Catching up/Looking Forward - 2009 NY Yankees
By Matthew Storey
Hey kids!
For a writer who has become accustomed to writing about Baseball nearly daily, my recent sabbatical has been a strange break from routine...I filed Game reports through the first game of the last Red Sox series (Game 25) and then...
Nothing.
Or, to be more precise, Manny Ramirez, was suspended (my last column deals with this) and my fury at MLB just took the F-U-N away. I always chat up the Doormen on my Dog Walk routes and several are Dodger fans (old time NL fans in NYC, whose dads were either Dodger or Giant fans back in the day, are still loyal to Dem Bums), they share my revulsion at the moralizing tone this sets and the incredible damage it does to the PRODUCT - obviously, nobody wants to watch Juan Pierre play, but urbanites aren't the only ones in the mix and its clear there are passionate voices on the other side of the argument. As New Yorkers, we are not accustomed to having accommodate such voices - we've got them right here in our Right Wing tabloids (New York Daily News and New York Post) and are used to ignoring their racist, culture war way of covering the sports scene. Nonetheless, Manny is on the sidelines and the NL season has become a non-event as a consequence, but LA is certainly the class of the West in any case, so the ultimate cost may not be so prohibitive.
I've got two tickets for the LA Dodgers against the NY Mets (my first game at Citi Field) on July 9, and his suspension is scheduled to end a week before that date - so HOPEFULLY, the New Yorkers who love the guy and could not let him know when he was wearing that ugly hat with the 'B', will have a chance to see him and Joe Torre, back where they belong. Otherwise the tickets are give-aways...
I've said all that needs to be about the reasons it made me mad, no reason to rehash here. What I DO want to do is catch up with the Yankees and touch on what we've learned in Games 26-37 and go through the roster to talk about who IS getting the job done and who is NOT.
Schedule Recap
Yankees were 13-12 through 25 games, since then;
Game 26 - Loss to Red Sox @ Yankee Stadium (Yanks lose series 0-2, trail Red Sox 0-5 on season)
Game 27 - Loss to Rays
Game 28 - Loss to Rays (Yanks lose series 0-2, trail Rays 2-3 on season)
Game 29 - Win against Orioles in Baltimore
Game 30 - Lose to Orioles
Game 31 - Win against Orioles (Yankees win series 2-1, tied on season 3-3)
Game 32 - Lose to Blue Jays in Toronto
Game 33 - Win against Blue Jays
Game 34 - Win against Blue Jays (Yankees win series, lead season 2-1)
Game 35 - Win against Twins @ Yankee Stadium
Game 36 - Win against Twins
Game 37 - Win against Twins
Yankees 7-4 in this period, overall 20-17, 3rd Place in the AL East, trailing Toronto by 3 games in Loss Column and Red Sox by 1.
Injury Update
RH Ian Kennedy, had Aneurysm surgery and is lost for the season.
RF Xavier Nady, is just beginning to work on Baseball drills and his return is currently unknowable.
C Jose Molina, has a deep thigh issue and is probably a month away from return.
UT Cody Ransom, has a blown out thigh and is six weeks away.
P Damaso Marte, has shoulder problems and return is indefinite.
C Jorge Posada, is close to returning from a simple Hamstring pull, probably this weekend.
P Brian Bruney, is close to returning from a sore elbow, any day.
P Chien-Ming Wang, is ready to return from complications to his hip allignment, following foot surgery. Will be slotted into rotation.
3B Alex Rodriguez, returned in Game 29.
SS Derek Jeter, pulled oblique, missed two games, returned.
1B Mark Teixeira, aggravated his Left Wrist injury in collision at 1B, played one game at DH and played 1B yesterday, sore.
This Week
Yankees close out 4 game set with Minnesota tonight (M) at the Stadium (Andy Pettitte, pitches), then welcome the Orioles for a three game set on (T-W-TH) (CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain) and then the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies are in for 3 game set (F-S-S) to usher in the Interleague schedule and close out the 10 game homestand. (Wang would be scheduled to throw on F, but so is AJ Burnett, Yankees will replace Hughes and insert Wang in the rotation slot that makes sense).
Roster Review
Pitching
CC Sabathia - (3.70) Has settled down into his new routine and is providing the Yankees with low ERA while going deep into games. His early season control problems have disappeared. Ideal 'Ace'. Consistently at 97-98 mph and extremely effective with offspeed and breaking stuff. Given Yankees a chance in 6 of 8 Starts thus far.
