WHY RAUL IBANEZ WILL LEAD THE YANKEES NOW

Raul Ibanez had done it again….just when you thought you'd seen it all, he just keeps surprising us. In a night full of 9th inning magic again, Raul Ibanez hit another home run that tied the game 4-4. It was the most recent episode of his long list of thrilling moments this year, and I am willing to bet that this won’t be the last.

Maybe Ibanez is eating his Wheaties every morning and that has brought on all of these heroics this year, or maybe he has the grit and guts to want to win in the Bronx. All I know is, whatever it is, I wish the rest of the team could latch on to this success. I look at how much Ibanez has achieved this year both on and off of the field and I smile. I think back to the off season, when the Yankees were trying to make a tough decision between bringing Johnny Damon back to the Bronx, or taking a chance on Ibanez. I don’t want to think about how different things could be if the Yankees made a different decision. I can’t imagine him not on this team.

Ibanez had some rough spots throughout the year, especially when the Yankees were using him every day as injuries plagued the team. Like everyone else, he had some offensive slumps but the difference is, he overcame them. There were times that people questioned if he was going to make it until the end of the season, BYB included, yet here he is, seizing every opportunity.

As exciting as it was to watch him hit that home run to tie it last night, he has a new challenge to embrace. After his excitement, it was deflated... we lost Derek Jeter  when he dove for a ball and caught his left foot on the way down. He left the game, and long story short….he’s not coming back for the rest of the season due to a fractured ankle, read HERE.

Losing Derek Jeter is a huge blow. He is the heart and soul of this team; he has been the most consistent hitter all season long for the Yankees. He has been hurt for months now, but instead of sitting out, he has played through the aches and pains. He is the definition of a true leader. Now that he can’t fill that role, someone has to take the reigns…..someone with the veteran presence to get this team going again.

Ibanez has always been a good clubhouse guy; his teammates like him and they respect him. While no one can completely fill in the shoes of Derek Jeter, Ibanez can help guide this team through the ALCS and beyond and it isn’t just because he has been producing at the plate. This is about more than just hitting. If the Yankees want to prove that they can still win make it to the World Series without Jeter, the guys need someone to help mold this team. There are a lot of veterans on this team, but there are also some young kids that could benefit from his experience. Let’s not forget, this isn’t his first go around in the postseason; he knows what it is like to have big pressures and high expectations to fill when he was in Philadelphia. Ibanez can help move this team past the shock and disappointment of losing Jeter and focus on the task at hand, getting back to the World Series.

Now that Jeter won’t be in the lineup, it is time to get these guys making the adjustments they need. While Jeter out this series becomes harder, it's not impossible. It’s time to start thinking differently. It’s time to start thinking about moving over the runners, hitting strategically and pointing the aces in their places….and Ibanez can help do that. Ibanez has been doing what is asked of him when he is needed. Slumps happen, he had his fair share but he has found a way to keep the Yankees fighting on the field. He is hungry for more; I really believe that when I watch him every night. It is one thing to execute successfully….it’s another to be HUNGRY for more, and he is.

I know this won’t be easy. I can’t imagine the postseason without Derek Jeter; it’s a foreign concept to me. But the fact of the matter is…we have to. We have a ballgame later today, and Derek Jeter won’t be on the field. It's situations like this that FORCE a team to show everyone what they are made of. If the Yankees rise to this challenge, then they will win. I have no doubt that they will, but it is time to face these challenges head on. The mission hasn’t changed, and we may be down temporarily but we aren’t out!

Keep the faith, and of course….LET’S GO YANKEES!

--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Writer and Editor

Twitter: @NyPrincessJ


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