The Yankees are living by the long ball this year.
The team has hit home runs in 12 of their first 14 games, racking up a total of 27, a franchise record to start a season. The Yankees’ reliance on the home run leads to questions of whether the team can still score runs if the power dries up.
“I’m confident we can do it the other way,” manager Joe Girardi said. “I think when it’s all said and done we’re going to have some guys that hit for a pretty high average and are going to be on base a lot. We’re going to get our share of base hits. It hasn’t necessarily come to fruition yet. A lot of our runs have come off home runs, but there’s nothing wrong with that.”
There is no reason to believe the Yankees will suddenly lose their power. Everyone in the regular lineup except for Brett Gardner and Derek Jeter is capable of hitting homers in bunches.
Mark Teixeira and Jorge Posada lead the team with five each. For Posada, it has been all or nothing. He has just seven hits this season.
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Left-hander Pedro Feliciano saw Dr. James Andrews yesterday in Pensacola, Fla. Andrews recommended a conservative treatment program instead of surgery on Feliciano’s left shoulder. Feliciano, on the 60-day disabled list, will remain with the team and begin a shoulder-strengthening program immediately. He has not pitched this season.
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Curtis Granderson has continued the tear he began last August after adjusting his swing under the tutelage of hitting coach Kevin Long. Since they made the change on Aug. 12, Granderson’s 18 home runs is tied for the third most in Major League Baseball over that time, behind Troy Tulowitzki (24) and Jose Bautista (22), and tied with Albert Pujols.
“Everything has been the same concept as what we had at the end of the season, get the hands back and a little less with the stride and put ourselves in position to attack the baseball as frequently as possible,” Granderson said. “The reason they’re going out, again, I’m not really too sure.”
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General manager Brian Cashman said Kevin Millwood will make his next start for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Millwood threw a one hitter for Double-A Trenton on Sunday. The start could come Friday against Syracuse, but the plan has not been finalized. . . . Carlos Silva is not yet scheduled to pitch, and is undergoing a conditioning program at the team complex in Tampa.