Digging Deeper

The reason for the Yankee loss tonight was the same reason for every time they lose a game: their offense stinks. This post won't be lengthy because there are only so many ways in which I can describe the incompetence of the Yankees lineup as it is constructed today. Ivan Nova did his job, and with a different offense he would have been the winner tonight. Instead his performance of seven innings pitched allowing three runs will be forgotten as the Yankees continue in their offensive woes. The Yankees now find themselves seven games in back of the Red Sox and Rays, good for fourth place in the division. Thank god the Blue Jays were a disappointment this year, or else the Yankees would have been out of it a month ago. The time is now for Brian Cashman and Co. to decide what they're going to do with the roster. The obvious moves; trading Chamberlain and Hughes, will work themselves out. However, what do they do with Hiroki Kuroda who owns one of the best ERA's in all of baseball? Do they trade Cano and risk him not signing with them in the off-season? Will they finally cut ties with Travis Hafner, who looks like an out even before the start of his at-bats. Hafner is hitting .210 but it feels like he has not gotten a hit since May. Joe Girardi is doing the best he can with limited options, and I feel bad that he is getting some of the blame from fans. He can't change anything on the team. He assembles the lineup that ownership allows. The problem with the offense is not that they do not hustle and grind; they do. The problem with this team is that there just isn't much offensive talent. You know things are bad when Lyle Overbay is protecting Robinson Cano. The Yankees managed three hits all night, something that we have all become all too familiar with this year. With the news of the suspension of Ryan Braun in connection to the biogenesis scandal, a suspension is looming for Alex Rodriguez, a key piece that the Yankees have been missing. His quad strain may just be an excuse for the Yankees not to pay his salary for the year, knowing that his suspension could come at any moment. Who knew that Ryan Braun would be the first to get busted?

The Yankees will try to stay afloat tomorrow night against these same Rangers as Phil Hughes will get an audition for other teams looking to trade for the young right-hander. Alexi Ogando will go for the Rangers against a futile Yankees offense. If they drop another game tomorrow, trading Hughes before his next start could become more of a possibility.