How is your team doing compared to their preseason predictions? Who do you feel has had a surprising season for your squad and who's been a disappointment? How do you think your team will finish out the season?
NEW YORK YANKEES
Jorge Posada (C-)
After signing a 4-year extension Posada has missed 46 games due to injury. His batting average has fallen back to where it belongs at .272, five percentage points below his career average. Like most Yankees his slugging is down this year, over 50 points below his career average and has only three home runs in 49 games. Because of his shoulder issues he will likely DH/1B more than catch for the remainder of the season.
Jason Giambi (A-)
Giambi started off the season as slow as anyone, hitting just .164 in April. He then picked it up by hitting .315 in May and .305 in June, helping the team through a difficult stretch in which Posada and A-Rod spent time on the DL. At the AS break he has 19 homers and is the only Yankee besides A-Rod slugging over .500. He has stayed healthy for the most part, playing 1B far more frequently than the past few seasons. While his range is poor, his glove work around the bag has been more than adequate. It's scary to think where this team would be without Giambi.
Robinson Cano (D-)
Known as a slow starter and second half player, Cano has taken that to new heights this season. Believe it or not Cano is hitting in the .287 after April but often looks lost at the plate, stuck behind fastballs and well ahead of breaking pitches. His putrid .285 OBP and .385 slugging % will make you cringe, as will watching him play on a daily basis and seeing him roll over or pop-up on the first pitch of the at bat. Some think the loss of Larry Bowa, who was constantly on Cano's rear-end, is a reason for his struggles. If it weren't for his improved defense Cano would receive an F.
Derek Jeter (C)
A lot has been made of Jeter's poor season but outside of a two week stretch after Daniel Cabrera drilled him on the wrist Jeter hasn't been as bad as some think. The biggest concern is his lack of walks and OBP, which is down 40 points from his career average. His defense is subpar as always but his batting average will continue to climb and you can bet he finishes the season above .300.
Alex Rodriguez (A+)
He's the best player in baseball and having another great season. His power numbers are down from his historic season in '07 but that's expected. Between him and Giambi they are carrying this offense as A-Rod continues to play solid defense.
Bobby Abreu (F)
Abreu has been the biggest disaster of 2008 for the position players. He's close to dropping in to the .260's despite hitting in front of the best player in baseball, he can't hit for power, hardly ever gets a big hit, he's afraid of the wall, has below average range and does not get a good jump on fly balls. As much as a dislike Mike Francesca, he hit the nail on the head when he said, "Abreu simply isn't as good as his numbers if you watch him everyday."
Melky Cabrera (F)
Like Cano, Melky has had a rough season at the plate. More alarming than Cano (or even Giambi), Melky got off to a great start by hitting .299 with 5 homers in April - and the "young Bernie Williams with an arm" talk started growing stronger - but since the start of May Melky has done his best to play himself out of a future in The Bronx. He is hitting .220 with 3 HR's and 22 RBI since May 1. While he remains valuable in '08 because the rest of the Yankee OF's are atrocious defenders, Brett Gardner's recent call-up shows that the front office is not going to wait much longer on Melky. It's becoming clear to everyone what most already knew, Melky is a quality 4th outfielder or a starter on a bad team.
Johnny Damon (B+)
After last season many people were questioning if Damon could stay healthy and if he had enough left in the tank. The first question remains unanswered but the second he has answered to the tune of .319/.387/.470, good enough for the third-highest slugging % on the Yanks. His range remains an asset in LF despite his arm and he remains the sparkplug to the offense, when he goes, the Yankees go.
Hideki Matsui (A-)
While Matsui's average is as good as it's been during his tenure in New York, his power is dipping and his health is a concern. Matui's days as a regular outfielder are behind him and you'd like to get better than .458 slugging from your every day DH. Despite the negatives, .322/.404/.458 is certainly one of the brighter spots on this offense. Hopefully he has a bit more pop when he returns to the lineup.
Jose Molina (B+)
You can't ask for much more out of your back up catcher. He has been asked to play more games than ever before and has been wonderful behind the plate, both in calling a game and throwing out base-runners. It would be nice if he could be slightly more patient at the plate but you have to be impressed with his 14 doubles, which is more than Matui, Giambi, Posada and Melky this year.
Brett Gardner (C)
It's tough to gauge him on such a short sample size but it doesn't look like he'll be much more than a 4th outfielder. He is very nice to have for defensive purposes and pinch-running but it looks like Gardner may be a more patient Melky with less pop. He's done a decent job filling in for Damon and it will be interesting to see his role once Damon and Matsui are back.
Wilson Betemit (D)
Betemit continues to try and crush the ball every AB, which is why almost a third of his AB's have resulted in a strike out. When he connects the ball goes a long way, but his .268 OBP and below average defense leaves a lot to be desired from a bench player.
PITCHING
Chien-Ming Wang (B)
The Yankees' ace struggled with consistency in the first half. After starting 6-0 with a 3.00 ERA, Wang got wacked around for a few starts (25 ER's in four starts) but seemed to regain his form before injuring his foot with a 8-2 record and a 4.07 ERA.
