2 YANKEE NAMES THAT ARE CONSTANTLY MAKING HEADLINES

This gritty Yankee team is truly turning some heads across Major League Baseball.  No one really knows why they are winning.  With so many injuries, both short term and long term, it is hard to really understand the formula for winning except perhaps chemistry and positivity.  But, there are two names that Suzyn Waldman feels like she mentions constantly throughout the month of April: Luke Voit and DJ LeMahieu.

Source: NJ.com

Waldman said during the broadcast yesterday afternoon that mentions both Voit and LeMahieu for both their incredible hitting and remarkable defense what seems like every other play.  And I can't disagree.  Luke Voit has outwardly stated that he always felt he could hit, but really needed to work on his defense at first base.  He picked off the lead runner in a bunt play early in the game yesterday and he has made Mark Teixeira-like defensive catches and stretches at first base.  Then there's his bat, which has not only been game-saving but a team-leading and the kind of clutch the Yankees so desperately need.

Source: Associated Press

“He is such an important player for us,’’ Aaron Boone said of Voit, who went 3-for-4, leads the Yankees in homers (eight) and RBIs (22) and has reached base in 37 straight games — which is second best for a Yankee since 2005. “He has become a premium hitter. I don’t think any of us are surprised. I think a lot of people were wondering if after last year could he come in and do this, but this is the kind of hitter we see him as. He has the ability to get on base and hit the ball out of the ballpark," reported NY Post after Friday night's win.  He picked up another RBI yesterday and has been hitting .375 over the past seven games.

Then there's his peer infielder DJ LeMahieu whose incredible performance since the Yankees grabbed him up from Colorado as been in a word, "life-saving" for the Yankees.  "DJ LeMahieu also enjoyed a three-hit performance, doubling twice, as the 11 hits permitted tied Bumgarner’s career high.
DJ gets on base every freaking at-bat, it seems like," Voit said. "It's nice to hit with guys on base all the time," according to MLB.com.

Source: USA Today

According to Bryan Hoch after Friday night's game in San Francisco, "(Luke) Voit said it seems like the Yankees have been welcoming new players into their clubhouse on a daily basis, but it has not seemed to change the end result. Adhering to their "next man up" mantra, the Yankees are getting it done on this West Coast trip, most recently producing a 7-3 victory over the Giants," prior to a 6-4 victory yesterday.  LeMahieu is batting .306 with 29 hits, 9 doubles and a home run since his addition to the lineup this spring.

Source: Associated Press

“The credit goes to all the guys. They have embraced this next man up thing,’’ Boone said. “There are so many guys contributing," reported the Post.  And Luke Voit and DJ LeMahieu are certainly leading the charge as the Yankees continue to win despite the odds, the injuries and the no-name team they have been fielding over the last month.  As each "regular" player makes his way back into the lineup, I hope that Boone recognizes the depth of the team he has and let's other key contributors like Gio Urshela and Mike Tauchman continue to play regularly for this gritty, incredibly balanced Yankee team.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof