NEW YORK – Something has finally clicked in the Bronx.
Maybe lowering ticket prices has the Yankees feeling chipper, or maybe, just maybe, the
Bombers are finally gelling – and dare I say it, minus the great Alex Rodriguez.
There’s no denying that A-Rod’s potent bat is sorely missed in the lineup, but one thing the Yankees haven’t had since Rodriguez joined the team in 2004 is the same kind of chemistry in the locker room that they had during the dynasty run of the late 1990s. I’m not blaming A-Rod for that, but I think he’s part of it. He’s just not one of the boys, like Scott Brosius, Tino Martinez, David Cone and Paul O’Neill – or that’s my observation from the clubhouse.
Ooh, timeout. As I pen this latest blog entry, Yankees media at the ballgame Saturday has just announced in the press box a rehab update on A-Rod and Chien-Ming Wang. Rodriguez, today, had six plate appearances, went 0-for-6 with two strikeouts and played five innings at third base in an extended spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Tampa. In that same game, Wang, who’s also on the DL, went four innings and gave up no runs.
Excellent news for Wang, and despite the hitless afternoon, good news for A-Rod, too. I know he homered yesterday. I mentioned it on the morning show in the sports recap. Rodriguez should be back no later than May 15 and possibly as soon as May 8. Wang should be back within two weeks as well.
Back to the latest topic: Chemistry. Is it overrated? Or has the Yankees star-studded lineup the past few seasons contributed to a lack of it. In Boston these days, it seems like there’s a no hero every night – whether it be a rookie, or a veteran off the bench. It’s not just the starts in Beantown that carry the Red Sox, it’s the 25th guy, too.
That’s the measure of a team. I’ll never forget my high school baseball coach (Steve Macias) telling us, “You’re only as strong as your weakest link.” A little self promotion here, we win two city titles and one state championship on his watch.
As far as the Yankees go, maybe this is there year, because guys like rookie Ramiro Pena, refocused center fielder Melky Cabrera, who has earned his starting job back with his hot hitting, and the ever-positive and hot-hitting Nick Swisher (nursing a bum elbow today, but who’s expected back in the regular lineup Sunday), have breathed new life into that clubhouse. Even Robinson Cano has shed his lazy ways, looking an early season MVP candidate (.378 avg., 5 HRs, 17 RBIs)
Last night was a perfect example. Four straight in the win column for New York.
Why the sudden surge, you ask?
Team work.
Cabrera (hitting .321; had a hit and an RBI Friday night), Pena (3-for-4, 2 RBIs) and company sent 10 men across the plate – a new trend for this club, whose lineup was supposed to be anemic without A-Rod, but instead has proved that small ball still wins games in the majors – if you give it a chance. The Bombers scored 11 runs Tuesday, another eight the following night and brought home seven against the Angels Thursday in the opener of their homestand. Friday, the Yankees rallied for a 10-9 comeback victory as Jorge Posada knocked in the winning runs in the ninth with a walk-off two-run single.
New York won when trailing by five runs or more at the end of the seventh for the first time since Sept. 14, 2007, when it rebounded from a 7-2 deficit to win 8-7 at Boston, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Angels hadn't lost when leading by that much after seven since blowing an 8-3 lead at the Chicago White Sox in a 9-8 loss on Sept. 1, 2000.
Chemistry in baseball? I don't believe it. What is chemistry? The ability to win games year in and year out? The ability to pick each other up? The ability to get along with everyone in the clubhouse? I believe it to be a garbage term when refered to in baseball. Baseball is an individual sport. This is not basketball or football where you develope that inate awareness as to where your teamates will be at any give time or what their tendancies are.
ReplyDeleteA baseball player is what he is. Now can you create a better team by combining certain player skill sets together? Yes you can, but that is not chemistry, that is organizational direction. That is building a team based on certain characteristics from the lowest leavels of the minors on up through the big league club. This is something the Yankees struggle with because they are all but forced to target big time free agents that do not allow them to build from within. Not to mention the farm system that was depleted to make key in season trades that helped to give us those 4 championships. These are what i believe to be the differences between the teams of the late 90's and of today.
Obviously the biggest difference in the teams from the late 90's and the teams of the last 5 years is great starting pitching. Every pitcher seemed to always want to out do the next. You could call that chemistry if you want, but i believe it is just an inate ability that some players just have and the yankees have yet to track those playesr down until this off season.
Probably one of the more notable differences in the teams of the late 90's and these teams is the bullpen. The likes of Wetteland, Rivera, Stanton, Nelson, and Mendoza among others, flat out got it done. For the Yankees to sustain a bullpen that good for that long is quite remarkable in the day of the revolving door that is relief pitching.
As for the offense, the closest thing the Yankees had to a superstar in that time was Bernie Williams. The lineup was not based off the HR. Today the Yankees do not seem to have very many productive outs. The teams of the last 90's seemed to be masters of that. They could produce runs with outs. They could manufacture runs. In case i didn't mention it earlier, in order to do this, you need to have great pitching. That just has not been there.
Let's not forget about the role players. The fanbase and of course one of the greatest owners in sports history required the front office to have a "superstar"(past of present) at every position in recent years. God bless Big George, but the teams of the late 90's were groomed while he was away form the game and he happened to reap the rewards when he came back.
The Yankees need to get back to the basics, solid starting pitching with a good bullpen. They need to be able to win games with their arms when the bats don't show up and they need to be able to win with their bats when their arms don not show up. The teams of the "dynasty" seemed to do this day in and day out.
I know that many people believe that Cashman is an overated GM, but i believe that is an unfair accusation based mainly on jelousy. Cashman was a pawn for a long time when George was making the decisions. Let give hime the next 3 years and see where he takes us. With the recent off season i believe he is heading in the right direction, starting pitching and defense.