AJ Burnett - (5.02) Has been pitching effectively, but not getting any run support. Gives Yankees a chance to win and goes deep.
High ERA mostly attributable to meltdown against Boston, where he blew 6-0 lead and surrendered 8 earned runs. Stuff is always there and his focus and obvious excitement to be a Yankee has made his transition a dream. Needs to walk fewer hitters. He's given Yankees a chance in 6 of 8 Starts thus far.
Joba Chamberlain - (3.76) He's had to overcome 1st Inning jitters and some wildness, but provides low ERA. Needs to be more economical with pitch count to get deeper into games. Has given Yankees a chance to win in 6 of 7 starts.
Andy Pettitte - (4.00) Old reliable, Andy shows up every five days, takes ball and competes. Also given Yankees 6 good starts from his 7 tries.
Phil Hughes - (7.56) Phil is still struggling with the mental toughness required of a MLB Starter, his big arm allows him to dominate for stretches and, when things go his way - he's capable of going deep into games with low hit/run counts. BUT...when hitters get on through walks, bloops or Defensive mistakes - he tends to unravel and lose the Strike Zone. Needs to B-R-E-A-T-H-E on the mound but has not yet mastered the skill of relaxation under pressure. Likely headed to the Bullpen, where his big arm will be an upgrade and the shorter stint will make him more effective - has nothing left to learn/prove in the Minors and can serve his apprenticeship out of the pen. When he gets it (and at 22, he will), Yankees will likely allow Andy to retire/leave, the question will be up to Phil - who could move into a permanent rotation slot as soon as '10 and remains a solid #6 option if anyone goes down. Phil has given the Yankees a chance to win in 2 of 4 starts and is likely making his final one for the foreseeable future this week.
Chien-Ming Wang - (34.50) Chien was simply mishandled by the Yankee staff. Coming into the season, his health status was as important an issue for the training/pitching staffs and his abysmal and atypical performances made it clear that he was NOT ready and NOT feeling 100% and, given his value and the damage those three starts did to the team/bullpen - someone screwed up. Happily, he is coming off a typically dominant effort against an AAA team stacked with MLB hitters (Hafner, Marte, Graffanino) and seems to be in a better place physically and mentally. He is not ALL the way back (only at 92 mph, he usually operates at 95), but he can be effective at this point. Chien has been blown out early in 3 of his 3 starts, failing to give the Yankees ANY chance in all.
Jose Veras - (6.75) Veras has a dominant arm, but like former Yankee relievers with such 'stuff' (Scott Proctor, Kyle Farnsworth) he is simply too erratic with his control to be dependable. Does not get hit hard (Slugging against .390), but walks SO many guys, that even singles lead to runs against. He'd be the first to be demoted/moved if Yankees move Hughes to the pen. It seems like it is time for that to occur.
Edwar Ramirez - (4.86) Edwar has also struggled with his control, but his power changeup/fastball array is more reliable than Veras more dynamic power and his incredible production (110 K's in 93 Innings as a Yankee) and previous success make him worthy of retention. He HAS to throw more strikes however, as he is getting pounded when forced to throw 'get over' strikes. In his defense, he has been forced to absorb long stints in blowout losses that have derailed his numbers. Still an important answer in Pen.
Jonathan Albaladejo - (4.82) Alba is a ground ball/control specialist who ALSO has simply walked too many guys. His sinker is reliably effective, but those singles he surrenders are deadly with walked runners on base. Not a focal point in the pen, might be vulnerable if some of the more dynamic arms who've yet to hit their MLB stride do so (David Robertson, Mark Melancon).
Phil Coke - (4.60) Coke is in the same situation as Phil Hughes (a 'Phil' thang?), he's dominant at AAA and occasionally so in MLB, he simply needs more seasoning and to avoid the middle of the plate. He has good control and throws strikes, but he needs to work on the command of those strikes, he can shut lineups down for awhile and then will leave 0-2, 1-2 pitches in the Zone and get
POPPED. Experience is the cure and his power LH arm will allow him enough wiggle room to get that experience in Pinstripes.
Alfredo Aceves - (2.16) 'Ace' has the least impressive 'stuff' on the staff, but is a polished product on the mound. Exactly the opposite of the rest of these great throwers who need more seasoning and EXACTLY what the Yankees need right now.Throws strikes, goes after hitters and stays away from the middle of the plate. Can start, provide long or middle relief and is coming off back to back Late inning wins out of the pen. A terrific job thus far in his Yankee career.
