Yankees rank 7th in AL batting avg. going into Monday, May 9

5/9/11, NY Times, "Cashman responded that he thought much more about the team’s success than about any individual — even Jeter, the most visible Yankee by far. And he said Jeter’s struggles, and the attention they have drawn, had probably masked the fact that

• some of his teammates were not hitting much, either.

“We have about five guys in that lineup who are struggling,” Cashman said as he tried to put Jeter in a larger context. “He’s taken a lot of the questions, or has been for the first month, but in fairness, we’ve had a little bit of an offensive epidemic.”

Going into Monday’s games, the Yankees ranked seventh in batting average in the American League at .252, although they led the major leagues in home runs, with 54....Cashman said he firmly believed that a team’s leadoff hitter should also be its best hitter. Jeter, at this point in his career, would hardly seem to fit that description even with Sunday’s strong showing, although he is now third among Yankee regulars in batting average.

• And he remains the leadoff hitter for the foreseeable future."

5/9/11, "On Jeter, Cashman broadens his view," NY Times, Dave Caldwell

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