Stats Say Yanks Will Get to World Series in 2010

Maybe the headline should say "Simon says," because one of ESPN's Stats and Information gurus, Mark Simon, is at it again. Here are the goods:

The Yankees win on Saturday made them 21-8.

Every Yankees team that has won 21 of its first 30 games (they played No. 30 on Sunday Night Baseball) has made it to the World Series.

This is the 16th time that the Yankees have won at least 21 of their first 30 games.

Of the previous 15 instances, they made the World Series every time, and won it 12 times.

That's a pretty interesting statistic in my mind. It's also one that I like because the last time the Yanks did this was in 2003, when they started 22-8, and they made it to the World Series to face the Florida Marlins.

I feel good about this Yankees team too. They are solid in every facet of the game, especially their offense. Furthermore, I'd say that their starting pitching and defense is even better than that of the 2003 team that reached the World Series.

Here's my prediction: Yankees over Cardinals in six games.

Yanks Should Stick With Red-Hot Cervelli and DH Posada More

The headline is pretty self-explanatory, I think. Francisco Cervelli should be catching much more frequently than Jorge Posada once Posada is ready to return from his strained right calf.

Cervelli should, no MUST, remain in the Yankees' lineup. And there is only one reason for this: It gives the Yankees the best chance to win.

Though Posada, 38, is a legendary Yankee and hasn't slowed much, Cervelli is a better defensive catcher. Plus, after three more hits and five more RBIs on Saturday, Cervelli is hitting .429 with 12 RBIs. There isn't much more you realistically could ask him to do.

The last catcher to tally five RBIs in one game against the Red Sox was Yogi Berra, who drove in eight runs on July 3, 1957.

We've seen enough from Cervelli thus far to know that he won't embarrass himself at the plate; he has an astounding .500 on-base percentage and .500 slugging percentage for an admirable 1.000 OPS. Those numbers will surely drop, but he is proving himself more and more every day.

"This guy improves more and more every day," said Teixeira, who hit three homers.

"It would be hard to complain about anything right now from what he is doing," Girardi said. "He's hitting over .400. He is catching well. He is blocking the ball well. He is framing the ball well. And he is throwing people out. It is kind of hard to complain. I guess he could hit .500."

Behind the plate, meanwhile, no one would dispute that Cervelli ranks as an upgrade over Posada.

"He's really good. He has a lot of energy," said C.C. Sabathia, who fell a strike short of going the five innings needed to pick up the victory. "To have a guy behind the plate like that is huge.

The Yankees continued their pleasure stroll through 2010 last night, embarrassing the rival Red Sox at Fenway Park, 14-3. They are 21-8 to date, and that's with Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira just starting to look like themselves.

Nevertheless, they have to keep functioning with the same intelligence that got them to this point. And with their players continuing to go down at an alarming rate, they still have to make actual decisions. It's not quite time to put their feet up and gaze toward October.

So with 1) Jorge Posada just about ready to come back from his right calf injury; 2) Cervelli winning admiration for both his offense and defense; and 3) Nick Johnson out for "several weeks" -- which could easily turn into several months, given Johnson's history -- with a right wrist injury, it makes great baseball sense for the Yankees to use Posada at designated hitter and Cervelli at catcher the majority of the time.

Joe Girardi doesn't quite seem convinced. "The more you roll the dice" with both catchers in the lineup, he said, "the more likely that something could happen."

In other words, if Cervelli were to start at catcher on X night and had to leave the game with an injury, you'd have to switch Posada from DH to catcher and lose your DH that game.

That's the cost. The benefit is a lineup better equipped to win more games. If that scenario actually occurred, then you suffer for one night and make a roster move afterward to remedy the problem.

This will be a sensitive topic for Posada, who takes such great pride in his defensive work, although he shouldn't take such great pride in being terrible at the position he plays. But look: We're not talking about doing this all of the time.

Against righty pitchers, start Cervelli at catcher and Posada at DH. Against lefties, start Posada at catcher and Marcus Thames at DH. Tweak when necessary to get other players a half-day at the DH spot, such as the healing Robinson Cano yesterday.

While the Yankees will do what is best for the team, they do not want to publicly rile up Posada. Even before Saturday's game, Posada -- like his Core Four buddy, Andy Pettitte -- didn't like that his jersey was stamped "Handle with Care" as he sat out for the fourth game in a row.

