SIGNS OF HOPE

I am loathe to express optimism about such a flawed team led by an inadequate manager, but I must admit that the past week has been most promising.  There are reasons to hope that this season may not end in disappointment for the Yankees.  The positive signs are as follows.

1.  SABATHIA HAS ARRIVED

CC Sabathia has finally begun to pitch like CC Sabathia.  His last two starts have been dominant performances.  If Sabathia continues to pitch as he did against Toronto and Baltimore, the Yankees will have a true stopper.

2.  AROD HAS RETURNED.

He’s only hitting .150, but he has won two games with home runs (5/8 against Baltimore and 5/16 against Minnesota).  More importantly, since he came back, Mark “The Statue” Teixeira has batted .360.  His mere presence in the lineup creates an offensive threat that other teams cannot ignore.

3.  THE EMERGENCE OF MELKY

After a moribund 2008 and a terrible spring training, Melky Cabrera’s Yankee career appeared to be over.  But Brett Gardner’s early season failure gave Melky an unexpected second chance, and he has responded to the challenge.  He is batting over .300, and his clutch hit Friday night won an important game.  Bernie Williams took a few years to develop.  Could the same thing happen with Melky?

4.  THE INJURED ARE RECOVERING

Chien Ming Wang has pitched well in Florida and appears to have recovered the strength in his hip.  Jorge Posada and Xavier Nady are improving and may rejoin the team in early June.  Brian Bruney is due back the end of the week.  We may yet see the Yankee team we thought we had at the beginning of the seaon.

5.  HELP HAS COME FROM UNEXPECTED PLACES.

Francisco Cervelli has shown grit filling in for Posada and Molina.  He has been more than adequate on defense, and has exhibited unexpected offensive ability.  He has given the team a lift behind the plate.  During spring training Alfredo Aceves lost out to the numbers game in his quest to make the starting rotation.  Since being recalled, the twenty six year old veteran of the Mexican League has reinvented himself as an effective reliever.  Girardi would do well to consider Aceves as his eighth inning guy until Bruney returns.

None of the above guarantees the Yanks a playoff slot, but they are positive developments.  The Red Sox have been struggling, and now lead the Yankees by only a game.  The Rays have yet to show consistency, and may be suffering from withdrawal after their breakout season in 2008.

After a horrendous couple of weeks, the Yankees finally have reason to hope.

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