Two years ago, my dad and other Yankee fans were telling me that they got the best deal in the world—Randy Johnson, one of the most imposing pitchers ever, had been traded to the New York Yankees. My dad went on and on about how this was a better move than the Red Sox getting Curt Schilling the season before, that this bolstered the pitching staff of the Yankees and gave them a shut-down stopper when they faced Boston’s (then) imposing line-up.
I’m pleased to announce that the Big Unit is playing like the Big Sweat Sock. Maybe that’s not even completely honest: I’m ecstatic to the point I’ve heavily debated calling my Yankee loving father and left him some taunting messages. The only thing that stops me? I keep thinking it’s no way to repay the man who raised me—I already crushed when I told him I was a Red Sox fan eleven years ago.
Stupid parenting allegiances.
Now Johnson’s certainly a Hall of Famer. His career has been impressive throughout, what with 263 wins, both a no-hitter and a perfect game, 4,313 strikeouts (3rd best ever), an incredible 11.12 strikeout-per-nine-innings ratio (1st all-time), 10 All-Star appearances and a World Series win with Arizona in 2001, along with a host of other awards.
I’m not debating his legendary status or his Hall of Fame credentials. I’m not debating the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry and how many championships each has. What I’m talking about is the present and the future. What I’m saying is Johnson’s career is closing in on him. What I’m saying is this: you can’t hide it anymore, Randy Johnson is no longer an ace—and the Yankees are in trouble.
For years, teams and fans have been jealous of the Yankees and their ability to go out and sign the expensive players. Funny thing is, they didn’t start really doing that full-fledged until early this decade. Most of their talent came through the system and was supplemented year after year by a couple big name free agents.
About a month after the Red Sox heartbreaking loss to the Yankees in the ’03 ALCS, I made a prediction to my dad: that one day, the Yankees would run out of something. Money, talent, time, trades, options—something. Well, it’s finally happening.
They’ve got hardly any talent left in the minors. You can only trade so many young talented prospects away before the cupboard’s bare. And the few that New York does have left have already been called up and are playing, like Robinson Cano and Bubba Crosby.
They’re running out of time—Torre, Steinbrenner and Cashman aren’t getting any younger (nor are any of the players)—or any less annoyed with one another.
They’ve got no one they can trade with. Think about it—there are few, if any, teams out there willing to take on the big contracts that the Yankees are saddled with from some of their expendable/trade-able players.
Worst yet (or best yet, as I see it), the Yankees are struggling now. An early 3.5 games back of Boston—and at the bottom of the AL East, if it weren’t for a three game home sweep of the lowly Royals, the Yankees would be sitting at somewhere in the neighborhood of 4-9.
Sure, they’re going to overpower teams and win a bunch of games scoring 10-12 runs—they’re line-up has more All-Stars than an actual All-Star roster with A-Rod, Jeter, Damon, Giambi, Sheffield, Matsui and Williams. It looks like what you get right after buying MVP Baseball and then trading for all the superstars you want at the start of your dynasty’s 1st season.
It’s the pitching that’s going to be their downfall. Start with Johnson, who in four starts has pitched the most innings of anyone on the team—at age 42. Johnson has the most strikeouts, but he’s also given up the most hits, the most home runs and the most runs per game.
It doesn’t get much better—Mike Mussina, Jaret Wright and Chien-Ming Wang are struggling, while Carl Pavano’s butt still hurts from riding so much pine from spending two seasons on the DL.
It makes you wonder: are the Yankees actually one of the worst front offices in all of baseball?
Meanwhile, the Red Sox are starting the season by making themselves look like Theo Epstein is the baseball equivalent of Ken Jennings—in other words, really, really good at his job.
Over the past couple years, while the Yankees have Pavano doing nothing and collecting $9.7 million a season, Johnson picking up $16 million a season and Mussina for a cool $19.6 million last year, the Red Sox have picked up Schilling—who helped deliver their World Series, nabbed the young Josh Beckett and have generally overhauled their World Series roster—mixing veteran stars like Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz with young talent like Coco Crisp, Jonathan Papelbon, Mark Loretta and Kevin Youkilis (who I used to refer to as You-Kill-Us, I admit).
