MLB Feature: Who can take New York Yankees to World Series? - Part 4
A list has expanded to eight players, who can take the Yankees to their 28th World Series. Derek Jeter is leading the list with his exceptional history in post-season games and Curtis Granderson follows him having a brilliant 2011 regular season. Robinson
Cano deserves better but still have to rely as third most dangerous player in post-season, followed by the hitting champion-Alex Rodriguez, who is added just because of extra ordinary ability to respond to criticism. Following Rodriguez is Mark Teixeira, who
has made some brilliant hitting to hold third place in AL in home-runs (35).
Brett Gardner:
The 28-year-old short hitter was considered as a brilliant hitter of the Yankees in Spring Training. Looking at this, he was promoted to start the season as hitting lead off, but he struggled at the position and was demoted to the bottom third of the order.
However, Jeter’s stay on disabled list gave him few more chances to prove him at the position. He acted as per the expectations and took the Yankees through many game winning hits.
His extraordinary ability to take stolen bases, proved vital to help the Yankees make runs at crucial stages. He has 37 stolen bases to lead the American League. With 114 hits, 73 runs including five home-runs over 424 at-bats are one of the solid performances
of his career.
As the Yankees have many chances to make Post season, the importance of the stolen bases will become solid. A squad filled with hitters, having ability to disturb the whole scoreboard with their single hit, Gardner’s stolen bases hits would be helpful for
the Yankees to generate runs in sticky conditions.
The 28-year-old hitter has .272 batting averages and is among the top five runs scorers in the Yankees batting squad. Although he has improved his skills this year, his previous record shows some arguments against him. He made only three runs and two hits
of 13 at-bats with .154 batting averages in 2009 post-season. He also failed in 2010 post season when he played in 27 at-bats and scored only two runs on five hits with .185 batting averages. However, this time manager Joe Girardi has strongly believes to
see great improvement in Gardner’s hitting.
Carsten Charles Sabathia:
Although the Yankees have a poor pitching depth, their only giant in pitchers, CC Sabathia have the ability to turn the whole game single handedly. Currently, Sabathia is among the Major League leaders with 17 wins. He is holding the second position in Majors
with 17 wins after Detroit Tigers’ Justin Verlander, who is leading the table with 19 wins.
Quality pitching has also made him second in wins in AL, second in AL in innings pitched (205), fourth AL in strike-outs (191) and seventh in AL in ERA (2.99).
The Yankees batting squad, who was always under pressure while other pitchers were on the mound, never looked disturbed when Sabathia was on the mound. Sabathia helped his club to get seventeen games, including three consecutive shut-outs. He made five overall
shutouts, including one full game.
Sabathia might have to pitch in two or more games in World Series if the Yankees had to get this series. However, experts criticise his performance in the last five games, in which he has lost three, including two consecutives. Joe Girardi on the other hand
showed a full confidence over Sabathia and regarded him the best pitcher in the league.
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