THE Yankees are trying their best to stay in the AL East race, but it’s clear they no longer are the Bronx Bombers. That may be their nickname, but that’s not their game anymore.
There are lots of reasons the Yankees are in third place, behind the Rays and Red Sox, but their 2-1 loss to the Rangers last night at the Stadium showed once again this team is not built for the long ball.
Sure, the Yankees’ only run came on Alex Rodriguez’s home run, his 16th of the season, but that was only the Yankees 83rd home run of the season.
They entered the day 15th in the majors in home runs. Jason Giambi leads the team with 17, A-Rod is next at 16 and Bobby Abreu owns 10. No other Yankee is in double figures.
The pitching has been good enough, and Mike Mussina deserved a better fate last night, but the Yankees just don’t have the thunder they used to have.
This is a team that has always been known for its ability to power the baseball over the fence. When A-Rod hit his titanic shot into Monument Park in the fourth, the crowd of 53,045 came to life. Other than that it was more like a San Diego Padres crowd. The fans were even spotted doing the wave.
The Yankees can talk all they want about building around power pitching, and that’s a must, but this is a team that has to add more power to the lineup as well. In 2007 the Yankees were fourth in the majors in home runs with 201. In 2006 they were fifth at 210. In 2005 they were second with 229. Same goes for 2004 with 242. In 2003 they were third with 230 and in 2002 they were second with 223.
Even when they were 10th in the majors in home runs in 2000 and 2001, they still hit more than 200 homers, but that was a much different time in baseball. Minus the home run, the Yankees have to find other ways to score, and that’s not easy.
Giambi nearly hit his 18th in the sixth, but instead that became a triple and he was left at third because the Yankees are hideous with runners in scoring position.
A-Rod’s home run tied Jimmie Foxx for 14th on the all-time list at 534. Mickey Mantle is next at 536. The Yankees have always been built on the power of the home run.
Somehow, they need to find a way to get back to being the Bronx Bombers.