Klap: Changes on the way

[BuckFoston]

The Yankees are in full crisis mode today, evidenced by the stunning lineup changes that were announced after Monday's 6-2 win over the Devil Rays. GM Brian Cashman boarded a plane for Tampa by mid-afternoon, and by the end of the night the Bombers were younger, quicker and, maybe, better.

Tony Womack goes to left field for the first time in his career. Hideki Matsui moves to center, where his throwing arm becomes a liability. Rookie Robinson Cano is in (at second base), Bernie Williams is out (on the bench) and everyone's praying the New Look will keep George Steinbrenner happy through the running of the Kentucky Derby.

Still, the Yankees aren't finished remaking themselves. Jason Giambi, who's been out of the lineup with a mysterious forearm injury, could be the next casualty. With Cano being summoned from Class AAA and Tanyon Sturtze coming off the DL on Thursday, Giambi could be disabled as a short-term solution to his physical and mental issues.
The new-look Yankees

After the Yankees beat the Devil Rays, 6-2, they dropped several bombshells:

# 15-year veteran Bernie Williams heads to the bench.

# Hideki Matsui moves from left to center field.

# Tony Womack shifts from second base to left field.

# Reliever Steve Karsay is released.

# Robinson Cano has been called up from Columbus to take over at second base.

# Randy Johnson will miss his next start with a strained groin.

# Pitcher Sean Henn comes up from Trenton to start for Johnson.

While Cashman said, "I'm not ready to give up on Jason," it's clear the Yankees' hierarchy has no stomach for a slow climb back to .500. The 10-14 record represented the first losing April of Joe Torre's tenure, which explains why Cashman is in Florida this week.

The GM insists it was his decision, not Steinbrenner's, to declare an emergency. That seems unlikely, but regardless of where the anxiety runs higher - in the Bronx or Legends Field - the Yankees were sufficiently embarrassed to effectively end the career of a popular member of the inner circle.

Williams took the demotion with characteristic grace and maturity. There were no tantrums, no bitter second-guessing. Not from Bernie, who promises to be ready whenever Torre needs him. But if Torre and Cashman could crush Williams, is there any doubt they'll soon do the same to Giambi? Even before the game, before the remaking was made public, Cashman sounded resolute, even angry.

"I'm not going to sit still and watch what I've watched for the last 25 games," Cashman said by telephone. "I know it's a long season, but it's a matter of personal preference and I choose not to keep saying, 'it's a long season.'

"Now it's time to find out who's got game and who doesn't."

While the Yankees don't doubt the earnestness of Giambi's efforts to regain his batting eye, he's nevertheless had a "cooler" effect on the rest of the lineup. He looks old, creaky, troubled. It's disturbing just watching Giambi run, let alone swing and miss.

Whether he's still feeling the effects of his benign tumor, or has lost his skills because of steroid withdrawal - or even thinks he can't hit without juicing - the result is the same.

Eventually, the Yankees will have to find a way out of the remaining four years of their commitment to Giambi. The only reason he's still in pinstripes is because of the $82 million he's still owed. But the Yankees are looking for a way to diagnose the slugger's illness and injuries as steroid-related, thus creating the loophole they'll need.

Until then, the Yankees are seeking other remedies, too. The bullpen has been a liability, if not a gaping wound, since opening day. The first move could be to release Felix Rodriguez, who never should've been on the roster despite his 90-plus fastball.

But the Yankees have a greater dilemma in Tom Gordon and Paul Quantrill, neither of whom Torre trusts any more. A year ago the Yankees might've been able to trade either or both relievers for, say, a center fielder.

But when one National League GM was asked Monday about his interest in Gordon and/or Quantrill, the executive almost laughed out loud.

"No thanks," is what he said.

That dismissive attitude summed up the Yankees' plight as they lower their sights from a 98-102 win season to a modest 90 - and no one's sure 90 will get the Yankees to the postseason. All the old assumptions, after all, are now history: The superior pitching staff? It's been vaporized by age and injuries. The 41-year-old Randy Johnson suffered his first setback, a groin pull that will keep him from starting Wednesday. Jaret Wright could be gone for most of the summer. And Kevin Brown is a start-to-start mystery.

How about the weak Eastern Division? The Yankees used to be able to rely on 15 or so wins against the Devil Rays, Orioles and Toronto. Of that former club of weaklings, only the D-Rays remain.

The O's and Jays are better than the Yankees now. So are the White Sox and Twins. If the Yankees do, indeed, win 90 games, they'll have to earn every single one.

And if not? Someone will get fired. That's a Steinbrenner prophecy. Only, who? Cashman is one possibility, although the New Look lineup has bought him at least a month or two.

Torre, signed through 2007 for almost $20 million, is safe no matter what, and he'd expend all his political capital to protect Mel Stottlemyre for the rest of the season. Steinbrenner wouldn't dare fire Don Mattingly or Joe Girardi. That leaves Rich Monteleone and Roy White, who, according to Newsday, were closed to getting axed last month.

Cashman denied the report, but if all else fails, Steinbrenner will find it hard to resist his genetic coding. White has a job for now, but one Yankee insider predicted Steinbrenner will be in everyone's face an hour after the Kentucky Derby is over.

http://www.bergen.com/page.php?qstr=...Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2

[RLA68]

Hey, we need to shake things up. I am sick of hearing they will get it together. We will be sitting with a 50-62 record before you know it and then what? It will take 95-98 wins to even get the wild card let alone win this division is my opinion.

I am glad there is urgency now then later.

[Saber]

They make changes and yet Tony Womack is still playing? This will not end well.

[RLA68]

I would rather have Womack in the line up right now than Bernie or Giambi.

[Steak]

It will be interesting how Womack does in the OF. I think he is better off at 2B.

Also why is the Unit in the DL? If the Unit is okay to pitch, let him pitch. Yankees are going to need to win games now and he is their best pitcher right now. The Unit was not happy about missing the start Wednesday night.

[Veovis]

I think... maybe this is a good thing. Maybe this is the wake up call the organization needed. At least we are seeing our prospects play (Wang, Henn, Cano), and are finally giving an older guy from AAA a chance to show something (Phillips). The sad thing is, we are now counting on these rookies to contribute BIG TIME. When you have Jeter, A-Rod, Sheffield, and Matsui in the same lineup; the Big Unit and Moose in the rotation, and Mo in the BP... that should NEVER happen. I know this team is old, but three out of those four hitters are in their prime and those pitchers have pitched well despite their age the past few years. Unfortunately, Flash seems to have been a one year wonder for us. Quantrill and Stanton have done ok at times and have just been awful at others. Posada, Giambi, Tino, and now even Matsui have been black holes in our lineup. I'm not even going to address the failings of Brown and Wright.

I will say this though... the pitchers that left the Bronx this offseason are going on to have pretty good years. Vazquez started slow but has won his last 3 starts giving up 4 ER in 24 IP. His teammate in 'Zona, our young Mr. Halsey... has somehow managed to start the year 2-0 with a 3.09 ERA. El Duque is 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA. And this is the clincher... Jose Contreras... yes, our Contreras... has a 3.04 ERA in 26 2/3 IP... What is going on?!?

[Saber]

Wouldn't it make infinitely more sense to play Bernie in left instead of Womack? Bernie at his worst is still better than Tony Womack. This makes the Yankees worse, and it's sad.