WE NEED SOME HITTING... & FAST! PART 2

The beauty of Bleeding Yankee Blue is that we all share a common interest in our desire to see the Yankees add to their warehouse of championship trophies.  Let’s face it, we want Number 28. 

Over the years we’ve been fortunate enough to have owners willing to do whatever it takes to put the very best product on the field.  Other less fortunate fans of teams with owners not willing to make the sacrifices the Steinbrenners have made for the Yankees constantly chastise us out of nothing more than jealousy.

The fact is the Steinbrenners are willing to lay down money to plug holes and add depth.   Sometimes their efforts are misguided, much of the time they hit the nail on the head.

This year’s version of our Bombers has some issues that certainly need addressing.  As fellow BYB writer Ike Dimitriadis points out, our recent struggles at the plate have left the team inconsistent and have put undue pressure on our pitching staff.  He rightly offers that a team ranked 12^th out of 15 AL teams in hitting warrants our attention.

Ike suggests a scan of the free agent market is in order.  Talented outfielders like Grady Sizemore, Matt Joyce and fan favorite Raul Ibanez are out there for the right price.

I’ll take it a step farther.  This team needs hitting from the infield spots.

I’m a numbers guy.  I have a Math degree, so naturally the first things I look at are the statistics when researching a topic. 

So, what do I see?

I see that the Yankees have just one infield position ranked higher than 7^th in batting average in the American League – third base (we rank 4^th in the AL with a .267 average from the hot corner). 

In terms of average, the catching spot ranks lowest among our infielders – 9^th in the AL.  But, that is deceiving because in terms of RBI, we have the third most productive catching corps.

First base is similar in that we rank 8^th in average, but 4^th in RBI. 

Where are the most evident problem spots in the Yankees infield when it comes to offensive production?

Well, at second base we rank 7^th in average (.260), 11^th in RBI (20), 9^th in runs scored, and 2^nd in grounding into double plays.  Ouch.  I think we have a spot that is snuffing out rallies more often than not.

How about shortstop?

With all due respect to our Hall of Fame captain, we rank 7^th in average (.257), 12^th in RBI (19), 13^th in runs scored (25) and 5^th in grounding into double plays.  Oh Captain, Our Captain.

The numbers are telling me that we are weak up the middle on the infield. 

What can we do?

Well, I’d be most concerned about second base.  Our primary second baseman has been Brian Roberts.  Signed with the hope that somehow we could tap into some of what he once was, to this point it would appear that very little remains.  Rather than heating up, Roberts is hitting just .235 in June, and for the season is hitting .227 with runners in scoring position.  What’s worse is that he’s not saving his best for the home crowd.  At Yankee stadium, our second baseman is hitting a paltry .216 (he’s batting .264 away from home).

Perhaps it’s time that we explore other options at the position?  Before throwing money away on someone else’s castoff free-agent, let’s try building from within.

At Triple-A Scranton, we have 23-year-old Rob Refsnyder. 

The kid is on a fast track.

He began the year at Double-A Trenton where he hit .342 with 6 home runs in 60 games.  He posted a .933 OPS there.  Things haven’t been much different for him at Scranton.  So far, through 12 games he’s hitting .318 (.333 over last 10…probably needed two games to get his sea legs) with a home run and a .912 OPS.  He can steal bases (7 for 12 on the year) and has a .972 fielding percentage on the year (for comparison, Roberts has a .976 pct).

What could it hurt to give the kid a shot?

If you’d rather let Refsnyder “season” a little more at Scranton, we also have Scott Sizemore.  We’ve seen what he can do, and it actually wasn’t bad.  Right now the multi-positional Sizemore is hitting .270 with the RailRiders and earlier this year hit .313 over six games with the Yankees.

If you’d like Refsnyder to develop more, then Sizemore makes sense.

Either way, the option couldn’t be any worse than what we’ve had.

I also mentioned shortstop.  Now, before you sharpen the guillotine and shove my head into the lunette (the part where the head is held prior to…well….you get the picture), I get that we are talking sacred ground here.  As a matter of fact, I wasn’t going to suggest a change right now. 

