Joba Will Be Activated Tonight

Yankees Trade For Casey McGehee

From Joel Sherman:

The Yankees didn’t get Ryan Dempster at the trade deadline, but they did make a deal.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman obtained versatile infielder Casey McGehee from the Pirates for reliever Chad Qualls, sources told The Post. In the short term with Mark Teixeira out (wrist), McGehee can play some first base and he can also fill the third-base void left by Alex Rodriguez (broken hand) with a power bat.

The Yankees are getting $225,000 as part of the trade to cover some of about $1 million left on McGehee's deal.

McGehee hit .230/.297/.377 with 8 HR and 35 RBI in 92 games with the Pirates.

No Structural Damage For Teixeira

Yankees Turn Their Attention To Dempster

From David Kaplan:

Baseball sources have confirmed to me that three teams are in play for Ryan Dempster and he will approve a deal to any of the three teams if the Cubs can agree on a suitable return in exchange for the veteran right-hander who is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career. The Los Angeles Dodgers, who have long been Dempster's preferred destination will have to increase their offer as the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees have stepped up their pursuit over the last 48 hours. With Roy Oswalt having another poor performance on Monday evening, the Rangers have decided to upgrade their rotation and are looking at all available options including Dempster and Matt Garza.

"Texas is serious about adding a starter and Dempster isn't as expensive to trade for as Garza would be, but after finishing as runners-up in the last two World Series and seeing the Angels add Zach Greinke, Texas management has decided to make a run at adding pitching, a baseball source told me. "However, with three teams seriously involved, it won't be cheap to acquire him even though it is potentially a three-month rental."

"Dempster has made it clear to Cubs management that he would like to play in Los Angeles but he also understands that Epstein and Hoyer have a job to do and he will not stand in their way if it means that the best deal is somewhere else," a source with knowledge of the discussions told me this morning. "He never told them he would only go to LA, he only said that he wanted time to make the best decision for him and his family and that is his right as a 10/5 [10 years in the majors, the last five with your current team] man. Ryan is serious about wanting to win a World Series and he will approve a deal if it gives him that chance. People who have been critical of him about the Atlanta deal don't have all of the facts."

While he wants to go to LA, the one thing the Yankees have going for them is that he's familiar with pitching coach Larry Rothschild and Jim Hendry from their days in with the Cubs. Dempster is 5-5 with a 2.25 ERA this season for the Cubs, easily his best season so far.

Girardi on Teixeira's Wrist Injury: "It's a Big Concern"

From Chad Jennings:

Turns out, Mark Teixeira actually hurt himself last night. He was trying to play through it tonight, and landing awkwardly on his glove wasn’t part of the plan.

“Yesterday, third at-bat against Doubront, swung through a pitch and it just didn’t feel right,” Teixeira explained. “Played through it yesterday. Got a lot of treatment last night. I had treatment today. It just didn’t feel good again today. And then when I dove, I landed right on my glove and I just tweaked it even more. I went back in the dugout, in the clubhouse, tried to swing the bat and just couldn’t do it.”

Teixeira will go for an MRI tomorrow. He said he’ll almost certainly miss tomorrow night’s game, but his concern is “low” that this is a significant injury.

“Not crazy concerned because like I said, I tried to play through it,” he said. “It’s one of those things if you really hurt yourself bad, you’re out and you can’t do much. I was kind of nursing it today when I was swinging so hopefully it’s just a couple of days and I can get back out there. … More achy and sore than major pain. That’s why I feel okay about it. Hopefully it’s not too bad.”

...

“It’s a big concern,” Joe Girardi said. “He’s a huge part of our lineup and hopefully it’s only a couple of days, but we’ll find out more tomorrow.”

Let's just hope that MRI comes back clean because this team cannot afford another key injury.

ScoreBIG on Deals For This Week's Yankees Games

Besides the already low prices for this week's series in the Bronx, TiqIQ also has some great ScoreBIG/Make-An-Offer deal opportunities for you to rack up even more savings. These make an offer deals can't be beat and tickets can sometimes be had for as low as $10, and you don't have any pesky service or shipping fees to worry about. Just name your price and avoid all the hassles.

Click here to sign up for for your own ScoreBig account and start saving today!

Here are some of this week's best deals

- 7/31 vs Baltimore: Save 53% and offer $52 for 3-star seats (List price: $110.64)

- 8/1 vs Baltimore: Save 51% and offer $35 for 2-star seats (List price: $71.72)

- 8/3 vs Seattle: Save 50% and offer $98 for 5-star seats (List price: $195.00)

- 8/4 vs Seattle: Save 25% and offer $95 for 4-star seats (List price: $127.32)

- 8/5 vs Seattle: Save 28% and offer $80 for 3-star seats (List price: $110.64)

And to see our entire ticket inventory, click here.

Yankees Insist There Was No Setback For Pettitte

From WFAN:

The 40-year-old, who threw off flat ground in Oakland during the Yankees’ West Coast swing, said he’s “laying low” after doing “a little too much in Seattle.”

“In Seattle it swelled up,” he said.

But Yankees general manager Brian Cashman insisted there are “no issues with Pettitte.”

“With rehab, you have good days and bad days, good weeks and bad weeks,” Cashman told the New York Daily News. “He’s coming back in September, which is what we’ve said all along.”

Cashman doesn’t have much time to go shopping for rotation help with Tuesday’s trade deadline fast approaching. He sounded confident that the veteran would be able to return for the Yankees’ stretch run.

“He’ll be back; that’s the bottom line,” Cashman said. “It’s no different than it was before.”

There are two possible things going on here:

1) Pettitte didn't suffer a setback and he should return without a problem.

2) The Yankees are in damage control mode and don't want potential trade partners to realize how desperate they may in fact be.

I'm hoping it's the former, but I believe it's the latter. But hey, I'm a natural pessimist so of course that's what I believe.

Pettitte Suffers a Setback

If this is anything serious, and it probably is, it will likely put the rest of his season, in jeopardy. If that is the case, the Yankees should probably spend the next 40+ hours trying to find another starting pitcher.

Joba To Pitch In Trenton Today (Updated)

Joba just finished his outing in Trenton. In 1.1 innings pitched, he allowed a single and struck out 3. He threw 30 pitches, 23 for strikes, and hit 98 MPH. Apparently, his stuff was filthy.

From Mike Vorkunov:

Joba Chamberlain will make a rehab appearance in Trenton today with the Yankees' Double-A affiliate. He will enter into the game with two outs in an inning then stay in to pitch the following inning, in hopes of simulating what he would do at the major-league level. He has been placed on a limit of 30 pitches in an inning.

...

“Yeah, I feel like I’m ready,” Chamberlain said Friday. “Obviously, physical part is over. Now it’s just the mental part of getting in a routine and trusting your pitches and trusting you can get guys out.”

It's also mentioned in the article that Trenton manager Tony Franklin was unsure how long Joba would be with the team, but it's possible Joba could remain there until Tuesday.

