The Yankees were happy to leave Toronto after their first visit with the Blue Jays over the weekend.
This series provided a lot to think about in regards to what the Yankees are dealing with regarding strengths and issues.
Losing the first two games was making the Yankees look like has-beens. Thanks to Javier Vazquez’s impressive performance the Yankees avoided getting swept on Sunday.
Watching Saturday’s 14 innings proved that the Yankee pitching is pretty sturdy and continued to add more worries about the Yankee bats.
Here is what was learned up in Canada.
Pitching
Andy Pettitte and Javier Vazquez both pitched gems. Pettitte just continues to dominate, while Vazquez is proving his arm worthy again.
On Saturday, the bullpen looked better than I expected in through 14 innings. Chan Ho Park, Dave Robertson, Damaso Marte and Joba Chamberlain were outstanding in doing their jobs. It made it difficult to believe Pettitte not getting a win because the pitching could not have done more.
Chad Gaudin gave up the winning runs on Saturday in the 14th inning, but this is no surprise. What else would happen against the uncompromising Blue Jays?
Sunday’s hero was Javier Vazquez. Vazquez had a no hitter through six innings when he gave up a two-run homer to Vernon Wells. He came back in the seventh and struck out the side before the bullpen came in to finish off the Blue Jays.
His change-up was sick, and the Yankees could not have asked for a better day on the mound from Vazquez, once again. Now with four of five solid starts, Javy’s been the saving grace for the Yankees.
Hitting
Derek Jeter came through all weekend. Jeter was responsible for a two-run homer on Saturday which gave the Yankees five more innings to win.
Cano and Garner provided Sunday’s hits in the eighth inning. Garner is an on-base machine this season with the bat. Garner also stole his 20th base in Toronto.
Nick Swisher had some BS calls on Sunday, eventually leading to Girardi getting tossed. When does the home plate umpire make the check swing calls that are that close? The view from behind the plate does not provide the same angel as from first and third bases, which is a fact. Just add it to the list of idiotic judgment calls from umpires in 2010.
Problem
How embarrassing for Mark Teixeira, who struck out five times. Tex is becoming unreliable, and something has to be done now.
This is no slump, because Tex has majorly struggled since the 2009 post season.
I hate to say it, but it is time to move Tex down in the batting order. Then he can prove his worth by earning his way back up.
The Yankees power has been the biggest drop since 2009 season. Cano has been a saving grace, but Arod and Tex can not hit home runs. Tex can not his at all, but Arod is getting on base and providing a lot more than Tex.
Arod left on Sunday’s game in the eighth inning with the same groin injury, but has said to be fine to play on Tuesday against the Orioles. Girardi knows that if there is a time to relax Arod, Baltimore is the place.
The Yankees have the two worst teams up next, Orioles then Astros, which is the time to fix the hitting problems.
Oh wait, they should win these pretty easily as well because they are close to taking the Rays and first place.
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