This is an absolute no-brainer. The Yankees player of the week from May 6 through May 12 is 1st year Yankee Vernon Wells. In my mind, Wells might have had one of the best weeks of anyone this season. He hit .360 on the week, with 3 HRs, and 7 RBIs. starting the week against Colorado, Wells was slow out of the gate going 0-4 in the series opener. The next day, he found his swing, going 3-4 with 1 HR, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored as the Yankees barely beat the Rockies 3-2. Wells was the offense in the Yankees win that day. On May 9th, Wells continued his hot hitting by going 2-4 at the dish, driving in 1 run as the Yankees would take the rubber game of the series against the Rockies by a score of 3-1.
Heading into Kansas City, Wells would start the series off slow again, going 0-5 in the opener as the Yankees crushed the Royals, 11-6. For the remainder of the series Wells would go on to hit .500 en route to a sweep of the Royals by finishing the final 2 games 4-8. The final game of the series would see Vernon belting out 3 hits, with 1 HR, 2 RBIs, and a stolen base, his fourth on the season. A highlight from the game was Robinson Cano and Vernon Wells going back-to-back, and belly-to-belly (See Cano’s HR here; See Wells’ HR here)
After ending the week with a season batting average of .295, 9 HR, 20 RBI, and a .343 OBP, the Yankees look to have gotten the better end of the deal with the Angels. While most of New York, and the rest of the country thought the Yankees were ridiculous in trading for dat bum from Los Angeles, Wells is quietly picking up from where he left off in Toronto… in 2010. It’s difficult to believe that Wells will keep this up; however, even if he ends the season hitting .270, and hits 20 HRs, this will be his best season since he left Toronto. I am sure many fans out there, along with myself, are hoping for a HUGE year out of Vernon as he looks to continue resurrecting a VERY GOOD career in the Bronx. After the series finale in Kansas City yesterday afternoon, Wells was asked if the Yankees were pleased by the way they have exceeded expectations, considering how many injuries they have absorbed:
I think you like being in this situation, but at the same time, this game has a funny way of slapping you across the face at any point in time. We’ll go out and have the same mentality — to continue to get great starting pitching and score enough runs to support those guys.
The Yankees will start this week with a 1-day double header vs the Cleveland Indians (make-up games from the rain outs on April 10 and 11). They will then travel back to the Bronx for a 6-game homestand: 3 games vs. Seattle; 3 games vs. Toronto.
Honorable Mention:
Lyle Overbay (.260 BA; 2 2B; 1 HR; 5 RBI; .770 OPS)
Mariano Rivera (0.00 ERA; 4 IP; 4 SV; 0.75 WHIP)
David Robertson (0.00 ERA; 3.2 IP; 6 Ks; 0.27 WHIP)
Hiroki Kuroda (1-1; 14.2 IP; 2.45 ERA; 1.02 WHIP)
Andy Pettitte (1-0; 7 IP; 2.57 ERA; 0.86 WHIP; 7 Ks)
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