Game 79: Yanks VS. Pirates

UPDATE (10:35) — The game has been postponed.

Here’s the lineup courtesy of Ed Price:

Johnny Damon LF
Derek Jeter SS
Bobby Abreu RF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jason Giambi 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Melky Cabrera CF
Jose Molina C (No Moeller?)
Mike Mussina P

So Johnny Damon is back in there and I hope the Yanks didn’t rush him, but I guess they have a lot of ground to cover with Tampa Bay and Boston widening the AL East gap. Christian will still be a valuable tool off the bench as a pinch-runner. Mussina will be opposed by Paul Maholm.

Also, totally unrelated but for those wondering about Shawn Chacon, the Astros cut ties with him today. He’ll be placed on waivers and if no team picks him up, he’ll be released without pay on Monday.

Mike Mussina’s Words of Wisdom

From ESPN:

Mussina might or might not be dropping a subtle hint to the Yankees about getting another contract in 2009, but he says hopefully Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman have learned a lesson about overreliance on youth.

“To have those two kids [Hughes and Kennedy] shoved into a tough situation, with very little experience, and then be asked to win 30 games between them, that’s a lot,” Mussina said. “It’s a lot, especially for two of them at the same time.”

OK, so maybe Yankee fans had unrealistic expectations for Hughes and IPK. Maybe the trick is to have NO expectations whatsoever, I mean, it worked with Mike Mussina, right? So, Sidney Ponson, no expectations… (that was easy!).

Quick Bits: Chacon, Hawkins, Giese and Ponson

OK, here we go:

1) Shawn Chacon, former Yankee and a personal favorite of mine, has been suspended indefinitely by the Houston Astros. The initial reports were that Chacon was being suspended due to his requests for a trade after being relegated to the bullpen (he signed with the Astros because they told him he would be a starter, yet he was ineffective in his last few outings after a solid first month). However, Chacon actually admitted to getting into a physical confrontation with Astros GM, Ed Wade, as Wade apparently berated him in front of some of his teammates, which prompted Chacon to grab him by the throat and throw him to the ground (thus, the real reason for the suspension). Chacon will likely be released as any trade value he once had is now gone. Now, a thought popped into my head once I heard the news and as Tyler Kepner ponders, would signing Chacon be a good idea for the Yanks (off-field issues aside)? He had that one magical season here, and although I’d like to see him in a Yankee uniform, I’d have to say it was one and done (he had that one good season here, tried to continue the following year, and he was miserable). But, the Yanks seem to like giving guys second tries, I mean, they’re giving Ponson another shot and he was never good for us.

2) Speaking of Sidney Ponson, he will start in the second game of this weekend’s doubleheader against the Mets (it’s officially official). Dan Giese will pitch the first game of the series and Andy Pettitte will get the nod on Saturday. What’s cool about Friday’s doubleheader is that the Yanks and Mets will face off in both Yankee Stadium (first game) and Shea Stadium (second game). Great for both sets of fans.

3) Last but not least, we have some stuff on LaTroy Hawkins. Hawkins is currently in bullpen purgatory, as he’ll be a long-man for as long as possible (Girardi’s hiding him). Hawkins took one for the team in the first game of the Pirates series, tossing almost 50 pitches in 2 2/3 innings of relief work, as he has barely been used recently. I enjoy hearing Joe Girardi’s lame excuses for Hawkins’ use as of late, stating that Hawkins’ limited appearances have just been a “coincidence” (how stupid do you think we are?). Either way, it’s a lose-lose situation for Hawkins. He hasn’t been pitching regularly so he’s rusty and so when he does pitch, he’s normally doing it in blowouts (and then he gets hit because the team he’s pitching against is already pretty confident with themselves on that given day). It’s only a matter of time before Hawkins finds another home (DFA or straight up trade).

4) Oh, and one more thing, Scott Proctor has been placed on the DL with an elbow problem. Surprise!

Joba Gets His Win

Joba Chamberlain was absolutely dominant today, pitching 6.2 scoreless innings and striking out 7 Pirates as he finally earned that elusive first win (as a starter). The Yankee bats were also awake, tabbing 16 hits against Pirate pitching (that list of pitchers includes ex-Yankee T.J. Beam). After yesterday’s drubbing, tonight’s game unfolded in the best possible way, as the Yanks made a strong statement through both their offense and defense (Ross Ohlendorf and Jose Veras were solid in relief and kept the shutout going). This was a big bounce back sort of win and Mike Mussina will get the ball tomorrow as he searches not for his first win but for his league leading 11th win. He’ll be opposed by Paul Maholm (4.41 ERA).

