Why the New York Yankees Must Change to Succeed in 2007

It happened again. Since that fateful pitch by Mariano Rivera in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, the New York Yankees have not been the same - or perhaps they have, which might be the problem.

That pitch ended the Yankees Dynasty of the late 1990s and ushered in a new era of "one-hit wonders," teams who reached World Series glory then fell from contention, the Angels, Marlins, Red Sox (yes, the Red Sox), and now the White Sox. Even post-season stalwarts such as the Braves have seemingly fallen from glory. Baseball fans need to face it, things just aren't like they used to be.

Which directs back to the state of the New York Yankees. For the second straight season, they won the American League East and proceeded to limp home after a poor American League Division Series. By most accounts, this team was not only potent, but the lineup was considered quite possibly the best - ever - in the history of baseball.

What went wrong? Or perhaps, what didn't go right? Is it really fair to blame everything on A-Rod? Or are there more structural reasons why this team is relegated to the bottom of the playoff trash heap?

For fans of the New York Yankees, there has been no better time than the late 90s. The team was unbeatable, and cruised fairly easily to three straight World Series wins, and four in five years. It was magical for some, maddening for other fans of the game. Those years were a spectacle, to be sure. The team, and Joe Torre, could do no wrong. The team was built around steady defense and strong hitting, small ball and doing the little things to win games, and superior pitching. The team brought in pieces from all over baseball to build the empire, Scott Brosius from the A's, Tino Martinez from the Mariners, Wade Boggs, Chili Davis. The Yankees were an amalgam of the steady veterans of other teams, and it worked.

This may come as a shocker, folks, but that doesn't work anymore. Young teams with virtual unknowns are stepping up their game and flashing their youth and speed, resulting in significant success. The past few years, teams like the Cleveland Indians and the Oakland A's have emerged as the teams to watch. Other teams have copied the Yankees' cut-and-paste mentality and achieved some success, if only fleeting, but the true future of the game will be based on homegrown, young talent gelling as a team and showing that raw talent and a balanced clubhouse will ultimately prevail. This year the final Yankees lineup was old, banged up and trying to overcompensate for bad pitching.

The Yankees seemed to catch on to this for a short time this season. The "Baby Bombers" won the hearts of fans, and kept the Yankees in the thick of the AL East race until the overpaid veterans could step back in and claim the glory (and the loss of the ALDS). Melky Cabrera and Andy Phillips were mentioned in the same conversation as Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. Yet, these two players, potentially volatile contributors on offense (particularly Cabrera) and significant improvements on defense from their overpaid counterparts, were not found on any lineup during the ALDS.

Here's the deal. These players (as well as centerfielder Kevin Thompson as a backup outfielder) need to be crucial pieces of the 2007 New York Yankees. Wil Nieves (or another catching prospect) needs to see significant time behind the plate, splitting time with an aging Jorge Posada, who most likely will not be able to put up the offensive numbers he had in 2006 (Posada will be nearing 36 at the start of Spring Training and unfortunately, catchers don't get better with age).

Perhaps the most significant blame on the lack of success for the Yankees the past five seasons could be placed on the pitching staff. This year, it was most definitely the Achilles Heel of the team. The potent lineup obviously had no faith in the pitchers (I had no faith in the rotation, or the relief staff) except for Chien-Ming Wang, and tried to do too much in the ALDS. Bad signings will haunt the team in the off-season (hello Randy Johnson, Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright), however, they need to unload some of these players, and take the financial hit, to put together a blend of age and experience that will bring the Yankees to new glory, not a rehashing of former success.

