Girardi comes to his senses with the lineup

Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Eric Chavez DH
Curtis Granderson CF
Russell Martin C
Ichiro Suzuki LF
Casey McGehee 3B

SP: LHP CC Sabathia

Panic Mode

Three weeks ago, the Yankees were sitting pretty atop the American League East with a 10.5 game lead over the second place Baltimore Orioles. Since then, the Yankees have gone 6-18, by far their worst stretch of the season. It all started in the Oakland series where the Yankees were swept in a four game set, each game being decided by one run. After that series, the Yankees have played the Mariners twice and took two out of three both times. They also played Boston and Baltimore and lost two out of three to each of those teams. In this series, the Yankees have made headlines by losing the first two out of four games and can only hope that CC Sabathia gives them a solid performance tonight to break their slide. A split in this series would be just what the doctor ordered for a struggling Yankees team that finds itself with a slim 4.5 game lead after Baltimore won in fourteen innings against the Mariners last night. They are no longer the favorites in the American League to win it all. They have been reduced to a laughing stock over the last three weeks because of their lackluster play.

Eric Chavez was interviewed after last night's loss and stated, "There should be a high level of concern." He also added, "Anybody who says there isn’t is lying. We’ve just got to win ballgames and we’re not finding a way to do that right now. There should be a concern. It’s that time of year where, yeah, it’s a concern. We have to start winning games.” Chavez went 2-4 with a two-run home run in the fourth inning to give the Yankees a temporary 2-0 lead. Chavez is spot on with his honesty, and it gives everyone some insight as to what the tone of the Yankee clubhouse is right now. There is no way the Yankees will win the division unless their starting pitching turns a corner, specifically with CC Sabathia and even more so, Ivan Nova. In a five game series, I don't think Ivan Nova is in the conversation as the fourth starter. Despite Hughes' mediocre performance last night, I believe that he would be the more viable candidate for a game four start.

Adding fuel to the fire is Girardi's decision to bat Granderson leadoff. That is one of the dumbest decisions I have seen by Girardi all season long. If he opens his eyes, he will see that Granderson is possibly the worst option in the lead off spot. I would rather have Raul Ibanez lead off than have to watch Granderson strike out three times in a game. A slump is a slump, meaning if a player is really struggling in the second spot of the batting order, nothing will change if you slot him into the lead off spot. It gives the struggling player an additional at bat that essentially goes to waste. Case and point, last night where Granderson popped out to Fielder to end the game with two on and two out in the top of the ninth inning. Granderson belongs in the bottom part of the order in this lineup and has no business batting first. If I were the manager, the lineup would look like this:

Derek Jeter

Nick Swisher

Robinson Cano

Mark Teixeira

Eric Chavez/Jayson Nix

Raul Ibanez/Andruw Jones

Curtis Granderson

Ichiro Suzuki

Russell Martin

The lineup isn't perfect, but it would vary based on who the Yankees were facing that particular day. The bottom line is that Granderson should be toward the bottom of the lineup with his low batting average and his strikeouts. He is a good fastball hitter, but I want someone else in the top who will provide me with a quality at bat. If Granderson is a true power hitter, it shouldn't matter where he bats.

The Yankees have quite the road ahead of them if they want to keep the top spot in the division. Tampa Bay and Baltimore are heating up and it would be a shame to see the Yankees hard work in the first half go to waste by a terrible finish to the season.

Yankees with a Brutal Loss

Once again, the Yankees lose a one run game that should have been who by them. Phil Hughes' struggles will be the story in this game. He was given a two run lead thanks to Eric Chavez's home run in the fourth inning. He could not tame the red hot Miguel Cabrera who did most of the damage for Tigers against Phil Hughes. Also what made Hughes inefficient in his start was his high pitch count in the fourth and fifth innings. Add those struggles with Miguel Cabrera taking batting practice off of Hughes and the result will not be pretty. Hughes had a chance for the win tonight but he could not contain a lead, similar to what Nova's problem was last night against Verlander.

The Yankee offense was lethargic for the majority of the game. Ichiro had a great night by driving two runners in in a failed comeback but the rest of the offense was largely responsible for the loss along with Hughes poor outing. Granderson in the lead off spot does not sit well with me. He has floundered in that position his whole career and I didn't see a reason for Girardi to mess with an already competent 1-2 slot in the lineup. Granderson will strike out about 180 times this season. Jeter will K half as many times and gives a better at bat. If Girardi has any sense in him, Granderson will be hitting second and Jeter will return to leading off in the near future. The ninth inning was interesting but the Yankees and Curtis Granderson ultimately failed to get the runners in from scoring position.

