Falling Short Down the Stretch

After salvaging the series finale to the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, the Yankees seem to be back on track having subsequently won two of three from the Tampa Bay Rays. But with the Jays also winning two of three against the Atlanta Braves, the Yankees stay locked in second place in the AL East by a deficit of three games. On the one hand, the Yankees have surprised everyone by how far they have gotten this year with a mixture of first year talent and fragile veterans. On the other hand, they are so close to becoming a top tier team that anything less than a division series win would be a disappointment.

This past week was highlighted by first rate pitching. Masahiro Tanaka continues to be the only antidote for the hot-hitting Blue Jay bats with another much needed gem. Luis Severino is the best deal the Yankees didn’t make at the deadline and only suffers from a lack of run support, while sporting a 3.12 ERA in his young career. And even C.C. Sabathia is showing signs of life with 6+ shutout innings in Monday night’s series opener.

A-Roid has handled every challenge and clutch at-bat this season with a surprising amount of grace and fortitude. Without him, the Yanks would most likely be hovering around .500. While the entire lineup is slumping in general, there are some bright spots. While only hitting .184 in September, Brett Gardner is riding a power surge with 3 HRS in the last week. Greg Bird continues to fill in admirably for Mark Teixeira with a .505 slugging percentage over 29 games. And Slade Heathcott may have hit the most important HR of the year with his 3-run bomb to win Monday night’s game. Heathcott may see more time in lieu of the struggling Jacoby Ellsbury.

The bullpen is still an effective if shaky weapon late in games. While Justin Wilson and Andrew Miller have been key in these most recent September games both Chasen Shreve and Dellin Betances are starting to show wear. Betances in particular has been the creator of his own problems with 7 BBs in his last 8 appearances. Joe Girardi has been criticized for overusing Betances but the real issue has been Betances’s in ability to pitch efficiently, using 30 pitches when only 10-15 should really be needed.

The next six days see the Yankees matchup against the crosstown 1^st place New York Mets and the mighty Blue Jays. The Yankees are in line to host the AL Wild Card game but considering that it would entail hosting the Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, or Cleveland Indians (all teams with true #1 starters) they really need to find a way back to the top of the AL East. The Yankees need to win four of the next six games just to stay significant and not hinge their playoff future on a 50/50 play-in game.

Last Stand in the Bronx?

Like a procrastinating student writing a term paper at 3AM, the Yankees are finally running out of time. Sure they have a lock on hosting the AL Wild Card “play-in game” but this is New York. It’s the AL East crown or bust. The Yankees squandered an opportunity by dropping two of three to the Orioles earlier this week, while the rival Sawx were nice enough to steal two of three from the formidable Blue Jays. Because of this inability to gain ground in the division, this weekend’s four game set over three days (thanks to last night’s rain out) is even more important. The Yankees have 24 games left in the season and cannot waste an opportunity to stay in the hunt.

Overall, the Yankees have been playing winning baseball. They have won eight of their last twelve, the only problem being that it’s the identical record of the Toronto Blue Jays over the same period. The Yanks need to find a way to capitalize on opportunities and limit mistakes here in September while hoping the Blue Jays somehow find their way back to earth. Toronto having to play a majority of their remaining schedule on the road does foster hope for Yankee fans.

Yankee pitching was dealt a blow by the loss of Nathan Eovaldi for the remainder of the regular season. Apparently he is suffering from the same strained forearm injury that has sidelined Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, and Andrew Miller for a month each. On the bright side, Yankee rookie Luis Severino continues to be the ace of the hobbled staff with a 2.04 ERA over six starts. On the not so bright side, C.C. Sabathia has returned to the rotation because what else can the Yanks do when they are down a starter and overpaying Mr. Sabathia $25 million a year. And I thought A-Roid’s contract was a bloated carcass. C.C., per the last few years, was but one pitch from getting out of trouble in Wednesday night’s loss to the Orioles. I do not see his luck changing anytime soon.

The Yankee offense looked doomed with Mark Teixeira’s bruised leg not healing anytime soon. Thankfully, Yankees fans are getting a glimpse of the future with the arrival of Greg Bird. The rookie first baseman does strikeout at an alarming rate but has made up for it with 5 HRs in 24 games. Even if Yankee playoff hopes fall short this year the future does look bright with stars in the making like Greg Bird and Luis Severino.

