New York Baseball: Girardi Manages Yanks to Series Loss

Joba Chamberlain, RP: (A)I moved Joba up to the top of the grading list because I really need to get this point across.  The last four days illustrate perfectly why Chamberlain needs to be in the rotation.  The position of setup man is obsolete when starters pitch a gem like Wang did on Friday and it's also obsolete when starters pitch poorly like Mussina and Hughes did over the weekend.  You're telling me that the inning and a third he pitched to preserve a three-run lead on Thursday is so important that his position in the bullpen can't be sacrificed by moving Joba to the rotation?  There's no way you can convince me that he's helping the team more as a setup man than he would by going out every five days and single handedly leading the Yankees to a win.

Joe Girardi, Manager: (D)He looks so brilliant at times like when he allowed Wang to pitch a complete game on Friday night, something Torre would never do.  But at other times, he looks exactly like his predecessor like in the eighth inning on Sunday.  Girardi also made a terrible move on Saturday when he allowed Mike Mussina to talk him into letting the starter pitch to Manny Ramirez with two outs and a base open in a game the Yankees led by a run.  Manny, who kills the Yankees time and time again, obviously hit a go-ahead two-run single.

Johnny Damon, LF/CF: (D) Damon stole the first two bases of the season for the Yankees Sunday (another disappointing stat).  Since Thursday, he went 1-9 with three walks, two runs, and a sac fly.

Robinson Cano, 2B: (D-) Over the last four games, Cano has gone 0-10 with seven runners left on base while batting second.  Hitting seventh, he was 2-7 with a walk and an RBI.  I wonder where he should bat.

Bobby Abreu, RF: (C-) Even Abreu is in a mini-slump.  He's gone three for his last 13 with just two RBIs.

Alex Rodriguez, 3B: (D)A-Rod has gone hitless in his last nine at bats.  He's 3-17 with only two RBIs since my last report.

Hideki Matsui, LF/RF: (A) Godzilla appears to be the only one hitting these days, yet he wasn't even in the lineup Saturday.  Matsui was 4-11 with three walks and two runs.

Jorge Posada, DH/C: (A-) Excellent at the plate (5-15 with a homer) but worthless behind it.

Jason Giambi, 1B: (D+)Hey, he's batting over .100!  When's the party?  The Yankees are 3-7 with him playing this year.  3-0 without him.

Jose Molina, C: (A+)If I told you a Yankees catcher had three multi-hit games in his last four contests, would you think that Yankees catcher would be Jose Molina?

Alberto Gonzalez, SS: (A) Here's another backup doing an excellent job.  Gonzalez has four hits in his last 10 at bats.

Melky Cabrera, CF: (B+)  Cabrera is hitting better of late.  He's three for his last 11 with four RBIs and a run.

Morgan Ensberg, 1B: (A)

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