Check back later for an update on his outing.

Boras On Cano's FA Situation

From Joel Sherman:

“I had a meeting with Hal [Steinbrenner] and Randy [Levine, Yankees president] at the owners meetings [in May], and I certainly did not get any indication from them that there will be any dramatic changes in how the Yankees do business,” Boras said by phone.

And Boras did not sound like he would have much sympathy for the Yankees trying to go frugal. He cited Yankees “revenues triple most major league teams.” But, mainly, he invoked the “George Steinbrenner legacy” of building the brand, a TV network and revenues by enlisting and keeping stars — no matter the cost.

“If that continues, the Yankees will still be viewed as a destination for players that is highly coveted,” Boras said.

...

Brian Cashman has said he would like to break the Yankees’ practice of waiting until free agency to negotiate contracts and would prefer to attempt to extend both Cano and Curtis Granderson (like Cano, also a free agent after 2013) this offseason.

If I'm Brian Cashman there's no way I'm letting Cano walk and money shouldn't be an issue. The Yankees will be just fine. They make enough money, and there's no reason for them to start acting like the Royals when it comes to their own big name free agents, especially one who happens to be one of, if not the best second basemen in the game. That said, this isn't going to be an easy negotiation for the Yanks, at least not based on this:

However, according to a friend, Cano has felt underpaid on the current six-year, $57 million pact he signed under previous representation and wants to make a score this time — hence the presence of Boras.

So Cano definitely is going to blow away the current second base record total package of $85 million (Chase Utley) and annual average value of $15 million (Ian Kinsler). But by how much?

Sherman speculates that even offers like $154MM for 7 years or $160MM for 8 will just be the "minimum ante" for Cano. And if you listen to Boras, it appears that he's thinking something more along the lines of $200+ million for 10 years.

“When you go to sign great players and you know you are going to get six or seven years more of greatness, you have to spend by paying more years. You may pay over 10 years for the privilege of having the great seven. That is how it goes with big franchises and acquisitions. And the Yankees under George were one of the first teams to do that.”

This is typical Boras. Set the bar so high that even the middle ground ends up being a ridiculous contract. But again, I'm not going to sit here and pretend like this is something the Yankees cannot afford. I'd prefer if the Yankees could avoid any kind of deal for more than 7 or 8 years, but at the end of the day the Yankees just need to make sure Cano remains a Yankee.

What do you think? If you're Brian Cashman, how much are you willing to ante up for Cano?

Ichiro: Being part of Yankees-Red Sox is like a dream

From Ray Monell:

The experience [of being part of Yankees-Red Sox], Suzuki told Yahoo! Contributor Network through his interpreter, felt like a dream.

"I was very excited," he said after New York routed Boston 10-3. "My first game at Yankee Stadium [as a Yankee] was against the Boston Red Sox.

"In Japan, you grab your cheek to see if it's real or not, if you're dreaming. That's really how I feel right now."

...

"I used to have a Yankees uniform as a fan; I wore that in Japan," he said. "Also, in the 2001 All-Star Game, I traded jerseys with Bernie Williams, so I put that on before.
"Obviously it's very special."

Ichrio also told MLB.com on Friday night that he hasn't had this much fun playing baseball in a "long time," and that the stadium was the type of environment he was "hoping to play in" when he looked at potentially being traded. Sounds like someone's enjoying life as a Yankee.

Yankees Looking to Add Betancourt?

From Troy Renck:

Rafael Betancourt is attracting varying degrees of interest from the Orioles, Yankees and Athletics. The Red Sox had interest earlier this month. The White Sox and Angels are also looking for bullpen help...

Betancourt is under contract next year [$4.25MM] with a mutual option [$4.25MM] for 2014. To move him, the Rockies would require a valuable piece in return.

Betancourt has a 3.00 ERA, 9.3 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 for the Rockies this season, while converting 17 of 21 save opportunities. If the price is right, he'd definitely be a nice addition and with Joba coming back the two of them could be a huge boost to this team down the stretch.

Report: Yankees Checked In On Headley

From the NY Daily News:

Have the Yankees changed their “fix-from-within” philosophy on third base?

They have talked to the Padres about San Diego third baseman Chase Headley, according to a major-league source. But the source characterized the discussion as the Yankees merely checking in on Headley’s market.

“Names have not been exchanged,” the source said Saturday, although it’s always possible that talks could move forward.

Fox Sports first reported that Headley was “not out of the question” for the Yankees as a possible stopgap at third base as the broken bone in Alex Rodriguez’s left hand heals and as a potential replacement in the outfield in 2013 for Nick Swisher, who is a free agent after the season. Oakland, Philadelphia and Baltimore have also been mentioned in various media reports as possible suitors for Headley.

Interesting. Is Cashman pulling another "Bubba Crosby is our centerfielder" here? Possibly, but it's worth adding that last night, Jim Bowden tweeted that the Padres are leaning towards keeping Headley.

Saturday's Lineups

YANKEES
Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Andruw Jones LF
Jayson Nix 3B
Russell Martin DH
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Chris Stewart C

CC Sabathia LHP

RED SOX
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Pedro Ciriaco DH
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Adrian Gonzalez 1B
Cody Ross RF
Will Middlebrooks 3B
Kelly Shoppach C
Mike Aviles SS
Daniel Nava LF

Jon Lester LHP

Today's game is on FOX!

Friday's Yankees Lineup

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Raul Ibanez LF
Andruw Jones DH
Eric Chavez 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Russell Martin C

Pitching: RHP Phil Hughes

Yankees vs Red Sox Series Ticket Prices

Here's some great info from our friends over at TiqIQ:

Below is some additional deal data for each game:

Game 1:
- 700+ tickets starting @ $40.

- 75+ tickets available for less than $55, including some that are selling for as much as 41% below market average.

- Bleacher tickets start @ $40 and there are 100+ available for less than $70. These seats are selling from 4% to 30% below market avg.

- Grandstand tickets start @ $46 and there are 100+ available for less than $75. Some of these seats are selling for up to 31% below market avg.

- Main Level tickets start @ $91 and there are 20+ available for $150 or less, some for up to 47% below market avg.

- Field Level tickets start @ $105 and there are 30+ available for less than $200. Some of these seats are selling for up to 43% below market avg.

Game 2:
- 2100+ tickets starting @ $46

- 70+ tickets available for less than $60, including some that are selling for as much as 49% below market average.

- Bleacher tickets start @ $57 and there are 90+ available for less than $65. These seats are selling from 29% to 36% below market avg.

- Grandstand tickets start @ $46 and there are 100+ available for less than $70. Some of these seats are selling for up to 49% below market avg.

- Main Level tickets start @ $83 and there are 100+ available for less than $125, some for up to 47% below market avg.

- Field Level tickets start @ $100 and there are 90+ available for less than $175, some for as much as 50% below market avg.

Game 3:
- 5400+ tickets starting @ $27

- 60+ tickets available for $35 or less, including some that are selling for as much as 52% below market average.

