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Written by Howard Megdal
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Tuesday, 09 October 2007 |
 Perhaps the 2007 ALDS represented just what Yankee fans needed to see.
Longtime clutch god Derek Jeter’s contribution to the postseason effort
was a sequence of double plays, while Alex Rodriguez’s home run was
simply unsupported by his supposedly more October-oriented teammates.
This is not to suggest that Derek Jeter has somehow lost that magic. It’s that the magic never existed.
Jeter is a great player. A-Rod is a great player. Hopefully for the
Yankees, both will be back in 2008, and cheered equally vociferously.Catcher Jorge Posada proved he was a real Yankee, helping the team to four World Series titles. Hideki Matsui, meanwhile, has failed to lead the Yankees to the promised land. But Matsui has the higher postseason OPS by more than 100 points. So who is the true Yankee?
Jeter popped out to start the ninth. Abreu homered. Who is the true Yankee?
A-Rod flew out. Posada missed a home run by a few feet. Is he just a yard or so from being a true Yankee?
Joba and Philip Hughes haven’t won anything yet. When will they get to be True Yankees?
Joe Torre won four championships in twelve years. But his head is on the chopping block?
Joe Torre won more than 1100 games as Yankee manager. His winning percentage was .605. It is better than that in the postseason, .613.
His teams have started slowly. He hasn’t panicked. His slumps have seldom reached June, never July. His teams win 90 every year. Often, they’ve won 100.
Joe Torre has led the Yankees to the postseason for 12 consecutive seasons. Even Casey took an occasional season off. Not Joe Torre.
Is Joe Torre really not a true Yankee, free to retire on his own terms?
If Joe Torre doesn’t deserve to be manager in 2008, who does?
If Joe Torre isn’t a True Yankee, who is?
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