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New York Yankees Editorial: Does The Team Need More From The Big Four?

By Antonio Mendes

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Last year the New York Yankees spent a total of $458 million, but didn’t lead to a a playoff birth. The big four signings: Brian McCann, Masahiro Tanaka, Carlos Beltran, and Jacoby Ellsbury, were all products of injury in their first seasons as Yankees. Now on their socond campaigns, they’ve definitely picked up their pace, despite two still having lingering injuries.

Ells’ has been out for two weeks now, and Tanaka just returned after being gone for about a month.  Beltran got off to an extremely slow start, but has redeemed himself, and is now hitting much better. Though it still may not be what the Yankees want, it is a good sign that he is in fact, not done yet. McCann hasn’t struggled with injuries this season, but his hitting can improve, and there’s still plenty of time for him to get there.

Ellsbury and Brett Gardner were the two most important parts to this team, with getting on base almost automatically throughout the Yankees three week extravaganza to end April. Ells’ road to recovery is going as planned, and the Yankees are winning without him now that the rest of the lineup is hitting. That is a great sign to look to even more in addition to his return.

It has seemed only one part of the team can click, while another struggles, once all cylinders are clicking again like in the later part of April, this team will be playing like the fans know they can.

Tanaka looked as good as he’s ever looked in a Yankees uniform in his return against the Seattle Mariners. The focus on him now goes back to fatigue and innings pitched, which Joe Girardi has been nothing short of the best on managing.

Girardi is doing the same with Beltran and McCann as well, being the Yankees have very trustworthy back ups for them in Chris Young and John Ryan Murphy. Both have have stepped up for the Yankees at key moments this year.

The main thing to look at is that it’s June. Patience is key in hopes of their health and playing. The team doesn’t want to hit it’s peak before the All-Star Break, and then lose steam on the home stretch. That happens to a handful of teams every year, and the Yankees dont want a reply of the 2011 season.

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