Mid-Season Report Card: Matt Holliday

By -
Grade: B+

Matt Holliday has proven to be quite a valuable off season addition for the Yankees so far in 2017. Holliday has displayed that even at age 37, he is still more than capable of driving in runs at a high rate.  His contribution to the team extends beyond his on-field production in pinstripes though. Holliday has provided an important veteran presence to an extremely young clubhouse. By all accounts, he has really helped rookie sensation Aaron Judge smooth his transition into the spotlight of stardom. Holliday’s leadership is a big factor as to why the Yankees were able to get off to such a hot start in the early months despite the overwhelming youth on the roster.

Photo Credit: Adam Hunger/Getty Images



 First Half Performance:

Holliday’s 47 RBI this season in only 68 games played highlight the fact that he has been clutch for the Yankees when given the chance to put runs on the board. His average is sitting at .262, but he boasts an OBP of .366. This number is indicative of his good eye at the plate, making him a tough out every night for opposing pitchers. Holliday was even able to step in admirably at first base for a few games when the Yankees needed to keep his bat in the lineup.  Unfortunately, Holliday has been sidelined since the last week of June with a viral infection. This setback has been part of a rash of injuries for the Yanks that has set their lineup production back of late. The good news is the All-Star break is quickly approaching.

Second Half Expectations:

Assuming that Holliday returns to the lineup as the everyday DH after the break, he will once again be able to provide some much needed protection for Aaron Judge. Despite obviously not being the same caliber of player as Judge at this stage in his career, Holliday’s reputation as a potent RBI man around the league will make pitchers think twice about constantly pitching around Judge. This is an extremely valuable asset that the veteran brings to the middle of the Yankees lineup; helping to make them such a productive offense thus far. If he remains healthy, look for Holliday to once again eclipse the 100 RBI mark by season’s end.

Conclusion:

Look for Matt Holliday and his powerful bat to return to the heart of the Yankees order in time for the 2nd half of the season with a bang. This season is a perfect marriage between a veteran at the latter stage of his career still looking to compete in the postseason and an organization looking to find its way back to the top. Holliday is no doubt suffering as he watches the Yanks falter towards the break while being unable to help stop the bleeding. If the team is able to position itself for a postseason run, Holliday will undoubtedly be looking to leave his mark once again on the game’s biggest stage.

Article by: Kyle Finnerty


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Frankie Crosetti: “King of Rings”

By -
Image
The New York Yankees have long been admired for their brilliant winning pedigree. They’ve won 27 World Series Championships, 40 American League Pennants and produced some of the greatest players the game of baseball has ever seen. They are truly the standard to which all teams in any sport are measured against. They’re the only team in baseball history to win four straight championships (1936-1939) and five straight (1949-1953). For 85 years, the original Yankee Stadium was the most hallowed ground in sports and home of some of the greatest games ever played. In 2009, that tradition continued as the Yankees won title number 27 in their first season at the new Yankee Stadium. Because of the team’s tremendous success, they’ve had players and coaches who have done a tremendous amount of winning (with apologies to Don Mattingly). Babe Ruth won four times, Joe DiMaggio nine, Mickey Mantle seven, and Lou Gehrig six. Then of course you had the man with the greatest sayings in baseball, the i…
Read more

Possible Yankees’ trade targets

By -
Image
The Yankees’ offseason is off to a great start. The club’s main focus all along was to add Gerrit Cole, finally giving New York the true, dominant Ace, they have needed.  In the days following, the team was able to retain veteran outfielder Brett Gardner.  Now, the Yankees could look to the trade market to round out their roster and get set for 2020. Let’s take a look at who could be available and how they could fit in pinstripes.

Read more

Six early trade targets for the New York Yankees

By -
Image
The Yankees currently sit at 32-17 and are on top of the AL East. Despite this, the team has some areas it could improve in; however, Brian Cashman will not have to dig into his pocketbook or pick up the phone to get all the help this team needs. The team is expecting reinforcements off of the IL on both sides of the ball over the course of the next two months, which should give this already successful team an even bigger boost. However, this does not mean the Yankees will be silent on the trade market as more injuries could amount, setbacks can happen, and other teams will acquire big pieces resulting in the Yankees not wanting to fall behind. The Yankees are coming off two consecutive successful regular seasons followed by postseason failures, and still have the minor league talent to swing some game-changing deals. With this in mind, here are six early candidates to keep an eye on as the major league season transitions into the summer months.

Read more