Year after year, the New York Yankees have boasted some of the most star studded rosters in the majors. In recent years, however, it seems like the season's respective teams can't seem to come together in a manner that produces what every Yankee fan comes to expect, a championship.

I haven't really tried to blame or really criticize some of the finishes in recent seasons, mainly because making the playoffs and coming out of the first series is always a positive and never a truly negative end to a season. This year is different. Not only are the Yankees not (and believe me, with their remaining schedule it almost is impossible) going to make the playoffs, but they have sucked in lavish fashion. Some players have stepped up and some haven't. Sure you can go ahead and blame the injuries but the Tampa Bay Rays have suffered injuries to much more important players to their team, in comparison to what the Yankees lost to their roster, and have come out on top.

So who is to blame for the changing of the guard in the American League East. Should it be the players, the management or just a combination of everything that encompasses one of the richest and most well off organizations in professional sports? One must almost always look at play on the field before looking elsewhere. At first you could say that hitting hasn't been as productive as it has in previous seasons, but the numbers speak otherwise. With the starting lineup boasting near .300 hitting at most of the starting lineup spots it couldn't be that right? Not if you fail to hit at key situations leaving pivotal men on base. Most games in baseball come down to the other team outhitting or outpitching a team when it matters. Can I say this is why the Yankees have fallen off? This is certainly not the only reason but one can see a change in the clutch play of the Yanks.

Injuries should never be blamed for a team falling off, but the Yankees rotation has had a tough time recovering from some key injuries this year. Carl Pavano, a veteran member of the long term injury club, has finally started to make his way back to full active duty. Phil Hughes had made his way to the starting rotation before multiple injuries have kept him out for the majority of the year. And then we come to Chien Ming Wang, who as the ace of a team searching for premier starting pitching, was maybe a key piece that could not be afforded to be lost. Low and behold, he was. Key losses, yes, but with veterans like MIke Mussina and Andy Pettite a decent season should still be produced and it was.

Perhaps the blame should be put on first year Yankee Manager Joe Girardi. Maybe he doesn't have that same aura that Joe Torre was able to omit for years in a clubhouse that demands leadership skills and a presence few managers are able to produce. Either way, a season of seemingly low performance has been played and Yankees fans are dissapointed. I am dissapointed. Okay I lied; I'm angered. Is it just that we are expecting too much from a team playing professional baseball where every year there is unimaginable competition and immense pressure? Perhaps, but when you've won 26 championships, that's what you get.