Yanks DFA Nunez To Clear A Roster Spot For Solarte

(So long, Scissorhands.  Courtesy of Getty Images)

In retrospect, I think we should have all seen this coming.  As first reported by Mark Feinsand, the Yankees have designated Eduardo Nunez for assignment in order to open up a spot on the 40-man roster for Yangervis Solarte.  It started late last week when Solarte was announced as Joe's pick for the final bench spot, it continued earlier today when Solarte was given Nunez's number 26, and it concludes with this roster move.

The move comes as a bit of a surprise based solely on Nunez's tenure with the team.  As recently as a week ago he looked like the odds-on favorite to win the final roster spot, but I guess his ST performance that was right in line with the consistently below-average production he's had his whole Major League career was the final straw.  The bottom line is the guy didn't hit and didn't field.  You have to be able to do one or the other to stick and the Yankees gave him plenty of chances to prove that he could.  We'll see where Nunez goes now, but this move has to all but signal an end to his Yankee career.

It's Happening Again, Isn't It?

Eduardo Nunez is tricking everybody into thinking he can actually play, isn't he?  He's had a few big hits early in ST, the opportunity is presenting itself for him to get more playing time in the form of Scott Sizemore's late spring start and Brendan Ryan's oblique injury, and come Opening Day he's probably going to be on the roster.  I can feel it.  I can feel Yankee fans starting to talk themselves into the idea of Nunez as a productive bench player again, and I don't like it one bit.

It would be one thing if this was Nunez's 2nd or 3rd year trying to break into a regular Major League role.  I could look past the previous bad defense and overrated hitting performance.  But it's the 5th year, without any real indication, statistical or otherwise, that Nunez is improving and I for one am not going to fall for it again.  I'm scared to death at the prospect of Ryan's oblique injury lingering into April and May and Nunez assuming the role of Derek Jeter's backup.  I fear for the lives of the people sitting field level behind first base and I cringe at the thought of Nunez needing to come up big with the game on the line.

It's not even like he's playing THAT well so far either.  He's only 4-17, he hasn't drawn a walk, 3 of his hits came in 1 game, and he's made an error in the field.  But I've seen a few comments and I can sense the tone in what's being written about him by other writers.  People are trying to get on board the Nunez hope train again and that's not a good thing.  You won't like where it goes.

Do People Really Still Think Eduardo Nunez Is A Thing?

('Cause I bet Robbie doesn't anymore)

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

When the Yankees traded for Brendan Ryan earlier this week, the reaction was decidedly positive and it should have been.  Ryan gave the Yankees what they most lacked at the shortstop position and his weak offensive makeup was more easily covered by the rejuvenated middle of the order than it would have been months back.  But I still saw some people who thought Eduardo Nunez should still be the starter, as always citing his tools and "good hitting" as reasons to keep him as the primary shortstop while Jeter was out.  I don't want to make a big thing of this, so to those people I just to have to ask, what Eduardo Nunez are you watching?

Nunez's MRI Clean, He's OK To Find A New Way To Get Hurt

The possibility of Derek Jeter being the only healthy shortstop on the 40-man roster no longer needs to be considered.  Eduardo Nunez had his injured knee MRI'd yesterday and the results came back negative for any tears or structural damage.  He's listed as day-to-day and for the time being the Yankees are covered as long as Jeter doesn't sprain or strain something else in the next few games.

More importantly than that, Nunez should be able to get healthy and back on the field in enough time to injure himself in ridiculous fashion one more time this season.  He's hurt himself taking a practice swing, he's hurt himself just running on a field, who knows what shenanigans will crop up next?  My money is on him accidentally kicking his batting helmet when it flies off his head running the bases, bruising his foot in the process, and then tripping over it and spraining his wrist when he falls.

Don't let me down, Eduardo.

(Courtesy of Pinstriped Bible)

BREAKING: Nunez Leaves With Leg Injury (Updated)

Plenty of more to come on this game tomorrow, but the big story at the moment is another injury to a Yankee shortstop.  Eduardo Nunez left tonight's game after appearing to injure his leg running the bases in the top of the 6th.  He was advancing to second on a single by Lyle Overbay, and after Chris Stewart walked to move him to third he was taken out of the game and replaced by Jayson Nix.  With no timetable for Jeter's return, the Yankees can ill afford to lose Nunez for extended time right now.

