Yankees’ Leadership Will Soon Be Gone

Bernie Williams and Jorge Posada, two core Yankee players from the Joe Torre era, are long gone.  Mariano Rivera, another quiet leader by example, is retiring after this season.  Andy Pettitte is near the end.  And the Yankee captain, Derek Jeter, won't be back in the lineup until who knows when and is nearing 40.  Leadership used to be a huge piece of the Yankees' winning puzzle.  That leadership is dwindling away.

Some players lead by example and don't have to say much.  Some players are more vocal but do it behind the scenes.  Some players talk the right way to the media as the team leader and representative.  Jeter, for example, has done all three well but mostly the first two to perfection.  If Robinson Cano signs a big deal, he could lead the team, but we have not seen any signs of him being a leader up to this point.  CC Sabathia is a quiet leader, but not an original Yank.  Curtis Granderson might not even be in the Bronx next year.  Brett Gardner?  Uh, no.  Mark Teixeira?  Not likely.  Ivan Nova?  No way.

Winning ballgames cures everything.  When you win, no one worries about chemistry or leadership or anything else.  But when you go through losing streaks and tough times, those things come up a lot and leaders are needed more than ever.  The Yankees are coming to the point where leadership will be lacking and that is a scary thought.

By:  Mike Lindsley, "Mid-Day with Mike," 1-4, Yankees pre/post game host on 104.5 The Team ESPN Radio.  Follow him on Twitter @MikeLSports.