tonytalkssports My Take on Sports, particularly the Yankees, Maple Leafs and Browns

RISP Issues Continue For Yankees

While getting to both of the Mariners' pitching aces, the New York Yankees today face the prospect of being swept after dropping the first two games of the series - 4-3 on Friday and 5-4 in 12 innings on Saturday.  Two issues have reared their ugly heads: starting pitching coughing up leads and failure to come up with big hits with runners in scoring position.

AJ Burnett and Ivan Nova had opportunities to clamp things down but failed.  I have more of an issue with Burnett.  He needs to stand tall.  He needs to be an ace.  He needs to pitch like an $80-something million pitcher.  Both pitchers could not maintain the leads they were given and the bullpens, particularly Boone Logan and Luis Ayala on Friday didn't help the cause.

Then there's the season long problem: failure to hit with runners in scoring position.  The Yanks were 2-15 with runners in scoring position for the two games.  Not sure how or when this is going to turn around.  Until it does, the Yankee warts will continue to show.

As we head toward the month of June, its tough to believe that this team is going to turn it around.  I firmly believe that something needs to happen, whether that's a trade or an infusion of youngsters from Scranton.  Sometimes it's only a couple of players, like in 2005 when a struggling Yankee team sat Tony Womack and brought up Robinson Cano and placed Chien Ming-Wang into the starting rotation which infused some youthful exuberance that propelled the Yankees into the playoffs. 

I could be wrong but I don't see this team winning the AL East and if they do make the playoffs it won't be a long stay.

CC Sabathia will try to salvage the series this afternoon.