Questions, Questions, Questions……
Via the Baseball Musings Day By Day Database, I was just looking at the stats of some key Yankees hitters since the big series up at Fenway:
Some random thoughts (in the form of questions) looking at these numbers:
- Is there any question that Jeter is the MVP of this team?
- Maybe there is some sense to starting Matsui in LF over Melky in the post-season?
- Has the league caught on to Abreu?
- Should Bernie not be on the bench in the post-season – and should Williams be the Yankees October DH?
- Can Cano and Posada keep this up in the playoffs?
- Where’s Johnny been the last month?
Am I the only one (?) who thinks the answers here are:
No. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. I hope so. And, I dunno.
If not, do these answers bother you (outside of the Jeter one) as much as me?
If the numbers are for after the Boston series, when they had a 6 1/2 game lead, why does Jeter’s excellent numbers make him the Yankee’s MVP? You can make the argument for his entire year’s performance but why are the post-Boston numbers so significant?
My answers are:
*no, but we wouldn’t be anywhere without the August production from Abreu and Cano.
*yes – I think many of us forgot what an offensive threat Matsui is
*yes – but Abreu has adjusted as well. He’s become more of a run producer than the table setter he was in early August.
*Bernie should absolutely get time at DH. He’s a better offensive contributor than Cabrera, Wilson, etc.
*Cano yes – Posada maybe
*Damon had a rough couple weeks, but he’ll be fine.
- yes but there were tons of heroes for this team this year.
- yes … it wasn’t really a hughe question to begin with unless Melky somehow had an unbelivalbe September or Matsui really struggles.
- Yes and no, he’s still doing fairly well. and the power strokes begining to return lately.
- Depends on the situation with Giambi/Sheffield, if either of them are in doubt, then yes.
- i hope so too… Cano was pretty big for us last year in the first couple games of the ALDS, i think he can be again.
- Damon’s probably just banged up. Damon/Melky/Abreu have all been starting A LOT, you really need to give Damon and Abreu a few more days off now. I wan them to start only half the games of so from now till the plaoffs.
Rich – because he didn’t quit performing at his high level just because it appeared that the DIV chase was over.
Note, that’s different from under-performing and then high-performing when the chase was over.
The Banter is saying Johnson has been hiding a back injury and will miss his next start but will be available for the post-season. Ugh.