Game 2: Yanks VS. Midges Indians

I swear I saw some midges on the mound when Pettitte got shelled during the middle of the game. No, seriously… Okay, no, not really, but still.

Here’s the lineup:

Damon LF
Cabrera CF
Jeter SS
Rodriguez DH
Giambi 1B
Duncan RF
Ensberg 3B
Molina C
Gonzalez 2B
Kennedy RHP

Our boy Shelley D. is back in action. IPK needs to flash some of that brilliance that we all know he’s capable of or Girardi might have to hit the mound for another “pep talk” like last time.

If you’re bored and just waiting around for the game to start, feel free to check out this nice feature from the NY Post’s website. They have a “Remember Yankee Stadium” section and it could help you kill some time.

Joba’s Tweaky Moment

Joba Chamberlain reportedly “tweaked” his leg during his 2-inning appearance in Chicago (which could explain why he was getting pounded on in the 9th). We all saw him slip on the mound, drawing Joe Girardi out of the dugout. Joba wasn’t available last night and the “tweak” isn’t thought to be a serious concern. Trainers worked on him a bit and he should be fine from hereon in.

Game 1: Yanks VS. Midges Indians

Here’s the lineup:

YANKEES
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui DH
Posada C
Giambi 1B
Cano 2B
Cabrera CF
Pettitte LHP

PA is reporting that Brian Bruney is likely out for the season. That’s extremely tough news for the Yankees and especially for Bruney who really worked hard to get where he is today (at least, for this offseason that was the case). Chris Britton and Albaladejo are around and that probably signals the end for Ross Ohlendorf, who could use a break anyway.

Numbers to Ponder

Here are a few stats to think about:

• Melky Cabrera and Alex Rodriguez lead the team with 4 homers a piece.
• Since returning from his injury, Jose Molina is 0-for-7 in his last 2 games.
• Melky Cabrera has an OPS of .895
• Hideki Matsui has an OPS of .938 and he’s hitting .324 on the season
• Robinson Cano has an OPS of .440 and he’s hitting .159 on the season
• Derek Jeter has 0 homers

Bruney’s Injury Serious

Tyler Kepner reports that the Yankees believe Bruney is suffering from, not one, but two torn ligaments in his foot. With Farnsworth likely done for a little while, expect the Yanks to call up maybe Darrell Rasner and probably Edwar Ramirez (it would be nice if Patterson got a call, but I doubt it).

(Props to RAB).

A-Quad is Healing

A-Rod’s injured quad doesn’t seem to be too serious. In fact, A-Rod thinks that he’ll play tonight against Cleveland, although his role would be reduced to DH. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see A-Rod sit all weekend. The Yankees have a viable DH in Hideki Matsui and they won’t want to play him in the OF since it would cut time from Melky (who seems to be hitting everything), Damon or Abreu. Damon and Giambi are both showing signs of life so I doubt Girardi would want to take them out at this very moment when A-Rod can simply rest up a bit more.

We’ll see what happens against those pesky Indians.

A Messy Situation

So, the bullpen didn’t exactly do its job last night, but when can you expect when they’re left to eat 7 innings against a pretty powerful group of hitters. Ohlendorf (5 ER over 2 IP), Hawkins (1 ER over 2 IP) and Joba (1 ER over 2 IP) couldn’t hold the Sox and they mounted a 9th inning rally to ensure that they wouldn’t be swept by the blossoming offense of the NY Yankees.

Believe it or not, Kyle Farnsworth was the only reliever to go untouched tonight, pitching a scoreless 7th inning. However, our buddy Kyle actually injured himself on the mound while throwing his final pitch (he slipped and tweaked it). Farnsworth believes that it could be an elbow strain, although nothing is certain as of now and he sounds fairly optimistic. He’ll be reevaluated in Cleveland.

Also, Brian Bruney could be headed to the DL after injuring his foot. These guys, like them or not, have been integral parts of the pen and without them, it could be tough for the Yanks, especially if Hughes and IPK continue to struggle (Hughes seems like he’s snapping out of it). It’ll be interesting to see who the Yankees call up if they need to place someone on the DL or make a roster move.

