The Position Players
C - Jorge Posada: .285/.369/.508, 11 HR, 40 RBI
Posada is having a typical Posada year offensively. He did miss 31 games due to injury, but when he's been healthy he's been exactly what I expected him to be offensively.
Behind the plate he's never been that good, so I can't say my expectations were high. Ignoring the whole game calling issues, he's just not a good defensive catcher. He doesn't block enough balls, his arm is below average, and he doesn't block the plate well on plays at the plate. We already knew this and expect it from Posada, so it won't be too much of a factor in my grade.
Grade: B
C - Jose Molina: .271/.340/.375, HR, 6 RBI
We all grew attached to Francisco Cervelli and his hard-nosed play and youthful enthusiasm, but is there a better backup catcher in the game than Jose Molina?
Injuries knocked him out of play for most of the season but for the 18 games he's been out there he's been very good. Offensively he's hitting much better than expected, and defensively he's excellent.
Even though 18 games really isn't enough for a grade I'll still give him one.
Grade: B
1B - Mark Teixeira: .25/.378/.535, 23 doubles, 21 HR, 63 RBI
After slumping through April, Mark Teixeira put together and all-star first half. You can see the numbers above. I feel he's been the team MVP for the first half, because not only has he helped offensively, but he saved countless runs and errors with his gold glove at first.
Grade: A- ... (Would be an A if he did anything in April.)
2B - Robinson Cano: .308/.341/.490, 24 doubles, 13 HR, 46 RBI
Cano has had a pretty good first half, his average is back over .300 and at times he's shown more patience at the plate. My one concern is his batting average with RISP, which right now sits at .211. He's hitting just .191 with RISP and two out. That, and the fact that he still sulks when he thinks he's made an out instead of busting it down the line.
He's been good on the defensive side after a sub-par 2008. He's still not regained his 2007 form when he ranked as one of the better second baseman in the game, but he's definitely showing improvement over last year.
Grade: B-
3B - Alex Rodriguez: .256/.411/.548, 17 HR, 50 RBI
I'm not going to bring steroids into this grading process... After missing the first 28 games of the season A-Rod came back and the Yankees took off. He struggled for much of the first month and a half after his return, but has really gotten hot since then. In the final 17 games of the first half he hit .373/.519/.797, 8 HR, 22 RBI, and the Yanks went 12-5.
His hip injury has really limited his range in the field and at times it has cost the Yanks.
Grade: B-
SS - Derek Jeter: .321/.396/.461, 10 HR, 37 RBI, 17 SB
Jeter has had a terrific all around year. And for a player that a lot of people were saying was slowing down, it comes as an even bigger surprise. He leads the team in batting, has the second highest OBP on the team, has 17 steals which is more than he's had in a year since 2006, and 10 home runs after hitting just 11 all of last year. He's also hitting .303 with RISP, .367 with RISP and two out, and .378 in close & late situations.
Besides all that he's somehow gotten better defensive and is arguably having his best year in the field. In fact, it's the only year of his career that his UZR has been on the positive side.
Besides Teixiera, he has made the strongest case for team MVP.
Grade: A
INF - Cody Ransom: .176/.233/.294, 10 RBI
Why are you on the team instead of Ramiro Pena?
Grade: D
OF - Johnny Damon: .276/.362/.510, 19 doubles, 16 HR, 50 RBI, 8 SB
He's been two players this year; a great power threat and RBI man at the top of the order, he's also gotten many clutch hits and is hitting .322 with RISP and .348 in close .
Then there's the other side of the ball, defense. He's been nothing short of embarrassing at times in the field this year. Like I said earlier today, there are moment that he looks like a bad little leaguer. His -9.4 UZR ranks him at sixth worst defensive left fielder in the sport, and it sure has looked that way.
Grade: B-
OF - Nick Swisher: .237/.360/.464, 18 doubles, 14 HR, 47 RBI
Swisher has been better than I expected, but coming off a year where he hit just .219 that's not saying much. He's had his moments as a Yankee and carried them for a couple weeks back in April. But on the other hand he's struck out a team-leading 70 times and is prone to the occasional slump.