Also, a couple of closing notes about the game:

• Bobby Abreu had 3 hits today (including a homer) and seems to be breaking out of a miserable slump. In his last 3 games, Abreu is 6-for-13, with 2 homers (9, 10) and 6 RBI.
• Robinson Cano is now 6-for-9 during this series and has a homer (5), a double, and 2 RBI. His average has jumped from .227 to .241.
• Johnny Damon is reportedly “progressing” although his own comments about his foot don’t seem to relay that notion. They’re trying to get him back by tomorrow, but with Justin Christian hitting well, I don’t think the club will rush him. If the Bombers could push across 10 tonight against the Pirates’ best starter this year, I have to believe that they can do some damage against Maholm without Damon or even Hideki Matsui (who is nursing his knee as well as a stiff neck).

I’ll be posting some bits later tonight (that’s early in the morning for you east coasters), so feel free to stop by if you’re still up.

MLB Discussing Maple Bats

So baseball seems to be ready to act on the maple bat issue. Jeff Passan wrote about this dilemma weeks ago, and I believe just yesterday an umpire was hit in the face with a broken bat, forcing him out of the game. It looks like the MLB may finally deal with a problem before it snowballs.

DL For Damon?

George King III is reporting that Johnny Damon could possibly be heading to the DL. Girardi, who has been pretty vague with his descriptions of injuries, said that Damon should be fine in a day or so. Let’s hope that he’s right, because I don’t know if the Yanks can have Melky batting first for an extended period of time.

Chase Him (Looking Ahead)

If this guy is a free agent, even with his checkered past (health wise), how can you not pursue him (2008 numbers)? His upside is far beyond Carl Pavano (I’m comparing because of injury issues) and with the depth in the minor league system, the Yanks don’t need to put lofty expectations on him (although any sort of contract will do that automatically). Hell, he’ll be cheaper than C.C. Sabathia and the team will have the money to get him (I’m not advocating C.C. or Sheets, I’d take either, but Sabathia is a sure thing). I’m not trying to be a greedy Yankee fan, but with money freeing up next year, why not chase both?

Terrible, That’s All

Girardi said it best after the 12-5 loss. “We stunk,” repeated Joe Girardi, several times, as he and we all know that the Yanks SHOULD have won that game. Tom Gorzelanny wasn’t fooling anyone however the teams’ inability to hit with RISP shut this game down early. As soon as Jeter grounded into that inning ending DP in the first, you sort of had a feeling that it be would one of those nights for the club and it definitely was. Tom Gorzelanny didn’t just walk a tight rope tonight, he cut the rope down, waved it in a circle above his head and then threw it in the Yankees’ clubhouse. It was flat out embarrassing. Darrell Rasner didn’t help matters and is regressing at a rather quick pace. I still think he has the ability to get it done, but he’s just been too hittable these past few games and must hit his spots or else he’ll do what he did today (get shelled).

Also, I must criticize a major move by Joe Girardi; bringing in Jose Molina as a pinch-hitter after Rasner’s night was over. Seriously Joe? Jose Molina? Granted, Matsui and Damon are out, but Gorzelanny was giving the game away with his free passes and Girardi sends out his most impatient hitter (.237 OPB)? What message does that even send to your team? At least send Chad Moeller out there (.348 OBP), I mean, at least he demonstrates some level of patience at the plate. Molina swung at pitches that weren’t even in the zone and with men on base, Joe needs to realize that he didn’t help his swooning team with that decision (maybe he should have left Rasner in there, at least he had 2 walks for the night).

So, on a day where Justin Christian and Robinson Cano looked great, the top of the order looked awful and this is what we have, one of the more embarrassing losses of the 2008 season. Don’t get me wrong Pirate fans, Nate McLouth, Jason Bay, these guys are all great players, but to give Adam LaRoche (a second half player) and the injured Freddy Sanchez an opportunity to have a hit parade, it’s just really bad. Hopefully (a word I use quite often when describing this years team) the Yanks will get it going tomorrow against Zach Duke (a lefty with great numbers against lefties, go figure), who has actually been the best pitcher for the Pirates, thus far. We can feel good about our chances, especially with an unrestricted Joba stepping onto the mound in search of his first win as a starter.

Game 77: Yanks VS. Pirates

Here’s the lineup courtesy of PA:

YANKEES
Cabrera CF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Giambi 1B
Posada C
Cano 2B
Christian LF
Rasner RHP

Yikes, Melky hitting lead? This year, when batting first in the order, Melky has a .250 BA and a .654 OPS. Damon has been our spark at the top of the order so it’ll be up to Melky to get the team going. Darrell Rasner will be on the mound and he’ll face off against a fantasy baseball favorite from last year, Tom Gorzelanny.

Christian Gets The Call

Justin Christian has been called up to help the Yanks, as he’ll start in LF for the first game against the Pirates. Christian’s got speed and has been hitting well in Triple-A so he’ll be a nice weapon for the week as Billy Traber was sent down to make room for him. Christian (a random choice) is primarily up because Johnny Damon has a sore foot and Hideki Matsui’s knee won’t allow him to play the field. I’m somewhat surprised  that Gardner didn’t get the call, but I guess the Yanks like Christian’s AAA run (hitting .309 in 55 games) and the club probably wants Gardner to keep getting regular AB’s in the minors.

A Melktastic Package

Steven Goldman of the NY Sun believes that Melky Cabrera should be packaged together with a few other prospects and shipped off to another team for a quality pitcher. Right now probably wouldn’t be the best time to trade the Melk-Man since he’s mired in a deep slump (he does have a 3-game hitting streak), but, as the season has progressed, I would have to agree with Goldman. Although I love Melky and his style of play no matter how unorthodox it may be at times, the Yankees have a quality CF in AAA and Brett Gardner would give them some speed and patience at the bottom of the order where Melky and Robinson Cano have been butchering those concepts.

However, I would only agree with a Melky trade if the trade was for a top pitcher (he has potential and we’ve seen flashes), but who are you going to get that’s actually worth it? If the Yankees made a trade for Erik Bedard, that could possibly help the Mariners because they need an actual CF with Ichiro back in RF. That seems like the best fit although the Reds could use a CF as well (move Bruce to RF) and Aaron Harang (not Arroyo) could be worth it. Again, I enjoy Melky and his style of play and I know many readers do as well, but if you have the opportunity to better the club for the playoffs with a dominant pitcher, then that’s an opportunity you can’t pass up (especially with a viable backup plan in AAA).

Who Knew?

From the Hartford Courant:

“If you get back-to-back games where your starting pitcher has to come out early, that really taxes your bullpen, and you feel the sting of that for a while,” Cashman told The Courant as he headed home from his office on Monday. “We had guys step up and give us solid performances, give us a chance to win.”

Who knew that by the end of June our rotation would feature Andy Pettitte, Darrell Rasner, Joba Chamberlain, Mike Mussina (an AS candidate?!?), and Dan Giese? It really is amazing in retrospect. What’s been even more surprising is that the rotation is pitching exceptionally well, even without Wang. For years, it seems as though the Yankees haven’t had a stable rotation as it has always been in flux, so I know we’re all looking forward to seeing what the team can do with some very capable starters and for an extended period of time.

Kennedy Strikes Out 7 In Rehab Start

Ian Kennedy struck out 7 batters in 3 IP in his first rehab start today. He was facing the GCL Yankees, but it’s still a good sign. He’ll probably end up making a few starts in Triple-A before heading up to the big club. He’s really going to have to prove that he can sustain his minor league numbers in the majors.

Tuesday’s Bits: Jeter’s Line, Pavano’s Return, Arroyo Trade?

We’ve got an interesting set of bits to start the day:

1) First, let’s talk about Derek Jeter a bit, as the AS bound SS is seemingly having a down year. As Mark Feinsand notes, Jeter has struggled throughout the season but is currently hitting well, producing hits in 11 straight games. Yankee hitting coach, Kevin Long, finally gives us a legitimate reason as to why Jeter had been scuffling earlier in the year:

“I can tell you that he probably lost 30-35 points in his average due to his hand injury, but he’d never admit that,” Long said. “His swing wasn’t the same, he was favoring it and he got into some problems when it came to staying behind the baseball, which has always been his strength. He still contributed and helped us in other ways, but his hitting suffered.”

The injury happened on May 20, when Jeter was drilled in his left hand by a Daniel Cabrera fastball. Jeter missed the rest of that game, but he was back in the lineup the next night.

When Jeter was hit, his average was .312 and his on-base .351. Over the next 10 games, Jeter went 4-for-40 with only one extra-base hit, dropping his average down to .269.

