IF YOU like the Yankees to make the playoffs right now, it is because of their past or because you have doubts about Tampa Bay’s short-term future. But it is not because you really like the Yanks’ present.
These Yanks excel at one facet of the game – when Mariano Rivera has the ball. Besides that, they are rather average. Average on offense. Average on defense. Average on the mound.
Before the season started, the Yanks would have signed up for the average defense and pitching because they were positive they had a menacing batting order that would conceal the warts. But a funny thing happened on the way to 900-plus runs.
Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada got hurt, then Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon did, too. Derek Jeter, Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano regressed offensively. Jason Giambi grew a mustache and in popularity, but he didn’t hit much in the clutch, an epidemic problem on the roster. The position player depth was so atrocious you started to wonder if the Yanks could find the phone numbers for Aaron Guiel and Josh Phelps.
They did get in touch with Richie Sexson, who will be joining them for the second half. They will not be reaching out to Barry Bonds. Yankees officials simply expressed no desire to enlist a 44-year-old who has not played since last season, is beset with physical and makeup issues, would need a few weeks to prove he could or couldn’t still perform, and has federal charges pending.
The Yanks paid lavishly to retain A-Rod in some large part so he would be in their uniform when he breaks Bonds’ all-time homer record. They hardly want to help Bonds extend that record further.
They also learned with Red Sox, Blue Jay, Astro and Yankee Roger Clemens that when the bad news comes he will only be referred to as former Yankee Roger Clemens. They do not want Bonds going into a federal penitentiary as former Yankee Barry Bonds.
Mostly, though they are opposed to adding another big-name position player with a high probability of breaking down either physically and/or statistically. That was the story of their first half. If that story does not change then the only postseason action at Yankee Stadium will involve a wrecking ball.
“What is great and difficult about baseball is you can’t expect everything to go a certain way,” GM Brian Cashman said. “Baseball has a way of throwing knuckleballs. Our knuckleball is a very inconsistent offense.”
The Yankees pitching staff has faced plenty of knucklers without being crippled. Consider that the Yanks did not obtain Johan Santana, truly pursue C.C. Sabathia, and had both Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy tank first on the mound then health-wise. Yet, the Yanks ended the first half with one more quality start (47) than the Mets, who did get Santana.
They have the majors’ fewest (four) blown saves. That is largely a tribute to the genius of Mariano Rivera. But also recognition that Kyle Farnsworth, Jose Veras and Edwar Ramirez were not surrendering late-inning leads.
You might not like a rotation that has Sidney Ponson and Darrell Rasner or a bullpen with Dan Giese and David Robertson. Perhaps this kind of pedigree will eventually destroy the Yanks. But in the present it is the rich and famous in their lineup most undermining success.
The two best players in the clutch this year – Damon and Matsui – are on the disabled list, and Matsui is highly doubtful to return.
The Yanks’ top three RBI men – Bobby Abreu, Giambi and Rodriguez – are having softer seasons than their Triple Crown stats portray. Jeter’s line-drive rates have fallen precipitously for a second straight year. More than Posada’s throwing has declined from last year. Where did the lightning to the left-center gap go in Cano’s game? And Cabrera is proving he is a fourth outfielder.
That all has contributed to put the Yanks on pace to score three or fewer runs 72 times, which would be their most since 1991, when they were managed by Stump Merrill, won 71 games, and their RBI leader (with 80) was Mel Hall.
The Yanks are not getting into the playoffs in 2008 if we are still making comparisons to Merrill and Hall in September.