NEW YORK (WCBS) -- I’d like to express many thanks to WCBS Newsradio 880 for allowing me to share my Yankee analysis, opinions, and rants on their newly designed website. Look for my column every Friday (we got a head start with today's column). Hopefully, you’ll find my observations enjoyable and entertaining, and I encourage you to write back with your spirited opinions. (If you think I’m wrong, that’s fine! It won’t be the first time.) I’ll take an occasional look at the cross-town Mets as well, and bring you some exclusive interviews.
Now that the sappy intros are over, let’s revel in the fact that baseball is back and the Knicks’ season is drawing to a close. The Yanks are primed for their opener this Monday night in Oakland, Proud Papa Randy Johnson is looking sharp and game-ready, and Boss George has informed his troops that this is the year they must bring home that elusive 27th World Championship Trophy to its rightful place in the Canyon of Heroes.
We all know the Yanks have an incredible offense capable of dismantling the majority of American League pitchers. The addition of Johnny Damon makes their potent offensive even more formidable. (Although Jeter is the ideal leadoff hitter, not Damon, because Jeter has a better on-base percentage and higher ratio of pitches seen.) Nevertheless, to worry about the Yanks offense is pointless. So to start things off here, let’s take a close look at the Yank’s biggest dilemma: A porous defense.
Infield, right side:
Defensive Grade: D
Robinson Cano came up to the Yankees last year in early May and helped save the season with some timely hitting and occasional brilliance at second base. Give Brian Cashman credit for realizing that the incredibly idiotic Tony Womack signing was on the verge of costing the team a trip to the playoffs. (The Womack acquisition was not Cashman’s idea; it was thrust upon him by the dysfunctional Tampa branch of the Yankee family.) To spark the 11-18 team, Brian summoned Cano from Columbus and Joe inserted him into the lineup.
In his rookie year, Cano displayed two remarkable traits: He can turn the double play with the grace of Baryshnikov, but he also has an annoying penchant for daydreaming during the game. Third base coach Larry Bowa, the new resident hard-ass, has been assigned the task of laying the smackdown on Cano. In addition to tutoring him on how to anticipate bad hops, Bowa will make sure Cano keeps his head in the game. (Look for some interesting dugout shots of Bowa screaming at Cano the first time he forgets how many outs there are.)
Cano’s range is about average, so it’s important that he master the fundamentals. I’m old enough to remember when the basics were taught in the minor leagues. But so is Bowa, so expect Cano’s defense to become more consistent under his tutelage.
First base is the weakest spot in the Yankee infield. Joe Torre told Mike Francesca that Giambi is slated to play about 140 games this year at first. This is bad news for groundball pitchers like Chien-Ming Wang. However, Giambi is convinced that he can’t hit well unless he is playing first and his offensive splits prove it out. Over the past three years, Giambi has hit .217/.384/.414 in 517 ABs as a DH, and .274/.427/.563 in 691 ABs while playing first.
Torre doesn’t mind sacrificing the defense for the stronger offensive production. But the problem is Jason is becoming more inert and his range is getting worse as he ages. (Think John Madden on ice skates.)
The only decent aspect of Giambi’s defense is his ability to scoop balls out of the dirt, a talent he perfected in Oakland when he had to protect against the vast foul territory behind him where the ball could rattle around for weeks before being retrieved. Andy Phillips will caddy at first for Giambi in the late innings. Andy’s defense is slightly above average, but he will look like Keith Hernandez compared to the Giambino.
Infield, Left side:
Defensive Grade: A -
One of the fiercest debates raging within the baseball community concerns Derek Jeter’s defense, or lack thereof. The Jeter phenomenon is such that his advocates are unabashed in their defense of Captain Intangible. Derek can do no wrong in the eyes of his devoted parishioners.
Jeter’s detractors see nothing but his lack of range and seem to ignore all his positive attributes. They also are prone to regard Jeter’s supporters as misguided dolts immersed in the mesmerizing effects of Jeter’s mythology—morons who don’t know the game enough to see how his lack of range harms the team. Neither camp could be swayed to change its mind with a crowbar. We are talking Shiites and Sunnis here.
Baseball stat freaks, or sabermetricans, point to the Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR), one of the systems that measure a fielder’s range. Jeter ranks near the bottom of the pile, at -8 below league average. A weighted analysis by the venerable TangoTiger even rates Jeter as the very worst of all Major League Shortstops for range factor over the past three seasons.
As much as I believe in most forms of objective sabermetric philosophy, such as the all important OBP and the shunning of “productive outs,” I have to disagree here. Yes, Jeter does not have great range, but he adds dimensions of worth to his team that defies quantitative analysis, and there ain’t no stat geek that can tell me otherwise. I can’t let statistical “objectivity” act as a blinding agent to what my eyes can clearly see. (That sound you hear is members of the saber community firing up their keyboards to take pithy shots at me.)
