Clueless Joe

Last night's game represented everything that's wrong with the 2010 Yankees: their lack of clutch hitting, weak offensive production from the outfield, the bullpen, and the most important part: their manager. With a team like Tampa Bay in your division, this is one of the series you have to sweep. Instead, the hapless Yankees will now have to scratch out some runs and pray that they can take a series against the worst team in the American League.

Brian Cashman did a horrible job putting this team together by not bringing back Johnny Damon. If Nick Johnson (who doesn't swing) gets hurt, which he usually does, Brett Gardner bats second in the lineup. Brett Gardner is nothing more than a solid AAA player. He has no business being in the big leagues. Randy Winn might be better as a 40 and over softball player than a baseball player. And I don't care if Nick Swisher is everyone's friend. It's tough to win when your outfield hits under .250 for the season.

And let's talk about the top of the batting order. It was great to see Mark Teixeira get a seeing eye single in the ninth inning to drive in a run. Tex and A-Rod have to start swinging for the fences; no more of these pathetic ground balls. It's also time for Derek Jeter to start getting some clutch hits. He must lead all of baseball in ground balls to the shortstop position. Everyone keeps saying that Cano is really on a tear- but it's only when the bases are empty. Bases loaded early on? Cano flies out to right field.

Joe Girardi ruined the game by pulling Phil Hughes after he retired the first two batters in the fifth inning. His pitch count was absolutely getting up there, but I don't see the need to start playing match-ups in the sixth inning. One more out and the game completely changes. Instead, Boone Logan does his best Damaso Marte impression, walking a lefty. Then Girardi comes out again and gets Robertson, who compeltely implodes, starting by plunking the DANGEROUS Ty Wigginton on an 0-2 pitch. The Yankees didn't even wake up until the ninth inning thanks to an error by whoever plays shortstop for the Orioles.

You can play the what if game if you want. If Jeter and Posada did not contribute embarrassing errors in the top of the ninth, maybe the Yankees end up tying the game and getting a dramatic victory. But it shouldn't even come to that. Girardi doesn't manage on instinct. He manages with his stupid book of statistics, and he's worried about getting second-guessed. Instead, he's looked like a complete idiot in the Yankees' last two games. Joe Girardi never made the Yankees a winner. The Yankees made Joe Girardi a World Champion.

Someone really needs to question Brian Cashman's offseason moves. Anyone miss Melky Cabrera yet? You might even rather have Cabrera than Granderson, who hasn't hit a homer since his dramatic bomb off of Jonathan Papelbon weeks ago. Instead of Cabrera, they picked up Boone Logan, who walks left-handed batters, and Javier Vazquez, who is nothing more than a decent National League pitcher. All in all, people have to be questioned. There's no excuse for losing any games to the Baltimore Orioles and a bunch of relievers with enormous ERA's. Then again, aside from Mariano Rivera, what exactly are the 2010 New York Yankees?