With the All-Star break nearly upon us, it's time to take a closer look at the New York Yankees through TSN.ca's Fantasy Focus.
The MLB Fantasy Focus brings you the players that have surprised and disappointed you from a fantasy perspective. A player like Travis Hafner won't be found here, as he's performed up the level that was expected from him when you drafted/bought him at auction.
Instead, we'll focus on players that have either surpassed expectations or have fallen short of expectations. We'll also give a look at which player could have a good second half.
Surprise Bat: Bernie Williams - For a while in the off-season, it looked like the career Yankee would opt for retirement rather than take a part time DH/bench role. When injuries decimated the Bombers' corner infielders, Williams was placed in the starting lineup and has performed well - despite a recent slump. A .276 average with 33 runs and 34 RBI is pretty good for a fifth outfielder/or injury replacement in most leagues.
Surprise Arm: Mike Mussina - At 37 years old, the 'Moose' has found new life. He's pitching like he did back in 2003. Mussina has 100 stikeouts and a 1.08 WHIP to go along with his solid 3.28 ERA in 112 innings. While he's struggled in a few of his recent starts, the 9-3 Mussina has done nothing but provide his owners solid numbers in all four categories.
Disappointing Bat: Hedeki Matsui - While there is something unseemly about picking on an injured player, there really seems to be little choice. Matsui was an iron man playing in well over 1000 consecutive games in MLB and Japan. He like Derrek Lee of the Cubs is a guy that you draft, and plan on leaving in your lineup all year. Before he was hurt, Matsui wasn't exactly torching the league either. He was hitting a pedestrian .261 with five home runs (three of which were hit in the first week of the season). Those numbers are low when you consider that in the last three seasons he averaged over 23 home runs and close to a .300 average.
Disappointing Arm: Randy Johnson - Has age finally caught up to the 42-year old 'Big Unit'? It's hard to say. Just when it seemed like it was time to completely write Randy off, he's been red-hot over his last three starts, posting a 1.77 ERA with a 2-1 record. Having said that, on the year, his ERA is still 4.84 and he has a disappointing 85 strikeouts in 100 innings. Those 85 strikeouts while good for 95% of pitchers in the majors represent Randy's lowest K/9 innings ratio since 1989.
Second Half Breakout: This was a toss up between Johnson and Alex Rodriguez. It's hard to knock A-Rod for his numbers - especially because the New York media is doing enough of it for everyone, but if you consider the fact that in most leagues Alex was taken either first or second, his .279 average and 15 home runs aren't quite what one would expect for such a high pick. The good news is that A-Rod has a proven track record as a .300 hitter and 40 home run guy. I would still think he'll be able to get close to those by the end of the year.