Sunday, August 9, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Cano?
Robinson Cano is a confusing player.
He has a great, smooth swing and at times looks like a world class hitter.
However other times he looks lost, impatient and out of his league.
It?s becoming very hard to judge him, because his numbers year to year are so different.
Really, his numbers within the season are also a bit strange and he's still struggling with men on base. He hit's .380 with the bases empty and .412 when there's a runner on first, but that drops to .231 with a runner on second and down to .186 with RISP. Still, despite those terrible stats he's still fourth on the team in RBI?s and third in Runs.
Another strange occurrence: he?s hitting .407 in day games (54 AB?s) and just .260 at night (77 AB?s).
He's a hard player to figure out and he's slumping bad right now, but when that swing is working he puts on a clinic. As a team (aside from Damon) the Yankees numbers with RISP need to go up but Cano's numbers, I think, are the most surprising.
I like where he's hitting in the lineup lately. The 7 spot is a good place for him. Some people point to his average and want him behind Matsui or A-Rod, but I don't think he's suited (yet) for that role. He needs to become a better all around hitter.
He has a great, smooth swing and at times looks like a world class hitter.
However other times he looks lost, impatient and out of his league.
It?s becoming very hard to judge him, because his numbers year to year are so different.
Really, his numbers within the season are also a bit strange and he's still struggling with men on base. He hit's .380 with the bases empty and .412 when there's a runner on first, but that drops to .231 with a runner on second and down to .186 with RISP. Still, despite those terrible stats he's still fourth on the team in RBI?s and third in Runs.
Another strange occurrence: he?s hitting .407 in day games (54 AB?s) and just .260 at night (77 AB?s).
He's a hard player to figure out and he's slumping bad right now, but when that swing is working he puts on a clinic. As a team (aside from Damon) the Yankees numbers with RISP need to go up but Cano's numbers, I think, are the most surprising.
I like where he's hitting in the lineup lately. The 7 spot is a good place for him. Some people point to his average and want him behind Matsui or A-Rod, but I don't think he's suited (yet) for that role. He needs to become a better all around hitter.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
This is Becoming Normal
Through May 5th:
2007: 13-15
Runs Scored: 169
Runs Allowed: 147
2008: 16-16
Runs Scored: 148
Runs Allowed: 145
2009: 13-13
Runs Scored: 146
Runs Allowed: 159
Those numbers will go up once tonight's game is final...
There are a lot of excuses the Yankees can use, but they don't hold water. The bullpen is a mess, clutch hitting is still terrible, and the manager's decisions lately have been questionable at best.
This team is in a decent amount of trouble, once again.
2007: 13-15
Runs Scored: 169
Runs Allowed: 147
2008: 16-16
Runs Scored: 148
Runs Allowed: 145
2009: 13-13
Runs Scored: 146
Runs Allowed: 159
Those numbers will go up once tonight's game is final...
There are a lot of excuses the Yankees can use, but they don't hold water. The bullpen is a mess, clutch hitting is still terrible, and the manager's decisions lately have been questionable at best.
This team is in a decent amount of trouble, once again.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Situational Struggles
The Yankees currently have the second most hits in the league, yet they can't seem to get a hit when it counts. Here are some stomach turning stats from baseball-reference.com:
Yankees RISP:
.223 Avg, .320 OBP (42 for 188, 55 RBI)
Yankees with runners on first and second:
.204 Avg, .315 OBP (11 for 54, 7 RBI)
Yankees with the bases loaded:
.071 Avg, .063 OBP (1 for 14, 5 RBI)
Now compare that to the hottest team in baseball:
Red Sox RISP:
.290 Avg, .419 OBP (51 for 176, 81 RBI)
Red Sox with runners on first and second:
.317 Avg, .414 OBP (19 for 60, 25 RBI)
Red Sox with the bases loaded:
.286 Avg, .464 OBP ( 8 for 28, 22 RBI)
The Yankees get runners past first base, and the offense shuts down. They hit .328 with a runner on first, but .221 when that runner is on second. The Yankees are hitting, but not when it counts most. Their individual averages look good, but the situational averages are terrible.
Look at Cano, he's having a great season hitting .380 on the year. However, if you break that down you'd see that he's hitting .192 with RISP (5 for 26). And when there is more than one runner on the bases, Cano is 1 for 15.
They don?t need to become the most clutch team in baseball, but an improvement has to happen in order for the Yankees to have a chance. Are they looking to hit home runs? Is it just good pitching? Is it just a phase in this long season? Who knows, but hopefully they break out of this pattern sooner rather than later.
