New York, NY (WFAN) -- Is there anybody alive out there??? Just wondering why everyone has stopped cluttering up my inbox with all those anti-A-Rod e-mails that insisted the Yankees were better off without him. I know all the reasons why we don't like him. But in case you forgot he's showing you all the reasons why the Yankees needed him back.
The Yanks turnaround isn't entirely about
A-Rod. Remember,
CC Sabathia threw two gems on the last road trip, and the other starters have been much better too.
Johnny Damon has been hitting like A-Rod circa 2007. And the bullpen has been a little better, even getting key contributions lately from
Alfredo Aceves and
Brett Tomko, neither of whom made the Opening Day Roster only six weeks ago.
But it's hard to ignore these facts:
- The Yankees were 13-15 in the 28 games before A-Rod returned. They went 8-and-2 in the first 10 games since A-Rod returned.
- In those first 28 games 3rd basemen Cody Ransom, Ramiro Pena, and Angel Berroa combined for 0 HR and 10 RBI. In his first 10 games back, A-Rod hit 4 HR with 8 RBI.
- A-Rod has only 6 hits in his first 32 at-bats, but 4 of them are home runs and they all were meaningful. His 3-run HR on the first pitch he saw in Baltimore jump-started a 4-0 win. Home run #2 was last Saturday, the second of the three straight walk-off wins against the Twins. Home run #3 came with the Yanks down 2-0 in the 7th inning last Sunday, and after scoring one more run in the inning the Yanks would set up another extra-innings victory. Home run #4 came Monday night, going back-to-back with Mark Teixeira in a six-run first inning, a game in which the Yanks eventually won by just one run.
- And Mark Teixeira's bat has finally woken up, hitting 5 HR with 13 RBI in 10 games with A-Rod batting behind him, compared to 5 HR and 15 RBI in the first 28 games of the year.
As I said, it's clear that the Yankee turnaround isn't entirely about Alex Rodriguez-the lack of production at third base would not have been as big an issue if the Yankee starters had gotten out of the gate faster, if the bullpen hadn't been a disaster, if
Jorge Posada hadn't gotten hurt, and if Teixeira hadn't been batting under .200 for the first five weeks.
But it's also clear that the Yankees missed A-Rod more than anyone is willing to admit. He will undoubtedly say or do something very stupid in the near future. And I will be among the first in line to tell you how stupid what he said or did was. But when Alex Rodriguez steps into the batter's box he makes the Yankees a better team than they are without him.
*Hey, ya know how this Yankee farm system stinks and can't produce anyone that contributes at the major league level? So far this season I think we've all seen some things we like from
Brett Gardner, Ramiro Pena, and
Francisco Cervelli. I'm not saying these guys are the next Bernie, Jeter, and Posada. I'm just saying.
And that's in addition to what
Melky Cabrera is finally showing you, the player
Robinson Cano is once again, and the STARTING pitcher
Joba Chamberlain is showing you he can be.
Phil Coke is pretty good too. He hadn't pitched well lately, giving up 3 home runs to lefty hitters in four outings. Being the only lefty in the bullpen right now, that's not what you look for. But he seems to have a bounce-back ability that you do look for in relievers. When there wasn't anybody else you were sure could get the save Monday night when
Mariano Rivera wasn't available, Coke walked the tightrope but got the job done.
He's also a little crazy…but in a good way.
*A few weeks ago I told you the story of
Nick Swisher and all his charitable endeavors. Starting this Wednesday and going through the end of the baseball season, one of our favorite baseball bars Foley's on W 33rd (www.foleysny.com) is getting into the act. For every order of Swish & Chips (battered fish and French fries) Foley's will donate $1 to Swish's Wishes. Nice work guys! I'll see you there.
Thanks for reading. Send comments and questions to
Yankees@wfan.com.
Sweeny
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