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New York Yankees Editorial: The Bronx is Boiling

By Wayne Cavadi |

The New York Yankees are in first place in the AL East. It’s two months into the 2015 season and the Yankees haven’t slipped really at all. It’s pretty amazing, and now, while still a long ways off from October, it’s time to start believing that this team is for real.

Are the Yankees perfect right now? Are they set up for a deep playoff run or even ready to hold off the young spark plugs down in Tampa? No roster is perfect, but the Yankees have some definite holes that need fixing. The Bronx is boiling and I need to blow some steam.

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Many people felt that should the Yankees stay healthy this season, they had a legitimate shot at a weaker AL East division. The Yankees, however, have been hit with some big injuries — Jacoby Ellsbury and Masahiro Tanaka for example — yet have continued to roll, reeling off a six game winning streak. 

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They have done it primarily behind the big bats of Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, with Brian McCann’s bat coming alive most recently. The starting pitching overall has been ok, but it’s been the bullpen that has been lock down this season. Despite the Yankees looking good now, they do have some problems that need fixing.

I have come around on Joe Girardi. I still don’t love him and often question some of his judgement, but I realize that he isn’t the problem behind the Yankees. What he has done the past two seasons with nothing on his roster is proving to be no fluke, as he is now winning when he actually has some tools to work with.

That being said, there are a few names that can be re-assigned or simply let go to make some room for fresh blood that could boost the Yankees forward. The Yankees have the pieces in place to make the playoffs, especially with Ellsbury coming back, but a few extra pieces — like Brian Cashman’s spectacular Brandon McCarthy and Martin Prado moves — could propel the Yankees into October. Who is holding them back right now?

How Esmil Rogers is still on this roster is beyond me. Rogers last outing says it all. Rogers faced five batters, all reached base and all five scored while he didn’t register a single out. I get that Rogers has both starting and bullpen experience, but he also has a career 5.60 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. I didn’t understand how he made the roster over Chase Whitley to start the season, and I would love to see Bryan Mitchell in the bigs in that swing man role. It’s time to see what he can do as regular for the Yankees.

People are getting fed up with Chase Headley, but he has gotten a hit in eight straight games, so there is hope that he is slowly coming out of his season beginning slump. Stephen Drew, however, has been everything that everyone — fans, management, media and experts — expected him to be.

Now the Yankees are in the hunt for a second baseman, and rightfully so. Ben Zobrist and Dustin Ackley are atop the list and would be nice additions to the Yankees’ roster as long as the price is right. Yankees fans need to get off the Rob Refsnyder wagon.

He will be up, his bat is ready, but his defense is still behind. Refsnyder will be up this season, but they won’t rush him right now. Perhaps Jose Pirela would benefit from everyday at bats, but he too has struggled since his promotion. Whatever the case is, Drew does not seem like the right fit for the Yankees.

The biggest dilemma — figuratively and literally — is CC Sabathia. He leads baseball in losses and instead of looking like he is turning the corner, two of his past three outings have been arguably his worst of the season.

There is no right answer on what to do with  Sabathia. Nobody wants his $23-million contract, and the Yankees won’t simply cut him. The Yankees dealt with a similar situation in David Cone back in 2000, and still won the World Series keeping the declining fan favorite in the rotation despite going 4-14 with a 6.91 ERA.

CC isn’t going anywhere, but maybe it’s time to reshuffle the rotation. Especially when Ivan Nova returns a Michael Pineda-Tanaka-Warren-Nova-Sabathia rotation could be successful. Girardi will have to use his best judgement, but something needs to be done to get the most out of their large investment.

Things are looking good for the Yankees right now. It’s draft time and that means the trade deadline is right around the corner. Hopefully, like last year, Cashman and the Yankees are proactive and make the right moves that end the October drought.

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