In what the Yankees hope will be a two game winning streak starting with tomorrow's game, CC Sabathia will take the ball for the Bombers. Anibal Sanchez will start for the Tigers. Hopefully this streak doesn't carry much longer and the Yankees return to playing crisp baseball.

Looks like Granderson Leading off against Righties

Curtis Granderson CF
Derek Jeter SS
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Eric Chavez 3B
Nick Swisher RF
Raul Ibanez DH
Ichiro Suzuki LF
Russell Martin C

SP: RHP Phil Hughes

Nova Stinks up the Joint, Seriously

The Ivan Nova experience is beginning to get annoying. He has great starts like a stretch earlier in the season then he's awful and makes you cover your eyes. In his past several starts, and in his last two specifically, Nova has been god awful. In those two starts Nova has gone 10.1 innings and allowed twenty-one hits and sixteen earned runs. Those are atrocious statistics for someone who is supposed to be a sinker-ball pitcher. Overall, since the All-Star break Nova has allowed twenty-six earned runs in twenty-eight innings pitched. That comes out to an 8.36 ERA during the stretch. I communicated with Jack Curry during the game via Twitter about the possibility of Nova getting sent down to the minors due to his recent struggles. Curry replied that it was a legitimate question and to stay tuned to how the Yankees react to Nova's performances of late. As much as I love Ivan Nova as a pitcher, I believe he has shown that his mind wanders when he has to make pitches, a tell-tale sign that someone is too comfortable despite getting hit hard. Also, after his last start in which he gave up nine earned runs in five innings, Nova stated that he had good stuff and he felt that he hit his spots and had good command. Nova needs a mind check and a trip to the minors where he spent last June. It may help him re-gain his 2011 form.

Justin Verlander was his usual self tonight, going eight strong innings and allowing two runs, which were both unearned. He gave both runs up after a fielding error on a ground ball in the fifth inning to allow the Yankees to tie the game. Since then, Verlander did not give anything else to the Yankees. When the Yankees tied the game in the fifth, Nova should have buckled down. Instead, Nova gave up the lead and then some. You just can't do that when you are facing an ace. Couple that with a home plate umpire who did not even see the strike zone and your hitters will be very frustrated.

Tomorrow night, the Yankees need to win the game to avoid being down two games to none in the four game set. Taking three straight after this one would be a real confidence booster for the Yankees and one they desperately need after playing mediocre baseball over the last two weeks. Phil Hughes will start for the Yankees, looking for his twelfth win against Rick Porcello and the Tigers.

Granderson leading off again

Curtis Granderson CF
Derek Jeter SS
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Raul Ibanez LF
Nick Swisher RF
Eric Chavez 3B
Ichiro Suzuki DH
Russell Martin C

SP: RHP Ivan Nova

Yankees Seal Series Win

Freddy Garcia was getting matched up against Iwakuma today for the rubber game of the three game set against the Seattle Mariners and he gave the Yankees just what they asked for. Garcia provided the Yankees with five innings, giving up two runs on two RBI singles to Jesus Montero, who was the only Mariner with RBI's in the game. Garcia got in trouble with two outs and walked four batters in his start. The bullpen came in and only allowed one base runner in four innings of work. The only base runner was given up by Robertson in the eighth inning with two outs. In other words, the bullpen held up fantastically in the rubber game to help Garcia and the Yankees get the series win against a weak club.

Two unlikely men garnered most of the attention in today's game offensively. Raul Ibanez went 2-4 with a solo home run and a two run single off a lefty in the sixth inning. Raul has been a godsend for the Yankees this season, providing them with big hits and flexibility off the bench as a force who has the ability to change a game. Chris Stewart also had a huge game, going 2-3 with a walk, stolen base and three runs scored! This sounds like the line of a Jeter or a Granderson. Certainly, one would not attach those numbers to Chris Stewart, but nevertheless he came through for the Yankees today. With today's win, the Yankees finished the home stand by going 4-5, not that impressive but it gets the job done when you have a seven game lead in the standings.

The Yankees start a seven game road trip tomorrow night with the first of four against the Tigers. Tomorrow, Justin Verlander will pitch against the Yankees. Ivan Nova will get the start for the Yankees off his horrendous start last Tuesday. The Yankees have done well against Verlander this year. They beat him in Detroit earlier in the season and came back against the bullpen at Yankee Stadium in Verlander's other start against the Yankees in April.