A less-than-friendly family in New York?

Ignorance, as defined by Webster, is the condition of being uneducated, unaware, or uninformed. George Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman combined, are the epitome of ignorance.(go to http://www.3rdand10.com)

When the two top men in the Yankees organization decided to explore the possibility of trading Mike Cameron for Gary Sheffield, it was anyone’s guess that the Yanks were headed for trouble. When Sheffield’s name was in the papers, and trade rumors swirled in the Big Apple, the self-proclaimed “captain” of the Yankees, was not happy.

“I know who the leader is on the team. I ain’t going to say who it is, but I know who it is. I know who the team feeds off. I know who the opposing team comes in knowing they have to defend to stop the Yankees,” said Sheffield in a New York magazine interview. And without naming names, it’s very clear who Sheffield is referring to. He says that the media shows A-Rod and Jeter “in a positive light and everyone else is garbage.” The Sheff also stated that the Bombers lack family values, chemistry, and trust.

And after this interview, we can clearly see that Gary Sheffield is not the leader of the New York Yankees. You can’t go after your teammates when your team is fighting for a chance in the wildcard and the division. It’s absolutely absurd. Sure, Gary Sheffield is a very articulate man, and in this instance, most likely knows what he is talking about. But when he goes after his teammates, saying that they are not real leaders, that is simply garbage at a time like this. Sheffield’s team has a $200+ million payroll, they have superstars at every position, but it is true that they are looking like a team headed for less than 90 wins. You can’t call yourself a leader, unless you are going to lead by example, and Gary shows that he is clearly not up to the responsibility.

I agree wholeheartedly with his observations of the Yankees. Since the 2001 World Series, Steinbrenner and Cashman have put together a team of high-priced all-stars. They don’t care about the team chemistry, they just want to have a lineup of steroid-using hitters, and a vastly overpaid pitching staff. And in three seasons since Luis Gonzalez hit a blooper into the outfield, winning the D-Backs the World Series, and crushing George Steinbrenner’s pride in the process, the Boss’s strategy has not worked.

When the Yankees used to win, they used to be the fear of every single team that went against them. And it was for one simple reason: chemistry. Everyone knew each other, and everyone liked each other. They had the position players-Tino Martinez (one of the best fielding first baseman to play the game) , Scott Brosuis (the 1998 World Series MVP), Chuck Knoblauch (a career .289 hitter), Paul O’Neill (who was 16-3 in 19 postseason series). The list goes on and on. But those were the players that would come through in the clutch. When you watch those legendary teams, from 1996-2001, they always had a chance to win, even if they were down by four runs in the 8th inning. Those were the days when Mike Stanton was the reliable left-handed middle-man in the bullpen, when Jeff Nelson could come in and strike out hitters left and right, and when Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte were at the top of the rotation in the Bronx.

But throwing together the best players in the free-agent market, or giving up valuable minor-league prospects to bring in the over paid and not-so-reliable veterans, has been counter-productive in bringing the trophy back to the Big Apple.

In this sense, Gary Sheffield is 100% correct. It is not as if he went into the interview, ready to bash every single one of his teammates. He called it the way he saw it, and it is probably the correct point of view. But maybe there is more animosity towards Jeter and A-Rod, because they are very close friends. Maybe Sheffield envies the bond that the majority of the Yankees have. You can see the lack of chemistry in the dugout. Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez talk a lot among themselves all though both men are well-liked throughout the organization, and throughout baseball. Ruben Sierra, Bernie Williams, and Robinson Cano hang out, laughing and telling jokes, and Al Leiter sitting on the bench, talking about the art of pitching with Randy Johnson. So maybe the façade of a close-knit Yankees team has been shattered.

The self-proclaimed “idiots,” are the Boston Red Sox. With Johnny Damon, David Ortiz, and the always-colorful Manny Ramirez leading the way, the Red Sox are the true definition of a team. Their captain, veteran-catcher Jason Varitek, keeps players in order, and Manny is always ready to go crazy, and release tension in the clubhouse. The chemistry in Boston, and the lack-thereof in New York, is what separates the two bitter rivals. And it was undoubtedly a driving factor behind Boston’s historic comeback in the 2004 American League Champion Series.

Even though Jeter’s name was not uttered by Sheffield, it is painfully clear who the former steroid-using right fielder was referring to. And there should probably be a rule that is posted in the Yankee locker-room: you never, ever, go after Derek Jeter. No matter what.

After hearing about the interview with Gary Sheffield, you have to question that man’s sanity. Here he is, a very important player on the team, but does not amount to the real Yankee captain’s importance at all. I don’t know how someone could rationalize being Derek Jeter’s teammate, and then trying to make Jeter’s role on the Yankees less-significant. To me, that is the definition of insanity.

New York City is Jeter’s city. He could run for mayor, and win by a landslide. Heck, if it wasn’t for the numerous Red Sox fans, Jeter could run for president and unseat George W. Bush! But under no circumstances, should anyone in the state of New York, try to put down Derek Jeter. Why? Because He will get smacked.

Everyone loves Jeter. From the guts that he displays night after night on the baseball field, to the friendly persona that he exhibits to pretty much everyone, to the fact that he is one of the best shortstops in the history of baseball. Derek Jeter has given everything, and more to his team and to the city, and is one of the most well-respected men in baseball. Sheffield has cracked, if he thinks he can wage a war with words on Derek Jeter, and get away with it.

But the 17-year veteran says that while he is the leader of the team, he won’t pull a Derek Jeter, and dive into the stands for a foul ball.

“That’s not happening. I tore up my shoulder, I tore up a knee. I’m not doing that again,” said Sheffield.

So while Gary Sheffield maintains that his team has no chemistry, and a lack of trust, he is the person who goes against both of those ideals, slapping his teammates in the face in the process. This all-star right fielder was the runner-up in the MVP voting last year, and yes did have close to 90 RBIs going into August, but Gary Sheffield is a selfish player. He’s not willing to risk his wellbeing for the team. The legendary pinstripes are besmirched every time Sheffield wears them, and he has stained the organization with his egotistical mindset. In short, Gary Sheffield is only concerned about himself, and does not have the heart to be a true New York Yankee.

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