Last year I got burnt by my Memorial Day proclamation, which if you missed it you can hear the replay HERE. This year I will make another proclamation before a major holiday: The 2008 Yankees are officially dead as of today.

I have had an itchy trigger finger the last couple of weeks, but deep down I really thought this team would still make a run. Maybe it was more because I didn’t believe in a Manny-less Red Sox or the “up and coming” Twins. I actually didn’t dislike this group of guys. Yankees teams of the last few years (see Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Gary Sheffield) weren’t exactly a team you wanted to root for. It was a pleasure in spring training to talk to Phil Hughes and be around what seems to be a really decent clubhouse.

From day one this year I didn’t believe you could take three pitchers under the age of 22 and make the playoffs, much less win a championship. You have to give Cashman and company credit for sticking to their plan of building through the draft and with young pitchers, but how much longer will ownership show that patience? If you think about it, going into next year similar questions will still exist. How can this offense improve if its a year older? The young arms have to show they can be productive (Hughes, Kennedy) and stay healthy (Joba) for a full season. Your bullpen has promise but hasn’t shown it can get outs in big spots. Lets not forget the closer is forty years old.

Its ironic that Dustin Pedroia was the one that put the final nail into the Yankees coffin. Earlier in the year many thought he, like many Red Sox prospects, were inferior to the likes of Robinson Cano. The Sox young players showed that they are not only equal, but far beyond the Yankees crop. You could go as far to say the Mets youngsters have played bigger roles.

Last winter the Yankees committment to youth was tested when Johan Santana was available. This year the pending free agency of CC Sabathia and Mark Texiera make me wonder if you will see the same conservative approach. Will Brian Cashman be the GM? Will Hank play GM? How much leash does Joe Girardi have in 2009? Its been a long time since the Yankees were in this type of situation.