Report: Microfracture Surgery Possible For CC

Remember that thing I said a month ago about the comparisons between CC Sabathia and Amar'e Stoudemire when it came to their knee injuries?  It sounds like those comparisons could get even stronger after CC's latest setback with his swollen, degenerative right knee.  The knee didn't hold up to 55 pitches (on early rest) earlier this week, and now the plan is for CC to see Dr. Andrews again on Monday for a follow-up evaluation.  The possibility of microfracture surgery is on the table, which would end CC's season for sure and possibly even his career.

Joe alluded to both of those possibilities when he spoke to the media before yesterday's game, saying "I think that's fair to say, yeah" when asked if CC was done for this season, and "whenever you have degenerative issues that cause surgery or things like that, there's always a little question, yeah" when asked if this latest setback was career-threatening.  He clearly doesn't know what to expect except to expect nothing more from CC this season.  As bad as CC was before he hit the DL, I think Joe was looking at him as a slight upgrade over Nuno and Whitley.  Not anymore.

With CC gone, Pineda still setting back, and Billy Beane taking his nuts out and slapping the rest of MLB with them by trading for Jeff Samardzija AND Jason Hammel yesterday, the Yankee rotation situation has grown even more grim.  Next year ain't looking so hot either if this microfracture surgery happens.

Pineda Has A "Trace" Of Inflammation In His Shoulder; Rehab Pushed Back Again

Michael Pineda was supposed to play catch yesterday for the first time since suffering a setback with his right shoulder/upper back last month.  The team scheduled him for what they called a precautionary MRI on Friday to make sure there was nothing wrong in the injured area and turns out there was.  Joe told the media before yesterday's game that the MRI revealed a "trace" of inflammation in Pineda's shoulder, so the decision was made to scrap yesterday's planned catch sesh and bump it back a week to next Saturday.

I fully understand and appreciate the need to be careful with Pineda because of the previous injury and close proximity of this back muscle to his shoulder.  But at this point, I think we have to start talking seriously about whether Pineda is going to pitch another meaningful inning this season.  He's been out with this injury since late April, he may or may not start playing catch again by late June, and the team has already said they're going to put him through a full ST to build him back up.  If the back and shoulder haven't healed up right after 2 months of rest, I highly doubt they're going to hold up once he actually starts pitching again.

Teix Tacks On Another Health Concern

Mark Teixeira was a late scratch for last night's game.  Apparently he was feeling some tightness in his left shoulder/upper back area and couldn't work it out in BP, so Joe played it safe and sat him to see if a day off helped.  Teix told reporters he wasn't that concerned about it and Joe said there was a good possibility he would be able to play this afternoon, but this latest dent in Teix's physical armor has to add concern about how he's going to hold up over the next 3 and a half months.  Since April 4th, here's the list of ailments he's racked up:

• Hamstring strain (14 games missed)
• Groin stiffness/leg fatigue (0 games missed; got 1 half-day off)
• Wrist soreness/cortisone injection (5 games missed)
• Shoulder/back stiffness (1 game missed and counting)

That's a lot of pain and stiffness in a lot of different parts of the body, a 34-year-old body that hasn't been completely healthy for a long time now.  Teix did a great job coming back strong from the hammy strain with 5 HR in his first 11 games back and has remained the only consistent power presence in the middle of the order even as he's battled the wrist problems.  But his inability to go more than a few weeks without something acting up is not a good omen when you look back at the last few years.  Sooner or later, all these little "nothing" injuries are going to add up to something and I don't expect that something to be good.

Jeter Out Tonight With A Tight Quad

Girardi: Jeter's quad got tight on Friday. Had yesterday off. He's getting today off because of it too. No tests scheduled.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) April 13, 2014

With a lefty on the mound tonight in Felix Doubront and a day off yesterday afternoon, there was no reason for Derek Jeter to not be in the lineup tonight.   Unless of course, there was something physically wrong with him.  Something was obviously up in that department when the lineup was announced a little over an hour ago and Dean Anna was listed as the starting shortstop again, and sure enough, something related to Jeter's legs is the cause for his absence tonight.