Brian Bruney - (3.38Brian is dominant, strikes out tons of hitters, doesn't walk guys...but he's just gotten HURT in each of the past two seasons. If he is healthy, the Yankees are set in the 8th and 9th inning.
Mariano Rivera - (2.76) Mo is still Mo (22 K's/1 walk in 16.1 Innings), surrendered 4 April HR's, but those hitters (Jason Bay, Curtis Granderson, Carl Crawford, Evan Longoria) are all capable of doing that against anyone and lack of consistent early season due to Yankee struggles and rounding back to best shape after surgery are all understandable excuses for slight drop-off. Been dominant of late, as per usual.
Infielders
1B Mark Teixeira (S) - Mark struggled mightily after hurting his Left wrist in opening series and was below .200 earlier this week, although his power, on-base percentage and Defense have all been there. However, since Alex Rodriguez, is back in the lineup, he has burst out and his average looks ready to climb towards more typical levels. Provides Gold Glove Defense Yankees haven't had since Tino, switch-hitter with Power and enthusiastic Yankee, he benefits more personally from Alex's return than any other Yankee. The two are close friends, familiar with one another and forces pitchers to 'pick their poison', Yankees have been 2nd in Slugging and HR's with limited production from Teixeira and Alex, and injuries to Posada and Nady. An extremely good sign.
2B Robinson Cano (L) - Cano has been the same guy we've become accustomed to seeing. His Defense is unmatched at 2B, he simply covers an incredible amount of ground (overwhelming lead in total chances for AL 2B last two seasons), has a rocket arm and turns a smooth Double Play and has avoided the 'brain cramp' mistakes on easy chances thus far. Offensively, he can look like the best hitter in the game for long stretches, as he did for much of April...but he can also fall into lazy habits and give away bushels of at-bats when he is a little off, as he has in May. Girardi gave him the day off yesterday and the emergence of Pena allows for Cano to get more pine time and refresh his approach periodically. He is HR threat and covers the field from foul line to foul line with line drives, has taken more pitches, only needs to have a better situational approach and focus to be a perennial Batting Champ threat.
SS Derek Jeter (R) - Derek has been terrific at SS, with only two errors in his 35 games, his arm has looked fully healed after issues in each of the past two seasons and his much maligned range is actually terrific. Offensively, he was hot early, has cooled off considerably (like Cano, Swisher) but is still a great situational hitter who moves runners, uses the whole field, can go deep when needed (5 HR) and doesn't panic in clutch. He's stolen 8 of 9 bases.
3B Alex Rodriguez (R) - Alex is still in Spring Training mode after a week of baseball, returning from his surgery. His Defense has been solid and he's caught three mistakes with that power of his, but he is not the force we all expect in the batter's box just yet. He will continue to get his HR as Damon and Teixeira put stress on pitchers and his walks as they opt for Matsui and slumping Swisher instead. When he gets his stroke back, he will HR/walk MORE. Yankees will be happy to see Cano start hitting, Posada return and Swisher do SOMETHING, so Alex can have what he provides for Mark - protection.
UT Ramiro Pena (S) - 23 year old Pena has been the surprise of the young season. He's an effective LH hitter, who hits from both sides of the plate and plays slick Defense at SS, 3B and 2B. With Alex recovering, Derek needing periodic days off to recover from his linebacker approach to the game and Cano needing mental health days - Pena is the IDEAL utility man. A great job by the minor league system getting this AA kid MLB ready. Injury to Cody Ransom, who blew his chance with terrible Offense, turned into a blessing when it got Pena a look. He'll be here for a long time.
Outfielders
LF Johnny Damon (L) - Damon has been the Yankees MVP, incredibly clutch and productive (.627 slugging). He is made for Yankee Stadium the way Mike Lowell, Jason Bay and Dustin Pedroia are made for Fenway and he KNOWS it, will do anything humanly possible to force Yankees to keep him in NY (final year of his contract) and keep Michelle happy. Leaving NYC is obviously not what he or they want, and his play has at least made it less of a longshot.., but realistically, with Austin Jackson looming for CF and excellent two-way play from Melky, it is going to come down to a choice between keeping Johnny or Brett Gardner and Damon's Defensive shortcomings are likely to push that choice to the younger player, with the speed and defense. Yankees will benefit from Damon's contract year throughout the season however, and someone will sign him for as long as he wants - a 3,000 hit player if he can find a DH gig for a few seasons.
