OK, so here we are at the All-Star break, fresh off of Jeter's momentous conclusion of his 3,000 hit milestone and of Robinson Cano's display of power during the Home Run Derby. Times are good for the Yankees and their fans. Here are my grades for the Yankees so far:
Derek Jeter: I will start with the Captain since he leads this team. His first half has been a sadly predictable one, ground balls and little power. However, after injuring his calf he came back with a seemingly renewed stroke that showed some extra base life. His play in the field has been steady. His batting average spiked after his 5-5 day and now sits at .270. The Yankees need more consistency out of him at the plate going forward. Hopefully, his rediscovered power after his DL return remains. C+
Curtis Granderson: Where would the Yankees be without Granderson? Offensively he is the Yankees MVP. He brings a dynamic that the Yankees offense has lacked for a while. This was the Curtis Granderson the Yankees were hoping for. A+
Mark Teixeira: The power is definitely there but not his batting average. Nobody would have thought a .244 average would be attached to Teixeira's name after his hot start. Then again, who would have pegged him for 25 homers either? He needs to be a little more consistent. B
Alex Rodriguez: His power has been sapped by nagging injuries but A-Rod has posted a .295 average or higher for most of the year. Currently on the DL after having knee surgery, he will miss 4-6 weeks. Hopefully his power returns as well. A-
Robinson Cano: Only for Robinson Cano would a .297, 15, 57 line be a little disappointing. He is still one of the best second basemen in the game, if not the best. Even though this might be a down year it is still a damn good one. A
Nick Swisher: This is a contract year for Swisher and he has not responded with production. He hovered around .200 for far too long but has really stepped it up to raise the average to .249. He was never a hitter for average anyway but his home run production is a bit off. He is currently on pace for 19-21 homers which is a bit below his norm. A strong second half is needed from him. C-
Jorge Posada: His season started off ugly. Aside from a few homers he wasn't hitting at all. His mental breakdown in Boston only complicated things but something seemed to click afterwards and he started hitting. His average sits at .230 and he only has 9 homers but what else can you expect from a 39 year-old former catcher? This should be his last season and Yankee fans should show him some appreciation as the clock winds down on a storied career. That said, he needs to keep hitting. D
Russell Martin: He started off looking like the Russell Martin of old, hitting for average and power. He has since tailed off and has seen his average dip to .220 and hasn't homered since June 29th, his 10th of the season. His defense has been solid, if not splendid. He earned a trip to the All-Star game but it looks like catching all of these games has taken its toll on him. Despite that, the Yankees thought he was only a stopgap and he has exceeded expectations. C+
Brett Gardner: A slow start and going back and forth in the lineup didn't help but he has turned it around. He needs to be more aggressive on the basepaths and smarter too. Still a catalyst. B-
CC Sabathia: He is the ace of the staff and has pitched his best baseball since donning the Pinstripes. Nothing more can be expected of him. Cy Young contender. A+
Bartolo Colon: When he signed few people thought he would even make the team. However, Colon has emerged as a workhorse #2, making him one of the best offseason signings in the first half. A short stint on the DL for a leg injury hasn't slowed him much. A
A.J. Burnett: After last season anything Burnett could give you past the 3rd inning would be a blessing. He hasn't been great but he has kept the Yankees in the game...for the most part. C+
Phil Hughes: After one of the worst starts ever, Phil spent quite a while on the DL, apparently suffering from a dead arm. He has made one so-so start since coming off the DL but looked much better. The Yankees thought they would be seeing an emerging ace. Instead, they are trying to save his career. Too few games for a grade though. Incomplete
Ivan Nova: He seemed to get better with every start. That still wasn't enough to save him from a demotion to AAA. That is not indicative of Nova's season but rather a testament that the Yankees rotation has been performing very well so far. He will get the ball every fifth day down in Scranton for the time being but he showed the Yankees he can be dependable. B+
Freddy Garcia: Like Colon, few thought he would stick. And, if he did stick, that he would be pedestrian enough to keep the Yankees in the game. Well, it looks like everyone is wrong. He has surpassed everyone's expectations and has pitched to the tune of a 3.13 ERA. He gets out of the jams he gets into and keeps the Yankees in games. Nobody expected this from him. A-
Mariano Rivera: Still Mariano. A+
David Robertson: Whatever the role he has filled it admirably. Walks too many but strikes out oh so many more. A+
Joba Chamberlain: Tommy John surgery ended his season but he was excellent before being shelved. Not enough to grade though. Incomplete
Rafael Soriano: He was awful before being shelved on May 14th with arm ailments. He would get an F if he were healthy. Incomplete
Luis Ayala: Didn't make the team out of Spring Training but that hasn't stopped him from being one of Girardi's most reliable bullpen arms this season. A complete surprise. A-
Boone Logan: What happened to the progress made last year? Hasn't gotten lefties out as he is supposed to. His failures have the Yankees searching for a replacement but has shown some improvement that might ease the Yankees fears. D-
Cory Wade, Hector Noesi, Lance Pendleton: The bullpen fillers have been pretty good. Wade is emerging as a viable late inning reliever and Pendleton has performed a lot better than many expected. Noesi's future is probably still as a starter but he has shown he can get MLB hitters out. A
Andruw Jones: He was signed to hit lefties. He has a few homers off of them this year but that's about it. Defense is a mark above average but is no longer an offensive threat. F
Eduardo Nunez: Filled in nicely for Jeter offensively. His defense is still a big question mark though. Will get more playing time with A-Rod out. B-
Francisco Cervelli: Brian Cashman admitted Jesus Montero was better all around and Cervelli hasn't done anything to disprove that notion. His defense is atrocious. His offense is only there when men are on base. A .214 hitting catcher is acceptable only if the defense is there. It isn't. Still doesn't know Curtis Granderson doesn't play second base. F
Chris Dickerson: Filled-in here and there and didn't embarrass himself or the team. Not bad for a fifth outfielder who was sometimes called upon to start. Also has displayed excellent defense when necessary. B-
Eric Chavez: This poor guy has no luck. He was hitting well until he broke a foot running the bases. Seriously, how does that happen? Has had nothing but setbacks during rehab. He was hitting well and playing excellent defense when he was healthy though. Incomplete
Ramiro Pena: Batting under .100 with a .091 AVG. I knew he was a light hitter but not that light. His defense has been just so-so. The emergency AAAA infielder. Incomplete
Up Next: The New York Mets
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