Yankees take easy way out, fire Jeff Pentland
Perhaps you have heard that the Yankees have fired hitting coach Jeff Pentland.
According to Pentland, he signed a one year deal and he stated that the Yankees told him that it would be for one year probably. Pentland acknowledges that the Yankees didn’t look too good at bat in the last month of the regular season.
But can he be blamed for that?
The Yankees have been streaking all season, mixing winning streaks with losing streaks. In those winning streaks, the team hit quite well. Did anyone complain about Pentland when the Yankees had the third best BA in June (.274) and the second best BA in July (.275)? Nope.
Sure they were free falling in August (.238) and September (.233). But the problem with this Yankee team was that as soon as they were hitting well, the pitching faltered. As soon as the pitching did well, the bats were dormant. So it is too easy to give one specific reason for the disappointing finish.
As a team, the Yankees sucked in the final two months. Why not get rid of those who vastly underperformed? Isn’t it the front office that hires these players? Perhaps Cashman, and the Steinbrenner Bros, should step back.
Once again it is always the manager or some kind of coach that is blamed (not only with the Yankees, but with every other club when the results are poor). Take Ned Yost for example. He was fired by the Brewers in 2008, just 12 games before the end of the season as the Brewers lost 11 out of their last 14 games, while still in the play off race.
Two seasons later he was signed by the Royals and look where they are now. Will Yost be a different manager than he was in 2008. I dare to doubt it.
The success of a manager or coach will always depend on the quality of the team. It will always depend on the work ethic of the players that he has to cooperate with. So perhaps, the brass of a club should think twice before firing a manager or coach.
Anyhow, the Yankees can start looking for their third hitting coach in three years. If Don Mattingly gets fired by the Dodgers, perhaps he is the guy to step in.