He's been good enough on the defensive side, though at times looks like he doesn't know what he's doing.
Grade: C
OF - Melky Cabrera: .285/.347/.439, 14 doubles, 8 HR, 34 RBI, 5 SB
This guy wasn't even supposed to be a part of this team and now he's become a mainstay in the starting lineup. He's easily having his best offensive year and has come up with many big hits for this team, including several walk-offs.
He's been pretty good in the field, though he still has problems throwing to the right base and hitting the cutoff man.
Grade: B+
OF - Brett Gardner: .282/.352/.404, 4 doubles, 5 triples, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 18 SB
Like Melky, Gardner has surprised a lot of people this year. A few months ago many people said this guy couldn't hit in the majors, today he's hitting .282/.352/.404 in 77 games.
Defensively he doesn't have much of an arm, but he could cover Yellowstone.
Grade: B+
OF - Eric Hinske: .333/.429/1.083, 3 HR, 4 RBI (in 4 games as a Yankee)
OK, it's been four good days, but he doesn't deserve a grade.
Grade: INCOMPLETE
DH - Hideki Matsui: .265/.367/.517, 15 doubles, 14 HR, 40 RBI
Injuries and age have turned him into a permanent DH, but he's still a professional hitter. His batting average isn't where I would like to see it, but I can't really complain about an .884 OPS.
Grade: B-
... Starting pitchers' grades coming tomorrow or Wednesday with relief pitchers the next day.
What would your grades be?
Posada is having a typical Posada year offensively. He did miss 31 games due to injury, but when he's been healthy he's been exactly what I expected him to be offensively.
Behind the plate he's never been that good, so I can't say my expectations were high. Ignoring the whole game calling issues, he's just not a good defensive catcher. He doesn't block enough balls, his arm is below average, and he doesn't block the plate well on plays at the plate. We already knew this and expect it from Posada, so it won't be too much of a factor in my grade.
Grade: B
C - Jose Molina: .271/.340/.375, HR, 6 RBI
We all grew attached to Francisco Cervelli and his hard-nosed play and youthful enthusiasm, but is there a better backup catcher in the game than Jose Molina?
Injuries knocked him out of play for most of the season but for the 18 games he's been out there he's been very good. Offensively he's hitting much better than expected, and defensively he's excellent.
Even though 18 games really isn't enough for a grade I'll still give him one.
Grade: B
1B - Mark Teixeira: .25/.378/.535, 23 doubles, 21 HR, 63 RBI
After slumping through April, Mark Teixeira put together and all-star first half. You can see the numbers above. I feel he's been the team MVP for the first half, because not only has he helped offensively, but he saved countless runs and errors with his gold glove at first.
Grade: A- ... (Would be an A if he did anything in April.)
2B - Robinson Cano: .308/.341/.490, 24 doubles, 13 HR, 46 RBI
Cano has had a pretty good first half, his average is back over .300 and at times he's shown more patience at the plate. My one concern is his batting average with RISP, which right now sits at .211. He's hitting just .191 with RISP and two out. That, and the fact that he still sulks when he thinks he's made an out instead of busting it down the line.
He's been good on the defensive side after a sub-par 2008. He's still not regained his 2007 form when he ranked as one of the better second baseman in the game, but he's definitely showing improvement over last year.
Grade: B-
3B - Alex Rodriguez: .256/.411/.548, 17 HR, 50 RBI
I'm not going to bring steroids into this grading process... After missing the first 28 games of the season A-Rod came back and the Yankees took off. He struggled for much of the first month and a half after his return, but has really gotten hot since then. In the final 17 games of the first half he hit .373/.519/.797, 8 HR, 22 RBI, and the Yanks went 12-5.
His hip injury has really limited his range in the field and at times it has cost the Yanks.
Grade: B-
SS - Derek Jeter: .321/.396/.461, 10 HR, 37 RBI, 17 SB
Jeter has had a terrific all around year. And for a player that a lot of people were saying was slowing down, it comes as an even bigger surprise. He leads the team in batting, has the second highest OBP on the team, has 17 steals which is more than he's had in a year since 2006, and 10 home runs after hitting just 11 all of last year. He's also hitting .303 with RISP, .367 with RISP and two out, and .378 in close & late situations.
