The Bronx Bombers Back on Track

After a less than worthy start, the New York Yankees are beginning to hit their stride. With three walk off hits over last weekend and a week full of wins this week, the Yankees come into their game on Saturday, May 23 against the Phillies having won nine of their last ten games.

The Yankees’ slow start was less than expected, despite not having slugger Alex Rodriguez in the line up. The reason for the slow start to the season came from a lack of quality pitching and a slow start by one key player.

Chien-Ming Wang, a consistent starter with the Yankees over the last few year, began the season with an ERA of 34.50 through the month of April. Hardly the time of ERA you want from a number 3 or 4 starter.

The lack of pitching prowess coupled with a poor first month by the newly signed First Baseman, Mark Teixeira led to the poor start by the Yankees. Teixeira ended the month of April with a batting average of .200 with 3 home runs and 10 RBIs. Not quite the numbers expected from a man making 20 million dollars a year. But Teixeira has turned things around. For the month of May alone, Teixeira is hitting .308 with 9 home runs and 23 RBIs.

Joining Teixeira in improvement of play has been the Yankees pitching staff. CC Sabathia is beginning to find his comfort zone as the Yankees Ace and has posted an ERA of 2.05 for the month of May with an ERA of 3.43 on the season. Joba Chamberlain and Andy Pettitte have been consistent and AJ Burnett is starting to settle down. The improved performance of the starting rotation is now allowing the Yankees to do what they are designed to do: win games with their bats.

With the added production from Mark Teixiera, the return of Alex Rodriguez to the line up, and the improvement of the pitching, the Yankees have begun to have a mid-May resurgence in the AL East and sit 1.5 games out of first place. Look for the Yankees’ improved play to continue, and if it does, there is no doubt this season will end like most of them, with the Red Sox and Yankees fighting it out for the AL Pennant.