The Yankees are struggling right now and they do have a few obvious problems this
season.
First, they simply do not appear to be as strong a team as is their arch rival from
team from
squad will have another outstanding season. They may be building a dynasty and
they are the team to beat in all of baseball right now.
Second, the losses of Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada have had a huge impact on
the team’s offense. Losing two terrific hitters of this caliber would hurt any major league
team.
In addition, I am certain that some of the pitchers who are comfortable with the way
Posada interacts with them when they are on the mound miss his presence behind the
plate.
Getting comfortable with a different catcher can be an issue for some of the Yankee
pitchers who have developed a good working relationship with Posada over the years.
Next, their young and very talented starting pitchers do not appear to developing
the way fans had hoped they would just yet. This could be a coaching issue or perhaps
they just need more time.
Last, and perhaps less obvious to many fans and writers, is the possibility that
the team misses Joe Torre and is paternal management style. While it is way too soon to
say that Joe Girardi is wrong for the team and that he will not be able to get the job done,
one has to wonder if his psychological approach to the players and to the game will be
as effective as Joe Torre had been for so many years.
A change in leadership impacts a company, a country or a team. And a change
in leadership style influences the way people feel and the way they perform.
A calm, confident and likeable father figure like Joe Torre can play a powerful
role in any organization’s growth and performance. The Yankees may need the kind of
leadership they had in the past in order to reach their potential this season.
As is usually the case, time will certainly tell us whether Joe Girardi can produce
a winner in
Presently, while there is no apparent friction on the team, The Yankees do
appear to be having some adjustment and performance issues which may be connected
to the loss of a man who was a stabilizing force on the team for so many years.
Jay P. Granat, Ph.D. is a Psychotherapist in River Edge, NJ. He is the Founder of
www.stayinthezone.com. He has recently developed a slump busting program for
baseball hitters. Here is the link to get that program: https://stayinthezone.com/baseball.htm