Posada’s Return

Posada is feeling good and thinks he can be back either on Wednesday or Thursday (series vs. Toronto). We’ll see how he feels next week and from there, the decision will be made. Sorry for the lack of complexity and length in these posts, I’ll be fairly busy all weekend.

Yanks Regaining Ground in Minnesota

The Yankees are back at the .500 mark and they can thank Alex Rodriguez, Bobby Abreu and Hideki Matsui for their offense in yesterday’s affair (and to think I picked up Glen Perkins for a spot start against the Yankees in one of my fantasy leagues–hell, he’s a lefty, right!). Although the team has faced its ups and downs 1/4 of the way into the 2008 season, it essentially seems poised for a breakout against Minnesota that can propel the Yankees onwards. If Chien-Ming Wang can finally shake his current skid tomorrow against the jolly Boof Bonser, then maybe, just maybe, the Yankees can continue to claw their ways out of the AL East basement (they’re already out of last) and march towards a showdown between Boston and the Rays (weird, huh?).

With a solid rotation that boasts Wang, Pettitte, Joba, Rasner and Mike Mussina (his 8 wins and a 4.26 ERA are another shocker), the Yankees can really try to do some damage. Their lineup is already fairly solid despite Girardi’s repeated attempts to sabotage it (hello Shelley Duncan), but now, their rotation is particularly well organized. Remember, the hole the Yankees currently call home was dug, in part, thanks to IPK and Phil Hughes. With them out of the rotation, the Yankees can turn some heads.

Joba To Start Tuesday

Yup, it’s official.

Cashman Still Being Patient

From the MLB:

GM Brian Cashman has made it clear that the Yankees have decided to allow their young talent to develop before testing the market and trying to obtain players. Cashman often says that the Yankees want to try and find the answer from within before they try to find it elsewhere. That helps explain why the Yankees, too, decided to keep young pitchers Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy and outfielder Melky Cabrera instead of pulling the trigger on the Santana trade. Instead, they signed Andy Pettitte to a one-year, $16 million deal as a stopgap.

“We made long-term decisions when we made those assessments. I have a healthy left-hander in Andy Pettitte in the rotation, taking the spot where Santana would have pitched. I have the use of a guy [Cabrera] who is playing a heck of a center field and is one of the emerging center fielders in the game today, along with two potential starters for our rotation as well as some kids down in the Minor League system that we still retain. They’re assets.

“That money went to Pettitte and the remainder is still in place for us to utilize as we see fit. I think we made a long-term decision and you don’t judge a long-term decision in two months or in one year. That’s not why you make a long-term decision.”

Added Hank Steinbrenner: “We’ll just see what happens and bring these kids along, and not let them lose confidence. They shouldn’t. This is what the Red Sox have done, even though Lester is a little bit older than our three guys, and they’re bringing along Buchholz, too, at their own pace.

“We’re building for the future too. You can’t just do it year by year. Before the great team we had in the late 90’s, there were some real lean years there. We don’t expect to have it to be that lean this year or next year, but people forget there were some really tough years before the great teams of the late ’90’s. We’re building for the future as well, and we have to look at it both ways.

“We’ve got to keep going with the farm system and build them up as strong as we can, get everybody we can. If we have to, we’ll hoard everybody.”

Cashman’s making the right moves for the future. We’ll have to see whether or not those moves pan out for 2008.

Igawa Homesick?

From Jayson Stark:

Kei Igawa isn’t quite as buried on that Yankees’ depth chart as Carl Pavano, but it’s close. And he’s already homesick. We’ve heard from two different baseball men recently that Igawa asked the Yankees over the winter if there was any way he could return to Japan. The Yankees quietly explored their options, got nowhere and gave up. They’re still on the hook for nearly $11 million to Igawa through the 2010 season.

The Yankees should just cut the guy already. I know they’re afraid of releasing him and then letting him land in San Diego where he goes on to win 15 games one season, or even in Boston because, for some reason, they’re interested in him. However, those rumors about the Sox and Igawa are probably Boston’s way of keeping him in our system so that he can continue to be an embarrassment.

