Posada Out for 5 Weeks (At Least)

Jorge Posada has a swollen rotator cuff and his labrum is reportedly fine. He says that he’ll be out for at least 5 weeks and that he may opt for surgery in the offseason (he doesn’t need it now). Joe Girardi says that Posada will likely rest for 2 weeks (no throwing) and then he’ll resume a shoulder strengthening program after that. However, Posada could certainly end up resting for more than 2 weeks before jumping into any sort of baseball activity (they Yanks won’t take any chances this time around).

Also, when asked about how the injury came about, Jorge said that it was probably due to him overcompensating on his throws during Spring Training. He had that sore muscle (lat?) in his right side and he developed some bad habits throwing from that nagging issue. That’s a poor job by the Yankees for not monitoring that situation closely. This thing could have been nipped in the bud.

Now, back to another masterful performance by our boy Wang.

If Rasner Fails, Who Will the Yanks Call On?

Nobody has really asked this question yet, probably because we’re all scared and maybe even well aware of the answer. If Darrell Rasner cannot translate his recent Triple-A success to the Majors, the Yankees will likely call on the beloved Kei Igawa to hold the fort until Phil Hughes can return (and be effective).

However, does anyone truly believe that Hank Steinbrenner will allow such a call-up? I know he’s not necessarily in charge of the day to day baseball operations and that Brian Cashman will want to try Igawa out in order to collect a bit on his investment. Nevertheless, it just doesn’t seem like something the Yankees would stick with because of Igawa’s history (all of this is dependent upon Rasner’s performance, of course).

If Rasner fails and if the Yanks call up Igawa and he fails, I don’t think the Yankees will automatically move Joba Chamberlain in the rotation or call up another prospect. I think they would actually try trading for someone and one of the bigger names that could possibly get dealt is Kevin Millwood of the Texas Rangers. Millwood is a decent pitcher that hasn’t faired well in Texas (they’re collectively bad), however, he’s solid enough to serve as a stopgap, although his contract, while cheap in Yankeeland, would become burdensome when the Yanks try to infuse youth, later on. Millwood is also an unknown unknown with a 5.54 ERA at Yankee Stadium.

Of course, this is just random speculation that depends on performances (Rasner, or even Igawa) that haven’t even happened yet, but it is a thought. If Rasner can give the Yankees a handful of quality starts then maybe the Yankees can ship him down and move Joba into the rotation (which has always been the plan for Joba anyway). This would make a trade entirely unnecessary, but Millwood could become available if the Rangers keep playing poorly and if the Yankees need help, he could certainly get a look or two.

Kennedy Headed Back to the Minors?

Let’s hope not. I’d hate to see the alternatives (Igawa). Joe Girardi certainly voiced his displeasure with the young starter after IPK failed to make it past 5 innings (he went 4 2/3). When asked if a demotion (of any sort) was in order, Kennedy had the following to say:

Kennedy is not in favor of a bullpen demotion and certainly is against a trip to the minor leagues. “It would make me more frustrated,” Kennedy said. “I don’t think it would help.” It could be worse; it could be like it is for Hughes.

Again, I don’t think that a demotion is in IPK’s future, as he seems to be nibbling more than anything (a confidence issue). He is, in fact, trying to learn how to pitch to Major Leaguers and his situation seems different from Hughes’ in that he’s showed signs of improvement. Either way, Kennedy’s spot in the rotation is flexible this month, especially with a few off days to work with.

Speaking of Hughes, Phil said that he felt discomfort in his side a week ago (after coughing). Hughes had shown some promise after a few rough outings but a variety of issues had gotten to him (a rain delay was one of them). All we know is that Hughes was definitely pitching against the Tigers with a fractured rib (which can explain why he was so terrible and why he gave up those homers).

Murcer’s Return

Bobby Murcer will return to the Yankees this Friday as he’ll be announcing the contest versus the Mariners. Bobby will actually resume his full broadcasting schedule from that day forward. He’s reportedly feeling better and, of course, everyone is happy to see him healthy and back for another season with the Yanks.

Broom Me

The Yanks ended their series with the Tigers, losing 8-to-4, and ultimately being swept by the hard hitting Detroit lineup. There’s a lot of blame to go around for this loss. We could blame the Yanks for not delivering with RISP, we can blame Robinson Cano for be terrible, in general, or we can blame IPK for his less than stellar outing. However, I choose, on this day, to blame manager Joe Girardi for some of his in-game decisions. Girardi left Jonathan Albaladejo in for a second inning while he was clearly struggling in the sixth. I don’t understand the apprehension the Yankees have with Chris Britton, but he showed why he’s capable of pitching with the ballclub, throwing 2.2 innings and not allowing a run (or a hit).

Although IPK had another tough outing, I can’t help but to think that he’ll eventually turn the corner. He did get roughed up, but it is the Detroit Tigers (not the Minnesota Twins) so that can be understood. Hopefully, after staring down Gary Sheffield, Magglio Ordonez, Miguel Cabrera, Carlos Guillen, etc., he has a bit more confidence, allowing him to be a productive member of the rotation (if he starts, that is).