The Yankees are a very interesting team. They have multiple future Hall of Famers and very good players. Most of them, however, are in the twilight I of their storied careers. The team has done decent this season, but has fallen off the last two weeks. Yet, they have seen the best of baseball and its worst this season. Here, going from best to worst, are the Yankees' players seasons highlights (or lowlights).
Mariano Rivera is having a great season. He has 35 saves, a 2.44 ERA, a 167 ERA+, 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings, and a WHIP of 1.195. Not only is he pitching extraordinary, his "Retirement Tour" features some of the most touching moments of the season. The best moment of the season was in the All-Star when Rivera walked onto the field alone. It was a great moment, showing the respect his fellow players have for him.
Hiroki Kuroda has been outstanding for the Yankees this season. He is 11-7 with a 2.33 ERA, a 1.022 WHIP, and a 173 ERA+. His 173 ERA+ is second in the league, behind only Clayton Kershaw. In only six of his 25 starts has Kuroda failed to go at least six innings (one of the six he left due to injury). In July, he was unhittable. He had an ERA of 0.55, was 3-0, and only gave up about five hits per game. Kuroda has been the Yankees only consistent starter. While other starters like CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte have faltered, Kuroda has stayed strong.
Ichiro is not having a great season, but he is about to reach an amazing milestone. He is only _ hits away from reaching 4000 career hits. He would join Ty Cobb and Pete Rose as the only players with 4000 hits. 1278 of his career hits came from his nine seasons with the Orix Blue Wave of the NPB's Pacific League. He won seven straight batting titles in Japan and two in the MLB. His second MLB batting title in 2004, was also the season he broke the single-season hits record. Ichiro's career had been amazing and him reaching this plateau is just another great accomplishment in his illustrious career.
Robinson Cano is having another productive season at second base. He has been the Yankees' only real consistent threat at the plate. Since he is doing this on a Yankee team that is having difficulty scoring his value to the Yankees got even larger then it was. The Bronx Bombers can not let their only power hitter and their best hitter walk away in free agency. They are going to have to pay up if they want to be in the mix next year. This is leverage Cano loves having. The Yanks are going to have to pay him big money.
Derek Jeter may be the face of the Yankees of the last 15 years, but this year he had been injured. He has only appeared in 5 games. He first injured himself in the playoffs last season, when he fractured his ankle. He then reagrivated the injury in spring training. In his first game this season on July 11, he injured his quad running and was put on the DL again. He then returned on July 28, but returned to the DL eight days later with a calf strain. This has been his worst season in his career.
Jeter is not the only Yankee All-Star battling injuries. Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira. Granderson, who was an All-Star starter in 2012, was injured in his first spring training game. He returned on May 14, but ten days later, was placed on the DL again, this time for a broken finger. Granderson has returned from his DL stints and is playing fine. Teixeira injured his wrist while preparing for the World Baseball Classic. He returned at the end of May but reaggregated the injury on June 15. He was placed on the DL three days later. He is out for the season. Both players were keys for New York winning in the last few years and their injuries have been detrimental.
Alex Rodriguez and the Biogenesis scandal is easily the worst story of the season. Yes, it is great that MLB caught the cheaters and suspended them, but the A-Rod situation is just awful. With new information coming out every few days, this stories keeps getting worse and worse. Rodriguez is a disgrace to the game of baseball and should not be allowed to play. It is embarrassing for the Yankee organization to see A-Rod in Yankee pinstripes.
