Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Making The Call: Time For Change
By
Peter Trinkle
Published Aug 31, 2008
Modified Aug 31, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Peter Trinkle
Published Aug 31, 2008
Modified Aug 31, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A payroll of $209 million should at the very least guarantee that a team is in the thick of the playoff race until the very end, but barring a miracle run, the Yankees won’t be. While George Steinbrenner is no longer in charge, the failure of the 2008 Yankees demands someone to be held accountable and fans are well within their rights to expect changes.
This space has argued in the past that Brian Cashman deserves to return next year and we are not changing that stance. Firing Joe Girardi would be a stupid move, he has had some bad moments, but he certainly seems capable of growing into the job. However, some of Girardi’s coaches need to be replaced.
Fans may howl for Kevin Long’s head since the hitting coach is the easy scapegoat when a team scores 200 runs less in a season, but Long coached the hitters last year and should therefore get a mulligan. Instead, consider Dave Eiland who was brought in with much fanfare about his ability to work with young pitchers. “Generation Trey” as Michael Kay calls them has combined for 4 wins, all from Joba Chamberlain. Kennedy and Hughes bombed out of the majors before getting hurt. Eiland has made some progress with Jose Veras, but he is one of the coaches who should be on the hot seat when the season ends.
The other coach who needs to be replaced has hurt the Yankees in two different decades. In the mid-80’s Bobby Meacham’s anemic bat and awful defense sabotaged the Yankees numerous times. In the present day his freewheeling approach to coaching third has cost them runs at the plate. Through July, the Yankees had 13 runners gunned out at home, among the highest number in the league. Meacham replaced Larry Bowa who was probably the best third base coach in the league and also kept Robinson Cano in line. Cano’s regression cannot be placed entirely on Meacham’s shoulders, but the need for a better job at third and someone who can get Cano going again should lead to Meacham’s demise.
Changes to the staff are just a start of what promises to be a long and interesting offseason for the Yankees.
Photograph of Alex Rodriguez reacting to hitting into a double play by Bill Kostroun/AP
Tagged
Bobby Meacham
brian cashman
Dave Eiland
joe girardi
Making The Call
sports
Peter Trinkle
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Police are still investigating bike crash that killed dad of 2 in Central Park
The family is raising money for the wife and two daughters he leaves behind.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Sep 29, 2026 at 9:31 a.m. ET
NYC has a plan to stop homeless people from cycling between hospitals and the streets
The Bridge to Home program, which began last year, will officially expand to Brooklyn on Tuesday.
By
Karen Yi
News
NYC has a plan to stop homeless people from cycling between hospitals and the streets
The Bridge to Home program, which began last year, will officially expand to Brooklyn on Tuesday.
By
Karen Yi
Early Addition: Billy Joel is auctioning off 70 of his motorcycles
By
James Ramsay
Man dragged to death by subway in Brooklyn after getting caught on closing doors
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Upper East Side braces for affordable housing fast track, and backlash from residents
By
David Brand
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .