Fink Thinks: Yankees Mid-Season Report
The New York Yankees may be at the halfway point of 2010, but they've already endured a season's worth of struggles.
Outfielder and prized off-season acquisition Curtis Granderson can't hit southpaws.
Designated hitter Nick Johnson was batting a woeful .167 before injuring his wrist on May 7 at Fenway Park.
In his return to pinstripes, Javier Vazquez owned an ERA just south of 10.00 through his first five starts.
Mariano Rivera, Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher all missed multiple games with minor injuries.
Jorge Posada, Curtis Granderson and Marcus Thames each made trips to the disabled list – while relievers Alfredo Aceves and Sergio Mitre are currently on it.
Finally, pitching coach Dave Eiland took a leave of absence for most of June for personal reasons. And in his absence, supposed No. 2 start A.J. Burnett went 0-5 with an 11.35 ERA.
Not good.
But despite it all, the Yanks sent eight players to the 81st Annual All-Star Game in Anaheim, Calif. Now, the Bombers prepare to embark on the second half with a record of 56-32, tops in Major League Baseball. How did the Yankees overcome their first half trials and tribulations?
It helped that for every underwhelming performance, there was a pleasant surprise. For every injury, an unheralded player stepped up. Take fourth outfielder Marcus Thames for example, the only Yankee to have been "pied" by A.J. Burnett all year (an honor "bestowed" upon Bombers who record walk-off hits). And for Thames, who also missed much of June with a strained hamstring, it's occurred twice.
All winter long, big names like Johnny Damon, Matt Holliday and Jason Bay were speculated as possible free agent solutions for the Yankees' vacancy in left field. Many expected Brett Gardner, a part-timer in 2009, to once again back up a superstar.
Instead, the Yanks watched Damon leave for Detroit, sat back when St. Louis re-signed Holliday, and did nothing when the Mets locked up Bay.
Without an overwhelming favorite for leftfield, Gardner sprinted through the doors of opportunity -- hitting .309 and stealing 25 bases during the first half to cement his place as a regular in the starting lineup.
While baseball folks knew of Robinson Cano's tremendous talent, 2010 has been a breakout year for the Bombers' second baseman. Cano has been a dual threat, playing Gold Glove-caliber defense all year while ranking fifth in the Majors with a .336 average.
Despite his strong season, Cano is only one-fourth of the Bombers' infield quartet. And no midseason review would be complete without discussing Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, the proverbial straws that stir the drink.
However, Jeter, Tex and A-Rod have each struggled to varying degrees. Most shortstops would be thrilled to have reached the All-Star break with Jeter's first-half numbers. But with a .274 average, eight homers and 43 RBI, the 11-time All-Star is not enjoying a Captain-like season.
Rodriguez currently ranks third in the league with 70 RBI. But A-Rod, who sits three long balls away from joining the sport's exclusive 600 home run club, has not recorded round-trippers at his usual rate.
When he has homered, however, it has often left a deep dent on the opponent's prospect of victory. Just before the end of the half, he recorded his MLB-leading third grand slam of the season and 21st of his career (which ties him with current Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez at No. 2 on the all-time list). With two more grand slams, Alex will tie the legendary Lou Gehrig for the most in the game's history.
A-Rod's clutch play in bases-loaded situations has had a contagious effect on his teammates, who have collectively hit .413 with three ducks on the pond. In said situations, the Bombers have blasted nine homers and remain one shy of the franchise record, set in 1987.
The Bombers have also thrived when facing a deficit and are tied with the Cincinnati Reds with 27 come-from-behind victories in 2010.
As for Teixeira, he has made the highlight reel play look routine. However, he's nonetheless struggled offensively and was the lone Yankee infielder left off the All-Star roster. However, Tex has been hot recently and rolled into the break with an on-base streak of 32 games. Expect a torrid second-half from Tex, who has hit .419 so far this month.
The outgoing and talented Nick Swisher enjoyed a terrific first half and was rewarded with the 34th and final spot on the AL All-Star roster after receiving 9.8 million votes over a four-day period. Swisher edged out Boston Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis in what was the closest "Final Vote" race in the poll's nine-year history.
Moving to the pitching side of things, much of the Yankees' first-half success can be attributed to C.C. Sabathia, Andy Pettitte and Phil Hughes, who together formed the first trio in franchise history to each win at least 11 games prior to the All-Star break, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
And after a dismal April, the savvy Javier Vazquez has pitched beautifully, winning six games in his last 12 appearances (11 starts) while recording a 2.75 ERA along the way. Out of the pen, Mo Rivera has converted 20-of-22 save opportunities while posting a miniscule 1.05 ERA. Of all the pitchers with at least 30 innings logged in 2010, only Tigers' closer Jose Valverde (0.92 ERA) has fared better.
But the Bombers' greatest weakness over the first half was the bridge between their two great strengths. At the halfway mark, Yankee relievers rank ninth in the AL with a 4.14 ERA, while their eighth-inning man Joba Chamberlain has posted a 5.79 ERA with three blown saves in five chances.
Looking Ahead: When the Yankees return home Friday, they will commence a second half that will have them home for 40 of their remaining 74 games. There will be tons of excitement in the Bronx for the defending World Champs, who hope to make the postseason for the 15th time in 16 seasons.
