Kuzul

Fresh off an unacceptable loss to the Kansas City Royals on Sunday afternoon, the New York Yankees arrived back home to face the Detroit Tigers for a four-game set.

Instead of keeping the Tampa Bay Rays at bay, the Yankees lost to the Tigers 3-0, but that is just the icing on the cake.

Manic Monday’ is an understatement because it brought on a whole slew of new issues. The Bombers timing for drama could not be worse, as this is the most crucial part of the season. Let’s take a look:

1. The Yankees split a series with the crappy Kansas City Royals and just lost the first of four games against a non-contending Tigers team. Guess the Bombers don’t want any breathing room, considering 25 of 41 regular seasons games left are against AL East teams. 
2. I am in complete denial that A-rod and Swisher made early exits in Monday’s loss to the Tigers. The reasons for both sluggers were ‘tightness’ and according to Joe Girardi are listed day-to-day. This is supposed to be the Yankees ‘Hope Week’, so let’s stick to that plan please. 
3. Starting pitcher Andy Pettitte’s rehab has a setback, causing a delay in his return. Expect to see the Southpaw in about two weeks, which feels like eternity.
4. FORMULA: Tampa Bay Rays winning + New York Yankees slumping = tie for first place atop the AL East, with both teams posting a 72-46 record.
5. The AL East is still a three-team race. I don’t feel like getting taught another lesson by the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox’s get all-star Dustin Pedroia back in 24 hours, around the same time the Phillies will happily remove Chase Utley off the DL.
6. Back to the basics for the Bombers, who need a reminder that hitting is essential for runs to score. Yankees starting pitching has not been perfect, but getting the job done. Giving the team ample opportunity to win is pointless when bats go dead.
7. Finally, the Yankees came to their senses about keeping Phil Hughes in the starting rotation. NOT. When push comes to shove and winning is what’s at stake the innings limit gets eliminated. Joe Girardi preaches about overusing young pitching arms and that innings limit are an essential part of long-term success. It’s about time Girardi broke some damn rules.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Yankees were facing the Royals with CC Sabathia on the mound, so you knew it was going to be a good night, and it was, as the Yankees got a good start and just enough offense to win 4-3.

Here are some notes:

• Curtis Granderson went 2-for-3 on his first day back since restructuring his swing.
• Austin Kearns hit his first homer as a Yankee and his ninth of the season.
• This is the first time Sabathia picked up 15 wins by his 25th start in his career. He’s going for 20.
• Nick Swisher went 3-for-4, but had to be lifted late in the game because of the extreme heat.
• Jesus Montero was named Triple-A International League Player of the Month for July. His numbers: 23 G, .342 BA, .441 OBP, 1.072 OPS, and five HR.
• So far, Montero’s August has been even better: nine G, .441 BA, .513 OBP, 1.307 OPS, and three HR.
• Melky Mesa, High-A OF, won Player of the Week honors.

With a good start to the series last night, I’d really like to see the Yankees sweep what should be an easy series. They have Dustin Moseley (2-1, 3.86) going against Kyle Davies (5-7, 5.21). Moseley has been good, but hopefully the offense shows up to help him out tonight.

Related Stories

• April 11, 2010 — Yankees Giving Fans Reasons to Get Excited Early
• July 2, 2010 — Yankees Notes: Recap, Moseley, Oppenheimer, Montero, Burnett
• June 21, 2010 — Updated AL All-Star Ballot: Jeter and Cano Still Ahead
• May 19, 2010 — The Yankees Long List of Injuries, Updated

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Nick Swisher arrived in New York rather unheralded, acquired from the White Sox after the 2008 season for seldom-used infielder Wilson Betemit and two throwaway prospects.

He had allegedly worn out his welcome in Chicago after only one season, having alienated manager Ozzie Guillen and suffered through a career-worst .219/.332/.410 season.

But the surface numbers don’t adequately tell the tale of Swisher’s 2008 campaign.

2008 is the only season in Swisher’s career in which he posted an OPS+ of under 100. Despite the lesser numbers, many of Swisher’s peripheral stats remained within normal ranges.

He still managed 24 home runs while keeping his walk and strikeout rates around his career average.  His isolated power was still a very respectable .191 and his line drive rate of 20.9% was a career high.

The main detractor from his season was a career-low BABIP, or batting average of balls in play.  Having enjoyed a BABIP of .280 his first four seasons in the league, Swisher saw that number drop to .249 during his only season with Chicago.

Using all of this information leads us to conclude that the best explanation for Swisher’s disappointing season was simple bad luck.

He was consistently making solid contact and hitting for power, but his batting average dipped nearly 30 points below his established number.