The fact is that when it comes to hitting with runners in scoring position, Derek Jeter is among the top 10 on the team (batting .258 with RISP).  What might be a better move offensively at shortstop is to move our captain down in the order – perhaps seventh?  (GASP….I know, I know).

I still hold out hope that he has something left in the tank, and I think Joe Girardi believes it too.  After all, he IS Derek Jeter.  Never has there been a smarter hitter or player than our shortstop. 

I think our bigger problem with Jeter lies in the field, not at the plate.  His range isn’t what it used to be.  But, we aren’t talking about that aspect of the game in this article anyway.

If we can keep Mark Teixeira healthy and Yangervis Solarte fresh, our corners offensively can be sound for most of the season. 

I agree with Ike that this team needs help hitting, but offer that it lies in the middle of the infield, not in the outfield.  As a “math guy”, the numbers back me up on this.

I also think that we can solve our issues at second and short in house.  There’s no need to throw more money away.  We have solutions right in front of us.

Most of all, let’s remember that the season is not yet even half over.  There’s still plenty of time to do nothing and see if things will work out.  No team is running away with the East Division yet, so patience is truly a virtue in 2014.

Joe Girardi had us on the cusp of the playoffs with a far inferior team last year.   I’m going to trust that our skipper can get us back into the post season in 2014.

    

--Steve Skinner, BYB Writer
Twitter: @oswegos1



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WE NEED SOME HITTING... & FAST!

With the health of the Yankee lineup seemingly always in question, and the Yankees’ inability to score runs consistently, the Yankees should be looking at some hitters before the trade deadline. The pitching opportunities are getting a lot of attention, but you cannot ignore hitting. Especially when you are in 12^th place out of 15 in the American League for runs scored.

Grady Sizemore cleared waivers this past Friday, and the Yankees should be working the phones. The best part about this deal is that since Sizemore is a free agent, the Yankees do not have to give anybody up to acquire him. After missing almost 2 ½ years due to knee and back injuries which required surgery, he returned to baseball this spring with the Red Sox. In Boston’s first 13 games, he had a slash line of .343/.395/.571, with 2 homers, 4 RBI, and only 5 strikeouts in 38 plate appearances. In the 42 games since then when he played, he hit .187/.263/.267 with no homers and 11 RBI. He struck out 36 times in 167 plate appearances, which effectively doubled his strikeout rate from the first 13 games.

For those who do not remember, Grady Sizemore was a force in the Cleveland lineup for several years. In his first 4 full seasons, he had a combined OPS of .868 and averaged 27 home runs per season. He also had a pair of Gold Gloves for his play in center field and got MVP votes in each season. The Red Sox may have given up too early on Sizemore. Recovering from the injuries that Sizemore sustained is not an easy process. Acknowledging this, Sizemore kept himself out of baseball last year until he felt he could compete professionally. So, , it is not a complete surprise that he is struggling after two months. The fact is that he is only 31 years old and with his history of great play, the Yankees should give him serious consideration.

Matt Joyce is another outfielder that may be available and should get some looks. In the three years prior to this season, he had a combined slash line of .252/.339/.443 and averaged 18 home runs per season. This year is just terrible for him, and playing for a last-place team just does not create for a motivating environment. He is only 29 years old, so it is not insanity to think he can return to his prior form. If he can, he can provide a jolt to the Yankees lineup to get everyone else started too. It helps the Yankees that the Rays may be going into fire sale mode. The Tampa Bay Times published an article by Gary Shelton (read HERE) where the prevailing thought is that it is time to unload and rebuild. Shelton is talking about unloading all the major talent. If there is any truth to this article, the Yankees should put a bundled offer to them for at least Price and Joyce.

Finally, there is Raul Ibanez. As we reported HERE, he was released by the Angels on Sunday. At 42 years of age, and with his batting average on the Interstate, it is hard to see him making a comeback. He had quite a ride with the Yankees, keeping them in the playoffs with several game tying and walk-off home runs. My feeling is that the Yankees owe to him to at least offer him a minor league deal and let him try to work his way back, if he is not ready to hang it up. If he did having something left in the tank, it would be nice to have it for the second half, even if it is a long shot.

