Were it not for a shoulder malady, Phelps may have received some time with the Yankees this year. He's heading to the AFL to make up for lost innings and to ensure that he's good to go in 2012.
I would be shocked if Joseph didn't log some time at other positions, as he's blocked by Cano for the next few seasons (at minimum). I also assume he's being showcased for other teams, as his bat, while good, may not play too well in a corner.
Mustelier looks like a fine bench piece, capable of playing 2B, 3B, and the outfield. He's mashed the ball since coming stateside from Cuba, but at age 27 I'm not sure how much upside is there.
Segedin, a third baseman by trade, appears to be on the Brandon Laird plan. He'll be given reps in the outfield corners and at 1B to give him a bit more value.
The Yankees were still working through some issues involving who to call up tomorrow when rosters expand on Sept. 1. But there were three players not in dispute: Jesus Montero is going to be promoted while Manuel Banuelos and Dellin Betances will not be, The Post has learned.Nice! I can't wait to see Montero finally get his chance.
The Yanks simply feel that Banuelos and Betances, their top two pitching prospects, have met their objectives this year, which were to progress from Double-A to Triple-A and log enough innings to become factors to pitch in the majors next year. Betances started 24 games and worked 121 innings. Banuelos started 26 times and pitched 128 innings. In the way that the Yanks progress starters, both would be in line to pitch about 160 innings next year, which is a high enough total for them to be major-league considerations.
The Yanks had fiddled with the idea of using one or both out of the major league pen in September to see if they could become factors for the postseason roster, especially the left-handed Banuelos. For now, however, the Yanks had enough concerns — particularly with fastball command — that they did not see the wisdom in trying to transition to the bullpen on the fly two pitchers they remain adamant will pitch at the top of a rotation in the future.....
As for Montero, he is going to get opportunities to play and specifically hit, which is by far his best tool. Jorge Posada’s postseason roster spot remains tenuous enough that Montero could have a big September and make himself viable for October at-bats as a DH. Posada will not be the DH against lefty pitching and the Yanks are currently in line to play the Rangers, who will start at least two lefties against the Yanks.
For years now this Yankees-Red Sox rivalry has needed a new villain, since the likes of Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling left the stage and Alex Rodriguez stopped irritating teammates and opponents alike quite so much.
So who knew it would be Francisco Cervelli?
Actually, it's not terribly surprising, as emotional and animated as Cervelli can be. It's just that he's an afterthought on most nights as Russell Martin's backup. But Tuesday night he injected a little juice into the proceedings, getting under John Lackey's skin by clapping hard in front of Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia as he reached home plate on a home-run trot in the fifth inning.
Sure enough, Lackey drilled him in the back in his next at-bat, in the seventh inning, and Cervelli knew it was intentional, pointing his bat toward the mound and telling the pitcher he didn't care for it.
Afterward, everyone from Joe Girardi to CC Sabathia to Cervelli himself said they thought Lackey's pitch was intentional. Sabathia, who was screaming at the Red Sox as the benches cleared but didn't brawl, may have been the most upset.
"I didn't like it," he said.
If this rivalry needs the intensity boost, baseball needs it more. In a season that seems headed for the quietest September ever, with almost no division-race or wild-card drama to be found anywhere, the promise of a high-octane October featuring the Yankees and Red Sox might help keep people interested.While I'm totally against adding more playoff teams, I do think this rivalry needed a boost. The Yankees also need to win some more games and prove they can actually beat this team. It may not matter in the regular season since both teams are virtual locks for the playoffs, but it will matter if these two teams meet in October.
If only Bud Selig could instantly install the new format that seems sure to be adapted in the next year or two, featuring a second wild-card team and thus a one- or three-game playoff between the two wild-card teams. That way both the Yankees and Red Sox would be desperate to win the division.
Even so, it's starting to feel as if these teams are tired of seeing one another this season. You could sense the intensity from the first inning Tuesday night, when Sabathia hit Jacoby Ellsbury as what appeared to be retaliation for Lackey coming inside and hitting Curtis Granderson - even if the umpire ruled the pitch hit Granderson's bat.