Andy Pettitte (B)
Like Wang, Pettitte has struggled with consistency. He continues to eat up innings and has a decision in 17 of 20 starts. With 10 wins and a 4.03 ERA and hopefully his typical strong second half on the horizon, Pettitte should finish 2008 nicely.
Mike Mussina (A)
Moose was left for dead and bashed by many fans, including myself, after a tough 2007 season. All he did was reinvent himself and bounced back with a 11 first half wins and a 3.61 ERA. Now featuring a deadly Maddux-like 2-seamer, Moose may have finagled a few more season onto the twilight of his career.
Joba Chamberlain (A-)
Reliever? Starter? Doesn't really matter as Chamberlain has been impressive throughout his first full season in the bigs. Joba's 2.62 ERA is quite remarkable considering the control problems he's had since becoming a starter. Even when he's off his game he still avoids getting shelled, thanks to his 76 strikeouts in 65 IP. His curveball already looks very good but his change up needs quite a bit of work.
Phil Hughes/Ian Kennedy (F)
Neither has a registered a win in '08 and both spent time on the DL. Kennedy healthy and back in the minors, where I assume he'll spend the remainder of 2008. Hughes is expected back in August, although it remains to be seen if it's in the majors or not.
Darrell Rasner (C)
It looked like we might have another Aaron Small on a our hands for a while but Rasner has come back down to earth. Still, he's been a serviceable fill-in guy and I like having him out there much more than trading for a washed up vet or a rent-a-starter.
Mariano Rivera (A+)
God in a baseball uniform. His best season ever, and his control is as sharp as we've ever seen it. 23-23 in save chances and ONE earned run during those 23 chances.
Jose Veras (B+)
Still a little susceptible to the long ball, Veras has found control of his slider and has a 2.87 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP.
Edwar Ramirez (B-)
The changeup-happy beanpole has improved this season with 2.73 ERA, but needs to be a little more consistent.
Kyle Farnsworth (C)
The 3.51 ERA and 39 K's in 41 innings is his best yet in New York, but the 10 home runs in those 41 innings is still a major concern. No one wants to see him on the hill in a tight spot.
LaTroy Hawkins (F)
I don't know anyone who liked this signing. Hawkins has been the disaster everyone expected with an ERA hovering near 6.00
Overall, it has been a disheartening first half as a Yankee fan. Our young hitters (Cano & Cabera) have been awful, the power of the lineup outside of A-Rod and Giambi is frighteningly bad, Hughes and Kennedy have been disasters, Jeter, Posada, and Abreu are all having down years offensively and Wang is probably done for the season. This team is as inconsistent of a baseball team as I've ever watched and it will take a pretty big turnaround to sneak into the Wild Card spot.
NEW YORK YANKEES
Jorge Posada (C-)
After signing a 4-year extension Posada has missed 46 games due to injury. His batting average has fallen back to where it belongs at .272, five percentage points below his career average. Like most Yankees his slugging is down this year, over 50 points below his career average and has only three home runs in 49 games. Because of his shoulder issues he will likely DH/1B more than catch for the remainder of the season.
Jason Giambi (A-)
Giambi started off the season as slow as anyone, hitting just .164 in April. He then picked it up by hitting .315 in May and .305 in June, helping the team through a difficult stretch in which Posada and A-Rod spent time on the DL. At the AS break he has 19 homers and is the only Yankee besides A-Rod slugging over .500. He has stayed healthy for the most part, playing 1B far more frequently than the past few seasons. While his range is poor, his glove work around the bag has been more than adequate. It's scary to think where this team would be without Giambi.
Robinson Cano (D-)
Known as a slow starter and second half player, Cano has taken that to new heights this season. Believe it or not Cano is hitting in the .287 after April but often looks lost at the plate, stuck behind fastballs and well ahead of breaking pitches. His putrid .285 OBP and .385 slugging % will make you cringe, as will watching him play on a daily basis and seeing him roll over or pop-up on the first pitch of the at bat. Some think the loss of Larry Bowa, who was constantly on Cano's rear-end, is a reason for his struggles. If it weren't for his improved defense Cano would receive an F.
Derek Jeter (C)
A lot has been made of Jeter's poor season but outside of a two week stretch after Daniel Cabrera drilled him on the wrist Jeter hasn't been as bad as some think. The biggest concern is his lack of walks and OBP, which is down 40 points from his career average. His defense is subpar as always but his batting average will continue to climb and you can bet he finishes the season above .300.
Alex Rodriguez (A+)
He's the best player in baseball and having another great season. His power numbers are down from his historic season in '07 but that's expected. Between him and Giambi they are carrying this offense as A-Rod continues to play solid defense.
Bobby Abreu (F)
Abreu has been the biggest disaster of 2008 for the position players. He's close to dropping in to the .260's despite hitting in front of the best player in baseball, he can't hit for power, hardly ever gets a big hit, he's afraid of the wall, has below average range and does not get a good jump on fly balls. As much as a dislike Mike Francesca, he hit the nail on the head when he said, "Abreu simply isn't as good as his numbers if you watch him everyday."
