After a split in a four game series on the road against the Kansas City Royals, the Yankees will come home and begin a six game homestand, starting with the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.
So far this season, the Yanks have been somewhat disappointing. With inconsistent pitching and slumping stars, New York has a 15-13 record, and currently sit four games behind surprising Baltimore.
In their previous six games prior to yesterday, the Yankees scored just 13 runs. Yesterday, they scored 10 in nine innings, aided by a much needed hit with runners in scoring position, a grand slam by Robinson Cano. Now with a day off, both the fans and the Yankees would like to build on momentum created yesterday in KC. Coming back to 161st street and River ave. might be the remedy.
Since the new Cathedral opened in the Bronx in 2009, the Yankees own the best home record in baseball. They are 162-81 over those three full seasons, however they are just 7-6 so far in 2012, 8-7 on the road. The next best win total at home since ’09 are the Detroit Tigers with 153.
The best teams in baseball over the years have been the ones that dominate at home and play at least .500 baseball on the road. The Yankees have been the best at doing that. From ’09 to the beginning of this year, they’ve accumulated a record of 134-109 on the road, making their overall record 295-191. The next highest win total over that time are the Philadelphia Phillies, with 292.
Along with overall team success, individuals do well in the familiar confines of Yankee Stadium. For example, entering this season, Derek Jeter owned a .312 career avg. at the new Yankee Stadium. CC Sabathia through the first three years  is 26-7 with a 3.08 ERA. On the other side of the spectrum is Nick Swisher. In three full seasons, Swisher has hit 35 home runs at home with the short porch in right, compared to 46 on the road. In 2009, Swisher hit just eight home runs of his 29 total at home.
So far the Yankees longest win streak of the season is four games, the majority of those wins coming on the road. They haven’t won more than two games in a row at home all season. Look for that to change as summer approaches and their hitters  in the middle of the order begin to heat up.
If the results from the past three seasons are any indication, the Yankees should be near the top of the league as far as home performance. They have a chance to get the ball rolling with Ivan Nova on the mound tomorrow night against the Rays’ James Shields.
