Grading the New York Yankees: Girardi Manages to Lose Another One

These are the season batting averages and the career batting averages against lefty Scott Kazmir for three left-handed hitters on the Yankees entering Thursday’s game versus the Tampa Bay Rays.

Hitter                           2008 Avg.       Avg. v. Kazmir

Hideki Matsui             .317                             .200

Bobby Abreu              .286                             .222

Jason Giambi               .188                             .154

Guess which one of these three lefties got the start against Kazmir Thursday?  Yup, Jason Giambi.  In fact, not only did the Giamzero start, but he hit cleanup.  Cleanup!  That made for the formidable 4-5-6 of Giambi (.188 avg), Shelley Duncan (.188 avg.) and Morgan Ensberg (.224 avg.).  They all bat ahead of Robinson Cano (.350 avg. in May) and Alberto Gonzalez (.290 avg.).  And you wonder why the Yankees have scored just six runs in the last four games.

It’s really getting to the point where nothing Girardi does makes sense.  When two of your best hitters are on the DL (Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada), you just cannot keep two more of your best hitters (Hideki Matsui and Bobby Abreu) out of the starting lineup.  Please, someone explain that to me.  I beg you.  I’m really losing it here.

Oh, and Ian Kennedy (5ip, 5er) proved yet again why Joba Chamberlain needs to be in the starting rotation.  But there’s really no reason for me to beat Eight Belles.

Here are the grades from Thursday’s 5-2 loss to the Rays.

Joe Girardi, Manager: (F)

Johnny Damon, LF-1B: (F)  Yeah, you read that correctly, Girardi’s managing is so irresponsible right now that Damon wound up playing first base in the ninth inning.

Melky Cabrera, CF: (A)  It’s too bad Cabrera and Jeter can’t play every position and bat in every spot in the lineup.

Derek Jeter, SS: (A) Bat him first, second, third, it doesn’t matter, the Captain will consistently do his job.

Jason Giambi, DH: (F)Bat him fourth, fifth, sixth, it doesn’t matter, the Giamzero will consistently let you down.  He did just that Thursday to the tune of 0-4 with a strikeout and four runners left on base.

Shelley Duncan, RF-1B: (A-) Duncan got off the interstates Thursday.  Giambi must’ve missed the exit.

Morgan Ensberg, 1B-3B: (B-)Maybe Girardi thinks the object of baseball is to get as many guys to play first base in one game as possible.

Robinson Cano, 2B: (C) Cano has more singles (10) in the last ten games than Giambi has all season (6).

Alberto Gonzalez, 3B: (B-) Gonzalez has now reached base in 10 of the 12 games he’s started this year.

Jose Molina, C: (C) 1-4 with a run scored and two strikeouts.

Hideki Matsui, PH-LF: (F) Struck out swinging for Duncan in the eighth, when the game was already decided.

Bobby Abreu, PH-RF: (F) 0-2 pinch hitting for Gonzalez.

Ian Kennedy, SP: (F)0-3 with an 8.48 ERA, but keep throwing him out there instead of Joba.

LaTroy Hawkins, RP: (A+) Struck out the side in the sixth.

Jose Veras, RP: (A) A perfect seventh.

Edwar Ramirez, RP: (A) A perfect eighth.

Yankees Overall Grade: (D)  Don’t expect the offensive slump to end Friday night when the Bombers face Johan Santana of the Mets.  Hey, he’s a lefty too!  I’m right-handed, maybe Girardi will start me.