October Mainstay Swings-and-Misses

October is here. The smell of pumpkins and pinecones are ever so prevalent. That oh-so-familiar crisp air makes you want to grab a hot coffee and enjoy the fall foliage.

There is something else is that feels all too familiar around this time of year - the New York Yankees gearing up for a deep playoff run. However, for just the fifth time in 28 years, the Yankees will not be playing baseball this October.

It was a long, painful season for these Yankees. Year in and year out, the expectations for the Yankees are World Series or bust. This year was no exception. But everything came crashing down, as this roster’s lack of consistency and baseball basics were exposed. The lackluster offensive performances were like watching paint dry. We can all endure only so much boring baseball, right?

Hal Steinbrenner has decided to bring in an external team to conduct an audit. The initial impression is that all personnel throughout the organization will be put under a microscope. An in-depth review would allow the organization to reset based on the outcome. But dig deeper and it seems smells more like a PR move. Will the analytics department get gutted? Possibly. Is Brian Cashman in hot water? Doubt it.

Getty Images

This is where Steinbrenner’s proclamation of an audit loses meaning. Cashman is the man responsible for putting together this clunky roster. If there is an audit needed, it should be on his moves. Trading for and signing oft-injured players has been his trademark lately. And even though he hits on rare gems, his luck is running out.

Whatever the outcome of this so-called audit is, they need to act fast. The Astros are the new Yankees in the AL, and young teams like the Orioles and Mariners are not going anywhere. The Orioles won a shocking 101 games this season, and they still have talent in the pipeline. Even within their own division, the Orioles have figured it out before the Yankees.

Halloween can be scary, but nothing is scarier than an owner who is complacent, a GM who is stubborn, and a manager we cannot fault because ultimately, he does not make essential decision during the course of the game. The Yankees need to have a big offseason and need to act like the Yankees again. They cannot afford another swing-and-a-miss.

- SidelineInsight