MLB: 5 teams playing way over their heads
By Robby Sabo
New York Yankees
For the better part of April, New York City was stuck in a mini-state of mass hysteria.
For the first time in a long time, it looked as though the New York Yankees had been passed by their little brothers from Flushing.
The Mets started the season with a ridiculous 13-3 record that included an obscene 11-straight wins. This was happening while 27-time World Series Champions struggled to a 5-8 opening.
Mets fans – who’ve been waiting since the 1980s to proclaim their team has officially “taken over the town” – were giddy.
Not so fast.
Since that dreadful 5-8 start, the Yanks went on a stretch that saw 15 victories in 20 games which included taking two of three from the upstart Mets. They assumed their rightful place at the top of the AL East and all was right in the world yet again.
Unfortunately for Joe Girardi’s squad, their most recent road trip has again put them on a dark path.
During their last eight games (Rays, Royals and Nationals), the Yankees have lost all but one. Even worse, their best player in Jacoby Ellsbury has been put on the shelf with a bum knee.
While Ellsbury’s status can be accurately described as “minor” with the 15-day DL tag, many speculate it’s much more worrisome.
This is where the Yankees find trouble.
Heading into Thursday night, the Yankees reside tied for first in the division with a 22-19 record. Weighing out the few things that have gone wrong through 41 games for this club, cannot touch the amount of things that have gone so right.
Both Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira haven’t just stayed healthy, they’ve dominated. Their combined 22 home runs and 52 runs batted in are more than anybody could have dreamed of heading into the season.
Couple the power from the vets, with Ellsbury and Brett Gardner setting the table better than any one-two punch in the game, has led to an offense who is just smashing the ball (5th in MLB with 47 home runs).
The point here is the absolutely shocking health they’ve enjoyed thus far will not continue.
Yes, they have survived the loss of ace Masahiro Tanaka. In fact, Tanaka is scheduled to make a rehab start in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre just prior to Memorial Day weekend.
However, the potential injury risk for this team, who is the 3rd oldest in the bigs with an average age of 29.5, will be too much to overcome in the end.
By the way, you won’t find the Mets on this list. While their lineup will field a plethora of questions the entire season, the pitching they possess will allow them to stay in the hunt from wire to wire.
Next: Number 4