Didi Gregorius continues to impress both in the field and at the plate. He may never inspire the words “Derek who?” but I’m sure the words “He’ll do” are more than sufficient for Yankee fans. A-Roid has cooled off considerably during the 2^nd half but still has enough in the tank to provide timely home runs. And Brian McCann is playing himself into the AL MVP conversation. I know the award should already be engraved with Josh Donaldson’s name, but McCann is putting up Posada-esuqe numbers and making a case to be the next Yankee captain.

The next three days will be full of hope, opportunity, and enough anxiety to remove the few remaining hairs on Joe Girardi’s head. The good news is that the Yankees will be helped by the expanded September rosters so running out pitching will not be an issue. The question is will Yankee pitching be enough to quell this might Blue Jay lineup, which reminds me of the monster squad from Seattle in the late 90’s. The Yankees have plenty of opportunity but not nearly enough time.

Crisis Time in the Bronx: One Part Danger, One Part Opportunity

It’s still August, and there’s still time left in the season but the Yankees keep finding ways to make the race in the AL East interesting. That’s not a good thing. After starting last week with a timely sweep of the Minnesota Twins, the Bronx Bombers proceeded to lost three out four to the lowly Cleveland Indians. I’m guessing this Indian squad has been invigorated by the recent dealing of Nick Swisher to Atlanta. Just a theory. Anyway, the Yankees lost their 1 and ½ game lead over Toronto and are back to looking up at the Bashing Blue Jays by a ½ game. All is not lost in the Bronx, it just feels that way, a lot.

The Yankee offense is still the second best in all of baseball, even if it only seems to come in waves followed by stretches of low tide. The impending loss of Mark Teixeira to the DL would be catastrophic news but the debut of rookie Greg Bird has been a great consolation. Bird is off to a .273 start in his big league career highlighted by a 2HR/4 RBI performance in last Wednesday’s win over the Twins. Jacoby Ellsbury has gotten back on track by hitting .379 over the past week. It’s taken a season and a half but Carlos Beltran is finally justifying his three year deal with a .317 August and 5HRs. And Brian McCann has 22 HRS and 75 RBIs through 102 games this year. It took him all of 2014 to amass those numbers. McCann is money.

The Yankee pitching has been effective, only hampered by a lack of consistent offense. Luis Severino earned his first MLB win and might be the key to the Yankees reaching October with his 2.73 ERA over four starts. Nathan Eovaldi has steadily improved over the course of the season, and despite his penchant for high pitch counts has been the one of only two Yankees starters to make every scheduled start. The other one is C.C. Sabathia, who will no longer hold that distinction after yesterday’s knee injury has him DL bound. I know there is a lot of piling on Mr. Sabathia and I will not join those who think his injury was a “blessing.” Truth be told, he was pitching better as of late and having him around could have facilitated a six-man rotation with the imminent return of Michael Pineda. In the meantime, Bryan Mitchell should be able to pick up the slack in the rotation, as long as he doesn’t have any residual effects from being hit by Eduardo Nunez’s liner in last Monday’s Yankee win.

The Yankees face another gut test with the arrival of the super-hot Houston Astros. The Yankees need to find a way to generate offense against the team with the best pitching in the AL. Oh, and the Astros can hit as well, just ask the recently swept Dodgers. The Yankees have plenty of games and chances ahead. Taking two of three from the Astros is not just a pipedream but a necessity here at the end of August.

Back in the Game

The more things change, the more they stay insane. Last week started with the Yankees losing two of three to the lowly Cleveland Indians. Not the best time in year to start to slide, especially since it allowed the surging Toronto Blue Jays to take over 1^st in the AL East and inspired every baseball analyst to declare the 2015 New York Yankees DOA. Then the Yanks showed up in Toronto against an invigorated team and their fanbase (which sold out all three games) and proceeded to take two of three to jump back into the lead in the AL East by a ½ game. Suffice to say, there’s plenty of baseball left and plenty of flip-flopping to be flipped.

