<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4IZD5q_0vN3AND000" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4IZD5q_0vN3AND000" width="1280" height="823" ><figcaption>The Yankees have fallen out of first place with 22 games to go. AP</figcaption></figure>I recently had an eye-opening conversation with a <a href="https://www.nj.com/yankees/">Yankees</a> veteran who asked with a straight face why everyone’s flipping out about the club’s recent slide.“You actually think we’re in trouble?” he said sarcastically.“Well, it’s not what you want,” I answered, channeling <a href="https://www.nj.com/yankees/2022/08/ex-yankees-phillies-manager-joe-girardi-lands-new-job.html">Joe Girardi.</a>“You know how many teams would trade places with us right now?” he said with some irritation. “We’re going to be fine. We’re a good team. Man, people get so upset.”Want to bet on MLB?I was going to list the reasons for the widespread agita. I decided not to return fire. That’ll be a discussion for October, assuming the Yankees are still around by the second round.I remember when <a href="https://www.nj.com/yankees/2024/08/yankees-aaron-boone-gets-heated-defending-struggling-player-when-you-run-the-team-you-can-make-that-call.html">Aaron Boone’s</a> crew was heading straight for the World Series. Like everyone else, I bought into the narrative that this was their year.Silly me. It was a mirage.The Yankees have been underachieving for the last 2 1/2 months. They routinely get outplayed by inferior clubs. They should’ve buried the Orioles by now.Instead, the Yankees have become a different type of illusion. They’ve got big-name star power – <a href="https://www.nj.com/yankees/2024/08/taking-cheap-shots-at-aaron-judge-its-bush-league-even-for-little-league.html">Aaron Judge</a>, <a href="https://www.nj.com/yankees/2024/07/joe-torre-has-a-yankees-message-for-juan-soto-on-free-agency.html">Juan Soto</a>, <a href="https://www.nj.com/yankees/2024/09/yankees-gerrit-cole-updates-on-his-calf.html">Gerrit Cole</a> – that hides the roster’s soft underbelly.TO PURCHASE YANKEES TICKETS, VISIT: <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=126006X1587339&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vividseats.com%2Fmlb-baseball%2Fnew-york-yankees-tickets.html">VIVIDSEATS</a>, <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=126006X1587339&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Fnew-york-yankees-tickets%2Fartist%2F805992">TICKETMATER</a> and <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=126006X1587339&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Ffind%2Fs%2F%3Fq%3Dnew%2520york%2520yankees">STUBHUB</a>The closer? Your guess is as good as mine now.The rest of the rotation? Name one starter who you’d trust in Game 2 of any series if Cole loses Game 1.The killer instinct? That’s a joke, right?Like they have so many times in the Boone era, the Yankees are deluding themselves. They’re still living off the buzz of that 45-19 start.So with the AL East at stake, having surrendered first place to the Orioles, the Yankees look you straight in the eye and insist everything is either OK, or will be OK.It’s an absurd sales pitch in the wake of three straight series losses to the Nationals, Cardinals and Rangers.The Yankees should’ve rolled over all three of these mediocre clubs. They should be using September’s final weeks as jumping jacks for October’s wars.Boone was at least honest enough to tell reporters, “We’ve got to do better than that” even though he’s partly responsible for the Yankees’ complacency this summer.There’s an time-honored axiom that says a team inevitably assumes the personality of its manager. Boone, the ultimate good guy, has rubbed off on his players. None of them is mean enough.No matter how painful the losses, or how long the Yankees go without that signature late-summer hot streak, they know Boone is giving them a pass on YES.Even the team’s Praetorian Guard - Judge, Soto and Cole - end up repeating the manager’s feel good message.How many times have we heard a Yankee say, “It’s right there in front of us?”How many times have you felt like hurling your TV through the window?I remember how different it was in the Joe Torre era. The clubhouse was dead-silent after a tough loss. No one raised their voice above a whisper, lest Derek Jeter cut you in a half with a look.The same was true of the charter flights. Former Yankees say the mood was so dark no one even dared to get out of their seat from takeoff to touch down.Back then, losing was a trauma.Today, it’s just part of the process.In fairness, the dilution can be traced to the third wild card - thanks for nothing, Rob Manfred. With 40 percent of the clubs guaranteed to make it to the playoffs, the hunger to conquer every opponent was bound to become obsolete.Even so, there comes a point when a heartbeat matters. That time is now for the Yankees. They’re 40-41 since June 11. They’re 10-12 in the last 22 games. Time is running out before a three-game showdown with the Orioles on September 24.What the Yankees won’t say out loud is they’re better than Baltimore. They took 2-of-3 from the O’s in July and would’ve made it a clean sweep except for Alex Verdugo’s misplay of a ninth-inning fly ball.So the Yankees figure they’ll take care of business when it counts. That’s very possible.Mets elders were unimpressed with the Orioles after taking a series from them in August. One member of the organization flatly told me, “If (the Orioles) win that division, it’ll only be because the Yankees handed it to them.”But the Yankees have to drop the nonchalance. It won’t save them in October from the Astros, who are lurking. The Guardians are legit. One of these years the Twins might just surprise them.It’s up to Boone to restate the obvious: it’s been 14 seasons since the Yankees have won a championship. People are livid. The same fans who faithfully fill up the Stadium every night are sick of being told to stop worrying.The veteran who looked at me like I was insane doesn’t realize the anger on social media didn’t happen overnight. It’s been building for a generation. No one wants to hear about “process” ever again.The good news is that fixing the Yankees shouldn’t be a heavy lift. They have plenty of weapons. The Cubs can’t match them.With 22 games to go, I’m hearing Michael Kay’s voice in my head. Let’s see if the Yankees have a rally in their bones.Bob Klapisch may be reached at <a href="mailto:bklapisch@njadvancemedia.com">bklapisch@njadvancemedia.com</a>.</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Earth to delusional Yankees: Everything is NOT okay | Klapisch

I recently had an eye-opening conversation with a Yankees veteran who asked with a straight face why everyone’s flipping out about the club’s recent slide. “You actually think we’re in trouble?” he said sarcastically. “Well, it’s not what you want,” I answered, channeling Joe Girardi....

Earth to delusional Yankees: Everything is NOT okay | Klapisch

Comments / 0