And here’s what’s strange about it all: Boston and New York have switched roles. Boston’s done with chasing the championship for one season—they’re now about staying in contention for a long time, while the Yankees appear to be going after just one more title for the Old Man.
This build-up of money, pressure and talented superstars in New York has to take its toll eventually. It already is, in a way. While Red Sox fans won’t care that we lost Pedro, Damon, D-Lowe and Arroyo if it means we’re in contention for the next 5-7 years.
I changed my mind—I’m going to give my dad a call.
I think Johnson is off to a pretty impressive start. I know he lost last night, but at this pace he will have 18-5 record or better counting on a few no decisions in there. Curt is also off to an impressive start, but none better than my Maddux.
Socal, I'm not sure how you can say that Randy's off to an impressive start--as I wrote in the post above, he's given up the most HR and most runs on the team. He's struggled his last two games, lasting 5 innings and 3 1/3. I'm not sure I'd call that impressive--though I would call Maddux's start impressive. Thanks for the comments.
Last edited by MooreSports on April 19th at 10:27 AM.
I liked this post moore and I agree with you. Johnson is not the ace he once was and Schilling is BACK! In fact, I have been kicking myself for not grabbing Schilling in my fantasy draft. I had the chance and took someone else in hoes curt would still be available for my next pick. Oops! You should absolutely CALL YOR DAD! THAT'S TOO GOOD. By the way, I enjoyed your bio and I too loved Pistol Pete Maravich. Did you ever get a chance to read my post on Maravich? If not, check it out. I kept it short and sweet.
Good post as usual Moore. I agree with Candy Johnsons rapid decline and expect it to continue. He'll have some good games, but your dad will be cursing him more and more.
Thanks dave...and I am calling my dad tonight, it's time to get it started this season--the jawing back and forth. And thanks for the bio praise. I haven't had a chance to check out the Maravich post you wrote, but I will shortly. You might thumb through my archives too, I've got one on Maravich as well.
SSP: Nice to hear from you, my fellow Sox fan! Don't worry, my dad always comes up with an excuse. He JUST NOW turned on Pavano during Spring Training with the butt injury...
Hey, socal, it's cool. I listen to ESPN radio all the time and they report wrong info sometimes. Here's his basic line: he's 2-2 with 18 K's, 12 Earned Runs, 25 hits, 3 HR in 23 innings pitched.
I guess that's not all that bad, I just don't know if I'd pinpoint him as their ace, as he's being paid to be.
I would agree that is not so hot. He definitely is not the pitcher he was when he was in Seattle. I thought Arizona got burned when they took him, but he had a couple of good years there. His best is behind him.
Schilling has always been a strike out machine and Maddux a masterful pitcher. Pedro dominating with the Sox and looks to have regained some of that form. Good post, give your dad a call.
Good post moore. I agree with what your saying about RJ's rapid decline. He is definitely not what he used to be. However as far as the yankees declining as an organization i dont think that will be happening. As much as i hate to say it because i hate the yanks with a passion i just think that steinbrenner will shell out as much as he has to to continue signing big name free agents. I think they will continue to be a contender every year until he's gone or until baseball decides to be like every other sport and implement a salary cap. good post tho.
I COULD NOT AGREE WITH YOU MORE!!! I've been saying this for the last 3 years, the Yankees are getting older and older and older -- while they're losing more and more and more talent, sooner or later, this was bound to catch-up to them.
But you always get the people who will counter you with, "Free-Agency" is going to be all-Yankees. But, truth-be-told, the free-agent market isn't always going to be full of superstars, and most of the time, you have to take big risks -- especially financially, which Steinbrunner has done way to much of. It's finally crumbling in on the Yankees and Steinbrunner (and his money) aren't going to last forever. As soon as they have finally cleaned their minors system (which has almost already happened), and all of their current talent grows into the older-end of their contracts, it's all over for them. They've signed too many long-term deals to aging superstars, which can work in the short run (which it didn't really do in New York), but it's going to shoot you in the foot in the long run.