Minor League Notes

Impressive right-handed starter, Zach McAllister, has been promoted to High Class-A Tampa. In addition, here are some notes, courtesy of Newsday, on J.B. Cox and Mark Melancon, two prospects that have a good chance of maybe chipping in for the Yankees this year:

Righthanded pitching prospects J.B. Cox and Mark Melancon have two things in common: Both missed all of 2007 after elbow surgery and both frequently are mentioned by people looking for a sequel to Joba Chamberlain’s ‘07 success.

It’s unreasonable to expect anyone to match Chamberlain, but Cox has a better chance of reaching the majors this year. “He’s a little farther along in terms of being able to execute his pitches,” Yankees senior vice president of baseball operations Mark Newman said by phone yesterday. “Some chance of Cox [debuting this year], not much chance of Melancon. He’s still got to execute some pitches a little bit better.”

Said general manager Brian Cashman, “Their performance will dictate how quickly they get to the major leagues.”

Cox could certainly fill the void left in the bullpen once Joba has completely transitioned. However, he’s going to have to compete with Edwar Ramirez as Edwar continues dealing (he attributes this year’s success to his renewed confidence, brought on in part by Pedro Martinez, who spoke to Edwar in the offseason about trusting his fastball).

What’s Up With Tabata?

From John Nalbone on highly touted prospect, Jose Tabata:

Thunder right fielder Jose Tabata was yanked from tonight’s game against visiting New Hampshire in the fifth inning for unspecified disciplinary reasons.Suspended three games by the Yankees for leaving Waterfront Park following an April 26 strikeout that dropped his batting average below .200, Tabata was expelled from the dugout and was seen sitting in front of his locker as the Fisher Cats grabbed a 4-3 lead in the eighth inning on a two-run home run by Aaron Mathews.

The Thunder (34-19) eventually won the game, 7-4, by scoring three times in the bottom of the eighth to avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the Fisher Cats (19-33).

Manager Tony Franklin refused to address the specifics as to why the 19-year-old Tabata was pulled and sent back to the clubhouse.

“We had an in-house issue we needed to deal with. Don’t ask me what it is because I’m not telling you,” a visibly irritated Franklin said. “We’re very pleased with the way he is playing. He is playing hard. But there are certain standards that need to be met within this organization and with this team, and when those standards are not met we take action. It’s our job to make sure these players know what they are supposed to do at all times out there.”

Franklin did not rule out further discipline for Tabata, who was 0-for-2 before being removed.

“We’ll decide on that later,” Franklin said. “We’ll bring him in, talk to him and explain what we want to see him do and how we’d like to see him go about it.”

The “hype machine” strikes again. This is the downfall of scouting and projections. Once publicized, they can go to a player’s head and might make him an egotistical jerk, but sometimes, these projections can cause a player to totally fall apart, mentally. The stress of being a “top prospect” can apparently be rough (although most of us would love to be in Jose Tabata’s shoes).

(Thanks to PA).

Jorge Could Be Back Next Week

From the AP:

New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada increased his rehabilitation program for a sore right shoulder Thursday, making hard throws to second and third during a pre-game workout before catching seven innings and going 1-for-2 with two walks in an extended spring training game.

The five-time all-star has been sidelined since April 27. Posada is scheduled to throw to the bases for the first time in a game during an extended spring contest Saturday.

“It feels good,” Posada said. “The more I throw, the better it feels.

“It’s coming along. I’m happy with the throwing today. I think I’m going to DH (Friday) and then Saturday go full bore.”

Posada made five throws to both second and third base after playing catch at up to a distance of 150 feet. He could rejoin the Yankees next week.

We’re all looking forward to Jorge’s return. Chad Moeller has been decent in his absence while Jose Molina, hitting-wise, has been horrible. Jorge seems to be taking a fairly conservative approach with his rehab and hopefully the result of that will be that he stays with the team for the entire year (as the catcher), free of injury.

The Draft Process

Here’s a nice read by Bryan Hoch about the upcoming draft and the process the Yankees are going through in order to pick up a potential gem. Hoch speaks to Damon Oppenheimer about the needs and goals of the organization for this particular event and Oppenheimer seems pretty pleased about his chances. Although I’ve heard this draft isn’t as deep as previous drafts (in terms of talent), I’m sure the Yankees can still snag a high-priced talent or high-risk, high-reward player.

