Subtle. That was the word Alex Rodriguez used, in obvious approval, for Yankee GM Brian Cashman’s recent trade maneuvering.
The Yankees didn’t make any blockbuster acquisitions this July, which was OK by A-Rod’s estimation. After all, the team’s offense is as subtle as a jackhammer.
Combine Cashman’s deft touch in acquiring Al Leiter, Shawn Chacon and Alan Embree (with Hideo Nomo on the way – maybe) and the Bombers’ recently found confidence, and the Yanks are heading into the final 59 games flush with faith.
If this is the 25-man roster through that final weekend in Boston, those 25 men are fine with that.
“I think our best baseball is ahead of us,” A-Rod said. “This team has a good frame of mind right now.”
A six-game road trip begins tonight in Cleveland, and the Yanks (56-47) trail Boston by 2 ½ games in the AL East. They trail Oakland by two games in the wild-card race.
They are the hunters heading down the home stretch this year, a new role the players have embraced. For the previous seven seasons, the Bombers finished ahead of the Red Sox in the East.
“We’ve been playing well now for a while, and that’s all you can really worry about,” Derek Jeter said. “We’re chasing Boston, but if we go out and win games, we’ll be there at the end of the season.
“That’s all you can really ask for.”
Well, you could ask for healthier, better starting pitching and more dependable relief work, but it’s tough to nitpick considering the ups and downs the Yankees have endured so far.
If they were in a division such as the AL Central, they would’ve entered yesterday trailing the White Sox by 12 games.
The Bombers are second in the majors in runs, averaging 5.5 per game, but pitching has been dragging them down. Their team ERA of 4.66 was the eighth-worst in baseball.
Worse than that, injuries to Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright, Chien-Ming Wang and Kevin Brown brought uncertainty into the mix before Cashman shopped for clearance-sale bargains.
A-Rod thought Leiter and Embree would be extremely important, calling those two moves “outstanding.” When reminded Chacon was also on board, he changed his superlative to “fantastic.”
The players are thankful they haven’t been buried in the standings but can’t admire their handiwork yet.
“We’ve got to keep putting wins on the board,” Jason Giambi said. “Nobody’s running away from this.
“It seems like every time I look up on the board, the A’s are winning or the Red Sox are winning.
“We’ve got to keep playing great baseball. That’s the one thing we can take care of, is ourselves. As long as we put W’s on the board, we don’t have to scoreboard-watch.”
Watching the standings, the Yanks lost two games to Boston over the past 11 but are even since the second half began.
“Our biggest objective right now is to continue to play well, get some players that have been injured back – and hopefully that will be some big people that will pick us up,” Randy Johnson said.
Manager Joe Torre sees a group that has become single-minded in its relentlessness. Cashman is also thrilled by what he sees.
“I feel we have a great team,” Cashman said. “There is a lot more to like about this team than at any point this year.
“This team is not going to go away. We will fight, and it will be exciting.”
-With George King