JT the Brick

Where are you, George? Yankee fans from every corner of the earth are looking for Steinbrenner to raise his voice and save the 2005 Bronx Bombers. This is the same owner who enjoyed firing Billy Martin and getting under the skin of Dave Winfield. The same man who would always make a statement to the media when times were tough and make quick decisions when the going got tough.

I'll give George a free pass if he can no longer motivate his team because of his age and the fact that he might not be in tip-top shape, but this has got to be driving him crazy.

No member of the Yankees organization should be safe after another pitiful road trip to Tampa. It is becoming painfully obvious that the season is slipping away and that the team that suffered the biggest choke in baseball history against the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS last season, is about to top that feat with this pathetic performance.

The Yankees' seven main problems
1. Mike Mussina makes $19 million and has 11 wins this season. Do the math and realize that he hasn't lived up to the hype. Mussina came to the Yankees after the 2000 season and still hasn't won a World Series. He is one of the top 10 pitchers in baseball, but can't win in the clutch. He once had the potential of becoming a Hall of Famer and was paid an enormous amount of money to win big games. He must run the table if New York has a shot at playing in October.

2. The Yankees' payroll is just north of $200 million. This is the most ever paid by an owner for players and they continue to underachieve. The more Brian Cashman pays, the more pressure he puts on each star that has to compete as members of this overpaid roster. Where would the Yankees be in the standings if they paid only $130,000,00 in payroll? Probably right where they are, trailing Boston and fighting for a wild card spot.

3. Jason Giambi has been a distraction since coming to the Yankees as a free agent before the 2002 season and has struck out 396 times. He is embroiled in the BALCO steroid case and is no longer respected because of his connection to the biggest controversy since Pete Rose's gambling on baseball. Steinbrenner didn't expect Giambi to put up average numbers while paying him over $13 million this season. The Yankees had to bring back Tino Martinez to back up Giambi because of Giambi's inferior defense, another reason why their payroll is out of control. Giambi is no longer the feared ex-MVP who batted .333 with 43 home runs and 137 RBI in 2000. He still can hit the big home run, but is a shell of his former self.

4. The lowly Tampa Bay Devil Rays have beaten New York nine times this season, and that could be enough to keep the Yankees out of the playoffs. Manager Lou Piniella obviously knows how to get his team fired up to play the Yankees, and they enjoy quieting the New York fans who invade Tropicana Field looking for an easy win. This is the classic example of David vs. Goliath and how the low-paid Rays love to embarrass the high-priced Yankees, who also were swept in Kansas City on May 31-June 2.

5. The Yankees have given up 594 runs this season. Only three other teams have given up more runs — Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Texas. Normally, I would not concentrate on this statistic, but it stands out because New York shouldn't be included with the Royals and the Devil Rays in any statistical category.

6. Bernie Williams is one of the best Yankees of the modern era, but he is clearly past his prime and can barely hit the cutoff man from center field. Cashman was banking on getting one more quality season from him, but that was another miscalculation. Thus, Tony Womack — a second baseman — has been thrust into center field after the experiment with Melky Cabrera failed (he batted .211 in six games). Williams is another example of a high-priced player ($12 million) who must find a second wind and become more of an asset instead of a liability.

Slide show: The Week in Sports Pictures   Oct. 3 - 9 Images from the baseball playoffs, NFL, college football, and more.

7. Kevin Brown is the biggest pitching bust in Yankee history. He makes $15.7 million and has a record of 4-7 record. He has a bad back and a bad attitude. The day he says something positive to the press about his franchise will be the first. Carl Pavano has a 4-6 record and makes $9 million and Jaret Wright is 3-2 on the season after spending most of his time on the disabled list and was brought in as a free agent for $5.6 million. These three amigos have a combined record of 11-15 and eat up over $30 million in salary. You wonder why the Yankees have a payroll of over $200 million?