Yankees - Week 20

The Yankees began the week with an impressive sweep of the Minnesota Twins, However things did not conclude very well as they dropped a very winnable 4 game set to a struggling Cleveland Indians team. With the division now deadlocked, every game could be the crucial deciding factor of their playoff destiny.

The Good

It was another good week for Carlos Beltran as he went 8-26 (.308) and continued to get big hits when the team needed them. His batting average (.271) has been steadily increased over the last month, putting to rest the chastisement he received for most of the season's first half

Jacoby Ellsbury was red hot this week going 11-29 (.379), erasing the debilitating slump that crippled him for most of July. As long as he can continue this hot hitting he will once again provide the Yankees with the catalyst they sorely need at the top of their lineup.

Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte were given the ultimate honor of having their names etched among the litany of Bombers legends. They were integral parts to the late 90's dynasty and helped mold a standard of excellence that Yankee fans will remember for many years to come. With 4 of the core members of that team now enshrined in Monument Park, it's just a matter of time until they are joined by a certain captain to round out the era.

The Bad

Brett Gardner has continued his cold hitting, batting just .192 for the week and is starting to pile on one too many strikeouts (17 in the last 15 games) for a top of the lineup hitter. His .214 average over the last month has made things difficult for the offense, so it may be time for Girardi to think about dropping him lower in the order until he can get back to his All Star form.

The struggles of Alex Rodriguez (.167) and Brian McCann (.185) continued as they each failed to provide much to an offense that sputtered over the weekend. THough Rodriguez provided some heroics during the week, it was the only highlight his bat could provide. As for McCann, The adjustments he made to his batting stance don;t appear to be working out too well, However, it is a bit early to determine whether or not it's time to abandon the tweaks altogether.

C.C. Sabathia pulled up in the 3rd inning Sunday afternoon after reinjuring his surgically repaired knee. This setback will most likely end the left handers season, which wasn't going to well to begin with (4-9 5.27 ERA). Many believe the Yankees will be better off without Sabathia in the rotation, and giving how the last 3 years have gone, they may be correct. Still it's never easy to swallow a loss of a starting pitcher this late in a season.

Yankees - Week 19

Things didn't start off too well for the Yankees as the club fell out of first place for the first time since early July. The Blue Jays have made themselves into a significant threat that the Yankees cannot afford to look past. As the season final run draws near, it will up to the Bombers to ris to the challenge and reclaim their spot as the top dogs of the east.

The Good

Since his major league debut Luis Severino has shown early signs that he has the ability to become a future ace for the yankees. Despite not winning each of his first three starts (mostly due to a lack of run support) he has flashed a live arm and great strikeout capabilities. If he can continue to build consistency and confidence, the future of the rotation could surely be a bright one.

It was a nice week for Carlos Beltran (Aside from a costly mistake Sunday afternoon) as he went 7-18 (.388) which included a monumental pinch hit home run that helped the team recapture first place. He appears to have found a groove for the time being and will be seeing more playing time in right as long as this recent streak continues.

Masahiro Tanaka has gotten himself back on track after some shaky outings near the end of July. HIs complete game masterpiece vs Toronto certainly gives the Yankees hope that the he is rounding into form in the nick of time. Pitching will ultimately decide who will come out victorious in the AL East and so the team will need plenty more of these through September.

The Bad

Chris Young failed to get a single hit this week going 0-11 in 5 games. With Beltran swinging a hot bat, he'll probably be relegated to substitution duties util can find another groove.

Alex Rodriguez has hit a very bad stretch as he was 2-22 (.090) this week and is 10 for his last 55 (.182). This could very well be his age and year off catching up to him, but one cannot be too sure as slumps like this are very much a part of the game for players of all ages. However should this persist any longer, there will definitely be some cause for concern.

Yankees - Week 18

After a 3-4 week which ended in a sweep at the hands of the Blue Jays, thing have gotten very interesting for the wrong reasons in Yankee country. The once expandable lead has dwindled just 1.5 games and opened the door for both Toronto and Baltimore to fight for the top spot. How the Yankees handle this adversity will go a long way in determining their fate for the 2015 season

The Good

The Yankees starters turned in quality outings all week long, including an impressive debut from the highly touted Luis Severino whom looks as if he could live up to his hype.  It was also nice to see Sabathia's strong showing against Boston, one he needed in the worst way.

The Bad

The Yankees offense started out strong with a 13-3 drumming of the Red Sox, however it could only muster 4 runs in the weeks final 5 games, including suffering back to back shutout losses for the first time since 1999. This sudden ineptitude has to be frustrating for a lot of people, especially since there was a smorgasbord of runs tom go around just a week ago.

Jacoby Ellsbury went just 3-25 (.120) this week and more times than not looked completely baffled at the plate. Since he is a vital part of the offensive attack, it is crucial that he come out of this slide hastily. The Yankees simply cannot afford to watch their $153 million acquisitions fall off in the all important stretch run, where he'll be expected to step up and earn that high salary.

Brian McCann, Alex Rodriguez, and Brett Gardner did not have good performances this week, exacerbating woes that were all too prevalent. One hopes that this was just a bad week for McCann and Rodriguez, however Gardner has been struggling mightily for over two weeks. As long as he and Ellsbury cannot get on base, it will make any production that much harder for the Yankees.

The glaring absence of the stolen base is something that cannot be tolerated for much longer. The fact that the Yankees have just one attempted stolen base (by Mark Teixeira) since june 12 is mind boggling to say the least. If the team wishes to make the playoffs and succeed, the running game must make a reappearance. It's often the little things that make a big difference in championship runs, the club simply cannot afford to abandon this part of the game any longer.

Yankees: Assessing Week 17

It was quite a week for the Yankees as the team fired on all cylinders, putting up some gaudy numbers in the process. With several teams (the Blue Jays in particular) making splash dives at the trade deadline, this show of offensive strength has come at just the right time. Heading into the dog days of summer, the Yankees are 6 games up in the AL East and are in position to control their own destiny. With important matchups with Boston and Toronto this coming week, the opportunity to pad their lead and make things a little easier cannot be wasted.

The Good

The Yankees put up double digit runs three times this week including a 21 run outburst deep in the heart of Texas. If this is any indication of just what this club is capable of offensively, the rest of the league had better take notice.

Didi Gregorious (12-25 .480), Chase Headley (12-26 .462), and Stephen Drew (6-16 .375) made tremendous contributions this week and were instrumental in the team's offensive bonanza. It's always nice to see role players step up and prove themselves to the club, these three did all of that and then some.

Mark Teixeira has been the second best hitter in all of baseball since the break, batting, .400 with 7 HR and 12 RBI in 15 games. He also set the record for most games with homeruns from both sides of the plate. Having put the last two disappointing seasons behind him, there is no doubt that Teixeira is a force to be reckoned with once more.

The Bad

Michael Pineda was placed on the disabled list this week, halting what had been a steady stream of work thus far. His last two starts were pretty medial and most likely lead to the recent health evaluation. Hopefully the time off will allow his arm to heal and Pineda can round back into his early season form

Brett Gardner's small slump has now stretched itself out as he batted just .222 for the week. This puts his average since the break at .206, a far cry from the torrid pace he had in the games prior. Luckily, the team was not affected by his lack of hitting thanks in large part to the high production form the bottom of the lineup. However, if the Yankees are going to continue to succeed on offense, it's imperative that Gardner get thing going again at the plate.