What's Really Bugging the Yanks

The good news is that it's only the last week in May and the Yankees are at the top of their division. The bad news is that there's been a few too many roadblocks along the way. First we heard about Ivan Nova and his torn ligament, then we heard about Michael Pineda and his love affair with pine tar. Slowly the injuries grew worse, and more talent was placed on the disabled list. But something else has seemed to have struck the Yankees. Inexperience? Immaturity? Since April went so well with the new additions, did we take these all-stars for granted for the first month of the season? Did Jacoby Ellsbury play above his expected role, and is Yangervis Solarte still the solution at third base? What's the bug in the clubhouse?

For the past couple weeks, I've noticed tiny details in performance. Some notes are good, some bad, but I believe it's important that the front office raises an eyebrow to the incidents we've all spotted. Here they are:

1.) The Rotation and Pen

The pitching rotation looked ready to go in March, and it's safe to say we all expected above average results from CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova. In the early Spring, we always places a microscope under Sabathia, and after relentless ridicule by the fans and media, the Yankee ace of old has found himself back on the DL with knee problems. We can't say much about Nova; bad luck always seems to hit someone, but what has made Sabathia hit rock bottom? Remember how proud we were when he lost an extraordinary amount of weight during the offseason? Despite all of his success on the mound, he has now become an embarrassment and a liability to the organization. How did this all happen so fast? The man used to eat a box of cereal every morning, throw a complete game that afternoon, and win seventeen games a year. Now, he's in shape, his fastball is lacking velocity, and his body has surprisingly not adjusted to his change in weight. CC Sabathia was given great talent by the baseball gods, and when CC needs god the most, it appears that his body has failed him, even if he's in the best shape he's been in since he was a teenager. Sabathia will be back by the start of July, but the Yanks must realize this pitcher cannot be the number one go-to guy anymore. The CC we knew is gone. We all must be patient and adjust to the new CC. What else can we do? The Yanks are stuck with him for another few years. 

Secondly, the bullpen has just been spectacular. Since the Yanks were forced to place David Phelps, Chase Whitley and Vidal Nuno into the rotation, the relievers have gone above and beyond with their performance. I am most proud of Dellin Betances who has shown prowess in his set-up man position, and has shown nasty stuff on the mound making batters look foolish. There's just one problem with the bullpen: they're worn out. We have seen too much of Betances, too much of Adam Warren. Thankfully, the Yankees have not really suffered from the loss of three original rotation men, and the bullpen has worked their butts off since early May. But these relievers are not meant to throw so many innings every week. It's a problem when Phelps and Nuno are only providing five solid innings of work. That leaves a great deal of pressure on the pen, and from the looks of it, this bullpen is capable of cracking at any time. Shawn Kelly's absence has been frustrating, and Joe Girardi is somewhat reluctant to bring in David Robertson. To make a long story short, Roberston is still one of the best pitchers on the staff, and if Girardi keeps ignoring Robertson, the Yanks are going to have trouble closing out games. The other guys need rest. Roberston has had plenty of it. 


2.) Jacoby Ellsbury's Slump

When the Yankees signed Ellsbury, New York already had a good feeling on what he'd bring to the Bronx. The all-star center fielder provided stellar defense, aggressive base running, and an impressive bat at Fenway Park for the Red Sox. We all expected the Yankee Stadium left field porch to be an advantage for Ellsbury, but so far, that has not been the case. The Yanks did not only sign Ellsbury to fill the void of Curtis Granderson, but they wanted a player who could reach safely on base and also hit the long ball. The only reason we ignored Jacoby's home run totals in April was because he was hitting lights out in every other category. Ellsbury was a .300 hitter in the first month, and we were all convinced that he adapted to Yankee Stadium quicker than expected. From the looks of it, we all felt pretty good on what he gave the Yanks- versatility, speed, you name it. He's an exciting player to watch, but now it's May 24, and Ellsbury has found himself in the biggest slump so far this season. He's fallen back down to Earth really; we knew he wasn't going to bat .300 the entire season. He's a .280 player, but his home run count has been abysmal and his strike out rate has been embarrassing. It was only yesterday that he recorded his first RBI since May 3 against Tampa Bay. I love Ellsbury, but we knew some skid was inevitable, and most likely some injury as well (knock on wood). C'mon Jacoby, you're better than this. I think. 

3.) Alfonso Soriano and Brian McCann

After the Yanks traded for Soriano last summer, he blew New York's mind with impressive hitting numbers for the second half of the season. Soriano had the most homers after the All-Star break, and the front office got a little too excited and expected huge results from him this year. June is right around the corner, and so far, I've got one thing to say about Alfonso: he stinks. He never was a great fielder, and he's always been a streaky hitter, but I am just baffled by his lack of awareness and patience at the plate. Soriano swings at any pitch, even if it means he has to go down on one knee to smack a base hit. He's become the greatest embarrassment to the team in my eyes, and I don't see him getting any better. We gave him too much credit. He's 38 years old. His body can't handle playing the outfield every day. Joe Girardi must realize these struggles, and if it means Soriano only plays two or three times a week at DH, maybe that's the only effective solution to keeping him healthy. I understand that Soriano wants to play, but his body is telling him otherwise.

