MILWAUKEE – You think it’s been difficult to look at the Yankees when one lifeless loss follows another?
Try being GM Brian Cashman, one of the men who put together the Bumbling Bombers.
Your investment in George Steinbrenner’s overpaid, underachieving stable of talent is two-fold: Either you love the Yankees more than life or you have been foolishly betting them and losing money you don’t have.
Cashman? He is paid $1.15 million to work for Steinbrenner. But even if Dale Carnegie owned the Yankees, it wouldn’t be easy sitting in Cashman’s chair.
“We have to fight through it but it’s tough to watch these days,” Cashman said before boarding a delayed flight in Newark headed for here after spending two days at home to be with his family for the birthday of his son, Theo.
Since Cashman was with the club for the three games in Kansas City and one of three in Minnesota before going home, there was speculation the GM was coming to fire a coach or two, since that’s Steinbrenner’s favorite tactic when things go this bad and he can’t delete the manager.
Asked what The Boss was thinking about the club at .500 (28-28) and six games out of first place, Cashman said, “You will have to ask him.”
According to PR guru Howard Rubenstein, Steinbrenner “is mum.”
Cashman says it’s been tough to watch. Try revolting. Losers of seven of eight going into last night’s action against the Brewers at Miller Park, where Randy Johnson attempted to inject oxygen into the pinstriped lungs, the Yankees were deficient in almost every area. And that included thinking.
To their credit, the players responsible for the losing aren’t painting pretty pictures.
“We are right where we deserve to be,” said captain Derek Jeter, who returned to action after missing two games with a deep chest cold. “We need to play better, that’s the bottom line.”
Mariano Rivera says it’s a test for the Yankees, who have never been this inconsistent under Joe Torre.
“This is when you show your true colors,” Rivera said. “Eventually it will happen because it can’t get worse.”
Jason Giambi hasn’t been a Yankee as long as Jeter and Rivera, but he understands losing isn’t an option.
“It’s been miserable,” Giambi said. “It just doesn’t happen here. You are expected to win. That’s been the hardest thing.”
Asked to pick an area that has hurt the Yankees the most, Cashman didn’t hesitate.
“The offense is more guilty right now,” Cashman said of a team that was hitting .216 (51-for-236) during the seven losses. In the clutch they were a pathetic .163 (8-for-49). “The offense has been scuffling for the last week.”
Atop the honor roll of the Dead Bat Society is left fielder Tony Womack, who is in a 2-for-24 (.083) slide. He isn’t alone. Tino Martinez is 2-for-28 (.071).
Neither left-handed hitter was in the lineup last night against Brewers lefty Doug Davis.
Alex Rodriguez’ wood isn’t dead, but he had one extra-base hit in the past nine games and hadn’t driven in a run since May 26.
Of course, it has been a complete team effort. The Yankees made four mental mistakes – three on the bases – in the first four games (all losses) of the trip.
And the pitching, especially Sunday when Kevin Brown melted in the sixth, has been shoddy.
So, no matter your seat, Cashman is right. It’s been hard to look at.
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What else is on?
The Yankees braintrust can barely keep their eyes on the field lately, and GM Brian Cashman said the team is “tough to watch.” So, here are some other options tonight if you can’t bring yourself to view the Yankees-Brewers game (YES, 8 p.m.):
Fire Me . . . Please, Ch. 2, 9 p.m.
The Unauthorized Story of “Mork & Mindy”, Ch. 4, 8 p.m.
Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy, Ch. 5, 8 p.m.
Astros at Mets (Oswalt vs. Martinez), MSG, 7 p.m.
Spider-Man, TBS, 8 p.m.
Midway, AMC, 8 p.m.
The Munsters, TVLAND, 8 p.m.
Cribs, MTV, 8 p.m.
Eight Men Out, Encore, 8 p.m.
SpongeBob SquarePants, Nickelodeon, 8 p.m.
