TBS and SNY analyst Ron Darling talks to The Post’s Justin Terranova about why the Yankees are enjoying a “best-case scenario” and what they have to do reach the next level with the Red Sox coming to The Bronx.
Q: Are you optimistic about the Yankees chances of making a run in the AL East?
A: They’ve got to be almost like a Cheshire cat smiling, saying: We haven’t played well, but no one’s run away. They haven’t gotten their best out of (Brian) McCann, (Carlos) Beltran has been hurt, on and on and on, and they are still in the race. So, this has been the best-case scenario considering they haven’t played their best baseball.
Q: What do you think has been the issue with McCann?
A: There was the pressure to learn a new pitching staff, playing in New York. There’s just so many variables that comes with being a free agent in New York. You try and meet all those expectations head on and sometimes it’s very challenging for any athlete or player. If I was Joe Girardi I’d tell him the season starts anew now.
Q: What has impressed you most about Masahiro Tanaka?
A: The transition has been remarkably quick. A lot of organizations discourage their pitchers from throwing the split-finger, so they haven’t seen it as much, and now they are trying to hit the best in the world. That’s one of the small reasons he’s gotten out of the blocks so quick. The big reason: He just knows how to pitch. We tend to fall in love with guys that throw 95, but I prefer a guy that knows how to pitch.
Q: Do you think the Yankees need to trade for another starting pitcher?
A: It isn’t always necessary, but when you have guys like David Price and Jeff Samardzija possibly available … We are talking about two unique talents. The Yankees have always been at the forefront at acquiring players. The way you advance in the postseason is to have a 1-2-3 punch in your starting rotation. They have the one punch in Tanaka, that young pitcher would be No. 2 and it’d be awfully nice to have CC Sabathia, the wily veteran, at No. 3.
Q: Is it time for the Mets to move one of their young arms to acquire a bat?
A: The Mets have all these young players that they should bring up that can perform in the middle of the summer and then acquire some bats to get you over the hump. Runs have been difficult for them, so it’d be a great thing for them to get a bat and make a run. The NL East is very much like the AL East. It’s up for grabs. In the NL East, if you play .500 to August 31, you’ll have meaningful September baseball.