No word yet on any official diagnosis.  More on this story as it becomes available.

** UPDATE 10:17 PM- Via the beat writer corps, Nunez was taken out of the game with a tight right hamstring.  I assume an MRI will follow. **

That's So Eduardo!

(Courtesy of MLB Memes)

"Next time on 'That's So Eduardo!', Eduardo Nunez gets lost in the infield and accidentally wanders across to the second base side of the bag.  And when he does, he finds out he might have bitten off more than he can chew stepping into mean old Mr. Cano's neighborhood.  Tune in next Wednesday night at 8 for an all new episode of 'That's So Eduardo!"  Only on YES."

Seriously, all this clip needs is the old school 90s laugh track over it and it would be perfect.  Cano's reaction, from the moment he stops and crosses his arms to the little gesture at the infield dirt, is gold.  Gold, Jerry, gold!  No wonder he was so quick to hop on the Jay-Z Sports Management Express.  He's definitely got a career in show biz in his future.

Eduardo Nunez Starts His Rehab Assignment

It's been ages since he last played in games, and we've still never got a good explanation as to just what the nature of his ribcage injury was, but Eduardo Nunez has re-surfaced on a baseball diamond again.  He started his official rehab assignment yesterday with High-A Tampa, playing 4 innings at shortstop and going 0-2 with 2 groundouts at the plate.

Nunez has a 20-day window for his rehab, and unlike the Pinedas and A-Rods of the world he would actually be a good candidate to return earlier if his body is ready for it.  The left side of the Yankee infield is an absolute joke right now and even Eduardo would be an upgrade.  He'll still need to get more at-bats under his belt and it'd be nice to see him hold up physically to a couple of full games in the field, but hopefully he's able to return before the All Star break and give Joe something else to work with on that left side.

Nunez To The DL, Gonzalez Called Up

After being unable to go again last night, the Yankees have elected to put Eduardo Nunez on the 15-day DL to hopefully allow him to completely recover from his nagging ribcage issue.  Nunez has been out of the lineup since leaving last Sunday's game with a muscle strain in his ribcage, so the DL stint will be backdated to May 6th.  The recently acquired Alberto Gonzalez will be called up from Triple-A to take Nunez's roster spot, and Mark Teixeira has been moved to the 60-day DL to open a 40-man spot for Gonzalez.

This move doesn't come as a huge surprise given the length of time it's already taken Nunez to recover from what was thought to be a minor tweak and the moves the Yankees have made/are making to address their dwindling infield depth.  They made the trade for Gonzalez a few days ago, and then there was yesterday's report about David Adams getting called up next week.  It all adds up to a pretty obvious DL stint situation, and here's hoping the extra week off will help Nunez get over this injury.

Can Eduardo Nunez Catch A Break?

(Courtesy of Getty Images)

Maybe?  Would that be too much to ask?  Dude finally seems to put it together with his throwing in the spring and gets the starting shortstop job dumped in his lap after Jeter's ankle setback.  He plays some good ball in the first few games, then gets hit with a pitch in the chest and has to miss one.  He comes back and struggles in the next few games and then gets hit with another pitch last night, knocking him out of the game and out of today's lineup with a bruised right wrist.

Once again, X-rays were negative and Nunez is being listed as day-to-day.  Per Chad Jennings' pregame notes, Joe said he doesn't expect Nunez back in the lineup until Tuesday at the earliest.  That's better news than what it could have been, as it was after the first HBP, but you gotta feel for Nunez a little bit with the tough start he's had.  He finally gets a chance to show he can be a productive everyday shortstop and he's getting knocked out of games left and right with HBPs.  The last thing the Yankees need is more banged up regulars, so hopefully these few days off are enough to get Nunez's wrist back to full strength.

BREAKING NEWS: Eduardo Nunez Leaves Game After HBP In The Chest

I'd say April Fool's, but that would be neither timely nor funny.