Posada admitted to petitioning to play Saturday, but Girardi didn't want to hear it. Girardi plans on DH'ing Posada on Sunday night and catching him Monday, even though Posada has said from the beginning that his calf strain only impacts him running, not catching.

This isn't to suggest Posada shouldn't catch at all. He should probably be behind the plate at least two times during the week, while DH'ing all other days. This would allow Rodriguez and Jeter to rest as the DH once per week.

The one problem of having Cervelli and Posada regularly in the lineup together is that the Yankees would not have a third catcher. This can be solved by calling up Chad Moeller to sit on the bench for emergencies.

If Girardi stays the course and catches Posada five days a week, he will not be putting the Yankees in the best position to win going forward.

What combination makes the Yankees better? Posada and Thames or Posada and Cervelli? The Yankees are better both defensively and offensively with Cervelli behind the plate.

When Rodriguez or Jeter are DH'ing, Girardi is basically replacing Peña for Cervelli. Again, how are the Yankees better doing that on a consistent basis with Johnson out?

From the beginning of spring training, Girardi publicly stated that he thinks that Posada would catch 100 to 120 games, but the smaller number always seemed more realistic. Posada will be 39 in two months, which is when catchers are usually not productive, although he seems to be the exception with the bat, as he still hits very well.

The Johnson signing though, a $5.5- million gamble by Brian Cashman, looks like a failure at this point. Who knows when or if we'll see him again?

Yet Posada, signed through next year, can transition over to being the full-time DH. Cervelli can see if he can handle the everyday catching responsibilities while stud prospect Jesus Montero works on his catching at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

This isn't about pushing Posada out of his catcher's gear. It's about optimizing the current roster. It's about planning for tomorrow as well as working for today.

And no matter whether you're discussing the big picture or small picture, Cervelli deserves to be in the frame.

Nick Johnson to the DL Once More

The New York Yankees have placed Nick Johnson on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his right wrist.

Johnson is expected to be out "several weeks,'' Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said through a spokesman.

The designated hitter left Friday night's win over the Boston Red Sox for pinch hitter Marcus Thames in the fifth inning. Johnson had a sore right wrist that he said caused him pain when he batted in the first inning. He returned to New York for tests on Saturday.

The Yankees called up utility infielder Kevin Russo on Saturday from Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre, where he was hitting .302.

Robinson Cano, who left Friday's game after being hit on the left knee by Josh Beckett's pitch, was a late addition to the lineup as designated hitter.

Catcher Jorge Posada did not start for the fourth straight game, out with a strained right calf muscle.

Mitre In If Pettitte Can't Make Next Start

The Yankees plan on going with Sergio Mitre to replace Andy Pettitte, if Pettitte, as expected, misses his next start.

"If you were to speculate Mitre, you wouldn't be wrong," a Yankee official said.

Earlier today, two baseball officials with knowledge of the Yankees thinking said that the possibility of Alfredo Aceves getting the start should not be ruled out. Now, it can be ruled out.

Long-term if Pettitte's injury becomes more serious or Javier Vazquez continues to pitch poorly, then Mitre and Aceves could be in the rotation. The Yankees prefer not to turn to Ivan Nova, who is pitching the best at Triple-A.

Nova is 2-0 with a 2.43 ERA in six starts. Ideally, they want him to spend the whole year at Scranton and then be called up in September.

The Yankees likely will make some sort of move going into the weekend or during the weekend, because of the weather in Boston and the amount of relievers that usually needed for games at Fenway. Greg Golson may be going back to Triple-A.

Pettitte Goes 4-0 But Leaves Start Early With Elbow Pain

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman thinks Andy Pettitte will not make his next start due to mild inflammation in his left elbow.

"My feeling is Andy will at least miss a start, just because," Cashman told ESPNNewYork.com's Ian O'Connor prior to receiving the test results.

After going just five innings in his start Wednesday and feeling stiffness in his arm, Pettitte underwent an MRI that determined the injury.

"Anytime you are talking about the area around the elbow, you start to worry a little bit," Pettitte said through a team spokesman.

Pettitte (4-0) first felt the stiffness in his previous start against the White Sox. The Yankees limited his throwing between starts to try to alleviate the problem but were unsuccessful. Manager Joe Girardi could not pinpoint exactly where the stiffness occurred, but he said it has moved around on Pettitte's arm.

