Happy 40th Derek!

Well it's a pretty good day in Yankee Land seeing as it is the Captain's birthday (Happy 40 cap't) and the boys avoided a sweep at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays last night. Here are the updated standings to this point:

So the Yankees sit 2.5 games back of Toronto after 77 games played and after watching the Blue Jays play with that high-powered offense, they look like a serious playoff contender. The offense is first in the majors with 104 home runs, second in RBIs, total hits, and total runs. If they can get more consistent starting pitching, expect them to make a playoff run. 

The Yankees on the other hand find themselves in third place just before the halfway mark of the season, and if they expect to make the playoffs there is no question some roster moves will have to be made. The offense has been abysmal this year, there is no other way to put it. Brett Gardner has a healthy .354 OBP and Derek Jeter is sporting a .268/.324/.327 slash with two homers and 17 RBI. These two guys have done a solid job of setting the table for the heart of the lineup but the inconsistency and inability of guys like Beltran, McCann and Soriano to drive in runs has done the Yankees in thus far. When these guys step up (and their career numbers say they will), the Yankees offense should rise to the top of the league in production. 

If the offense is not the problem then what is it? Well the loss of Mariano Rivera to retirement created a void that nobody expects David Robertson to fill. But he has converted 18/20 save opportunities on the year and has regained confidence in his fastball. The bullpen has stepped up due to the emergence of Dellin Betances, the 26 year old fire-baller from Washington Heights, NYC. The phenom boasts a 1.43 ERA in 32 appearances this year with a staggering 14.7 SO/9 IP. These two guys along with a consistent Adam Warren and Shawn Kelley makes for a lethal bullpen. So it's not the bullpen that is the issue, which leaves only the STARTING ROTATION!

Yep you guessed it, the starting rotation has been nothing short of awful. When guys like Nuno, Whitley, and Phelps are in the rotation it's as if the Yankees have three number 5 starters. I realize Sabathia will be back soon but Michael Pineda could be out for the rest of the year. Hiroki Kuroda trailed off at the end of last season and has a shaky 4.23 ERA halfway through this season. The Yankees need help in this department if they want to make the playoffs and GM Brian Cashman has been adamant about that.

Expect the Bombers to add a key arm before the trade deadline. Names like Jeff Samardzjia and Cliff Lee have been tossed around. Stay tuned folks.

Pasta Diving Jeter

A lot has been made over the years of soon-to-be Yankees Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter's shaky defense. I realize the aging superstar is retiring at the end of the 2014 campaign and we only have to deal with Michael Kay uttering "past a diving Jeter" for a few more months, but there is a valuable championship to be won THIS YEAR folks. After all, those knuckleheads from Beantown have won 3 championships in the past 9 years and are coming off a World Series Title.

If that is not fuel enough for skipper Joe Girardi to pull out all the stops this year I don't know what is. The simple move for Girardi is to cut down how often Jeter plays the shortstop position. Right now, backup infielder Brendan Ryan gets the nod once or twice a week (usually for a day game after a night game). The guys defense cannot be overstated either. Over their careers, Ryan has posted a total UZR of 0.8 while Derek Jeter boasts a UZR of -69.8. Now most of you gag at the sight of these advanced saber-metrics, but they do hold some value. Basically what I am getting at is Ryan has been the superior defender in his career and this year, consistently showing off his superb range, strong arm, and ability to save runs.

 Look I am all for loyalty and giving a man what he deserves  (Derek Jeter has been a key piece for 5 World Champion teams after all) but the guy can only handle so much praise, right? He is on his farewell tour, receiving parting gifts from all his opponents, has not slowed down the ability to continuously date supermodels like Jessica Alba and Minka Kelly, and he's scheduled to make $12 million this year after the Yankees restructured his contract over the winter. The King of New York will have to swallow his pride on this one. A little more time on the bench or in the DH position will do wonders for the Yankees defensively all the while saving those aching legs for the playoffs. If you've been watching the Yankees this year, you'd see that Soriano and his .231/.254/.387 clip is nothing spectacular. Slotting Jeter in as the DH against lefties and Ichiro against righties seems like the perfect match; keeping Soriano on the bench for pinch-hit situations.