Ending up on a good note, how about that Melky Cabrera?

We Are All Human

Yes, even this guy.

Game 3: Yanks VS. ChiSox

Here’s the lineup (via RAB):

1. Johnny Damon, DH
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Bobby Abreu, RF
4. Hideki Matsui, LF
5. Morgan Ensberg, 3B
6. Robinson Cano, 2B
7. Jason Giambi, 1B
8. Melky Cabrera, CF
9. Jose Molina, C

The game is being delayed right now (weather), but hopefully we’ll be able to witness Hughes pick up his first win of the season. It’ll be interesting to see if he’ll pitch, actually. Last time the Yanks had a big rain delay, they didn’t send Ian Kennedy out there, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens with Phil.

UPDATE (10:15) — I doubt we’ll see Phil Hughes back out on the mound. This rain delay has been a rather long one and I doubt Girardi will let Hughes continue. If that’s the case, I expect to see Ross Ohlendorf (our unofficial long man) pitching well into the sixth inning.

SOLD!!!

The controversial David Ortiz jersey that was dug up after being discreetly buried in the new stadium’s cement has been sold on eBay for $175,100. The money will benefit the Jimmy Fund, a charitable organization that is connected to Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Eh, at least it’s for a good cause.

Fenway’s Dirty Secret (Okay, It’s Not Really a Secret)

I was over at the Bronx Liaison today and he had a great read up about Boston’s Fenway Park. The post outlines the struggles and uncomfortable moments had by black players like Torii Hunter, Garret Anderson and Gary Mathews Jr. (all are on the Angels now) when playing at the ballpark, because of the racial slurs hurled at them whenever they hit the field or step into the batter’s box. According to Mathews, “It’s one of the few places you hear racial comments every once in a while.”

There’s nothing really new here. Boston, which is heralded as one of the more liberal cities in the East, has always been a place of tremendous racial intolerance. However, to know that this stuff still goes on, even today, is extremely disturbing and stupid. Hunter says that it’s not as frequent anymore, but a few years ago fans would chant the N-word at him and throw batteries. That’s just ridiculous. No wonder Coco Crisp doesn’t get any love even though he’s currently better than Jacoby Ellsbury.

I guess since Boston fans cheer for David Ortiz, who’s not black but has dark skin, they feel better about their past. Next time a Sox fan bothers you about 2004 or their WS championships, just tell them they’re a racist to throw them off (I’m joking, but still, it would be a funny experiment).

Darrell Dominates

Darrell Rasner has been dominant this year in Triple-A. After being cut during Spring Training, Rasner currently has a 3-0 record, and he has collected 21 strikeouts in 25 innings of work. He attributes his success to SWB’s new pitching coach, Rafael Chavez. Chavez apparently taught Rasner how to throw a cutter in order to complement his curveball, allowing him to keep hitters guessing (collectively, they’re hitting just .153 against him).

I’ve always liked Rasner. His stuff is solid and he seems like a gutty type of guy. He could possibly be in a big league rotation and if this new cutter becomes some sort of revelation, you can expect to see him in the Bronx sometime this year. If IPK or Phil Hughes continue to struggle and if the Yanks decide, later on, that they may need more seasoning in AAA, then Rasner could definitely get the call. We’ll see him with the Yanks during some point this season (to eat innings), that’s for sure.

Thursday Morning’s Bag Of Bits: Moose, A-Rod, Joba, Hughes, Bruney & More…

I’m still working on a relaxed introduction. Aw, forget it. Let’s get right into the bits.

1) Mike Mussina showed everyone that he could still pitch last night (he stuck it to Hank for that Jamie Moyer comment), going 7 strong against the potent Chicago lineup. Moose had some great movement on his pitches and threw a ton of breaking balls (his slider and curve were looking good). He did mix in his fastball (it was well located) which, according to ESPN and Gameday, sat in the high-80’s range (he topped out at 88 MPH but he touched it multiple times throughout the game). Mussina has actually been fairly effective in his outings, however, his recent failures against the Red Sox had everyone waiting for the hammer to fall. Moose, as we all know though, is a stubborn bastard, and therefore, I expect him to have a very solid year and his rotation spot is not at all in jeopardy.

