We're a week away from the Major League Baseball All-Star game, which means the Yankees need to get moving. If you have watched the majority of games this season you know that run support is not easy to come by for a team nicknamed the "Bronx Bombers". There's not a whole lot of punch in the lineup due to injuries, players that are much closer to the end of their careers than the beginning, and a lot of kids who are still wet behind the ears.
A huge boost may be on its way from Scranton this weekend,
though it will be more likely as soon as the players regroup from their
All-Star hiatus. Either way, Derek Jeter is getting closer to a return to the number
one or two spot in the Yankees' batting order.
No one knows how he will hit, field, or run. You can only
look at how he's currently moving and reacting on the baseball field, and how
he feels the next day...which he will never honestly tell you. I can tell you
that Jeter's return to the lineup will give a big morale boost to his
teammates.
Jeter has the same pull as a prior Yankees captain, Don
Mattingly. Players played harder for Mattingly and felt they were letting him
down if they didn't contribute to the team's success. Mattingly only made one
playoff appearance in his career, but still commanded respect throughout the
clubhouse. Jeter commands that same respect and he has five World Series rings
to back it up.
Jeter will primarily play shortstop and will DH on those
days he needs a partial rest. Eduardo Nunez, if he can stay healthy, will back
him up when needed.
Brian Cashman has to do some other things to strengthen this
team, even if he doesn't want to spend much to do it. Austin Romine has always
possessed the ability to play defense and control a pitching staff at the Major
League level. However, his hitting is another matter. Romine has had some decent minor league
seasons, but his slash line in 68 at-bats with the big club is .132/.145/.176. It's time for Romine to return to the minors
and for Cashman to get another catcher to share time with Chris Stewart.
With Francisco Cervelli sidelined indefinitely with a
"stress reaction" to an old elbow injury and the lineup's failure to
produce runs, getting another Major League level catcher with some life in his
bat is an imperative. Cashman will have to look outside the Yankees
organization for an upgrade. (Scranton presently has three catchers- 23-year
old John Murphy, who has only 20 games experience at the Triple-A level, veteran
Bobby Wilson and his .199 batting average, and unknown Jeff Farnham, who has a
meager .585 OPS in 14 games after a .504 OPS in 10 games at Trenton.)
So who might be available? (Please stop calling in to radio
shows and saying John Buck.)
Ramon Hernandez: The 37-year old's better days are behind
him and was released earlier this year by the LA Dodgers. He was signed to a
minor league contract by the Toronto Blue Jays at the end of June and has just
two hits in 19 at-bats at Triple-A. However, he had a .728 OPS with the Dodgers
before he was shown the door.
Miguel Olivo: Made news in mid-June when he blasted his
employers, the Florida Marlins, for not sending him elsewhere. The team placed
him on the restricted list after he complained about his lack of playing time
for the nth time. He's a week away from his 35th birthday, but Olivo averaged
17 home runs over the last four seasons.
Dioner Navarro: Yes, the one and same catcher who appeared
in five games for the Yankees as a 20-year old. The now 29-year old Navarro has
had a bit of a resurgence with the Chicago Cubs after a number of poor years.
Signed as a free agent by the Yankees in 2000, Navarro has an .886 OPS in 44
games with the Cubbies.
Carlos Ruiz: "Chooch" is a free agent after the
season and is coming off a season in which he had career highs in HR (16) and
RBI (68). Was any of it due to using banned amphetamines? Good question, since
Ruiz sat out 25 games earlier this year after getting busted for use of the
aforementioned substance. The 35-year old also missed time this season with an
injured foot and has struggled all season with his bat. His availability will
be based on whether or not the Phils can't grab a wild card spot.
Max Ramirez: The 28-year old was once thought to be a
middle-plus prospect, but has only gotten cups of coffee in the Major Leagues
with Texas in 2008 and 2010. He's been with five organizations since then and
his current address is with the KC Royals' Triple-A squad in Omaha. Ramirez has
good power (he averaged 15 home run the past two seasons) and has a career .769
OPS in over 400 Triple-A games.
Tomorrow - A look at getting some infield and pitching help.
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