The Yankees did make a statement over the weekend. And that statement was the equivalent of Rocky Balboa finally figuring out Clubber Lang’s weakness and proclaiming, “Ain’t so bad!” Of course it helps when solid starting pitching is supported by timely hitting. Yankee pitching held the hot Blue Jays bats to only seven runs over the three game series. The highlights were Ivan Nova’s seven inning outdueling of David Price on Friday night and Masahiro Tanaka’s masterful one run, five hit complete game on Saturday. Despite a solid outing, Luis Severino lost in the series finale on Sunday and continues to be a victim to minimal run support. Overall, Severino is still impressive with a 3.18 ERA over his first three big league starts and may be just enough to help the Yankees starting pitching heading into September.

The Yankee offense continues to be a hit and miss project but remains second in all of baseball. Jacoby Ellsbury is showing signs of life hitting 7-18 over his last four games. A-Roid has cooled off considerably and may need a little more time off to cope with the long season. Brian McCann and Mark Teixeira are only hitting .190 and .192 respectively in August. And yet they are still power threats with McCann hitting 4HRs in the month and Teixeira adding 3HRs of his own.

But the key to a consistent Yankee offense may be the resurgence of Carlos Beltran, who is finally justifying his three year/$48 million deal. Beltran is hitting .324 in August including a three-run pinch hit HR in Friday’s victory. That at-bat, which saw Beltran in a 1-2 hole against Blue Jays reliever Aaron Sanchez, may be seen as the turning point in the season if the Yankees can find a way to win out. Joe Girardi will need to find ways to keep getting the best out the 38 year old Beltran with frequent platoons with Chris Young, who has been effective in his role as 4^th outfielder.

The Yankee bullpen continues to be the best bet late in the game with Justin Wilson, Chasen Shreve, and Adam Warren getting much needed outs in the 6^th and 7^th innings. Dellin Betances is still a beast in his set-up role. And Andrew Miller has tested more than few heart rates in his most recent outings. His twelve pitch, eight minute showdown with Troy Tulowitzki was a heartstopper, to say the least. Miller needs to be wary of the walks he allows down the stretch.

The Yankees start a ten game homestand tonight against the Minnesota Twins, followed by visits from the Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros. The schedule continues to favor the Yankees and the only question that remains is if they can take advantage. Seven wins in this stretch is a must and certainly within reason with September just around the corner.

The 2015 Toronto Blue Jays: You Wanna Crown ‘Em, Go Ahead and Crown ‘Em

What a difference a week makes. What started off as a cushy 6 game lead in the AL East for the Yankees has now devolved into a 1 and ½ game margin inspiring every Chicken Little to come out of the woodwork to proclaim “The sky is falling!” George Steinbrenner definitely left his mark on this Yankee team and its fanbase.

So, what do we know? The Blue Jays are for real, at least for this week. This is the same Blue Jay team that has been projected to make noise in the AL East since 2006, and a team that some predicted to win it all in 2013. All that was missing apparently was David Price and Troy Tulowitzki. Yes, this is a much improved Toronto squad, just in the last two weeks alone. And yes, the Yankees getting swept at home by the Blue Jays while only scoring one run was disheartening, but it’s not the end of the world. There’s still seven weeks left in the season and anything can happen, anything.

The Blue Jays and Yankees are cut from the same cloth. The teams are ranked 1^st and 2^nd in baseball in offense and 14^th and 17^th in pitching, respectively. The big difference at the moment would be Toronto’s acquisition of an ace. David Price is the very definition of a number one guy who gives your team a chance to win every fifth game. The Yankees on the other hand have been more reliant on their bullpen to pitch them to victories.

But the Yankee starting pitching has shown improvement over the last week. Luis Severino was very impressive in his MLB debut against the Boston Red Sox. Nathan Eovaldi and Masahiro Tanaka were effective, if not dominant, in their starts against the Blue Jays. And even C.C. Sabathia provided some spark with six innings of one-run ball in his most recent start.

And the offense will return. It’s been at or near the top of the league all season long. Perhaps it was just the shock of seeing such good Toronto pitching. But a lineup with Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner at the top followed by A-Roid, Mark Teixeira, and Brian McCann is too good to keep down for too long. The Yankees have scored all season long and they will score again despite this recent rough patch.

Up next, the Yankees have a three game set against the Cleveland Indians followed by a trip north of the border to face the vaunted Blue Jays on their home turf. The Yankees are still in first place in the AL East with plenty of season left. But, it might not be a bad idea for Joe Girardi to look up Dennis Green’s famous 2006 rant after losing to the Chicago Bears and get it ready for September. Perhaps, just perhaps, the Toronto Blue Jays “are who we thought they were.” And I pray the Yankees don’t let them off the hook.