Yankees RISP:
.223 Avg, .320 OBP (42 for 188, 55 RBI)
Yankees with runners on first and second:
.204 Avg, .315 OBP (11 for 54, 7 RBI)
Yankees with the bases loaded:
.071 Avg, .063 OBP (1 for 14, 5 RBI)
Now compare that to the hottest team in baseball:
Red Sox RISP:
.290 Avg, .419 OBP (51 for 176, 81 RBI)
Red Sox with runners on first and second:
.317 Avg, .414 OBP (19 for 60, 25 RBI)
Red Sox with the bases loaded:
.286 Avg, .464 OBP ( 8 for 28, 22 RBI)
The Yankees get runners past first base, and the offense shuts down. They hit .328 with a runner on first, but .221 when that runner is on second. The Yankees are hitting, but not when it counts most. Their individual averages look good, but the situational averages are terrible.
Look at Cano, he's having a great season hitting .380 on the year. However, if you break that down you'd see that he's hitting .192 with RISP (5 for 26). And when there is more than one runner on the bases, Cano is 1 for 15.
They don?t need to become the most clutch team in baseball, but an improvement has to happen in order for the Yankees to have a chance. Are they looking to hit home runs? Is it just good pitching? Is it just a phase in this long season? Who knows, but hopefully they break out of this pattern sooner rather than later.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Hoping History Repeats
The Yankees are making it a tradition to start off slow and play some incredibly frustrating games.
They signed two players in CC and Teixeira whose April numbers are unbelievably bad.
This team is playing better then past Aprils, but they still can't figure out how to get off the ground.
The offense is clicking, but the starting pitching has been suspect and the bullpen is a mystery. The Yankees seem to have a pen filled with two-faced pitchers. One day you get someone whose lights out, the next they can't make it through an inning.
Will this change? History says so. The last few years the Yankees record has been terrible for April and May, but something clicks and they turn it on.
The division is as tough as ever, so the Yankees can't afford to wait as long as they have in the past to get moving.
Although the games themselves have been awful lately, there is good news under the surface. For one, Mark Teixeira looks to be coming around. Sure over the last 7 days his BA is only .238, but his OBP is .429. He's seeing the ball better.
Matsui has also looked good this past week, hitting .421 with a .450 OBP. Really the only hitter who looks lost is Brett Gardner.
Overall I think the Yankees look better than their record and are poised to go on a winning a streak. These slow starts are annoying but I think this one is going to end much sooner than it has in years passed. If history repeats itself then some important Yankees will flip the switch and get hot very soon.
They signed two players in CC and Teixeira whose April numbers are unbelievably bad.
This team is playing better then past Aprils, but they still can't figure out how to get off the ground.
The offense is clicking, but the starting pitching has been suspect and the bullpen is a mystery. The Yankees seem to have a pen filled with two-faced pitchers. One day you get someone whose lights out, the next they can't make it through an inning.
Will this change? History says so. The last few years the Yankees record has been terrible for April and May, but something clicks and they turn it on.
The division is as tough as ever, so the Yankees can't afford to wait as long as they have in the past to get moving.
Although the games themselves have been awful lately, there is good news under the surface. For one, Mark Teixeira looks to be coming around. Sure over the last 7 days his BA is only .238, but his OBP is .429. He's seeing the ball better.
Matsui has also looked good this past week, hitting .421 with a .450 OBP. Really the only hitter who looks lost is Brett Gardner.
Overall I think the Yankees look better than their record and are poised to go on a winning a streak. These slow starts are annoying but I think this one is going to end much sooner than it has in years passed. If history repeats itself then some important Yankees will flip the switch and get hot very soon.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Can We Focus on The Season Now?
I hope so, but I'm not optimistic.
I honestly might mute the first 20-30 games when A-rod comes to bat, just so I don't have to listen to color commentators go over this mess time and time again.
I get that this A-Rod mess is important and a big deal, and part of me wants it to stay a headline so the pressure stays on to get the other 103 names released. Still it'd be much more fun to just focus on baseball and let this all fade away.
Normally this is the time of the year where paying close attention to baseball helps me forget that it will still be winter outside for another month and a half. That hasn't really worked out for me the past couple of seasons.
I honestly might mute the first 20-30 games when A-rod comes to bat, just so I don't have to listen to color commentators go over this mess time and time again.
I get that this A-Rod mess is important and a big deal, and part of me wants it to stay a headline so the pressure stays on to get the other 103 names released. Still it'd be much more fun to just focus on baseball and let this all fade away.
