The Yankees and Reds got rained out yesterday so, as this is obviously New York’s only trip to Cincinnati this season, they are playing a double header today. At the time of this writing, the Yankees lead 4-2 as we move to the bottom of the 6th, but that is really beside the point. The Yanks took the lead on a Jorge Posada homer just as I turned the game on so I looked up the box score to see where he was playing. Posada’s in the lineup at 1B and I don’t have a problem with this. He hasn’t gotten a ton of playing time since interleague play started because of the lack of DH and Mark Teixeira could use a day off. Thing is, Tex isn’t the only guy getting a break today. Alex Rodriguez is out of the lineup, Russell Martin is out of the lineup, and Derek Jeter continues to be out with injury. That means that hitters 5-9 in the Yankee order today are not regulars. Nick Swisher is the three hitter today, Robinson Cano is the four, Posada 5, Eduardo Nunez, Ramiro Pena, Fransico Cervelli, and Freddy Garcia round out the lineup. Does that sound like a winning team? Cano is capable 4 hitter but Swisher is a 6 or 7 guy. The rest shouldn’t even start.
Now I understand that this is the first game of a doubleheader but why would you sit 3 of your best hitters, including BOTH your 3 and 4 hitters? There was no game yesterday so you know Martin can’t be tired. I simply don’t understand the logic of this. New York is playing catchup with the Boston Red Sox, one of the MLB’s hottest teams and certainly one of the most talented. Every win will count in this race and the Yankees need to try to win every single game. How can you say your trying to do that when you run out this lineup?
I’m sorry, I just don’t get this. How can you sit both Tex and ARod? And Martin?
-Max Frankel
