FanPost

Injuries haven't been the main issue for the Yankees this season

The 2013 season has been a rough one for the New York Yankees, and their fans.

To their credit, the Yankees have maintained a good record even while most of their regulars have ended up on the DL, not once, but multiple times. After Brett Gardner's walk-off home run against the Detroit Tigers, the Bronx bombers now have a 59-57 record, and are currently 10 games behind the hated Boston Red Sox, and 7 games behind the Oakland Athletics in the Wild Card chase.

One of the few popular Yankee players who has stayed healthy throughout this season is closer Mariano Rivera. As of late he hasn't been as dominant, blowing 3 consecutive saves, the first time he has ever committed that crime in his career. Through it all, Mo has been Mo for the most part this season, with 35 saves and a 2.44 ERA, he might like that earned run average to be smaller, but its still pretty good for a 43 year old closer who is on the verge of retiring.

But, if there is anyone who can pitch into their late 50s and still be dominant and successful, it's him.

Another healthy Yankee who has been thriving this year is the fine second baseman Robinson Cano, who is in the final year of his contract, and could be getting a thick paycheck from the New York Yankees this off season. Cano has been struggling of late, but for most of the year he has been the lone bright spot in the lineup, and was forcing many pitchers to pitch around him or intentionally walk him. Robinson currently leads the Yankees in all of the major hitting categories, and that just says it all, he has been the slugger the Yankees need him to be.

While Cano and Rivera have been some of the main reasons for the success New York has had this year, here is the reason the Yanks aren't as high in the standings as they would like. Here's a hint, it's not just injuries.

The thing that has been killing the Yankees this year isn't injuries, it's re-injuries.

Before the season started, Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Curtis Granderson, Alex Rodriguez, Francisco Cervelli, and Michael Pineda (who has yet to play a single game for the Yankees since coming over from Seattle) were all hurt. Except for A-Rod and Pineda, all of these players have came back from the DL, only to go back soon thereafter.

Manager Joe Giradi has done a great job weathering the storms, and this season could be going a lot worse than it has been. If the Yankees can get Derek Jeter and Michael Pineda back, and A-Rod can avoid the suspension, the playoffs is still a possibility. If Michael Pineda can come back and be what he was in Seattle, that'll be a huge help.

All of that, however, will depend on whether the the ting that has been killing the Yankees will ever stop: the re-injuries.

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