Melky Cabrera (F)
Like Cano, Melky has had a rough season at the plate. More alarming than Cano (or even Giambi), Melky got off to a great start by hitting .299 with 5 homers in April - and the "young Bernie Williams with an arm" talk started growing stronger - but since the start of May Melky has done his best to play himself out of a future in The Bronx. He is hitting .220 with 3 HR's and 22 RBI since May 1. While he remains valuable in '08 because the rest of the Yankee OF's are atrocious defenders, Brett Gardner's recent call-up shows that the front office is not going to wait much longer on Melky. It's becoming clear to everyone what most already knew, Melky is a quality 4th outfielder or a starter on a bad team.
Johnny Damon (B+)
After last season many people were questioning if Damon could stay healthy and if he had enough left in the tank. The first question remains unanswered but the second he has answered to the tune of .319/.387/.470, good enough for the third-highest slugging % on the Yanks. His range remains an asset in LF despite his arm and he remains the sparkplug to the offense, when he goes, the Yankees go.
Hideki Matsui (A-)
While Matsui's average is as good as it's been during his tenure in New York, his power is dipping and his health is a concern. Matui's days as a regular outfielder are behind him and you'd like to get better than .458 slugging from your every day DH. Despite the negatives, .322/.404/.458 is certainly one of the brighter spots on this offense. Hopefully he has a bit more pop when he returns to the lineup.
Jose Molina (B+)
You can't ask for much more out of your back up catcher. He has been asked to play more games than ever before and has been wonderful behind the plate, both in calling a game and throwing out base-runners. It would be nice if he could be slightly more patient at the plate but you have to be impressed with his 14 doubles, which is more than Matui, Giambi, Posada and Melky this year.
Brett Gardner (C)
It's tough to gauge him on such a short sample size but it doesn't look like he'll be much more than a 4th outfielder. He is very nice to have for defensive purposes and pinch-running but it looks like Gardner may be a more patient Melky with less pop. He's done a decent job filling in for Damon and it will be interesting to see his role once Damon and Matsui are back.
Wilson Betemit (D)
Betemit continues to try and crush the ball every AB, which is why almost a third of his AB's have resulted in a strike out. When he connects the ball goes a long way, but his .268 OBP and below average defense leaves a lot to be desired from a bench player.
PITCHING
Chien-Ming Wang (B)
The Yankees' ace struggled with consistency in the first half. After starting 6-0 with a 3.00 ERA, Wang got wacked around for a few starts (25 ER's in four starts) but seemed to regain his form before injuring his foot with a 8-2 record and a 4.07 ERA.
Andy Pettitte (B)
Like Wang, Pettitte has struggled with consistency. He continues to eat up innings and has a decision in 17 of 20 starts. With 10 wins and a 4.03 ERA and hopefully his typical strong second half on the horizon, Pettitte should finish 2008 nicely.
Mike Mussina (A)
Moose was left for dead and bashed by many fans, including myself, after a tough 2007 season. All he did was reinvent himself and bounced back with a 11 first half wins and a 3.61 ERA. Now featuring a deadly Maddux-like 2-seamer, Moose may have finagled a few more season onto the twilight of his career.
Joba Chamberlain (A-)
Reliever? Starter? Doesn't really matter as Chamberlain has been impressive throughout his first full season in the bigs. Joba's 2.62 ERA is quite remarkable considering the control problems he's had since becoming a starter. Even when he's off his game he still avoids getting shelled, thanks to his 76 strikeouts in 65 IP. His curveball already looks very good but his change up needs quite a bit of work.
Phil Hughes/Ian Kennedy (F)
Neither has a registered a win in '08 and both spent time on the DL. Kennedy healthy and back in the minors, where I assume he'll spend the remainder of 2008. Hughes is expected back in August, although it remains to be seen if it's in the majors or not.
Darrell Rasner (C)
It looked like we might have another Aaron Small on a our hands for a while but Rasner has come back down to earth. Still, he's been a serviceable fill-in guy and I like having him out there much more than trading for a washed up vet or a rent-a-starter.
Mariano Rivera (A+)
God in a baseball uniform. His best season ever, and his control is as sharp as we've ever seen it. 23-23 in save chances and ONE earned run during those 23 chances.
Jose Veras (B+)
Still a little susceptible to the long ball, Veras has found control of his slider and has a 2.87 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP.
Edwar Ramirez (B-)
The changeup-happy beanpole has improved this season with 2.73 ERA, but needs to be a little more consistent.
Kyle Farnsworth (C)
The 3.51 ERA and 39 K's in 41 innings is his best yet in New York, but the 10 home runs in those 41 innings is still a major concern. No one wants to see him on the hill in a tight spot.
LaTroy Hawkins (F)
I don't know anyone who liked this signing. Hawkins has been the disaster everyone expected with an ERA hovering near 6.00
Overall, it has been a disheartening first half as a Yankee fan. Our young hitters (Cano & Cabera) have been awful, the power of the lineup outside of A-Rod and Giambi is frighteningly bad, Hughes and Kennedy have been disasters, Jeter, Posada, and Abreu are all having down years offensively and Wang is probably done for the season. This team is as inconsistent of a baseball team as I've ever watched and it will take a pretty big turnaround to sneak into the Wild Card spot.
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