As Pettitte threw his 77 pitches during the Yankees' 7-5 victory over the Orioles, Girardi and pitching coach Dave Eiland asked him after every inning to give them updates on the arm. Finally, they coaxed him into admitting he had the stiffness in the fifth.

"We weren't going to push it," Eiland said.

Pettitte, 37, has put a lot of miles on his left arm. In his career, Pettitte has pitched 2,965 1/3 innings, which is second most to Tim Wakefield among active pitchers. On top of this, though, Pettitte has thrown what amounts to more than an extra season in the playoffs. His 249 postseason innings have worn on his elbow.

In his career, Pettitte's been on the disabled list five times because of elbow injuries. He also went on the DL in 2004 because of a strained left forearm. In 2008, he had back spasms.

Girardi said Pettitte's age and wear is a factor.

"He is not 25," Girardi said. "There are a lot of innings."

The Yankees are already dealing with the ineffectiveness of Javier Vazquez, whom they are skipping on Friday in Boston and instead are having him start on Monday in Detroit. If Pettitte does not make his next start, which is scheduled for next Tuesday in Detroit, then Alfredo Aceves and Sergio Mitre are the most likely candidates on the roster to replace Pettitte.

I really don't think this is as big a deal as everyone is making it out to be.

So Rivera has a stiff side, Posada has a mild strain in his calf and Pettitte's elbow is bothering him. Wouldn't you be a little curious if these old veterans weren't hurting a little bit. They've all been in the league since 1995. That's 15 years by my math, which is never that good, but that's besides the point, and there is a lot of wear and tear on these guys.

Posada will be back in a few days, there really is nothing wrong with him; however, I'd say it's about time he became the permanent DH because he cannot catch. He was never good defensively and he never will be.

Rivera said it today that because it's the beginning of May he isn't playing. He is fine too.

And Pettitte will probably miss one start and come back, not a big deal as well. Let's cut these guys some slack, what do ya say?

Posada Could Go on DL

The Yankees plan to see how Jorge Posada's mild right calf strain reacts to rest before re-evaluating if he needs to go on the disabled list.

"At this point, we are not DL'ing him," Joe Girardi said prior to the Yankees-Orioles game on Tuesday night.

The Yankees play Wednesday afternoon against the Orioles before a day off Thursday. Next, they go to Fenway to face the Red Sox.

"We are probably not going to play him the next two days," Girardi said. "I think we have to take a look at him on Friday to see where he is at."

On Monday, Posada left in the sixth inning. He underwent an MRI that revealed the mild strain. On Tuesday, he felt that the calf was improving. He said that he could pinch-hit and catch in an emergency.

"Running is going to be tough," Posada said.

Posada, 38, said he really has "no idea" how long he would be out because he has never had this type of injury before.

"He doesn't really have a lot of pain," Girardi said. "He walks normal. We just have to see how that reacts over the next few days to treatment."

The Yankees chose not to call up a catcher for Tuesday's game, an indication they think Posada will avoid the DL. Instead, they brought up outfielder Greg Golson to replace reliever Mark Melancon.

Yanks to Skip Struggling Vazquez's Next Turn in Boston

Beleaguered right-hander Javier Vazquez will miss his scheduled start on Friday night at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox. Vazquez will be held back until Monday, when he'll face the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

"We're going to give him a couple of days to catch his breath," manager Joe Girardi said on Monday afternoon.

Girardi said Vazquez's recent struggles and the supercharged atmosphere of Yankees-Red Sox games factored into his decision. Vazquez (1-3, 9.78) wanted to pitch in his regular turn, Girardi said, but the manager decided on a delay.

Phil Hughes (3-0, 1.44) will make the start on Friday, followed by C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett.

Vazquez's first stint in New York ended miserably, when he relieved Kevin Brown trailing 2-0 in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS and allowed a first-pitch grand slam to Johnny Damon, then gave up a two-run homer to Damon in the fourth.

Vazquez was dealt to Arizona after the season in the trade that brought Randy Johnson to New York. Following a year with the Diamondbacks, he spent three seasons with the Chicago White Sox, where manager Ozzie Guillen said he hadn't been a big-game pitcher.

"I don't really want to get into, you know, Ozzie said this or whatever," Vazquez said after the incident.
The 33-year-old, who was second in NL Cy Young voting in 2009, will make $11.5 million in 2010 and can become a free agent at the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Alex Rodriguez returned to the Yankees' lineup on Tuesday.

