Where Have You Gone, Joe Torre?

Farm System: Working with Steinbrenner's win-now mandate, the Yankees have been unable to develop a farm system that produces young talent. Indeed, they pretty much stripped it bare, trading for short-term fixes and overpriced and often overrated veterans. That approach is finally changing. Next year should see Chamberlain, Philip Hughes and Ian Kennedy all taking key roles, with more pitching in the pipeline.

Show A-Rod the Door: Sure, it's his choice, but the Yankees could certainly give him a nudge. He did put up huge numbers, but the Yankees didn't need all of them. It's kind of like they used to say about Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks, after back-to-back MVP seasons in '58 and '59, when the Cubs finished sixth both seasons. Couldn't they have finished sixth without him? A-Rod is the modern equivalent, an MVP who can't propel his team out of the first round of the playoffs. And I bet they could get that far without him. Say goodbye, put Wilson Betemit at third base, make infield defense a priority (that means no more Giambi at first) and spend A-Rod's money shoring up the pitching staff. While Steinbrenner might not be able to handle it, sophisticated Yankee fans would likely tolerate a year on the outside of the playoffs if they sensed the team was building the nucleus of a new champion.

League Championship Predictions: I hope somebody noted that I went four for four in the first round though, frankly, I thought the picks were pretty easy. Not so this round, which should produce—and TBS and Fox pray it does—some more competitive series.

Colorado Rockies vs. Arizona Diamondbacks: Never bet on a streak to end. The Rockies have been playing with playoff pressure since mid-September. And they rolled over a Phillies team that was almost as hot down the stretch. These two teams could be called the anti-Yankees, homegrown and filled with young talent. Still, I find it hard to believe in a team that hit .250 and, as the Diamondbacks do, relies on A.L. castoffs like Eric Brynes and Tony Clark for significant hitting contributions. Matt Holliday and Todd Helton, however have no trouble convincing me. And the Rockies have other guys, like Troy Tulowitzki, Brad Hawpe and Garret Atkins, who are swinging hot bats. Pitching usually rules, but the weak Arizona bats will make Colorado pitching come up aces. Rockies in seven.

Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox: These are two pretty comparable teams that produced identical records. Both have three hitting stars and a lineup that is more pesky than powerhouse. But all the key matchups seem to favor the Red Sox. Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez vs. David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez in the middle of the lineup: Hafner and Martinez are formidable, but Ortiz and Ramirez are all-timers and on fire. C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona vs. Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling as 1-2 starters: Sabathia and Carmona are nasty, certainly possessing better stuff than the aging Schilling. But Beckett has already won a World Series seventh game, and Schilling has the best postseason winning percentage in history. Joe Borowski vs. Jonathan Papelbon as closer: no contest! Borowski led the league in saves but, remarkably, with an ERA over 5.00, about three times higher than that of the Red Sox star. Throw in the home-field advantage and Boston wins in six.

© 2007