Monday Morning Free-Flowing Commentary

(Yes, Mark.  Eric Chavez is the man.  Courtesy of The AP)

- CC did another decent job of limiting damage last night, but his last 2 starts have looked more like Phil Hughes' 2010 than the CC we're used to seeing.  He gets ahead in the count and the can't put anybody away with 2 strikes.  And his fastball command has been spotty at best.  The stuff is clearly there, but he needs to find his command.

- It's a strange feeling, but when Jeter came up with 2 on and 2 out in the 7th last night I had absolutely 0 faith that he was going to come through with a hit.  These days it's almost as sure a thing that Jeter will ground out in these spots as it used to be that he would come through with a clutch base hit.

- With his recent injury history and the devastating effects they have had on his swing mechanics, I am WAY more nervous about this A-Rod back/oblique strain than I normally would be.  If he plays on Tuesday, it will be easy to see if he's still feeling it or not.

- I know he hit a home run from the right side over the weekend, but it still looks like Teix is standing too far off the plate when he bats righty.

- Small sample sizes be damned, Cash looks like a genius right now for the moves he did make this offseason.  Russell Martin has been the best catcher in the AL, Chavez and Jones have combined for 11 hits (4 XBH), 4 R, 5 RBI in just 27 at-bats with solid D to go along, Colon has looked like Alfredo Aceves used to in his last 2 outings, and Freddy Garcia fired 6 shutout innings in his season debut on Saturday.  And go figure that the one guy Cash didn't want is the one who's been struggling early.

- Speaking of old Sour Puss Soriano, at what point do we start getting concerned about his lack of velocity the way we have been with Hughes'?

- The latest with Hughes (long-toss program and anti-inflammatories) is just as confusing to me as everything leading up to his DL stint was.  I thought he was supposed to be getting rest to build up arm strength.

- How are we supposed to feel about Joba right now?  Good that his velocity is back and he's striking out 9/9IP or bad that he's given up a run in 4 of his 9 outings and looked shaky coming out of the 'pen to relieve CC last night?

- Am I the only one who's excited to see Hector Noesi's first outing of the year?  If I am, how pathetic does that make me?

- Anybody who is actually considering watching that new "Franklin & Bash" show on TNT is an asshole.

- There are still issues to resolve on this team, and no part of it is anywhere near hitting on all cylinders yet, but the Yanks are still finding ways to win games and win series' and that's the most important thing.  They wake up today with a 2.5 game lead in the division and the distinction of being the only AL East team with a winning record.  I'll take that.

** P.S.- Somebody find me a video of Bobby Valentine calling Jorge "Whore-Gay Posada" at the end of the BBTN pregame show last night. **