Rodriguez rested during New York's 12-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. He says he felt some cramping in his right leg Saturday but is fine now.

This is fantastic news because, as a fan, I was really getting fed up with Vazquez getting rocked real hard in all but one of his starts. His location is terrible, his velocity is down and his pitches are very flat.

I don't know what it is, but he better fix it fast otherwise he will get run out of town once again.

Curt Schilling opened his big mouth again last week about how Vazquez cannot pitch for the Yankees and be successful, and I really hate to say this, but I think he is right. I never like siding with Curt Schilling because all he ever does is run his mouth about things that don't concern him in the slightest bit, but this time I'll commend him on his comments.

Vazquez has proved time and time again that he is not a big game pitcher -- just ask Ozzie Guillen what he thinks about that statement -- and he is proving it again in his second go-around in the Bronx.

I feel for the guy though because he is a fantastic talent and a great person too. I hope he can figure things out, maybe take a page out of the A.J. Burnett book and start performing like he is capable of.

Right now the fans see the Vazquez of October 2004, and why not? That's exactly who has been showing up night-in and night-out when he toes the rubber.

Jets sign two LBs, waive another

The New York Jets have signed undrafted free agent linebackers Cory Reamer and Brashton Satele, and waived linebacker Broderick Stewart.

Reamer and Satele both received tryouts during the Jets' rookie minicamp over the weekend and were signed Monday.

Reamer, who drew raves from coach Rex Ryan, had 50 tackles, two sacks and an interception last season while helping lead Alabama to the national title over Texas.

Satele missed last season for Hawaii due to a left shoulder injury. The NCAA rejected his request for a medical hardship that would've allowed him to return for a sixth season with the Warriors.

Stewart was signed as an undrafted free agent last week after having 4½ sacks for Vanderbilt last season.

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

Isles Sign DeHaan to Three-Year Entry Level Deal

Calvin de Haan was 5-19-24 in 34 games this season before suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery. He was also a member of Team Canada at the World Junior Championships, where he missed two games with a head injury.

At the draft, the Islanders believed de Haan was a future first-pair defenseman and traded several picks to move up from the 26th pick to get him. In moving from 26 to 16, the Islanders gave up picks 37, 62 and 92 to Columbus - bringing back the Blue Jackets’ 77th overall pick. They then moved from 16 to 12 by trading the 77 and their 182nd. The final cost was one pick from each of the second, third, fourth and sixth rounds to move from 26 to 12.

DeHaan is spending time on Long Island this offseason rehabbing his shoulder.

This is a move that tells Islander fans everywhere that the future is kind of now and DeHaan is ready to step up to the challenge to be an every day NHL defenseman.

I personally like the kid because he can play with a little bit of grit, something that we all know the Islanders were missing from their d-men after they traded Andy Sutton, and he can score.

Granderson Could Miss a Month With Groin Injury

Curtis Granderson was officially placed on the disabled list on Saturday with a Grade 2 strain of his left groin. Although the Yankees have not set a timetable for his return, manager Joe Girardi estimated it would be about a month before Granderson could return to the lineup.

"You're probably looking at a month," Girardi said. "It's one thing if you're a DH who doesn't run extremely fast, but when you're a center fielder, it takes some time. I hope it's less than that."

Granderson suffered the injury in the sixth inning on Saturday. The center fielder was stealing second when Brett Gardner singled to right field, forcing him to quickly change his angle and reach a little too far for the bag.

"I was stealing second, and my angle was to steal the base," Granderson said. "I had to get deep, and I ended up reaching for second base. As soon as I did that, I felt a grab right in my groin area -- no pop, no snap, just a grab."

Granderson compared the feeling to that of a cramp, which allowed him to hop his way safely to third base. He added that it felt a lot better on Sunday than it did on Saturday, that there isn't much swelling and that he feels pain only during certain movements -- such as changes of direction and stepping sideways.

"It definitely could be worse," Granderson said. "Ankle, knee, Achilles -- it could be a lot longer than this."

Granderson will miss the Yankees' upcoming road trip, which includes the team's only stop in his former digs in Detroit this season.

"I was looking forward to it, getting the chance to go back there and play," Granderson said.

"Hopefully I can still go. I have a lot of friends and family coming up from Chicago."

In Granderson's absence, Gardner will move over to center field with Marcus Thames and Randy Winn splitting time in left. Thames was in the starting lineup on Sunday against White Sox left-hander Mark Buerhle. Winn is likely to earn more time against right-handers.