New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez returned to New York Monday to consult with a hand specialist regarding his injured left thumb, and his availability for this week's AL East showdown with the Boston Red Sox is in doubt, according to manager Joe Girardi.The news was better for Jeter, though:
"I think it's really questionable," Girardi said before Monday night's series finale between the Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. "He's day to day. I don't know if he'll be able to play tomorrow."
Girardi said Jeter was much improved from Sunday night, when he was in obvious pain and hobbled stiff-legged out of the clubhouse after the second game and could be available Monday night in an emergency. He did not get into the game.
Jeter said he plans on returning to the lineup Tuesday when the Yankees open a three-game series with the AL East-leading Red Sox at Fenway Park. He will likely test the injury during the day before the Yankees make a final determination. He said late Monday night that the injury felt markedly better than it had on Sunday night.
"I made a lot of progress going from last night to today and hopefully (Tuesday) I can make some more," Jeter said.
Five-time All-Star Bernie Williams will be among the six inductees who will be announced when the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame unveils its 2012 inductee class at Major League Baseball’s headquarters in New York City on Thursday, September 1st at 11:00 a.m. (ET). Williams is scheduled to be in attendance, along with Latino Baseball Hall of Famers Felipe Alou, Minnie Minoso and Tony Perez, who will be on hand to participate in the announcement of the new class. Omar Minaya, the former general manager of the New York Mets and Montreal Expos, will serve as the emcee of the press conference.Congratulations, Bernie - this is a well-deserved honor.
Six players whose careers impacted baseball after 1959 will represent the newest Latino Baseball Hall of Famers, chosen from a pool of 24 finalists. Williams will represent his native Puerto Rico, while his five fellow inductees will hail from Cuba, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico and Panama. Additional selections will include veteran players and baseball executives whose contributions to baseball were made prior to 1959.
Williams, a member of four World Championship teams with the New York Yankees, played 16 years for the Bronx Bombers, from 1991-2006. The switch-hitter posted a .287 career batting average with 287 home runs, 1,257 RBI and 1,366 runs scored. Williams was an American League All-Star each season from 1997-2001 and the center fielder was a four-time Gold Glove winner (1997-2000). The Most Valuable Player of the 1996 American League Championship Series collected 22 home runs, 80 RBI and a .371 on-base percentage in 121 career Postseason games overall. Williams was the 1998 American League batting champion with a .339 average.
The accomplished musician is recording his third album this year and has co-authored a book, published by Hal Leonard Books, titled, Rhythms of the Game: The Link Between Music and Athletic Performance. His first album, The Journey Within, was released in 2003 and featured fusions of jazz, rock and the tropical rhythms of Williams’ heritage. His second album, Moving Forward, featured guest appearances by Bruce Springsteen and Jon Secada.
The 2012 class of Latino Hall of Famers will be officially inducted on February 11, 2012 in a ceremony at the Altos de Chavón amphitheater located in the Casa de Campo resort in La Romana, Dominican Republic. Established in 2009, the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame (Salón de la Fama del Béisbol Latino) has hosted two previous induction ceremonies, honoring 38 players and personalities whose achievements have impacted baseball in Latin America. Drawings for the museum of the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame have been completed and construction in La Romana is scheduled to start in the near future.
New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, who feared Sunday that his bruised knee was much more serious, still likely will be out several games, including a key series against the Boston Red Sox.Nightengale also reports that A-Rod will also likely miss the next few games because his sore thumb has gotten worse.
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Jeter suffered the injury when he fouled a ball off his right knee in the third inning of the opening game of the Yankee's doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles. He planned to play in the second game, but after icing his knee, it began to swell. He worried that it was serious, and looked pale when he went in for X-rays, only to be relieved there was no broken bone.
"It was really bizarre, to be quite honest with you," said Jeter, who became the Yankees' all-time leader in games played (2,402) in the first game of the doubleheader, passing Mickey Mantle. "After we iced it is when it swelled up. It just blew up between games. It became a challenge."
The Yankees also are expected to be without cleanup hitter Alex Rodriguez, who's bothered by a sore left thumb. He aggravated the injury from a week ago while diving for a ball at third base in Minnesota, sidelining him the second game of the doubleheader. The injury has worsened the last few days, Girardi said.
