Klapisch At The Yankees' Wake



ESPN and the Bergen Record's Bob Klapisch sifts through the rubble of the Empire's Collapse.

One by one, the Yankees voiced their regret, although not one of them took responsibility. Not Alex Rodriguez, who closed out the series going 2-for-17. Not Gary Sheffield, who was 1-for-17 after being quoted calling the Red Sox "a walking disaster." Not Kevin Brown or Javier Vazquez, who combined to put the Yankees in a 6-0 crisis in the second inning in Game 7.

Not even Joe Torre looked inward, despite a wobbly series. He told reporters on Thursday, "There's nothing I'd re-do, with the information we had at the time."

He was referring to every one of his critical decisions, including his choice of Vazquez to replace Brown in the second inning. Did Torre somehow forget that Vazquez had allowed Johnny Damon two home runs on June 29, or that his troubled right-hander had allowed 33 HRs in 2004, the most of any Yankees pitcher? Did Torre consider the consequences of Vazquez grooving a fastball to Damon, which he predictably did with the bases loaded?

That 6-0 deficit indeed ruined the Yankees, who spent six innings demonstrating just how wide the gulf was between them and the 1996-2000 core. Other than Derek Jeter, no Yankee got the ball out of the infield against Derek Lowe. Instead, the images of the Yankees' lack of heart were everywhere -- from Hideki Matsui leading off the second inning swinging at a borderline 2-0 pitch, despite being down by six runs; to A-Rod being booed by Yankees fans after his final at-bat of the season; to Tom Gordon, who, according to one team source, was so unnerved by October pressure that he was throwing up in the bullpen during Game 6.

The Yankees will likely sign Carlos Beltran and trade Vazquez, even if it means absorbing a large portion of the $35 million that's owed him. And Brown will never pitch for the Yankees again, even if the Yankees have to summon the Salvation Army to cart him away, along with the $15 million he's owed in 2005.

The money is limitless, but what did it get Steinbrenner in 2004? For $184 million, the Yankees became the equivalent of a '70s-era gas guzzler -- huge and loud and impossible to ignore. But step on the pedal, as the Yankees did in Game 7, and there was nothing under the hood.

Posted: Thu - October 21, 2004 at 11:55 PM      

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