The reports on the quad don't make it sound like a big deal.  No tests are scheduled on it and Joe did tell the media he could use Jeter tonight in a pinch if he had to.  Sounds like more of a precautionary thing than anything else, giving him an extra day of rest when there's an easy opportunity to do so.  Right now, the plan is for Jeter to be back in the lineup on Tuesday.

Teix Still Not Sold On His Wrist Strength

(Courtesy of the AP)

It's been a slow and steady process for Mark Teixeira as he's worked his way back into playing shape from last year's wrist injury.  From basic strengthening exercises to dry swings to batting cage work to full BP to playing in actual ST games, one would hardly call this a "normal" Spring Training for Teix and all along he's said the most important thing is making sure his wrist feels good all the time, no matter how he's swinging.  According to what he told Kevin Kernan of The Post on Thursday, he's still not 100% confident that the wrist is completely healed:

“I’m not trusting that the wrist is healthy.

I’m just trying to protect it.  Taking your ‘A’ swing, taking that swing that is 100 percent and I need to trust that I can do that and not feel pain. I need to finish my swing instead of protecting my wrist. Last year, to protect my wrist, I didn’t finish my swing."

Teix is batting a meager .086/.289/.114 in 35 PA this spring, with 10 BB and 11 K.  His only XBH is a double he hit as a right-handed batter a few weeks ago, so obviously the numbers fit somebody who's admittedly not swinging normally and holding back.

Ryan's Back Injury Complicates The Infield Situation

The Yankees have their first official injury problem of 2014 after yesterday's MRI on Brendan Ryan revealed a pinched nerve in his upper back.  This comes after he had already been out of action for over a week with a sore lower back/oblique, and the early reports make it sound like he's not going to be ready for Opening Day.  He's taking pills to help the pain and could get a cortisone injection next week, but there's no timetable for his return to baseball activities let alone games.

For such a small part of the infield puzzle, Ryan and his back issues could cause major problems in the infield if they don't heal properly and dog him throughout the season.  None of the other utility infielder types are in the same realm as him when it comes to defense, especially not Eduardo Nunez, and that's the biggest thing the Yankees need at short with Derek Jeter starting.  Dean Anna hasn't looked great defensively, Scott Sizemore hasn't been able to play much and couldn't handle shortstop if he was, and ST superstar Yangervis Solarte is a completely unknown commodity as a Major Leaguer.

The most important thing right now is that Ryan takes the time he needs to get healthy, and with any luck he won't miss too much game time once the regular season starts.  The longer he stays out though, the more pressure it puts on that next tier of guys, the more pressure it puts on Jeter, and the more pressure it puts on Joe to manage Jeter's workload.

Beltran's Foot- Something Or Nothing?

(Courtesy of the AP)

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

The off day yesterday gave everybody a chance to step back and reset the ST landscape after a busy first 2 weeks.  Part of that resetting is updating all the injury/health issues in camp and Chad Jennings was generous enough to compile every update on every player into one post.  Most of this stuff is common knowledge to anybody who's followed camp with any kind of consistency, but there was one name and one ailment on the list I wasn't aware of.  That name is Carlos Beltran, who's apparently been dealing with a sore left foot.  Jennings was quick to call it "a complete non-issue," but his description of the situation doesn't exactly read as reassuring:

"After playing last Sunday’s game, Beltran had an ice pack on his left foot. He said his toes bother him occasionally, especially if the dirt in the batter’s box is too firm. Said it’s not a problem, and he’s been able to play since then."

Early ST Injuries Could Be A Problem For MiL Teams

We're a week into the Spring Training game schedule and the best news so far is that there's nobody at the Major League level dealing with any injury issues.  Derek Jeter hasn't suffered any further/new setbacks with his ankle or the rest of his 2 legs, Brian Roberts has managed not to trip over anything and shatter his whole body, Cervelli's throwing hand and elbow are A-OK, and the entire pitching staff's elbows and shoulders are fine.

That's not to say that there haven't been any health problems though, and strangely enough it's the younger crowd that's feeling the effects of the injury bug.  A handful of early ST injuries have delayed the start to multiple top prospects' seasons, and depending on how quickly they're able to recover or how long the injuries linger, there could be some MiL roster problems come Opening Day.