2) Although Mussina pitched 7 strong tonight, giving up only 2 ER on 2 solo jacks (that Carlo Quentin is going to be something), the game still managed to become a sweat fest. LaTroy Hawkins came in and proved that it doesn’t matter what number he wears, he’s still awful (Billy Traber didn’t really help him out either). Now, in all fairness, it’s still relatively early and I think Hawkins has actually been throwing some good pitches. The guy throws a 94-95 MPH fastball, and, if he locates it better, he could end up being a solid guy in certain situations (nothing too tight). The guys at RAB think he should be traded if an offer comes along that works for the club. I agree since the Yankees have a ton of young guys that can do what Hawkins is doing. However, I still think we should give him a few more outings before we come to a firm conclusion (he is only a 1-year acquisition).

3) In other news (ha, I feel very professional when I say that garbage), Brian Bruney is apparently injured. Bruney hurt himself (his right foot) covering 1B on Tuesday and is scheduled for an MRI today. Bruney, when asked about the injury, said that he could barely walk on the foot on Wednesday morning but he did add that it had progressed throughout the day (he had on a walking boot, similar to what Giambi wore last year). This could be a big blow for the team. Bruney has been one of the go-to-guys in the pen and if we’re without him, expect heaps of Farnsworth and loads of LaTroy.

4) Next up, Phil Hughes is set to face the Sox later today and I’m sure we’re all somewhat weary as to what we should expect from the 22-year old phenom (that has yet to truly deliver, thus far). Hughes reiterates that as long as he has good command of his fastball (and everything else–curve and change), then he’ll be fine from hereon in. What I like about Hughes is, no matter how terrible he has looked, and he has looked terrible, he doesn’t seem to get overly frazzled afterwards and maintains his composure. If he can do that with the NY media, he should be able to do that against the burly Chicago lineup (he better throw strikes because they’re a patient group). Also, Hughes finally clarifies a controversial issue regarding his fastball. There have been numerous scouting reports that clock Hughes’ fastball at 95 MPH or higher. However, Hughes delineates for us and lets us know that he has NEVER thrown that hard consistently. He touches the low (mostly) to mid (rarely) 90’s.

5) Finally, here are an assortment of abreviated (and random) bits that might interest you:

• A-Rod’s daughter has been named Ella Alexander Rodriguez (Jeter was apparently wierded out when A-Rod approached him and asked if he could call her Jeets). His first daughter’s name is Natasha Alexander Rodriguez. Talk about an egomaniac, huh?
• Click here if you’d like to read a nice article about Brian Cashman’s perspective (along with the perspectives had by variety of other folks, including Jim Kaat) on not only grooming young starters so that they can make it to the majors, but also on how to maintain those arms at a highly competitive level. Obviously, this article gets into Joba Chamberlain and also goes over the health aspects of a reliever to starter transition (midseason).
• Last but certainly not least, Jon Heyman informs us that Pat “The Bat” Burrell, was once interested in being traded to either the Yankees or the Red Sox. Well, Burrell, when he’s on, can mash with the best of them, however, I don’t think the Yankees will pursue his bat when he’s a free agent at the end of the season (he’s a frustrating player).

Back later with much, much more.

A-Rod Could Play This Weekend

Even though A-Rod will join the team tomorrow, in Chicago, he likely will not play until this weekend when the Yankees face the Cleveland Indians. Remember, although A-Rod has been taking care of family matters, he’s still nursing that strained quad.

How Long Will We Have to Wait for Our Young Pitchers?

