Girardi staying positive during offensive slump

ANAHEIM -- It's no secret that the Yankees' bats are in a funk. They haven't seen a number higher than three on the top half of the scoreline since Tuesday in Oakland.

But despite the club's struggles at the plate, manager Joe Girardi is taking a positive approach with his hitters.

"The biggest thing is you encourage them, because you know what they're capable of doing," Girardi said. "Every hitter has been in a slump. If you've played long enough, you've been in a slump. Your hope as a club is that you don't have three, four, five guys slumping at once, but sometimes you do. It becomes really tough to score runs."

No doubt, the ailing right wrist of first baseman Mark Teixeira is a bit of a setback, but Girardi was quick to point out that the current injury-riddled group is the same bunch that has hovered around first place in the American League East pretty much all season.

"This is the group that got us 12 games over [.500]," Girardi said. "There's a few changes, but it's basically the same group, and they're capable of doing it -- putting together a good run. That's what we need to do."

During the past three games leading up to Sunday, the Yankees hit just .138 with runners in scoring position. They've left a total of 25 men on base during that time.

Lyle Overbay is back as the starting first baseman, Girardi said, until Teixeira returns. He noted the importance of good at-bats even if the results aren't necessarily there.

"When you're not seeing the ball too well as a team, maybe you start trying to do too much, and that's when it's tough," Overbay said. "There are some times when just a walk can get you locked in."