Yanks Go Yard » Grading the Yankees

Grading the Yankees: Brian Cashman

Alex Pugliese — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 13:00:25 +0000

As we here at Yanks Go Yard wrap up our “Grading the Yankees” series, we realize that no assessment can be complete without an assessment of the man putting together the roster we cheer and root for every single year: General Manager Brian Cashman. While it’s a popular sentiment for the GM to be lambasted for his free-agency failings (OK, Carl Pavano was a hot mess during his time in New York), of late, Cashman has been among the savviest GMs in the game, by shedding payroll, picking up the right players from the scrap heap, and, more importantly, not making the “obvious” move. (more…)

Grading the Yankees: Joe Girardi

Alex Pugliese — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 19:00:17 +0000

Now that we here at Yanks Go Yard have completed grading all of the Yankees from 2012, it’s only fair to look at the other key elements in how the team performed this year: namely, Manager Joe Girardi. Girardi doesn’t always have the easiest go of things in New York. We as fans complain about him (that intentional walk to Sean Rodriguez in Game 1 to load the bases for a Carlos Pena grand slam still irritates me), and he regularly gets criticized for his use of The Binder. That said, it’s important to separate what Girardi has done well, what he could have done better in 2012, and whether or not all of the criticism we occasionally heaped on him for the team’s failure to perform was warranted. (more…)

Grading the Yankees: Andruw Jones

Alex Pugliese — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 23:00:23 +0000

When the Yankees signed Andruw Jones in 2011, they were hoping for a right-handed power bat to mash left-handed pitching. Given the Gold Glove pedigree, it didn’t hurt to have Jones waiting in the wings. Unfortunately, they Yankees thought that lightening would strike twice, giving them added power off the bench as a DH-type in 2012. They were wrong. After the All-Star break, Jones fell off a cliff, and his utility as a field was compromised, at best. With that, let’s take a look at what Andruw Jones did for the Yankees in 2012: (more…)

Grading the Yankees: Jayson Nix

Alex Pugliese — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 19:00:06 +0000

One of the most underrated and underappreciated Yankees from the 2012 season was Jayson Nix. With injuries to Alex Rodriguez and the incomparable Eduardo Nunez waiting in the wings, Nix provided a solid replacement at third and in relief of Derek Jeter. In his first go-around in the big-leagues, Nix was a genuinely great surprise. With solid defense and a couple of big hits, Nix proved to be a valuable piece of the puzzle. (more…)

Grading the Yankees: Mariano Rivera & Brett Gardner

Alex Pugliese — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 22:00:36 +0000

For all the success the Yankees had during the 2012 season, it’s important to remember that much of that was accomplished without two key pieces of the team — outfielder Brett Gardner and Mariano Rivera. Gardner played just nine games in April before being lost for most of the season with what was initially diagnosed as a bone bruise, but turned out to be a bone spur which required surgery. Meanwhile, the worst fear of Yankee fans everywhere was confirmed when, after collapsing on the warning track at Kauffman Stadium, tests confirmed an ACL tear on Rivera’s right knee. However brief the seasons of Mo and Gardner were, it’s important to look at them as we assess both players’ shortened seasons, as well. (more…)

Grading the Yankees: Freddy Garcia

Jimmy Kraft — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 22:00:50 +0000

Boy, Freddy Garcia‘s two years with the New York Yankees was certainly on par with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde stories we all know. In 2011, Garcia was a rock for a rotation that had many question marks. He pitched so well, he was slotted as the #2 pitcher behind CC Sabathia in the ALDS against the Detroit Tigers. The Yankees, as the cliché goes, caught lightning in a bottle. Meanwhile, Garcia parlayed that good season into a one-year, $4 million pact with the Yankees for the 2012 season, but he didn’t enjoy the same success. (more…)

Grading the Yankees: Alex Rodriguez

Matt Hunter — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 23:00:38 +0000

Oh boy. What can I say about Alex Rodriguez that hasn’t been said already? The guy became the scapegoat of the New York Yankees in the postseason last year — he slumped, he got benched, he flirted and he got ridiculed by fans and publications alike. (more…)

Grading the Yankees: Ivan Nova

Alex Pugliese — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 01:00:14 +0000

Two words come to mind when trying to describe Ivan Nova’s 2012 season: “frustrating” and “yikes.” The two terms are not mutually exclusive, as Nova failed to replicate the success he enjoyed in 2011. Much of that success and Nova’s ability to “just win,” belied many deep issues, and those emerged with a vengeance in 2012, ultimately costing him his spot in the rotation and postseason roster. With that said, let’s take a closer look at Nova: (more…)

Grading The Yankees: Raul Ibanez

Andrew Corselli — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:00:24 +0000

By the end of spring training, the Raul Ibanez signing was panned by every pundit and Yankee fan alike. The guy hit well below the Mendoza Line, couldn’t buy a walk and had only one home run in the Grapefruit League. “This guy is supposed to be the lefty half of the DH platoon?!?” we all thought to ourselves. The designated hitter can’t hit!

It’s a good thing those games don’t count. (more…)

Grading the Yankees: Rafael Soriano

Alex Pugliese — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 17:00:46 +0000

With the image of Mariano Rivera crumpled on the grass at the warning track at Kauffman Stadium seared into the collective mind of all of Yankee-dom, panic rose in the Bronx. What would the Yankees do without their iconic closer whose production simply could not be replaced? Well, the Yankees went and did just that by promoting Rafael Soriano to his former role, and he shined, and began a glorious campaign of “Untucks.” (more…)