"If they can play, they can play," Girardi said. "My sense is, from watching both of them, they're not going to be able to. It is somewhat of a concern."
* Sunday, Aug. 28, 1:35 p.m.Thanks, Irene.
* Sunday, Aug. 28, 7:35 p.m. (originally Aug. 27 at 7:05 p.m.)
* Monday, Aug. 29, 7:05 p.m.
* Thursday, Sept. 8, TBA (originally April 22, then rescheduled for Aug. 27 at 1:05 p.m.)
After dating for three years, Minka Kelly and Derek Jeter have broken up, her rep confirms to PEOPLE.I honestly don't care, nor it this any of our business anyway. I just hope it doesn't affect his hitting.
"They care about each other and it was amicable," says a source. "They're still friends."
Pedro Feliciano (left rotator cuff strain) and Damaso Marte (left shoulder labrum inflammation) each began a rehab assignment today with the GCL Yankees in Tampa vs. the GCL Tigers. Pitching lines are below:Geeez Damaso...
Feliciano: 1.0IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 1K, 13 pitches
Marte: 0.2IP, 6H, 6ER, 0BB, 0K, 22 pitches
Defensively, Culver's best asset is his arm. The raw arm strength is at least a 6 but its diminished by a slingy throwing motion from a low arm slot. His throws have good natural carry, which is not surprising since he did pitch in high school.The general scouting scale is 2 to 8 (or 20 to 80), with a 5 (or 50) being the Major League average. A grade of 6 is considered above-average, though not necessarily All-Star caliber.
Culver does not have the quickest feet and his footwork definitely needs polish. In fact, the biggest issue with his glove is that I don't think he'll end up much more than an average runner.An average defender at short has a fair bit of value - particularly with a passable bat...
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Overall, I'm inclined to think Culver can stick at shortstop and in time be near average in the majors.
The best attribute offensively is his plus bat speed. He has a busy swing right now but since he's 18 I'm inclined to view that as having room to improve and tone down his swing with further pro coaching. He has a line drive swing plane and I do think he should hit for some gap power eventually. Culver gets good extension out front and drives the ball naturally but isn't strong enough to make much of the balls he drives. As he gets stronger, gets better squaring balls up and learns to recognize pitches to drive he should be sending doubles out to the gaps.While that's not a glowing endorsement, it's certainly a positive. At such a young age nothing is really set in stone, but bat speed is something that cannot really be taught.
While I'm still not a fan of drafting him with the 32nd overall pick, Culver is a solid up the middle prospect. Switch hitting shortstops with plus bat speed don't grow on trees. Culver is still a project and lacks a high ceiling, but he's a legitimate prospect most teams would be happy to have in their organization.
Yankee outfielder Nick Swisher is finally taking his new wife, Joanna Garcia, on a honeymoon -- to Afghanistan.Great move by Swish, who, while a nucklehead, is still a total class act. It's just a shame that those troops are still over there, but that's a whole other issue.
Nick and actress Joanna, a star of ABC’s “Better Without You,” plan to visit US troops in November, their first trip since they married last December.
Speaking to us at the Yankees Unite for Tornado Relief event at Southern Hospitality Hell’s Kitchen, Swisher said, “Three military officers came to the Yankee locker room and asked if any of us would like to visit the troops. My hand went straight up, I said, ‘I’m in.’ I knew Joanna would want to go. It will be our first trip since we got married.
“I come from a military family ... and no matter what your views are, these men and women are out there risking everything for us. I realize how fortunate I have been, so I like to give back at every opportunity I can. I don’t want to look back on my life when I am old, with my grandchildren around me, and think, ‘Man, I wish I’d done that. I’ve got one shot at this [life].’ ”
Yankees right-hander Mark Prior was scratched from his scheduled minor league appearance Tuesday because of shoulder discomfort.I give him credit for trying, but this is just becoming sad.
The converted reliever was slated to pitch in a Gulf Coast League game.
Prior has struggled with shoulder injuries and his last major league appearance came in August 2006. The 30-year-old went 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA in 30 starts for the NL Central champion Chicago Cubs in 2003.