If you’re interested in following up on the draft, here are a few links:

• MLB’s Draft Central
• Attend the Draft (Fans)
• Jonathan Mayo’s Draft Reports

Also, be sure to check in with the guy’s at RAB. They have done some great work on scouting for the draft and potential pickups for the Yankees.

Consider This: Jason Bay

Jason Bay of the Pittsburgh Pirates is a name being thrown around the trade rumor circuit. He’s a great hitter (.290/.410/.551 line this season) and he’s got some speed on the basepaths (5 SB’s as of now). Bay was highly sought after during the winter even though his numbers dipped due to some injury issues (that shows his talent). The Pirates didn’t want to sell low with Bay so it appears as though they’ve played their cards right, as he has regained his pre-2007 form. He’s a great right-handed hitter and will be discussed by an assortment of teams.

The Yanks could use a right-handed bat, therefore I wouldn’t be surprised if Cashman inquires about Bay, although placing him on the team would be difficult (he plays LF and Abreu holds that spot). Then again, Melky Cabrera’s descent into mediocrity and disappointment could spell a change in the OF. This is a totally hypothetical situation, but he’ll probably be the biggest right-handed hitter on the market (unless Holliday is truly available).

Yanks Win One (Finally)

The Yankees, thanks largely to Jason Giambi, Andy Pettitte, Hideki Matsui, and Joba Chamberlain, finally won a game against the Baltimore Orioles, salvaging what was already a disastrous series. Andy Pettitte battled through 6 2/3 innings and did what was necessary in order to protect the lead and this allowed Joba to get his work in (he later continued to throw in the bullpen even after he was done throwing in the actual game).

Joba will see how he feels on Friday and based on that, his next outing will likely feature 70-75 pitches. Obviously, that sort of appearance isn’t going to work for a reliever. With IPK on the DL (although his injury status is somewhat cloudy) it appears evident that the Yankees will start Joba and see how far he can go. Joba will probably hit 5 innings if he starts (that’s my estimate) which would certainly be a sight to see for Yankee fans everywhere.

On a totally random note, Chris Britton has been recalled by the Yankees (with IPK on the DL). Yes, that was out of nowhere, but hell, I had to get it in there. Besides, I’m sure it won’t be the last time he gets sent down and called back up (it happens every other day).

Game 53: Yanks VS. Orioles

Here’s the lineup (via PA):

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

Andy Pettitte will face off against Jeremy Guthrie. I have tickets, yet again, to the Sox-Mariners game (I’ll be right along the 3B side) and I’ll be checking in on that, but they usually show the game at Safeco until the Mariners start playing so I can hopefully watch the Yankees win before watching Boston lose (Bedard is on the mound).

David Wells Job Hunting

From Jerry Crasnick (ESPN):

“David would still love to pitch,” said his agent, Gregg Clifton. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed every day. But obviously as time goes on, I have to think we’re not going to get a get phone call.”

So what’s on the horizon? Wells is an avid golfer and hunter, and owns a 1,300-acre ranch in Michigan with close friend Kirk Gibson. He recently appeared on Fox’s “Best Damned Sports Show Period,” and Clifton thinks he could easily transition into broadcasting or even managing.

Wells seems like he would be the type to drunk dial the bullpen, calling for Whitey Ford or maybe even Satchel Paige. Then again, if Ozzie Guillen still has a job as a manger, then maybe there’s a place for Boomer.

Abreu & ______ For C.C. Sabathia?

From Ken Rosenthal (FOX Sports):

Dunn, Pat Burrell, Bobby Abreu, Mark Teixeira — any of those potential free agents would lift the Indians’ sagging offense. Teixeira, the only plus defender, is by far the most appealing. Then again, as badly as the Tribe is going, a little creativity might be required.

Dunn and Burrell would be difficult fits; neither can play right field, and their defensive shortcomings would partly offset their offensive contributions.

Teixeira would not be available unless the Braves were desperate for starting pitching and positioned to deal for a suitable replacement at first base.

Abreu? An interesting thought, considering that the acquisition of Sabathia would give the Yankees exclusive negotiating rights with the pitcher until he reached free agency. But the Indians surely would want more than a fading 34-year-old right fielder for a 28-year-old ace.

