New York Yankees’ Rough Road Ahead: A Look at the Tough Second Half
July 14, 2011 · Joseph Kuchie · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
With the All-Star Game wrapped up in Arizona, the New York Yankees have regathered and are focusing on the tough second half ahead.
The Bronx Bombers are currently 53-35, leaving them one game behind the Boston Red Sox for first place in the American League. They will start the second half of the season on the road against Jose Bautista and the Toronto Blue Jays.
But the end of the 2011 season may be more difficult then the team would hope. The Yankees will be without 3B Alex Rodriguez (.295, 13 HR, 52 RBI) for four to six weeks following arthroscopic knee surgery, adding to the list of key players on the disabled list, including Joba Chamberlain, Rafael Soriano and Pedro Feliciano.
The Yankees will also have to keep an eye on their rotation. Although a strong point in the first half of the season, most of the back end of the pitching staff has either dealt with some sort of injury or not pitched extended innings in years. Phil Hughes is only one start back from missing extended time with dead arm, and both Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia have not pitched more then 200 innings since 2005-2006.
With all these question marks heading into the second half, it would be easier if the team had an easy schedule. However, the Yankees will have to face the Tampa Bay Rays 13 more times (seven on the road) and the first-place Red Sox nine more times (six on the road). They will also travel to the West Coast in September for a six-game road trip against the Mariners and Angels.
There are also questions about captain Derek Jeter. Jeter, who recorded his 3,000th hit last week, missed the All-Star Game due to exhaustion and is in the midst of another disappointing season (.270, 3 HR, 24 RBI).
The Yankees went on one of their hottest streaks of the season while Jeter missed time with a calf injury, and replacement Eduardo Nunez hit over .290 while filling in for the captain. Outfielder Brett Gardner also thrived in the leadoff spot, making it tough for manager Joe Girardi to figure out where Jeter will hit in the second half.
With the number of question marks rising as we head to the dog days of summer, it will be difficult for the Yankees to maintain momentum just one game behind the Red Sox in the division race. With a number of stars injured or struggling, the team will rely on slugger Mark Teixeira (25 HR, 65 RBI) and Home Run Derby winner Robinson Cano as they begin their quest for another postseason run.
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