One last point that will not go over well with some fans: Joe Torre. Every Yankee fan looks to Joe Torre as an icon and beloved figure. The 90s and early 00s were great, but they're over. At times this year, and particularly in the playoffs, Torre's coaching strategy seemed to consist of "They're all All Stars. They'll figure out a way to win." Some of his moves were incredibly frustrating and seemed to make very little sense (putting Gary Sheffield at first without any prior experience and a few weeks back in the lineup after missing the entire season? Anybody? Pulling Wang in the 7th inning of Game 1 so Mike Myers could give up a home run? Anyone else?). With the new Yankees of 2007 there needs to be a new coach. The rumor mill has Lou Piniella returning to the Yankees. Here's why that might be a good idea. Torre's low-key style won't cut it anymore. Alex Rodriguez's slump went on way too long before the coach stepped in. His lack of real emotion after stinging losses was annoying at times for fans. The Yankees need fire. The young players, and more importantly the complacent and overpaid veterans, need the proverbial fire lit under their bottoms. Piniella will provide that. He has proven himself as a player with the Yankees, and as a coach with the Reds. Piniella will provide the fire and emotion necessary for the 2007 New York Yankees.

The Yankees will return to baseball glory, and will cease to be the laughing stock of the league, overpaid and woefully underperforming. The team needs to stop trying to recreate the teams that achieved it all during the run of the 90s and create the team Yankees fans are waiting for, the team that will start the newest Yankee Dynasty.

Key issues that need to be addressed:

1. The starting rotation
2. Relief pitching (including finding and naming a successor to Mariano Rivera. He's not getting any younger and while his numbers were good in 2006, he was nowhere near as powerful as he was during the run of the 90s and early 00s)
3. Balancing the lineup to include savvy veterans and "Baby Bombers"
4. Passionate coaching needs to arrive in New York to bring the team together and will rightfully call attention when the team is underperforming, not simply wait for them to come around

My proposed starting lineup for the 2007 New York Yankees:

CF Johnny Damon
SS Derek Jeter
RF Bobby Abreu
3B Alex Rodriguez
DH Jorge Posada/Jason Giambi
2B Robinson Cano
1B Andy Phillips
LF Melky Cabrera
C Wil Nieves (alternate half the games for the first month with Nieves and put Posada at DH when Nieves is behind the plate)

Some veterans need to go, including Bernie Williams, Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield. Matsui, in particular, can be used as trade bait to make a key pitching acquisition such as Dontrelle Willis (see below). The lineup does not need major changes, however, there needs to be opportunity for the "Baby Bombers" to shine and earn regular playing time as well. Unfortunately, that has not been the case for the most part of recent years, with Torre starting players in key moments because they've supposedly earned it for past success.

My proposed starting rotation for the 2007 New York Yankees:

Chien-Ming Wang
Dontrelle Willis
Mike Mussina
Jeff Karstens
Darrell Rasner

The Yankees should cut their losses with the underperforming Randy Johnson and give Rasner a chance to earn the fifth spot. Rasner pitched some good games down the stretch in 2006 and could really contribute to the staff with regular starts in 2007. Karstens was very impressive at times and capable during others, but has earned a spot. A healthy Mussina will come back with a restructured two-year deal and provide leadership to Karstens and Rasner. Willis can handle the media heat in New York, and will quickly step up as the anchor of the rotation. Wang has matured quickly and, along with Willis, will provide the potent 1-2 punch the Yankees have lacked since 2000.

The bullpen:

To put it mildly, the Yankees need to overhaul their bullpen again. Who should remain for the Yankees' 2007 season? Scott Proctor. Brian Bruney, Kyle Farnsworth and Mariano Rivera. Farnsworth should settle down after a year in the Bronx, and with rest, Proctor won't implode as he did from exhaustion at the end of 2006. Bruney was brilliant after being acquired off waivers from the Diamondbacks. Mariano will be reliable, which is still far better than many MLB teams. As previously stated, the most important bullpen task for Brian Cashman and the Yankees is finding the successor for Rivera. It needs to happen now, while the team is making youthful changes. Fans are angry and disappointed after a miserable performance in the ALDS. Naming the successor now will fit well with the other changes, as it will show that Steinbrenner and Cashman want to win now as well as prepare the team for the future.

Will the Yankees resemble the proposed lists above? Maybe, maybe not. Regardless, the Yankees need to wake up and realize that the previous formula for success no longer fits in Major League Baseball. The New York Yankees need to change, and they need to do it now.