Normally this is the time of the year where paying close attention to baseball helps me forget that it will still be winter outside for another month and a half. That hasn't really worked out for me the past couple of seasons.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
The Bench
The Yankees bench could really use some help.
Right now the Yankees will have Melky, Gardner, Swisher and Molina on the bench at any given time... Then maybe a minor league call up of Cody Ransom or Shelley Duncan.
I think that group is solid enough to fill every now and then, but can the Yankees really expect them to play a few days in a row or more? Maybe you can get away with saying that they have a good amount of depth in the outfield, but the infield depth is atrocious.
Lately here in Boston the talk has been about the Red Sox and their depth. Many people I've talked to felt they were the better team to begin with, and with some recent signings are in even better shape. These signings haven't been huge stars, but they provide them with decent back up possibilities. And now comes news that they've signed another low risk player with some pop in Brad Wilkerson.
I'd argue that as far as the 'starting lineup' goes the Yankees get a slight edge, but depth wise I have to agree that the Sox have more of it.
As spring training inches closer, the prices for the remaining free agents is dropping. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the Yankees sign Nomar. He can play a couple different infield spots, and I think he could stay healthy if he's not asked to play everyday.
Right now the Yankees will have Melky, Gardner, Swisher and Molina on the bench at any given time... Then maybe a minor league call up of Cody Ransom or Shelley Duncan.
I think that group is solid enough to fill every now and then, but can the Yankees really expect them to play a few days in a row or more? Maybe you can get away with saying that they have a good amount of depth in the outfield, but the infield depth is atrocious.
Lately here in Boston the talk has been about the Red Sox and their depth. Many people I've talked to felt they were the better team to begin with, and with some recent signings are in even better shape. These signings haven't been huge stars, but they provide them with decent back up possibilities. And now comes news that they've signed another low risk player with some pop in Brad Wilkerson.
I'd argue that as far as the 'starting lineup' goes the Yankees get a slight edge, but depth wise I have to agree that the Sox have more of it.
As spring training inches closer, the prices for the remaining free agents is dropping. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the Yankees sign Nomar. He can play a couple different infield spots, and I think he could stay healthy if he's not asked to play everyday.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Man Ram
My cousin sent me a text message today saying 'We don't need Manny!'.
I tend to agree with that. I think the Yankees are pretty balanced as a team right now.
If anything, what they need is more bench help and another starter.
Manny could become interesting if his price continues to drop. I'm as worried as anyone about his club house attitude, but who really knows how blown out of proportion it really is.
In the end I think Manny stays with the Dodgers or maybe ends up with the Angels. But once those teams make an offer, expect Scott Boras to let every other team know about it. If the Yankee we're interested, that's when you'd see them make an offer of their own.
I tend to agree with that. I think the Yankees are pretty balanced as a team right now.
If anything, what they need is more bench help and another starter.
Manny could become interesting if his price continues to drop. I'm as worried as anyone about his club house attitude, but who really knows how blown out of proportion it really is.
In the end I think Manny stays with the Dodgers or maybe ends up with the Angels. But once those teams make an offer, expect Scott Boras to let every other team know about it. If the Yankee we're interested, that's when you'd see them make an offer of their own.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Baseball is on it's way.
I've been toying with the post below for a few days. I kept putting off actually posting it. Tonight I learned of the death of Todd Drew. Todd was a great writer and a passionate Yankee fan. My only interactions with him where through the comment sections of different blogs, but I enjoyed his view on things as well as his writing. He seemed like a great guy, and this is a sad day for our little community of Yankee bloggers. My very best wishes go to his friends and family.
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It's been a long, cold and dark few months. Winter seems to be dragging and there's only ice and snow as far as the eye can see. Meanwhile, the sporting news is dominated with playoff football and college basketball with only the occasional free agent signing reminding us that baseball season is coming.
However with each day, the season inches closer to starting. Sometimes the only way I can get through these icy cold New England winter days is to close my eyes and imagine myself sitting on my porch listening to game on a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon. That time will be here soon enough, and I plan on enjoying every minute of it.
-------------------------------------------------------------
It's been a long, cold and dark few months. Winter seems to be dragging and there's only ice and snow as far as the eye can see. Meanwhile, the sporting news is dominated with playoff football and college basketball with only the occasional free agent signing reminding us that baseball season is coming.
However with each day, the season inches closer to starting. Sometimes the only way I can get through these icy cold New England winter days is to close my eyes and imagine myself sitting on my porch listening to game on a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon. That time will be here soon enough, and I plan on enjoying every minute of it.
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