You remember that catch Jeter made against the Red Sox on that glorious first night of July in 2004, when he risked his body by crashing in the stands to save the game? That doesn’t count in sabermetric measurement because it was a foul ball. Remember “The Play” against Oakland in the 2001 playoffs that saved the series for the Yanks when Jeter intuitively ran to a spot where he had no business being and then made the perfect cut-off throw home? Aside from the assist, there is no quantitative measurement of such a play, nor are there useful measurements for his amazing skills as a cut-off man.
Jeter’s value is truly intangible, and he inspires teammates with his leadership. He belongs at shortstop on my team, but let the arguments rage on. The debates are fun.
With A-Rod’s superior range at third and the improvement he’s shown on the slow grounders down the line, the left side of the infield is in good defensive shape. A-Rod’s range also helps Jeter cheat a bit up the middle, where the Captain has trouble ranging to his left. A-Rod was plagued by some early season errors last year, but he was much more consistent in the 2nd half. A word about the reigning MVP: The guy works as hard as anyone. His transition to third was amazingly smooth in 2004 and his arm continues to be a freakin’ Remington 700 bolt-action assault rifle. Anyone who goes to Yankee Stadium to boo A-Rod is delusional, jealous, or a Red Sox fan. (Therapy is available for the fist two afflictions. If you are saddled with the latter ailment, I’m afraid there is no hope.)
Catching
Defensive Grade: B -
Jorge Posada has forged a great relationship with new first base coach and catching guru Tony Pena. Tony is working tirelessly with Posada and all the catchers in camp. Like Bowa, Pena’s has a “Type A” personality and he pushes his men hard while encouraging them to learn and have fun at the same time. Posada, the consummate team player, continues to improve behind the plate despite his age. That’s because Posada is driven, devoted and does not suffer from a large ego. He’s always ready to learn something new.
One of Posada’s most important tasks will be to repair his working relationship with Randy Johnson. Last year John Flaherty became the Big Unit’s personal catcher, and that nonsense ends now. Jorge ranks toward the bottom for base runners thrown out, but I am not postings those numbers since I truly believe that so much depends on the pitcher being able to hold runners on. Most observers concur that Yankee pitchers are poor at that. (Where are you, Andy Pettitte?) Most defensive metrics place Georgie somewhere in the middle of the pack for catchers. Not great, but also not a liability. His offense more than makes up for average defense. Kelly Stinnett will be a capable once-a-week backup. As long as Posada stays healthy, there are no big problems here.
Outfield:
Defensive Grade: D
Troubles. You want troubles? We got troubles. The Yankee outfield defense is pretty awful. Measure it anyway you want, but it’s gone from horrendous in 2005 to very poor in 2006. Despite this “upgrade,” the offense will once again more than make up for the outfield defense issues, so things are all relative here. The Kansas City Royals should have such troubles.
Hideki Matsui has average range in left, but he has shown a strange trend for making senseless errors. Like all Yankee outfielders, his throwing arm is below average. But of all three starters, he will be the steadiest. I can’t help but wish that he would relinquish his consecutive game streak; he could really use an occasional rest.
Johnny Damon is a defensive improvement in center over Bernie Williams. Stephen Hawking would be a defensive improvement in center over Bernie too, so don’t get too excited. Damon will cover the vast area in center adequately, as he had no problems negotiating the nooks and crannies of Fenway’s irregularly shaped Center field area. But Damon’s arm is not much better than Bernie’s, and it has been exacerbated by shoulder tendonitis. Once again Jeter will have to save the day by venturing deep into the outfield to act as the strong-armed cut-off man.
Gary Sheffield should be a DH at this stage in his career. Torre acknowledges that Sheffield was drained at season’s end last year from playing everyday in right. So expect to see Bernie and Bubba in right fairly often this year. Sheffield’s range has deteriorated greatly the past few years; he plays tentatively in the field to protect his tender shoulder, and he has even said he’d never jump into the stands like Jeter because it’s too dangerous. Sheffield will simply get to the balls he can get to. No more. No less. And he’s not going to worry about it. We’re not talking Roberto Clemente here.
Bernie in right field is downright scary. He used to be able to outrun his defensive mistakes, but now his mistakes define him. He has trouble getting a jump on the ball, and the corner spots should prove more difficult for him than center field did. He may have the worst arm of any right fielder in major league history; including Pete Gray of the 1945 St. Louis Browns (Gray had only one arm).
Bubba Crosby provides some decent defensive backup at all three positions. Crosby is out of options, so he can not be shuttled back and forth to Columbus as he has been the past few years. At some point this season, expect to see Kevin Thompson emerge as the 4th outfielder. His overall play impressed everyone this spring. He’s ready for the show now, but he must bide his time.
Overall Defensive Grade: C-
The Yankee defense is below average, and the aging pitching has tons of question marks. Despite these faults, they will still win 100 games again and waltz away with the divisional crown. That’s largely a testament to the offense. But pitching and defense win come playoff time, and that’s why the Yanks haven’t won it all since 2000.
Will the Yanks bring back a championship to New York despite the defensive shortcomings? Stick around and find out, the 2006 sojourn is just beginning.
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