CF Melky Cabrera (S) - Melky has been terrific since Spring Training. He came in knowing his job was on the line, and early Spring success by Gardner pushed him to the bench, but he hit-hit-hit and EARNED his way back to the everyday job. Moves his Gold Glove level Defense and big arm easily to LF or RF when Girardi gets Gardner in the game and they blanket the OF. He has shown consistent Avg/On-Base/Slugging all season and would be Yankee MVP if not for Damon's recent explosion. Only flaw has been his and Cano's production in games after they've had Walk-Off winners and headed up to Washington Heights for coronations from beautiful Dominican women! Take away those 0 for occasions, Melky would be hitting .340!
RF Nick Swisher (S) - Nick is a breath of fresh air, happy to be a Yankee, relaxed and versatile (1B, OF), he even gets down effective Sac Bunts when called upon. For the first two weeks of the season, he put on a tear that was almost surreal, from both sides of the plate. BUT...for the past month, he has done Z-E-R-O, striking out every other at-bat and looking completely lost at the plate. All of his damage has come on the road and his inconsistency has illustrated how much the Nady injury hurt the middle of the lineup. Swisher is not a threat at the plate right now, and Girardi would be well served to go with Melky/Gardner for a few days in a row and allow Swisher to clear his mind.
CF Brett Gardner (L) - Brett was overmatched in the every day lineup, but handled the move to the bench well and has become a decent contributor with his speed and defense. He has game changing legs and is a weapon off the bench or with a glove, he will play as much as his bat allows. Likely to be the 4th OF or starting LF once Austin Jackson joins the team, either later this season or next.
DH Hideki Matsui (L) - Likely in his final season, Matsui has continued to be effective at the plate, shown power, been clutch. He will always be able to hit, his knees are on their final strides however and a career ending recurrence could happen at any moment. He is certainly done as a defender. Difficult to see how he can hold up for the duration, but will be productive as long as he does. Nady may inherit some time if he heals up or Jackson could be the one to replace him, freeing up DH time for Damon/Posada/Jeter.
Catchers
C Jorge Posada (S) - One of the Yankees amazing F-I-V-E switchhitters (Pena, Melky, Teixeira, Swisher), Posada came off the injury without missing a beat. He threw the ball effectively, caught his regular innings load and provided more thump and offense in five weeks than they got from Catcher all last year (5 HR/20 RBI/.582 SLG/.312 AVG). Then he pulled his hamstring! But, alas, the Yankees actually benefited when Francisco Cervelli (like Ramiro Pena) got MLB playing time and proved to be a dynamic Defensive catcher with a power arm and a productive bat. Posada will also likely benefit from the break and appears ready to return.
C Jose Molina (R) - Jose has been a much better hitter this season than last, he does well in a backup role and continues to be one of the best Defensive catchers in the game. His injury is not close to healing, however, and Cervelli has probably pushed himself into the eventual backup job, although that will wait one more season due to Molina's contract.
Manager/Coaches
Manager Joe Girardi is SMART. A graduate engineer from Northwestern, he can be deceptively 'aw shucks' with media, but his players realize how intelligent and accessible he is and they adore him for that balance. Has instilled a '90s like focus on team production and gotten impressive results from benched starters and young position players and blended a group of new parts into the larger Yankee whole with little drama or difficulty. This is HIS team in a way that last year's group was not and with veterans moving on through injury or contract (Matsui, Damon, Nady, Molina all likely in final Yankee year) that will only continue.
Pitching Coach Dave Eiland has to GO. He has gotten less out of more than any pitching coach in Baseball. Proven performers were either not ready for the season start, unable to throw strikes or injured on his watch. Yankees have depth and quality across their staff and in their system, but Eiland is not the guy. Guru would love to see Girardi's old batterymate, David Cone, bring his FIVE rings and depth of knowledge from the broadcast booth into the Pitching Coach job.
Hitting Coach Kevin Long has to GO. Guys go into twilight zone periods (Cano, Swisher) that linger without correction and seem to be coaching themselves. As with Cone, Guru would love to see Tino Martinez in the permanent chair, bringing HIS four rings, bilingual ability and universally respected approach to hitting. So would all the Yankee hitters, as Teixeira credited work with Tino for breaking his slump before Alex's return made it moot.
Bench Coach Tony Pena and 3B coach, Rob Thomson, are respected and in the right roles for this team.
