Sometimes an article changes direction just as you’re writing it and this is one because the Yankees’ progress over the last month has had more twists than the average tornado.
First there was their majorly disappointing decision not to make an offer to David Robertson. If you’d asked me in September who was the most important player that the Yankees must re-capture in 2015 then there would be no doubt in my mind that it would have been Robertson.
As we move on to the second half of our survey of the Yankees’ performance in September, we find a fairly surprising picture amongst the pitchers. Whilst the team averaged giving up between 3 and 4 runs a game which is pretty competitive, more surprising was that those who had been successful prior to September struggled and some new faces were successful.
September was never going to be an easy month for the Yankees. On one hand, they had to contend with the grand parade that was associated with the retirement of the Captain, Derek Jeter. On the other, they had to make up sufficient games to challenge for a wildcard. It would have proved too much for most teams but for the Yankees who were already over-performing given the weakness of their batting lineup, it seemed impossible. And so it was, they achieved a 14-13 record on the month whilst giving Jeter the send-off he deserved. One target achieved, the other not. But perhaps this was for the best – they would have probably embarrassed themselves in the post-season. Let’s look at who did what:
So with the batting line-up dying a slow death, the Yankees needed their pitchers to continue to bolster the ship as it rolled in stormy seas. On the whole, through August, they did – although the bullpen suffered a knock and a setback here and there which can come with the overuse it has had this season. On the whole, the Yankees can thank their pitching for, surprisingly, keeping them in contention.
So the Yankees had made it into August still in the mix for a possible place in the playoffs albeit by a wildcard slot. By the trading deadline, they had brought in Chase Headley, Martin Prado and Stephen Drew to try and fix their anaemic batting line-up. Now Stephen Drew wouldn’t be everyone’s idea of how to fix a low batting average and so to nearly no-one’s surprise August proved to be one of the 2014 Yankees worst months at the plate.
The Yankees’ pitching is still threadbare. However, surprisingly, bringing in a few starters who were struggling elsewhere and coupling them with a bullpen that has been performing consistently seems to be working. Let’s see who was doing well in July:
The Yankees had a surprising month in July. New faces began to arrive and those that had struggled in the first half began to turn things around — but then as the month came to its conclusion they had a sequence of defeats. Go figure! Let’s see who did what at the plate:
A Review and Overview of “Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy” published by Zondervan in their “Counterpoints” series in 2013.
(To gain most understanding of this review, it would be helpful to consider the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy {1978} which can be found here: http://www.etsjets.org/files/JETS-PDFs/21/21-4/21-4-pp289-296_JETS.pdf )
The Yankees, struggling to stay in contention to the extent that it is now as easy for them to win their division as it is for them to capture a wild card booth, are not making the task easy for themselves. And their injury situation is becoming more and more complex. Let’s see what happened amongst the pitchers in June.
The Yankees endured a miserable month in June with a win/loss line of 12-15 and so many batters were below or just above the Mendoza line that it was sometimes difficult to know where their next win was coming from. Even then though they sometimes hit a hot streak and managed to keep in contention. In a close American League East, it is difficult to know what might happen, particularly if they can come up with a couple of key trades prior to the deadline.
twilightdawning 