Standing Pat and Moving Forward

For a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2012, the 2015 Yankees are showing a considerable amount of patience. These aren’t your father’s Yankees and definitely not George Steinbrenner’s, aside from a few bloated salaries. The Yankees shocked all, especially their fans, by not making any big moves at the trade deadline, aside from picking up Dustin Ackley from the Seattle Mariners. Ackley will essentially replace Garrett Jones as a left-handed bat and utility option on the bench. But the Yankees seems content to move forward as is or at least they are not willing to mortgage the future for any 2^nd half player rental.

As a Yankee fan, I can say I am satisfied with their actions, or inaction to be more accurate. The Yankees have a 6 game lead in the AL East and a farm system full of talent. The team has experienced a revival this year thanks to comeback seasons from Mark Teixeira and A-Roid and with talent like Aaron Judge, Rob Refsnyder, and Slade Heathcott still developing, the window for future winning seasons is opening wider. The starting pitching is still a precarious factor but holding on to Luis Severino, who will make his MLB debut this Wednesday against the Sawx, may prove to be the winning ticket for entry into this year’s October bonanza.

Best of all, one could say that Friday night’s 13-6 win over the Chicago White Sox could be seen as validation for this year’s trade deadline policy. The Yankees finished the weekend by taking two of three from the ChiSox while outscoring them 27-17. This helped the Yanks finish their ten game road trip at 6-4, buoyed by an offense that scored 78 runs in that span. Perhaps Brian Cashman’s new mantra is “If ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

And yet, you do wonder if the Yankees might have been served by picking a starter last Friday. Michael Pineda could miss up to month with his forearm issue. Masahiro Tanaka continues to be hit and miss. Nathan Eovaldi gets the brunt of Yankee run support but still can’t make it to the 7^th inning on a consistent basis. And C.C. Sabathia keeps testing Joe Girardi’s faith. Or perhaps Girardi cannot fathom the ridicule of putting a $25 million/year pitcher in the bullpen for mop-up duty and lefty matchups.

The Yankees’ season may continue to rest on the explosive offense and ever-expanding bullpen. The Yankees continue to pummel opponents with the 2^nd best offense in all of baseball. The usual suspects leading the charge continue to be Teixeira, A-Roid, and Brian McCann. Teixeira in particular has been on a roll, seemingly taking his lack of sugar, carbs and wheat out on every opposing pitcher with 5 HRs in his last four games. I just hope MLB doesn’t pass a “No Gluten-Free” policy anytime soon.

Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner have hit a bit of a rut lately but continue to be threats at the top of the lineup. Even the bottom of the lineup is contributing to the juggernaut with Chase Headley and Didi Gregorius hitting .370 and .317 respectively in the month of July. Each has also improved on their early season defensive woes. Gregorius in particular is showing improved range and a strong arm. Throw in Stephen Drew about to cross the Mendoza line with yesterday’s 3-4 performance, and every bat in the lineup now needs to be accounted for.

But as I have said all year, and as it has been demonstrated, it’s all about the bullpen. The Yankees win games they are supposed because of a reliable and growing pen of arms. Despite yesterday’s hiccup, Chasen Shreve has proven to be reliable against hitters from both sides of the plate and for multiple innings. Justin Wilson and Adam Warren continue to wiggle starters out of jams in the 6^th and 7^th innings. And Dellin Betances/Andrew Miller is a two headed beast that no hitter wants to face with the game on the line.

From here on out the Yankees have been blessed by the scheduling gods, with a majority of their games played at home and not a single game to be played outside the Eastern Time Zone. The team is healthy, offensively explosive and gearing up for a strong final two months of the season. The course is set and the Yankees control their own destiny, along with hopes of playoff dreams for their highly-opinionated fans. I’m all in on this squad. And apparently so is Brian Cashman.

Out of the Gates and Extending a Lead

The 2015 New York Yankees have started the 2^nd half the same way the ended the 1^st half: firing on all cylinders. Having won five of six since the All Star Break, the Yanks have opened up a 5 and ½ game lead in the AL East and look ready for October baseball. There is still plenty of season left but at this time the Yankees look like the safest bet to stay consistent and win out.