- Bleacher tickets start @ $38 and there are 150+ available for less than $50. These seats are selling from 31% to 51% below market avg.

- Grandstand tickets start @ $27 and there are 400+ available for less than $50. Some of these seats are selling for up to 52% below market avg.

- Main Level tickets start @ $51 and there are 60+ available for less than $100, some for up to 50% below market avg.

- Field Level tickets start @ $75 and there are 90+ available for less than $125, some for as much as 43% below market avg.

If you'd like tickets to any of these games click here. 

Swisher Out For Series Opener vs Sox

From George A. King III:

No matter how hard Nick Swisher lobbies Joe Girardi and the medical staff to play tonight against the Red Sox, he won’t win.

“He is not a player for us [tonight],’’ general manager Brian Cashman said of the switch-hitting right fielder who has missed the last five games due to a mild strain of his left hip flexor.

Though the Yankees were off yesterday, Swisher was at Yankee Stadium working out with batting coach Kevin Long.

Swisher ran the bases and took batting practice on the field.

“He looked pretty good,’’ said Long, who didn’t talk about if Swisher was ready to play.

I figure they just want to take it slow and give him another day to see how his body responds to yesterday. He'll probably be back on Saturday.

The Stats Say The Yankees Won't Miss A-Rod

Here's the story from ESPN Stats & Info: it was worth passing along:

According to AccuScore, which utilizes 10,000 computer simulations, A-Rod’s absence won’t impact the Yankees much. Assuming Rodriguez misses eight weeks, it won’t cost the Yankees even a full game. Regardless of whether he’s there or not, the odds of them winning the AL East are still better than 97 percent.

In terms of history, it’s unlikely the Yankees will surrender their eight-game lead in the AL East. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the largest lead the Yankees have had at any time in a season in which they did not finish in first place was six games in 1933 (June 6-7).

...

The Yankees haven’t been affected much over the past three seasons when Rodriguez is not in the lineup. Since 2010, they’re a combined 63-29 (.685 win percentage) without him and 188-142 (.570 win percentage) with him.

A-Rod’s power has declined significantly over the years. Since winning his last MVP in 2007, his at-bats per home run rate has more than doubled. He hit a homer once every 10.8 at-bats in 2007 but has homered once every 23.5 at-bats this season.

His slugging percentage has taken a hit recently as well. His .449 slugging percentage this season is his lowest since 1995 (.408).

Entering Wednesday, 16 third basemen were qualified for the batting title. The cumulative batting average and slugging percentage of those 16 players is slightly better than Rodriguez’s numbers this season.

The article also pointed out that Eric Chavez has actually had better numbers than A-Rod this season in several key areas, including slugging percentage, home run percentage, isolated power and strikeout percentage. As I stated yesterday, my main concern with Chavez is his health, but if he can remain in the lineup I think he’ll handle replacing A-Rod pretty well.

Some of these stats are easy to push aside. The teams wins and losses with and without A-Rod are, for the most part, irrelevant. Unless we're going to sit here and break down the winning percentage of the teams the Yankees played with and without him, and then factor that into the results, you're not really getting the entire story.

The most important thing that the stats are neglecting is that Rodriguez was finally starting to get locked in at the plate. In his last 11 games, he was hitting .349/.391/.581 with 2 HR 6 RBI and 4 doubles. So, if we're talking about replacing that version of A-Rod then Chavez can't come close. But as we've seen, Rodriguez clearly not the player he used to be so it's very possible that the hot stretch wasn't going to last.

At the end of the day, I do believe the Yankees will be fine without Alex. Will it cost them a game or two here or there? Maybe. But they've survived losing the greatest closer of all time, their starting left fielder, a top of the rotation starter, and various other relievers and position players for weeks at a time, so they'll survive this.

.... Unless Chavez gets hurt. Then they may have a few issues.

Joba Takes One Step Closer To His Return

The Yankees will decide what happens next after Joba throws in front of the brass on Friday. If everything goes well I suspect he'll be activated pretty soon.

Cashman: Chavez is our replacement for A-Rod

From Wallace Matthews:

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he has found a replacement for Alex Rodriguez without even making a phone call to another team.

"Eric Chavez is the solution," Cashman told ESPNNewYork.com on Wednesday, one day after Rodriguez suffered a broken hand after being hit by a pitch from Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez.

"Chavez is the solution and Jayson Nix is the solution, and whoever we have in the farm system are going to have to be the solution," Cashman said. "I'm very comfortable with Eric Chavez as Alex's replacement."

...

"Because we're going to get him back, I don't see this as a particular area of need," Cashman said. "It doesn't mean I won't listen."

Among the third baseman expected to be available at the trade deadline are Chase Headley of the San Diego Padres, Placido Polanco and Ty Wigginton of the Philadelphia Phillies and Chone Figgins of the Mariners.

"I'm not about to gut my farm system for any of those guys," Cashman said.

...

Chavez's injury history makes him a risk as an everyday player, but Cashman is confident in the veteran's durability.

"That's his job, to fill in as needed," he said. "That's what he's here for. I expect him to be able to play third base for us every day, and to play it well."

I'm not sure this is the right move, or non-move, for the Yankees. Mainly because I'm concerned about how fragile Chavez has become and the dire situation they'll be in if he does go down. However, from everything I've read today the asking price for all viable replacements is pretty high and Cashman is probably right that it's not worth gutting the system for any of those guys.

Ichiro Excited To Play In The Bronx

From the AP Via the New York Post:

In his past visits to Yankee Stadium, Ichiro Suzuki was ready and actually enjoyed the heckling that came from the Bleacher Creatures.

He's also ready for a new experience on Friday night when the newest Yankees outfielder makes his debut at home against the Red Sox: the roll call.

"I hope the fans do call my name, but I need to get there and play to the ability where hopefully the fans will call my name," Suzuki said through his interpreter on Wednesday.

Before the series finale in Seattle on Wednesday, Suzuki that he's excited about his first game in pinstripes, when the slumping Yankees open a weekend series against Boston. While there will be plenty of attention on his New York debut, it'll also be a welcomed change from the oddity of this week that saw Suzuki move from one side of Safeco Field to the other and make his Yankees debut against the team he spent his first 11 seasons with.

"I think once all the attention is gone I can settle in and relax a little bit," he said.

...

"When I go to the stadium obviously if the fans feel that way toward me I'm grateful but I need to prove myself and I need to play to a level the fans can enjoy and think highly of my play," Suzuki said. "I really feel like when I get there I want to show the fans what I can do."

If I may make a suggestion, he should give the RF bleachers a nice bow when they call his name. They'll love that.

Also, it's pretty admirable that he feels he needs to prove himself to us Yankees fans. He's the greatest pure hitter of this generation so he really doesn't, but still it's great that he cares.

Swisher Update

It was also reported by George King, that Joe Girardi said that Swisher may be able to return to the lineup this weekend vs the Red Sox.

