Yankees Chances of Advancing in the Postseason Will Rely Heavily on Offense
October 1, 2011 · Joseph Vazquez · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
For the Yankees to advance in the postseason they are really going to have to hit. What helps them get to the ALCS is that they have home-field advantage.
The Yankees offense has done an incredible job complimenting and helping the rotation. CC Sabathia has proven to be the only sure thing for the rotation thus far. He was pitching masterfully before Mother Nature literally rained on his parade. Ivan Nova had a tremendous year during the regular season, going 16-4 with a 3.70 ERA, but no one can predict how he will perform in the postseason. If he can control his adrenaline and all the emotion, he may do very well, but there is a lot of pressure on his shoulders as the No. 2 starter and it will be even more pressure if the Yankees lose Game 1.
Beyond CC and Nova, you have Garcia and Burnett. Garcia did a wonderful job reviving his career, but it has been a long season and he is old. Experience can really help him out because he has done well in the postseason, but no one knows what to expect from him either.
As for AJ Burnett? The OFFENSE has done exceptionally well this year. Mark Teixeira, despite what critics have said about him, had a way above average year with 39 home runs and 111 RBIs. They have two MVP candidates in Robinson Cano, arguably the most dangerous hitter right now, and Curtis Granderson, who has been so blessed playing at Yankee Stadium as a lefty hitter. Those three alone can carry this team, but something that I question is Girardi throwing A-Rod in to the mix.
A-Rod, who has been plagued by injuries this year, was put in the four spot in Game 1. Having him bat clean-up can cause dysfunction in that lineup because he’s been hurt a lot, and now that he’s playing they are putting a lot of pressure on him making him bat there. The Yankees would be better off putting him lower in the order—it will lengthen the already potent lineup and take pressure off of him. He is the biggest question mark in that lineup.
Derek Jeter has been Derek Jeter ever since he returned from the DL so all of his critics should be publishing all over the place expressing how sorry they are. What greatness can you not expect from this man in the postseason?
With getting back to AJ Burnett, we all know what he is capable of doing, we just don’t all know what in the world is going on in his head.
With the Yankees, though, things tend to work out in their favor, so Yankee fans shouldn’t worry too much about the question marks, AJ Burnett’s brain and the weather, especially when they have that kind of lineup.
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