Timing Of C-Grand's Latest Injury Couldn't Be Worse

(Courtesy of the AP)

Man, Curtis Granderson just can't catch a break this year, huh?  Well technically he's caught 2 breaks, although neither of them are of the lucky variety, and at this point both Curtis' and the team's continued injury problems are getting a bit ridiculous.  After being back for just 8 games and hitting .250/.323/.393 in those game, C-Grand is heading back to the DL after having the pinky finger on his left hand broken by a Cesar Ramos pitch last night.  The amount of time Curtis has to miss won't be confirmed until he gets the finger checked out by a doctor on Monday, but the early estimate is at least 4 weeks.  There's never a good time for injuries in baseball, and even less of one for a team like the Yankees who have been snakebitten by injuries since last year's ALCS.  This latest setback for Granderson really comes at a bad time, though, for multiple reasons.

I'm Sorry, Ben Who??

Joe during his postgame presser last night after saying the team only had 3 healthy outfielders with C-Grand out again and having to be reminded that Ben Francisco existed:

“Oh yeah, Francisco.  Four. So disregard what I said. I don’t know what we’ll do. We have so many roster issues, I’m not sure what we’re going to do.”

If that isn't just the perfect statement to sum up the Ben Francisco Era.  Joe just straight up forgot about the guy.  I guess you can't really blame him though.  Francisco is still barely hitting, sitting at .114/.220/.182 for the season (13 wRC+!!!!), and he's played in just 3 games in the last 2 weeks, 1 since May 17th.  He's an empty roster spot at this point and yet he'll continue to linger around like a bad fart because players keep getting hurt.  Brennan Boesch will get called up to assume the 4th OF role again while C-Grand is on the DL, but don't be surprised if we see Francisco's name on a few more lineup cards in the weeks to come.  That is, as long as Joe doesn't forget about him again.

Game 47 Wrap-Up: NYY 9 TB 4

(Fuck.  Courtesy of the AP)

I'll say this about last night's game.  It's a good thing I wasn't home following it live because I probably would have lost my mind and broke something when Curtis Granderson got hit by that pitch in the 5th inning.  This team has been absolutely ravaged by injuries already this season, more than enough to make last year look like a walk in the park, and C-Grand was one of the prime examples of that.  He's barely been back in the lineup for a week, he was just starting to come around at the plate, and now he's going to be out for an extended period of time.  Totally overshadows what was a very good win last night.

Game Notes:

- The Yanks got 3 in the top of the 2nd thanks to a blown call at first base on a David Adams "infield single" Lyle Overbay was up next and hit one of his trademark doubles to right to score 2 runs before coming around to score on a Jayson Nix single.

- David Phelps looked very good again last night, working through the first 4 innings in order.  He was throwing his fastball for strikes early and often in the count and the Tampa hitters were looking to swing early and often in the count.

- Tampa starter Fausto Carmona Roberto Hernandez got absolutely pounded, giving up a 2-run homer to Brett Gardner in the top of the 4th to make it 5-0.  He was out after 4 innings and Tampa's 'pen had to put in a lot of work.

- The game was broken open in the next inning when New York loaded the bases and plated 3 on a walk (Nix), single (Chris Stewart), and HBP (Robinson Cano).  8-0 lead and they went into cruise control mode.

- Things got a little hairy for Phelps in the 6th when he gave up 3 runs and in the 7th when he gave up another, but it was hardly devastating.  He gave up 2 groundball singles to start the first rally.  Sometimes the BIP luck goes against you.

- Phelps worked up to 2 outs in the 7th before leaving after taking a line drive off the forearm.  Sounds like he's going to be OK and Boone Logan and Shawn Kelley combined to finish up the game without issue.