Wednesday Morning Food For Thought: Brian Roberts' Playing Time

Joe announced recently that he sees newest Yankee Brian Roberts as the everyday second baseman this season.  Those were bold words when talking about a guy who hasn't played in triple digit games since 2009 and has played in fewer than 200 total in the last 4 seasons.  Roberts' career has been completely derailed by injury problems and players who start getting hurt all the time in their early 30s generally don't stop getting hurt when they turn 36.  Roberts was a guest on "Yankees Hot Stove" last night and he commented on his expectations relative to playing time for the upcoming season:

“I’m excited for the opportunity.  My goal is just to come in and try and play as many games as they want me to be able play, and obviously help us get to where we want as an organization.”

Roberts said he was healthy and felt good and was ready to go, but the phrasing of "try and play as many games as they want me to be able play" leaves me feeling a little skittish.  I'm all for seeing what Roberts is capable of now that he's healthy, even though I don't expect it to be much.  I'm not too keen on the idea of running him out there every day until he breaks down and leaving the team with another roster hole to fill.  It's OK to want Roberts to play every day and hope that he can.  It's not OK to expect him to or anticipate that he will.

How About Signing Grant Balfour Now?

Source: The red flags that came up about Grant Balfour's physical state were about his wrist and knee, and not about his shoulder.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) January 13, 2014

Buster Olney tweeted this out on Monday, finally shedding a little light on just what the hell is up with Grant Balfour.  He's been completely off the map since his 2-year deal with the Orioles fell apart and now it makes sense why.  Dude's just all kinds of banged up.

This raises the questions of would you still want him if you were the Yankees and do you think they're still interested?  On the one hand, wrist and knee problems aren't as bad as the shoulder for pitchers but are still enough to present considerable risk to any team that signs him.  We could be dipping back into 1-year deal territory with Balfour now, at less than the $7.5 mil he was slated to make with the O's.  On a 1-year commitment, it could be worth the risk to add another late-inning arm.

On the other hand, if the wrist and knee issues were enough to convince Baltimore to cut bait, that could be a sign that Balfour is more damaged goods than he's letting on.  He's already not the best fit for pitching in Yankee Stadium.  Maybe the Yanks turn their attention to someone like Fernando Rodney or a cheaper injury risk like Joel Hanrahan.

A Quick Word On The Idea Of Moving Derek Jeter To Third Base

(Courtesy of Getty Images)

The Yankee infield is a hot topic right now and rightfully so.  On Opening Day the Yanks will have a starting infield that's entirely different from the one that opened the 2013 season.  They've got 2 old/older players in Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira returning from serious injuries at first base and shortstop, they've lost Robbie Cano at second base and Alex Rodriguez at third base, and their current plan to replace the 2 of them appears to be the old "throw as much stuff at the wall as we possibly can and see what sticks" method.

An idea that I've seen mentioned multiple times in various blogs across the Yankosphere, and one that's really been gaining steam in the comments section here is moving Jeter to third base and making Brendan Ryan the starting shortstop.  In theory it makes a lot of sense and I totally understand why people are thinking this way.  Jeter's biggest defensive weakness is lateral movement.  It always has been and it's not going to get any better now that he's turning 40 this year and coming off a litany of leg injuries.  By moving him to third base, the Yankees could not only mask his defensive deficiencies and improve their overall infield defense, they could also protect him from re-injuring himself by cutting down on the ground he has to cover.

Again, this is all great in theory.  There are 2 problems with that plan though.  It would never work and it's never going to happen.  If you'll allow me, I'd like to quickly explain why so we can all put this notion behind us and move on with our lives.

Monday Afternoon Food For Thought: Teix's Backup

The Yankees have built up a pretty solid cadre of platoon pieces for their various positional needs in 2014.  They have options at second and third base, though better and more permanent full-time ones are still desired, they have multiple guys capable of playing shortstop, and they have the outfield and catcher spots stacked with depth on the current 40-man roster.

One position of need they've yet to address is a backup for Mark Teixeira at first base.  According to him he's almost back to 100% physically, and he's still a very important part of the lineup, but he's not expected to be the everyday player he used to be a few years ago.  Because of the continued wrist problems and other health issues over the past 3 seasons, expectations were that Joe would start working in more regular rest and DH days for Teix in 2014.  With the way the roster is present constructed, that's going to be kind of hard to do.

