For all you Yankee fans, there will be no pity party going on around here. A-Rod is M.I.A and now you lose your Captain, Derek Jeter, with an ankle fracture. Remember one thing, the Yankees are bigger than any ONE player. Bigger than Ruth, Mantle, DiMaggio. This baseball season has been about stepping up. Mariano Rivera was injured back in April and here comes Rafael Soriano to fill in his shoes with 42 saves. How in the world are the Yankees going to replace a man who has 200 post-season hits? Ichiro! The signing of Ichiro was a genius move by Brian Cashman. He has played inspired baseball since the trade and without question he will be the lead-off hitter the rest of the playoffs series. Jayson Nix is no where close to being Derek Jeter; but all you can ask of him from here on out, if chosen to replace the Captain, is to play hard-nose defense. The Yankees will be fine.

As for you, Alex Rodriguez, you are an aging superstar that has been slumping, you look lost, and you approach the plate with embarrassing swings. I know it had to be one of the most humiliating weeks of your professional career, being lifted for a pinch hitter. Oh, forgot to mention that the man who took your at-bats was a 40-year-old journeyman, Raul Ibanez, who did nothing but hammer two home runs that led to the game tying and game winning victory against the Baltimore Orioles. I wouldn’t necessary say that Joe Girardi is a genius in pinch-hitting for you or benching you in-game 5; but Alex, you are batting a dismal .105 in the postseason (2-for-19). Now, in your defense, you are not the only big shot gloomy at the plate. We could easily jump on Nick Swisher, who is batting .130 3-for-23. How about my man Curtis Granderson who is also batting .130 3-for-23 and one home run. Robinson Cano, can’t forget about you and your 2-for-28 including 0 for his last 22. If I didn’t know any better, I thought the 2012 Yankees were facing Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, and Bob Feller. Nope, have you heard of Wei-Yin Chen, Miguel Gonzalez, or Joe Saunders? Each pitcher, without a Cy Young, have destroyed the mighty Yankee line-up. How in the world did the Yankees make it this far?

Alex, when things go wrong, the baseball world enjoys using you as a scapegoat. It doesn’t matter where in the batting order you are in, it seems that you are always up in key spots that end in a KILLJOY! You are Pigpen on Charlie Brown. Every time you show up to the party, the party ends up shutting down. Since you have been in the league, every organization you have played for have coddled you with kid gloves because you are so sensitive. The only time you led a team was when you were with the Texas Rangers, that year you received MVP honors on a last place team! How are you going to help your team win? Will you pout if Girardi batted you eighth in the line-up like Joe Torre did in the playoffs in 2006? This is an opportunity for the first time in a Yankee uniform that you don’t have Derek Jeter looking over your shoulder. Jeter has to depend on you and the 24 other ball players to get that sixth ring.

Alex, your situation right now is made for an after school special. All the pressure should be off of you now as things can’t get any worse for you. It’s too late to reinvent yourself at this stage of the season. The Yankees are struggling on offense and need production from you. Keep things simple and let the game come to you. This is a chance for redemption, show some life, step up and just play your game. Oh by the way, take the kid gloves off!

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