Hideki Matsui DFA By Tampa

From The AP:

Hideki Matsui was been cut by the Tampa Bay Rays.

The 38-year-old Japanese star was designated for assignment on Wednesday to clear a roster spot for infielder Ryan Roberts. The Rays have 10 days to trade Matsui, release him or place him on waivers.

He is hitting .147 with two homers and seven RBIs in 95 at-bats.

I feel bad for Hideki. A player as good as he was never should go out like this, but sometimes you just hang around way too long.

Wednesday's Yankees Lineup: Ichiro Leads Off

Ichiro Suzuki RF
Derek Jeter SS
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Curtis Granderson CF
Raul Ibanez DH
Eric Chavez 3B
Andruw Jones LF
Russell Martin C

Ivan Nova SP

Remember, today's game begins at 3:40pm.

Olney: Yankees Looking At All 3B Options

Headley does make a lot of sense for the Yanks and is probably the best available 3B on the market. However, it was later reported by Jon Heyman that the Yankees are unlikely to meet the Padres demands and the market for Headley is "huge".

Other names that have been mentioned today have been Placido Polanco, Ty Wigginton, Aramis Ramirez and Scott Rolen.

Yankees Will Call Up Ramiro Pena

Also, here's a list of available third basemen on the trade market via MLBTradeRumors.

A-Rod Headed to the DL with a Broken Hand

This team's luck is just awful. Here's the most recent bad news, via Marc Carig:

Alex Rodriguez will go onto the disabled list after suffering a non-displaced fracture in his left hand. Rodriguez was hit on the hand by an 88-mph changeup from Felix Hernandez in the eighth inning of Tuesday night's 4-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners.

The fracture is on the pinky side of the hand.

Over the last 10 days Rodriguez had started to find his stroke at the plate, hitting .341 with two homers six RBI. So, this couldn't have come at a worse time for Alex and the Yankees.

Eric Chavez spoke after the game about a similar injury he had that cost him 33 games in 2004 so I'm guessing A-Rod will be out anywhere from 4-6 weeks.

Tuesday's Yankees Lineup: Ichiro Batting 8th

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Raul Ibanez LF
Eric Chavez DH
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Chris Stewart C

Freddy Garcia RHP

Updates on Gardner and Joba

George A. King III is reporting that Brett Gardner had arthroscopic surgery on his injured right elbow today and everything went as planned. Team physician Chris Ahmad performed the surgery and said there told Gardner's agent that there were "no surprises" and "they found what they expected to find."

On the positive side of things, Brian Cashman was raving about Joba Chamberlain's recovery today while on WFAN:

“Joba’s out of control. The stuff he’s featuring is remarkable. He’s as high as 100 (mph) but upwards consistently (at) 96, 97, 98. He looks really good.”

...

“He’s an amazing guy,” Cashman said on WFAN. “He’s been hurt, he gets hurt a lot, but then his recovery time is like super-human -- always beats the standard. So yeah, he’s due back here shortly. I mean, the worst-case scenario would be the first week of August, but he should be here ahead of that.”

Cashman: Rivera Won't Return This Year

From Bryan Hoch:

Yankees GM Brian Cashman was on SiriusXM’s MLB Network Radio channel this morning, where hosts Jim Duquette and Mike Ferrin asked about reports that closer Mariano Rivera may be able to play this season.

....

Host/Jim Duquette: “Mo, is there a chance he could come back? We saw some reports that he might be able to come back.”

Brian Cashman: “No. I mean, his physical therapist that he’s working with, I thought was unprofessional and went public with things. I mean, medical personnel should be quiet. And it’s not our physical therapist, it’s someone he’s got that we’ve signed off on. But those guys should not be doing interviews and he provided an interview that was, you know, not a fair reflection of where this player’s at. His over-enthusiasm, I thought, provided improper information. He’s not coming back this year and I wish he was, I wish he was, but unfortunately people get excited. They want to get their name out there for whatever reason and so he got a day in the sun, but he’ll be proven wrong in the end unfortunately. So, he got all our fans excited and a lot more media attention for myself to deal with, but he’s not coming back this year. I wish he was.”

Well, it was a long shot anyway. Better to not get your hopes up only to be let down in the end.

Ichiro Made Concessions To Join Yankees

From Wallace Matthews:

Ichiro Suzuki apparently wanted the New York Yankees even more than the Yankees wanted him.

Before completing a trade to acquire the Japanese star, the Yankees spelled out a list of conditions to Ichiro, a former American League MVP and two-time batting champion.

Ichiro would be asked to switch positions, hit at the bottom of the lineup and possibly sit against left-handed pitching.

"He was fully educated on all our requirements," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told ESPNNewYork.com. "One by one, every box got ticked off."

Ichiro had requested a trade from the last-place Seattle Mariners, the only big league team he had ever played for after coming to the U.S. from Japan as a 27-year-old in 2001. But the Yankees were not sure the 10-time All-Star would be willing to make all the adjustments they required.

After Ichiro agreed to the conditions -- and waived his no-trade clause -- Cashman and Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik completed the deal that was initiated in a phone call between Mariners president Chuck Armstrong and Randy Levine, his counterpart with the Yankees.

"(Ichiro) was asked to make a lot of sacrifices," Cashman said. "And he agreed to all of them."

Glad to see he really wants to be here. That's always a huge plus.

Also, here is how Yankees scouts view the veteran:

But the consensus among Yankees scouts was that Ichiro was "bored" playing for the last-place Mariners and was "playing down to his surroundings." The Yankees hope this situation will reverse itself with the 38-year-old Ichiro suddenly shifted to a first-place team with a legitimate hope of reaching the World Series.

Yankees scouts reported that Ichiro's athleticism and defensive abilities were undiminished, another factor that influenced New York to take the leap of faith that Ichiro could return to a semblance of his former effectiveness.

And having parted with just right-handed pitchers D.J. Mitchell and Danny Farquhar, the Yankees have added a potential superstar to their already potent lineup.

"We think (Ichiro) is a reincarnation of Brett Gardner," Cashman said. "He's a reproduction of what we lost."

I happen to agree. I think Ichiro will be a great fit for this team as they head down the stretch.

Ichiro Batting 8th & Playing Right

Yankees Trade For Ichiro (Updated)

(Update 8:33 PM) Ichiro will be wearing #31.

(Update 8:10 PM) To make room for Ichiro on the roster, the Yankees designated Dewayne Wise for assignment. Wise, who was a very solid bench player for this Yankees team, hit .262/.286/.492 in 63 ABs. You may have noticed that his numbers are actually better than Ichiro's (.261/.288/.353), but again, the hope has to be that he can get reenergized playing for a contender.

Nice move by Cashman. Ichiro may not be the player he once was, but I have to believe that a chance to play in The Pinstripes, with a chance to get a ring, may just be the thing he needs to get that spark back. Tonight should be pretty interesting.

But what number is he going to wear?

Rivera Puts the Brakes on Talks of a Return

From Stefan Bondy:

Mariano Rivera has gone from adamant to hesitant about playing next season.

Baseball’s best closer ever said Saturday he’s so focused on the day-to-day grind of physical therapy that he can’t commit to pitching in 2013, let alone this season, declining to let his mind wander beyond the moment.

“I don’t even know if I want to play next year. I don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring. One day at a time,” said Rivera, who was walking without a limp at Yankee Stadium after watching a training session of the English Premier League’s Chelsea soccer squad, which plays an exhibition Sunday at the Stadium.

“I don’t want to put something in my mind because if it doesn’t happen, I’ll be disappointed,” he added.

...

“I love (baseball). I love the game. I love the competition. I love being on the field,” he said on Saturday. “Going out like that, to me, I won’t take it. Hopefully the good Lord will allow me to be on the field again.”

Hopefully he just had a tough week or something in rehab and this isn't the beginnings of Mo slowing breaking down mentally and just giving up. Major injuries like this, especially in your 40's, can sometimes do that to a person.

Joba Hits Triple-Digits, Girardi Thrilled

First we heard he was in the mid-to-high 90's but apparently he was actually throwing harder. Here's the story from George A. King III:

Joba Chamberlain’s fastball was clocked at 100 mph, according to a speed gun at his rehab appearance Friday night in Bradenton, Fla.

Yet the Yankees didn’t need to see triple digits to understand Chamberlain’s return from Tommy John surgery last summer and right ankle surgery in March has been spotless.

“I don’t think it could have gone any more smoothly,’’ Girardi said of the four-game rehab stint that continues Tuesday. “He has thrown two innings [in one game] and 32 pitches [Friday]. I don’t see how it could be any better.’’

Joba will throw another bullpen session today, and then get in some more game action on Tuesday. The Yankees may then have him pitch again on Wednesday to see if he can handle back-to-back appearances.

Add Denard Span to the list of outfielders the Yankees have checked on

From Jon Heyman:

In their search for an outfielder with Brett Gardner likely out for the year, the Yankees "are in on everybody,'' says a rival executive. That means they've checked in on Shane Victorino, Justin Upton and Denard Span, and presumably others.

But so far they have nothing going with any of those guys for a variety of reasons. Here's a rundown.

....

3. Span. The Yankees like him, too. But one source said "the Twins are asking for a ton.'' That's probably not a shock considering the interest all-around in center fielders. The Twins seem more open to dealing him than Josh Willingham, for instance, but that doesn't mean they're completely open to it.

Heyman also mentioned that the DBacks may wait until the winter to trade Upton. As for Victorino,

the Phillies are shopping no one and instead concentrating on trying to keep star pitcher Cole Hamels with a long-term deal. One competing exec said he sees the Phillies even keeping Victorino through the season, then taking a draft choice when they lose him in the winter.

As of now it appears that this search won't go anywhere for the Yanks, but things like this change with the weather, so we'll see what happens.

Yankees Interested Rick Ankiel

Ankiel has been pretty awful for most of the last 3+ seasons, but for a team that could use some OF help, he'd be a cheap (the rest of his $1.25M 2012 salary), low-risk option. A guy like Victorino would clearly be the better acquisition, and do much more to help the Yankees get #28. But if the Yankees want to take the cheap route, which they probably will, Ankiel might not be a bad pickup. I guess they could do worse.

Joba could be back before the end of the month

From George A. King III:

Chamberlain, whose 30-day rehab assignment expires Aug. 8, made his fourth outing Friday night in Bradenton, Fla.

In two innings for Single-A Tampa, he gave up a run, two hits, fanned one and walked one.

According to Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild, Chamberlain’s fastball was clocked in the mid-90s.

The plan is for Chamberlain to throw a bullpen session Monday. The next test will have Chamberlain throw in back-to-back games. If he comes through that exercise with no problems, he could come off the disabled list before the end of July.

I'm sure the Yankees will be very cautious with Joba, so this might be pushing it a bit. But whether he returns at the end of July or early August, the Yankees specialist-filled relief core could use a guy like Joba so whenever he gets back it will be a welcomed sight.

Kernan Makes The Case For Victorino

From Kevin Kernan:

The easy route would be to do nothing and hope the old guys, Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones, continue to produce loud hits for the Yankees.

The Yankees, though, need to make a deal for an outfielder. Send a limo down the New Jersey Turnpike to pick up speedy Shane Victorino from the Phillies.
Victorino would put the Yankees that much closer to victory. The Athletics beat them for the second straight night, 3-2 at O.co Coliseum.

Rent Victorino for the rest of the season. The Yankees have done a fantastic job overcoming all their injuries to forge the best record in baseball, but sooner or later, all those injuries will catch up to them. Speed is a most valuable component the Yankees lost when they lost Brett Gardner to an elbow injury.

To make matters worse, Nick Swisher had to leave Friday night’s game with a strained left hip flexor in the seventh inning.

...

The Yankees need Victorino’s speed. A change of scenery is needed by Victorino, who is a free agent after the season. The Phillies need bullpen help, so surely Yankees general manager Brian Cashman can come up with a deal that is reasonable for both sides. The Phillies are dead in the water, the Yankees are riding the wave, but they need more to get where they need to be to try to win World Series No. 28.

Victorino is brash enough to be a short-term success. A move north would re-energize the Flyin’ Hawaiian, who would be a perfect fit in manager Joe Girardi’s offense. Girardi loves to put pressure on opposing defenses, but he does not have that speed component with Gardner out and undergoing elbow surgery next week.

...

The price for a Victorino rental would be much less than trying to acquire the Diamondbacks’ Justin Upton. It would be difficult for the Yankees to put together such a package for Upton. Arizona general manager Kevin Towers knows the Yankees system well because he worked for them in 2010.

The answer to the Yankees’ lack of speed and outfield shortfall is close at hand, just a short drive down the Turnpike, in Shane Victorino.

Victorino is making $9.5 million this year and is also having one of, if not his worst season at the plate, hitting just .254/.317/.392 with 8 HR, 38 RBI, and 21 stolen bases.

The money shouldn't be an issue, and his poor season could just be a biproduct of being on an underachieving train-wreck of a team. Kernan could be right and a change of scenery may be all the 31-year-old needs.

The bottom line is that Victorino would be a nice fit with this team, especially with Gardner gone for the year. Beyond that, there isn't much to consider for a rental. I don't know what you guys think, but to me, this is an easy one for the Yanks. If Victorino is available and wouldn't cost too much, you've got to make the move.

Joba To Throw Again Today

From Mark Feinsand:

Joba Chamberlain (elbow and ankle surgeries) is slated to throw Friday for the fourth time since starting his rehab assignment last week.

Chamberlain, who threw a scoreless inning Tuesday for the Gulf Coast League Yankees in Tampa, has not allowed a hit or a walk in his four innings, striking out six. He has given up one unearned run.

Girardi called the reports "very positive" on Chamberlain, but said he hasn't started to anticipate when he'll have the reliever back.

"I haven't done that because he hasn't went back-to-back yet," Girardi said. "I think once we get him going back-to-back I think you'll have a better idea.

"You want to see how he responds the second day. Those 30 days are ticking."

I have nothing more to add. Just another piece of good news on the Joba front.

Bad News For Brett

From David Waldstein:

Any slim hope the Yankees may have had that Brett Gardner would return from an elbow injury this season was almost certainly wiped out Thursday, when it was determined that he would have surgery.

The Yankees announced that Gardner would have an arthroscopic procedure next week to remove inflamed tissue from his elbow. “It will most likely conclude his season,” a spokesman said.

...

Now the Yankees have less than two weeks to decide whether to make a trade before the July 31 nonwaiver deadline to get outfield help. Without Gardner, the Yankees have lost their fastest player and an occasional candidate to slide over and back up Curtis Granderson in center field. Gardner started 10 games in center in 2011, and this season Granderson has played in 90 games going into Thursday’s game against the Athletics, one fewer that Robinson Cano’s team lead.

Wow, tough break for the Yanks and Gardner. So far, the Yankees have done very well in his absence, but I think it's about time to start looking a bit harder at the outfield trade market.

Yanks Await Word on Gardner's MRI Results (Updated)

Here's an update from Dan Martin:

The Yankees outfielder, who felt soreness in his injured elbow this week after a simulated game, is still waiting to hear back about the MRI exam he took Tuesday. Yankees team doctor Christopher Ahmad is attempting to speak with renowned sports surgeon Dr. James Andrews about the MRI, according to Gardner’s agent Joe Bick. That conversation should happen Thursday.

“At the end of the day, we’ll have a pretty good idea what’s going on,” Bick said.

Original Post Below

From Connor Orr:

Manager Joe Girardi did not have any definitive news on injured left fielder Brett Gardner (right elbow) Tuesday night, amid reports Gardner could be sidelined for the remainder of the season.

Girardi said he called Gardner yesterday, but couldn’t speak with him because Gardner was undergoing an MRI.

“I think he was in the MRI tube,” Girardi joked, saying he couldn’t call again or else it would “mess up the scanner.”

When reached Tuesday night, Gardner’s agent, Joe Bick, said he didn’t have an update, either. Girardi expects to have a report on the MRI by Wednesday.

...

Girardi revealed before Monday night’s game against Toronto that Gardner had to be shut down again due to the elbow flaring up after a simulated game on Sunday.

But Girardi wasn’t ready to count out Gardner, even if he can’t be productive at the plate. He said if Gardner isn’t fully healthy, he could be used for his defense and in pinch-running situations later in the season.

“You could do that in September, sure,” Girardi said. “It just depends, if he doesn’t get healthy, what we’d have to do.”

I assume the results will be in fairly soon, so check back later for an update.

Joba Continues His Speedy & Impressive Recovery

From George A. King III:

Joba Chamberlain is about to take the biggest step of his minor league rehab program and move closer to returning to the big leagues.

After throwing one inning for the Yankees’ team in the Gulf Coast League Tuesday, the plan calls for Chamberlain to pitch two frames for Single-A Tampa on Friday in Bradenton.

Chamberlain fanned two of the three Phillies’ low-level batters he faced, averaged 95 to 96 mph with the fastball and was clocked at 98.

The Yankees are monitoring what relievers will be available at the July 31 trade deadline. Nevertheless, if Chamberlain continues to progress at the rate he has through three Gulf Coast League outings, the Yankees might have a better arm to add than anyone on the market without having to give anything up.

Chamberlain is coming back from Tommy John surgery last summer and ankle surgery this past March.

“We are encouraged and it seems like we are getting through this,’’ manager Joe Girardi said of Chamberlain, whose 30-day rehab assignment ends Aug. 8. “It shouldn’t be a real long time.’’

Joba still needs to get over a few hurdles--pitching on back-to-back days and shortening the amount of days off in between appearances--but with the velocity where it is and Joba apparently suffering no discomfort, I wouldn't be too concerned about those hurdles.

Mo hoping for a September return?

From Matt Ehalt:

Injured New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera said Monday that he hopes to pitch again this season.

Rivera has been on the disabled list since May 4 after tearing his right ACL while shagging balls prior to a game against Kansas City.

"That's my goal," Rivera said Monday on "The Michael Kay Show" on 98.7 FM ESPNNewYork. "I don't think about it because if it doesn't happen, I will be kind of like disappointed. I take it day by day. I'm working hard and doing what I do. ... That's the way I'm thinking, day by day and positive, definitely. Optimism, positive. Whatever the Lord will allow to happen, will happen."

Rivera, though, would not definitely say he will be returning in September for the pennant push.

"I don't know," Rivera said. "I can't answer that. I don't know. I want to, I want to be there now, but if there is any chance, only God knows."

Mo sounds optimistic, but he's alone on this. basically nobody else does:

The New York Post reported Yankees general manager Brian Cashman as saying: "in terms of 2012, he's out."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi has also said the team doesn't believe Rivera will return this year.

Even Dr. Keith Pyne, who told the Post that Rivera is ahead of schedule in his recovery, said at the moment the closer would not be returning.

"Right now, he's shut down until next year," Pyne told the pape

It would obviously be a great story, but I think this is all just wishful thinking on Mo's part. But then again it's Mo, so who knows.

Gardner Suffers Another Setback

From Pete Caldera:

Brett Gardner has suffered yet another setback in his rehab from a strained right elbow, casting doubt about his return to the Yankees this season.

The speedy outfielder awoke Monday with soreness in the elbow. He had restarted his baseball rehab on Sunday with four at-bats in a simulated game.

"It's a concern because it's happened before," manager Joe Girardi said on Monday afternoon. "But we'll have to wait and see."

...

"It is puzzling," Girardi said. "We expected that he'd get through this and our hope is still that he'll get through this."

This is Gardner's third setback. Expect the Yankees to monitor the outfield market a lot more closely now.

Yankees Will Also Monitor the OF Market

From Jon Heyman:

The Yankees are looking harder at the outfield market than the pitching market, as they still have concerns about Brett Gardner's elbow situation.

They've talked to the Phillies about Shane Victorino and the Diamondbacks about Justin Upton, but Upton is a major long shot for them and right now they see the price tag as too high on either. Victorino may be slightly more realistic eventually, though.

GM Brian Cashman said on Sunday asking prices are generally too high, and that the deals available weren't worth it to make "marginal'' improvements.

Either would be a nice pick up, but I still find it hard to believe that the Yankees will add much to the payroll. Either way, this will be something to follow as Brett Gardner tries to come back. If for any reason he can't, then I'd say the likelihood of a move will increase greatly.

