New York Yankees: Why Bronx Bombers can make the playoffs
The New York Yankees are in the midst of a playoff chase in the A.L. East despite losing four of their starting pitchers and a slew of other injuries during their campaign. Yet at 55-52 they remain in the middle of a pennant race and wild card spot. The Yankees will rely on veteran experience, sturdy bullpen arms, and a wide open A.L. East division for a chance to play October baseball.
Joe Girardi knows about such things from his time as a player and now manager for the Pinstripes. He won championships as a teammate of Derek Jeter and as his manager in 2009, the inaugural season of new Yankee Stadium. Girardi was part of three World Series titles as a player and has been manager since 2008.
The 49-year-old former catcher is part of a new era in which originally scouted and contracted players like Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, Bernie Williams, and Jeter helped establish another winning tradition in the 1990s and 2000s.
George Steinbrenner bought the team in 1973 and began spending recklessly to his detriment at times. When you include his negotiating of the YES Network it really didn’t matter what he wanted to spend because he capitalized on the biggest market in America.
When he passed away in 2010, sons Hank and Hall assumed control and vowed to cut down payroll a tad. “Tad” for New York defined as somewhere in the range of $180 to $200 million. Masahiro Tanaka, Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran, and Brian McCann helped push it back to $209 million in 2014, second only to the Dodgers.
Grabbing free agents nearing and past their prime is nothing foreign to Yankees front office types. Their financial resources are endless so making a big move before a trade deadline has always been feasible.
The Los Angeles Dodgers ownership has superseded the Yankees in terms of aggressive spending. New York is no longer competing with themselves for who they want to add for playoff runs. Five years ago, David Price, Cole Hamels, Jon Lester, and Jon Lackey all would have been rumored in some fashion to be within the Yankees grasp.
Hank and Hal Steinbrenner aren’t fans of being repeat offenders of the competitive balance tax. Especially when you can’t pin their struggles on poor decisions or signings this go around on general manager Brian Cashman. It’s been injuries that have obstructed New York’s path in 2014.
The Yankees don’t lack for veteran leadership and know how. Health is the key for their stars.
Brett Gardner and JacobyEllsbury are two capable leadoff hitters with pop. Gardner took over leadoff afterEllsbury spent practicallyall of April and the first week of May in the slot.
Both guys have been extremely durable playing in 104 games. Gardner leads the team in batting average (.283), on-base percentage (.356), and slugging percentage (.460). Ellsbury has a team high 112 hits and 28 stolen bases.
Derek Jeter is doing his part for a 40-year-old shortstop in his final season. He’s played 95 games, hit .277, and undoubtedly wants to retire with better final playoff memories than his broken ankle two seasons ago.
Mark Teixeira’s wrist injury derailed 2013 for him and he’s played in just 79 games this year but leads New York with 18 home runs. Beltran and McCann can get hot especially inside Yankee Stadium’s dimensions and friendly right field. New York has 57 team home runs at home compared to 38 on the road.
A 39-year-old suspended Alex Rodriguez is not walking through a clubhouse door either. Who knows if a shrunken A-Rod would even be as productive as New York’s slew of third baseman in Kelly Johnson, Yangervis Solarte, Zelous Wheeler, and Chase Headley anyway.
New York added infielders Stephen Drew and Martin Prado before Thursday’s deadline. Drew is expected to play second base after Brian Roberts was cut. Prado was manning third base for Arizona, but he can play multiple positions including outfield.
Cashman’s transactions have deepened the bench and could lengthen this lineup. Brandon McCarthy, Chase Headley, and Chris Capuano weren’t huge splashes either, although they have played well early on.
Currently, the Yankees have to consider Huroki Kuroda their ace followed by McCarthy, Chase Whitley, David Phelps, and Shane Greene. Names that won’t be confused with Red Ruffing, Herb Pennock, Bob Shawkey, Lefty Gomez, Whitey Ford, Ron Guidry, or Andy Pettitte, but New York has other pitching components keeping them above .500.
Their bullpen is on a tear. It’s 3.83 ERA is middle-of-the-pack, but playoff baseball is contingent on getting strikeouts in crucial situations. The Yankees’ pen leads baseball with 386 strikeouts behind Dellin Betances, Shawn Kelley, Adam Warren, Matt Thornton, and closer David Robertson.
If starters can hang on long enough for the pen, Girardi can lean on those arms with confidence in late innings. Losing Masahiro Tanaka to a UCL tear eliminated a true ace on their staff. C.C Sabathia and Ivan Nova are done with surgeries.
Michael “Blatant Pine Tar Man” Pineda is rehabbing his shoulder and the injury plagued 25-year old is set to begin rehab starts. The Yanks would gladly welcome him back if he can maintain a semblance of his 2.73 ERA in four starts without being caught using foreign substances.
Other good news is their division might be easier to attain than a wild card. The Yankees are 25-26 at home, which is a rare thing since emerging from the 1980s. With their lineup and bullpen, there’s no reason New York can’t pile up home wins at a better than .500 clip for the remainder of 2014.
The Yanks trail Los Angeles, Toronto, and Seattle for a wild card berth. Two squads from the A.L. West in the Angels and A’s have inside tracks for playoff spots being 20 games over .500 with two months left.
Baltimore is 60-46, but has shown plenty of chinks in their armor. They have won eight of 12 games post All Star break, but are eyeing starting pitching help much like their deal for Bud Norris last season.
The Orioles also have 16 blown saves, third most in baseball. The Yankees have 10 head-to-head matchups left with them. Odds may be longer than usual, but don’t be surprised if Derek Jeter is back in the playoffs one more time.