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.