In one word-no! In three words-forget about it! The most important attribute the Yankees need from their catcher is the ability to handle the pitching staff. They need a coach on the field, a captain to steer the ship.

Montero is neither of these. At the plate, he is stumbling, as well. In 164 games with the Mariners, he is batting .252 with 18 home runs. The home run total is misleading, since it has come over two seasons. The physical wear and tear of the catching position make it unlikely that he could maintain that pace over a  single-season, even if he were able to stay healthy.

Of the three catchers the Yankees have turned to this season, only Austin Romine has a lower batting average than .252. Francisco Cervelli is batting .269. Chris Stewart is hitting .265. Romine is at .129. But he has batted only 31 times. While he may never cause pitchers to tremble in their socks, give him a chance to play consistently and you will really find out what he can do.

Montero’s chances of  hitting well in the majors will only come if he improves at handling the curve ball. He owned the fourth- lowest slugging percentage against the curve in the majors during the last two seasons at .119. This is more than 200 points below the MLB average.

An improvement against the curve may only happen if he switches positions, allowing him to shed the responsibilities of catching and concentrate on his stroke. First base is an option. Many catchers have made this transition to extend their careers, Montero needs to make it to have one. Of course, designated hitter is a viable option.

All of this removes Montero as an option for the Yankees. Instead, they should look forward to the return of Michael Pineda and the value he can offer to the pitching staff. If Pineda can return to his 2011 form, when he was an All-Star and finished fifth in the American League Rookie of the Year voting, the Yankees will certainly have a rotation that can carry them in the postseason.

Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

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Buck Showalter, the Baltimore Orioles feisty manager, owes everything to the New York Yankees, and he owes them nothing at all. Had events evolved a little differently, Showalter, not Joe Girardi, could own the responsibility of filling out the Yankees’ lineup card for tonight’s game. (more…)

May 1, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Mariano Rivera (42) and catcher Chris Stewart (19) celebrate the win against the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium. Yankees won 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

In fact, the Yankees are barely scoring runs. Only against the Royals on May 10th have the Yankees scored at least eight runs in a contest during this month, and only two other times did the Bronx Bombers scored at least 6 runs. A majority of the wins in May have been decided by two runs or less, and all were in low scoring matchups. Of course, the Yankees don’t need to score 10 runs a game to win, but seeing a team that was so potent offensively last year (804 runs and 245 home runs in 2012) struggle is somewhat peculiar. While injuries definitely contribute to the dearth of runs, it seems that a rough pitching start could easily turn into a rough night for the whole team. The bottom line is that in May, the Yankees own a collective batting average of .237. That number must rise at least 20 points if the Yankees wish to remain atop the podium in a competitive AL East division.

Now let’s talk about the good stuff, shall we? As mentioned above, the Yankees have pitched outstandingly. The triumphant trio of C.C. Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, and Andy Pettitte has been terrific, compiling a 14-8 record each with ERAs under 4.00, even though Pettitte is DL-bound. The bullpen has been equally as brilliant, with Mariano Rivera converting all 16 save opportunities he has received. David Robertson has been dominant as the eighth inning man for the squad with a miniscule .177 batting average against and a 0.87 WHIP. Relievers Shawn Kelley, Preston Claiborne and Boone Logan have been a boon for the Yankees. Kelley’s high earned run average is deceiving, as his underlying statistics imply bad luck on the mound and not horrible pitching.

In addition to pitching well, the Yankees are fielding well too. Robinson Cano is fielding .994, and Lyle Overbay is doing his best Mark Teixeira impression with a .993 fielding percentage. Jayson Nix has played a satisfactory third base also, and even at the age of 39, Ichiro Suzuki has shown plenty of life on his throws with four outfield assists. The key to winning games is to prevent errors and minimize mistakes. The Yankees’ glovework has been very strong so far, and should continue to remain a strength going forward.

Overall, the Yankees have been solid in May. Andy Pettitte‘s injury does not help matters, but the starting rotation and the bullpen are strong enough to overcome his loss, for now. The batting has been mediocre, but it has been good enough to propel the Yankees this month. The fielding is fine, and possibly most important of all, the morale is high. A decent team with great chemistry will perform better than a great team with poor chemistry. Considering that the Yankees were only 21-18 at this point last year, the Yankees are in a very comfortable position for the beginning of summer.

I want to take this opportunity to commend you on your management of this team so far. Coming into the season, the New York Yankees were not expected to do well at all, and yet your managing ability combined with the incredible performances you have received from your players has propelled you to be one of the best teams in baseball right now.  (more…)

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Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

broadcasters Susan Waldman and John Sterling began discussing the possibility of Mariano Rivera starting the 2013 all-star game for the American League. (more…)