New York Yankees, Should They Stay or Should They Go Now?

Another year, another early playoff exit and another year without a World Series championship ring. It's been seven years, seven whole years without the New York Yankees winning the World Series - and Cubs fans thought they had it bad with that century long wait they've had! The boss, George Steinbrenner, surely wouldn't just sit idly by while that happened. Indeed, prior to the Yankees losing their first round playoff series against the Cleveland Indians, Steinbrenner said Joe Torre would be fired if they didn't win. Hmm, I thought I've heard that before, but this time Steinbrenner could actually mean it.

Unfortunately for Joe Torre and the rest of the Yankees, their team's miraculous second half run won't count for much now. Here is a look at five key Yankees personnel members, including Joe Torre, who may either be on the chopping block or be on their way out based on their own accord. Should they stay or should they go? What should happen with them and what will happen with them - the fate of the New York Yankees hangs in the balance.

Roger Clemens

Roger Clemens finally showed his age this year. At 45 years old, you can't fault Clemens for not being the ace pitcher he once was, even as recently as the last few seasons. What Yankees management can fault him for though is the extraordinarily large sum of money and special treatment he received, based on the grounds that he would be the phenomenal pitcher he will be remembered as. With his injuries and general struggles this season, retirement (real retirement, not just contract and media ploys lasting into May) certainly looms.

What Should Happen - He should go (and retire).
What Will Happen - He retires, finally.

Mariano Rivera

Mariano Rivera, The Hammer, The Hammer of God, he has had as much to do with the success of the New York Yankees as anybody else during the last decade, maybe more. However, there have been signs of chinks in the armor; he certainly isn't the un-hittable dynamo he was a decade ago. Yet, he still is one of the premier closers in the game and a life long Yankee to boot. Rivera becomes a free agent this off-season, so expect Yankees GM Brian Cashman and Steinbrenner to throw a more than healthy sum of money at Rivera and why not? Solid performer, solid citizen and Yankee to the core, he's a keeper.

What Should Happen - He should stay.
What Will Happen - He stays.

Jorge Posada

Posada is another lifelong New York Yankee, and his blue collar work ethic and demeanor show that he is pinstripes - and New York - through and through. Also a free agent this off season, he is coming off a career year in which he batted .338, slugged .543 and got on base at a .426 clip, all of which were career highs. A big supporter of Joe Torre, he could have cause to leave the team if Torre is given the ax, but a more likely situation is he rides it out and stays with the Yankees regardless.

What Should Happen - He should stay.
What Will Happen - He stays.

Alex Rodriguez

A-Rod can opt out of the remainder of his contract following this season and he will have a 10 day window following the end of the World Series to make that decision. He undoubtedly deserves to win another MVP award for his season, where at times he carried the Yankees. While he didn't do horrendously in the playoffs, he wasn't spectacular, or MVP worthy, either. New York Yankees fans may have turned the corner this season and they may actually become what they are supposed to be, fans. However, no World Series brought home to the Bronx can certainly sway the Yankee Stadium crowd back into choruses of boos. Alex Rodriguez doesn't deserve that, he is the premier player of his generation and is clearly still in his prime. He has dealt with a lot during his Yankee tenure and many will tell you he earned that with his record breaking contract and playoff failures. However, the more friendly confines of Wrigley Field, the weak National League and longtime buddy Lou Piniella may call loud enough to lure him away.

What Should Happen - He should go to a place where he is appreciated and has a greater chance for success.
What Will Happen - He stays to try to prove to New York, Yankees fans and the world at large that he is not a failure there.

Joe Torre

Some would say that Joe Torre enjoyed his finest managerial season as a New York Yankee. To turn it around after such a horrendous start and overcome an injured pitching staff should be rewarded, not punished. Others would say that injuries be damned, the Yankees should never have been in the position they were, not with that salary, not with those players and not with Joe Torre or anybody else at the helm. However the case may be, the New York Yankees simply need a change. New life, new blood and a new voice leading them can do good things. It's not that Joe Torre is a bad manager; it's just that he has been managing too long in a pressure cooker environment. He has managed to squeak and wiggle his way out of the "you will be fired" directive several times now, but why would even he want to go through that again? Sure, Joe Torre has the undying loyalty and support of players such as Jeter and Posada, but those same players may just respond better to somebody new such as Tony La Russa. Don Mattingly or Joe Girardi.

What Should Happen - He should go, it's best for both parties at this point to part ways.
What Will Happen - He goes, the New York Yankees brass may give him the opportunity to step down rather than "be fired", but he's gone.

Should they stay or should they go now? Whoever stays and whoever goes, there will certainly be change and turnover in Yankees land. Watch your back in the Bronx, it could be anybody's turn.