Prior has made six appearance with the Yankees’ rookie-level club since August 5 as part of a rehab program for a strained groin. He hurt the groin in April while pitching at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
There is no timetable for when Prior will pitch again.
One player the Yankees have scouted heavily is Yu Darvish. And there is strong belief around the game that the top starter in Japan will, indeed, be posted this offseason and come to the States.If they believe he's the real deal, they should go after him, regardless of the Igawa or Irabu disasters. Sherman doesn't seem to think they will be scared off by that, but you never know.
“He is coming, period,” one personnel man said.
The Yankees have had sour experience with high-profile Japanese pitchers Hideki Irabu and Kei Igawa, whose five-year contract finally expires this year. And the last can’t-miss Japanese pitcher to come to the majors, Daisuke Matsuzaka, was hardly a bonanza for the Red Sox.
So you wonder if there will be greater financial caution with Darvish this winter or will the hunger for pitching motivate teams to bid. I will say this, I have not sensed that the Igawa experience will take the Yankees, for example, out of the Japanese market place.
Darvish is certainly attractive as a pitcher. He is 6-foot-5, just 25 years old, pitches at 93-94 mph with the ability to touch higher than that and he is known for having an inventive and competitive spirit on the mound. He is currently 15-3 with 1.59 ERA and 182 strikeouts in 158 innings for the Nippon Ham Fighters.
The Yankees may have one too many starting pitchers, but Freddy Garcia doesn't think he should be the odd man out.Yes he does.
"I've been doing my job all year, so I probably deserve to be in the rotation," Garcia said last night.
When Garcia returns to the major league club, the question will now become which of the Yankees starters -- Garcia, Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova, Bartolo Colon and A.J. Burnett -- will remain in the rotation with CC Sabathia following the Yankees' series at Baltimore this weekend.This should be interesting. Obviously, the odd man out should be Burnett, but his contract might just be enough to keep him in the rotation. We'll see what happens, but it would be a shame if Nova, Hughes or Garcia lost their rotation spot because of the Yankees blind faith in A.J. Burnett.
"It's not gonna be a problem this week, but I don't know what they [want to] do after we leave Baltimore," Garcia said. "We'll see what happens."
..."[The finger] was fine," Garcia said. "No problems. I'm ready for Saturday."
"There are no locks," Girardi said Sunday of Burnett, who lasted only 1-2/3 innings Saturday against the Twins before storming off the mound while shouting profanities. "You've got to pitch. You've got to perform. It's been a game that's based on performance. You've got to perform."With Hughes suddenly finding his form, Burnett is the obvious odd man out when Gacria comes back. Hopefully, this isn't just talk from Girardi and they do in fact bench Burnett if he doesn't turn things around in his next few starts.
Asked specifically about Burnett's contract and the perception that he's getting a free pass because of it, Girardi tried to quash that theory.
"The reality is that he needs to pitch better, plain and simple," Girardi said. "We're in a six-man rotation right now because we're forced to be in a six-man rotation, but the reality is that he needs to pitch better."
Burnett will start Friday in Baltimore, as the Yankees will continue with a six-man rotation for another week thanks to Saturday's doubleheader.
"It's a big start for all of our guys," Girardi said. "We need him to bounce back."
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"You can look at the numbers and say they're kind of similar to what was going on last year. Is it the same? I don't know," Girardi said. "The bottom line is you've got to right it. Our job as a staff, as a manager, as a player, our job is to get him right. We're going to work at it."
The Yankees' offense has excelled without Alex Rodriguez for some time. Sunday, that offense will see what it can do with the three-time MVP back in the cleanup spot.George King's article also had this quote from Girardi:
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"Hopefully this will be the last day of workouts and we'll be ready to strap it on," Rodriguez said. "My mouth is getting watery here; I'm ready to play. I've watched enough baseball."
Rodriguez did drills at third base, took batting practice and ran the bases at full speed Saturday, finally feeling as though his conditioning was at its peak.
"We've checked every box pretty much," A-Rod said. "The last three days have progressively gotten better. I'm not as winded after going first-to-third or first-to-home. I'm pretty much ready to go."