The team called up right-handed reliever Mark Melancon to take Granderson's spot on the roster, although that is to fill a short-term need.

"Right now, we're going with a 13th pitcher," Girardi said, adding that Melancon was the most rested reliever at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. "Until we feel that our bullpen is back, because we used our two long men yesterday, we'll do that."

Melancon did not pitch well yesterday in the team's 12-3 win over the White Sox, pitching two innings and giving up a long three-run homer to Paul Konerko, his 12th of the season.

The team will need to fill Grandy's spot in the outfield eventually, and according to team sources, that might happen in the next day or two. The plan is to summon outfielder Greg Golson from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. They want another center fielder, Golson's primary spot, to have more than Winn backing Gardner.

Golson is the best option even though he is hitting sub-.300 at the Triple-A level. He is the only guy out of the possible outfield call-ups that is on the 40-man roster, and the Yankees' 40-man roster is currently full, so they would have to risk losing a player to another team, through waivers, to call up someone other than Golson to fill in for Granderson.

Posada is Day-to-Day After Leaving Tonight's Game With Bruised Knee

Yankees catcher Jorge Posada has a right knee contusion and is day-to-day after being hit by a pitch in the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles.

The team is contemplating if Posada needs X-rays.

"I don't think it will be a DL," Posada said after the Yankees' 8-3 win.

Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie, who injured Mark Teixeira with a hit by pitch in spring training, nailed Posada's right knee with a 94-mph fastball, resulting in the Yankees catcher leaving the game in the bottom of the inning.

"You don't want him to hit people," said Girardi, who didn't think the pitch was on purpose. "I'm not going to tell Guthrie how to pitch. He is going to pitch the way he is going to pitch. I respect him. As I said, when our guys are getting plunked, I'm not going to be happy about it, because we don't have Posada probably [on Thursday]."

In the Orioles clubhouse, Guthrie seemed almost apologetic.

"I'm not a pinpoint pitcher," Guthrie said. "If I were, I would be a much better pitcher."

Torre Made a Mistake Leaving Bronx

Joe Torre was wearing one towel around his waist, another over his right shoulder, as he stood before the TV in his Citi Field office and watched a rerun of "This Is Your Life."

The New York Yankees were at the White House. Torre's Yankees. The images of Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte flashed across the monitor, and Torre was smiling widely as he absorbed these scenes stolen from his East Room past.

But the hosting president wasn't Bill Clinton or George W. Bush, and the World Series winner wasn't holding up a jersey graced with Torre's iconic No. 6. Barack Obama and Joe Girardi were posing with No. 27, and at that very moment the manager of the Dodgers, part-owner of a thoroughbred in the Kentucky Derby field, came face to face with the notion that he'd put his money on the wrong horse.

"It's an off day," Torre had said earlier of his White House visits, "and guys always treasure their off days. But that's a memorable experience."

And one that Torre's successor, Girardi, is favored to repeat this time next year.

Back in 2007, when Torre refused what he called an insulting offer to remain a Yankee, his possible successor, Don Mattingly, likened the task of following Torre to that of following John Wooden.
Only Gene Bartow fled UCLA after two largely successful -- if championship-free -- seasons, unable to cope with the magnitude of the job.

Girardi? He held off Mattingly and survived a disastrous rookie year to win it all in 2009, this after Torre's Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS in five games.

Jeter's one-for-the-thumb postseason could've been Torre's, too, had the manager accepted the $5 million salary and $3 million in incentives the Steinbrenners offered him. Torre rejected the bid because he believed his final front-office ally, Brian Cashman, had joined the hostile forces conspiring against him, a charge Cashman vehemently denied.

But this much is not in dispute: Torre could've agreed to the Yankees' terms. He could've returned in 2008, emasculated or not, but chose instead to sign a free-agent deal with the Dodgers.
Here's what Torre walked away from: the biggest and best job he'll ever own.

The mythology of American sport dictates the following: If you're the manager of the Yankees, or the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, or the head football coach at Notre Dame, you don't leave the position until someone forces you to leave it.

Torre was nudged to the door, yet wasn't shoved through it. He figured there was newfound happiness to be savored 3,000 miles away.

So there he was Monday evening in the Dodgers' dugout, hoping against hope that the Queens sky would clear and talking about the title Jeter, Pettitte, Mo Rivera and Jorge Posada won without him.

