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September 25, 2006

Questions, Questions, Questions......

Via the Baseball Musings Day By Day Database, I was just looking at the stats of some key Yankees hitters since the big series up at Fenway:

SinceBoston925.jpg

Some random thoughts (in the form of questions) looking at these numbers:

- Is there any question that Jeter is the MVP of this team?

- Maybe there is some sense to starting Matsui in LF over Melky in the post-season?

- Has the league caught on to Abreu?

- Should Bernie not be on the bench in the post-season - and should Williams be the Yankees October DH?

- Can Cano and Posada keep this up in the playoffs?

- Where's Johnny been the last month?

Am I the only one (?) who thinks the answers here are:

No. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. I hope so. And, I dunno.

If not, do these answers bother you (outside of the Jeter one) as much as me?

Posted by Steve Lombardi at September 25, 2006 02:09 PM

Comments

If the numbers are for after the Boston series, when they had a 6 1/2 game lead, why does Jeter's excellent numbers make him the Yankee's MVP? You can make the argument for his entire year's performance but why are the post-Boston numbers so significant?

Posted by: RICH [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 25, 2006 04:43 PM

My answers are:

*no, but we wouldn't be anywhere without the August production from Abreu and Cano.
*yes - I think many of us forgot what an offensive threat Matsui is
*yes - but Abreu has adjusted as well. He's become more of a run producer than the table setter he was in early August.
*Bernie should absolutely get time at DH. He's a better offensive contributor than Cabrera, Wilson, etc.
*Cano yes - Posada maybe
*Damon had a rough couple weeks, but he'll be fine.

Posted by: christopher [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 25, 2006 08:55 PM

- yes but there were tons of heroes for this team this year.

- yes ... it wasn't really a hughe question to begin with unless Melky somehow had an unbelivalbe September or Matsui really struggles.

- Yes and no, he's still doing fairly well. and the power strokes begining to return lately.

- Depends on the situation with Giambi/Sheffield, if either of them are in doubt, then yes.

- i hope so too... Cano was pretty big for us last year in the first couple games of the ALDS, i think he can be again.

- Damon's probably just banged up. Damon/Melky/Abreu have all been starting A LOT, you really need to give Damon and Abreu a few more days off now. I wan them to start only half the games of so from now till the plaoffs.

Posted by: Yu Hsing Chen [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 25, 2006 11:06 PM

Rich - because he didn't quit performing at his high level just because it appeared that the DIV chase was over.

Note, that's different from under-performing and then high-performing when the chase was over.

Posted by: Steve Lombardi [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 25, 2006 11:14 PM

The Banter is saying Johnson has been hiding a back injury and will miss his next start but will be available for the post-season. Ugh.

Posted by: JeremyM [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 25, 2006 11:18 PM