AT THE ALL STAR BREAK III

The Yankee infield has generally been a strength this year.  At the break we can conclude as follows.

TEIXEIRA – The Tex signing has been a success.  After eight years of Jason Giambi, it has been a revelation to have a first baseman who can field, and Tex fields with the best of them.  I can’t complain about his offense either, but his tendency toward streak hitting is maddening.  Tex started the year with a whimper, batting .200 in April with 3 HRs.  He had a monster May, batting .330 with 13 HRs and 34 RBIs.  He sank back to mediocrity in June, batting .263 with only 4 HRs and 16 RBIs.  So far in July, he is hitting .299, but his power is down, with only 3 HRs and 7 RBIs.  His erratic performance seems to confirm his reputation as a streak hitter who tends to start the season slowly.  The Yankees have to hope Teixeira will once again thrive during the second half of the season.  GRADE – B+.

CANO – Cano spent 2008 flailing mindlessly at anything thrown to him.  The result was a career low .271 average with a pitiful .305 OBP.  Over the winter Cano seems to have found religion.  He came to Spring Training with improved focus, and the results have been encouraging.  So far he is batting .305 with a .338 OBP – still not great, but considerably better than last year.  He also has 14 HRs, and seems on a pace to hit 25-30.  His defense is still lackadaisical, but he appears to be concentrating in the field more than in the past.  GRADE – B-.

JETER – Over the past winter, the pundits buried Jeter.  They said he had no range, and couldn’t hit any more.  He had lost his speed and his power.  In short, he was finished, done, kaput, verdunfte, verfallen.  These obituaries ignored the fact that Jeter  injured his hand last May when he was hit by a pitch, played through the pain, and was never himself.  Well, this year the Captain has demonstrated he still has it.  So far he is batting .318 with a .395 OBP, 10 HRs and 18 stolen bases.  He was the consensus All Star shortstop, and is once again the catalyst of the Yankee offense.  And his fielding has been inspired.  The Soul Of The Yankees can still bring it.  GRADE – A.

AROD – Agh.  Herein lies the heart of the Yankee conundrum.  Arod is not himself, and at this point the question is, will he ever again be himself.  At this writing it appears doubtful we will see the real Arod in 2009.  Arod’s hip injury has been well documented, and he will require additional surgery in the offseason.  In the meantime, he is not hitting like Arod.  He still has good power – 19 HRs and 52 RBIs in two and a half months – but he is batting only .250.  And he has hit only 7 doubles, a sure sign that he is not at full strength.  His slugging percentage is .546, not a bad number for a mere mortal, but nothing special for a guy who normally slugs over .600.  Part of the problem is the inability of the Yankees to find an effective number 5 hitter to bat behind him and provide protection, resulting in innumerable walks as pitchers pitch around him.  But this is not the Arod we have known.  I suspect what we have seen up to now is what we will get for the remainder of 2009.  GRADE C+.

RANSOM – Ransom is the only utility infielder on the team, and his presence reflects a significant team weakness.  Ransom is a 33 year old career minor leaguer.  He is batting .233 and has yet to hit a HR.  Worse, he is predominantly a third baseman.  Although he is capable of handling shortstop and second base, he plays neither well.  In short, he is inadequate.  Ransom is a Girardi favorite.  Girardi has a history of favoring gutty but inadequate minor leaguers (see Dan Geise), and the suspicion grows that Girardi’s favor is the only reason Ransom is on the team.  If the Yankees are to go all the way, they could use a better utility player.  GRADE – F.

In summation, the infield has been at the heart of the offense.  Now if only Arod could be Arod…

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