Second baseman Robinson Cano, 25, would be more intriguing, but the Yankees can control Cano through 2013 and would not trade him unless they received younger pieces such as left-hander Aaron Laffey and outfielder Ben Francisco in addition to Sabathia. For the Indians, who need young players to balance their payroll, such a deal would be self-defeating.

OK, what about Abreu to satisfy short-term objectives plus one or two of the Yankees’ better young pitchers to satisfy long-term needs?

Such possibilities are worth exploring, at the very least.

Trading Sabathia for multiple prospects only would make sense if the Indians fell out of contention, which is unlikely in the surprisingly mediocre AL Central.

But keeping Sabathia, then losing him for draft picks, only would make sense if the Indians looked poised for a World Series run. At the moment, they hardly resemble that kind of a team.

As of now, the Yankees seem like they could use a right-handed bat instead of a left-handed ace, but then again, it’s a 28 year old left-handed ace, so who wouldn’t want that? If such a trade were to occur (Ian Kennedy is starting to look expendable), the Yankees could shift their outfielders if they wanted to play Matsui at LF or give Shelley Duncan a shot at an everyday job in RF.

Unlikely but interesting.

Recapping Last Night’s Loss

Last night the Yankees lost a tough one to Baltimore and it was just one of those games where you could throw a dart at the roster in order to find someone to blame. Whether it was Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, LaTroy Hawkins or Ian Kennedy, the Yankees lost this one as a team so at least they’ve got that unity thing going for them. This loss is particularly important as it will actually end up changing the complexion of the team and there’s a lot that will likely happen as a result.

First, Ian Kennedy will go to the DL with a lat strain after injuring himself last night. Now, I like Ian Kennedy and have always supported the decision to use him as a starter, however, at this point what you see is what you get with IPK, meaning that you have NO IDEA what to expect. He has effectively pitched his way out of the rotation and as a result, Joba Chamberlain will probably end up taking his spot while he rehabs and pitches the rest of the year (likely) in AAA. It’s a sad outcome for Kennedy but he has to give his team a chance to win ballgames and he didn’t do that last night and hasn’t demonstrated that he’s able to do that consistently (he has zero wins, remember).

Next up, you have to wonder about LaTroy Hawkins’ future. He’s been terrible for NY and last night, while I sat at the Mariners-Red Sox game and watched a live box score on my cell phone for the Yanks-O’s game, as soon as I saw that Hawkins was pitching (he had allowed a man to reach first base), I just turned off my phone and waited for the final result–a loss–which was not at all surprising. The bullpen has essentially been exposed as Hawkins’ is fairly useless in any context and Ross Ohlendorf has been stretched to the point of no return. It’ll be interesting to see what the Yankees do and who they may call up in order to straighten things out.

Finally, something will likely happen with the Yankee bench in the next few days. There has been no production from the bench at all, and the team is trying to figure out the best mix. Maybe a bench shakeup is in order as it’s certainly possible. Yesterday Yankees signed Ben Broussard to play first base in Scranton and, although I doubt he’ll get the call, maybe Jason Lane will end up in NY. Last night at the Sox-Mariners game, I watched Sean Casey, a bench player for the Sox, hit any and everything (Youkilis had a sore hand so Casey was at 1B) and it would be nice if the Yankees had a guy like that (someone who can simply get on base).

So, as you can see, yesterday’s loss was significant for a variety of reasons and hopefully Andy Pettitte can salvage what’s left of what has already been a miserable series in Baltimore.

Minor Leaguer Traded For 10 Bats

The title says it all, wow. The Yankees probably couldn’t get 10 ash bats for Kei Igawa, let alone 10 maple bats.

Jorge Posada: Rehab Update

From the AP:

Yankees catcher Jorge Posada is set to take a big step in his rehabilitation program for a sore right shoulder Thursday when he is scheduled to resume throwing to the bases in an extended spring training game.

The five-time All-Star has been sidelined since April 27. Posada, batting .302 with one homer and 11 RBIs in 63 at-bats, hopes to rejoin the Yankees around June 3.

“We’ll see,” he said. “So far, so good.”