Starting pitching has stabilized in the past week, with Masahiro Tanaka returning to ace form and earning two wins. Ivan Nova is developing into midseason form and even C.C. Sabathia was able to match Seattle’s King Felix in a no-decision that turned into another Yankee win. The only potential concerns at this time would be Michael Pineda and Nathan Eovaldi. Pineda was victimized by a pair of two-run Robinson Cano HRs in his recent loss, though Pineda does have a 2.29 ERA in July. And Nathan Eovaldi continues to allow too many hits (his WHIP is 1.50) and not provide enough length. At some point, he needs to become a frequent guest of the 7^th inning.

The sight of Jacoby Ellsbury in the Yankee lineup has been a welcome one, with the Yankees winning 9 of 12 since his return. Yesterday’s 3-4, 4 RBI performance is only a sign of things to come. Ellsbury and Gardner at the top of the lineup give the Yankees the perfect catalyst to start any game. Mark Teixeira, Brian McCann, and A-Roid continue to do the heavy lifting and long ball hitting. And Chase Headley is proving plenty of lower lineup support with a .340 July. Despite his early season defensive woes, Headley may soon prove to be the best off season decision.

In the end, it’s all about the bullpen. Sometimes overused, occasionally overmatched, but lights out when truly needed, the Yankee pen is 6^th in the AL and the best reason to bet on the Bronx Bombers come October. Justin Wilson, Chasen Shreve, and Adam Warren are perfectly suited to retire hitters from both sides of the plate for multiple innings if need be. Andrew Miller is showing no hints of regression since returning from the DL. But it is Dellin Betances who is the ultimate trump card that Joe Girardi can wield at any time. There’s been plenty of talk about Mark Teixeira in the MVP race but the true MVP of the 2015 Yankees is Dellin Betances with 83 Ks in 51.1 innings and a WHIP of 0.83. And at 6’8”, Betances looks like a Hulk Buster version of Yankee great Mariano Rivera. #BetancesforMVP

The Yankees have a bit of a test ahead with a ten game road trip against the Twins, Rangers, and White Sox. But there is no time for let up and the Yankees need to keep the foot on the gas, especially against teams they should be beating. These are exciting times in the Bronx and the Yankees are giving the fans what they want: a winning team.

The Yanks at the Break: Sitting on the Pole

No one, not even I could have seen this, and for once it’s a good thing. No one saw the Yankees playing this well, let alone entering the All-Star break on top of the AL East with a 3 ½ game lead. True, the AL East is playing more like the AL Least nowadays but as a team you just have to play the games on your schedule and see what shakes out. And while the rest of the teams in the division currently seem to have their flaws all exposed at once, the Yankees seem be hitting their stride thanks to health, depth and a little bit of luck.

Starting pitching, C+: Doing just enough to get the job done should probably be the slogan of the Yankees’ pitching staff. There have been flashes of brilliance, mostly provided by Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda, but overall Yankee pitching ranks 11^th in ERA in the AL helped generously by the stellar bullpen. The Yankees need consistency from this staff, as well as length to keep their bullpen occasionally rested. Nathan Eovaldi has been the beneficiary of ample run support, which explains his 9-2 record with a 4.50 ERA. Ivan Nova has been solid since returning from TJ surgery and may want to try wearing Eovaldi’s #30 next time he takes the mound in hopes of sharing in the run support. And C.C. Sabathia continues to be the anchor weighing down the ship, and no, that’s not a crack about his weight. Sabathia will continue to be run out there every fifth game if for no other reason than he’s too expensive for the mop-up duty he’s more suited for. But Tanaka and Pineda should have just enough at top of this rotation to keep the ship right.

Offense, A-: The most pleasant surprise of the season has been the abundance of offense. It does come in bunches at time interrupted by the occasional drought, but the Yankees are currently 2^nd in all of baseball in runs scored mostly thankful to being 2^nd in all of baseball in HRs. The Bronx Bombers are living up to their moniker again. Recently honored (and long overdue) All Star Brett Gardner continues to be the sparkplug for this lineup whether he’s hitting 2^nd behind Jacoby Ellsbury or batting leadoff in his absence. The healthy return of Jacoby Ellsbury bodes well for the 2^nd half and gives the Yankees the best 1-2 punch in the game. Speaking of healthy, Mark Teixeira’s gluten free diet hasn’t prohibited him from feasting on American League pitching. Tex leads the team in HRs (22) and RBIs (62) and is back to his 2009 form. Brian McCann just missed an All Star selection by seguing last year’s resurgent 2^nd half into this year’s 1^st half. He also seems to find himself coming up with the biggest hits in the 7^th inning and later. And I guess it’s about time I throw some praise to A-Roid. His long storied history of jackassery is hard to overlook. But even harder to overlook has been his All Star worthy 1^st half. He’s accepted his DH assignment and providing the most offense at that position since the days of another Yankee comeback story, Daryl Strawberry.

