Prepping for the Second Half

by jscape2000 on Jul 16, 2008 4:32 PM EDT in New York Yankees Analysis

Yankees left fielder Johnny Damon could hit off a tee on Friday and hopes to rejoin the team by late next week.

“Friday could be a big day,” Damon said. “It feels a lot better today. It feels much better not doing the drills.”

Damon is on the 15-day disabled list with an injured left shoulder, which was hurt when the outfielder ran into the fence attempting to catch a ball on July 4. He underwent treatment only Wednesday at the Yankees’ minor league complex.

Finally, some good news in YankeeLand. Meanwhile, season ending surgery is looking more and more likely for Hideki Matsui.

I can't honestly believe that without some form of collusion no one would offer Barry Bonds a job if he was available at league minimum; on the other hand, the Kansas City Star's Joe Posnanski reported on Monday that Barry hadn't actually offered himself to all 30 teams at the minimum. Still, if Matsui is out and the Yankees aren't sellers at the deadline (they won't be), then not trying Bonds becomes more and more inexcusable.

My real concern is that the rotation for next week is listed as Moose, Joba, Pettitte, Ponson, and a TBD. We have to make up a 6 game deficit in 67 games (about 10 weeks).

Picking up a game a week (which would win the division), isn't impossible. If the teams in front of us play at their current pace (.588) they'll finish with 95 wins, so we'd have to go 49-18 (.738). To tie, we'd have to go 45-22 (.672).

We're 7-5 against Tampa with 6 to play, but only 4-5 against Boston with 9 to play.

The Yankees have the postseason in their hands- but I'm worried about the arms. We can get by with either Rasner or Ponson in the rotation, but without one more dependable starter (someone to throw a lot of league average innings like Andy Pettitte) I'm not sure this team can make it down the stretch.

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Left Field

Hope Damon can comeback to be 100% or we might need to make a serious push for Bay, Nady, or Ibanez. Too bad about Matsui, he was hitting the ball very well this season. Now it’s hard to say what his future will be with the Yankees. Whatever happens, if I have to see Bonds in pinstripes I may punch 3 holes in my wall and cry myself to sleep every night. Dear god Cashman, find another way.

by jdefelice2 on Jul 16, 2008 9:24 PM EDT reply actions

your main worry

should be the trading deadline, and will Yanks do something dumb

this year is not the Yank’s year

have to look to build

need new outfield, and 1st base

young arms seem to be coming along—if Yanks keep them

by Frank Malzone on Jul 16, 2008 10:36 PM EDT reply actions

You'd better hope

this is not the Yankees’ year. ;-)
Things look grim, but if we get just a couple of breaks we’re in the postseason (again).

The one thing I’m perfectly confident in is that Brian Cashman won’t mortgage the next ten years for a push this season. If he’d felt like that was worthwhile he would have been a bigger player for Santana or Sabathia (or even Harden). My question is, is he ready to bank on regression to the mean buoying our underperformers (Cano, Melky, Abreu, Jeter, Hughes, IPK) or does he have a trick up his sleeve that I haven’t touched on yet.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Jul 16, 2008 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Frank Malzone??

How old are you anyway? Isn’t this like someone signing in as Gil McDougal?

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)

by Cbeck3 on Jul 17, 2008 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions

jscape

maybe not Cashman, but what about Mr. S, the younger?

Still, assuming that the Yanks avoid going stupid, what IS the long-term plan for rebuilding the outfield and 1st base? spending spree in the off-season?