The Damned Yankees

Just when the week couldn't become any worse for the Yanks, Masahiro Tanaka unexpectedly lands himself on the disabled list with a partially torn UCL in his right arm. Three doctors analyzed Tanaka in Seattle yesterday afternoon, with a unanimous diagnosis of six weeks of no baseball activity, hoping for a painless and speedy recovery for the Yankee ace. If the recovery period fails any progress, Tommy John surgery is a potential solution.

Tanaka, who has carried the Yanks' pitching staff in result to the starting rotation blunders, has shown signs of struggle his last few outings, including an inconsistent performance in Cleveland this week. With a record of 12-4, Tanaka's success kept the Yanks' alive in the playoff race, but now with the 25 year-old in a sling till September, do the Yankees have enough bullets to make a postseason run?

The Yankees enter today a game over .500, heading in to Baltimore to play three games against the first place Orioles. With the countless injuries occurring, it is apparent to the fans and front office that the team is out of bullets? The nine lives of the Yankees are now used up, and the sights of a championship that seemed reachable in March are now fading away, maybe for good.

The Yankees have never recognized themselves as a forfeiting franchise. Now matter the circumstances, GM Brian Cashman and the Steinbrenner family have always tried to place a winning ball club out on the field. The only question that fogs the critic's mind is do the Yankees make an effort to compete, or develop the young talent and look toward the future?

After a heartbreak season in 2013, it is unfathomable to some that the Yankees should throw in the towel in mid-July, but the Yankees are a team that needs to sell, not buy, at the trade deadline. Despite the pitching woes, David Price and Cliff Lee are too expensive. The only logical move for the Yankees at this point would be to trade a player such as David Robertson, who still exemplifies value to any club in need for a reliever. With phenom Dellin Betances as the set-up man, it is imperative to allow Betances to pitch in these late innings on a regular basis, and establish a role as the future Yankee closer. Shipping David Roberston away can conclude in a high potential investment, and the Yanks' need all the help they can get in the prospect department.

As the stress builds on, it is also time to call up the future stars. Here are two names that could potentially be debuting this second-half:

Rob Refsnyder (2B/OF):  .317 BA, 12 HR, 45 RBI, .401 OBP , .549 SLG, .950 OPS  in 91 games

Adonis Garcia (OF):  .304 BA, 72 H, .342 OBP, .794 OPS in 60 games

Soriano & The Missing Arm

The Independence Day weekend was great for the players on the field, but not for the executives behind the desks. After struggling to keep a consistent batting average and performance in the field, Alfonso Soriano was designated for assignment Sunday morning, and Diamondbacks' right-hander Brandon McCarthy was traded to New York in exchange for lefty Vidal Nuno.

Soriano soared throughout the second half of last season, posting seventeen homers in fifty games after being traded by Chicago at the July deadline. This season for Soriano has been difficult to watch. The 38 year-old sat around .220 at the plate, and found difficulty with the amount of playing time Joe Girardi granted him. Soriano was frustrated with his role, but his time out on the diamond did not convince Brian Cashman to see him through another couple of weeks. Many speculated Soriano as trade bait within the month, but considering how ugly his statistics have been this year, it is possible that the front office attempted a trade not to long ago, and could not reach an agreement with any other club.

Now, back to the problem. You can never have enough pitching, and as the All-Star Break approaches, the Yankees find themselves in a pickle to find that one top-tier starting pitcher.

With CC Sabathia shut down indefinitely, the starting rotation will find difficulty in remaining consistent come October. The rumors around baseball have murmured the names of Phillies' Cliff Lee and Rays' ace David Price. Cliff Lee was once among the list of wants for the Yankees in 2010, but the negotiations were not in the Yankees' favor, and ultimately, Lee was sent to Texas for the remainder of that season until he signed with Philadelphia the following year. Lee's name has been among the elites for the last decade, but his struggle with injuries has left many uncertain of Lee's performance.

David Price has dominated the Yankees since his debut with Tampa in '08, and although he poses as a potent threat to the opponent's bats, his spot on the roster will also be as costly as Lee's. Tampa is waiting to shop Price, and the front office has made it clear that they are interested in potentially trading the lefty within the division.

The question that remains is this: Do the Yankees want to trade for these big names while giving away the few top prospects that remain in the minors?

