Brian Cashman: Melky Has to Fight for What He Has

From Peter Abraham:

But while general manager Brian Cashman has locked second baseman Robinson Cano into a long-term contract and has staked his own reputation on the abilities of young pitchers Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, he’s not yet prepared to invest as heavily in the 23-year-old Cabrera.

“Melky has to fight for what he has,” Cashman said. “I can’t stand here and tell you he’s going to be our center fielder moving forward. That’s up to him.”

Cabrera hit .273 with eight homers and 73 RBI last season, taking over for Damon in early June. But there were concerns. Cabrera hit .180 in September before going 3-for-16 in the division series against Cleveland. His on-base percentage fell from .360 in 2006 to .327 last season.

“I’m working every day with (hitting coach) Kevin Long to try and get better,” Cabrera said. “The other players, they’re staying on me. I know I have to keep getting better.”

It wouldn’t be wise to get comfortable. In 24-year-old Brett Gardner and 21-year-old Austin Jackson, the Yankees have one player on the verge of being ready for the majors and another who is moving quickly in that direction.

Gardner is an unusual Yankees outfield prospect in that he’s small of stature (5-foot-10, 180 pounds) and short on power (six home runs in 1,115 minor league at-bats). But that’s the point, Cashman said.

“Brett Gardner is not your typical Yankee-profile type of player,” he said.

“We’re trying to break that profile to some degree because there’s more to this game than hitting for power.

“We think he could be a Juan Pierre who takes a walk. Here’s a guy who can steal bases; he can get on base; he plays the short game. We need athleticism like that, especially when you have a bunch of these old farts filling the roster out. Those young burst-of-energy, athletic guys really stand out on a team like ours.”

Telling stuff. I love Melky, but in the long run, you really have to wonder whether or not he’ll have a future with the club, especially if other guys (e.g. Austin Jackson, Brett Gardner) are knocking on the door (loudly). However, if Melky can produce and exceed expectations, he could definitely keep his job (as stated by Cashman).

Also, anyone else find it strange that Brian Cashman labeled the majority of his players as “old farts”?

Igawa Says He’s Not Worried

From Bryan Hoch about Igawa’s rough outing:

“I’m not too worried at this point,” Igawa said through an interpreter. “It is the first game. I’m able to realize what I need to work on. That is a positive, moving forward.”

Igawa, 28, said that his control overall felt “pretty good” and that he is healthy. But those comments are ones that the Yankees have heard before — after continued struggles last season at the Major League level, Igawa spent time at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and also at Class A Tampa, working on his mechanics.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that he was not concerned by Igawa’s rocky outing. The club plans to have Igawa pitch again on Tuesday against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla.

“He got himself in trouble with a walk and hit a guy,” Girardi said. “He didn’t finish off the slider, and he got in some bad counts, which hurt, but it’s early. Your pitches aren’t going to be as sharp now as they’re going to be in a month.”

Too be fair, it is very early. Igawa has a lot of time to work his issues out and hopefully he’ll get into the swing of things shortly. The Yankees invested a lot of money into him, so they’ll try to do whatever they can to make sure that he’s as effective as he can possibly be. However, he’s going to have to work extremely hard just to prove that he deserves a spot in the pen (long-man or lefty reliever).

And Then Came Kei Igawa…

Today, the Yankees played the University of South Florida (exhibition) and the team’s big three, meaning Joba Chamberlain (who started), Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes, were dominant. Joba started and threw two perfect innings, then Kennedy and Hughes combined to allow only one hit over the next 3 innings (the three of them struck out a total of 6 batters).

However, then came Kei Igawa (with a 9-0 cushion). Igawa walked two guys, hit someone, and then gave up a grand slam to a random college kid. For some reason, I feel like this may become a Spring Training trend. Well, at least the Yanks won (11-4) and we got to see Joba, Kennedy and Hughes pitch some quality innings.

Phil Hughes Q&A

Check out the LoHud Blog to see PA’s Q&A with Phil Hughes.

The Read to End All Reads

From the Jonathan Mahler of the NY Times:

“Red Sox Nation?” Hank says. “What a bunch of [expletive] that is. That was a creation of the Red Sox and ESPN, which is filled with Red Sox fans. Go anywhere in America and you won’t see Red Sox hats and jackets, you’ll see Yankee hats and jackets. This is a Yankee country. We’re going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order.”

Wow, check out the article in its entirety. It’s probably one of the longest Yankee-texts you’ll ever read, but it sure is worth it.

No More, Please

From Andy Pettitte about Joba Chamberlain:

Andy Pettitte, quoted in the Miami Herald, on fellow Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain: “He throws a slider as hard as a lot of guys throw a fastball. Then he throws a fastball at 100. His arm has been blessed by God.”

Honestly, come on. Pettitte needs to leave the God references at home, because last time I checked, God wasn’t enough for Andy Pettitte. When injured, taking HGH to assist in the healing of a defective arm demonstrates a severe lack of faith in anything other than man made chemicals. I’m sorry. That may sound very negative, but that’s how I feel.

Torre Making Managerial Strides

For those who are still interested, here’s a nice read on Joe Torre and his experience thus far with his new team, the LA Dodgers. It’s primarily about managing his first game (albeit in Spring Training) with the club.

Murcer Still Facing Some Issues

From the Daily News:

Former Yankee outfielder Bobby Murcer’s battle with brain cancer may have taken a turn for the worse, the Daily News has learned.

According to an emotional e-mail sent to friends Thursday from Murcer’s wife, Kay, the Yankee broadcaster will undergo a brain biopsy on Monday in Houston after an MRI revealed an “area that doctors are concerned about.”

“Please pray that it will be determined to be necrosis (scar tissue from the radiation), and not another cancerous tumor,” Kay wrote in her e-mail. “It’s one of the two.”

It’s a horrible situation, and, hopefully, Murcer and his family will receive some sort of positive diagnosis. If you’d like, you can check out the article (by Bill Madden) for Kay Murcer’s email in its entirety.

Quick Note on Matsui

Hideki Matsui has been training as if he will be starting in LF. However, he is very aware of the current situation (too many bats, not enough positions) and knows that his position is dependent upon Joe Girardi’s choices. All of us, including Matsui, know that Damon will play LF and Matsui will be relegated (primarily) to DH.

Do Ballplayers Care About Politics?

C.J. Wilson of the Texas Rangers had the following to say about politics and baseball:

“It’s frustrating,” says C.J. Wilson, the 27-year-old Texas relief pitcher. “I’d say there are two reasons. One, there’s a general lack of education among us. But two — and most important — you’re talking about a population that makes a ton of money, so the ups and downs of the economy don’t impact whether we’re getting paid. Therefore, we often don’t care.”

Although Wilson got into some heat over his comments (he continued his remarks on a baseball blog), I don’t think he was specifically talking about the Rangers, but was generalizing about the entire baseball community. It’s a pretty sad state of affairs when you make so much money that you could care less about who the President is or will be, or whether or not the economy is working for “normal” people.

A Pair of Fringe Yankees

Here’s a nice read by Dawn Klemish about Darrell Rasner and Jeff Karstens, our two favorite fringe Yankees. Both guys–Joe Girardi characterizes them as “strike throwers”–went down last season with significant injuries and either one could make the team as the long-man out of the pen (Karstens probably has the best shot).

The Maturation of Ian Kennedy

 

Pete Caldera’s got a nice read on Ian Kennedy. He talks a bit about the passing of his grandfather, his marriage, Mike Mussina, the off-season trade rumors (about Santana) and what he hopes to achieve this year as a full-time starter for the Yankees.

Mussina Fighting For His Spot

From Tyler Kepner (about Mike Mussina):

“When you come into this game, you’re pushed at the beginning, trying to prove yourself,” he said. “If you’re lucky enough to play a long time, the middle seems to be a smooth period. At least you know what you’re doing. At the end, you get pushed again. That’s just the nature of it. I knew that I wasn’t going to just stroll into camp and be a starter. I have to got out there and prove that I can still do it. Maybe it’s time that I be pushed again.”