Here’s a good read by Tristan Cockcroft of ESPN. He tackles this very question (it’s actually for fantasy baseball purposes) and comes up with a pretty interesting conclusion, not just about Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, but about young pitchers in general:

But what the chart above also proves is that it takes about 40 big league starts before a pitcher, on average, tends to hit his groove. Note the significant improvements in ERA, WHIP and innings per start of pitchers making their 41st through 50th starts compared to those in the 31-40 range. In other words, if you’re banking on Hughes, who has 17 starts under his belt, you might be waiting until late August or September for him to hit his peak, assuming he sticks to those historical trends. Kennedy owners, sorry to break this to you, but you might be waiting a lot longer; he has six career starts.

It could be a bumpy road ahead (and a long one at that).

Like This Would Happen?

From The Chicago Tribune:

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen claims that he could never work for New York co-owner Hank Steinbrenner, according to the Chicago Tribune.

He commented on Hank’s outspoken role as the team’s owner, citing that as the reason why he doesn’t think he could work for the younger Steinbrenner.

“It’s one of the reasons I don’t know if I’ll ever manage that club because there are going to be two tigers in the same cage,” Guillen said.

“But thank God Jerry Reinsdorf is my owner,” Guillen added. “And besides my owner, he’s my father. He’s one of the best friends of my life. Steinbrenner is just being Steinbrenner, and that’s what he is.”

Can you imagine that duo? Talk about giving the NY media a field day. Some fans have always clamored for a guy like Ozzie Guillen, a guy who’ll spark the team (I guess) through a variety of verbal barrages, curses, and whatever else works (the kitchen sink?). However, after the Joe Torre approach, rest assured you will never see a guy like this in the Yankee clubhouse for a long, long time.

We Believe in Jason Giambi

Well, to tell you the truth, I don’t really believe in Giambi. He’s hit one single all season and has 3 homers (2 off of Mike Timlin). He’s 2-for-43 against the rest of the league and he seems to love hitting balls into the shift when all he did during Spring Training was practice going the other way. Frankly, I think he looks overmatched at the plate, especially when there’s an above average pitcher out there. However, Brian Cashman, Hank Steinbrenner and Joe Girardi all believe in Giambi and think that he’s not “too far off” and that he’ll ultimately “correct himself” in the long run. Of course they’re not going to say “yeah, he’s done” so I guess this was the diplomatic route. Giambi might not even play tonight after suffering a swollen thumb last night when he fielded a grounder in the later innings. If he can’t play, we may see Shelley Duncan, Jorge Posada, or even Johnny Damon at 1B instead.

Also, yesterday I wrote that Frank Thomas would likely end up on the A’s and that the Yanks have had no interest in him. Well, according to Hank Steinbrenner, that’s exactly right.

“We’ve never even talked about it,” Hank Steinbrenner said. “Do I think he can still do something? Yeah. But we’ve got so many guys at DH/first base.”

Game 1: Yanks VS. Chicago

Posada is back behind the plate in today’s game:

YANKEES
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Matsui DH
Posada C
Cano 2B
Giambi 1B
Ensberg 3B
Cabrera CF
Wang RHP

Chien-MIng Wang has a 2.57 ERA in 21 innings against the White Sox.

No A-Rod Tonight

The AP is reporting that Alex Rodriguez will not be in the lineup for tonight’s game. The Yankees are obviously allowing A-Rod to heal at his own pace and they will not start him unless he’s fully ready. Morgan Ensberg will start in his place.

In a totally unrelated note, some folks have asked me about Frank Thomas. Thomas is of no use to the Yankees, but, for anyone who’s interested, the Oakland A’s are reportedly close to signing him.

UPDATE – Apparently, A-Rod isn’t even with the team in Chicago. He’s in Miami and his wife, Cynthia, has given birth to his second daughter. A-Rod is expected to rejoin the team on Thursday.

Jorge’s Return

PA reports that Jorge Posada is at U.S. Cellular Field, working on his throws to second. Jorge could possibly make his return tonight as catcher and this would be a good matchup for him. The White Sox don’t exactly have the speediest players (their leadoff hitter is Nick Swisher), but they do have a stolen base threat with Orlando Cabrera (remember him?). Besides him, I don’t expect to see Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye, Joe Crede, or Jim Thome testing Posada’s throwing arm tonight.