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.