Yanks-Indians "Return Of Hughes" Live Blog

The Yanks are nationally televised tonight and Phil is back on the hill.  That can only mean it's time for another live blog.  I'm assuming I'm going to get the ESPN broadcast team of McDonough, Sutcliffe, and Aaron F'ing Boone, which is tolerable, so that's good.  The Yanks aren't dicking around with the lineup tonight, throwing their version of the A-lineup out there:

1) Derek Jeter- SS
2) Curtis Granderson- CF
3) Mark Teixeira- 1B
4) Alex Rodriguez- 3B
5) Robinson Cano- 2B
6) Nick Swisher- RF
7) Jorge Posada- DH
8) Russell Martin- C
9) Brett Gardner- LF

And on the mound it's Phillip Joseph Hughes.

Just a quick note on Mo, whose triceps injury I have admittedly not focused enough on.  LoHud is saying he's still not a sure thing to be able tonight.  He's going to throw before the game and then see how he feels.  If he can't go, that's added pressure on the Luis Ayalas, Boone Logans, and Corey Wades of the world, who will almost surely be needed to bridge the gap from Hughes to the 9th inning.

Check back here some time before 7 Eastern/6 Central to get this thing kicked off.

What Should We Expect From Phil Hughes Tonight?

(It'll be good to see Phil back in the pinstripes tonight.  Courtesy of The AP)

The prodigal son makes his return to the rotation tonight in the rubber match against Cleveland.  It'll be the first time since April 13th that Phil Hughes has started a game for the Yankees, and the results leading up to his DL stint and recent rehab were quite ugly.  In 10.1 innings over 3 starts, Hughes put up an ungodly 13.64/8.56/6.34 tripleslash with 2.61 K/9 and 3.48 BB/9.  It's not a stretch (yeah it is) to say that I could have probably gone out there with my high-60s heater and 50s offspeed stuff and put up those numbers.

That was the Phil Hughes with the high-80s fastball, little to no movement, and even less confidence.  Tonight he returns after 3 solid MiL rehab starts, the last one a gem, with his fastball back, his arm strength back, and by the sounds of it, his confidence back too.

“I know it’ll be good.  I know my stuff is there, I just have to execute pitches. I know if I do that, I’ll be fine. I’m not going out there with any wonder or curiosity or doubt. I’m just going out trying to execute every pitch I can.”

This is a complete 180 from the version of Phil Hughes we were seeing and hearing back in early April.  And that, more than the velocity and arm strength, is a great thing.  But the question still remains about what Hughes will look like out there on the hill tonight, and what should we realistically expect from him?  If he can repeat the velocity and maintenance of it through 5-6 innings like he did in his last rehab start, I would be happy with that.  I'm sure Joe and Larry Rothschild are going to have him on some sort of pitch count closely tied to what they're seeing on the gun so as not to risk re-aggravating the shoulder inflammation that was supposedly causing his early-season dead arm.  If he makes it up to that pitch count with better velocity on his fastball and some more bite than what he showed early in the year on his offspeed stuff, I could honestly care less what his line looks like.  I'd be happy with 3-4 runs allowed in 5-6 innings of work.  It would be an improvement over what he produced earlier in the year and a sign that he's moving back towards being the Phil Hughes we remember from last season.

Let's remember that the Yankees don't need Hughes to come back and become the #2 starter that some were expecting him to be on Opening Day.  He's essentially replacing Ivan Nova's 4.12/4.42/4.21 line and 0.8 WAR from the 5th spot in the rotation.  There's no pressure for him to come in and light the world on fire, so for his first time out after an extended absence there's no reason to expect anything more than what Nova has given the Yankees as long as the indication is that he'll continue to move towards exceeding Nova's output.  And coming off a year where he went 4.19/4.25/4.13 with 2.4 WAR, we all know Hughes is capable of that.

Tonight we, like Hughes and the Yanks themselves, should not be looking for anything more than some low-to-mid-90s on the gun and Hughes looking more comfortable on the mound.

Quote courtesy of LoHud.

Can Somebody Explain The CC Snub To Me?

(Best pitcher in the AL?  Top 3?  Courtesy of The AP)

How the hell did CC Sabathia NOT get selected to the All Star Game?  I mean, really, how does that happen?  The guy is statistically one of the 3-5 best pitchers in baseball this year, let alone the AL, he's a big hulking monster of a man, which is always fun for matchups, and anybody who has ever talked to him says he's one of the most friendly, down to earth, gregarious people in professional sports.  The All Star Game was made for players like CC, and yet somehow he managed to get snubbed by the rest of his fellow players and the AL managers who vote for the reserves, most likely because they all felt some sort of unwarranted unfairness for the Yankees already having 6 players on the team.

Well you know what?  That's just too fucking bad.  It's not A-Rod, Cano, C-Grand, or Jeter's faults that they got selected by the fans.  Shit, 3 of those 4 guys deserve the votes they got because they're the best players at their position in the league.  And Jeter, like it or not, is still a big star and a big draw because of the fans, and that's supposedly what the All Star Game is about, right?  Tell me how many fans out there don't like CC Sabathia.  Tell me how many people would rather watch Aaron Crow and Brandon League pitch an inning against Prince Fielder, Matt Holliday, and Brian McCann.  Aaron Crow walks 4.14 batters/9.  Brandon League only strikes out a hair over 6 batters/9 and has an ERA/FIP/xFIP tripleslash that is good at best for a reliever.  And don't even get me started on Chris Perez or Jose Valverde.  If people think 6 Yankees is too many, first of all get bent.  Second of all, why would you select Russell Martin?  Don't get me wrong, he's having a nice year, but he's been cold over the last 2 months and has been injured too.  If there's a Yankee that didn't deserve the spot, it's him.

These are the facts.  After last night, CC is now leading the AL in wins (12) and is tied with Jered Weaver for the lead in WAR (4.3).  His ERA (2.90) is lower than those of Felix Hernandez, David Price, and C.J. Wilson.  His FIP (2.56) is better than those of Josh Beckett, James Shields, Gio Gonzalez, and Justin Verlander.  And he's thrown more innings (136.2) than anybody in the AL except Verlander.  You could make the case that CC should be STARTING the All Star Game, let alone be on the roster.

I know with his next scheduled start coming on Sunday that he most likely wouldn't be available to pitch anyway, but that's beside the point.  There are a handful of other pitchers who will be in the same boat and they still got picked.  The point is a player who is more deserving than almost every other pitcher on the roster got snubbed and there's no good reason for it.  Brandon League, Chris Perez, and Jose Valverde have no business being on the team, and each of their respective teams already has a representative, so it's not like they are there for that.  At the very least, CC should have been chosen and then you could bring in one of those guys as his replacement once it's announced that he won't be pitching.  That way he would be recognized for how well he's pitched and one of the other guys, relievers who are used to pitching one inning, could get a nod too.

Just like it's called the "Hall of Fame" and not the "Hall of Very Good," this game IS still called the "All Star Game," not the "Bunch of Pretty Good Players Game."  When you're picking the team, you should pick the best players first and then fill in with subs as needed, and there's no possible way anybody could argue that CC Sabathia is not one of the best pitchers in the American League this year.  Once again, the anti-Yankee bias seeps through and screws something up.  And it's even worse this time because the bias came from CC's own colleagues and not the media.

P.S.- Is is Yankee fan treason to say that I would rather CC be on the All Star team than Mo?

The Bright Side For A.J.

(Hang in there, Baby Huey.  Courtesy of masslive.com)

Tough loss for A.J. last night, in the style that we're all too familiar with.  He cruised through 6 innings, then got rattled, missed spots, and completely blew up in the 7th after Gardner and The Horse couldn't come up with the foul ball that would have ended the inning.  But...

At least he's not John Lackey.

Same contract, same money, but the performance Lackey is putting on this season makes A.J.'s 2010 look Cy Young-worthy by comparison.

- 7.47/4.99/4.83 ERA/FIP/xFIP tripleslash in just 72.1 IP
- Career low 5.60K/9 coupled with a career high 3.36 BB/9
- .301 BA against, .875 OPS against, 1.63 WHIP
- 9.17 ERA at home

"Those types of numbahs ahh NAWT going to cut it in fahhckin' Beantown, chief!  This is the home of the fahhckin' Bruins.  The grittiest, toughest team with the most hahht since the '04 Sawx!!!"

Seriously, though.  John Lackey sucks.  I wouldn't let him pitch a game in the Little League World Series right now.  So A.J. can take solace in the fact that at least he's doing more to live up to his overpriced, undeserved contract.  Right?  Right??

The Captain Says Happy 4th Of July

(Awwww, how festive.  Courtesy of The AP)

And I do too.  I hope everyone has enjoyed a safe and fun Independence Day.  And what better way to cap it off than to have The Captain return to the lineup tonight and resume his quest for 3,000 hits?  Well I suppose we could start fixing the economy and creating more jobs, but the Jeter 3,000 hits thing is a close second.

In all seriousness, despite him being a shell of his former self at this point and in no way deserving of being the leadoff hitter over Gardner, it IS good to have Jeter back in the lineup.  It just looks right with his name in the box score, and at least we know he won't botch any of the plays he does make.  Those plays have been a little too brutal to watch with Nunez and Pena at short these last couple weeks.

P.S.- I want that jersey and I want it now.

The $900,000 Man Hasn't Missed A Beat

Well it certainly looks like the doctors did a great job of rebuilding that hammy, huh?  Bartolo Colon returned to the rotation yesterday afternoon and picked up right where he left off.

6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K, 80 pitched (56 strikes)

That's pretty much the type of line he was putting up before he left, save for maybe another inning or two, but Colon continues to make Cash look like a genius.  Now it's Cash's other offseason diamond in the rough to complete the sweep today.  Go get 'em, Freddy.

(Kevin Long taugh him everything he knows.  Courtesy of The AP)

P.S.- Forget everything I said in the post below about who's coming up and who's going down.  The Yankees chose to send Brien Gordon to Triple-A SWB yesterday and keep Noesi in the 'pen.  Good call.

The Picture Starts To Clear Up As Arms Return To The Roster

(Sorry, Ivan.  I thought you were going to stick around.  Courtesy of Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post)

Bartolo Colon is scheduled to start this afternoon's game against the Mets, taking back the rotation spot that had been held by Brien Gordon over the last couple outings.  Phil Hughes is probably only another week or 2 away from joining him back in the rotation, leaving the Yankees with a decision to make on who keeps the 5th rotation spot and who gets bumped.  Joel Sherman of The Post helped shed a little light on where the Yankees are leaning when it comes to that decision:

"...the Yankees are leaning strongly toward sending Nova to Triple-A to reinsert Hughes, I have learned....

The lingering fear remains about Colon and Garcia making it through a season physically, and, really, Hughes is now in the same category. By putting Nova at Triple-A along with Hector Noesi (who is to be demoted today to make room for Colon) and Adam Warren, the Yankees would have adequate protection for the inevitable breakdown; with Nova the obvious first choice for a return."

On the one hand, this decision makes sense.  Colon certainly has proven he is worthy of a spot, and Freddy Garcia has also exceeded expectations.  And with the commitment the Yankees have made to Hughes (and with memories of the mishandling of Joba still not dissolved), it goes without saying that he will be in the rotation and not shuttled back to the bullpen.  With Colon and Garcia being as cheap as they are, pitching as well as they are, and being the biggest health question marks, there's no reason for the Yankees to not continue to roll them out there until they blow up or get hurt again.  And if/when that happens, it's to the team's benefit to have Nova and Noesi already stretched out and ready to step in and fill the gap rather than sitting in the bullpen.

On the other hand, the argument could be made that this decision doesn't exactly fit in with the "best chance to win" philosophy that is supposed to dominate decision making at the Major League level.  Sure, Brien Gordon had solid relief numbers in Triple-A, and we've already covered the return of the Meat Tray.  But are those 2 really better pitchers than Nova and Noesi?  Noesi, save for one disastrous outing, has looked very good working out of the 'pen, and there has always been the thought by some that Nova's stuff could play up out of the pen, helping to eliminate his low K/9 rate he has as a starter.  And with the litany of injuries suffered already by major bullpen guys, isn't it to the team's benefit to have better pitchers filling those gaps in the bullpen?

All in all, I think the Yankees are making the right call here.  I honestly believed it was a foregone conclusion that Gordon would be DFA'd once Colon came back, but if the Yankees are committed to keeping Nova and Noesi stretched out as starters then it makes sense to keep Gordon around for the time being.  I will say, though, that I am going to be a bit more uneasy knowing that if Garcia or Hughes or A.J. has a bad start, we're going to see Mitre and Gordon coming in to put out the fire instead of Nova or Noesi.

Return Of The Meat Tray

In the words of Suzyn Waldman, "OH MY GOODNESS, GOODNESS GRACIOUS!!!  SERGIO MITRE IS ON THE ACTIVE ROSTER, ANNOUNCING THAT HE IS BACK!!!  OF ALL THE DRAMATIC THINGS!!!..."

That's right, kiddies.  The Meat Tray is back.  Back in our lives for another interesting go-round as a marginal mop-up reliever.  Hey, it beats having to watch Buddy Carlyle stumble and bumble his way through an inning, right?  I'm not ashamed to say that I am hoping and praying for some garbage time innings this weekend just we can get a Meat Tray experience.

P.S.- Isn't every inning of a game involving the Mets considered garbage time?  RIMSHOT!!!

New Month Linkapalooza

In honor of the changing of the months, and the upcoming 4th of July weekend, we're going to take a quick lap around the Yankosphere.  It's what the founding fathers had in mind when they wrote the Declaration of Independence.

- Alphonso at It Is High... takes a jab, and a funny jab at that, at the job Eduardo Nunez has done as Jeter's replacement.  It's funny because it's true.

- In the same vein as that post, Brien at IIATMS takes a more statistical look at the Jeter vs. Nunez debate and shows that, despite his decline, Jeter is the better player.  My 2 cents on the matter?  I think Jeter is the better everyday option, even though I do like Nunez for some reason.  But that doesn't mean he should be hitting leadoff.

- Chad at LoHud has the latest injury updates on the Yankee walking wounded.  First Hughes, now Jeter.  The Thunder roster is getting STACKED.

- Mike at RAB makes a case for the Yankees adding Mike Adams to the 'pen.  I like me some Mike Adams, so I would support that move.

- Double dose from the crew at TYA.  First, Matt Imbrogno tries to determine who the odd man out should be with the soon to be overcrowded rotation.

- Second, Mike J-R digs deeper into the wOBA statistic.  Fair warning to old-time baseball people:  You will not want to read this.  Also, you're idiots for not recognizing its value to the game.

- William at The Captain's Blog looks at the Yankees' first half and tries to predict how they'll do the rest of the way.

- Lastly, we've got 2 separate and very entertaining interviews with MiL director Mark Newman.  First, Mike Ashmore gets the scoop on a wide variety of topics, including injury rehab for guys like David Adams, Jeremy Bleich, and Graham Stoneburner, what the deal is with Brackman, and the philosophy regarding handling young pitchers.

- Sensei John Kreese of NoMaas also touched on a ton of points in his interview with Newman.  Definitely a must read.  I was particularly interested to read Newman's take on the "Brien Gordon over the Triple-A guys" decision.

Beast Mode

It's one thing to throw 7.2 shutout innings against a good offensive team.  It's another thing to throw 7.2 shutout innings against a good offensive team while striking out 13 batters.  And it's a completely different thing to throw 7.2 shutout innings against a good offensive team while striking out 13 batters and having all 13 Ks being swinging.  CC Sabathia is a monster.  THE POWER OF THE PARACHUTE PANTS COMPELS YOU!!!!

Now somebody hit the fucking music!!!

Yankees Trying To Give The Brewers A Chance Today

This afternoon's lineup, via LoHud:

1) Brett Gardner- CF
2) Nick Swisher- RF
3) Mark Teixeira- 1B
4) Robinson Cano- 2B
5) Jorge Posada- DH
6) Andruw Jones- LF
7) Eduardo Nunez- SS
8) Francisco Cervelli- C
9) Ramiro Pena- 3B

No Horse, no C-Grand, and no Martin should be enough to level the playing field today, right?  I mean, it's the least the Yankees can do to try to make things fair since they have Carsten on the hill today.  Anybody who still calls them the "Evil Empire" should wake up and smell the B-Team lineup.

P.S.- Francisco Cervelli still sucks.

What's Really Going On With Russell Martin?

(Looks like a decent swing to me.  Courtesy of The AP)

As I watched last night's tremendous display of baseball by the Yankees and laughable ineptitude of the Brewers, I took notice of Russell Martin's line when he stepped in for his first at-bat and was instantly reminded of a post topic I wanted to cover last week and didn't get around to.  That topic being just what the hell is up with Martin?  He started the year hitting like a machine and making Cash look like a genius for signing him.  Since then, he's been bothered by some injuries and his production has dropped off significantly.  Observe:

- Mar/Apr- .293/.376/.587, 85 PA, 10 XBH, .424 wOBA, 170 wRC+
- May- .200/.333/.347, 90 PA, 5 XBH, .322 wOBA, 100 wRC+
- June- .176/.271/.176, 59 PA, 0 XBH, .219 wOBA, 29 wRC+

I'm well aware that his torrid April wasn't sustainable, but I also didn't expect him to fall off a cliff as bad as he has since then.  from 170 wRC+ to 29 isn't just slumping.  That's falling right off the face of the earth.  So what is there in the numbers that can explain this dramatic decline in production?  For starters, we know he's not pressing at the plate and swinging too much, because the one thing Martin has done is consistently walk.  His BB rate doubled from April to June (8.2% to 16.7%), and he's still at a very nice 10.2% rate this month.  He also doesn't seem to be making much weaker contact than he did earlier in the year as his LD% has gone from 19.0% in Mar/Apr to 18.2% this month.

Martin could very well be suffering from the same BABIP luck that Teix is right now, and there is some support for that.  His value was at its highest, .281, in the first month of the year, and is currently sitting at a measly .205 in June.  The percentages also show that Martin is hitting more groundballs and fewer flyballs this month than he has all year, so it seems reasonable to expect that, even if they are decently struck balls, if they're on the ground there's a good chance they're going to produce more outs than hits.  And you definitely aren't going to be racking up any extra bases hits with the ball on ground more, no matter how fast you are.

My thought is that Martin is still probably feeling the effects of his earlier injuries, and while they aren't enough to keep him out of the lineup nor produce any significant holes in his swing, they might be just enough to have him keep them in the back of his mind when he's at the plate and adjust his approach slightly so as not to re-aggravate the injury.  That combined with the resulting increased GB rate should logically add up to a lower BABIP and lower all around offensive numbers as a result.  And just as it would have been insane to expect him to put up a .963 OPS all season, it would also be stupid to think that Martin will stay in this prolonged slump for the rest of the year.  Sooner or later things have to balance out and we'll probably see him back around the .250/.350/.410 line.

Teix Making The Most Of The Hits He Does Get

(And exhale.  Good.  Courtesy of The AP)

Here's your food for thought on a Wednesday morning.  Check out where Mark Teixeira ranks amongst the 160 qualifying players in MLB in some offensive categories:

HR- 24 (Tied for 1st)

RBI- 62 (Tied for 4th)

ISO- .296 (5th)

SLG- .542 (12th)

wOBA- .388 (19th)

wRC+- 145 (18th)

BABIP- .214 (158th)

And right there is your smoking gun, ladies and gentlemen.  Mark Teixeira is being cursed by some horrific BABIP bad luck.  Not only is he 3rd to last out of all MLB qualifiers, he's a full 16 BABIP points behind the guy ahead of him, Alex Rios.  With a value like that, he should be putting up Jorge-type numbers (no offense, Jorge), not ranking in the top 2-12.5% in the most important offensive categories.  People are going to look at the .246 BA and the sub-.900 OPS and assume Teix is having some kind of Rob Deer-like garbage year where he's either a homer or an automatic out, but that simply isn't the case.

The Yankees as a team hit .282 on balls in play.  Imagine what Teix's numbers would look like if he was just hitting that!  We wouldn't be talking about him possibly getting squeezed out of the All Star Game for Adrian Gonzalez, Paul Konerko, and Miguel Cabrera.  We'd be talking about Teix being the runaway favorite for AL MVP and possibly knocking in 150 runs this year.

Now I'll be fair and admit that maybe Teix is guilty of becoming a little pull happy with the short porch at The Stadium, and so he could be contributing to his own bad luck.  After all, both his BABIP and BA numbers dropped off last year from where he was in '09 while his power stayed the same.  But Teix is too good a hitter to be wallowing away in the Chone Figgins and Kurt Suzuki levels of BABIP mediocrity.  Sooner or later, some of these balls have to start finding gaps and green space instead of gloves.  And when they do, watch out.

Rotation Upgrade Options- External (NL Edition)

We touched on some potential AL targets as the deadline creeps ever closer.  Today I'll touch on some of the NL names who've been mentioned in connection with the Yankees. 

Wandy Rodriguez- The Astros lefty has been a rumored target for the Yanks going back to last year and during this past offseason before he re-upped with Houston.  Despite his earlier elbow issues, Rodriguez is once again having a solid year for the offensively-challenged Astros.  His 3.21/3.94/3.48 ERA/FIP/xFIP line is good and his 2.46 BB/9 are down from last year.  He isn't going to light up the radar gun with his fastball, but his offspeed stuff is killer and he's a lefty, something that could come in handy down the stretch against the Sawx.  The downside is that he's already 32, and with 2 more years on his deal he doesn't exactly fit into future plans that may revolve around getting younger.

Ryan Dempster- He's an NL lifer, he turned 34 this year, he doesn't generate as many swings and misses as he used to, and he's giving up a shit ton of HRs.  But for some reason, Dempster's name has come up this year, probably if for no other reason than the Cubs suck and they'll probably be sellers at the deadline.  Dempster has been snakebitten by bad BABIP luck, and his FIP (4.15) is a full run lower than his 5.31 ERA, but I just don't see the value of bringing over an older pitcher with diminishing stuff to the AL East.  The $14 mil player option for 2012 would also be a turn off for me but there is something to be said for his proven track record, even if the Yankees have already stated they aren't interested.

Carlos Zambrano- Another guy who the Yanks have expressed 0 interest in and with good reason.  On top of being vastly overrated and overpaid at this point in his career, Carlos Zambrano is a legitimate nutcase.  And with the contract he has right now, he's not worth bringing over for all the potential baggage that comes with him, even if his 1.7 WAR would be the 2nd highest amongst Yankee starters.  The big drop in K/9 this year (6.00) is another concern for me and probably the Yankees as well.  The Cubs would be happy to rid themselves of this dude, but Cash would be wise to hang up the phone as soon as he hears the "Zam-" part of his name.

Hiroki Kuroda- Of all the potential options, AL or NL, Kuroda might be the best option, both in terms of production and what it might take to get him.  Kuroda has been amongst the most consistent and undervalued starters in the NL for years now and he's continuing that trend in 2011, soldiering along with a 3.10/3.82/3.55 line and a solid K/BB ratio.  He, like Wandy, won't blow you away with his stuff, but it's better than average and he throws strikes.  Because of the ongoing Dodger money saga and the fact that he's a FA after this year, Kuroda could come cheaper than many of the other options (Phelps and another mid-level pitching prospect perhaps).  For some stretch run help, that might be a worthwhile investment for the Yanks. 

Shout out and link to Larry Koestler's post on Rodriguez and Kuroda on TYA yesterday.  Check that out for more in depth analysis of those 2.

A Huh-YUGE Series Starts Today

The 3-gamer starting today at The Stadium might very well be the most important series of the season for the Yankees.  And there's a very simple reason for that.  The Yankees are playing the Milwaukee Brewers and that gives me plenty of opportunities to talk shit and act like a jackass around the office to pretty much everybody I work with (minus a few Cubs fans).

For those who don't know, I live and work in the greater Milwaukee area.  I live about 10 minutes from Miller Park.  But for some reason, people around here seem to think that those 2 facts automatically mean I have to give up my love for the Yankees and become a Brewers fan.  The fact that I'm originally from CT, and the NY side of CT at that, and that almost my entire family is Yankee fans means nothing to them.  I can't tell you the number of times guys around the office try to start conversations with me about how the Brewers are doing or how that game went last night.  My stock response?  "Fuck the Brewers."  I couldn't give a shit less about the Brewers if they won every game or lost every game.  So to have the opportunity to walk around and talk crap to everybody here is an opportunity I'm dying to have.

The only problem is, the Brewers are actually playing some decent baseball this year.  Their rotation has been solid thanks to the additions of Zack Greinke and Shawn Marcum, 2 pitchers with whom the Yankees are familiar, and despite the glaring holes in their lineup the combination of Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun is more than enough to carry a team on days where they both have big games.  The Brewers' big weakness, though, is their middle relief.  That group of clowns shouldn't be pitching in a Double-A All Star Game let alone the Majors, so if the Yankees can continue to be patient and work the starters, they should have plenty of chances to tee off late in games.

So this is my plea to you, Yanks.  Go out and kick some ass.  At least take 2 out of the 3 games of this series, preferably the first and third games.  I have about 8 different Yankee shirts in my closet and a couple of different hats, and I'm itching to turn the office into a goddamn Yankee fashion show over the next 3 days.  Friday will be especially sweet if CC can shut the Brewers down and I can rock the CC shirt into work to really twist the knife.  Yes, there are some people here who still haven't gotten over CC signing with the Yanks in free agency.  For some reason they think he's an idiot for taking the Yankees money over the Brewers' $100 mil offer.  I know, it's pathetic.

So make me proud, boys.  Give me a justifiable reason to be a dick at work.  And for the 2nd time in 2 days, hit the music!!!

Rotation Upgrade Options- External (AL Edition)

A few weeks ago I touched on some of the possible internal candidates for a rotation upgrade in the event that Ivan Nova pitched his way out a job.  Since then he has pitched very well (yesterday not included), but with Cash's decree that the Yankees are looking for pitching help and Nova's consistent inconsistency, he still remains a candidate to be replaced.  With Colon and Hughes coming back within the next month, though, the possibility of a trade has diminished a bit, but it's still worth examining the names out there who the Yankees could be interested in.

John Danks- The White Sox lefty was a name we've heard a lot before going on the DL this weekend with an oblique injury.  His 3-8 record doesn't do him justice, as he's put up a 4.21/4.14/3.97 tripleslash in 94 IP over 15 starts this year.  His K rate is low (6.22), but he also only walks 2.68 guys per 9.  He also has a team friendly contract this year and is arbitration eligible in 2012.  He'll probably require more in terms of prospects than other guys because he's young and good, but the Yanks would get another year of team control if they felt the Killer Bs weren't ready next year.  At best, he could become the 3rd best starter on the team, maybe 2nd depending on what happens with Colon.  At worst, he's still better than Nova.  He should be at or near the top of the list when he comes off the DL as the summer progresses.

Edwin Jackson- He strikes out more guys than Danks (7.78 K/9 this season), but also walks more and always has.  But overall this has been a strong season for Jackson, who has been bitten by some bad BABIP luck (4.13 ERA to a 3.08 FIP).  He has good stuff and is still young at 27, but would basically be a rental as he is set to become a FA after this season.  Before the season he probably could have been pried for lesser guys, but with the way he's been pitching, he could cost the Yankees one of the crop of solid Triple-A arms and another guy.  If the Sox fall out of competition in the AL Central before the deadline, that would help bring the asking price down.

Francisco Liriano- The Yankees have been linked to him for a while now, ever since rumors started going around this past offseason that Minnesota was shopping.  Judging by what they've gotten from him this year, they should have moved him when they had the chance.  He's got a 4.98/4.22/4.23 line this year and is walking almost 5 batters per 9.  When you consider that one of his starts was a no-hitter and another almost was, those numbers could look even worse if he pitched to the averages.  His stuff just doesn't seem right this year, and he's always been a question mark in terms of durability and effort.  I just don't see how the Yankees would want to add him, but he is a lefty and they could probably get him for cheaper now that he's pitched so poorly in the first half.

Dan Haren- He was a big trade target rumor at last year's deadline and ended up going to the Angels, seemingly for peanuts.  And he's pitched very well for Anaheim this year, but with them sitting 3rd in AL West and trending downward thanks to their punchless offense, they could be looking to deal at the deadline.  He's lost a little bit of the bite on his stuff since his early days, but Haren can still get it done with the cutter to the tune of a 3.05/2.74/3.05 line and an almost 5.5/1 K/BB ratio.  Haren would slot in right behind CC as the #2 starter, but he won't come cheap.  Last year the rumor was Joba, ManBan, and a couple of other guy for Haren, so with Joba out now you have to imagine the deal starts with ManBan and maybe includes Montero or Sanchez to even get talks started.  A steep price to pay, but for somebody who still has a few years of team control left, it could be worth it.

Spitting Hot Fire

Some food for thought on a Monday off day morning:

- The Horse in June- .333/.427/.613 in 75 ABs w/ 20 RBI.

- Robbie Cano in June- .307/.365/.466 in 88 ABs w/ 16 R.

- Gardner in June- .347/.420/.500 in 72 ABs w/ 8 XBH.

- Jorge in June- .389/.424/.537 in 54 ABs w/ 8 RBI.

- Swish in June- .316/.433/.632 in 76 ABs w/ 18 RBI and 17 BB.

Combine that with Teix and C-Grand having productive months and the offense is really starting to come together.  The patience and clutch hitting is starting to catch up with the HR rate, and the Yankee lineup is not one people are excited about facing.  CC is still throwing gems, D-Rob is flourishing in the setup role, and Mo is striking out the side like it's 1996.  Yes indeed, it's good times all around.  Somebody please hit the music!

A Very Special Guest At Old Timers' Day Today

The Bombers look to close out another series win today on Old Timers' Day, a Yankee Stadium tradition that is always cool for the fans.  The list of guys coming back to participate is a long and decorated one, and you can find the entire list right here, but there is one first timer in particular who is going to be the center of attention today as he makes his return to the park and the team that made his career.

That's right, ladies and gentlemen, Clay Bellinger returns to The Stadium today.  Back to the place where he made his name as a .193/.257/.363 career hitter with 12 HR during the late 90s and early 2000s on his way to 2 World Series championships.  To say he was a key cog to the World Series-winning teams of '99 and 2000 would be a vast understatement, as it was Bellinger's 69 wRC+ and 0.2 WAR in 200+ plate appearances that drove the team to victory in the Subway Series in 2000.  To have Clay step foot on the grass of the new Stadium is a perfect way to tie a bow on his great career and it should be a great experience for all the young fans who don't remember his heydays.

Oh yeah, Joe Torre and Bernie Williams are coming back to participate for the first time today too.  But who cares about that, right?

Phil Hughes Solid In 2nd Rehab Start

Solid really is the best way to describe Hughes' outing for Double-A Trenton last night.  His pitch limit was 75 and he got to 72 through 3.1 IP, giving up 1 ER on 3 H and 2 BB, and striking out 3.  He was consistently sitting 92-93 with the fastball and still being clocked at 91 when he was removed in the 4th.  He didn't light the world on fire, but he also didn't look terrible.  Definitely on the right path.

Cash was at the game to watch Hughes and was quoted as saying Hughes will make "a few more" starts before returning to the Yankees.  Factor in off days and regular rest and we're probably looking at about 3 weeks before we see Hughes back .

1 Cent Each For The 2 Stories Of The Day = My 2 Cents

Jeter Injury-

"I can't tell you right now when he will be ready," Cashman said. "He is getting treatment every day and feeling better, but he can't run and can't swing the bat." Cash via The Post)

This is bad news for Jeter and the race to 3,000, but probably good for him long term and good for the Yankees.  Guys who have had these injuries all say it can stay with you for the rest of the year, so if Jeter is getting better slowly, the Yanks might as well keep him out as long as it takes to get the calf back to 100%.  And it's not like the team is struh-gull-ing without his ridiculous groundball rate at the top of the order, so there should be no rush to get him back into the lineup.

Francisco Rodriguez To The Yanks?-

"If I am going to be traded, obviously I want the opportunity to close out games, but if it's going to be good teams like the Yankees or the Rays, and it's going to be for two months, I can go out there and help them out."  (Rodriguez, via The Daily News)

No, no, no.  A thousand times no.  I don't care what his numbers are, I don't care what his K rate is, and I don't care about the Yankee bullpen injuries.  I do not want this guy on the team at all.  He isn't better than D-Rob and shouldn't supplant him as the setup man, so there's really no need to sacrifice a prospect, even a lower level one if that's all it takes, to add a piece that isn't needed.  With the number of arms they have available and the fact that Hughes and Colon will be coming back to the rotation within a month or less, the Yankees have the internal flexibility to keep the bullpen stocked.  By now they should have learned their lesson about going after high-priced relievers.  It's just not worth it.

And Francisco Rodriguez is just a dick.  Keep him with the garbage in Flushing where he belongs.

What The Hell Is Wrong With Andrew Brackman?

(Does that stretch help him throw more strikes?)

Earlier in the week this post was going to be about how Andrew Brackman's struggles as a starter in Triple-A led to him being demoted to the bullpen and now possibly in line for an '07 Joba-like late season call up.  But then he went and dumped his drawers again last night, giving up 4 hits and 3 ER in less than an inning and continuing what has been an ugly stretch of pitching for him this year.

The 2011 numbers are pretty hideous to look at: 58 IP, 60 H, 45 BB, 6.98 ERA, 5.87 WHIP, and just 3 starts of 6.0 IP or more out of 11.  But it is the trends over his entire MiL career that are even more startling.  Since breaking in 2009 in Low-A Charleston, Brackman's K/9 rate has decreased every year from 8.69 to 7.14 this season.  That number still isn't bad, but a general decrease in strikeouts at each level doesn't predict future success in the big leagues.  The walk rate, which was a problem in '09 then fixed last year, is back up to an insane 6.98 BB/9 this year, and surely the major contributing factor to his horrible performance this year as his BABIP is actually at a career low this season at .306.  Brackman is just putting too many guys on base via the free pass and then paying for it when he does give up hits.

The prevailing thought would be that putting him in the bullpen could help fix the command issues.  Brackman could focus on using just 1 or 2 pitches and have them play up in shorter work.  But so far, that hasn't been the case and Brackman has all but pitched himself out of any kind of consideration for a late season call up in 2011.  Let's not forget that this kid was amongst the group being talked about and looked at for the 5th starter's spot coming out of ST and now he's a bullpen afterthought.  He still has value and could turn things around, but something needs to change with his approach to the game and somebody needs to change it now.  If you can't throw strikes, you aren't going to make it very far.

Best Thing To Read On An Off Day

With no game to preview, the Yankosphere is busy catching up on other topics of interest surrounding the team, everything from the latest ASG voting tallies, MiL players, Phil Hughes' return, etc.  But the best thing I've read today is Mike Axisa's post at RAB about the Jesus Montero situation and why the Yankees need to stop fooling around and call the kid up.  Check some of the great points that Mike makes:

"The kid [Montero] has 756 plate appearances at Triple-A to his credit and he’s a .290/.348/.480 hitter at the level.  Robinson Cano didn’t hit that well in Triple-A, neither did Melky Cabrera or Bernie Williams or Jorge Posada or pretty much any position player the Yankees have called up in the last 20 years....

All this stuff about him being frustrated and lacking effort isn’t a sign of some greater problem either, even though it will be spun that way. Have you ever been stuck at a job when you know there’s no promotion to be had? It freaking sucks....

He did what he had to do in Triple-A, let’s stop pretending he hasn’t and should instead be some kind of model person incapable of frustration and disappointment....

There’s an obvious path for him to get playing time in the big leagues which involves getting Frankie Cervelli's complete lack of positive impact off the roster and letting Montero serve as the backup catcher and part-time designated hitter. He could get four starts a week that way (two at catcher, two at DH), which is what the Yankees did with Posada a decade ago and how teams regularly broke in young players back in the day."

/stands up and applauds

I can't really think of anything to add to that post that makes it more right on the money than it already is.  I have been saying for a very long time now that Jesus should be on the 25-man and Cervelli should not.  Regardless of age, experience, tenure, or any other reason, at the Major League level it's about winning games and putting together the best 25-man roster that allows your team to do that.  And to Mike's point, Jesus has more than proven that he's a better all-around player than Cervelli and more than ready to make the leap to the Major League team.  He can learn more and work on his defense just as much on the New York Yankees as he can with the SWB Yankees, with the added benefit of getting used to life in the Majors so he can be fully adjusted next season and getting to be around one of the most talented and professional groups of players in the game.  Seriously, what benefits is he getting from trading hitting tips with Doug Bernier and Jordan Parraz (no offense, guys).

It really doesn't boil down to much more than that.  Cervelli sucks, Montero is better, and there are plenty of opportunities to get him the playing time he deserves.  Jesus benefits from it and the team benefits from it.  It's like Mike said:

"...the kid is so obviously ready and able to help. Stop fearing failure and let him do it."

Gordon Falls Behind In The Race To Keep A Rotation Spot

It wasn't a bad outing by any means last night for Brien Gordon.  But it also wasn't terribly good.  5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 Ks, and just 3 swinging strikes over 5 innings is about what you'd expect from a replacement level lifetime Triple-A pitcher.  And although it's a nice story and it sounds like Joe is going to give him another start, the clock is already counting down to the return of Bartolo Colon and Phil Hughes to the rotation, and he's sitting last out of the bottom 3 in the contest.

Ivan Nova, who is seemingly on the hot seat every other week, is coming off his 8-inning masterpiece and has quietly put together a 4-start string of outings that have ranged anywhere from pretty good to goddamn good.  He's starting to use his secondary pitches more effectively so batters can't sit on his fastball and he's certainly done enough to guarantee himself at least another 2-3 turns through the rotation, covering at least the return of Colon.

Freddy Garcia has also rebounded nicely after his stinkbomb against Bahhston, allowing just 4 ER over 20.2 innings in his last 3 starts, including 7 innings of 0 ER ball in yesterday's day game that would have and could have been at least 7, if not 8, shutout innings if Ramiro Pena knew how to throw.  Freddy's portfolio of junk is well documented by now, but there's no denying that he's performed well above expectations this year, and his 3.30 ERA after yesterday is currently better than CC's.  He's in.

So it's looking like Brien Gordon might be left out in the cold when Bartolo returns, assuming it's right after his DL stint ends.  And then it will be Freddy and Nova fighting it out to keep a spot over Hughes when he is ready to return in a couple weeks.  But that might not be such a bad thing for Gordon or the Yankees.  Jeff Marquez went on the DL yesterday and Hector Noesi got absolutely shelled late in the nightcap.  Gordon's impressive Triple-A numbers were racked up as a relief pitcher, so there's a good chance he sticks around to fill a gap in the 'pen even after he gets booted from the rotation.

It's A Doubleheader, All The Way

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!  OHHHHHHHHH WOW!!!!  YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAH!!!!!  WHOOOOOO-HOOOOOO!!!!!

It's SO bright and vivid!!



In case you weren't already aware, there's a doubleheader today to make up for the rainout last night.  You got Freddy Garcia vs. Mike Leake at 12:35 EST/11:35 Central, and Brian "Killface" Gordon vs. Johnny Cueto in the nightcap at 7:10 EST/6:10 Central.

It's almost starting to look like a tripleheader!!

/starts hysterically crying

Brien Gordon Is F*cking Ready!!!

(Photo Courtesy of The AP)

HULK SMAAAAAAAASH!!!!!!

Seriously, forget "Eye of The Tiger." Gordon has the "Eye of the Vein-Popping Burrito Dump" down pat!  How did it take so long for this guy to make it to The Show with a look like that?  I'm not even in the same state and I'm scared to death right now.

I feel bad for the Cincinnati lineup tonight.  They better hope it keeps raining there.