Following a 10 game stretch from May 6 to May 16, in which Alex Rodriguez managed only seven hits in 40 at-bats, many began to wonder if the same age-related fatigue that was plaguing Derek Jeter had caught up to the slugging third baseman as well.
After a scintillating early April, Arod's swing looked out of sync, his bat slow, and his results did not support his presence in the Yankee clean up spot. He spoke often of mechanical flaws in his swing that had reduced him to a mere place-holder in the four hole in Joe Girardi's lineup.
Maybe not so coincidentally, the Yankees only won three of those 10 games, posting a six game losing streak in that span.
During the final game of that stretch, a 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay, Arod went 0-4, striking out three times, while seeing his batting average plummet to a season-low .242. In that 10 game span, Rodriguez went 7-for-40, striking out 12 times, with only a single home run and four RBI.
The same questions that have been haunting Jeter for the last year-and-a-half began to surround Rodriquez, especially after his own admission that he was going to have his surgically-repaired hip checked out.
However, just as suddenly as Arod's early production evaporated, it seems to have reappeared over the last week's worth of contests.
In the six games since that loss to the Rays, the Yankee third baseman has accumulated 28 plate appearances, going 13-for-27 with seven runs scored, three home runs and four RBI. His .481 average and 1.352 OPS during that stretch have contributed greatly to the Yankees reversing their fortunes after the miserable six-game losing streak.
Though Arod isn't the sole reason for the Yankee's recent surge, his contributions serve to make the entire lineup better. With his dangerous bat producing in the heart of the order, the impact is tangible. Over the course of this recent six-game renaissance, the team is 5-1 and once again tied with the Rays atop the AL East, after falling three games behind Tampa Bay on May 16.
Despite the Yankees' recent run of success, several hitters surrounding Rodriguez in the order have not hit to their capabilities recently. Atop the order, Jeter is suddenly thriving, hitting .333 over the same six-game stretch. His on-base percentage could be better in the lead-off spot, but his results have been encouraging after his dismal start to the year.
The other members of the top five in the Yankee lineup have been cold recently though. Despite two homers from Curtis Granderson and three from Mark Teixeira in the past six games, each has struggled to hit otherwise, hitting .179 and .231 respectively during that span. If not for the power production, many of their recent at-bats would be coming under closer scrutiny by critics.
Robinson Cano has been cold the entire month of May following a red-hot April. Starting May hitting a robust .320 with a .979 OPS, eight home runs and 21 RBI, Cano has regressed considerably over the last month. During May, he has hit only .213 with a .582 OPS, one home run and seven RBI. Hopefully, with a revived Rodriguez hitting in front of him, Cano can rediscover his sweet stroke and hit like the budding superstar he is.
With a revitalized Alex Rodriguez hitting in front of him, Cano is far too talented to endure a prolonged slump. It's likely that he has a scorching streak of his own just around the corner. Hopefully his clutch RBI single in Sunday's huge eighth inning against the Mets was a sign of things to come for the Yankee second baseman.
Signs have been encouraging in recent days, that they Yankees might be breaking out of the May funk that has contributed to their 10-11 record for the month.
Critics have often noted that the Yankees are far too reliant upon the home run ball to power their offense. Though home run power is a tremendous weapon to possess, championship caliber teams need to be able to produce runs via other means, making them less susceptible to cold spells when the power game is shut down.
Through this point in the schedule, the Yankees sit only seventh in hitting with runners in scoring position, hitting only .248 in such situations. Though they lead the AL with 14 home runs with RISP, they rank only eleventh 87 hits in the same spots. Such a feast or famine dynamic makes it difficult to string together rallies critical to winning ballgames.
Perhaps the team's 5-for-10 performance with RISP in the Subway Series finale portends better days ahead for the New York offense.
Rodriguez, for his part, contributed the vital go-ahead RBI on his single with the bases loaded to take the lead for good on Sunday. Though it was a dribbler hit too softly for Mets third baseman Willie Harris to field, it provided the eventual game-winning run that helped turn the tide of the game and win the critical series against the Yankees' cross-town rivals.
As they always say, it looks like a line-drive in the box score. Baseball is a funny game, and sometimes all it takes is for a little break to go your way to re-instill confidence and possibly provide the impetus for great things to come.
If the Yankees are to continue their recent run of success and do battle with the talent-laden clubs within their division, they will certainly need a confident, healthy Arod swinging his fearsome bat in the heart of their order like only he can.
Sure, the majestic home runs are great, but they'll take a clutch dribbler or two as well.
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