New York Yankees: What They Need to Be Crowned American League East Champions

The New York Yankees are currently sitting atop the American League East standings, but staying there for the remainder of the season will be the most difficult task any contending team will bear in the second half.  

The team will have offensive, defensive, mental and physical quarrels in the coming weeks and months, but a few stand out from the rest.

Now Batting, No. 2, Derek Jeter

There is no doubt that the most popular Yankee since Don Mattingly has been Derek Jeter, the iconic shortstop whose athletic stature and mature leadership has become an expectation of anyone donning the Yankee pinstripes.  

Unfortunately for Jeter, he is human and is growing older and out of his prime.  A recent calf injury has set his slow offensive year back a couple weeks, and has revealed both blessings and blunders on the team.  

Without Jeter leading off, left fielder Brett Gardner has emerged from the doldrums of a two-month slump to become an excellent lead-off hitter.  His game has improved on every level, and it would be hard to remove him from the top of the order.  However, it is very likely Jeter will return in his position in the lineup, and thankfully for the Yankees, his position in the field as well.  

Though replacement shortstop Eduardo Nunez has been sufficient, his fielding has been nothing short of scary.  In a few spotty starts and in Jeter's absence, Nunez has made more errors this season than Jeter made all of last season.  

Therefore, Jeter must come back strong, and must come back swinging.  A boost in his offensive production will give manager Joe Girardi very good problems to have.  

Phil Hughes and the Gang

With the atrocious and injury-riddled start to Phil Hughes' 2011 season, you would have never guessed he managed 18 wins last season.  

With his return from the disabled list imminent, a healthy and fully-operational Hughes will be an enormous asset for the Yankees.  It will rejuvenate an older starting rotation, forcing competition on the bottom between veterans Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia, and also young stud Ivan Nova.  

A six-man rotation would be out of the question, but having all starters performing well would not be a bad problem to have.  

Cano's Hidden Brilliance

If the Yankees offense is like a well-tuned V8 engine, Robinson Cano would certainly be one of its powerful cylinders. It feels like he's also the supercharger sitting on the workbench.  

Though his .290 average, 14 home runs and 50 RBI's is very good, he could be so much more.  His performance is frustrating to witness, even if it is magnificent at times.  Unlike most players, who seemingly battle to get hits and make plays, Cano can apparently serve three tough pitches to left field for a great night at the plate.

His visible boredom at the plate can turn him into a power hitter, however, which can get him in trouble, bringing him to the lowly near-Hall-of-Fame numbers he currently has.  

Though his effort and work ethic cannot be questioned, if Cano gave the Yankees an extra 10 percent at the plate, he could carry this offense out of the reach of any pitching staff in the world, and well into October. 

The Injury Bug

It is no secret that the Yankees are, on average, an old team.  Key players like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera are all over 35 years old.  

Their team is assembled on the basis that all of the veterans can stay healthy, but with trips to the disabled list by Jeter and starter Bartolo Colon, and missed time by catcher Russell Martin, their injury-laden team could quickly slip out of first place.  

However, a strong farm system and a big wallet make sure the Yankees are always in contention.

They Must Protect This House

This year's 1-8 start against the Boston Red Sox has been disheartening, but the 0-5 home record is especially tough to fathom.  It is becoming increasingly obvious that the Red Sox will be the main threat to the Yankees' division run, and winning it may ultimately rely on beating them at home.

It is tough to expect a winning series anytime the Yankees enter Fenway Park in Boston, but another sweep in the Bronx will put a big damper on their season.  

Like most things in baseball, the key is pitching.  With the hype of the Red Sox' rotation in the preseason, it is rather spectacular for the Yankees sake that their rotation has a better ERA than Boston's.  

Their inability to hold down the Sox' offense so far this year has been their demise, and it will need to change if the Yankees plan to outdo their biggest rival. 

They Still Go to Mo

Like most formalities with the Yankees, their most important piece is their last, in figurative terms.  

Mariano Rivera, the Yankees destined-to-Cooperstown closer, has had a quiet, normal year at the young age of 41.  He has an average ERA of just under 2.00, converting all but three saves so far this year.  Normal for Rivera, but an all-time season for any other pitcher.  His consistency with pitches the opposition knows are coming is remarkable, and his ability to perform at the highest level at this age is just as astounding.

If Rivera can (and there's no reason to say he can't) produce at this pace, the Yankees will always have a better chance to win than any other team.  Rivera is not a problem the Yankees face, but an asset they have every day in the bullpen.  

If their problems can be solved and their strengths continue, no team in baseball can stop them from winning not only the AL East, but their 28th World Series championship.