I wouldn’t say that Mussina was complacent before his 2007 campaign. Honestly, when you’re a viable, top-of-the-rotation starter for many years, it just seems like you become relaxed and know that you have the ability to dominate and have a long career. You’re not necessarily worrying about the next guy, the guy in the minors who’s been overpowering the system’s competition. That’s how any successful, middle aged (or relatively young) starter sees it.

However, now that he’s well into the twilight of his career, Mike Mussina knows that he has to work hard, yet again. As you can see in the quote, he even admitted to not knowing whether or not he was going to be a starter this year. I may be a dreamer, but I think he could put up some solid numbers. He’s got a lot to prove.

McLovinCutchen

Here’s a nice read by Peter Abraham (LoHud) on Daniel McCutchen, who’s been fighting for a place in the somewhat hazy mist that is the Yankee bullpen. Good stuff.

Congress Continues With Clemens Fiasco

The AP is reporting that Congress has asked the Justice Department to launch an investigation in order to find out whether or not Roger Clemens was lying in his Congressional hearing. In related news, Debbie Clemens’ breasts are getting Roger into even more trouble. Who knew discussing boob jobs could be so damning?

Relievers Relieved That Torre is Gone

From Mark Feinsand:

Bruney also admitted to a level of fear in playing for Joe Torre, who was constantly criticized in recent years for overusing certain relievers.

“With Torre - and I’m not trying to bad-mouth anybody - sometimes you would go out there and try to be so good because you were scared of doing bad,” Bruney said. “You can’t pitch like that. (Joe) Girardi understands that you make mistakes - and I’m going to make them.”

Bruney also went on to say that he’s more comfortable with Dave Eiland (the new pitching coach) and that he and Guidry didn’t have much of a relationship (Gator had his problems and wasn’t a highly regarded pitching coach, as many of you know).

I can picture a pitcher as Torre motions to the pen, sitting there… cringing. Remember Edwar Ramirez? He had that long layoff, then Torre plugged him in one day against the D-Rays and he gave out hits like a drug dealer. Torre often questioned the quality of the relievers at his disposal, however, maybe it was always the way in which they were used that caused their various problems (with confidence, performance, etc.).

Now, guys like Ohlendorf or Bruney (the racist reliver) feel they have a better chance, knowing that they won’t get put in the infamous Torre Doghouse if they make a few mistakes. In the bullpen, the biggest part of the game is having a short memory and if your manager is holding you down after a mishap here or there, then how can you ever forget your mistakes?

Joe Girardi is looking to change this problem, which almost seems like an inherent issue for Yankee fans. He’s truly the right guy for the job.

Spring Training Pictures

Props to the guys at RAB for posting these great shots.

Here’s one of the cool pics you’ll see:

That’s A-Rod and Hideki Matsui.

What do you think Matsui’s saying? How about, “I won’t put my hands down until Girardi starts me in left.” Seriously, A-Rod looks like he’s trying to talk him off a ledge.

I’ve never had the opportunity to catch Spring Training, although I would definitely like to check it out. The closest I ever got to actually going was last year, when I was in Florida (Kissimmee) for spring break. However, when you’re a college kid on spring break, I’m sad to say (well, not really) that watching baseball isn’t your primary goal.

Robinson Cano Hits Puberty

From The Star-Ledger:

Offensively, this could be the year Cano displays the power he has long been projected to provide. Though Cano said he didn’t focus on strengthening any particular muscles this offseason, it’s apparent he’s filled out and grown into himself. Long said this is the age when a player’s body goes from “a young man to a man.”

Yes, this is all sort of creepy. Okay, but seriously, do the Yankees project Cano to hit maybe 20 or so home runs, very soon?

“There’ll be a lot more power in there with his body the way it is and as strong as it is,” Long said.

As Cano becomes more experienced and more selective as a hitter, (Gene) Michael said, his power numbers likely will continue to improve. He hit a career-high 19 home runs last season, 13 coming after the All-Star break as he bounced back from a sluggish first half.

