Can You Count to Ten?

The Yankees sure can. Some media folk tagged Friday night a proverbial “must win” game since Pettitte was the only formidable pitcher the Yanks were throwing this weekend, and losing any more ground in the standings would be deadly. Well, two days later they are closer to AL East death.

The numbers are all there. Biggest deficit under Torre, a 2-7 record in the midst of a critical stretch, seven rookie starters after Tyler Clippard toes the rubber tonight, Cano and Abreu hitting closer to .200 than .300, and so on. Bottom line, I am not ready to proclaim them dead in the division race, but if they do not turn the corner over the next four games then I will be ready.

The subway series rarely lacks story lines, but the 2007 version is especially chock full. The Yankees problems contribute the stories, both on and off the field, but this series may also mark the official changing of the guard in NY that has been building up the past two seasons. Here is a smattering of commentary on the last few games:

Tough to find a place to start, but how about Robinson Cano. Cano finally broke through at the plate with two hits and a homer. Then he broke down in the field with three egregious errors and a fourth misplay. Despite Derek Jeter’s reasoning for each Cano error, the miscues reeked of laziness and nonchalant play, similar to his efforts at the plate all season. Somewhere on his way to becoming the next great homegrown Yankee and a modern day Rod Carew at the plate, Cano has sidetracked. ESPN did a feature article before the season touting Cano as the third place hitter and 3B replacement for A-Rod. One theory says the publicity, plus the accolades following last season, may have gone to his head. He is certainly playing like it. Maybe a few days on the bench would help clean up his slop.

Speaking of defensive problems, Johnny Damon made sure to contribute. Damon looks old out there, the poster child for how the whole Yankee team looks. Two deep flies to centerfield yesterday, one bounced off his glove for a homer, the other landed over his head. All this one night after Damon was pegged at second after a leadoff hit, not exactly a great way to build momentum. If he is hurt, please put him on the DL.

The Subway Series story, and the story of the Yankee season, is not complete without mentioning injuries. At first it was the new conditioning coach, then it was a series of coincidences, but after Darrell Rasner took a line drive off the hand in the first inning, exactly three weeks after a first inning line drive broke Jeff Karstens leg, the injury problems seem downright devilish. Watching Rasner try to throw warm-ups after the injury was painful. Needless to say, the Yanks needed nine full innings from the bullpen. Not what the doctor ordered.

The Yankees, and their struggles dominate the headlines, but the Mets deserve some accolades. Oliver Perez continued his renaissance under pitching magician Rick Peterson with another dominant effort on Friday. It appears his head and pitching prowess are catching up with his ability. After the one debacle in Philly, his walk totals are way down and his consistency is picking up with every start. If Perez continues on this path he is capable of 250 strikeout, 20 win seasons. Offensively and defensively, Endy Chavez owns the Yankees. Chavez bring to the table all the attributes that the Yanks used to possess, defense, clutch hitting, a spark off the bench, and the ability to make something happen. Forced into the starting lineup due to injuries, Chavez has responded with the game winning homer, a four-hit game, good base running, and the peg out of Damon from RF. Every time Chavez makes a play, it reminds me of the Yankee depth from the championship teams with playmakers like Raines and Strawberry, and painfully reminds me of the lack of depth on the current Yankee squad.

The last ten years, the Yankees win these types of games. A nip and tuck one-run game, and the wild, high scoring affair, full of mistakes. The Met bullpen tried to give the game away in the eight and ninth inning yesterday with Scott Schoenweis first letting the Yanks back in the game, then putting the tying runs on base, before getting Mr. Clutch himself to end the threat. In the ninth, after Wagner’s terrible decision to throw home on the play in from of the plate, the Yanks would typically capitalize, but yesterday Wagner bounced back and made Cano and Phelps look feeble to end the game. Not to mention the team spokesperson, Kyle Farnsworth, failed to hold the Mets in check in the eight, allowing them to extend the cushion and make Wagner’s mistake a moot point. Its hard to say the team lacked effort, but a certain swagger and sense of the moment was clearly missing.

By the way, shhhh, don’t tell anyone, but Tom Glavine won number 295 on his way to 300.

When ESPN picked the nationally televised games, do you think they envisioning Chase Wright and Tyler Clippard starting in the Yankees first two appearances on Sunday Night Baseball? Local radio personalities have already dubbed Clippard the new Yankee Clipper.

The Yankee problems are endless. The hitting, the injuries, the bullpen, Giambi and the steroid conversation, but it all comes back to Torre and Cashman’s job status. A few weeks ago when Torre was on the hot seat I said the team probably needed a change to shake things up, but did not know if it doing it in mid-season would help. Now, I am convinced that if the Yankees stumble against Boston this week, heads will roll. It may be Cashman, it may be Torre, could be both. I have no problem canning either one at this time. The sloppy play on the field puts and uninspired effort puts Torre on the chopping block, and the numerous poor player moves that have put the Yanks in this situation help make the case against Cashman. However, if Torre goes I do not think putting Mattingly or Girardi in charge of a sinking ship is the right solution. The Yankees should use a Larry Bowa, or bring back a Lee Mazilli, as the interim solution, then start anew next year with the long term replacement. Reports are rampant that Big Stein will comment come Thursday. The countdown is on.