Now that the Yankees are officially out the playoffs, it's time for me to present my theory on why the Yankees failed this year. It's called the TALK TO ME IN AUGUST SYNDROME.
Throughout the year, all of us who listen to the show formerly known as Mike and the Mad Dog had to hear Mike brush away any Yankees issue with those five words, "talk to me in August." It was arrogance, yes, but what it also exhibited was the mindset that I believe not only existed in Yankees fans but Yankee players. Everyone, fans, players, believed that the Yankees had a switch that they could turn on in August. A switch that has energized them during the past several seasons and made any earlier failures insignificant. I have to believe that the way that Mike looked at the Rays and Yankees was no different than how the Yankees viewed themselves.
Starting pitching is bad... TALK TO ME IN AUGUST
No clutch hitting: TALK TO ME IN AUGUST
Joe Girardi is wound too tight: TALK TO ME IN AUGUST
Jeter's hitting into too many double plays: TALK TO ME IN AUGUST
Rivera keeps blowing tie games: TALK TO ME IN AUGUST
Every other Yankee issue: TALK TO ME IN AUGUST
And then August arrived and then August left. It actually left so quickly that the Yankees were unable to make out it's license plate. August turned to September and we looked back at the month and there was nothing to talk about in the 8th month of the year. The conversation had not changed, the Yankees never made a move, the past ills were never resolved or addressed. The switch never was turned on.
The Torre v Girardi issue definitely needs to be part of the discussion. Same team, same season, same injuries, is there a different result with the same old Joe instead the new one? I will admit I am not a fan of Girardi, i think he is wound tighter than Ferris Bueller's pal Cameron Frye. I think the way he refuses to talk about injuries is ridiculous and I simply find him less than genuine. I am not here to praise Torre either, he may have run his course. It's just a question, does the August switch go on with him wearing pinstripes?
That's my theory. The Yankees players were no different than Mike. They were arrogant and simply believed as Mike always does, that the past exists on repeat. Simply because something happened before it would happen again.
The visionaries see change. Those left behind sit snug in the past, waiting for the same and making arrogant proclamations with those same five words...
TALK TO ME IN AUGUST
And Now, A Note From Brian Powell
13 years ago
3 comments:
I have witnessed the Yankees turn the "light switch" on many times thru the years and up until the final out of the Red Sox game last night I was afraid it was about to happen again. The Yanks are playing good ball/refusing to lose/ and winning games our beloved Mets only wish they could win.
That being said the yankees played uninspired ball throughout the year the same way Mike is now accusing the Mets of playing during the past 2 seasons playoff race.
Of course Mike calls the Mets "heartless" in his explanations but has failed to mention the lack of chemistry within the all star team from the Bronx.
If Mike wants to do an objective show today he should break the "Silent September" and acknowledge the Yanks elimination and decipher what went wrong and the future fixes that need to take place and call out A-Rod for the cancer he is on this team!
We've heard Mike beat up our team and us fans--- he may have ample opportunity to bash us again this week--- but today belongs to discussing his team(The Yanks).
JD
Gotta hand it to Hank. Right when I think he's out of excuses - the weather, the dh, the injuries, the travel schedule - he hits me with another one. Divisional Alignment.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080923&content_id=3535497&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
""The biggest problem is the divisional setup in Major League Baseball," Steinbrenner wrote. "I didn't like it in the 1970s, and I hate it now. Baseball went to a multi-division setup to create more races, rivalries and excitement. But it isn't fair."
Fight the good fight Hank. Arod, Abreu, Giambi, Damon, Pudge, Nady, Mussina, can't be expected to beat the Rays in this unfair system.g
I think it was Mike's total arrogance regarding Tampa Bay that burned me the most. He would never give them an inch of credit and would simply dismiss them with a wave of his hand.
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