The New York Yankees are tied the fighting Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS. The issue many reporters have found with the Yanks, so far, is Alex Rodriguez's struggling bat smack in the middle of the lineup.
Guess what Joe Girardi, it is time to move the slugger down in the batting order.
Here is a suggestion, why not place an actual home run threat in the third place spot so that when Derek Jeter and Ichiro are on base somebody can drive them in?
Yeah, Mark Teixeira is just off the disabled list and you would not want him to physical tax himself fresh off the DL, but he is 4-8 with an RBI so far in the series. Alex Rodriguez is hitting just 1-9 with five strikeouts in the first two games.
Those are not the numbers of a third place hitter. I get that he his the best payed player in the history of the game, but the Yankees chances of succeeding should not be jeopardized by the price tag on a player.
I would rather see Curtis Granderson, a legit home run threat, hitting in the third spot than have A-Rod striking out with runners on base. Having Granderson will add more pressure a to these Oriole pitchers who are already nerved up because they are in their first playoffs.
Having A-Rod's presence in the third spot is not intimidating anybody. When was the last time A-Rod hit a homer? When was the last time A-Rod caught up to that inside fastball that pitchers could not sneak past before?
Girardi has to understand that A-Rod's production is gradually decreasing. He is not the Alex Rodriguez who entered the Yankees organization in 2004. A-Rod is old now and battling injuries.
Here is a better suggestion, how about Girardi recognizes that Robinson Cano is the Yankees' best hitter and bumps him up to the third spot in the lineup.
A-Rod is entering a point in his career where a fifth or sixth place spot suits him better. Here is my ideal Yankee lineup going into Wednesday's Game 3.
Orioles will have Miguel Gonzalez on the mound. He is a right handed pitcher.
1. Jeter
2. Ichiro
3. Cano
4. Teixeira
5. Swisher
6. A-Rod
7. Granderson
8. Ibanez
9. Martin
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