Who needs to make a big trade when you can pick up an All-Star hitter for free?
That's how the New York Yankees are feeling right about now. After his fifth straight multi-hit game, it's pretty clear now.
Robinson Cano is back.
The Yankees were flummoxed by their second baseman's first-half struggles.
Stuck with a .246 batting average, a .285 on-base percentage, and just six home runs at the All-Star break, many Yankees fans were ready to dump the nonchalant Cano, but those fans familiar with Cano's young career knew that big things were just around the corner.
And right on schedule, the .334 career second-half hitter has started the second half on fire with 12 hits in his last 23 at-bats.
Cano insists that he doesn't change anything, but if this trend continues, it will be the third straight year his stats take a significant spike in the second half.
In 2006, his OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) went up 0.323 points and his home-run total almost tripled in the second half. The next year it went up 0.212 points, and his batting average jumped 0.69 points.
This year's second-half surge could not have come at a better time for the Yankees, who once again are looking up in the standings at the division leaders. This time, however, there are two teams they need to chase, Boston and Tampa Bay.
With Jorge Posada likely out for the season, and possibly Hideki Matsui as well, the Yankees need as much offensive help as possible. Johnny Damon's return makes the top of the lineup formidable again, while Cano's return makes the lineup go deeper.
Jose Molina, Melky Cabrera, Brett Gardner, Wilson Betemit, and Richie Sexson occupy three lineup spots each game, so the Yankees need to generate as many runs as they can from the top and middle of their order.
But while unfounded rumors about Barry Bonds, and slightly less insane rumors about Matt Holliday, swirl around the Bronx, the Yankees can afford to sit tight, knowing that they've just acquired the best offensive second baseman in baseball.
And all they had to do was wait until the calendar hit mid-July.
Reach Mackenzie Kraemer at mackenzie.kraemer@villanova.edu or read his blog at JetsDaily.com.
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