Now, Brian McCann's case is the exact opposite of Soriano's. Brian McCann played nine years in the Nation League with the Atlanta Braves, and he showed power at the plate and stellar skills defensively behind the plate. Remember, the Nation League doesn't have a DH, which means each player will be in the lineup every game unless benched by their manager. In those nine seasons with Atlanta, McCann never showed signs of struggle. After his rookie season in 2005, he averaged 134 starts each year. What does that mean you ask? THE MAN IS HEALTHY! HE WANTS TO PLAY! I understand that he has only missed a few games so far, but Girardi has focused too much on resting McCann. The guy wants to be in the lineup every day, and it's difficult for the team to find it's identity when the starting lineup is scrambled every game. Right now, the Yanks are a .500 team, and the only way they can mold into a successful bunch is if Girardi shows confidence and consistency in the lineup. For every seven games, stick McCann at catcher for six. Jorge Posada had no problem playing every day, why should McCann have the same dilemma? Yes, he has struggled, but he has to adjust to a new pitching staff and the fast play of the American League. We haven't seen McCann at his best yet, and the only way we'll see his best is by letting him play his game. 

APRIL REPORT: 15-11

The season began with a slight concern after losing two of three against Houston, but once the Yanks returned home, they managed to win three of four against Boston, swept the Cubbies and took two of three against the Angels. The first month of baseball brought many new looks to the pitching rotation with the debut of Masahiro Tanaka, and the lineup has smoothly adjusted to it's new additions in Ellsbury, McCann and Beltran.  Despite the positives, there have been a few detours along the way. Hopefully healthy for the remainder of the season, Mark Teixeira has shown signs of weakness in both his surgically repaired wrist and hamstrings. Michael Pineda (despite his pine tar incidents) was placed on the DL after aggravating his lat muscle, and Ivan Nova had successful Tommy John surgery this past week. The pitching has seemed shaky, but with a power offense the Yanks possess, winning ball games shouldn't be a problem (as long as they're relatively healthy).  All in all, not bad for a first month of  transitioning for the new faces in the Bronx. 

TOP PERFORMER: Jacoby Ellsbury ( BA .312, HR 1, RBI 11, OBP .369)

Despite his lack of home runs for the first month, Ellsbury has shown no signs of weakness at the plate or in the field. Watching the ex-Red Sox All-Star patrol the outfield is almost artistic. Not only do the Yankees receive a leader in Ellsbury, but also a natural athlete; the guy is simply here to win. Ellsbury hit .312 in April, along with 8 stolen bases. No matter where Jacoby was placed in the lineup, his BA never dipped under .320. Out of all the stars on the field, I'm the most excited about this guy. Even though he won three rings in Boston, I'm finding it very difficult to hate the guy. He wanted to become a Yankee, and so far, he's earned his pinstripes. But just remember, he can cool off at any point. Just look at his stats over the past few seasons. But you got to give credit where credit is due. 

WORST PERFORMER: CC Sabathia (W/L  3-3, IP 37, H 40, K 41, ERA 5.11)

I found it difficult to select one person who was below par, but CC seemed to have raised enough eyebrows. In his first six starts, Sabathia has shown nothing but inconsistency. The major issue this past offseason was his transition of being lighter and in better shape entering the season. His velocity was projected to max out in the lower nineties, and so far the experts have been correct. Sabathia has struggled due to flat fastballs over the plate, weak breaks on off-speed pitches and location problems. Whether or not his stamina can fulfill a nine inning game, it's important to watch how Sabathia handles each start through his body language and emotion. It's very easy to tell if the former ace is in a good frame of mind.  CC traditionally struggles in the early stages of the year and starts heating up come late May/early June, so expect the man to return to his normal ways within a few more starts. Besides, the Yanks have no choice but to keep him at the top of the rotation with both Pineda and Nova injured. 

"PLANGERVIS   SO-LAR-TE"

We all entered the offseason with one major question: Who would be playing third base with A-Rod's suspension? The answer was solved this March with the rise of utility infielder Yangervis Solarte, a 26 year-old who spent nearly eight seasons in the minor league systems of both Minnesota and Texas. His Spring stats were exceptionally impressive for the Yankees, hitting for both contact and power (not to mention his stellar glove in the field). Not only has Solarte become a fan favorite around New York, but he has provided himself as a useful man in the lineup. The kid is versatile and optimistic, and his presence has reflected positively among the rest of the players. To me, he seems to share a few qualities of two past Yanks: Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera. Cano had the look and swag of a ballplayer, and maybe Solarte took some advice in the appearance department. Melky Cabrera spent a few years in the Bronx, and he brought a consistent bat and helpful glove in the outfield. It has only been recently that Cabrera has appeared as a power hitter, but his stunt in New York represented a high OBP and BA. I like this rook...a lot. The Yankees really lucked out at third base with Solarte and Kelly Johnson. 

W2W4

A month is in the books, but we have a long ways to go. The Yankees kick off May at home against Seattle and Tampa, and then travel to Los Angeles for a short west coast road trip against the Angels. From there, the Yanks will start Masahiro Tanaka against the red hot Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park, and will then return home to kick off the 2014 Subway Series against the Mets. The month of May will also put the Yanks to the test against the powerhouses of Pittsburgh and St. Louis. By the way, the Yankees get to visit Wrigley Field for two games, which is always fun to watch. Overall, it will be interesting to see how both Vidal Nuno and David Phelps perform in the rotation, and I look forward to seeing Brian McCann and Mark Teixeira's bats heat up. (Prediction : 16-12,  31-23, 2nd East)