Before Sunday's Yankee game against the Tigers was rained out, Joe Girardi had penciled Derek Jeter into the cleanup spot in the lineup. Jeter hit is first homerun of the season the day before; it was his only long-ball in 133 at-bats this season. Girardi says that he made the decision because he wanted to give Matsui a day off. Clearly, Girardi is having trouble making the lineup this season. He has had inconsistencies throughout the year. Jeter's power seems to have diminished over the past few years. He seems to have gotten a bit weaker with age and with his hitting style - keeping his hands inside and hitting the ball the right field - he can't hit many homeruns since he doesn't get his arms extended. Jeter has hit 27 homers in the past two years and 38 games, none of them traveling a long way.
Why does Girardi feel like he needs to give Matsui a day off? The Yankees were off the previous Monday, only six days prior. Why give your hottest hitter a day off and potentially ruin the best hot-streak the offensively challenged team has had by any individual all year. One of the first rules of managing - and something Joe Torre was so good at - is riding your hottest players. Torre seemed to stick to this theory without fail. Girardi, as a former player, should understand that if a player is hitting the ball well, only one day off can completely ruin his rythm. I also don't think he understands lineup construction.
In a game earlier this season, Girardi batted Morgan Ensberg fifth. I actually have no disagreement here. I think Ensberg has a very nice line-drive stroke and hits the ball back up the middle very well. He has been hitting much better than his numbers would show. Late in the game, Ensberg had a game-tying hit. Then, he came up in the ninth inning again with a runner in scoring position and a chance to win it. Here's the issue: Girardi pinch-hit. Now, why would you pinch-hit for your number five hitter? Why would you be hitting him fifth if you don't have the confidence to let him hit in that situation? Would he have pinch-hit for Cano? No. Would he have pinch-hit for Giambi? No. Then why didn't he bat them earlier in the lineup and move Ensberg to the seventh slot? I don't know.
He is a young manager but some of his lineup choices seem to nonsensical. Oh, this just in: Mike Mussina is leading off Monday in Tampa.
- D. Spell