Seriously, look at the 40-man and tell me who his current backup is.  Gun to head I'd have to say it's Brian McCann at the moment and he's never played 1 Major League inning at first.  Other options include everyone's favorite defense botchmaster Eduardo Nunez and possibly Vernon Wells, but those options aren't any more appealing than McCann.  While the rotation, 'pen, and third base remain the higher priorities, the Yankees can't forget about adding a viable option to back Teix up at first.  Mark Reynolds, perhaps...

Monday Morning Food For Thought: The Old Get Older

Interesting article by Joel Sherman over the weekend, one that leads off with this doozy of a line:

"The Yankees have accomplished the near impossible — they had the oldest player in the majors (Mariano Rivera) and the oldest starter (Andy Pettitte) retire and yet somehow have gotten older this offseason."

To be honest, I hadn't even really paid much attention to the age factor of this offseason's moves.  I was just happy that the Yankees were spending money on players who could still actually play and would actually make the team better in 2014.  But Sherman's point is valid and there is something to be said for the fact that the Yankees will enter next season without a single player under the age of 30 in their starting lineup.  They're no strangers to age-related regression and age-related health problems wreaking havoc on their roster, and by getting older this offseason they've done more to increase the risk of that happening again than lessen it.  Beltran, McCann, and Ellsbury all come with some form of legitimate injury concern, and they're being added to a mix of CC, Jeter, Teix, Gardner, and A-Rod (maybe) that already comes with plenty of concerns of their own.

Will next year's team be better than the one that opened 2013?  Absolutely.  Will it be any safer from the risks associated with being an older club?  Maybe, maybe not.

Concussion Shutdown Adds To Mounting Health Concerns For Romine

It's been over a week since Austin Romine suffered a concussion against the Baltimore Orioles, and despite being cleared by team doctors to return to catching bullpen sessions, Romine is going to be shut down for the rest of the season due to lingering concussion symptoms.  Romine talked about still feeling the effects of the concussion to Andy McCullough of The Star-Ledger on Thursday, saying he felt "off" and "I know my body. I know what I can do. So when I do stuff I’m not used to doing, I’m like ‘What the heck?’ I don’t want that to happen in a game.”

Romine referring to his knowledge of his body and how he is feeling may refer to the last concussion he suffered in 2011, one that cost him a lot of time in the Minors.  He followed that up with a back injury that sapped almost his entire 2012 season away before he finally got back to full health this year, so concussions and injury problems in general are nothing new for Romine.  That he is still feeling symptoms of this latest concussion almost 2 weeks after the fact is very concerning.  Catcher is a grueling position to play, and Romine is already racking up the job-related injuries that can cripple a guy's ability to be a good catcher at a young age.

With brain injuries and concussions being such a hot button topic in sports today, the Yankees are doing the right thing in shutting Romine down for the season.  You can't be too careful and this is already his second documented concussion in 3 years.  His long term health is the most important thing right now, and at 24 he's got plenty of time to work on improving his baseball skills.  But keep this in mind next year when the catching competition starts heating up in spring camp.  Romine could be the favorite to win the job if the team isn't active on the FA market, and it will be interesting to see if they take any extra precautions to limit his exposure to another potential head injury.

A-Rod's Legs Starting To Jeter Out On Him

For the second time in less than a week, Alex Rodriguez was removed from a game due to injuries to his legs.  Early last week it was the left hamstring that started to nag, forcing Joe to limit Alex to just a DH role for the rest of the week.  Last night it was his right calf that reportedly felt sore and caused him pain running the bases.  He was pinch hit for and removed from the game in the top of the 5th inning.

If this story sounds familiar, it's because it's almost exactly the same as what went down with Derek Jeter this season.  He came back from leg injuries without the proper amount of time to build up his leg strength and it led to further complications and the eventual end of his season.  Alex seems to be falling victim to the same fate after returning from his offseason hip surgery.  Like Jeter, A-Rod didn't have a lot of time to work his legs back into game shape.  Like Jeter, that lack of leg conditioning limited his ability to play the field and play every day.  And like Jeter, the compounding issues with his legs as a result of having to play through those ailments seems to be adding up to force A-Rod off the field.

