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State of the Yanks

By Andrew Corselli

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It’s no secret that the Yanks have looked like trash over the past week or so. The team has dropped two in a row (TO THE METS!!!!), five of six and six of eight overall.

However, the team still boasts an impressive 26-18 record (5 1/2 back of the Rays), showed signs of life late in games and posted 28 runs over their last six setbacks. In five of their last six losses they have brought the tying/winning runs to the plate in the ninth but failed to capitalize. In the one loss that they failed to get the tying run up the team still banged out four runs in the ninth. I know, a day late and a buck short but it is still impressive for a team that’s been bamboozled with injuries and has unproductive stars.

A major factor for this recent losing has definitely been the pitching. The bullpen has looked like shit and the rotation is not getting the job done as of late:

  1. CC: 12 ER over 18 IP in his last three starts (0-2).
  2. AJ: 16 ER over 17 2/3 IP in his last three starts (0-2).
  3. Pettitte: Only had one real clunker, Thursday against Tampa Bay (the best team in the Majors). The veteran lefty was tagged for six ER over five IP to take the loss, his only on the year. He still has a 2.68 ERA, good for sixth in the AL.
  4. Javy: I’ll spare you the gory details of his early-season struggles, but he HAS looked solid over his last three appearances (granted one was just four pitches). The guy everyone loves to hate has given up just two ER over his last 13 1/3 IP. I’ll take that from a guy who had everyone and their sister calling for his head on a stick a week ago. I just fear this finger booboo might be worse than the team is letting on.
  5. Hughes: The future ace has surrendered nine ER over 10 2/3 IP in his last two starts to see his ERA “balloon” to 2.72, which is still eighth best in the AL.

Elsewhere on the bed-shit circuit:

  • Tex has just 3 hits in his last six games (25 at-bats) and is batting .209/.327/.378/.705 on the season. I have faith that Marky Mark will turn it around, but when does a small sample size turn into a large enough sample to warrant pant pooing?
  • Gardner is 1 for his last 18 (including a 0-for-13 showing against the Mets) with 1BB and 4K. GGBG is now putting up a .294/.372/.373/.745 line.
  • A-Rod has two homers and six RBI in his last nine games. His line is .291/.375/.485/.860, which pales in comparison to his career .305/.389/.574/.963 average. He also went 0-for-4 Sunday and had a HUGE whiff batting as the go-ahead run in the ninth inning against K-Rod to end the game.
  • Cervelli is seven for his last 29 and saw his average drop 61 points to a still-phenomenal .354. Obviously starting seven games in seven days, nine games in 10 days and 15 games in 20 days will do that to a young guy’s average. He is still putting up great numbers for a player with 161 career at-bats (82 this season), but I’ve got a feeling his numbers will continue to decline as pitchers figure him out and the daily grind eventually gets to him.

Injuries:

  1. Posada is out 3-4 weeks with a hairline fracture in his right foot.
  2. Nick The Stick was just transferred to the 60-day DL (for the sake of roster moves) after undergoing surgery on his right wrist. He is expected to make a return sometime in July.
  3. Grandy is out with a strained left groin but could soon make a return to the team.
  4. Ace is out with a bulging disc in his back but also could return soon.
  5. Javy suffered a bruised right index finger on Friday against the Mets (after shutting them down) but is expected to start on Thursday. His bullpen session was moved back to Tuesday and we’ll get a decision if he starts Thursday after that.
  6. Thames was hurt after STEPPING ON HIS BAT after a hit, and has only pinch hit since then.

On the bright side:

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