New York Yankees Editorial: Yankees Need Middle Of The Lineup Production To Continue

Entering the 2015 season, many predicted the New York Yankees lineup to be a big question mark, especially the middle of the order.  While Mark Teixeira and Brian McCann combined for 45 home runs and 137 RBI’s in 2014, they also combined to hit an atrocious .224.  The health of Teixeira, who has battled with injuries in recent years, was a large question mark.

Add to the mix Alex Rodriguez, fresh off a 162-game suspension and several injury plagued seasons, and you could see where the predictions of failure could come from.  Instead of failing, however, the three have thrived, and with the help of Brett Gardner, turned the Yankees offense into one of the most productive in baseball.  The three have combined for 49 home runs and 158 RBI’s, and Rodriguez is hitting .284, while Teixeira and McCann have both raised their average nearly 30 points.

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Yankees manager Joe Girardi feels that all three have great first halves, but that the Yankees will need the strong starts to continue:

I think it’s what we all knew they were capable of doing.  To have around 60 RBI’s at the break, is a great first half.  You look at what Tex has done in the middle with Brian McCann and Alex, they’ve all had really good first halves; and for us to be successful, we need it to continue.

Even after dropping the series finale to the Tampa Bay Rays, the Yankees remain in first place heading into the last week before the All-Star break.  Another positive is that the six games before the break will come against two clubs who are amongst the four worst in the American League, beginning with three against the AL-worst Oakland Athletics.

Gardner feels that the Yankees are in a great place, currently sitting in sole possession of first place:

It doesn’t matter if we’re six or seven games over .500, what matters is that we’re in first placfe.  If you had told me we’d be a week before the All-Star break and you’re in first place in the division, you could sign me up for that.

Although the Yankees head into two very winnable series’ with a division lead in tact, the AL East remains very tight, and they will need the production from the middle of the lineup to continue.

Next: New York Yankees Editorial: The Bronx is Boiling - 1st Half

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