So, while the captain hasn’t provided any excuses, at least we can attribute his lack of production to the hand incident and not to his age or overall level of play (it was pretty clear that the hand was bothering him after that game). He seems to have gotten his swing back on track and, as I have said before, Yankee fans should not worry about Derek Jeter. He’s a sure thing and he looks to be turning his season around.

2) Next, some news on Carl Pavano. Apparently, according to Brian Cashman, Pavano could return to the club in August, although I’m sure no one is expecting him to actually show up at all in 2008 (ala Mike Hampton). George King III reports that Pavano is throwing breaking balls off of a mound (wow!) and could possibly return before Phil Hughes does. At this point, anything the team can get from Pavano would be gravy, especially down the stretch (tempered expectations are a must).

3) Finally, the Daily News reports thats ever since Chien-Ming Wang injured himself in Houston, Bronson Arroyo has been bombarded with messages from his friends and family as they wonder about a possible NY move (e.g. a trade). Now, I’d be open to such a trade, although Arroyo has been pretty miserable this year (his K’s are still solid). I would consider him a last resort if Giese or Rasner totally fail (or if Hughes/IPK can’t help upon their return). He does offer some kind words for George Steinbrenner and I’m sure Arroyo wouldn’t mind getting a chance to pitch against Boston after they burned him a few years ago. Either way, if I were Brian Cashman, I would forget Bronson Arroyo and focus in on Arroyo’s fellow Red, Aaron Harang. Now that guys is a great pitcher (he’s having a poor year, but he’s as solid as they come).

Then again, our rotation has been pretty solid without Wang and we still have some depth in our farm system. Brian Cashman could always turn to Alfredo Aceves and seems ready to do so if Aceves shows the team something in AAA ball.

Joe Torre’s State Farm Commercial

Apparently, Joe is loving his time in LA (wheat grass, what?).

King Felix Hits A Grand Slam Off Johan Santana

I just saw it and it was amazing. All 4 runs were unearned but Santana tossed Felix a fastball that was up and just on the outer edge of the plate and Felix laced into deep right for his first career HR and a game-changing 4-run slam. Brian Cashman is a genius.

Nick Johnson’s Season Possibly Over

Nick Johnson has been out since May 15th with a tear in the tendon sheath of his right wrist (similar to David Ortiz’s injury, although Ortiz’s isn’t as severe) and is now headed for surgery in order to correct the problem. Johnson will likely miss the rest of the season and while some NYY fans were clamoring for a trade during the offseason (I thought it would be nice but I also thought it was unrealistic), he’s clearly proven to be a totally unreliable player in terms of his fragility. Meanwhile, Jason Giambi (who Johnson would have platooned with or replaced) is experiencing one of his better years in a Yankee uniform and is completely healthy (knock on wood). Well, that’s baseball for you.

Schilling Has Surgery

Curt Schilling went in for surgery today and while his rotator cuff wasn’t damaged, repairs were done to his labrum and tendon (shoulder). Schilling could possibly pitch again, but it would a long and lengthy process, which is hard enough when you’re 26 let alone 41. Although I hate Curt Schilling, he pitched in some memorable games between the Sox and the Yankees and I wouldn’t miss him, necessarily, but I’d miss the added element that he brought to games. Whenever he stepped on the mound for the Sox and was facing the Yankees, the “rivalry factor” definitely bumped up a notch or two and that’s what I’ll miss.

Battle Brian

The Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox, A’s and Mets are all competing for Rockies closer, Brian Fuentes. There are reports stemming from a Joel Sherman article that state that the Phillies are currently in the lead to lock up the deceptive lefty, as he would take over in the 8th inning. Hopefully the Yanks can grab him and before the other teams do, although Kyle Farnsworth may actually be a “good enough” 8th inning guy (for now). The Red Sox have recently experienced an Okajima backlash, as his numbers have been terrible in the month of June, so they too could become very serious competitors for Fuentes.

Aceves Promoted

I haven’t talked about Alfredo Aceves much, as I’ve been waiting to see what happens with him in the minors. Aceves, who has been putting up great numbers, has in fact been promoted to Triple-A Scranton and could be an option for the team down the road if he proves to be a capable AAA starter. According to this report, some scouts are somewhat critical of Aceves’ stuff, but he’s apparently a solid pitcher that can throw all of his stuff for strikes (the second coming of Darrell Rasner?), so it will be good to have him as an emergency plan if Giese, Rasner or even Sidney Ponson fail in their opportunities. Whenever Brian Cashman can’t stop talking about you, there’s certainly something there in Aceves.