I too think that Cano will hit 20+ HRs in a season. I don’t necessarily think it will happen this year, but when he reaches the age of 27 and up (the prototypical “power years”), he could maybe put up a 25-30 HR season. This isn’t even reaching, as he hit 19 in 2007 at the age of 24.

Cano’s power is nice, but the real point of the text in the Ledger pertains to his work ethic. As we all know, there are quite a few people who believe that Cano needs to be constantly motivated in order to succeed. Well, it seems like that really is the case, as it was confirmed by the Yankees staff and Robinson Cano himself.

Cano, who cracked the majors three years ago at the age of 22, has always been an immensely talented player. But he has also been tagged as someone who lacks concentration. In the past two years in particular, Cano counted on Bowa, the third-base coach, to help keep his focus and develop his ability, to ride him when he lagged and demand extra fielding practice when he’d just as soon be smacking batting-practice fastballs.

Bowa is gone, following Joe Torre to the Dodgers. Cano now has the significant cushion of a four-year, $30 million contract. Does that portend a regression for the budding superstar?

The Yankees — including Cano himself — are taking steps to prevent it.

“There’s guys on this team that aren’t going to let him slide,” hitting coach Kevin Long said. “Derek Jeter’s not going to let him slide. Alex Rodriguez isn’t going to let him slide with his conditioning. He was in here at 7:30 this morning doing extra conditioning. He’s taking the bull by the horns. He’s taking the initiative.”

Already, Cano has been shoring up his support network. His first day in camp, he went up to Bowa’s replacement, Bobby Meacham, with a request.

“I told him, the way I told Bowa the first time that I met him,” Cano said, “if you see that I’m lazy or anything, tell me.”

Cano admits he likes having an authoritative coach keeping an eye on him. While teammates such as Rodriguez have offered guidance and new workout routines, each player’s first responsibility is to himself.

The constructive criticism will come from a coach, and Cano welcomes it.

“That’s something people from outside can see better,” Cano said. “That’s the point, just helping me out. That’s what you want, people to be honest and tell you the truth.”

On the defensive side, Meacham responded to Cano’s request by promising Cano he would receive plenty of information on a daily basis.

“Just reminders,” Meacham said. “He probably hasn’t developed a routine of what makes him go. As I’m sure Bowa did last year and I’ll do this year, is to continue to remind him what he needs to do to get better and what he needs to do to be a good player, and eventually be a great player.”

Cano isn’t necessarily lazy, but he is susceptible to falling into some mental lulls that can truly hinder his overall level of play. He himself admits that he needs some sort of structure and rigid discipline in order to remain focused. One would hope that with the Yankees (and their support), Cano will eventually mature a bit more as a person and a player. Only then will he be able to succeed entirely on his own.

Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects

Here’s the list. Joba is at number 3.

Giambi Looking Good

From Newsday:

Jason Giambi, who showed up with a shave and much shorter haircut Tuesday, has been catching the attention of manager Joe Girardi. One notable difference is that Giambi has been hitting the ball to all fields during batting practice. Teams often employ a pronounced shift against him, as he tends to pull the ball to rightfield.

If Giambi can simply put the ball into play, I’ll be happy. He says that he’s feeling good in camp after working hard during the off-season, and he expects to be healthy and productive for the club. Here’s a bit of text from the NY Times (Kepner):

Never nimble afoot, Giambi said he did long-distance running, sprints and shuttle runs — all on the ground, never on a treadmill or stationary bicycle. He said he was surprised at how well he had handled the pounding. “Because I fixed my feet, now my knees feel better and my legs feel better,” Giambi said. “I would always just chalk it up to my knees being beat up because I’m getting older. I didn’t realize my feet were so bad. I just couldn’t get on the ground. I feel a ton better, other than maybe my first year here.”

No matter how healthy and good he feels, Giambi is still 37 years old. It’s hard to be productive (physically), no matter how healthy you are, at such an old age (old for ballplayers).