Proclamations of 'steroid slump' may be premature
An old Yanks rotation served up a major-league-high 306 hits in their first 28 games. At that pace, the Yankees would allow 1,770 hits over the 162-game season.
What's troubling about that number: The franchise record is 1,566 (allowed in 1930) and the 162-game major-league record is 1,734 (1997 Oakland A's).
If the Yankees continue to pitch like batting practice machines and do allow somewhere in the vicinity of 1,770 hits, look out.
These are the six clubs who have allowed the most hits in a single season, with their records in parenthesis:
1. 1930 Philadelphia Phillies, 1,993 (52-102)
2. 1899 Cleveland
Spiders, 1,844 (20-134)
3. 1923 Philadelphia Phillies, 1,801 (50-104)
4. 1936 St. Louis Browns, 1,776 (57-95)
5. 1937 St. Louis Browns, 1,768
(46-108)
6. 1925 Philadelphia Phillies, 1,753 (68-85)
That the Yankees rank second in the AL in on-base percentage (.352) suggests that, if the pitching staff is capable of tightening things up, they could get well in a hurry.
That the Yanks rank last in the AL, however, in runners left on base (224) suggests that too many of their All-Stars are attempting to jump-start things by themselves.
"I can't remember a period when we've played this poorly for this long," shortstop Derek Jeter says.
Not exactly selective amnesia. Since Jeter's first full season in 1996, the worst the Yankees have finished is 87-74 (.540) in 2000. They have won eight division titles in Jeter's nine seasons, finishing second only in 1997.
This week on Grey's Anatomy
Surgery was successful on San Francisco closer Armando Benitez the other day.
But that doesn't mean the worst part is over for Benitez, who underwent surgery to re-attach two tendons to his pelvis and is expected to be out for a minimum of four months.
What to expect in rehabilitation for Benitez?
"It'll be miserable," Giants trainer Stan Conte told San Francisco reporters.
The news briefing should have come with one of those airline sickness bags, just in case.
Benitez will go through three six-week stages of rehabilitation, and get a load of Stage One.
"He'll be on his back, he won't be able to sit, he'll have to sleep on his side and his knee will be kept at a 90-degree angle by a brace 24 hours a day," Conte said.
Makin' a list
Finished your Mother's Day shopping yet? Oakland pitcher Barry Zito offers his five current favorite CDs:
- Smile, Brian Wilson
- Kid A, Radiohead
- Heavier Things, John Mayer
- Aja, Steely Dan
- Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles