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"I thought he was moving well," Girardi said. "I thought he swung the bat well. I thought he moved in the field well. We had him run the bases some. He answered all the questions. Let's see how he bounces back. It's very possible he'll be a player for us tomorrow."
"The only way I wouldn't play him is if he says, 'I don't feel good,' "The offense has done fine without him, but it will be nice to have him back. Obviously.
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The A's had a deal in place to sent Harden to the Red Sox before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, but it fell apart after Boston looked at Harden's medical records and withdrew a player to be named from the original proposal, which also included Triple-A first baseman Lars Anderson. But that failed deal didn't scare off contenders - there have been scouts from potential playoff teams at each of Harden's past several starts, and the Yankees, who need starting pitching, have attended the past two.
Were New York to make the A's a significant enough offer to obtain Harden, it potentially would make for a fascinating scenario of Harden throwing against the Red Sox during the stretch run.
Brian Cashman says he has no intention to move to Chicago next year - or anywhere else, for that matter.As I'm sure most of you do, I have mixed feelings regarding Cashman. He's certainly done a good enough job rebuilding the system, while still putting a competitive team on the field every year, but with the Yankees money is that really a difficult thing to do? Either way, I have no problems if he does in fact return.
The Yankees' general manager shot down any connection between himself and the Cubs' GM job, one that is now vacant following the firing of Jim Hendry Friday.
"I have a job and I've been proud to be associated with this franchise," Cashman said Friday. "I'm not looking to remove myself from this franchise."
Cashman's name has surfaced in Chicago as a potential replacement for Hendry, although that rumor began swirling around the Windy City earlier this summer as the Cubs' season began spiraling out of control.
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"Every year my contract has expired, there have been unnamed experts that throw hand grenades about their suspicions with what I'm gong to do," Cashman said. "At some point, they've always been wrong."
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"The bottom line is that I have no idea what the future is going to hold, but my interest is to return to the Yankees," Cashman said. "That's all for another day. I would like to stay. Right now, that's not my decision. I don't sweat it and I don't worry about it."
The New York Yankees have claimed left-handed pitcher Aaron Laffey off waivers.To make room on the roster, Freddy Garcia has been placed on the disabled list. Laffey is expected to join the team tomorrow. To make room on the 40-man, Gustavo Molina was designated for assignment.
Laffey was designated for assignment on Wednesday to clear a roster spot for right-handed pitcher Chance Ruffin.
Laffey, 26, appeared in 36 games for the Mariners going 1-1 with a 4.01 ERA (19 ER, 42.2 IP). In his last appearance Tuesday night vs. Toronto he allowed 4 hits and 3 runs in 1.1 innings. Laffey was acquired from Cleveland in exchange for minor league infielder Matt Lawson on March 2, 2011.
Major League Baseball acknowledged that umpires muffed the home run call in the Yankees’ 5-4 loss to the Royals Wednesday night, but given that Joe Girardi opted not to file a protest, there’s nothing that can be done about it.Doesn't really do us much good now, but at least MLB is admitting the mistake. Still, it would have been nice to see how that game had played out without the gift homer.
“The game is over and that’s what it is,” MLB executive VP of baseball operations Joe Torre told the Daily News on Thursday. “It’s unfortunate. Everyone had to cooperate to make it a one-run game.”
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The mistake was the result of DeMuth’s interpretation of the ground rules at Kauffman Stadium, which underwent structural renovations prior to the 2009 season.
“It was a missed call, but there was also a misunderstanding on the rule,” Torre said. “He just missed it, but his interpretation was that the back fence was behind the wall and out of the ballpark. It certainly wasn’t for a lack of doing his job, just a misunderstanding of the rule.”
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“This man works very hard at what he does,” Torre said. “His interpretation was that the back screen, which is behind the wall, is behind the wall. To him, that meant it was out of the ballpark. He was wrong and there was a price to pay to learn that lesson.”
Torre stressed that the instant replay system did not fail despite the blown call.
“The replay gave him every look that he needed to make the right call,” Torre said. “He thought he did make the right call. This isn’t an umpire not doing his job. That was his understanding of the rule when he’s umpired there and nothing had happened to change his mind until last night.”