Add in the fact that Guillen played him out of position and shuffled him around the batting order and Swisher might having been begging to get out of Chicago.

Brian Cashman moved a few weeks before Thanksgiving 2008, sending Betemit along with minor league pitchers Jhonny Nunez and Jeff Marquez to Chicago for Swisher and relief prospect Kanekoa Texeira.

This was over a month before the Yankees would go on their massive shopping spree, locking up CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Mark Teixeira.

With the expiration of incumbent first baseman Jason Giambi’s mammoth contract, the Yankees needed to find a replacement, and Swisher was it for nearly two months.  

Cashman traded for Swisher with full intentions of using him as the Yankees’ everyday first baseman.

When Mark Teixeira fell into their laps two weeks after Christmas, Swisher was relegated to fourth outfielder status behind Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera, and Xavier Nady.

However, barely a week into the season, Nady suffered an elbow injury that he attempted to rehab but ultimately required season-ending Tommy John surgery.

Nady’s injury thrust Swisher into a starting role that he probably should have had all along.  Swisher took off and carried the team early in 2009, posting a .312/.430/.714 line in April while Alex Rodriguez recovered from hip surgery and Mark Teixeira suffered through his annual slow start.

Swisher suffered through a brutal stretch in May before evening out over the course of the season.  He enjoyed his best season to date in 2009, posting career highs in slugging, OPS, isolated power and wOBA (weighted on-base average).  And unsurprisingly, saw his BABIP rebound to a more reasonable .272.

2010 has seen Swisher take his game to another level, and he is on pace for another career-best season.  His walk rate is down 4 percent from his career average, but he’s made up for it by adding over 40 points in batting average.  

As much as his work with hitting instructor Kevin Long makes for a nice narrative, the results back up those stories.

So what can Yankee fans expect from Swisher moving forward?  Most likely more of the same guy we’ve seen since the trade to New York. 

His high average in 2010 is fueled by a higher BABIP than normal, but his power continues to develop, which is not uncommon for players in their prime years.

We may see his average regress a little in the future, but the power and patience remain strengths.

The trade that netted the Yankees their all-star outfielder was part salary dump and part “change of scenery” move by Chicago.  

There were rumors that he was unsettling in the clubhouse and his performance had dropped off throughout the season enough to warrant multiple concerns.

Cashman acquired him for three players who haven’t made much of an impact on the field for Chicago.

Betemit accrued 45 at-bats in 2009 before Chicago designated him for assignment to make room for stud prospect Gordon Beckham.

Marquez has posted a 5.77 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP in two seasons for Chicago’s Triple-A affiliate, while going 10-12.

Nunez has spent a majority of his time shuttling between Double-A and Triple-A while experiencing varying degrees of success, and has a 9.53 ERA in seven games for the White Sox.

Nick Swisher the Yankee has been entertaining, highly productive and an absolute asset to the overall team environment.  

In those regards, he’s been almost the polar opposite of what he was perceived to be in Chicago.  But as for most of his numbers, he’s been the same player this whole time, except with a little bit of luck.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Three to four years ago this, would be considered a blockbuster deal. In 2010, this is just another trade for a middle reliever with 20 career innings, and a minor league prospect with 10 career minor league homeruns.

Now this could be Berkman’s swan song, his final shot at glory.

Berkman, it appears, is on the path that many elite players take at one time or another; the road to retirement.

There has been a serious decline in Berkman’s production since 2006, specifically in his power numbers.

Statistically speaking, his home runs have seen a 45% drop since a career high of 45, while his on-base percentage and slugging percentage have seen better days.

A career-high OBP of .450 in 2004 has sunk to .367.  His slugging percentage, on the other hand, has taken a hit of nearly 200 points.

This information does indicate that his best years are far behind him, unfortunately, another statistic describes a different story.

A patient and selective hitter is Berkman. His career .409 OBP proves that, however his pitch selection could be off target.  His BABIP (Batting Average on Balls in Play) peaked at .341, now sits at .279.

With all of this data at the Yankees fingertips, I do not see what role Berkman plays in this equation.

Obviously, he could play first base, his primary position, but Mark Teixeira, quite possibly the best defensive first baseman in the game, has that all but cornered.

Berkman could play in the outfield; then again, the Yanks have three highly capable options already there;

• Curtis Granderson, who is having undoubtedly a disastrous year compared to previous one’s, cannot be benched: he is owed $5.5 million next year, $8.25 million in 2011 and $10 million in 2012, and his contract includes a $13 million club option for 2013 with a $2 million buyout , (this courtesy of ESPN.com ).
• Nick Swisher is on pace to exceed previous bests in OBP and slugging
• Brett Gardner is way better than advertise

Frankly, what role does Berkman play?  I am not quite sure

What was the Yankees primary reason in acquiring Berkman? Because they can

Do the Yankees have the best DH trifecta heading into the postseason, with Austin Kearns and Marcus Thames?  You had better believe it!

