The Sometimes Daily Dozen: April 20th Edition

The Daily Dozen: April 20, 2015 Edition

Okay...so I must say...blogging about the Yankees is much harder with 4 kids than it was with 3...so you will have to excuse me if this section of TGP doesn't appear each and every day.  I've been pretty busy at work lately so I haven't had much time outside of work / family to b-log much.

Twelve Takeaways and Summations from The Last Week Ending with Last Night's Game:

1. When did A-Rod become All-Powerful Again?  When I last saw the stats Alex was sitting on 656 home runs and barely making an impact on the scoreboard.  His line leading up to last night's game with the Tigers was as follows:

.316 AVG / 10 R / 12 H / 3 2B / 4 HR / 11 RBI / 27 TB / 9 BB / 16 SO / .568 OBP / .711 SLG / 1.279 OPS

Those are pratically MVP numbers if translated over a 162-game season (using 12x the numbers)

.316 AVG / 120 R / 144 H / 36 2B / 48 HR / 132 RBI / 324 TB / 108 BB / 192 SO

Obviously that isn't going to hold up but even if he gets HALF of that wouldn't you be satisfied?  The only thing that worries me are the strikeouts...the minute he starts to wear down that number may actually INCREASE.

Would you be satisfied with the following:

.280 AVG / 70 R / 75 H / 20 2B / 24 HR / 75 RBI ????  He's likely to get something around there.

2. Sweeping the Tampa Bay Rays.  Is Tampa changing their names back to Devil Rays?  Now without Joe Madden they don't seem to be as fearsome anymore.  Let's hope the Yankees go 18-0 against them.  They may need it to make the playoffs.

The Real Reason I Haven't Been Around #Superstition

3. The Yankees have 7 stolen bases as a team in 13 games.  So much for SMALL BALL, ehh?  I would think Jacoby Ellsbury would have 7 SBs by now just by himself.  Instead he only has 2 to go along with his 3 CS...ouch.

4. Is Mark Teixeira back?  Last night against the Tigers he had a solo HR to put the Yankees up 1-0.  It was a bomb...a Teixxx-rated Message if you will.  This is the bat that the Yanks desperately need to back up A-Rod and make a bridge to McCann and Beltran if they ever start heating up.  Not to mention Headley.

5. Now...to mention Headley.  His defense at 3rd base isn't quite Jose Iglesias' level, but he has been spectacular in his own right.  As long as his glove stays hot at the hot corner, A-Rod can maintain his focus on batting and being the best DH he can be.

6. Gardner and Ellsbury's Defense.  Did anyone actually watch the defense played by both the Yankees and Tigers last night?  I saw a tweet from someone that went something like:

71% of the Earth is covered by water....the other 29% is covered by Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury.

7.  Error Omissions.  In the first 8 games the Yankees had 11 errors as a team.  In the 5 games since...they have ZERO.  Too bad they are 3-2 in those games, but the games lost were by a 7-5 and 2-1 score.  Without stellar defense it could've been very bad.

8. Miguel Cabrera, the Double Play King.  In years past, the Yankees would have been better to just walk Miggy.  However, in last night's game, he GIDP'd twice in a row!  He'll probably hit 3 HRs tonight to make up for it though.

9. 4 of the 7 Yankees losses are by 2 runs or less.  It is imperative that the defense stays like it has the past 5 games and that the bullpen is lights out, because the Yankees are sure to be in a plethora of 1 and 2-run games this season.  For the record, New York is 4-4 in 1 or 2 run games thus far.  This needs to be a 60% win record for them to have a shot at the playoffs.

Schedule from ESPN.com

10. Joe Girardi is THE BINDER.  I know that his binder probably told him to intentionally walk Victor Martinez last night in the 7th inning.  But didn't your gut tell you that C.C. should have pitched to him?  Instead the baseball gods bit the Yankees in the arse by J.D. Martinez singling to score Davis and then Cespedes who was previously 0 for 6 against C.C. knocking in the eventual game winner into short center to the great arm of Ellsbury.  TRUST MY INSTINCTS GIRARDI!!!!

11. Ex-Yankees....ARRRGGHH.  In the category of "I can't stand when ex-Yankees come back to haunt us" of COURSE Joba Chamberlain comes into the game all beardlike in the top of the 8th inning to induce Ellsbury of all people into a double play to end the inning.  Can I get a fly ball to the outfield Mr. Ellsbury, please!  I think Joba should be forced to enter every game by bouncing out of the bullpen from a trampoline.

12. The Great C.C. Even with the loss last night, I believe the consensus is that if Sabathia can pitch like that all season, the Yankees will do very well.  He pitched a complete game by the way only giving up those 2 runs in the 7th which were flukish at best.  For the record, C.C.'s line:

8.0 IP / 7 H / 2 R / 2 ER / 3 BB / 5 K / 98 pitches with 62 strikes.  He threw first pitch strikes to 20 of the 29 batters he faced.  That's the C.C. we know and love!

He lowered his season ERA to 4.35 but is 0-3.