Defense, D+: What was supposed to be a non-issue has been the biggest thorn in the Yankees’ side. The Yankees are 12^th in the AL in fielding best represented by Chase Headley, who leads all 3B with 16 errors. All is not lost, especially with Mark Teixeira playing his usual Gold Glove 1B, and who is the reason Headley has 16 errors and not 26. The first two months were not kind to Didi Gregorius either. But he has been a work in progress. Didi is still showing better range and a stronger arm than a certain Pinstripe God. Despite 9 errors, Gregorius is currently tied for 3^rd among AL shortstops in defensive WAR. And Brian McCann is keeping the basepaths in check, throwing out 40% of potential basestealers.

Bullpen, A: The offense has been plentiful but the number one reason the Yankees have persevered to first place in the division has been the bullpen. At times overworked and at times overmatched, they seem to be falling into place at the season’s mid-mark. Justin Wilson, Chasen Shreve and Bryan Mitchell give Joe Girardi plenty of set-up options since they are all equally effective against righties and lefties. The return of Adam Warren from the starting rotation gives the Yanks another right-handed option, as well as a reliable spot starter. And despite the occasional hiccup, Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller are the definition of formidable in the back end. They are both striking out hitters at a rate of 14K/9 innings with sub 2.00 ERAs. The Yankees are winning the games they are supposed to win because of this tandem.

Bench, B: The Yankees have been mercilessly stricken by the injury bug over the past few seasons, and thankfully learned their lesson. Chris Young has been a find as their 4^th OF, providing 10 HRs in limited duty. Garrett Jones has been useful as a left-handed bat, as well as OF and back-up to Tex at 1B. And John Ryan Murphy may not be replacing Brian McCann anytime soon, but he’s excelled in his back-up duty.

Manager, B+: Joe Girardi continues to be the calm head that keeps this Yankee team focused during their most trying times. He’s also adept, like his predecessor Joe Torre, at handling the media and keeping them at bay when necessary. This is has been most evident with his handling of the return of A-Roid. He’s done a first-rate job of juggling an aging lineup as well as shaking things up, like when he slotted Chase Headley 2^nd during Jacoby Ellsbury’s DL stint. The only qualm I would have would be his overuse of the bullpen at times. Perhaps it’s a by-product of the modern day game with more pitching changes than Katy Perry costume changes at the Super Bowl halftime show. I would just like to see Girardi as being a little more old school and having a little more faith in his starters at times to get out of jams themselves. Otherwise, Girardi has proven time and time again to be the right fit for this team.

Outlook: The Yankees are right where they need to be, having won 7 of their last 10 and getting healthy at the right time. There was talk of trading for a starting pitcher or middle infielder but the recent success of Tanaka and Pineda as well as the impressive debut of 2B Rob Refsnyder may put that plan on hold. The Yankees are primed to win the AL East. They aren’t close to being a championship caliber team but they are playing their best ball since 2012 and ready to make some noise in October.

Still Hanging Around

With just a week to go before the All-Star break the New York Yankees continue to defy expectations as they find themselves atop the highly contested AL East. After going 3-4 on a road trip to Houston and Anaheim, the Yankees returned home to take two of three from the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays along with the Blue Jays and Orioles keep jockeying for position but the Yankees keep finding a way to stay one step ahead.

The Yankee pitching staff continues to be a work in progress. Michael Pineda and Mashahiro Tanaka alternate brilliant starts with pedestrian ones. Nathan Eovaldi is iffy at best and has been the beneficiary of the buoyant Yankee offense which explains his 8-2 record with a 4.52 ERA. Ivan Nova has shown some progress in his TJ return and may be the key to the rotation succeeding. And C.C. Sabathia continues to falter. He would be best suited for long work out of the bullpen but is not a possibility because of his $24 million salary.

