Some interesting spring stats

Numbers during spring training don't mean much those guaranteed a roster spot. For everyone else, however, those numbers are all they have when it comes to impressing their manager.

There are spots available in the bullpen, infield and outfield. Here are how the players vying for these spots are doing in camp thus far:

Position Players

Wilson Betemit: .235 (4-17), 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 6 K
Chris Woodward: .529 (9-17), 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K
Shelley Duncan: .500 (8-16), 2 HR, 3 2B, 9 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K
Jason Lane: .313 (5-16), 1 HR, 1 2B, 1 3B, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K
Morgan Ensberg: .429 (6-14), 0 HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K
Brett Gardner: .333 (4-12), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 2B, 1 3B, 0 BB, 3 K

Duncan will be on the team, as he can play first base and the outfield. Betemit is out of options and could platoon (he is a switch hitter, but has awful numbers when he bats right-handed).

Bullpen

Jeff Karstens: 5 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Kei Igawa (LHP): 4 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
Jonathan Albaladejo: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Heath Phillips (LHP): 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Chris Britton: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Scott Patterson: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Darrell Rasner: 3 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Billy Traber (LHP): 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Ross Ohlendorf: 2.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Edwar Ramirez: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
Sean Henn (LHP): 2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Jose Veras: 2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Brian Bruney: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Bruney has a guaranteed contract for 2008 and Henn is out of options, so I could see both making the team when it heads north. If they feel that Henn could pass through waivers, Traber should be the choice for LOOGY if he continues to pitch like he has been.

The competitions appear to be very stiff, so the powers that be will probably have tough decisions to make. Most of these players are taking advantage of the opportunity to make the team, so this could be a good problem to have.

Some interesting stats

The Yankees don't play until 7:00 tonight, so to keep myself occupied, I've been playing with the Baseball-Reference Play Index (and what a great tool it is). As a result, I have come up with some nice stats for you all to enjoy.

Since July 1, Robinson Cano is batting .400 with a .456 OBP. He is 56 for 140 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs. He has also walked 13 times (he walked 18 times all of last season).

Since May 30, Melky Cabrera is batting .347 with a .390 OBP. He is 85 for 245 with five home runs and 35 RBIs.

Since July 1, Bobby Abreu is batting .364 with a .408 OBP. He is 48 for 132 with seven home runs and 41 RBIs (mind you, he has 11 and 76 for the season).

Since July 1, Hideki Matsui is batting .331 with a .387 OBP. He is 48 for 145 with 15 home runs and 35 RBIs (he only had eight home runs for the seson before that date).

Since Mariano Rivera's implosion against the Boston Red Sox on April 27, he is 1-1 with 18 saves in 42 innings pitched. He has struck out 43 batters, walked only two and has given up only six earned runs. His ERA went from 12.15 on that date to 2.77 where it stands today. He also has not blown a save since (knock on wood).

Since May 28, Luis Vizcaino has been on fire. He is 6-1 in 34 games with a minuscule 1.31 ERA. He has given up only five earned runs in 34 1-3 innings and has struck out 33 batters while walking 15. Opponents are batting .176 off of him. Hopefully he isn't burned out by the time the playoffs (PLAYOFFS!?!? Yes, the Yankees are now serious playoff contenders) roll around.

Some interesting stats

Now that we are at the All-Star break, let's take a look at the Yankees' play in specific situations and some of their split stats.

Overall, the Yankees are batting .280 with 86 home runs and 452 runs scored. The pitching staff has a 4.41 ERA. They are sitting in a tie for second place in the American League East with the Toronto Blue Jays with a record of 42-43.

In the first six innings of a game, the Yankees as a team are batting .290 with 61 home runs. After that, they are only batting .259 with 25 home runs. The team's ERA over the first six innings is 4.32. After the sixth, it's 4.59.

With no one on base, the team is batting .275 with 21 home runs. With runners in scoring position, the team is batting .272 with 20 home runs. With runners in scoring position and two outs, the team is batting .270 with 13 home runs.

With the bases loaded, they are batting .309 with two grand slams.

At home, the Yankees are batting .288 with 45 home runs. They also have a 4.52 ERA. On the road, they are batting .272 with 41 home runs. They also have a 4.29 ERA.

During the day, the team is batting .270 with 32 home runs. They also have a 5.01 ERA. During the night, they are batting .285 with 54 home runs. They also have a 4.06 ERA.

So, let's recap. The team's ideal situation is a game in its first six innings at home at night. There is also no one on base while they are batting.

I found the RISP numbers to be surprising. I didn't expect them to be that high, especially with the team's failure to get the runner in from third with less than two outs.