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I totally agree. I've been saying this for a while now - the Yankees need a jolt to knock them out of the status quo. Hopefully this can happen sooner rather than later.

I don't even know if that would work with this team. I can't picture Sheff, or A-Rod, or Matsui, or Giambi, or Brown, or RJ, or Pavano, or Mussina...thinking to themselves, "How dare they fire Torre and Mel? Time to crank it up!"

I don't think they care. They'd bring someone new in and they'd lollygag around for them too.

why does everyone think that they just dont care? Does everyone really think that- or is it just an easy thing to blame it on?

It takes a certain type of person to make it the majors, and an even more special player to be an all-star...someone who hates to lose...someone who does anything to win...someone who is driven by success- someone who kicks the dirt when they make an out- someone who slams the mound when they give up a big hit....

I honestly think they care....I honestly think they are upset at the fact that they are losing and they are frustrated because they aren't used to this

They are just playing poorly- they are a great team that is playing poorly- I don't blame it on a lack of desire.

If you blame it on anything- blame it on age.

Phil - the lack of desire shows up in the fundamental break-downs. And, that's as much of the reason why they are playing poorly as anything else.

JJay - you could be 100% correct. But, until they test the theory, we'll never know.

The way they act just comes off as not caring. I hate to say this and I leave Jeter off this list but maybe the guys who have won World Series have a "been there, done that" mentality. The core group of players and probably the majority of the starters have won World Series (some multiple).

Just throwing that out there.

"why does everyone think that they just dont care? Does everyone really think that- or is it just an easy thing to blame it on?"

It's an easy thing to blame it on.

Firing Torre won't mean a thing. Firing the coaches won't mean a thing.

Players have off-seasons, they have seasons where they decline.

Last year the Yanks won 101 games. Based on the numbers, they should've won 89. Which means the offense bailed out what was a mediocre pitching staff (or at least one that finished 6th in the league in ERA). Now the offense has come back to earth (career year hangover for Mastsui, possible decline of Posada & Bernie, Giambi's foibles, etc, etc, etc) and the pitching is still average, maybe below average. Mussina's coming off a bad year (beginning of the end?), Pavano's having a subpar year (normal for him), and I don't know what the deal is with Randy Johnson (maybe he needs to flip off the crowd? lol). Wright's a bust, Wang has been a pleasant suprise, and the bullpen is starting to come around (hopefully)

I'm not going to write them off, it's still early, and the rest of the division has yet to put together a run.

Steve- I disagree but if that is the case then name names- who on the Yankees has a lack of desire?

Do you think that Giambi is not trying to do everything he possibly can to prove the entire baseball world wrong? Did he hit into a DP yesterday because he lacked the desire to get a big hit, or the ability?

Randy Johnson- did Jeff Cirillo hit a dinger off him because Johnson lacked the desire to throw a dominant game?

Maybe we apply Occum's razor- the simplest solution is usually the correct one- They are losing because they just aren't as good as the other teams....I don't think it comes down to heart or desire.

Occam's Razor? You been watching *House* on me?

Examples? How about guys like Bernie and Posada running the bases like they have their heads in the clouds. We've seen some of that recently were they have taken the team out of innings by being picked off or running into outs.

On "D" we've seen breakdowns where no one is covering 2nd, or 3rd, etc. when throws were to go there. We've seen the OFers pull out short on some flies. (Jenkins sure didn't against the Yanks though last night.)

We've seen guys hack at the plate when they should be working the count. And, we've seen them take close pitches - or, right down the middle (Giambi) - when they should be protecting the plate.

If there was greater desire, IMHO, then there would be more focus/attention and the team would play tighter.

Maybe desire is a bad word? But, clearly, there is a lack of focus - no question. And, that's bad.

ok- "focus" I'll give you- but focus is a closer term to skill than desire. Most of your examples above are just signs of bad baseball...basically- you just described the Royals.

Besides....Bernie and Posada have never been good baserunners!

I still just think it comes down to the fact that they are just "due" for a bad year, and their age.

Hey- the 1959 Yankees finished around .500 and take a look at who was on that team....surrounded by W.S. appearences....bad year wedged in b/tw.

I wouldn't say it makes too much sense... I would say it makes no sense. :(

Hey... I watch House!

:)

Me too - it's my fav show.