AT THE ALL STAR BREAK

At the all star break, the traditional half way point of the season, the Yankees find themselves in acceptable position.  They are in second place in the American League East, 3 games behind Boston, and in the lead in the Wild Card race, 2.5 games ahead of Texas and 3.5 games ahead of Tampa.  While this team is not going to make anyone forget the 1998 club, things could be a lot worse.

At this point it is possible to draw a few conclusions about the team.  Today we will look at the starting pitching.  So far we can say the following.

SABATHIA – Reasonable minds can debate whether CC has been worth $160 million dollars, but all in all, he has provided the Yankees with a viable number one starter.  He has not shown the overpowering stuff that made him the best pitcher in baseball over the last two years, but he has won 8 games, including 2 complete games and one shutout, and has kept his ERA under 4.00.  More important, he has imbued the team with confidence when he pitches.  Without him, the Yankees would likely be in 4th place.  GRADE – B+.

BURNETT – I was a major naysayer when the Yankees signed AJ.  As some of you may recall, I referred to him as AJ Pavano.  It remains to be seen if he can stay healthy, but at this point I have to admit he has not been bad.  His stats are actually slightly better than CC’s.  He also has 8 wins, more strikeouts than CC (101-95) and a slightly better ERA (3.77-3.86).  The trouble with AJ is, he is like the little girl with the curl in the nursery rhyme:  when he is good, he is very very good (one hitter against the Mets), but when he is bad, he is horrid (blowing the 6 run lead in Fenway).  He also trails CC in one significant category:  innings pitched (107.2-128.1), which means the bullpen suffers greater strain when he pitches.  We shall see if he can keep up the good work.  GRADE – B.

JOBA – Joba has been a great disappointment.  He is 4-2 with a 4.25 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 89 innings.  He seems incapable of getting out of the 5th inning.  Worst of all, his velocity is down.  A couple of weeks ago Brian Cashman noted that Joba has not been the same since he was injured in Texas last August.  Maybe, like Phil Hughes in 2008, he needs more time to regain his strength.  But his repeated failures, coupled with his refusal to take advice from anyone, have become a major problem for the Yankees.  If he cannot straigten out, the Yankees will be in trouble.  GRADE – D.

WANG – Wang has never recovered from the injury he suffered running the bases during moronic interleague play last year.  In the process of attempting to rehab his leg, he has now hurt his arm.  It appears doubtful he can contribut meaningfully this year.  If he can’t, the Yankees will be without a fifth starter unless they bring Phil Hughes out of the bullpen.  GRADE – F.

ANDY – The gritty veteran hasn’t got a lot left, but he has guts, and, as the drill sergeant said, guts is enough.  Andy has won 8 games, and is presently the key to keeping the Yankees in the race.  The question is, how much longer can he keep winning on nothing but guts?  If he falls apart, somebody had better be ready to step up.  GRADE – B-.

OUTLOOK:  Pitching wins pennants.  Despite everything, the Yankee starters have gotten it done so far.  But their margin of error is thin.  If anyone falters, the season could die fast and hard.

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