There's nothing Derek Jeter didn't do in 2006. He posted his
highest BA and RBI total since 1999. He
stole a career high 34 stolen bases while recording at least 200 hits in a
season for the fifth time in his major league tenure.
Other than Captain Clutch
however, the Yankees couldn't keep their stars in the lineup. Only four players
eclipsed 600 AB, and if not for the midseason acquisition of Bobby Abreu, the team may not have had
enough offense to qualify for the postseason schedule.
Perhaps one of the biggest
surprises in the American League was outfielder Melky Cabrera. Cabrera, who predominantly played left field, filled in
nicely for the injured Hideki Matsui. While the young outfielders power numbers were average
(just 35 extra base hits), he finished the season with a 56/59 BB/K ratio and a
.360 OBA along with an impressive 12 stolen bases. Obviously he's being taught to play ball the
Yankee way. He hit .305 with RISP, and
at only 21 years old, conventional wisdom would make one believe his meager 35 XBH will
increase.
Robinson Cano, while registering only 482 at bats on the season due to injury, showed an increasing maturation in 2006. He's at a different stage in his major league
development than Cabrera. Cano needs to improve his EYE, and despite walking
just 18 times all of last season, still managed an impressive .365 OBA. Cano registered a solid .525 SLA with 57 XBH in just 508 PA with only 15 HR. History
tells us that Cano should continue to improve his plate discipline and his
1.015 OPS after the All-Star break should carry over into the 2007 season.
|
2006
BATTING ORDER (Most Used, 8 times)
|
|
BO
|
POS
|
PLAYER
|
BA
|
HR
|
RBI
|
|
1
|
OF
|
Johnny Damon
|
.285
|
24
|
80
|
|
2
|
SS
|
Derek Jeter
|
.343
|
14
|
97
|
|
3
|
DH
|
Jason Giambi
|
.253
|
37
|
113
|
|
4
|
3B
|
Alex Rodriguez
|
.290
|
35
|
121
|
|
5
|
C
|
Jorge Posada
|
.277
|
23
|
93
|
|
6
|
OF
|
Bernie Williams
|
.239
|
12
|
61
|
|
7
|
1B
|
Andy Phillips
|
.240
|
7
|
29
|
|
8
|
OF
|
Melky Cabrera
|
.280
|
7
|
50
|
|
9
|
2B
|
Miguel Cairo
|
.239
|
0
|
30
|
With
Chien-Ming Wang and Mike Mussina leading the charge, the
Yankees again found enough victories to claim the American League East crown. A disappointing regular and
postseason performance by Future Hall of Fame left-hander Randy Johnson was again the difference as the Yankees bowed out in
the first round of the playoffs. Johnson began the year by surrendering
17 HR in the first half alone, and posting his highest career ERA at the age of
42.
While
Johnson was for the second straight season the teams' starting rotation
disappointment, the 26 year-old Wang was more than a pleasant surprise.Wang won a league high 19 games and did this
by keeping the ball in the yard. His 0.49 homeruns to innings pitched was by
far the best in the league. Wang will never post great K rates, but his
devastating sinker will allow his defense to make plays and more often than not wins games once
again in 2007.
According to one of Roger Clemens' agents, the chances of
the Rocket returning to the mound this season are "more than 50-50,"
but it's likely to be a shortened season just like last year.
Randy Hendricks, one of
Clemens' agents, reported that the 44-year-old fireballer has yet
to make up his mind about the 2007 season. According to Hendricks, though, the
seven-time Cy Young winner would only pitch for the Yankees, Astros or Red Sox.
"I don't think any team is really ahead," according to Hendricks. "Obviously Houston
has the home-field advantage."
|
2006 PITCHING ROTATION
|
|
|
RH/LH
|
PLAYER
|
WIN/LOSS
|
ERA
|
|
1
|
RH
|
Chien-Ming
Wang
|
19-6
|
3.63
|
|
2
|
LH
|
Randy Johnson
|
17-11
|
5.00
|
|
3
|
RH
|
Mike Mussina
|
15-7
|
3.51
|
|
4
|
RH
|
Cory Lidle
|
4-3
|
5.16
|
|
5
|
RH
|
Jaret Wright
|
11-7
|
4.49
|
GM
Brian Cashman put his office
shredder to work this winter ridding the organization of the contracts of Gary Sheffield and "Big Unit" Johnson --
while adding Andy Pettitte, Japanese
import Kei Igawa and defensive
specialist Doug Mientkiewicz. Additions that are sound not only
financially, but seemingly good fits for the current Yankee roster.
The
organization has one through-the-roof prospect in starting pitcher Philip Hughes, a young right-hander who
finished the year in Double-A Trenton by posting a 138/32 K/BB ratio in 166 IP.
He'll be 21 this year, has a tremendous arm, and if healthy -- and an impressive showing during spring training -- could find his way to Yankee Stadium at some point during the 2007 season.
|
CATEGORY
|
TEAM
LEADERS
|
STATISTIC
|
|
BATTING AVERAGE
|
Derek Jeter
|
.343
|
|
HOME RUNS
|
Jason Giambi
|
37
|
|
RUNS BATTED IN
|
Alex Rodriguez
|
121
|
|
RUNS
|
Derek Jeter
|
118
|
|
STOLEN BASES
|
Derek Jeter
|
34
|
|
OPS
|
Jason Giambi
|
.971
|
|
WINS
|
Chien-Ming Wang
|
19
|
|
SAVES
|
Mariano Rivera
|
34
|
|
ERA
|
Mike Mussina
|
3.51
|
|
STRIKE OUTS
|
Mike Mussina
|
172
|