This article can also be found on The GM’s Perspective

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

One hundred eighty-seven MLB players were surveyed to answer the question — who is the most overrated player in baseball?

Keep in mind that when determining whether a player is overrated or not, evaluation is not the sole factor — public opinion also needs to be weighed in.

Begin Slideshow

It was a big night for the Yankees, who sat through about an hour and a half wait through a rain delay to beat the Royals 7-1 last night.

Here are some notes:

AJ Burnett looked sharp as he evened his record to 8-8. He left after five innings though because of the rain delay.

Jorge Posada picked up the 1,000th and 1,001st RBI of his career.

Robinson Cano is now two hits away from 1,000 for his career.

Alex Rodriguez is still one away from 600 home runs.

Jonathan Albaladejo was very impressive in his performance as he picked up a pair of strikeouts.

Nick Swisher was scratched with a sore Achilles’ tendon .

The Yankees are said to have “at least passing interest” in the Royals outfielder Jose Guillen .

“At least passing interest” sounds pretty vague and I have the feeling that Rosenthal wrote it that way to include the Yankees in a rumor just to draw interest. Anything can happen, but at this point, I’m skeptical the Yankees are genuinely interested in Guillen.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Once upon a time, Mark Teixeira was hitting below the Mendoza Line with little power and a lot of criticism. However, much has changed since May.

Teixeira is slowly turning his season around, producing the power numbers the Yankees expect, and need, in the middle of their order.

Although his average is still a bit too low (.256 entering Thursday), Texieira is on pace to finish with 30-plus home runs and 100-plus runs batted in.

Not bad for a guy who at one point was batting around .190 with only a few dingers.

With Alex Rodriguez’s power numbers down from where they usually are (or at least from where people expect them to be) Teixeira’s summer success has been vital to New York’s success.

And the Yankees have certainly been successful so far, posting the best record in baseball, with a mark of 59-34.

A big reason why the Yanks sit atop the majors—let alone their own difficult division—has been Teixeira’s recent production.

Over the last month, Teixeira is batting .352 with six home runs, 19 runs, and 21 runs batted in.

But while Teixeira continues to knock the ball out of the park and drive in runs, he’s far from the biggest contributor offensively in the Bronx.

And hint, hint: it’s not a guy named Alex, nor is it a fellow named Derek.

It’s actually American League MVP candidate Robinson Cano.

Cano’s increased power numbers—which have been sustained throughout the season—have helped carry the Yanks through Teixeria’s power struggles early, and A-Rod’s spotty surges.

On the season, the second baseman is batting .333 with 18 homers, 65 runs, and 63 runs batted in.

But also take into consideration that Cano runs the bases well, and stretches singles to doubles and can go from first-to-third on a single.

All season long, Cano has been creating scoring opportunities for the Bombers, and he’s not the only doing so.

Nick Swisher has been a huge part of New York’s success this season.

Entering Thursday, Swisher is batting .302 with 17 home runs, 60 runs, and 54 runs batted in.

He’s one of four Yankees players with 60 or more runs scored, and Brett Gardner has scored 58 runs.

And speaking of Gardner, the Yanks have valued his production as much as anyone’s.

The speedy outfielder ranks among the league leaders in stolen bases, is batting right around .300 (.299 entering Thursday), and like Cano, creates scoring opportunities. 

The Bombers are also hitting the ball out of the ballpark with the best of them, and might finish the season with four players with 30 or more homers.

The Yanks are getting it done offensively all the way through the order, and with Teixeira’s bat coming around, and a series against the lowly Royals looming, New York will look to expand on its division lead.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Andy Pettitte thinks he can be back on the mound in three weeks.

After watching the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim slaughter the New York Yankees, any encouragement that the team could manage without the Southpaw went right out the window.

Phil Hughes went into the game with a 3-0 career record against the Halos. That was short and sweet after Hughes gave up nine hits, six runs and two home runs over five innings.

It was the icing on the cake on this streak of bad luck the Yankees have had since the start of the second half of the season.

Hughes started the season on fire, but he has been declining over the last month. His velocity is still around the mid to low 90’s, but he continually lacks command of his fastball and in turn not getting strikes.

So, Hughes relied on his cutter again, which has never been completely in control. If the pitch doesn’t cut down, it becomes ineffective and easy to hit. This became a fact with the final score reading 10-2.