The Yankee offense is currently tied for 2^nd best in all of baseball along with the Houston Astros. Brian McCann, Mark Teixeira and A-Roid have been the main cogs and show no signs of slowing down. Brett Gardner is playing All-Star quality baseball and is on pace to be the first Yankee to score 100 runs since Robinson Cano in 2011. Carlos Beltran is back on the DL and may not be a reliable RF option for the long haul. And the sooner the Stephen Drew experiment ends, the better. Not sure if Jose Pirela or Rob Refsnyder is the answer at 2B but either can do better than Drew’s .178 batting average.

The bullpen is still the most reliable weapon in the Yankee arsenal, and the options will just get better with the imminent return of Andrew Miller. Justin Wilson and Chasen Shreve have improved as the season has gone on and Bryan Mitchell is developing into a depending long relief arm. And despite a recent blown save against the Rays, Dellin Betances flourishes in both the set-up and closer roles.

But the key to an AL East title is the return of a healthy Jacoby Ellsbury. Brett Gardner and Chase Headley have been able to tread water for now but the combination of Ellsbury and Gardner at the top of the Yankee lineup is formidable and necessary for October baseball in the Bronx.

The only other suggestion I would make to the organization is take notice of Chris Young’s success in Houston and trade him to the Astros. Houston needs a bat for their playoff run and the Yankees could use either Collin McHugh or Lance McCullers in the starting rotation. It would be a win-win.

The Yankees finish the first half with a pair of last-place opponents: three at home against the Oakland A’s and three in Boston against the Sawx. At some point this Yankees squad needs to open a lead in the division and there’s no time like the present, especially against these two disappointing teams.

Head Above Water in the AL East

The Yankees continue to do just enough to remain relevant in their quest to play October baseball. After dropping two of three to the Baltimore Orioles last weekend, the Yanks lost two in Miami to the Marlins followed by back to back wins against the same Marlins in the Bronx. At the same time, the Tampa Bay Rays found a way to sneak into the top spot in the AL East and the Toronto Blue Jays are finally justifying their offseason moves by winning 13 of their last 15 games. With the exception of the lowly Sawx, every team is above .500 and the AL East is up for grabs.

While the Yankee offense continues to rank near the top in the AL East, the actual output on a nightly basis tends to be of the feast or famine variety. This is best exemplified by the last two games that saw the Yankees win 2-1 and 9-4. It is hard to actually score the 4.5 runs that the team has averaged over the season so far every game but more often than not they are wasting a lot of good pitching in the process. Masahiro Tanaka continues to dominate with his only shortcoming being the lack of consistent offensive support mentioned earlier. C.C. Sabathia is finding ways to keep his games winnable and Adam Warren keeps solidifying his spot in the rotation. And Michael Pineda seems to back on track based on Wednesday night’s 6+ inning gem. As for Nathan Eovaldi, the bullpen looks like the only option with Ivan Nova’s imminent return.

Offensively, Brett Gardner doesn’t provide the same leadoff stability as Jacoby Ellsbury but still has plenty of upside, as witnessed by last night’s game-tying home run. Mark Teixeira and Brian McCann are still the most consistent performers in this inconsistent lineup. Carlos Beltran keeps showing flashes of dependability, even if he will never return to All-Star form. And recent call up Mason Williams has impressed both with his CF defense and with his bat.

The bullpen, like the engine of my 1983 Toyota Cressida, needs to be regularly monitored for overuse. Recent DL return Chris Martin, who was very effective in April, has seemed to have come down with a case of David Carpenter-itus. Tasked with a protecting a 6-run lead in last night’s game should not have involved the level of anxiety that he induced nor should Dellin Betances have been needed to warmup. On the bright side, Chasen Shreve has excelled as the 6^th/7^th inning option. Despite a shaky start to his season, Justin Wilson has found his home as a power-arm option in the 7^th/8^th inning. And Dellin Betances continues to mow down hitters no matter when Joe Girardi calls upon him.

Earlier this season, the Yankees made a statement by taking three of four from the Detroit Tigers at Comerica. They have an opportunity to add to that statement with the Tigers visiting this weekend. The Yankees have the talent and the resources, but do they have the resolve? I hope so.