Posada played catch in the outfield and threw to the bases during a pregame workout Tuesday before he caught six innings and went 3-for-6 with a double in his second extended spring game.

“Another step forward,” Posada said. “Get some at-bats, and now have a day off tomorrow and get ready to throw Thursday. It’s just a matter of getting ready to play games.”

Nothing but good news so far. We’ll see how he does on Thursday.

Sox-Yanks Players Leading AL AS Team Voting

From TSN:

Ortiz, an All-Star in each of the last four years, has 556,567 votes in the first returns of fan balloting to easily outdistance New York’s Hideki Matsui (259,234) for the starting designated hitter. Ramirez (539,122), an 11-time All-Star, Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki (284,763) and the Angels’ Vladimir Guerrero (274,827) are the top three outfielders.

A total of five Red Sox lead in the voting at their respective positions for the contest, which will be held at Yankee Stadium on July 15. Catcher Jason Varitek (288,464) held a sizeable lead on Detroit’s Ivan Rodriguez (236,788), first baseman Kevin Youkilis (419,813) was well in front of Minnesota’s Justin Morneau (217,956) and second baseman Dustin Pedroia (384,648.) was in front of the Yankees Robinson Cano (219,778).

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (523,187), bidding for his ninth All-Star appearance, was well ahead of the Tigers Edgar Renteria (190,244).

New York third baseman Alex Rodriguez (429,238), an 11-time All-Star, was in front of Boston’s Mike Lowell (250,664).

This seems about right, although I would argue that Manny, Vlad and maybe even Ichiro don’t deserve to be in an AS Game this year (as of now). My AL ballot would look like this (based on performance and some Yankee fan bias):

1. C - Jason Varitek
2. 1B - Justin Morneau
3. 2B - Ian Kinsler
4. 3B - Alex Rodriguez
5. SS - Derek Jeter
6. OF - Josh Hamilton
7. OF - Carlos Quentin
8. OF - Magglio Ordonez
9. DH - David Ortiz

The AL balloting is sort of hazy. It’s a wash (to me) between Ortiz and Matsui. Also, Youkilis’ spot in the standings is well deserved as of now but Morneau can also take that spot. Ian Kinsler, Josh Hamilton, and Carlos Quentin are sleepers getting no love (Quentin leads the AL in homers!).

My NL ballot was easier to figure out and it looks like this:

1. C - Geovanny Soto
2. 1B - Lance Berkman
3. 2B - Chase Utley
4. 3B - Garrett Atkins
5. SS - Hanley Ramirez
6. OF - Matt Holliday
7. OF - Jason Bay
8. OF - Ryan Braun
9. DH - NA

Honestly, I think the NL is going to utterly dominate against the AL this year. Those names are no joke and the NL has some of the best SP’s in all of baseball. It’ll be tough for the AL to win it this year. If you’re interested in voting and supporting the Yanks, go here.

MLB News: Instant Replay, Game Pace

There are 2 particular items that are currently being critiqued and debated in the baseball world. Here’s a quick rundown:

1. Instant replay in baseball — ever since a variety of HR calls were blown very recently (A-Rod’s “double” and Delgado’s “foul”), the instant replay debate has reemerged in baseball, although this time, the concept seems to be gaining a lot of support. The MLB is even looking into IR as an actual possibility that it could test in the Arizona Fall League this year. There are some alternatives, such as using an extra umpire or two, although I’m actually in favor of IR since it will serve as a definitive “view” of a contested call whereas with more umpires, you can still have errors on big plays.
2. Game pace — Bud Selig has implemented a new plan in the MLB that will keep games “crisper” and allow them to unfold at a “brisk” pace. Basically, umpires and team officials (as well as players) were told that players will be limited in terms of stepping out of the batters box, reapplying pine tar, taking too long on the mound (hi Rafael Betancourt) and so on and so forth. While it does help fidgeting fans (somewhat), I think it’s really a disservice to the players and David Ortiz seems to agree with me.

Any thoughts?

Forgettable Moments

Peter Botte has an article out on the worst regular-season losses in Yankee history (in the past 5 years, so the wounds are still fairly fresh). If you’re feeling very masochistic, feel free to give it a read.