"I watched it," Torre said, "and in past years I've never been one to watch the World Series if we got knocked out. But I was really interested last year and knowing the core guys who were there, plus [Hideki] Matsui and everything Alex [Rodriguez] has gone through, to see and know what they felt like.

"To me the four [core] guys especially, to have it continuously be important for them I think is a tribute to them. A lot of times you think about winning the World Series and you say, 'That's it, nobody can take it away from us,' and you don't need to do it again. But they obviously don't feel that way. … I think it's something a lot of people should pay attention to, that part of it, as opposed to just the bells and whistles."

Let's face it: Torre has done a terriffic job in Los Angeles, claiming two division titles in two attempts and weathering the Manny Ramirez drug suspension. His Dodgers are 8-10 right now, wishing they were the Mets, but nobody's sweating the small stuff.

Torre has made 14 consecutive postseason appearances. On his muscle memory alone, the Dodgers will win the division or the wild card.

Only the same could've been said for the 2008 Yanks. Torre would've succeeded where Girardi failed. With George Steinbrenner no longer in control and with Cashman gaining more power by the hour, Torre could've built a bridge to 2009, when the $423.5 million spent on free agents surely would've earned him Ring No. 5.

"And Joe still has that burning desire to win that fifth championship," said his godson, Mike Borzello, Torre's longtime bullpen catcher. "He's as energetic as ever."

But Torre isn't working with Steinbrenner's budget (or lack thereof) anymore. The Dodgers' payroll is around $95 million, or some $111 million short of the Yanks'.

Torre also has discovered the Steinbrenners own no patent on ownership dysfunction, as the McCourts' divorce from hell does nothing to notarize the claim of a stable long-term plan.

An entire nation removed from the Bronx Zoo, the Dodgers present challenging clubhouse dilemmas, too.

"Joe's had more meetings with some of these guys because their attention span isn't real good," said Larry Bowa, the Dodgers' third-base coach. "With the Yankees, you had guys where you tell them once and they get it. Some of these kids, you've got to tell them once, twice, three times, four times, five times, six times, and I think that's a big adjustment for Joe."

Bowa brought up the infamous 2006 popup that fell between Jeter and A-Rod in a blowout loss to Baltimore, causing the shortstop to stare daggers through his former best friend.

"Joe gathered everybody in the clubhouse," Bowa recalled, "and he says, 'Where's Alex and Jeter?' They raised their handsn, and Joe said, 'I've got one thing to say -- unacceptable. I don't care who catches the ball, but that is unacceptable. That's not how we play here.'

"But Joe said it in a professional manner, and those two guys took it as constructive criticism and realized they were better than that and it wasn't the Yankee way to play. But you say that here to a young kid [with the Dodgers] and it's like, 'Why are you getting on me?'"

Torre hasn't toured the new Yankee Stadium, nor has he seen the ghastly pile of rubble that is the old Yankee Stadium, even though he was most eager to return to the Bronx this past fall.

With his Dodgers down 3-1 to the Phillies in the NLCS, Torre told them that if they won three straight sudden-death games, "I'll put up with all the aggravation [in New York]."

Nobody put up with that aggravation quite like Torre. He has a good job with a good shot at the playoffs, but he left a better job with the best shot at a title.

In the end, the thoroughbred owner put his money on the wrong horse.

Copyright 2010 by ESPNNewYork.com; article written by Ian O'Connor

I read this last night and this is an absolutely fantastic article and I wanted to share it with you. Great job by Ian O'Connor.

I would have to agree with him that being the manager of the Yankees is something that one should hold onto until being pushed out the door.

Torre, unfortunately, left under terrible terms and while he left under his own terms, no one seemed to be happy about the way it was handled.

Torre is now a Yankee legend, that's a given, but I think he should have been allowed to stay and I think he should have accepted that offer from the Yankees. If he were still here I think the Yanks would have made the playoffs in 2008 and still won their title in 2009.

Also, with Torre set to retire soon, Donnie Baseball (Don Mattingly) would be waiting in the wings to take over. And how could that be more fitting? Handing the reins from a new-ish Yankee legend to an old favorite.

He should have stayed, but make no mistake about it, when his time comes to retire from this "wonderful game that they call baseball" (to quote another Yankee legend Phil Rizzuto), Joe Torre Day better be right around the corner, because No. 6 should be going right in between Nos. 5 and 7 out there in Monument Park.