The Yankees’ bats badly needed to recover if they were to continue the winning streak they had begun against the Twins. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim looked far more formidable opponents not least their outfield which had been partially imported from the New York Yankees where Bobby Abreu and Juan Rivera would no doubt make their presence felt. As it worked out, the batting lineup did just that against LA before hitting a partial lull against the Phillies in the Fall Classic.
| New York Yankees – Batting – Month – October (AL Championship Series) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Name | G | AB | R | H | RBI | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | SO | SH | SF | SB | BA | SLG | OBP | ||||||||||||||||||
| Gardner, Brett | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .667 | .667 | .667 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Hairston Jr., Jerry | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | .500 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Rodriguez, Alex | 6 | 21 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .429 | .952 | .567 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Cabrera, Melky | 6 | 23 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .391 | .478 | .462 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Molina, Jose | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .333 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Damon, Johnny | 6 | 30 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .300 | .533 | .323 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Cano, Robinson | 6 | 23 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .261 | .478 | .414 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Jeter, Derek | 6 | 27 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .259 | .481 | .394 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Matsui, Hideki | 6 | 21 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .238 | .286 | .385 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Teixeira, Mark | 6 | 27 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .222 | .259 | .290 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Posada, Jorge | 6 | 20 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .200 | .400 | .360 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Swisher, Nick | 6 | 20 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .150 | .150 | .292 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Cervelli, Francisco | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Guzman, Freddy | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 222 | 33 | 62 | 29 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 38 | 47 | 4 | 2 | 2 | .279 | .446 | .389 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| New York Yankees – Batting (World Series) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Name | G | AB | R | H | RBI | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | SO | SB | BA | SLG | OBP | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Matsui, Hideki | 6 | 13 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | .615 | 1.385 | .643 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Jeter, Derek | 6 | 27 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | .407 | .519 | .429 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Damon, Johnny | 6 | 22 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | .364 | .455 | .440 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Pettitte, Andy | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .333 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Posada, Jorge | 6 | 19 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | .263 | .316 | .318 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Rodriguez, Alex | 6 | 20 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 1 | .250 | .550 | .423 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Hairston Jr., Jerry | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .167 | .167 | .167 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Cabrera, Melky | 4 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | .154 | .154 | .154 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Teixeira, Mark | 6 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 0 | .136 | .318 | .296 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Cano, Robinson | 6 | 22 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | .136 | .136 | .130 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Swisher, Nick | 5 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | .133 | .400 | .316 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Gardner, Brett | 5 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Molina, Jose | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .333 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Burnett, AJ | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Sabathia, CC | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Hinske, Eric | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 1.000 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 198 | 32 | 49 | 30 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 18 | 56 | 4 | .247 | .399 | .326 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Positives
Hideki Matsui. Whilst it was a trifle generous to make Matsui World Series MVP – perhaps Jeter with twice as many at-bats and a strong performance in the field might have been a more logical choice – there is no question that after a quiet Division series and Championship series, his bat suddenly came to life. He contributed 4 extra base hits including three home runs. I still think this might have been a good point for him to retire and go out on a high but we will see what next season brings.
Derek Jeter. An indifferent series against the Angels gave way to a strong performance against the Phillies which made Jeter the most likely Yankee in the considerations for the AL MVP. After Matsui and A-Rod, he was even third in slugging during the World Series bringing a grand culmination to a truly impressive season.
Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod was outstanding in the ALCS and added a home run in a quieter World Series. He has silenced his critics who looked askance at his post-season stats prior to this year. He is still open to criticism in a whole host of other areas but one apparent flaw is dealt with.
Johnny Damon. After a quiet series against the Twins, Damon came up with the goods throughout the rest of the way. Two home runs against the Angels and then a .440 OBP against the Phillies were amongst the highlights here and are strong reasons whilst the Yankees are still unable to shake the notion that they might pay the money and bring him back for 2010.
Melky Cabrera. Cabrera had a great series against the Angels. Injuring himself during the series against the Phillies means that we will never know if he could have continued this in the World Series and what difference that might have made to his future with the Yankees. His .462 OBP and 9 hits against the Angels ought to have been argument enough to keep him as a desired member of the staff for next year.
Negatives
Mark Teixeira. Teixeira didn’t bounce back after a poor series agains the Twins – in fact, if anything his struggles became worse. .222 and .136 with 1 home run was not the form he delivered for the majority of the regular season and the question mark about post-season performance which hung around Rodriguez for so long will now pass to him.
Freddy Guzman. The only reason to carry Guzman on the ALCS roster was because Girardi was going to make him run. Consequently, the Angels were ready for him and the move negated itself. He’s a one trick pony who should have been left at home.
Nick Swisher. Swisher was another who did not rebound after a weak ALDS. His World Series performance was a little better in that he produced some power but as much as it is difficult not to like the guy and wish him well, it is hard to understand why the Yankees seem so set on him as the everyday right fielder next year.
Surprises
Brett Gardner. Gardner doesn’t take his chances. He began the season with Girardi describing him as the everyday centrefielder. He played his way out of that one and handed it back to Melky. He had a strong ALCS and when Cabrera got injured he had every opportunity to take the position by the scruff of the neck and at least make a memorable contribution that would stick in the management’s thoughts. It didn’t happen.
Jerry Hairston. Hairston produced .250 across the two series in what was not an easy role. He has been some distance ahead of Hinske as someone to bring off the bench since the two of them arrived
Andy Pettitte. Way to go, Pettitte, for being the only pitcher to produce a hit during the games in Philadelphia and for managing to turn it in to a run!
