Monday, June 3, 2013

Who Gets The Axe Today? (Updated)

Mike Eder already beat me to the punch earlier today, but the Yankees have a 25-man roster decision to make today with Andy Pettitte set to come off the DL.  It'll arguably be the most difficult one they've had to make so far this season, because as Mike pointed out, there is a case to be made for cutting and keeping every player on the bubble.  The Yankees' still uneasy health footing with Teix and Youkilis makes it difficult to single out any of their excess infielders as the one who should go, and the last thing they want to do is get rid of somebody like Overbay and then watch Teix go back on the DL for season-ending wrist surgery.

That's why I think it'll be David Adams who gets taken off and optioned back to Triple-A.  He's cooled off with the bat and doesn't offer the defensive versatility of a Brignac or a Nix nor the first base experience of an Overbay.  Regular at-bats are still the thing he needs most and he won't get those with Youkilis back in the picture and the SS platoon around, so why not make the move that's in his best interests?  The Yankees were already starting to experiment with Adams at first and second base again before he was called up.  They can keep doing that again if they want to try to expand Adams' potential roles for the future.

You made a fan of me, Dave.  I'm officially on the bandwagon.  But I think you're gone in a few hours, buddy.

** UPDATE 1:47 PM- Jack Curry reporting that Lyle Overbay will get the start in right field tonight.  Honestly did not expect that.  Maybe that means it's Brennan Boesch who's getting sent down and Adams will stick. **

Is There A Problem With The Yankee Training Staff?

(Just dehydration, huh?  Courtesy of Getty Images)

Having left Saturday night’s game early with what was described as “dehydration” and reporting that he felt light-headed during pregame batting practice that day, I was a little surprised to see that Chris Stewart’s name was on the lineup card again last night as the starting catcher. He had taken a ball off the mask the previous game and at first glance it sounded like he was suffering symptoms of a concussion. Last night, those symptoms were present again before the game and Stewart was scratched again for Austin Romine and sent to the hospital for further evaluation.

We’re still waiting to hear back on what that evaluation reveals, but if it is indeed a concussion and Stewart was misdiagnosed and allowed to play yesterday, that will be just another example of a slightly disturbing trend building with regards to the Yankee training staff. Not only are they seemingly letting things slide that should be bigger issues, they’re potentially putting players at risk by allowing them back on the field.

Game 56 Wrap-Up: BOS 3 NYY 0

(Nice visual metaphor for how much support Hirok got last night.  Courtesy of the AP)

The weather caused a delay in the start of last night's game.  It also caused an early finish as the Yanks and Sawx only got to play 6 innings.  With what happened in those 6 innings, it probably would have been best if the game was just postponed.  The offense continued to struggle, providing no support to starter Hiroki Kuroda, and the team's freefall continued.  Something needs to change with the lineup right now, something significant, because this entire group is hard to watch and it's obvious that Teix and Youkilis are nowhere near ready to be counted on to produce.

Game Notes:

- The Yankees wanted to be patient against Bahhston starter Clay Buchholz, and they just weren't.  Buchholz needed just 71 pitches to blank the Bombers through 6 innings.  He was constantly ahead in the count and the Yanks played into his approach by swinging early.

- Kuroda was money the first turn through the rotation, the second time the Sawx started to figure him out.  He wasn't as sharp as we've seen him at times this year, particularly with his sinker, and when you get no run support you're going to lose.

- Kuroda did have to work harder than Buchholz and it started to show in the middle innings.  He gave up leadoff HRs in the top of the 5th and 6th, to Jose Iglesias and David Ortiz respectively, and was out after 5.1 IP.  Sucks when the sinker doesn't sink.

- Chris Stewart didn't play after again experiencing "dehydration" symptoms before the game.  Sounds like an undiagnosed concussion to me.