Rodriguez Fuels Yankees Resurgence
A-Rod's Return to the Lineup has Helped Turn Yankees' Fortunes
May 29, 2009
Alex Rodriguez is no stranger to controversy; in fact it seems to follow him wherever he goes. A tumultuous offseason saw Rodriguez admit to using performance-enhancing drugs and have to deal with the anticipation of a book that would reveal the details of his steroid use and accuse him of tipping pitches to opponents. On top of that, Rodriguez needed hip surgery which forced him to miss the first 28 games of the season. But Rodriguez has found a sanctuary on the field, and more importantly, has been the spark-plug for a Yankee team that desperately needed one.
The Records
- With Rodriguez out of the lineup, the Yankees were 13-15. Coming into Rodriguez's first game on May 8 in Baltimore, the Yankees were on the heels of a 5 game losing skid.
-With Rodriguez in the lineup, the Yankees promptly won 11 of 13 games, including a 9 game winning streak. The streak helped the Yankees find their way back in the thick of the American League East race.
The 'Tex' Effect
Mark Teixiera's monster off-season free agent deal with the Yankees came with lofty expectations, and it wasn't a surprise to many that he struggled out of the gate. Always a slow starter, the 2009 season started extra slow for Teixiera. Hitting 3rd in the order with the likes of Nick Swisher, Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada hitting behind him, Teixiera struggled mightily. But since Rodriguez's return to the lineup, Teixiera has taken off. Since Rodriguez returned on May 8th, Teixiera has hit 10 homers, and has raised his average from under the .200 mark to a respectable .275. It could be a coincidence that Teixiera has raised his game since A-Rod's return, but there's no doubt that with Rodriguez back, Big Tex has been seeing better pitches to hit.
Pitching
No team in baseball can go on a long winning streak without solid starting pitching, and the Yankees are no exception. Can a hitter's presence in the offense help his team's starting pitchers? The front of the rotation, C.C. Sabathia specifically, has been great since Rodriguez's return. His best start of the season happened to be that same May 8th game in Baltimore which Rodriguez returned to the lineup. Sabathia pitched a complete game, 4-hit shutout as the Yankees won the game 4-0. In that game, A-Rod launched the first pitch he saw of the season for a 3-run homer in the first inning, giving Sabathia all the cushion he needed. In that game, A-Rod directly helped his starter. Although it may be a stretch, it is possible that the Yankees starters feel more comfortable when A-Rod is in the lineup, knowing there is a good chance the offense will produce runs. With the team struggling offensively without Rodriguez, the Yankee pitchers looked sluggish as well.
The Yankees are a much stronger team with Alex Rodriguez. Some argue that the media circus that usually surrounds him can have a negative impact on his teammates, but so far this season, Rodriguez has shown that when he plays well, the team benefits greatly. He also has answered a lot of his critics who say he chokes under pressure, with many big hits including a walk-off homer against the Minnesota Twins. While many will still judge Rodriguez on his postseason performance, the fact is that without him, the Yankees might not even get there.
Source:
ESPN.com