Eduardo Nunez was just taken out of the game after apparently being hit by a pitch from Doug Fister in the chest.  Pretty much every beat writer with a Twitter account said he looked like he was in a tremendous amount of pain and he needed help getting off the field.  Jayson Nix was brought in to pinch run and now we get to wait around again for more injury updates.  Tough break for Nunez, who had gotten off to a pretty good start this season.  More on this story as it becomes available.

** UPDATE 2:35 PM- Via Bryan Hoch, Nunez's injury is being called a bruised right bicep.  X-rays were negative.  That's really good news considering the amount of pain he appeared to be in, so I would imagine this will be called a 'day-to-day' injury. **

Getting The Most Out Of Eduardo

(Nope.  No throwing mechanics under there.  Courtesy of Reuters)

After some positive early signs that Derek Jeter was going to be able to recover from his ankle surgery and be ready to play, we now know that Eduardo Nunez is going to be the Yankees' Opening Day shortstop.  We also know that he's going to be the starting shortstop for at least the next handful of games after that and we can safely assume that he'll be getting regular work at the position all season long.  That's a frightening thought for any Yankee fan based on what we've seen to date from Nunez, but it's a reality that we're going to have to accept and live with.  That being the case, let's investigate just how the Yankees can maximize Nunez's potential value and not have another spot in the lineup and position on the field turn into a black hole.

Nunez Confusion Continues

A little over a month ago, Brian Cashman stated that Eduardo Nunez would be shifted back to the utility infielder role that was taken away from him in 2012 because of his defensive struggles.  That announcement inspired my response post in which I openly questioned the Yankees' logic and decision making when it came to handling Nunez.  While acknowledging that Nunez has all the tools to be an effective utility infielder and was the best in-house candidate for the job, I felt and still feel that the Yankees' failure to stick with one defined role for Nunez was hindering his development and possibly contributing to his continued problems in the field.

This past weekend, the saga continued when Joe announced that Nunez would work exclusively as a shortstop in camp this year and there are no plans to work him in at any other position "for right now."  The reasons for doing this are obvious and sound, as Derek Jeter is expected to have a slow spring to work himself back from his ankle surgery and will definitely need regular days off early in the season regardless of whether he is able to play on Opening Day or not.  Nunez is the most logical choice as a backup for Jeter, and making sure he's prepared to fill that role makes sense.

With regards to the utility infielder position and Nunez's involvement in that role, however, Joe's statement does cause a bit of trepidation, if for no other reason than it's not in agreement with what Cash said earlier.  Third base is going to be just as much an area of concern with respect to health and rest as shortstop is, and Nunez was expected to be the backup for that position as well under the "utility infielder" title.  This disagreement in role definition from the two guys most in control of setting the definitions could be setting Nunez up for failure again, and could result in an adjustment of the projected bench roles and players filling those roles if there are still questions about Nunez's ability to handle the utility infielder job.

Do The Yankees Have Any Idea What They're Doing With Eduardo Nunez?

 (Courtesy of Tim Farrell/The Star-Ledger)

It hasn't been a very long career for Eduardo Nunez, but it also certainly hasn't been one short on headlines.  Once the heir apparent to Derek Jeter as the Yankees' everyday shortstop, Nunez has been shuffled around various positions and roles, experimented with as an outfielder, dangled as trade bait, and shuttled back and forth between the Majors and Triple-A constantly since first breaking in in 2010.  Based on Cash's comments to ESPN NY yesterday, it doesn't look like that trend is going to cease in 2013.  Speaking to Andrew Marchand, Cash stated that Nunez will be shifted back to the utility infielder role if he makes the team this season, the same role that was taken from him in May of last season.  If that doesn't make a lot of sense to you, good.  Because it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me either.

What's The Deal With Eduardo Nunez?

(Hey! Nunez in the outfield was fun, huh?  Courtesy of the AP)

Eduardo Nunez is a strange case.  He reminds me of a joke that Patrice O'Neal told about Jeff Ross at one of the Comedy Central Roasts, where he called Ross a legend and then corrected himself by saying Ross was more like a myth because everybody had heard stories about how funny he is, "but nobody's ever really seen it."  That's Eduardo Nunez to me; he's been talked about as the next big homegrown position player piece for the future for what seems like the last 3-4 years, and he always ends up not being that.  I bring this up today because Cash and Joe each mentioned Nunez in their recent year-end addresses, but not in a way that makes his current or future standing within the organization any more clear than it's ever been.  To me, it almost seems like the Yankees have no clue what to do with Nunez anymore, and if that's the case then it might be time to trade him.