Yankees to Monitor the Cole Hamels Situation

Here's what Ken Davidoff had to say about the Yankees potential interest in Cole Hamels:

The short answer is yes, the Yankees absolutely will be in the loop as the shockingly horrid Phillies field offers for Hamels while also trying to re-sign him. Yet you shouldn’t expect the Yankees to go as hard after Hamels as they did Lee, and that has nothing to do with Hamels and everything to do with the new collective bargaining agreement.

The CBA, in its first season, discourages all teams generally and the Yankees specifically from making the sort of trade-deadline, headline-grabbing moves that so delighted the late George Steinbrenner.

Generally? As the Post’s Joel Sherman noted yesterday in a column, teams no longer receive compensatory draft picks for players acquired in their walk year. That means any team acquiring Hamels, who beat the Rockies yesterday in Colorado with eight innings of one-run ball, will rent the left-hander for two to three months and then, if he signs elsewhere — the Dodgers are favored to land him — will have nothing else to show for its efforts.

Specifically? The increase of the luxury-tax threshold to $189 million in 2014 has Hal Steinbrenner determined to lower the Yankees’ payroll to that number. In order for that to become a reality while the Yankees also retain their best players — Cashman said yesterday the club will contemplate extending Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson, both of whom can be free agents after next year — they will need to surround them with cheap, productive talent.

That would be the sort of cheap, productive talent that would go to Philadelphia in a Hamels trade. The Yankees might not have a great match with the Phillies, anyway, because their best prospects (outfielders Tyler Austin and Mason Williams, catcher Gary Sanchez) are several seasons away from the major leagues and Philadelphia wants to dive right back into major-league contention next year.

Oh, and as long as we’re on the subject? The Yankees are not interested in Milwaukee’s Zack Greinke, just as they didn’t engage Kansas City in Greinke talks during the 2010-11 offseason. They don’t view his personality as a good fit in New York.

The Yankees should definitely stay away fro Greinke, it's painfully obvious from everything I've read that the guy would shrink under the bright lights of the Big Apple.

As for Hamels, he'd be a nice addition, but based on the Yankees new penny-pinching ways I doubt very much that they'll make any kind of splash at the deadline. With the best record in baseball I'm not really sure they'd need to anyway. Cashman said as much when asked about any potential trades:

“I’m not very optimistic that we’ll be needing to be active, or should be active, given the price tags associated with the players — what we need to do as we move forward [is] retain these assets that compel us to get this payroll down,” Cashman told the Post. “I’m very skeptical about it. But that doesn’t mean I’m saying we’re going to do nothing."

Yankees Sign First Round Pick Hensley

From Tim Bontemps:

It took some time, but the Yankees got their man.

Friday — the final day to sign players taken in last month’s First-Year Player Draft — the Yankees came to terms with high school right-hander Ty Hensley, the team’s first-round pick and the 30th overall selection in the draft.

Hensley, a hard thrower who was committed to Ole Miss, where he was expected to play every day because of his strong bat, reportedly signed for $1.2 million, saving the Yankees a few hundred thousand dollars on the $1.6 million slot price at that pick.

Those savings allowed them to spend money in later rounds on other players, such as Utah high school right-hander Brady Lail, an 18th-round selection who signed for $225,000.

Hensley, who was ranked No. 23 overall by Baseball America entering the draft, throws a mid-90s fastball to go along with a curve, and was athletic enough to play quarterback at Sante Fe High School in Edmond, Okla., until his senior year, when he gave up the sport to focus on baseball.

I must admit that I have not followed the draft, so I have little to add here. Sorry.

It was also mentioned in the article that overall, the Yankees signed 26 out of the 41 players they drafted, and all of their first 20.

Also, the Mets were unable to ink one of their top picks, second-rounder Teddy Stankiewicz. No relation to this Yankee great.

Yankees Sign Fukudome to Minor League Deal

Seems like this might be a little insurance in case Brett Gardner cannot make it back. Not sure how much it'll pay off. In 24 games (51 plate appearances) with the White Sox earlier this season, he hit just .171/.294/.195. Last year, while better than his pathetic start this year, Fukudome hit .262/.342/.370 with only 8 HR and a measly 35 RBI in over 600 plate appearances with the Cubs and Indians.

Gammons Says Cliff Lee Might Be An Option

Oh no, not this again.

Here's the story from Jon Lane:

During his weekly Thursday spot for Sports Radio WIP in Philadelphia, MLB Network’s Peter Gammons suggested that the Phillies, due to their last-place standing and the changes in compensation for free agents, may explore getting into an area where they can sign pending FA Cole Hamels and trade Cliff Lee, who turns 34 next month and signed through 2015 with an option for 2016.

If that were the case, Gammons said a big-market team would go for Lee in a hurry, and one of those teams could be the Yankees. Ironically, the Yankees were this-close to trading for Lee in 2010 before the Mariners chose to do business with the Rangers. That winter, Lee turned down the Yankees’ seven-year, $148 million offer for five and $120M in Philadelphia, a place he claimed he never wanted to leave. (Lee was traded from the Phillies to the M’s in December 2009).

.... The Yankees have professed fiscal responsibility and are aiming for a payroll under $189 million by 2014. Lee will cost a contender top prospects and the acceptance of the left-hander’s contract. That along with Brian Cashman’s insistence he’s not looking to do anything big by the July 31 trade deadline would put the Yankees out of play.

Or would it?

“The Yankees can say all they want that they won't trade,” Gammons said. “I do think it's not exactly in Brian Cashman’s DNA to trade young players, but it's different when you're Cliff Lee. I think there's a possibility. I really do. I think (the Phillies) can get more for Cliff Lee than for Cole Hamels.”

Even though Lee isn't the same pitcher he's been in recent years, there is little doubt in my mind that the addition of Cliff Lee (or Hamels for that matter) would easily favorites to win it all. However, I think we all became pretty sick of Cliff Lee, and all the talk about him coming here, when he decided to sign with the Phillies instead of signing with the Yanks a couple off-seasons ago.

"I never wanted to leave [Philly] in the first place," Lee said. "To get an opportunity to come back and be part of this team and this pitching rotation is going to be something that's historic, I believe."

So Cliff, how's that working out for you?

Maybe I'm just an ass, but part of me would much rather watch him rot with those last-place Phillies than come here and succeed.

What about you?

Reggie Issues (A Completely Unnecessary) Statement

Reggie Jackson issued this statement today about the recent comments he made in Sports Illustrated:

"In trying to convey my feelings about a few issues that I am passionate about, I made the mistake of naming some specific players."

"This was inappropriate and unfair to those players, some of which are very close friends of mine. I think there are ways to speak from the heart without hurting people, and I’m disappointed that I didn’t take greater care in expressing my views.

“I have been proactively reaching out to make personal apologies to those within the Hall of Fame community that I offended, and to the Yankees organization for any disruption that I caused in the clubhouse. I continue to have a strong relationship with the club, and look forward to continuing in my role with the team. As always, I remain dedicated to the great game of baseball."

Reggie, stop! You did nothing wrong.