Rodriguez left to a standing ovation in the eighth inning after his line drive single to right field wrapped up his four-game Minor League rehab stint. He'll rejoin the Yankees on Thursday in Minnesota after going 1-for-2 with a pair of walks in his second game at Triple-A, a 3-2 loss to the Bulls.A-Rod also talked about how impressed he was with Montero behind the plate:
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"I feel good," said Rodriguez, who confirmed he will be in Minnesota on Thursday but will not play. "We're going to make a collective, smart decision and we have a lot of important games coming up."
Rodriguez actually heard some boos in the first inning when he let Russ Canzler's grounder bounce through his legs, allowing Brandon Guyer to race home with the Bulls' second run. He got a bit of a sarcastic cheer when he nabbed Ray Olmedo's inning-ending line drive.
"I really thought I played great defense when the ball wasn't hit to me," Rodriguez said with a smile. "Those are the hardest balls I've seen hit in about five weeks. But it's all part of the process. It was fun and I thought my legs felt good under me. Defensively, I thought I got a little bit better as the night went on."
Rodriguez appeared healthy in the field and made several nice plays to both sides. He robbed former No. 1 overall Draft pick Tim Beckham of a single down the line in the second but was tested again moments later when he failed to stop Canzler's grounder to his right. It was ruled a hit.
"The way he's caught the last two nights, he's obviously good enough to catch at the Major League level, no question," he added. "He plays with a lot of intensity. He's got all the tools. We came in today and had a great session, talked about the makeup, the mental side of hitting. Obviously, he's a guy we expect big things from. From what I saw the last two nights, he's not going to disappoint out there."Kristie Ackert also wrote an article this morning talking about how A-Rod was a mentor to Montero while rehabbing with SWB.
“He has been great with all the guys, but really taken Monty under his wing,” [SWB manager] Wynegar said. “He is trying to show him the work it takes at the major league level. And Monty is just absorbing it all.”Good stuff by A-Rod.
Boos were probably not what Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was expecting to hear tonight at PNC Field as he started his scheduled two-game rehabilitation stay with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.And if it was Jeter who did the exact same things he'd get a standing ovation and a couple pairs of panties thrown at him. Oh well, I'm sure A-Rod has thick enough skin by now to deal with a few boos from a minor-league crowd.
He sometimes moved tentatively in the field at third base, and earned some negative feedback from the crowd after he misplayed two pop-ups in foul ground along the left-field line.
The first miscue came in the fourth inning after he chased the foul ball up the line but allowed it to drop with his back to home plate; he was not charged with an error.
Two innings later, Rodriguez misplayed another foul pop in the same general area after he over ran it and the ball dropped behind him.
Rodriguez moved without his usual fluidity on both plays, and each was followed by a smattering of boos.
The miscues provided a small indication of how Rodriguez’s knee was coming along as he rehabs his way back to join the Yankees since being placed on the disabled list on July 10 with a slightly torn meniscus in his right knee.
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“I was a little tentative, a little hesitant,” Rodriguez said. “I think that’s something that comes with a little bit more time, a little bit more repetition. It’s only my third game. I had the same experience with my hip in 2009. Those last few hurdles are more mental than physical.”
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“I felt like the knee was the best thing that’s feeling right now,” he said. “It’s just getting the rest of the body. You’ve been out for three weeks and the body gets a little slow and a little tentative.”
"I could catch next year,'' Posada said in the clubhouse before tonight's game with the Kansas City Royals. "I could have (caught) this year. I could have been a backup this year, could have backed somebody up.''Physically, yes he can probably still catch, but he has been below average defensively for a long time now and I can't imagine a year off will help.
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"It’s not easy to do something you’re not used to,'' he said. "But if I'm upset with anyone, I'm upset with myself, just overall. I don’t know what happened this year, I really don’t know. There's some things I could have done differently but I can't pinpoint what they are."
Jorge Posada wearing anything but Yankees pinstripes? That would have seemed impossible a few months ago.Seeing Jorge in another uniform would be slightly nauseating, but it appears that's exactly what's going to happen. I can't imagine him being in the Yankees plans going forward, so if he's going to play next year I have to believe it won't be here.