Does Joe Think We're Stupid?

Look, Joe, I still wanted to give you a little credit for sticking by your "Chris Stewart isn't CC's personal catcher" bit that you've been using on the media for the past couple weeks.  I really did.  I think it shows heart on your part to go up there every 5th night and stick to that same sad routine.

But if you're going to follow that up with something so blatantly dishonest about Eduardo Nunez being demoted to make room for Eric Chavez's return instead of Jayson Nix, that's where I draw the line.  You sent Nunez down because you want him to get more reps at SS?  Really??

Come on, Joe!  Just admit it.  We all know the truth.  Chris Stewart is CC's catcher (and also the man), and Eduardo Nunez flat out sucks at fielding and throwing the baseball.  Neither of those things are big secrets.  So cut the crap with the "more reps" routine, because the only thing those reps are going to do for Nunez is give him a greater opportunity to boot the ball all over the field and possibly set the Triple-A record for most errors by a shortstop in a season.

Just embrace the truth, Joe.  Take it all in.  It'll make you feel better.  Don't worry about Nunez's feelings.  It's not like he's going to cry.  There's no crying in baseball, remember?

The Wild World Of Eduardo Nunez

(Derp!  Courtesy of Getty Images)

Whether you love him or hate him, there's no denying that Eduardo Nunez is one of the most intriguing players on the Yankee roster.  Personally, I wouldn't put myself into either of the extreme categories, but I would definitely say I lean more towards the "hate" side.  I fully recognize the importance in keeping him on the roster as a viable utility infielder, and yet I can't help but cringe every time I see his name on the lineup card, hide my eyes every time a grounder is hit to him, and facepalm every time he swings way too hard at a pitch.

Through no intentional fault of his own, Eduardo has conditioned me to expect the worst when he's on the field, and yet somehow he always manages to contribute.  As we live and breathe right now, Nunez is tied for 3rd on the team in fWAR despite having less than half the plate appearances of most of the regulars in the lineup.  Let that sink in for a second. Eduardo Nunez has been more valuable so far in terms of WAR than Mark Teixeira.  He's been more valuable than Curtis Granderson and Nick Swisher COMBINED.

I know full well it's a statistical byproduct of him working in a smaller sample size than everybody else in what is a still very young season, but I can't for the life of me logically figure out how Nunez does it.  He doesn't work counts or draw a lot of walks and seems to swing at more bad pitches than good, and yet he's got 10 hits already in his 30 PA and only 1 strikeout.  He bobbles more routine grounders in the field and throws more routine balls away than anybody I can remember, he's already got 2 errors on the season in limited time on the field, and yet he currently sports a positive defensive rating.  He gets picked off 1st base late in a game because he clumsily tripped over his own feet, and yet he's a perfect 3-for-3 in SB attempts on the year.

Joe is so enamored with Nunez that he's willingly penciling Eduardo's name into the DH spot on lineup cards despite the fact that his ISO is lower than that of Brett Gardner and Chris Stewart.  And Joe's practically falling all over himself to make excuses for "Nuney's" errors while discussing plans to use him more in the outfield.  I watch the guy play and I can't help but think of bumbling fools like Mr. Bean or Frank Drebin from the "Naked Gun" movies who fall ass backwards into their success, and yet here he is being talked about and utilized like he's the greatest bench player in the history of baseball.

In fairness to Nunez, I will say that I consider him a better utility IF option than guys like Ramiro Pena, Doug Bernier, and Brandon Laird, but I still don't see him being the answer as the next everyday Yankee shortstop after Jeter retires.  He's erratic, inconsistent, and downright unreliable at times.  But he's generating positive results early on, and small sample size or not, you can't argue with the results.  He's doing things to help his team win baseball games, and he's earning the right to be on the field.  In the slightly altered words of the great Wes Mantooth, I pure, straight don't like you, Eduardo Nunez.  But goddamn it, do I respect you.