And that's where they stand, as we near the 1/4 pole of the 2009 season.
Hey kids!
For a writer who has become accustomed to writing about Baseball nearly daily, my recent sabbatical has been a strange break from routine...I filed Game reports through the first game of the last Red Sox series (Game 25) and then...
Nothing.
Or, to be more precise, Manny Ramirez, was suspended (my last column deals with this) and my fury at MLB just took the F-U-N away. I always chat up the Doormen on my Dog Walk routes and several are Dodger fans (old time NL fans in NYC, whose dads were either Dodger or Giant fans back in the day, are still loyal to Dem Bums), they share my revulsion at the moralizing tone this sets and the incredible damage it does to the PRODUCT - obviously, nobody wants to watch Juan Pierre play, but urbanites aren't the only ones in the mix and its clear there are passionate voices on the other side of the argument. As New Yorkers, we are not accustomed to having accommodate such voices - we've got them right here in our Right Wing tabloids (New York Daily News and New York Post) and are used to ignoring their racist, culture war way of covering the sports scene. Nonetheless, Manny is on the sidelines and the NL season has become a non-event as a consequence, but LA is certainly the class of the West in any case, so the ultimate cost may not be so prohibitive.
I've got two tickets for the LA Dodgers against the NY Mets (my first game at Citi Field) on July 9, and his suspension is scheduled to end a week before that date - so HOPEFULLY, the New Yorkers who love the guy and could not let him know when he was wearing that ugly hat with the 'B', will have a chance to see him and Joe Torre, back where they belong. Otherwise the tickets are give-aways...
I've said all that needs to be about the reasons it made me mad, no reason to rehash here. What I DO want to do is catch up with the Yankees and touch on what we've learned in Games 26-37 and go through the roster to talk about who IS getting the job done and who is NOT.
Schedule Recap
Yankees were 13-12 through 25 games, since then;
Game 26 - Loss to Red Sox @ Yankee Stadium (Yanks lose series 0-2, trail Red Sox 0-5 on season)
Game 27 - Loss to Rays
Game 28 - Loss to Rays (Yanks lose series 0-2, trail Rays 2-3 on season)
Game 29 - Win against Orioles in Baltimore
Game 30 - Lose to Orioles
Game 31 - Win against Orioles (Yankees win series 2-1, tied on season 3-3)
Game 32 - Lose to Blue Jays in Toronto
Game 33 - Win against Blue Jays
Game 34 - Win against Blue Jays (Yankees win series, lead season 2-1)
Game 35 - Win against Twins @ Yankee Stadium
Game 36 - Win against Twins
Game 37 - Win against Twins
Yankees 7-4 in this period, overall 20-17, 3rd Place in the AL East, trailing Toronto by 3 games in Loss Column and Red Sox by 1.
Injury Update
RH Ian Kennedy, had Aneurysm surgery and is lost for the season.
RF Xavier Nady, is just beginning to work on Baseball drills and his return is currently unknowable.
C Jose Molina, has a deep thigh issue and is probably a month away from return.
UT Cody Ransom, has a blown out thigh and is six weeks away.
P Damaso Marte, has shoulder problems and return is indefinite.
C Jorge Posada, is close to returning from a simple Hamstring pull, probably this weekend.
P Brian Bruney, is close to returning from a sore elbow, any day.
P Chien-Ming Wang, is ready to return from complications to his hip allignment, following foot surgery. Will be slotted into rotation.
3B Alex Rodriguez, returned in Game 29.
SS Derek Jeter, pulled oblique, missed two games, returned.
1B Mark Teixeira, aggravated his Left Wrist injury in collision at 1B, played one game at DH and played 1B yesterday, sore.
This Week
Yankees close out 4 game set with Minnesota tonight (M) at the Stadium (Andy Pettitte, pitches), then welcome the Orioles for a three game set on (T-W-TH) (CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain) and then the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies are in for 3 game set (F-S-S) to usher in the Interleague schedule and close out the 10 game homestand. (Wang would be scheduled to throw on F, but so is AJ Burnett, Yankees will replace Hughes and insert Wang in the rotation slot that makes sense).
Roster Review
Pitching
CC Sabathia - (3.70) Has settled down into his new routine and is providing the Yankees with low ERA while going deep into games. His early season control problems have disappeared. Ideal 'Ace'. Consistently at 97-98 mph and extremely effective with offspeed and breaking stuff. Given Yankees a chance in 6 of 8 Starts thus far.
