Yankee Opponents: Hot or Not?

Jeter's explanation for his team's struggles doesn't add up

By Matthew Taylor

It appears that Derek Jeter doesn't read Roar from 34. I know, I'm just as surprised as you are. If Jeter did read RF34 he would know better than to make the following statement after Sunday's loss to the A's.

"It seems like every team that's playing us is playing pretty good. You try to stay positive but, yeah, it gets frustrating."

We already debunked the myth(s) surrounding New York's June winning streak, but now we're going to have to re-visit the topic.

The truth is exactly the opposite of Jeter's claim that "every team that's playing us is playing pretty good."

Consider that the A's had lost six of seven games headed into their series this past weekend against the Yankees. Or what about the Colorado Rockies? After sweeping the Yankees the Rockies went on an eight-game losing streak. San Francisco won two of three against New York and then promptly lost two of three to the Padres. And any O's fan can tell you that times have been, shall we say, a bit tough in Baltimore of late. The list goes on.

It's not just individual anecdotes that undermine Jeter's theory. Consider the combined June record of the Yankees' opponents last month: 105-136, a .435 winning percentage. Only three of the teams New York played in June had a winning record in the month: Arizona (15-13), Colorado (14-13), and Oakland (14-13). Clearly, the Yankees were losing to teams in June that were not playing very good baseball.

It all adds up to more myth making in the Bronx.

June records of Yankee opponents

Arizona: 14 – 13

Baltimore: 8 -17

Boston: 13 – 14

Chicago: 10 – 18

Colorado: 14 – 13

New York: 12 – 15

Oakland: 15-13

Pittsburgh: 10 – 15

San Francisco: 9 – 18

Combined record of Yankee opponents: 105 – 136