The Yankees have no fire in the dugout or lineup.

[CaliCuse]

I think of th personalities thatdefined that fire. The biggest of course was "The Boss George himself and his on field personna Billy Martin. Players like Thurmond Munson and Lour Pinella. Recent members of that club might include Paul O'Neil. I can't think of one player today might compare with this grouping. BTW, IF BRET GARDNER could lay a bunt down on command or will he might bat .300.

 

[Noexcuse]

Not having Jeter from day 1 really made a difference imo. The injuries piling up haven't helped either. Then you have the Girardi notebook that dictates what he does in every situation except hit and run, sacrifice, go the opposite way to advance the runner, etc. etc. If I have to hear "day game after a night game" so sit players x y and z one more time I will pull my hair out. And play Romine everyday goddammit.

 

[Chip]

Not having Jeter from day 1 really made a difference imo. The injuries piling up haven't helped either. Then you have the Girardi notebook that dictates what he does in every situation except hit and run, sacrifice, go the opposite way to advance the runner, etc. etc. If I have to hear "day game after a night game" so sit players x y and z one more time I will pull my hair out. And play Romine everyday goddammit.

Even if they had some more health (think Granderson and Teixeira), there's still a flaw in how they built the offense. The success of the late 90s was built on guys with high OBP, gap hitters, guys who put the ball in play. Granderson and Teixeira are more of the seductive lefty HR mashing sub-.250 hitters than the Yankees can't stop falling in love with. How they haven't landed Adam Dunn yet is beyond me.

Nobody on the 98 Yankees had 30 HRs. Only 2 guys struck out over 100 times. O'Neill (103) and Jeter (119), and both of them nearly had 700 at bats. That team led the AL in runs, OBP, and was 2nd in BA by one point.

It, of course, had outstanding pitching as well.

 

[Knicks411]

Haha yeah well the 98 Yankees were one of the best teams of all time.

The Yankee lineup now is just really bad. A lot of it is the injuries, but also the age.

But even if you go back just to last year the Yankees were second in the majors in OBP and runs scored. (And 8th in BA, which isn't that bad).