AJ Burnett - (5.02) Has been pitching effectively, but not getting any run support. Gives Yankees a chance to win and goes deep.
High ERA mostly attributable to meltdown against Boston, where he blew 6-0 lead and surrendered 8 earned runs. Stuff is always there and his focus and obvious excitement to be a Yankee has made his transition a dream. Needs to walk fewer hitters. He's given Yankees a chance in 6 of 8 Starts thus far.
Joba Chamberlain - (3.76) He's had to overcome 1st Inning jitters and some wildness, but provides low ERA. Needs to be more economical with pitch count to get deeper into games. Has given Yankees a chance to win in 6 of 7 starts.
Andy Pettitte - (4.00) Old reliable, Andy shows up every five days, takes ball and competes. Also given Yankees 6 good starts from his 7 tries.
Phil Hughes - (7.56) Phil is still struggling with the mental toughness required of a MLB Starter, his big arm allows him to dominate for stretches and, when things go his way - he's capable of going deep into games with low hit/run counts. BUT...when hitters get on through walks, bloops or Defensive mistakes - he tends to unravel and lose the Strike Zone. Needs to B-R-E-A-T-H-E on the mound but has not yet mastered the skill of relaxation under pressure. Likely headed to the Bullpen, where his big arm will be an upgrade and the shorter stint will make him more effective - has nothing left to learn/prove in the Minors and can serve his apprenticeship out of the pen. When he gets it (and at 22, he will), Yankees will likely allow Andy to retire/leave, the question will be up to Phil - who could move into a permanent rotation slot as soon as '10 and remains a solid #6 option if anyone goes down. Phil has given the Yankees a chance to win in 2 of 4 starts and is likely making his final one for the foreseeable future this week.
Chien-Ming Wang - (34.50) Chien was simply mishandled by the Yankee staff. Coming into the season, his health status was as important an issue for the training/pitching staffs and his abysmal and atypical performances made it clear that he was NOT ready and NOT feeling 100% and, given his value and the damage those three starts did to the team/bullpen - someone screwed up. Happily, he is coming off a typically dominant effort against an AAA team stacked with MLB hitters (Hafner, Marte, Graffanino) and seems to be in a better place physically and mentally. He is not ALL the way back (only at 92 mph, he usually operates at 95), but he can be effective at this point. Chien has been blown out early in 3 of his 3 starts, failing to give the Yankees ANY chance in all.
Jose Veras - (6.75) Veras has a dominant arm, but like former Yankee relievers with such 'stuff' (Scott Proctor, Kyle Farnsworth) he is simply too erratic with his control to be dependable. Does not get hit hard (Slugging against .390), but walks SO many guys, that even singles lead to runs against. He'd be the first to be demoted/moved if Yankees move Hughes to the pen. It seems like it is time for that to occur.
Edwar Ramirez - (4.86) Edwar has also struggled with his control, but his power changeup/fastball array is more reliable than Veras more dynamic power and his incredible production (110 K's in 93 Innings as a Yankee) and previous success make him worthy of retention. He HAS to throw more strikes however, as he is getting pounded when forced to throw 'get over' strikes. In his defense, he has been forced to absorb long stints in blowout losses that have derailed his numbers. Still an important answer in Pen.
Jonathan Albaladejo - (4.82) Alba is a ground ball/control specialist who ALSO has simply walked too many guys. His sinker is reliably effective, but those singles he surrenders are deadly with walked runners on base. Not a focal point in the pen, might be vulnerable if some of the more dynamic arms who've yet to hit their MLB stride do so (David Robertson, Mark Melancon).
Phil Coke - (4.60) Coke is in the same situation as Phil Hughes (a 'Phil' thang?), he's dominant at AAA and occasionally so in MLB, he simply needs more seasoning and to avoid the middle of the plate. He has good control and throws strikes, but he needs to work on the command of those strikes, he can shut lineups down for awhile and then will leave 0-2, 1-2 pitches in the Zone and get
POPPED. Experience is the cure and his power LH arm will allow him enough wiggle room to get that experience in Pinstripes.
Alfredo Aceves - (2.16) 'Ace' has the least impressive 'stuff' on the staff, but is a polished product on the mound. Exactly the opposite of the rest of these great throwers who need more seasoning and EXACTLY what the Yankees need right now.Throws strikes, goes after hitters and stays away from the middle of the plate. Can start, provide long or middle relief and is coming off back to back Late inning wins out of the pen. A terrific job thus far in his Yankee career.