Not only will the Phillies want the Yanks' to pay half of Lee's remaining salary, but they will also request for a talented prospect, such as Gary Sanchez or Mason Williams. Tampa Bay will also want a well rounded prospect in return, but most likely not to the same caliber. The only name that should be up for discussion is David Robertson.

Although Robertson has positively impacted the Yankee bullpen since the World Series run in '09, Robertson remains on constant watch as rising phenom Dellin Betances has controlled the bullpen. Betances is the future closer of the Yankees, and now would be a better time than ever to send away David Robertson in swap for an outfield or infield prospect.

The Yankees still wonder where they will stand by the trading deadline, and as the brand names remain on the trading block, look out for the expensive rentals to be in pinstripes this late July. The Yanks' are looking for a championship, but the costly trades may not be worth the time this season.

The Dog Days Came Early

Calling these past few weeks a slump for the Yankees would be considered an understatement. Since late April, injuries have spiraled the team out of control, and the performances of the stars have been abysmal of late. The front office has done their best on the damage control side of the business, but when will the team bounce back and escape their slumps? 

Nearly a month ago, the Yanks' major concern was the status of the pitching rotation. With CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, and Michael Pineda shut down for quite some time, the bullpen was running on empty and the offense was pressured to over-excel. Two weeks ago, even with the bleak rotation of Vidal Nuno David Phelps and Chase Whitley, the Yanks' were surprisingly very much alive in the division race between the Blue Jays and Orioles. Although the Bombers are only a handful of games back of first, no Yankees team has ever won the division with a record under .500 this late in the season. Despite the slumps, despite the injuries, the Yanks' still have a fair amount of optimism that still overrules the skepticism. The Yankees are 41-42, currently in third place in the division race and about five games back of first. The Wild Card situation is nearly the same dilemma, but the mountain seems harder to climb with Oakland, Los Angeles, and other streaky teams in their sight. At the start of the year, experts predicted one AL Wild Card spot would be from the AL East, but as the All-Star Break approaches, it's realistic to assume that only one AL East team will make the postseason. The Yankees are worried and rattled, but let's face it: Toronto is playing way over their heads and Baltimore is not as strong a team as they were last season. Even standing under .500 leaves the Yanks' in a winnable spot, surprisingly enough.

Unfortunately, this long slump has shined negative light on a few players. In Spring Training, utility man Yangervis Solarte appeared to be a strong candidate for the hole at third base, and once Opening Day's first pitch was thrown, Solarte showed no signs of weakness. Not only was he a fan favorite, but he showed optimism to the organization who has shown little no prowess in the farm system. Today, Solarte was sent back down to Triple-A to reevaluate his approach at the plate and work in the field. Solarte has shown to be a hard worker who is up to the challenge of the big show, and there should be no doubts that Solarte will be back in the Bronx before September call ups. 

Another problem is one that consists of other mini problems. It's called the lineup. We constantly hear all the news on television and talk radio about how the offense has struggled and how injuries have left players with a greater pressure to succeed. But when will it come time to realize that Derek Jeter cannot be hitting in the second spot, and when will Brian McCann realize that he needs to play up to the stats on his baseball card? McCann's influence behind the plate has been significant to younger hurlers, but the hitting has been absent the entire year, and his style of play is tailor-made for Yankee Stadium.

Here are nine observations  for the first half of the year: 

1. Brett Gardner is the most consistent player. Hit him either one of two every ballgame. 

2. Jeter is rotting. He no longer can handle four at-bats a game. Playing the field wears him out enough. 

3. Ellsbury has been a huge factor in the outfield. He's a .285 hitter, and that's where he stands right now. 

4. Mark Teixeira has been a huge letdown the past few years. Even when he's healthy, he seems hurt. 

5. Brian McCann needs to be the beast of old. The Yanks can't afford this performance any longer. 

6. Alfonso Soriano stinks. The Cubs were a genius for letting him go. 

7. Brian Roberts isn't worth a dime. 2B Rob Refsnyder's AAA stats: .348/.483/.580). Call him up!

8. The Yankees are stuck with a struggling Carlos Beltran for the next few years. Great.

9. CC will be the next Bobby Benilla. 

Before the mid-summer classic approaches, the Yankees play four in Minnesota against the Twinkies, four against the Tribe in Cleveland, and three in Baltimore. Yes, a ten game road trip isn't the best thing for the Yanks' right now, but the past is behind us, and taking six or seven of ten would allow the Yankees to regain some ground that was lost. It's only early July, but the Yankees are looking for a vacation, and I think they need one. Keep the faith.