Cashman Faces Critical Off Season

The Math gets worse everyday for the Yanks. As the team's offensive drought continues through August, they are falling further behind in the wild card race. With only 32 games remaining, all but the most optimistic of Yankee fans realize that the 2008 season is over.

In order to get to 90 wins, the Yankees need to go 20-12, while the Red Sox would need to go just 15-17. With the Twins or White Sox in the mix as well, the race the Yanks are now truly involved in is with the Blue Jays for 3rd place.

In many ways, this has been what David Cone keeps referring to as the "Murphy's Law" season for the Yanks. But injuries can only explain so much. The team is fundamentality flawed in almost every area. The veterans are mostly all descending at the same time (with the exception of Mike Mussina), and the young guys, notably Robby Cano and Melky Cabrera, have regressed.

The offseason will be a critical one for Brian Cashman. The embattled GM will indeed ink a contract extension once the season is over, and with approximately $86 million eligible to come off the payroll, he has a chance to reshuffle the team dramatically.

It is way too early to judge Ian Kennedy or Phil Hughes. But rest assured that Cashman will go into the new season with more reinforcements on the mound.

The biggest problem this year has been the under-performing offense. When you consider that the Yanks have been held to two or fewer runs 40 times this season (30 percent of the games they've played), it's clear that the offense needs to be realigned.

But where to do that? The only places Cashman can make changes are 1st base, centerfield and rightfield. Obviously A-Rod is a fixture at 3rd, the declining Jeter will be back at short, and the team is committed to Robby Cano-despite his occasional lackadaisical play and his lack of plate discipline.

First base is wide open. Giambi will be gone. Jorge Posada is slated to start at catcher next year, provided that he is recovered from his shoulder surgery. (Because of his age, he was one of the more incomprehensible signings in recent years. There simply will not be a decent ROI for a 36-year-old catcher on a 4-year contract.) I-Rod is now a type B free agent and he will not be retained.

The Yanks will most likely move Xavier Nady over to right field, let Abreu walk, attempt to trade Damon and search for a new centerfielder. No, Austin Jackson is not ready. And Melky's numbers have declined every year in the bigs.

2006     .280/.360/.391   95 OPS+
2007     .273/.327/.391   89 OPS+
2008     .242/.296/.337   69 OPS+

Matsui's knees will determine whether he is a DH or leftfielder next year. Depending on the status of Damon and Melky, Cash may look for another outfield bat.

With so many over-paid players still under contract, Cashman will have his work cut out for him. He understands that building through the farm system is his ultimate goal, but that's a big ship to turn around. With the relative lack of position players coming though the system, he'll have to look outside the organization.

Rasner's Woes Worry Yanks

Presented with a 5-run lead Sunday against the Orioles, Darrell Rasner couldn't handle his good fortune as he lasted just 3 1/3 innings at Camden Yards.

With no control over his breaking stuff, Oriole batters were able to sit on Rasner's below average fastball. He was up in the zone and the end result was 8 hits in his 3.1 innings, including back-to-back homers from Melvin Mora and Aubrey Huff.

When you considering that Rasner was not even on the roster in the off-season, the fact that he is third on the team in innings pitched tells you how bad things have gone for the Yanks this year. As pitching injuries and failures mounted-there stood Rasner, always healthy and ready to take the ball every fifth day.

Because he never had the good sense to injure himself, his vitals to date are as follows:

102 IP
122 hits
63 K
32 BB
5.03 ERA
1.46 WHIP
-4 RSAA

Rasner is now winless in his last seven starts, and 2-9 in his last eleven decisions. That's not the kind of karma you want as you enter the last week of August trailing by 5 games in the wild card.

It really tells you something about Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes and Kei Igawa that Rasner - and Ponson - are still in the rotation. The last thing GM Brain Cashman wants to see now is his prize pupils Kennedy and Hughes failing again this September, so I really wonder how much we will see of them down the stretch. 

Perhaps Rasner said it best in his postgame interview: "Today I felt like I never pitched before."

Despite the poor start from Rasner, the Yanks took care of business in Baltimore by sweeping the 3-game series. The bullpen did a great job and Yankee fans now have a glimmer of hope as their team opens a 3-game tilt against the Red Sox on Tuesday.

Pitching Matchups for the Yankee-Red Sox series:

Tuesday: Wakefield vs Pettitte
Wednesday: Byrd vs Ponson
Thursday: Lester vs Mussina