The Yankees batting and injury problems just got worse as June progressed, seeing them fall from 1st at the end of April, to second at the end of May, to 4th at the end of June. The team batted only .223 across the 27 games in June leaving 11 squad members batting well below .250 for the month. Consequently, our survey below has expanded the middle section!
It is the bullpen that has kept the Yankees afloat whilst the starting rotation and batters struggled. Let’s look over those starters and relievers in some detail:
The Yankees form slid a little in May. In April, they had been 16-10, May was 15-13. They also surrendered first place and dropped to second in the table. Let’s see who was bucking the trend and who was failing to keep their end up:
The pitchers have been largely responsible for the Yankees better-than-expected start to the season. Let’s see who did well:
The Yankees had the most unlikely start to the season, especially if you listened to those who assessed their chances in the pre-season. In fact, as their injury list got longer, the impressiveness of their remaining amongst the teams with the highest winning percentage in major league baseball, just became more evident. Let’s see who led the way in April and who were amongst the few who failed to reach the necessary mark. Batters up first!
The Yankees dominated in the American League Division Series (ALDS) against Baltimore but then just stopped hitting in clutch situations in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) against Detroit. Consequently, this is a rather cursory glance at the pitchers during that period because the truth is that it doesn’t matter how well you perform if you have next-to-no run support. Few of the pitchers were outstanding and only a couple ran into real problems but the bats couldn’t make any noise at all during that fateful final series.
If, at the end of the regular season, someone should have predicted that the stars of the Yankees’ playoff run would be Raul Ibanez and the bullpen and that number 2, shortstop and Captain, Derek Jeter would end his series in hospital there would have been gasps of disbelief and ridicule. Let’s see who except Raul Ibanez among the batters managed to stand up and be counted (Jeter pun intended)
Mr Girardi has a tendency to use the full range of his expanded roster when it turns September 1st. Unfortunately, this means that players are used to pitch on an irregular rest period and the continuity and consistency of the pitching tends to fall apart. This may be the last season he has to face that temptation as the rules on September roster expansion seem likely to change soon. In the meantime, here’s how the Yankees fared under the current system.
The Yankees found themselves in a surprisingly tight finish in September and they needed players to step forward and give a good account of themselves. Few did. Who were they?
It was also a really mixed bag for the Yankees on the pitching front in August. Two or three starters were effective but others particularly Ivan Nova were well below expectations. Let’s see who did what:
twilightdawning 