Derek Jeter was working out in Tampa over the weekend while the Yankees were taking two-out-of-three from the Colorado Rockies at The Stadium. All reports out of Tampa are positive, but if it were up to Jeter, he’d “be playing now …”. The Yankees do not seem to be in any rush to get Jeter back in the lineup however.
The Yankees have not suffered in his absence; in fact, they have won 9 of 12 games and won all three series they have played. In those 12 games, their offense has managed to produce a half-run more per game (5.75) without Jeter. The increase in offensive production is directly attributed to the production they have gotten out of their leadoff fill-ins. In the 12 games overall, the Yankees’ leadoff hitters (Gardner and Swisher) are batting .311 with a .426 on-base-percentage. (Jeter’s OBP this year is .324.) Gardner is batting .313 with a .389 OBP in 36 plate-appearances while Swisher is hitting .308 and has a .500 OBP in half the number of games and plate-appearances as Brett.
The two culprits have both been hot of late. Gardner has maintained his unbelievable streak since the beginning of May while Swisher’s has come in the last couple of weeks. For the Yankees, it could not have come at a better time.
Andrew Rotondi
NYYUniverse.com Staff Writer
Follow me on Twitter @Yankees_talk
