AL Pennant Race: Maybe Not Panic Time Yet for New York Yankees, but It’s Close
September 2, 2012 · Phil Watson · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
The good news for New York Yankees’ fans is that the Bronx Bombers came out of this weekend’s key series with the Baltimore Orioles still clinging to a two-game lead in the AL East.
The bad news, or at least the more sobering news, is that the Yankees are one J.J. Hardy fielding gaffe on Saturday away from being in a flat-footed tie with the Orioles.
Baltimore won the opening game of the series on Friday night 6-1 and took the series finale on Sunday 8-3. New York averted a sweep with the 4-3 victory on Saturday.
The Orioles dominated the series, make no mistake. The Yankees were outscored in the three games 17-8. The Yankees were outhit 28-15. Baltimore got four home runs in the series from first baseman Mark Reynolds and belted six in the series. The Yankees hit three homers in the three games, one in each contest from Curtis Granderson on Friday, Robinson Cano on Saturday and Chris Dickerson on Sunday.
Yankee pitchers were quite generous, as well, issuing 12 free passes. If that number doesn’t sound all that bad, consider that Hiroki Kuroda and two relievers combined to pitch a walk-free game on Saturday.
It’s been a struggle for awhile for New York. Since the calendar rolled over to August, the Yankees are 16-14. The Orioles, meanwhile, are now 19-10 in that same period. The Tampa Bay Rays—still lurking 3½ games off the pace, have been almost as hot, going 19-11 in that same time span.
Baltimore has trimmed eight games off New York’s largest lead of the season, a 10-game margin on July 18. The series victory for the Orioles marks the first time in 36 years they have won three series in New York in a single season. The last time it happened was in 1976 when the Yankees were just reopening the renovated old Yankee Stadium.
The injuries, meanwhile, keep piling up for the Yankees. Center fielder Curtis Granderson was the latest to join the M*A*S*H* unit, leaving Saturday’s game with a tight hamstring. He was diagnosed with tendinitis in his right hamstring and did not play Sunday. He is is listed as day-to-day, but according to the New York Post, he may not play in the three-game series at Tampa Bay that begins Monday because Tropicana Field is turf instead of grass.
Mark Teixeira was reportedly supposed to ride a stationary bike over the weekend, but GM Brian Cashman told the New York Post that there is still no return date set for the first baseman.
Third baseman Alex Rodriguez, out since July 24 with a fractured left hand, may come off the disabled list Monday, according to the Post. Rodriguez sat out what was to be the third game of a rehab assignment with the Single-A Tampa Yankees on Sunday and could join the team in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The next 10 days could go a long way toward determining the eventual fate of the Yankees in 2012. Three games at Tampa Bay, four at Baltimore and three at Boston is as big a road trip as the Yankees have faced.
If they can’t get the ship righted soon, they may find themselves staring up at the Orioles and Rays in the standings.
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