Not anymore.
Posada, a career-long Yankee who is celebrating his 20th year with the organization, said he would consider playing for another team once his contract is up at the end of this season.
"It could [happen]," Posada told The Post yesterday. "I don't know what's going to happen after this year. But we'll see."
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"The fans are a big reason why I love playing the game, and especially here," Posada said Saturday. "I play for them."
Nevertheless, Posada would consider playing for another team, though he admitted leaving The Bronx would be difficult.
1s. Dante Bichette, Jr.
4. Matt Duran
5. Greg Bird
7. Austin Jones
8. Phil Wetherell
9. Zach Arneson
11. Mark Montgomery
12. Cody Grice
13. Justin James
14. Rookie Davis
16. Brandon Pinder
18. Hayden Sharp
19. Ben Paullus
23. Corey Maines
24. Matt Tracy
25. Adam Smith
.256/.335/.485, 17 HR, 2 SB, 36 BB, 93 K, .364 wOBA, 121 wRC+At face value, Sanchez's production may not have met the lofty expectations that his 2010 season birthed ... but one must bear in mind that Sanchez was among the five youngest players at his level throughout the season. And, for what it's worth, his wOBA was twenty-one percent above league-average, which is a fine showing for most any prospect.
As Phil Hughes threw six strong innings in the Yankees’ 9-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays today, allowing just two earned runs and striking out six, he was doing so under the perception that he was pitching for his job.So, for now Hughes and AJ stay in the rotation. As for Nova, I'm not even sure why he's mentioned in the article. Of the three, he's the one whose name shouldn't be on the list of potential rotation cuts.
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But Hughes received a stay on the decision, as did A.J. Burnett and Ivan Nova, last night when Girardi announced that Freddy Garcia had suffered a cut on his finger on his pitching hand that meant he would miss his start Sunday. Garcia was cut in a “kitchen accident.”
“I told everyone I was going to tell them I was going to have a decision tomorrow as far as what we were going to do and sometimes decisions have a way of working their way out,” Girardi said.
The manager learned of the injury earlier in the week, “four or five days ago,” he said today. The Yankees had Garcia throw a bullpen session and then again on flat ground today. The cut prevents Garcia from throwing his splitter so he was taken out of the rotation for now.
"For me, the home run meant a little bit more than a home run just because the last several weeks I was playing in New York I wasn't able to drive the ball," Rodriguez said. "I probably didn't hit a home run for like, over 70 at-bats."
"My team expects me to hit the ball and drive the ball out of the park," he added. "That's what I expect out of myself, too. So hopefully I can come back and hit the ground running, and help my team win the division and go from there."
Although Rodriguez's rehab will likely continue at third base on Saturday, he is confident that his knee is in Major League shape.
"Just making sure that we take it one step at a time," Rodriguez said. "We've got about five or six days here to work with, and my idea is to always to ramp it up and hopefully keep increasing the intensity."
The waiver-deal deadline is Aug. 31. But Brian Cashman, who stood pat at the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline, isn’t counting on outside help coming now for the Yankees, either.
“I think … what you see is what you’re going to get,” Cashman said. “It doesn’t guarantee that there won’t be some changes. I highly doubt it. It’s not likely you’re going to see anything between now and Aug. 31 because of the waivers, guys not clearing.”
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There's an avalanche of public sentiment that A.J. Burnett is neither living up to his contract nor deserving of a spot in the starting rotation. Yankees GM Brian Cashman Friday called fan reaction to the righthander's performance and the media portrayal of it "well overblown" and called the suggestion he come out of the rotation "a bunch of crap."How exactly is 8-9 with a 4.60 ERA from the 7th highest paid pitcher in the game "solid"?
Cashman came to the aid of his mentally fragile $82.5 million investment just a few minutes after the righthander showed signs that rancor may be getting to him. Shortly before batting practice, Burnett mocked reporters for standing in the near-empty clubhouse and photographed them on his cell phone camera.
"The stuff on A.J. is well overblown," Cashman said during BP. "A.J. has been solid for us this year so I just think the way it's playing doesn't necessarily reflect how he's pitched. The public outcry recently - it's all emotion rather than actual.
