The Bronx Daily

Is Jeter's Team Still Confident?

Derek Jeter is staring at the possibility that, for the first season in his career, he will not be in the playoffs.  According to the LoHud Yankees blog, Jeter is still outwardly confident that the Yankees will be in the postseason. However, Sweeny Murti of WFAN asked Jeter if his teammates are still as confident as he is:

"They better be," he said.

Interesting answer.

On the one hand, it tells me that he's sending the team a message: "Get it together, guys." He doesn't believe they do have that confidence and he thinks they need to find it.

On the other hand, it says he's out of touch with his teammates and it confirms that he's not that hands on, in-your-face team leader that so many people want him to be. It's almost like he's going about his business as usual and, when asked about them, he's like, "Oh, yeah, the rest of the team."

At this moment the Yankees stand 6 games behind Boston in the Wild Card Race. They have 6 games left with Boston. I'm sure Derek Jeter feels confident about those 6 games, but it's looking more and more like the team that he leads isn't. 

No More Supporting the Stache!

"There's no more hits in it. No more hits." That is what Jason Giambi said of his mustache after shaving it off before departing with the team on get away day to travel to Texas to take on the Rangers. After hitting .164 with five home runs and 13 RBIs in the month of April Giambi added the facial hair and hit .309 with 12 home runs and 33 RBIs in May and June. Not too scruffy! (Sorry, couldn't resist!) The American Mustache Institute gave its support for Giambi, urging fans to place their votes based upon his "powerful lip fur."

Since July 3, Giambi is batting .182 with two home runs and 10 RBIs. He had only one hit in the Yankees' four-game series split against the Angels. The stache lost its magic!

Loss Spurs Closed Door Meeting

The Yankees could not get it together in game one of their four game set against the Boston Red Sox and Joe Girardi let the team know he was not happy about it. Although Girardi would not tell the media what the details of the meeting was, consistency was the theme. This Yankees team is up then down. They need to find a way to stay in some of these games like the one they played last night. Losing 7-0 to a division rival that is ahead of you in the standings in the first game of a critical series is unacceptable.

Losing 2-1 is no better, but at least it gives the team a chance to get back in the game and win. When you are down by 7 runs, it is very hard to come back. Girardi was quoted as saying the Yankees, "didn't do anything". The losses are really bothering Joe as they should be and he wants to light a fire under the team. My hope is this meeting will turn this team around once and for all.

I look back at my posts and realize how many times I thought the Yankees had put it together and were going to turn the season around. But as Derek Jeter said, there have been many false starts. He also said, "The thing you've got to realize, this meeting isn't for today. This is for how we've been playing the last week. I don't necessarily think it's today's game."

Every Yankees fan out there understands the roller coaster ride this team has taken us on and it has been about highs and lows, no consistency. I dare say it one more time, I hope this meeting sparks the team and they go on the run we all know they are capable of going on.