Any month that includes as much inter-league play as June did, is always going to be a difficult – particularly in estimating how much it impacts the season as a whole. The month included bad streaks for the Yankees as a team and as individuals. Here’s hwo it went for the batters:

Positives

Brett Gardner. Gardner remains something of a conundrum. When he is giving a regular job in the starting line-up, he flounders. When there are no guarantees, he show himself as a feisty player who can get the hits. Of course, his speed is always an asset. As Cabrera had a quiet month, Gardner flourished. Best on the month in batting average and third of the regulars in slugging.

Derek Jeter. The captain continues to be a solid and consistent presence. His place on the All-Star team is a deserved one and as you see the mess so many players have put themselves in, you have to admire how he handles himself, on the field and off. He’s proving to be the consummate singles hitter, not a lot else but at the top of the line-up that is vital!

Robinson Cano. Cano continues to be a steady presence with the glove and with the bat. .270 on this month which he can improve on a little but his performance is so much more convincing and effective than in 2008.

Mark Teixeira. After a disappointing April and a mind-blowing May, Teixeira had a steady June. He looked great in the field and he continued to have some power (although this certainly wasn’t May in those terms).

Negatives

Angel Berroa. Berroa finally got a hit in June. That’s one more than he got in May. Thankfully, the Yankees have designated him for assignment.

Alex Rodriguez. On the month, .207 with 5 home runs. It seems he hits for power or he doesn’t hit at all. There were, to be fair, one or two exceptions to that rule. Did he come back too soon? Will the promised rest days help? Do the Yankees wish they’d stuck to their guns during the Boras debacle at the end of 2007?

Hideki Matsui. Matsui had a difficult month. Too many interleague games at the National league ground which makes him redundant as they won’t risk him in the field. When he was in the line up, his figures didn’t even match those of A-Rod.  .204 with three home runs on the month.

Melky Cabrera. Melky Cabrera has had a good season so far and whilst his work in the field was good in June, his performance with the bat drifted back to the dark days of 2008. He was second in the team in doubles and he still looks good in the clutch but he’s going through a barren spell.

Surprises

Cody Ransom. Nice to see Cody back in the line-up. There was a time when I wondered if the Yankees placing him on the 60 day disabled list might mean he was done for the season. In his first five at-bats back in the team, he hit .400 and this, if nothing else, will be a substantial improvement on Berroa who he matches in the field also. Only time will tell if he can gain some consistency.

Ramiro Pena. Ramiro Pena is headed to triple-A Scranton in a decison which makes no sense to me. In June, he hit .333. He isn’t the most patient at the plate but he has proved a reliable bat off-the-bench and he is as good and better in the field than anybody else in that category. His July in Scranton is dictated by the arrival of Eric Hinske, who is another one of those journeymen big bats that the Yankees tend to pursue at this time of the year. Surprise and mistake.

Johnny Damon. Damon is holding  up much better than I would have predicted. His slugging leads the team on the month, and he was tied second in home runs on the month. His fielding is never going to be that good again but he has managed to get this far without any serious injury.

Jorge Posada. Now back to full fitness apparently, Posada’s bat is not quite what we’re hoping for. 4 home runs on the month is fine but he isn’t hitting for average.