Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Yankees Update

This won't be like what you are used to from the Monk. I don't have the encyclopedic memory and haven't seen the last few games other than the 5-3 loss to the Royals last night.

Well the Yanks start June with a 27-24 record. A pretty darn good effort after 11-19. Recall we stated here that the Yanks needed to get to .500 by June 1. Well they are three games better than that even after dropping the last three.

The quality starts (at least 6IP, no more than 3ER) have been missing as the Bosox thrashed the Yanks twice and the boys were not able to string together enough key hits to overcome the Royals yesterday after several long flies were knocked down by the wind and some nifty fielding by KC on long drives.

Kevin Brown struggled, giving up 5 runs and 9 hits, but very encouragingly had ALOT on his heater. Now unless the KC radar gun was off Brown was throwing 93-94-95 on command and blowing fastballs by Mike Sweeney, KC's best hitter. If Brown can continue to do that it'll make his sinking stuff much more effective.

At 27-24 Yanks need to go 70-41 the rest of the way, a .630 clip, to get to the 97 wins which is the average # of wins it's taken the past five years to win the wild card. June will be an important month - Yanks need to go 17-9 over the remaining games to hold that .630 clip. Three tough road series against Minnesota, St. Louis and Baltimore loom as well as three at home against the Mets. Games against KC, Milwaukee, the Cubs, Pittsburgh and D-rays leaven the schedule. The key for June is to win series 2-1 and not go into a funk. Because July looks formidable with 19 games against Baltimore (2), Boston (3), Texas (3), Minnesota (3), and Anaheim (7)!

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