David Adams Officially Called Up (Updated)

This was hinted at over the weekend and it's become a reality today, at least according to Josh Norris' tweet earlier this morning.  David Adams, almost 3 years removed from an ankle injury that seriously jeopardized his career, has been called up by the Yankees to play third base while Kevin Youkilis continues to rehab.

It's been a long, strange trip for Adams.  From hot young prospect to almost having his career ended to being the player who caused the Cliff Lee trade to fall apart to a long, tough rehab, back to top prospect, and now to Major League starting third baseman.  With a Robbie Cano extension looking more likely these days, a situation like this was Adams' best chance to break into the Majors and now he can take that chance and try to carve out a permanent role for himself.

No word yet on who will be sent down/DFA'd/released to clear a 25-man spot for Adams, although the smart money and every ounce of hope I have would be and is on Ben Francisco.  Should he get the axe, the Yankees would have a bench of Alberto Gonzalez and Chris Nelson covering the infield, Ichiro the outfield, and Austin Romine the backup catcher spot.

** UPDATE 3:17 PM-  The team has made it official, Adams is in the locker room, he might be in tonight's starting lineup, and Nelson gets DFA'd.  Francisco survives again. **

Vernon Wells Was Never Slumping

(Vern, baby, Vern!  Just made that up.  Courtesy of Getty Images)

Vernon Wells got off to a scorching hot start this season, all things considered probably the most surprising hot start out of anybody on the team.  After 10 games he was hitting .333/.421/.697, then he treaded water for the couple of weeks.  From April 28th to May 7th Wells saw his line drop down to .270/.328/.468, and the prevailing thought was that he was already starting to tire and come back to earth after that hot start that partially defied his contact rates.  Since May 7th, Wells has 12 hits (3 HR), 5 runs scored, and 9 RBI in 8 games, raising his line back up to its current .300/.353/.521 state.

The dreaded "S" word was thrown around early in the month when Wells wasn't producing, but a quick check of the periphs shows that Wells isn't slumping, wasn't slumping, and hasn't really shown any signs of slumping roughly one quarter of the way through the season.

Hafner Day-To-Day With Shoulder Soreness

Actually it's shoulder "tendinitis" according to the team, but either way it means there's nothing seriously wrong with Travis Hafner.  There was a bit of a scare when his name wasn't in the lineup last night and it was reported that he was going for an MRI.  That MRI showed no serious damage, he was given a cortisone shot, and Joe implied that he could be back as early as tonight.

While it sounds like a bullet dodged here, a rare outcome when it comes to Yankees and injuries this year, it's still probably in everybody's best interests to give Hafner a day or two more than he actually needs.  If he feels like he can go today, play him tomorrow or Friday.  Hafner has been a walking DL stint for the last handful of years, and with the lack of depth in the lineup right now the Yankees need to keep him healthy and productive for as long as possible.  They're in a position where they have a small cushion in the division and are playing good baseball, so why not take advantage of that and give Pronk a little more time?  Short-term loss for a potential long-term gain.

Game 39 Wrap-Up: NYY 4 SEA 3

(Welcome back, bud.  Courtesy of Getty Images)

There aren't many pitching matchups better on paper than CC Sabathia vs. Felix Hernandez, and somehow that storyline took a backseat last night.  After having his forearm fractured on one of the first pitches of his first Spring Training at-bat, Curtis Granderson returned to the Yankee lineup tonight, the first of what is hopefully many more high-profile DL returns this season.  He was in an unfamiliar position, both in the outfield (starting in left) and in the lineup (batting 4th), but I'm sure he was just happy to be back playing in games that matter and back to having that short porch in right.

Game Notes:

- Tough first AB for Curtis, who came up with 2 on and 1 out in the bottom of the first.  After working a 3-1 count against Hernandez, he swung at a sinker and grounded it into an inning-ending double play.  He finished the night 0-3 with a BB, K, and R scored.

- CC cruised through a 1-2-3 1st, and was in trouble seemingly every inning thereafter.  He put 2 men on in the 2nd, gave up an unearned run on a double in the 3rd, and escaped a bases loaded jam in the 4th.  He just wasn't fooling anybody with his fastball.

- In typical King Felix fashion, he absolutely dominated the Yankee lineup through 5.  He allowed just 2 more baserunners after the 1st, striking out 8 hitters.  His line could have been even better had he not left after 6 innings with an apparent leg injury.

- CC gave up a HR to former Yankee, and still Yankee hero, Raul Ibanez to make it 3-0 Seattle in the 6th, but recovered to strike out the side after on some nasty offspeed stuff.  He was done after 6.1 and 12 total baserunners.

- The Yankees got to Felix for a run in the 6th, and after he left they struck in a big way against the Seattle bullpen.  Charlie Furbush got beat for 3 walks, a clutch 2-run double by Robinson Cano, and a sac fly to cough up the lead and make it 4-3 Yanks.  Classic Yankee patience on display in that inning.

- The Yankee bullpen, as usual, put on a clinic in holding a lead in the 8th and 9th with the usual suspects.  David Robertson used almost all 4-seamers and no cutters to handle the 8th, while Mo was who you thought he was for a 1-2-3 9th and his 16th save.