Gerrit Cole Booed Off The Mound As Yankees' Playoff Hopes Dwindle

The Yankees had their ace Gerrit Cole on the mound against a mediocre Indians team as they looked to close the gap in the Wild Card race. By day's end, Cole was shelled for seven runs and the Yankees season was essentially caput after a final score of 11-1. Destroyed by a .500 team in the American League Central. My goodness.

Though this team won 13-straight games last month, their demise tells the real story: Aaron Boone, half this roster, and many in that front office should be headed for the exits come late October.

This Yankees fan base booing their most prized asset following a brief stumble when he was lights out all year is more a jeer at the overall product than frustrations at the individual. Steep concession prices, veteran has-been talent all over the field, and just a plethora of power bats that blew out down the stretch.

There's no denying this product as a whole is an utter joke, especially when you take a look at WHY they fell short. The Yankees most likely miss the playoffs this year because they couldn't manage to beat the Baltimore Orioles. They've lost eight games to the Os this year. When 15% of a team's wins come against your squad while they sit almost 70 games under .500 -- you clearly haven't built a winner.

Falling to fourth place in the AL East behind the Rays, Red Sox, and ascending Blue Jays calls for a drastic overhaul. Firing Aaron Boone is merely a start when this team clearly quit as they're blown out in two straight outings to a team that's hardly trying.

Hitting coach Marcus Thames is surely gone by season's end and I'd say the only staff member that should feel any sense of security is pitching coach Matt Blake. The first-year coach polished Jameson Taillon into a reliable starter all year long, and this pitching staff has been nails overall. Everything else has been horrid. Offensively, defensively, and often times lost on the base paths, which shows this team isn't prepared to play before first-pitch.

The Yankees technically have a chance at just a game and a half out from second place in the AL Wild Card, but they should probably hope they don't make it at this point. Maybe it's best to miss the playoffs completely to entice ownership into a much needed overhaul?