Yankees drop to 5th in home runs-Klapisch

5/25: "But Cashman won’t relent to the army of second-guessers, insisting “Johnny would’ve never signed with us for $8 million for one year [his current contract with Detroit]. He was beyond our price point. I tell people all the time, Johnny Damon was never a choice for us.” ....

• Certain tenets the team once considered irrefutable are now in jeopardy.

Alex Rodriguez’s declining home run numbers

The slugger has only six HRs in 165 at-bats this season, which works out to one every 27 at-bats. Since 1998, Rodriguez’s HR to at-bat ratio never has been higher than 16.7.

• A deeper look at the numbers reveal an unmistakable loss of power. Throughout his career, 23 percent of A-Rod’s fly balls have cleared the fences. This year, the percentage has dropped to 9.7 percent.

The Yankees say they’re not worried....

In the meantime, the Yankees have been less able to rely on home runs to bail them out. The

• No. 1 HR-hitting team in the majors last year

• has dropped to No. 5 this season, although the Bombers still lead the majors in runs.

A-Rod’s numbers have been in a subtle decline since his MVP season in 2007, when he hit 57 HRs. This year, he’s on pace for 24....

Derek Jeter’s shrinking walk-ratio

The captain is on a pace for a career low in walks – 40 or so, which would represent a steep decline from last year’s 72 and even bigger drop from the career-best 91 in 1999. That’s when the Yankees were at their best burning out opposing pitchers with long at-bats.

• Last year, Jeter averaged 3.84 pitches per plate appearance. This year, either because of aggressiveness or impatience, Jeter’s average has dropped to 3.55. Going to work earlier in the count hasn’t delivered much of a dividend, as his .396 slugging percentage is notably below his .455 career average.

Overall, his .320 on-base percentage is most damning as a leadoff hitter."...

• from Bob Klapisch column, NorthJersey.com, "The Yankees have cause for concern" 5/25, photo above AP file photo, reference in current article as 'underachievers'

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