I would be shocked if the Yankees are not working the leads on pulling a deal off before the trade deadline. I would be even more shocked if they are not looking at free agents to see if they can catch lightning in a bottle. The Yankees need starting pitching and they need some power hitting, at least for the short term. Let’s make a move!

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon
My blog is: Shots from Murderer's Row

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RED SOX TIE UP THE SERIES

There's not alot to report.  The Yankees lost to the Sox and while Yankeeland was hoping for CC Sabathia to dominate, it was a guy named Grady Sizemore that came through for the Sox, an old teammate from their Indians days that really was the difference in this one.

Sabathia went 7 innings.  In it, he gave up 6 hits and 4 runs. To be honest, that's nothing the Yankees couldn't overcome, but they batted against Jon Lester tonight.  Lester is always good. The Yanks just couldn't get the timely hits. 

Alfonso Soriano had 2 hits tonight and that was delightful. We wrote DON'T FEAR THE FONZ today talking about exactly this.  Soriano WILL get started and WILL play well, but he needs time to get hot.  Hopefully, he's there right now. Soriano cranked one out in the 2nd.

In the Bottom of the 7th, Kelly Johnson  knocked one to rightfield and that allowed Ichiro to score.  Those are the only 2 runs the Yankees would put across the plate.  Not exactly electrifying, but decent.  Believe me, the Sox are returning World Champs. We want to beat them every time, but they're good. The trouble is, we are too, we're just not gelling 100% yet. Let's hope it starts to pick up for us Yankees!

Final Today: Red Sox 4 - Yankees 2.

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YANKEE RUMORS & BYB: PART 12

Grady Sizemore: Grady’s 29 years old and had some injuries that held him back, but if you look at his numbers before those injuries, he was one of the greatest center fielders of his time. Would I welcome Grady to the Yankees? I would, but to be honest, it’s a roll of the dice. I guess similarly to an Eric Chavez, who is a great ballplayer, there is always the chance he could get hurt if the Yankees were to sign him. I've always appreciated Sizemore's guts though. While Chavez was out a lot this season, when he was in the lineup, he contributed. Grady Sizemore can no doubt be a quality outfielder for the Yankees and if healthy, he could be a tad better than Nick Swisher. Thinking about this rumor for the past 24 hours, I believe Grady could be a good addition to the Yankees. Here is the latest piece connecting Grady to the Yankees, HERE.

Eric Chavez: Speaking of Chavez, news comes out of GM Meetings-land that Brian Cashman received a voicemail from Chavez's agent telling Cash he wants to come back next season. Read about it HERE. I like the sound of that and although I've nicknamed Chavez Mr. Fragile, there is not doubt, I love the guy, his heart, and his toughness. Chavez had an important role last season and he executed well...alittle third base, alittle first base and a nice bat. Having Chavez back on the Yankees roster, at a reasonable price will make me happy.

Tim Lincecum: Speaking yesterday at the GM Meetings, Brian Cashman made it clear that he wouldn’t deal Jesus Montero unless it was a unique type of situation. Let’s be honest, trading for Tim Lincecum is considered a unique type of situation. Right now you have the Giants trying to lock up Lincecum to a long term deal and you have Tim Lincecum who’d rather go year to year. Read it HERE. Clearly the Giants are uneasy with that, because if they weren’t they’d do what their ace wanted. Things are bubbling in San Francisco and while I’m one of few driving the Lincecum train, I believe there’s something to it. My opinion of course.

CJ Wilson: Cashman is a genius and I say that because he plays off players as he’s not totally interested and then pounces. I'm not sure about CJ Wilson though. Look, there's no denying, both parties, the Yankees and Bob Garber, Wilson’s agent are kind to each other using the media to get the word out. They are not slamming each other and the reality is, I really think Garber wants to make a deal to get Wilson to the Bronx. Cashman though, seems to be playing hard to get and with word today that Wilson wants 6 years, $120 million, well... I think he's dreaming. Read it HERE. Yes the Yankees have that money, but the Yankees would be fools to pay that to CJ Wilson. I'd counter with 4 years $65 and see if they could meet in the middle. $120? No way. Stay tuned for this one.