The Yankees had a shot to win the game with their bats, but Angels rookie Sean O’Sullivan had a different plan after being called up earlier in the day from Triple-A. He replaced ex-Ray Scott Kazmir, who just went on the DL.

O’Sullivan faced 22 Yankee batters, throwing a total of 85 pitches, over six innings. He struck out four, walked three and allowed the only two runs to score in the first inning.

Nick Swisher smacked a homer in the bottom of the first inning.

Swisher, along with Robinson Cano and Brett Gardner, has been one of the most solid Yankees in 2010. Honestly, without Swisher’s bat the Yankees would not be in first place right now.

That was No. 17 on the season for Swisher, his ninth in the Bronx, which is one more then last season’s total.

Now the Angels are looking to sweep this mini-series. The Halos’ odds are in their favor with Joel Pineiro on the mound. Pineiro has been fabulous this season, and he faces the Yankees’ Javier Vazquez.

Vazquez has been pitching great as of late, but the Yankees have to hit. Even if they get a couple of runs, the Yankee bullpen stinks for the most part.

I wish Joe Girardi would let Joba go two or three innings for a couple of games. Joba did start last year, has four pitches and was dominant in the first three innings in last year’s games.

The team needs to give their pitchers some run support to relieve the pressure, but in this match-up, the bats have to be hot.

My other suggestion would be trying Joba out as the Yankees long reliever. Maybe he could be the Phil Hughes of 2010 and be the vital change needed.

It would be giving Joba responsibility again, but for about four to five games. If the Yankees owe anyone a few chances, Joba’s name would be at the top of the list. He deserves to see if it could work.

See, when the opposing team is the Halos, who have the most successful record against the Yankees since 2001, the Yankee bats cannot afford to go dead.

Might as well pretend your in heaven or hell….whichever works.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The July 31st trade deadline is right around the corner and it looks to be a very active couple of days. Teams like the Padres, Rangers, Reds, and White Sox are all contending—but need that extra piece of the puzzle to put them over the top.

The Yankees recent injury woes leave them searching for a top flight starter. After missing out on Cliff Lee they are targeting the next best thing in Houston’s Roy Oswalt. But the Yanks are only one of the many suitors going after Oswalt.

Corey Hart, Ty Wiggington, and Ted Lilly have been discussed by seemingly one-third of baseball. Should be a wild two weeks that will set the tone for the rest of regular play.

Begin Slideshow

On a night when hearts were heavy and tears were plentiful, the New York Yankees Nick Swisher capped a momentous evening with a single in the bottom of the 9th inning. The single, Swisher’s third hit of the night, scored Curtis Granderson with the winning run in a 5-4 victory at Yankee Stadium–the House the Boss Built.

With tremendous tributes to both former principal owner George Steinbrenner and public address announcer Bob Sheppard (who also was a former cast member of the Seinfeld series *), the Yankees won in walk off fashion with Swisher’s third hit, and third RBI, of the night.

The drama and circumstances were eerily similar to the August 6, 1979 tribute game ** to the late Thurman Munson (my favorite player) when Munson’s great friend, Bobby Murcer, hit a walk-off, two-run single to win that Monday night baseball game.

The Captain’s funeral was earlier that day in Canton, OH, and Murcer gave one of the eulogies, then hit a three-run homer in the 7th inning that night before the two-run opposite field single in the 9th.

Murcer drove in all five runs that night in the Yankees 5-4 win, the same score they won by on tribute night to the boss and the voice.

It was fitting that Swisher, who went to Ohio State (where Steinbrenner once coached football and as a native Ohioan was an avid Buckeye supporter), had the same type of game in support of “Big Stein” that Murcer did for Munson, another native.

Swisher ended the night 3 for 5, with three RBI, including a mammoth HR in the 8th inning to tie the game at 4-4.

It was a big night for all Yankees and Yankee fans, fitting that “The Boss” was presented with a classic Yankee style victory.

George M. Steinbrenner would have demanded that type of finish, and not expected it any other way.

*Sheppard’s voice can be heard in three different Seinfeld episodes. One was at Giants Stadium, with Sheppard asking Elaine’s boyfriend, “Will Joel Rifkin please report to the stadium office.” The next two are scenes set at Yankee Stadium where Elaine will not remove her Baltimore Orioles hat and another episode when the Miss America contestants are announced. “Poise, poise, poise!”

**Another great thing about this game is that Ron Guidry, who got the win, pitched a complete game despite allowing nine hits and four earned runs. He also struck out nine and his pitch count must have been somewhere around 125 or more.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com