Keep on not giving the team the best chance to win Joe. At least they are really motivated by your speeches….

Have the Yankees relievers been more effective when starting an inning as opposed to coming in with someone on base?

I ask because, if they have been, why let a starter extend into the 7th or 8th inning, when they’re tiring, on a hitter-by-hitter basis, if your bullpen is not able to be effective with inherited runners?

Back to topic: SJ — they are SOOOOO shell-shocked it’s not funny. I used to think it was a particular kind of win they needed to snap out of things, but I think it’s just going to have to be a methodical stringing together of at least 3 wins for them to stop feeling like they’re behind the 8-ball.

Its like they have been hit repeatedly with so many body blows, its only a matter of time before they get knocked out.

Confidence is a big thing in sports and, we are seeing a team that plays with ZERO confidence.

Its like they walk around with a black cloud under their heads, waiting for bad things to happen.

I saw something very telling last night. When Andy gave up the first run of the game, he reacted about as demonstrative as I have ever seen him.

At first glance, you think, “its only one run”. But, Andy realizes they don’t hit, so that run is huge.

That’s how little confidence guys have in each other.

Its not surprising, given the results so far this season.

Some of these guys have never experienced such failure in their major league careers as they are experiencing this season.

It plays with your head and it definitely affects you.

I’d like to Girardi take over this team from spring training 2008, and be given the reigns to do things his way, with a younger, more athletic, hungrier team.

I wouldn’t want to saddle anybody with this year’s team. Its too unlikable (from a baseball perspective) for a ton of reasons.

The politics that are the Yankees seem to have pitted (unwittingly, perhaps) Mattingly vs. Girardi as the next manager in waiting.

I think Girardi, with the right type of team, is a better fit than Mattingly. But, it seems George really likes Mattingly.

That’s going to be a tough call. I can’t see Mattingly sticking around if he gets bypassed for Girardi as the next manager.

Its not like he came back to be a hitting coach or a glorified Don Zimmer his entire coaching career.

If it was me, I’d hire Girardi next year. But, I’m not the owner and it seems the owner wants Mattingly.

Hopefully, it doesn’t get ugly.

The last few weeks have just seemed like an extended version of the last few failed playoff series — Joe T. stone-faced with his arms crossed, and the players staring at their feet. I could be wrong about the “body language” since the team meeting, though, since I don’t get to see many games up here.

I’m not advocating anything, just mentioning a previous idea. My only agenda is I’m a Girardi fan and would like to see him back in the Yankee organization somehow.

That stuff is all BS. You mean to tell me the players need a coach to be fired to “rally them”?

I don’t buy any of that nonsense.

If these guys need somebody like Kevin Long getting fired to rally them, then its a sorry bunch of players, lacking SERIOUS character.

You don’t whack a guy like Long to send a message.

You want to “send a message”? DFA a top player and eat the money.

How about this, if you are interesting in sending a message.

DFA Jason Giambi tomorrow. Say, the hell with the money, we’ll pay it. We don’t want to put up with him anymore. The on and off field stuff is too damaging to the organization. Goodbye.

That would send a “greater message” (if that’s the big goal here) than to fire a coach who has no impact on wins and losses.

You want to scare players? Something like that does it.

Fire Kevin Long? Means nothing to these guys.

I think someone suggested the following a while back: fire Long, move Mattingly back to hitting coach and bring in Girardi as bench coach. People seem to think he offers a spark that’s lacking. Don M. might not accept the “demotion”, though, although it could be presented as an emergency reassignment of the best guy for the job.

Probably there is no magic personnel move. Count me as a fan, win or lose I’ll be rooting from up here in Soxland. I hope Ray of Hope & company are right — if we can come back this year, it’ll be one for the ages.