Last updated: 7:30 am
July 4, 2008
Posted: 4:37 am
July 4, 2008
WHEN the doors to the Yankee clubhouse finally opened last night after a searing 32-minute meeting held by Joe Girardi, the clock on the wall read 10:26. The Yankees know it is much later than that, the 2008 season is slipping away.
And for all those thinking that Hank Steinbrenner was overreacting on Wednesday when he called out the team's offense and told me that he was completely "ticked off" and that the Yankees are in such trouble that you have to wonder if they are still capable of success - "Maybe," he said of the players, "they make too much money . . . Maybe they can't hack it anymore" - he was only telling it like it is.
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Hank added the Yankees need to get tougher. Forget about growing the Jason Giambi retro mustache, they need to grow some toughness, only Hank didn't say toughness.
Last night Girardi was as ticked off as the Baby Boss. And when you consider today is the Big Boss' birthday, this is not the kind of present you want to give him. The fireworks are everywhere these days around the Yankees.
Leadoff hitter Johnny Damon agreed with Steinbrenner that the offense is holding the team down and all that was evident once again with this embarrassing 7-0 loss to the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.
In a silent corner of the clubhouse Damon told me, "Hank is right. You can't hide from what our offense is doing. It's there. It's in the box score. I know what wins ballgames, driving in runs and scoring runs. Batting average doesn't mean anything."
The Yankees are ranked 12th in the AL hitting with runners in scoring position and were a horrid 0-for-10 last night. They simply gave away at-bats.
