Sep

Swisher, Granderson, and signs of life

(Jared Wickerham/Getty)

The Yankees won just four games during the recent ten-game stretch against the Orioles and Rays due in part to an offensive attack that scored more than four runs just four times in the ten games. Derek Jeter, Russell Martin, and Alex Rodriguez did all they could to carry the club with their bats, but the usually productive Nick Swisher and Curtis Granderson dragged the lineup down. The duo combined to go 8-for-65 (.123) with two walks and two hit-by-pitches (.169 OBP) during the ten games, including an ugly 0-for-28 stretch for Swisher.

The last few games have gone quite differently for those two, however. Granderson went 3-for-3 with a double and a homer off the bench against the Orioles on Sunday, two days after going 2-for-4 with a pair of singles. He did most of the offensive damage in last night’s win with two homers against the Red Sox, including another ball to the warning track that was hit just as hard as the two homers but a little too far toward center field. Granderson has three multi-hit games in the team’s last six contests (including three homers) despite not starting two of them.

“Everything still feels the same as it has before,” said Curtis after last night’s win. “It’s just a matter of … I wasn’t able to get the consistent contact the way I wanted to. I don’t necessarily feel like I’m locked in by any means now. I didn’t feel like I wasn’t locked in before. Just, something wasn’t executing the way I wanted it to.”

As for Swisher, he’s been able to shake off that 0-for-28 skid to pick up five hits in the first two games against the Red Sox, including three doubles off the Green Monster. He also had a homer robbed in Baltimore over the weekend if you remember, so he’s starting to hit the ball with more authority than he did during the ten-game stretch. Then again, it would be tough for anyone to hit the ball with less authority than Nick did last week.

With Mark Teixeira out for at least another week and Derek Jeter now hobbled by a left ankle injury, the Yankees absolutely need Granderson and Swisher to pick up the offensive slack. Neither guy is hitting as well as he did a year ago (by wRC+) and it’s too late in the season to really change that, but these next three weeks are incredibly important to the club’s postseason chances. No one is expecting Granderson to hit two homers or Swisher to hit two doubles every night, but they can’t go through another ten-game slump like they did against the Orioles and Rays. These last two or three games have been very encouraging compared to where they were a week ago.

Categories : Offense

15 Comments»

Kingslayer says:

September 13, 2012 at 4:11 pm

Hey Mike, is A-Rod still hitting the “Snot out of the Ball”?

Ocho Nuevo says:

September 13, 2012 at 4:13 pm

Trade dat Arod for young pitching

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DT says:

September 13, 2012 at 5:56 pm

Oh no he isn’t mashing the ball for two games. Cut him.

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Jose M. Vazquez says:

September 13, 2012 at 4:16 pm

I had noticed that Jete has been limping a bit for a long time. He is a throwback to the old players who played on one year contracts. As they used to say “just put on some tobacco juice on it and it will be o.k. The Jete has always playe with some injuries. That’s why I admire him so much. I have had his Jersey for many years

Jose M. Vazquez says:

September 13, 2012 at 4:34 pm

The reason I’d like to keep Grandy is that at any moment he can tie or win a game for you with the long ball. Besides, the Yankees don’t have anyone else who can hit 35-40 homers a year. So he strikes out a lot. Tha’s just an out. Is there another left handed batter out there that can be acquired that provides what he can? I don’t think so.

Monty says:

September 13, 2012 at 4:38 pm

Josh Hamilton but he also strikes out on anything stronger than O’Doul’s.

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David K. says:

September 13, 2012 at 4:44 pm

He’s just not versatile enough to be a World Series champion type. Don’t let a hot streak now and then fool you. He hit .240 in Detroit and he’s basically doing that now. It’s just not good enough. You need to get a hit now and then with the game on the line. Granderson, Swisher, Teixeira, Andruw Jones, and a lot of other guys on this team just don’t do that often enough. Nor do they move guys around or do what it takes to get a run in from third when the other team is basically conceding it on a ground ball.

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- Chip Off the Ol'Knoblauch says:
  
  September 13, 2012 at 5:03 pm
  
  Grandy actually hit .272 over 6 seasons in Detroit and only hit .240 once in his career and that was his rookie year in 28 ABs. He’s just been boom or bust this year.
  
  Reply
Jose M. Vazquez says:

September 13, 2012 at 5:16 pm

I’ll answer my own question. Josh Hamilton. Very good hitter. Injury prone. Too many other problems. Will cost more than Grandy.

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Better off Eddard says:

September 13, 2012 at 4:38 pm

They’ll need to come through against Rays pitching. The lineup against Price tomorrow is going to be awful so it’d be nice if these two could do something vs lefties. The Os are doing their part wearing down that Rays pen in extras.