New York Yankees

As April draws to a close, the New York Yankees find themselves 15-7, 1.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. It was a good month for the Yankees, especially considering the slow start last year.

So far, we've seen some really good, promising things. We've also seen some not-so-good things. So what are the positives and negatives?

Shall we?

The Positives

1) Robinson Cano

Following a Nick Swisher home run Saturday, the Yankees just reclaimed a 6-5 lead from the White Sox after Javier Vazquez's slow start put the Yankees in a quick hole.

However, in the top of the seventh, Yankee manager Joe Girardi pulled Sergio Mitre who pitched well in relief of Vazquez and went with reliever David Robertson. Robertson was projected to be one of the team's best relievers going in 2010.

Buster Olney of ESPN spoke with the agent for Seattle Mariners pitcher Cliff Lee last night about the southpaw’s future plans, and apparently signing a contract extension with the M’s is not in it.

“We’re five months away from free agency,” said Braunecker, “so I think that’s the most likely scenario at this point.”

“We’ve not really had any significant discussions with Seattle. I wouldn’t anticipate a deal [with the Mariners].”

Last night my dad called me and asked me if I wanted to go to the Yankee game with him on Sunday. I told him I had plans for Sunday and asked him why we didn’t just go Saturday (today) instead. I was promptly told, no and reminded that Javier Vazquez is pitching today which meant that he didn’t want to go. “With so many good pitchers on the staff I’d rather wait and go see somebody better,” my dad said.

Despite a sparkling record good for second place in the tough AL East, a number of Yankee hitters are off to poor starts.

Mark Teixeria, Curtis Granderson, Nick Johnson and Alex Rodriguez are all struggling mightily.

So which of the four are likely to turn it around? Advanced statistics can help us with that one. All of this data is available at fangraphs.com or baseball-reference.com

Alex Rodriguez

The line: .250/.337/.440 2 HR's.

Prognosis : Good, but remember, he's getting up there in years.

I have no problem proclaiming to the world that I’m a huge nerd, so it’s no surprise that I really like infographics. 

For those of you unfamiliar with what an infographic (or information graphic) is, according to Wikipedia it is a “visual representation of information, data or knowledge.”  Also known as interesting info portrayed in a cool way.

Brett Gardner continues to have a big impact for the New York Yankees.

Last night the Yankees came from behind to beat the Chicago White Sox 6-4. Derek Jeter was the hero of the game as he had a single, a two run homer and a two run triple. Jeter drove in four runs and scored another.

But Gardner was critical too. Gardner went 2-3 with a stolen base. And two of the runs Jeter drove in were Gardner crossing the plate.

Please read this carefully.

Take your time to understand the import of what you are about to read.

For if the following hits you as it hit me when I first read it, you will be amazed.

As reported in the New York Post today, last night Derek Jeter passed Ken Griffey, Jr. as the active player with most hits in his career.

But the incredible part, the part you have to read carefully is the other part of the Post report.

As the calendar officially flipped over to May this morning, it became impossible not to reflect on what the past 30 days has entailed for baseball’s reigning “World” Champions.

April had its questions, its uncertainties, and its collective breath-holding, but as the smoke cleared from Major League Baseball’s most volatile month, New York still finds itself where it feels it belongs.

This is do or die for New York's Javier Vazquez . Unfortunately for Javy, with the way John Danks has been throwing the ball lately, it is looking more like the latter.

Fans are not going to be kind to the man who is making $11.5 million and is being outpitched by 23-year-old Phil Hughes , who is making $447,000.

Hughes is far and away performing better than Vazquez this year, and Yankees fans are certainly going to let him know that.