Harper: A-Rod & Jeter Need To Step Up
Via John Harper -
More to the point, the burden of winning now falls heavily on their two biggest stars, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez.
Neither one has done enough for this team to be considered a serious contender. Jeter’s habit of hitting into double plays – 18 so far – at crucial moments becomes more maddening by the moment for Yankee fans accustomed to seeing the captain deliver in the clutch.
But maybe Jeter responded to the urgency of the situation last night, twice delivering runs with hits that lifted his average with runners in scoring position to .306. He is still hitting only .281 with a .346 on-base percentage, both of which would be the worst such averages of his career.
As for A-Rod, he’s putting up nice numbers overall, but his failures with runners in scoring position are killing the Yankees lately. It’s an old story with A-Rod, one you thought he’d put to rest last season with his MVP season that was as clutch as it was spectacular, but suddenly he can’t get out of his own way again when it counts most.
He could have turned last night’s game into a blowout but went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position, lowering his average in those situations to .238. And the fact that he has only 67 RBI to go with his 24 home runs tells you that not enough of his long balls have come at opportune times.
Maybe Xavier Nady will go a long way toward making up for the loss of Hideki Matsui, and maybe Pudge Rodriguez will do the same regarding Jorge Posada, but it’s hard to see how the Yankees make it to the finish line this season without Jeter and A-Rod living up to their paychecks and leading the way.
Jeter? I think A-Rod put the whammy on Derek this spring. Seriously, Jeter’s having an off-year. But, he’s not killing the Yankees.
Rodriguez? He’s not having a season like he did last year. But, then again, he’s not in his option year again, is he? [wink] Still, he’s not terrible either – and would do better given some protection in the line-up.
For me, if you want to get the Yankees offense going, it all sits on Giambi.
On the season, to date, Yankees first basemen, as a group, are batting .244/.347/.441 – and that’s not near what first basemen for Red Sox, Rays and Twins are doing. Therefore, that’s a gap between the Yankees and the teams they are chasing.
Giambi needs to step up before A-Rod and Jeter. And, if he does, maybe you’ll see better numbers from Alex in the clutch too.
RCAA as of last Sunday’s reports;
YANKEES
Alex Rodriguez 43
Jason Giambi 19
~~~~~
Derek Jeter -9
Jose Molina -14
Robinson Cano -20
Melky Cabrera -20
Raf – great point, the stats don’t lie. Steve – you seem to be giving Jeter a free pass. Not that he can’t have a down year, but it is one reason the Yanks are where they are in the standings. The wonder twins Cano and Cabrera are more of the reason the Yankees haven’t hit so far, but Jeter doesn’t deserve a free pass, IMO.
I only issue with Jason Giambi’s 19 RCAA is that they all came, for the most part, in May and June. And, that was a while ago. Check out his numbers for July.
He needs to start hitting better, NOW. That’s the call for him.
Yes, Jeter is below average, in terms of RCAA.
However, since June 1st, his numbers are:
.292/.364/.416
and, when you get that from your SS, he’s not killing you…like I said.
Forget Alex and Jete.
The key to the Yankees has always been Robinson Cano. When Cano hits, we win and when he screws up, we seem to lose.
Its as simple as that. Look at waht he didn during the 8 game win streak and look at what he did in the games since then.
Look at what he did last summer and in the summer of 2006.
Yes, Jeter is below average, in terms of RCAA. However, since June 1st, his numbers are:
.292/.364/.416
and, when you get that from your SS, he’s not killing you…like I said.
).
—————
Problem is that stats accumulated from the date you set count too. Peaks and valleys to a season, and all that jazz. The key to having a good season is to have more peaks than valleys (so says captain obvious
Those firstbase numbers are a really good reason to back up the Brinks truck for Mark Teixiera this off season, no?
This was on the Yes Network about Giambi:
The Yankees need to exercise Jason Giambi’s option, ship him out and find a replacement that can be counted on to produce in clutch situations.
Giambi has shown, more often than not, his skills and effectiveness as a legitimate power option in the middle of the Yankees lineup have all but disappeared. Some of his surface numbers (.391 on-base percentage and .511 slugging percentage) appear good, but a look inside his splits reveals why Giambi is best suited to be elsewhere in 2009.
• When batting fifth this year, he’s hitting .207 with five home runs and 35 RBIs.
• He’s hitting .206 with runners in scoring position, with a .304 slugging percentage.
• In 16 plate appearances with the bases loaded, he’s hitting .071 with one home run and 11 RBIs.
• In late-game situations (seventh inning and on), he’s hitting .217 and slugging just .413.
• He’s hitting .183 against power pitchers, with almost 36 percent of his balls in play being to the left side — an indication Giambi has trouble getting around on the fastball
I am not worried about Jeter, the way I see it is he is due for an unbelievable hot streak.
Giambi is a problem because he is not hitting when it counts and I hope Nady stays in the 5th spot in the lineup and keep Giambi 6th. Maybe when a power pitcher is pitching Giambi should be benched in favor of Betitmet who has been making good contact lately.
Cano is definitely a key to the team doing well, they do seem to win more often than not when he has a good game.
Abreu has been locked in since the All-Star Break: .373/.453/.667/1.120 with 5 HR & 17 RBI
Yeah, lets give Tex 10 years @ $200 million and Sabathia-the-Overweight 6 years @ $140 million. Add in 9 more years of A-Freud @ $250+ million. That’s worked well this decade, so why not continue spending?
Oh wait, it hasn’t worked this deacde!?
*decade
Stupid keyboard.
Add in 9 more years of A-Freud @ $250+ million.
———-
Had asked about this before, but the post got buried; Do you mean A-Freud as in the psychologist, or A-Fraud as in the phony?