Memorial Day: Taking Stock -- Yanks

Memorial Day is the first opportunity to take stock of the baseball scene.

The regular season is slightly less than a third of the way to the finish line. Sizzling starts have cooled and chilly commencements have warmed.

Let's start with a Yanks update through their first 51 games as defending champs for the fist time since the 2001 campaign.

The Bombers are 11 games above .500 at 31-20, 2.5 games behind the Rays in the AL East and leading the Wild Card race heading into the first turn.

The starting rotation of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes and Javier Vazquez have a combined record of 26-12. Excluding Vazquez, the staff was off to an 11-2 start as the shower's of April cleared.

Sabathia struggled in May winning just one decision while dropping two. Burnett's worst performance came against the Red Sox at Fenway Park against the Red Sox, but the nasty righty has straightened out by winning his last two starts.

The veteran Pettitte and youngster Hughes have been fantastic. The 38-year-old lefty is 7-1 with a 2.48 ERA. Not far behind is Hughes at 6-1, 2.70.

Vazquez did not get his return to The Bronx off to a good start. On May 1, Javy owned a 1-3 record with an ERA near ten and was skipped in his next turn in the rotation.

After missing a start, Javy's performance mysteriously improved -- his last start against the Twins not withstanding.

The Yanks lead the majors in runs scored per game by half-a-run over AL East foes Toronto and Boston. The data is all the more impressive when the sluggish starts of the three and four hitters in the lineup -- Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, respectively -- are taken into account.

Although Tex is a notorious for getting off to slow starts, this season has been slower and the "start" has now extended to May.

A-Rod had an atypical April belting just two homers. Excluding 1999 and 2009 when Alex missed considerable time due to injury, that's the lowest total of his career for that month.

However, the story of the lineup is Robinson Cano. Off to a blistering start, Robbie carried the Yanks early on batting .400 in the opening month. And, to go with the hot bat, Cano is playing a stellar second base.

Derek Jeter bounced back from a minor May slump to finish the month batting .302.

The outfield has been a carousel exasperated by an injury to newbie Curtis Granderson. Nick Swisher continued to contribute in right and Brett Gardner has been better than expected with the bat while playing left and center.

Jorge Posada is spending time on the DL but Francisco Cervelli has been a more than competent backup.

Nick Johnson's trip to the DL is as surprising as birds migrating south for winter. The fill-ins, Juan Miranda, Kevin Russo and Greg Golson, have been unspectacular.

Mariano Rivera has been splendid out of the bullpen blowing just one save in 11 opportunities. Mo didn't give up a run until his 13th appearance of the season.

After Mo, the pen has been shaky. Joba Chamberlain has been downright bad in the second half of May. The Yanks need Joba to return to early season form when he showed flashes of dominance.

Damaso Marte has been solid but David Robertson hasn't given Joe Girardi a reason bring him in to a game other than mop-up duty. Alfredo Aceves may be done for the season and Chan Ho Park doesn't belong in a game unless there's at least a seven-run lead either way.

Although the arms are solid, the relief work overall has not been up to par. If the current group doesn't back on track, Brian Cashman has acquire someone else for Girardi to use in a key spot.

The Yanks need CC to return to ace form and can expect that to happen based on his career post-All-Star break numbers. The middle of the lineup must start carrying its own weight, and if the last two games are any indication, Tex and A-Rod are on their way.

The bullpen is the biggest concern because, after Mo, there isn't enough history among the relievers to have any expectations as to how they will respond to adversity.

There isn't much Girardi can do with the lineup, especially after Posada returns.

Joe will meddle most with the relief corps, which is a concern because Girardi already makes too many pitching changes. If he doesn't trust the guys on the hill, trips to the mound will increase -- if that's imaginable.