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WHY THE YANKEES OFF-SEASON IS ABOUT TO GET GOOD

The GM Meetings are happening in Milwaukee and it was confirmed that Brian Cashman met with the agent of Roy Oswalt and CJ Wilson yesterday, Bob Garber. Read HERE. The Yankees haven't offered any contracts yet, but let's face facts, things will come soon. Remember Brian Cashman and "Patience?"

The Yankees are about to embark on an important off-season filled with rumors and patience and no one is more ready than Brian Cashman. We need to trust him Ladies and Gentlemen. There are three pieces of business that Cash needs to address now that CC Monster is safe and staying in the Bronx. Starting pitching, lefty relief and extra pop off of the bench.

Starting Pitching: All the names are out there, but after combing through the notes and the demands and the talent, who will be the fish that the Yankees will catch? No doubt pitchers like CJ Wilson likes pitching against the Yankees, but can he pitch FOR them and handle the Bronx spotlight? And, not to sound like a tight wad, but at what price? We need to pay CJ Wilson what he’s worth, no more. Plus, believe it or not, you really need to factor in his not-so-great playoff run this season. It may not be important to you, but it’s important to me. If you can’t pitch in the playoffs, you can’t be here. You also have trade options like Gio Gonzalez and John Danks and at the right exchange, I see someone like Gio really delivering in the Bronx. Not sure why, but I almost feel like comparing he and CJ Wilson, there’s a difference in dynamic. CJ Wilson confidence comes off as arrogance and God forbid he blows up after a game in pinstripes, I see him getting defensive. Gio comes off as confident and if he were to blow a game, he would say it’s “on him.” Look, this is purely speculation, I don’t know any of this to be true, for all I know CJ Wilson's a swell guy and my speculation is probably unfair, but I do know this, I see players a mile away that understand the “Yankee way” and Gio looks like he gets it.

On the other end of the coin, you really can't leave Roy Oswalt out of the mix. Yes, he has back issues but he can also be a very solid pitcher if he's able to stay healthy. Roy Oswalt wants a multi-year deal (read HERE), but there is no way the Yankees would do that unless they have some bill of health that Oswalt is not a waste of money. For the right price, I like the idea of an Oswalt in the rotation. It's funny, with the Phillies, he was considered another amazing part of the Phillies rotation, but for some reason, he's trouble when connected to the Yankees. We shall see.

Lefty Relief: We here at Bleeding Yankee Blue found a diamond in the rough in Glen Perkins of the Minnesota Twins and we believe that getting someone like him, a former starter turned reliever in the Yankee mix with Boone Logan could be a great combination of lefty teamwork when it comes to matching up in late innings. You also know my fondness of Raul Valdes and Lord knows I’d like to add him to the collection, but time will tell and to be honest, while starting pitching is a top priority for the Yankees, an extra lefty reliever isn’t, not yet anyway, but something we need to address eventually.

Bench help: I’d be perfectly fine with signing Eric Chavez and Andruw Jones and calling it a day. But, the Yankees have been connected to Grady Sizemore the past few days. I have to tell you, if it was 2006, I'd jump at signing Sizemore. These days, he's just another outfielder, not a superstar. Yes, he's 29 and yes, having Sizemore could be a good option for a 4th outfielder, but we'll have to keep an eye on it for you. Read about the rumor HERE.

There is always that outside chance that Yoennis Cespedes, the Cuban Defector could be in the mix. The Yankees did in fact give him a private workout and he’s no joke, but at the price he’ll most likely demand, between $30 and $45 million, he’s no bench player, unless he trains in AAA and eventually comes up mid-summer if the Yankees to say unload Nick Swisher by the trade deadline. There are options there, but I don’t see how it will work out with Cespedes... yet anyway. Maybe having Cespedes competing for an outfield spot would light a fire under Swisher’s ass. Who knows, This is all speculation and it’s fun to think about.

The Yankees off-season is about to get fun and it’s one of my favorite times of year, no doubt about it.

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