Yanks stumble out of gate

Poor George. He must be going through a few sleepless nights in New York. The beloved and fabled Yankees, yes the same Yankees with 26 World Championships, are a woeful 1-4 starting the 2006 campaign.

You can point the finger in a few spots, mainly the Murderers Row of the 3-4-5 hitters, but I have my own view on why they sit at 1-4. Hey, it's a long season and these guys are proven winners. They are perennial front runners that know what it's like to grind it out for 6 months.

Will they have their hands full in the division with the improved Blue Jays and rival Red Sox? You bet. Will it make the road tougher starting off slow? You bet. Will they put the off field distractions behind them and get some team unity going? You hope. You see, that's what I see wrong. From a distance mind you.. but you can sense something.

There seems to be no unity. Zip. Zero. Nada.

Nobody is picking up the slack. In the past, one Yank would falter in a crucial point of a game.. no problemo.. next guy.. or the next guy would step up and deliver. The Yankees of today, laden with talent, are simply laying down.

A-Rod looks run down and tired. Jeter is being pitched deep inside on a consistent basis (although he made a nice adjustment in his first at bat last night). Sheffield, well.. Gary's troubles have only just begun if you ask me. With the news about the Grand Jury testimony on the Balco trial... there are some damaging, very damaging, statements coming to light. Has this permeated the Yankee locker room? I think so.

On the field, the players are so immensely talented it is difficult to determine anything in the clubhouse causing a loss on the field. But, if you watch the dugout.. if you watch the interaction on the field. Something is amiss. It is like a rift going through a close knit family. You can see and feel the tension. It comes down to unity. One for all and all for one. It is the unwritten code in baseball. A key to success in every championship team that has ever stepped on the field is team unity. You can't manufacture it. You can't package it. You simply have to be lucky enough to have it. It comes from trust, faith, caring and sharing the same desire. You will hear it described as chemistry or a number of other terms. But, Unity is what is missing from the Yanks. They can physically go out and perform every day, no problem. They just aren't playing for the team yet. Will they? Yea, the season will move on and the Yankee cream will rise to the top. But, without Unity ... will they be able to get number 27? I don't think so.