Brian Bruney - (3.38Brian is dominant, strikes out tons of hitters, doesn't walk guys...but he's just gotten HURT in each of the past two seasons. If he is healthy, the Yankees are set in the 8th and 9th inning.
Mariano Rivera - (2.76) Mo is still Mo (22 K's/1 walk in 16.1 Innings), surrendered 4 April HR's, but those hitters (Jason Bay, Curtis Granderson, Carl Crawford, Evan Longoria) are all capable of doing that against anyone and lack of consistent early season due to Yankee struggles and rounding back to best shape after surgery are all understandable excuses for slight drop-off. Been dominant of late, as per usual.
Infielders
1B Mark Teixeira (S) - Mark struggled mightily after hurting his Left wrist in opening series and was below .200 earlier this week, although his power, on-base percentage and Defense have all been there. However, since Alex Rodriguez, is back in the lineup, he has burst out and his average looks ready to climb towards more typical levels. Provides Gold Glove Defense Yankees haven't had since Tino, switch-hitter with Power and enthusiastic Yankee, he benefits more personally from Alex's return than any other Yankee. The two are close friends, familiar with one another and forces pitchers to 'pick their poison', Yankees have been 2nd in Slugging and HR's with limited production from Teixeira and Alex, and injuries to Posada and Nady. An extremely good sign.
2B Robinson Cano (L) - Cano has been the same guy we've become accustomed to seeing. His Defense is unmatched at 2B, he simply covers an incredible amount of ground (overwhelming lead in total chances for AL 2B last two seasons), has a rocket arm and turns a smooth Double Play and has avoided the 'brain cramp' mistakes on easy chances thus far. Offensively, he can look like the best hitter in the game for long stretches, as he did for much of April...but he can also fall into lazy habits and give away bushels of at-bats when he is a little off, as he has in May. Girardi gave him the day off yesterday and the emergence of Pena allows for Cano to get more pine time and refresh his approach periodically. He is HR threat and covers the field from foul line to foul line with line drives, has taken more pitches, only needs to have a better situational approach and focus to be a perennial Batting Champ threat.
SS Derek Jeter (R) - Derek has been terrific at SS, with only two errors in his 35 games, his arm has looked fully healed after issues in each of the past two seasons and his much maligned range is actually terrific. Offensively, he was hot early, has cooled off considerably (like Cano, Swisher) but is still a great situational hitter who moves runners, uses the whole field, can go deep when needed (5 HR) and doesn't panic in clutch. He's stolen 8 of 9 bases.
3B Alex Rodriguez (R) - Alex is still in Spring Training mode after a week of baseball, returning from his surgery. His Defense has been solid and he's caught three mistakes with that power of his, but he is not the force we all expect in the batter's box just yet. He will continue to get his HR as Damon and Teixeira put stress on pitchers and his walks as they opt for Matsui and slumping Swisher instead. When he gets his stroke back, he will HR/walk MORE. Yankees will be happy to see Cano start hitting, Posada return and Swisher do SOMETHING, so Alex can have what he provides for Mark - protection.
UT Ramiro Pena (S) - 23 year old Pena has been the surprise of the young season. He's an effective LH hitter, who hits from both sides of the plate and plays slick Defense at SS, 3B and 2B. With Alex recovering, Derek needing periodic days off to recover from his linebacker approach to the game and Cano needing mental health days - Pena is the IDEAL utility man. A great job by the minor league system getting this AA kid MLB ready. Injury to Cody Ransom, who blew his chance with terrible Offense, turned into a blessing when it got Pena a look. He'll be here for a long time.
Outfielders
LF Johnny Damon (L) - Damon has been the Yankees MVP, incredibly clutch and productive (.627 slugging). He is made for Yankee Stadium the way Mike Lowell, Jason Bay and Dustin Pedroia are made for Fenway and he KNOWS it, will do anything humanly possible to force Yankees to keep him in NY (final year of his contract) and keep Michelle happy. Leaving NYC is obviously not what he or they want, and his play has at least made it less of a longshot.., but realistically, with Austin Jackson looming for CF and excellent two-way play from Melky, it is going to come down to a choice between keeping Johnny or Brett Gardner and Damon's Defensive shortcomings are likely to push that choice to the younger player, with the speed and defense. Yankees will benefit from Damon's contract year throughout the season however, and someone will sign him for as long as he wants - a 3,000 hit player if he can find a DH gig for a few seasons.