Mussina, Johnson, Giambi, Sheffield, Williams -- these are guys that they signed for way too long, and it's caught up to them.
My question is, how didn't these "baseball professionals" notice this earlier? Were they caught up in the glamour of the win-now theory? Or was this all really Steinbrunner?
Excellent article, well written, and well-though up.
Love the post. I'm glad the Yankees are losing their swagger. The problem is not position players, it's pitching. The six years at the begginning of a career are usually the best. Their are a lot less guys that can dominate and pitch well into their twilight years.
Hi bri....a lot of that money the Yankees are spending is going to stay on their payroll for awhile too....The best thing about being a Sox fan right now is the minor league system is finally restocked after being stripped bare by our previous administration. To be able to contend while still rebuilding is impressive.
The only thing I will say is that while it would be fun to see the Yankees totally flounder, that New York-Boston rivalry is awfully fun to watch....
Great post Moore, the Yankees definetly aren't the team to be feared anymore in baseball. I think as of now, there is now one dominant team like the Yanks were in the past. All the things you listed about the Yanks was dead on. Well done.
Wow...thanks for the comments everyone. I couldn't get back on last night because my son was a rabid energy nut, and we played until 9--I was a little tired after that.
Anyway...drummer: I think you could be right about Steinbrenner shelling out millions to get more free agents--the problem is creating the roster space through trades and whatnot to get these guys. He can't just cut Sheffield, Williams, Giambi, etc. He or Cashman has to find a place for them.
Northsider: thanks for the compliments, and you address a little bit of what drummer said above you, and you address it very well. Here's the thing: you nailed it--Steinbrenner won't be here forever and the Free Agents aren't always going to be there--they don't get every good one anyway, they usually acquire them through trades which they are now handcuffed on. Think about all the guys they've missed out on the last few years. The "professionals" aren't going to do anything to overly criticize the Yankees, that's their bread and butter, plus they were partly blinded as you said, to this "win now" theory, which never really works out in the long run. It's been six years since their last title, and their roster is much older than it was before, especially when you look at the pitching staff. Thanks again!
Miller: as I said in the post, I think it's pitching too. It's not necessarily because they are old, because as drummer said, there are plenty of guys who do it well at an advanced baseball age. It's that their older pitchers have drastically fallen off.
Last edited by MooreSports on April 20th at 4:56 AM.
Thanks for the comments NFL, and you are right too--the Yankees aren't feared like they used to be. As a Red Sox fan, the last couple seasons, even when we blew the division last year, didn't scare me, they are vulnerable now.
It makes you wonder: are the Yankees actually one of the worst front offices in all of baseball?
This crystallized a thought I had somewhere at the back of my mind, that somehow the Yankees should have more considering what they've been spending. My first team was the Yanks and I still have a soft spot for them. Mussina made almost $20 million last year? Something's seriously amiss there. Moose is the pitcher that almost was...never quite getting that 20th win, etc..
Excellent point, Dr. Crab...This isn't just a problem with the Yankees, but with lots of players in the three major leagues: why are players paid more as their skill decreases. If I signed Mussina to a deal when he was 30, I'd have given him the largest money to start with, then have it decrease over time instead of ballooning to nearly $20 million. Amazing.
You said it and I am a Yankees fan. It totally is the starting pitching. They do not have anyone dominant. They have a rotation of number 3 and 4 starters. I don't worry too much about their line-up getting old just yet. They do not have any holes but it's going to be hard to win 9-7 every night.
Thanks for the comment rivjo, I felt the same way about the Red Sox for about five years...we had a #1 (Pedro) and about 4 #5 starters. They'll be around no matter what this season because of those lethal bats they have.