He's been a tremendous and somewhat surprising boost to the lineup since coming off the DL, off-the-field circus aside.  Now A-Rod might finish the season and head into his offseason appeal battle on the sidelines instead of playing out what could be the final 12 games of his career.

Soriano's Thumb Leaves Lineup Status In Doubt

An already undermanned lineup took another hit just minutes before yesterday's game when Alfonso Soriano was scratched with a sprained thumb.  Apparently he hurt it making a defensive play on Thursday night and it didn't swell up on him until he woke up yesterday morning.  Soriano himself didn't seem all that concerned about it, and was hopeful he could play tonight if and when the swelling went down.  With no word yet on his status for tonight, all we can do for now is wait and hope.

If tonight's game isn't a must win, I don't know what is.  The Yankees have dropped 2 games to the Rays already this weekend and really can't afford to go down 5 in the loss column with 12 to play.  They need a W to salvage this series and keep their playoff hopes alive and they could use Soriano's bat back in the middle of the lineup to help make that happen.

The problem is where to play him.  If the thumb makes it too tough to play the field, Joe can't use Soriano at DH because of A-Rod's hamstring.  He's got too many walking wounded and not enough lineup spots to hide them.  You know, the usual.  Hopefully the swelling goes down enough that Soriano can play tonight.  If it doesn't, the Yankee lineup could be in trouble again.

Gardner Showing Signs Of Breaking Down

(Happier (and healthier?) times.  Courtesy of the AP)

While the rest of the lineup has been either ineffective or injured, Brett Gardner has joined Robbie Cano as one of the most consistent offensive presences this season and has been the second-most important member of the lineup behind Cano.  He's been a fixture at the top of the batting order, getting on base at a good clip and hitting for more power than usual.  He's also been struggling a bit recently after putting together 2 really hot months in May and June.  Gardner has just a .632 OPS, fueled mainly by a sub-.300 OBP, this month after posting a .634 in July.  That, and an increase in the number of off-days Joe has given him suggests Gardner might be hitting the physical wall with 30+ games remaining.

Mark Montgomery Back To The DL

(Courtesy of the AP)

At the end of last season, Mark Montgomery was the hands down top relief prospect in the Yankee system, a borderline top 10 organizational prospect overall, and on his way to breaking into the Major League bullpen sometime around now if not earlier.  After leaving his last appearance on Saturday with more shoulder problems, he's likely done for the year and has become a much bigger question mark for next season rather than a possible bullpen answer.

Yanks Planning To Run Jeter Into The Ground Now?

(Courtesy of the AP)

That Derek Jeter is out of the lineup again and possibly heading back to the disabled list for leg issues is not surprising.  He's battled them since first starting his comeback from ankle surgery in Spring Training and 2013 has all but turned into a lost season for him because of it.  Based on comments made by Joe before and after last night's game, the Yankees' possible plan to handle Jeter moving forward does come as a bit of a surprise.

Robertson Sitting Out Last Night- Problem?

After declaring him not an injury risk and talking down concern when a heavy short-term workload left him unavailable for a night early last month, it was more than a tad disconcerting to read that David Robertson was not available last night due to arm fatigue.  That makes his 9-pitch, 1-and-done appearance on Tuesday night more understandable and should be looked at as somewhat of a concern based on Joe saying that D-Rob came to him to tell him he wasn't feeling it.

D-Rob was lights out in July, allowing 0 runs in 13 appearances and striking out 18 batters to just 1 walk.  In fact, he hasn't given up a run since June 16th.  He also had his heaviest workload of the season in July, 13.0 IP in all.  That's a pretty decent toll considering a few off-days and the ASB are included.  Robertson had pitched in 3 of the last 4 nights before last night, but only 3 times in the preceding 2 weeks because of the break.  It's not like Joe has been riding him into the ground lately, so why the arm fatigue now?

Chances are it was just a one-time thing and D-Rob will be good to go.  He'll have a second straight day off tomorrow and it wouldn't shock me to see Joe hold him out a third day tomorrow if the lead or deficit is big enough.  As long as we see Robertson back out on the mound fanning guys this weekend, I think he's fine.