"A.J. Burnett is not pitching close to as bad as people reflect. And they got him pulled out of the rotation - I just think it's a stupid reaction."I figured there was no way the Yanks would bench their 16.5 million-dollar-headcase. This silly reaction from Cashman just back up that opinion. The bottom line is the Yankees should do what's best for the team and it should be Joe Girardi's decision and not Cashman's.
Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez could be activated as soon as next Thursday, according to ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney.
Rodriguez will play minor league games in Florida on Friday and Saturday, and will work out in Florida on Sunday.
On Monday, he'll travel to Triple-A Scranton and play at least two games there, on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Olney says the Yankees want Rodriguez to play two full nine-inning games at third base before he's activated. Assuming he gets through his minor league rehab stint without any setbacks, he'd likely be on track to come off the disabled list and rejoin the Yankees on Thursday.
Rodriguez, who has been out since July 8 with a torn meniscus in his right knee that was surgically repaired July 11, is scheduled to serve as the designated hitter at Class A Tampa on Friday night in Florida, and play third base in a game on Saturday.
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"Will we have him in Kansas City? I don't know," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said before Thursday afternoon's victory over the Los Angeles Angels. "I would think by Minnesota we would have him.
"We'll have to build him up," Girardi said. "I think the most important thing is that he feels comfortable and that he feels that he's moving freely."
The Yankees expect to have a decision by the end of the weekend on their starting rotation, with A.J. Burnett and Phil Hughes on the bubble to be nixed from what is currently a six-man staff.Pick your poison, Yanks. I'm not really sure which way I'd go on this since they've both been awful this year. Hughes has been better lately, though AJ is really the guy you're hoping turns things around by playoff time, so again, it leaves you a bit torn.
"We've talked about it," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said on Thursday. "We feel we need to get it down to a five-man rotation and go with it."
Girardi said that the Yankees are going to make their final call before they head to Kansas City for a three-game series that opens on Monday.
Alex Rodriguez is slated to DH on Friday and play in the field on Saturday though manager Joe Girardi doesn't know if those rehab games will be with Class-A Tampa or the rookie level Gulf Coast League team. Either way, it's a major step for Rodriguez, who is on track to return next week from arthroscopic knee surgery.
Although legitimately thrilled for his good friend Banuelos, Betances expressed frustration with himself, his surprisingly lackluster season and, at times, with the Yankees’ developmental plan for him during a surprisingly candid interview last week with select reporters, including Mike Ashmore of the Hunterdon County Democrat.Sounds to me that he only has himself to blame. Although I would like the see the Yankees allow him to use and refine his entire arsenal of pitches at some point in the near future.
“It (stinks) not being able to pitch good, to be honest,’’ Betances said. “It’s frustrating because you know that if I’m throwing as hard as I am, I should be able to pitch better. I have the confidence in myself to bounce back and finish strong … at least for this year.”
When asked if the Yankees were allowing him to use all of his pitches, Betances said:
“No, right now I feel like I could do whatever I want. I just haven’t got the chance to do it. ’’
Another touchy subject with the 6-foot-8, Brooklyn-educated Betances has been his limited innings, but it is difficult to blame the notoriously cautious Yankees for his inability to reach 100 innings with less a month remaining in the regular season.
Because of his 4.9 walks per nine innings, Betances has been maddeningly inefficient and is averaging less than five innings per start.
“I think now they’re going to let me go,’’ Betances said. “I mean, I would love to go seven innings. I haven’t gone seven innings since Charleston (in 2008) just because they haven’t given me the chance. I’ve had games this year where I could have gone longer than six, but they have something going now and it’s getting to the last month.’’
In his only start following that interview, Sunday in Altoona, Betances again was capped at five innings.
Even if he averages nine innings over his final five (scheduled) regular season starts, Betances will not reach the organization’s preseason goal of 150.
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“They feel like they have a limit of innings for me,’’ Betances said. “Now that it’s getting into August, the goal is 150 and I’m not even at 100 now. So, it’s one of those things where they probably want to let me go and see if I can get to 130-150 by the end of the year.”