Besides all that he's somehow gotten better defensive and is arguably having his best year in the field. In fact, it's the only year of his career that his UZR has been on the positive side.
Besides Teixiera, he has made the strongest case for team MVP.
Grade: A
INF - Cody Ransom: .176/.233/.294, 10 RBI
Why are you on the team instead of Ramiro Pena?
Grade: D
OF - Johnny Damon: .276/.362/.510, 19 doubles, 16 HR, 50 RBI, 8 SB
He's been two players this year; a great power threat and RBI man at the top of the order, he's also gotten many clutch hits and is hitting .322 with RISP and .348 in close .
Then there's the other side of the ball, defense. He's been nothing short of embarrassing at times in the field this year. Like I said earlier today, there are moment that he looks like a bad little leaguer. His -9.4 UZR ranks him at sixth worst defensive left fielder in the sport, and it sure has looked that way.
Grade: B-
OF - Nick Swisher: .237/.360/.464, 18 doubles, 14 HR, 47 RBI
Swisher has been better than I expected, but coming off a year where he hit just .219 that's not saying much. He's had his moments as a Yankee and carried them for a couple weeks back in April. But on the other hand he's struck out a team-leading 70 times and is prone to the occasional slump.
He's been good enough on the defensive side, though at times looks like he doesn't know what he's doing.
Grade: C
OF - Melky Cabrera: .285/.347/.439, 14 doubles, 8 HR, 34 RBI, 5 SB
This guy wasn't even supposed to be a part of this team and now he's become a mainstay in the starting lineup. He's easily having his best offensive year and has come up with many big hits for this team, including several walk-offs.
He's been pretty good in the field, though he still has problems throwing to the right base and hitting the cutoff man.
Grade: B+
OF - Brett Gardner: .282/.352/.404, 4 doubles, 5 triples, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 18 SB
Like Melky, Gardner has surprised a lot of people this year. A few months ago many people said this guy couldn't hit in the majors, today he's hitting .282/.352/.404 in 77 games.
Defensively he doesn't have much of an arm, but he could cover Yellowstone.
Grade: B+
OF - Eric Hinske: .333/.429/1.083, 3 HR, 4 RBI (in 4 games as a Yankee)
OK, it's been four good days, but he doesn't deserve a grade.
Grade: INCOMPLETE
DH - Hideki Matsui: .265/.367/.517, 15 doubles, 14 HR, 40 RBI
Injuries and age have turned him into a permanent DH, but he's still a professional hitter. His batting average isn't where I would like to see it, but I can't really complain about an .884 OPS.
Grade: B-
... Starting pitchers' grades coming tomorrow or Wednesday with relief pitchers the next day.
What would your grades be?
9 Comments:
I agree with most of it but wouldn't have given Matsui anything higher than a C. I would have given Cano and Swisher higher grades as well.
Other than that, nice post. I'm working on the pitching one right now.
Nice!
I agree with the grades for the most part. Maybe a C+ for Swisher being he had a really great start in the beginning of the season with a bunch of home runs and rbi.
Roy Halladay said he would be interested in moving to the national league because "I'd rather hit than face Jeter, A-Rod, Matsui and Teixeira,"
Tex's grade was way too generous. He had about a 3 week hot streak and was average at best the rest of the time offensively.
You don't hit 21 homers and drive in 60 runs in three weeks.
And if you do, that's a damn good three weeks
I think A-Rod should be higher like a B since he is turning the injury corner, Ramson got a D, I hope D is the lowest rating he should be a F-.
Eliezer, you're right, I wasn't taking into account his recovery/early return. I bumped him up to a B-.
Hey Greg, I completely disagree about Posada, at least historically speaking. His defense has declined of late, but you don't win four World Series in five years without a solid backstop, as good as the rest of those teams were.
Other than that, I think you're pretty on target!
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