonight’s action the Rays had 45 games left. If they went 23-22 they would win 94. For the Yankees to get to 94 wins they need to post a 31-12 ledger across the final 43 games. Anybody believe that is going to happen?
The Wild Card picture isn’t as bleak but not wonderful. If the Red Sox go 23-22 in their final 45 and reach 91 wins, the Yankees would need to post a 28-15 mark the rest of the way. Anybody who has watched the previous four games believe the Yankees are capable of that?