YANKEES (77-45 + 7 1/2, Magic #34 +6 pythagorean)
OPS+ 117, ERA+ 104
BA/HR/RBI/SB/SB ATT/OPS+ *=team leader
Jeter SS .333*-15-56-21*/25*-128 (5th in AL BA; 2699 hits, 22 behind Gehrig for most by a Yankee)
Swisher RF .246-20-65-0/0-121 (leads team in drawing walks)
Teixeira 1B .286-31*-92*-2/2-144* (1 hr behind AL leader, 2 RBIs behind AL leader)
Rodriguez 3B .263-21-75-8/9-135 (and due for #575; McGwire’s 583 is next on list)
Matsui DH .266-21-66-0/1-127 (BA down, but OPS+ still solid)
Posada C .275-15-57-1/1-117 (for a 38 year old catcher…)
Cano 2B .311-18-61-4/9-118 (Six Yankees hit 20 or more HR in 1961 (Maris, Mantle, Moose, Berra, Howard and Blanchard) and in 2004, Posada, Jeter, Alex, Matsui, Sheffield , and Bernie did it. How many this year?)
Hinske LF .262-5-10-0/0-163 (11 for 42 as yankee; Damon hopefully ok for tomorrow)
Cabrera CF .273-11-48-6/8-99
Pitching: RHP A.J. Burnett (10-6, 3.69). ERA+ 121
Jeter has been red-hot (see below). Besides Jeter, Cano (10) is in the top 10 for AL Batting Average leaders.
As Jason points out, Matsui will be missed. But I can see Damon’s weak arm being moved to DH (which hopefully helps keep JD’s base-stealing legs fresh). Damon can play LF occasionally while A-Jax is broken in as LF (he can always move over later). Damon can play LF when DH is needed in 2010 for Posada, Alex or Jeter. It’s one way to look at it, but Matsui to me, will always be a classy, quintessential Yankee. Pure class.
Posada does amaze me. Look at other catchers. At 38, Berra only had 147 AB. .293-8-28, OPS+ 138 in his last Yankees season (1963; After managing the Yanks in 1964, Yogi played in 4 games for the 1965 Mets–with Casey as manager). At 38, Bench was retired, Campanella was in a wheelchair from that auto accident, Dickey in the service (1945), Cochrane retired, Munson deceased, Piazza in his last year (.275-8-44, OPS+ 96 all at DH). I guess Fisk may be one of the few comparisons, and he was .221-14-63 at age 38. OPS+ a miserable 60. Give Fisk credit, he did bounce back and was still productive at the age of 43. Bob Boone was full time at 38, but Boone was never a hitter. .222-7-49 at age 38. OPS+ 63. His defense was still good, and Boone was still decent at the age of 41, but his career OPS+ was just 82. Hartnett was .279-12-59, OPS+ 118 at 38. Howard hit .178 in 1967 between the Yanks and Red Sox.
What Posada is doing at his age is incredible. With a decent end to the season, 5 HR and 23 RBI is in reach. That would mean 20 HR and 80 RBI. Career OPS + 123. Yes, the new bandbox helps, but still… and remember, Jorge missed three weeks with an injury and is coming off an injury that cost him about 90 games in 2008.
Jeter: Last 7 days .609; Last 14 days? .520. That is hot. BTW, did you see the heads-up play he made last night? Just like “The Flip.” I think Jason said “stick it, Rice” or “up yours, Rice” on his blog, Heartland Pinstripes. I second that.
Hmmm….Yankee Stadium $1.5 Billion and criticized as a bandbox. New Cowboys Stadium $1.2 B and apparently you can’t punt in it (punter hit the video screen).
Update: Had some running around to do. Had the radio on. Burnett sucked. Big-time suckage. Gave up 3 in the first, all with 2 out, 2 on a 2-run double by Big Popup. In the 2nd he gives up a gopher ball (solo) to Alex Gonzalez and a 3-run shot to YUK-ulis. 7-0 Bosox after 2. Burnett should have stayed in bed today…
Munson’s son opened a sportsbar in Canton. For shirts, etc., go here
Ortiz does nada most of the year but gets a HR today. Yuk gets another one. 12-0 in the 6th. What is it with the Yanks and FOX this year?
1 response so far ↓
1 Jason // Aug 22, 2009 at 2:23 pm
I would love to see Cano–and others–go above 20 homers. Even if not, Cano is still belting doubles, 34 this year and tied with Teixeira for the most on the team.
Good point about Jorge, Mike. He’s having an excellent year, and his numbers are close, if memory serves, to what we discussed months ago about what we’d like to see. Darn good defense, too, especially considering his major off-season surgery as you mentioned.
Jeter’s play to bail out Hinske last night was tremendous. Add that to his defensive lore. Sure, he’s been criticized for some defensive limitations in years past (note not this year). But isn’t it ironic that, for all the criticism he’s received, so prominent among classic Jeter moments are great DEFENSIVE moments–”The Flip,” “The Dive” July 1, 2004 against Boston–and trademark plays in the field such as the jump throw from the hole, and the over-the-shoulder catch? Who else makes those, much less with such regularity? As great as Jeter has been and still is, I still think that among too many, primarily non-Yankees fans, Jeter does not get his due. That’s a shame. We’ve seen some of the all-time greats in recent years, and Mariano and Jeter top my list. I’d take the two of them over anyone at their positions in the history of the game, and will always stand by that.
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