CF Melky Cabrera (S) - Melky has been terrific since Spring Training. He came in knowing his job was on the line, and early Spring success by Gardner pushed him to the bench, but he hit-hit-hit and EARNED his way back to the everyday job. Moves his Gold Glove level Defense and big arm easily to LF or RF when Girardi gets Gardner in the game and they blanket the OF. He has shown consistent Avg/On-Base/Slugging all season and would be Yankee MVP if not for Damon's recent explosion. Only flaw has been his and Cano's production in games after they've had Walk-Off winners and headed up to Washington Heights for coronations from beautiful Dominican women! Take away those 0 for occasions, Melky would be hitting .340!
RF Nick Swisher (S) - Nick is a breath of fresh air, happy to be a Yankee, relaxed and versatile (1B, OF), he even gets down effective Sac Bunts when called upon. For the first two weeks of the season, he put on a tear that was almost surreal, from both sides of the plate. BUT...for the past month, he has done Z-E-R-O, striking out every other at-bat and looking completely lost at the plate. All of his damage has come on the road and his inconsistency has illustrated how much the Nady injury hurt the middle of the lineup. Swisher is not a threat at the plate right now, and Girardi would be well served to go with Melky/Gardner for a few days in a row and allow Swisher to clear his mind.
CF Brett Gardner (L) - Brett was overmatched in the every day lineup, but handled the move to the bench well and has become a decent contributor with his speed and defense. He has game changing legs and is a weapon off the bench or with a glove, he will play as much as his bat allows. Likely to be the 4th OF or starting LF once Austin Jackson joins the team, either later this season or next.
DH Hideki Matsui (L) - Likely in his final season, Matsui has continued to be effective at the plate, shown power, been clutch. He will always be able to hit, his knees are on their final strides however and a career ending recurrence could happen at any moment. He is certainly done as a defender. Difficult to see how he can hold up for the duration, but will be productive as long as he does. Nady may inherit some time if he heals up or Jackson could be the one to replace him, freeing up DH time for Damon/Posada/Jeter.
Catchers
C Jorge Posada (S) - One of the Yankees amazing F-I-V-E switchhitters (Pena, Melky, Teixeira, Swisher), Posada came off the injury without missing a beat. He threw the ball effectively, caught his regular innings load and provided more thump and offense in five weeks than they got from Catcher all last year (5 HR/20 RBI/.582 SLG/.312 AVG). Then he pulled his hamstring! But, alas, the Yankees actually benefited when Francisco Cervelli (like Ramiro Pena) got MLB playing time and proved to be a dynamic Defensive catcher with a power arm and a productive bat. Posada will also likely benefit from the break and appears ready to return.
C Jose Molina (R) - Jose has been a much better hitter this season than last, he does well in a backup role and continues to be one of the best Defensive catchers in the game. His injury is not close to healing, however, and Cervelli has probably pushed himself into the eventual backup job, although that will wait one more season due to Molina's contract.
Manager/Coaches
Manager Joe Girardi is SMART. A graduate engineer from Northwestern, he can be deceptively 'aw shucks' with media, but his players realize how intelligent and accessible he is and they adore him for that balance. Has instilled a '90s like focus on team production and gotten impressive results from benched starters and young position players and blended a group of new parts into the larger Yankee whole with little drama or difficulty. This is HIS team in a way that last year's group was not and with veterans moving on through injury or contract (Matsui, Damon, Nady, Molina all likely in final Yankee year) that will only continue.
Pitching Coach Dave Eiland has to GO. He has gotten less out of more than any pitching coach in Baseball. Proven performers were either not ready for the season start, unable to throw strikes or injured on his watch. Yankees have depth and quality across their staff and in their system, but Eiland is not the guy. Guru would love to see Girardi's old batterymate, David Cone, bring his FIVE rings and depth of knowledge from the broadcast booth into the Pitching Coach job.
Hitting Coach Kevin Long has to GO. Guys go into twilight zone periods (Cano, Swisher) that linger without correction and seem to be coaching themselves. As with Cone, Guru would love to see Tino Martinez in the permanent chair, bringing HIS four rings, bilingual ability and universally respected approach to hitting. So would all the Yankee hitters, as Teixeira credited work with Tino for breaking his slump before Alex's return made it moot.
Bench Coach Tony Pena and 3B coach, Rob Thomson, are respected and in the right roles for this team.
And that's where they stand, as we near the 1/4 pole of the 2009 season.