All-Star Break -- over.
No more. It stops now. The it's "still early" adage, is no more. It's time for the New York Yankees to buckle their seat-belts, and get ready for the second half, to defend and repeat the A.L East. Because all eyes are on...OCTOBER.
The Yankees will start of the second half their season with a sure BANG, as they begin a seven-game road trip that starts with the first place Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park for a three-game set, then got to meet the Texas Rangers at Arlington, for a four-game set.
On this seven game road trip between the Red Sox and Rangers, you're hoping for a 4-3 record from the Yankees; yea, we'd love a 7-0, 6-1, 6-2, but realistically, 4-3 would be great.
The Return of A-Rod:
Yes, if you haven't heard, Alex Rodriguez will return on Monday at Texas. Was hoping it was against Boston, but A-Rod said himself that he wanted to make every rehab start and make sure he's ready, instead of rushing to return when he isn't suppose to.
You really don't know what to expect from A-Rod when he returns. He can't easily be hitless in this series against the Rangers, or can have three homeruns with seven RBIs.
Good thing about him starting his 2013 season at Texas, is that he knows how to hit in that Rangers Ballpark. I can already see him blasting a ball over that center field and on to that grass.
A-Rod said that homerun he had this week in the minor league game, was off a 94-mph fastball. And that was a SHOT -- a classic A-Rod homerun. That's why no matter what people think, or what kind of health he's in, A-Rod is still threat to any pitcher. He can hit a homerun at any point of a game. Or hit a double off the wall. Yankees need that bat right now.
Derek Jeter Status:
Still no word. We hope he can play; we all know Jeter will try his best not to miss this series against the Red Sox. Good is it's just a grade 1 quad strain, so hopefully in these six days off is all he needed to get better.
But if Jeter is feeling anything close to better than he felt on Thursday, he will be playing.
Any New Bats?:
The latest trade rumor is that the Yankees called the San Diego Padres for their third baseman, Chase Headley. Also, we've heard rumors about the Yankees calling the Minnesota Twins for first baseman Justin Morneau.
The Yankees will get a bat. They could get one before the Red Sox series, or before the Red Sox series is over.
Fun fact: In 2008, the first game of the second half, the Yankees played the Red Sox at Fenway -- when Joba Chamberlain pitched that great game he started -- and that night the Yankees acquired Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte from the Pittsburgh Pirates. I could see that happening again on Friday night.
Bottom line, even with A-Rod and Jeter back, Yankees still need to get a bat. This schedule coming up for the Yankees is BRUTAL -- brutal enough where I don't know if players like Lyle Overbay and Brett Gardner can continue to play well. They need help in the lineup.
I know Cashman and the Yankee front office would love to have Headley. Though the Padres say it's gonna have to take "special prospect" in order to acquire Headley. I don't think so; I think the Padres are just playing the game and waiting to see what other offers are out there.
Everyone whose familiar with my site knows how much I would love to have Morneau here. I think if the Yankees want to make a big change in the lineup, Morneau is the way to go. A potential lineup with Morneau in it, then with A-rod, Jeter and Curtis Granderson returning, the Yankees can have a murders row lineup again.
I wouldn't mind Chris Carter; I like him a lot. I just don't know if he's enough.
Raul Ibanez would be perfect, if, he's like to comeback to New York. I think every Yankee fan would invite him back with open arms.
To me, Morneau or Ibanez could be a Yankee by the end of this month.
Will the Yankees win the A.L East?:
I believe so, just because I believe the Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays will fall off, which will give the Yankees leeway to get hot and take charge of that division.
The pitching worries me, a little. They're gonna need Michael Pineda to give the rotation a boost, and to take some of the pressure off C.C Sabathia, Andy Pettitte, Hiroki Kuroda's backs. Pineda can produce like a top of the rotation pitcher.
I always thought, before the season started, that Pineda was going to be the difference maker. I still believe that.