Cashman: Martin is our Catcher

From Marc Carig:

The Yankees have no plans to trade for a new catcher.

Despite starting catcher Russell Martin's horrendous first half, general manager Brian Cashman said today that he has no plans of wading into the trade market for catching help.

"We have our catching," Cashman said. "I believe in Russell Martin, period."

There's no doubt that Martin has been awful at the plate for most of the last season and a half, but he's a solid defensive catcher and the Yankees haven't seemed to be too hurt by his struggles. I'd rather them stick with what they have instead of dumping a bunch of prospects for a catcher they don't really need.

Updates on Gardner and Joba

From Mark Feisand:

Joba Chamberlain made his first rehab appearance in the Gulf Coast League on Tuesday, allowing an unearned run in an inning of work.

Chamberlain, who is returning from both Tommy John elbow surgery and an open dislocation of his right ankle, struck out two batters, hitting as high as 97 mph on the radar gun. Brian Cashman said Chamberlain would “probably not” need the full 30 days allotted for his rehab assignment, though the Yankees are not projecting a date for his return.

...

As for Brett Gardner, he continues to work his way toward a rehab assignment, passing every test such as dry swings and tee-and-toss work.

Cashman believes the Yankees will get their left fielder back at some point, though given the fact that Gardner has made it to rehab assignments twice before only to be shut down, the GM isn’t putting a timetable on it.

Joba progress has been pretty remarkable and from what we've already seen I wouldn't be surprised if he does come back before the 30 days. The addition of Joba, especially if he's throwing 97 mph, will obviously be a nice boost to the pen down the stretch.

As for Gardner, this team could definitely use his speed and defense, so let's just hope he can get through his next rehab assignment. According to another report, Cashman said the earliest Gardner could return will be on July 27th.

Selig Says Rays Attendance is "Inexcusable"

Here's the quote from Selig on the Rays attendance woes (hat-tip to Was Watching):

"What I've said to you in the past, I'll say to you again, and I've said this to Stu quite a bit. I've been through a lot of these things over the last 20 years, actually the last 40 years, and I understand that, but, look, they've run a great operation, they're a very competitive organization, they have very competitive teams. As I study the attendance every day, looking where they are, to see that they're No. 29, I think it is, in attendance is not, is, it's inexcusable. Nobody can defend that.

"This is a very competitive baseball team. I know they've had a lot of injuries, so on and so forth, and they've missing (Evan) Longoria and all that is true. But the average major-league attendance is between 31,000 and 32,000 and if my memory is serving me well this morning, it's about 19,000 something, Tampa's attendance. Now if they were a club in last place every year the last five years you'd say, well, look, after all, you are what you are and you've got to do better.

"It's disappointing. And I know that people down there, some people, will be offended. Not the fans, not the people who go every day and I know they have great intensity, the people there. As all of you know, I watch a lot of games every day, sometimes all 15 of them, and I pay great attention not only to what's happening on the field, but to the attendance.

"So to use my father's old line, nothing is ever good or bad except by comparison. I'll rest my case. It's disappointing. And I'm concerned."

Well, at least all those Yankees fans in Florida can go see the Yanks a few times a year until MLB decides enough is enough and moves the franchise.

CC Set To Return on 7/17

According to Roger Rubin, CC Sabathia will return to the Yankees rotation for their fifth game after the break when they face Toronto on July 17th at Yankee Stadium.

Sabathia threw a 43-pitch bullpen session on Sunday in Boston and felt no discomfort and will throw a high-pitch count simulated game on Friday before resuming his normal routine.

The starting rotation for the beginning of the second half — which starts Friday with three games against the Angels at the Stadium — has (in order) Hiroki Kuroda, Freddy Garcia and Ivan Nova in the first series. Phil Hughes will start the first of three games against the Jays before Sabathia’s turn.

“I’m feeling pretty good. I’m running, doing everything. No problems,” Sabathia said. “I want to get back as soon as I can and help the team. It always (stinks) to go on the DL, but it was something that needed to be done and I feel better now.”

Yanks Tell Reggie To Stay Away

From Buster Olney:

After Reggie Jackson's disparaging comments about Alex Rodriguez and others last week, he was essentially benched by the Yankees and told to stay away from team events indefinitely, according to AL sources.

Jackson was not in Boston over the weekend, where the Yankees played the Red Sox.

Jackson, a special adviser for the Yankees, usually is around the team.

But at this time, there is enough anger at the Hall of Famer from within the organization that the team has decided that he should keep his distance until otherwise determined.

"A cooling off period, but not a death penalty," a source with knowledge of the team's thinking called it when speaking to ESPNNewYork.com's Andrew Marchand.

At some point, Jackson is expected to be back with the team, the source said.

Olney also mentions that Jackson apologized to Joe Girardi and other team officials, as well as A-Rod himself.

To me, Reggie did nothing wrong and shouldn't have been forced to apologize or stay away from the team. After all, the quote in the article was pretty harmless:

"Al's a very good friend. But I think there are real questions about his numbers. As much as I like him, what he admitted about his usage does cloud some of his records."

The Yankees are blowing this whole thing way out of proportion.

Would The Boss have reacted this way? I don't think so, and I'd bet he'd be pretty disappointed.

The only thing that matters here is that Alex Rodriguez brought this on himself when he decided to cheat the game, and he's not the victim here. If anyone is, it's Reggie.

... Well, and maybe some of those HOF'ers he ripped in the article, too.

Game 85: Yankees @ Red Sox

Regular Season Game 85
YANKEES @ RED SOX
First Pitch: 8:05 PM | TV: ESPN | Radio: WCBS
Here are the lineups:

YANKEES (51-33)
Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano DH
Nick Swisher RF
Andruw Jones LF
Jayson Nix 2B
Chris Stewart C

Pitching: RHP Ivan Nova (9-3, 4.05 ERA)

RED SOX (43-42)
Daniel Nava LF
Pedro Ciriaco 2B
David Ortiz DH
Adrian Gonzalez 1B
Cody Ross RF
Jarrod Saltalamacchia C
Ryan Sweeney CF
Mauro Gomez 3B
Mike Aviles SS

Pitching: LHP Jon Lester (5-5, 4.33 ERA)

Game 82: Yankees @ Red Sox

Regular Season Game 82
YANKEES @ RED SOX
First Pitch: 7:10 PM | TV: YES/MLBN | Radio: WCBS
Here are the lineups:

YANKEES (49-32)
Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Nick Swisher RF
Raul Ibanez LF
Eric Chavez 3B
Russell Martin C

Pitching: RHP Hiroki Kuroda (8-7, 3.17 ERA)

RED SOX (42-40)
Daniel Nava LF
Ryan Kalish CF
David Ortiz DH
Cody Ross RF
Adrian Gonzalez 1B
Jarrod Saltalamacchia C
Mauro Gomez 3B
Mike Aviles SS
Nick Punto 2B

Pitching: RHP Josh Beckett (4-7, 4.06 ERA)

Reggie blasts PED users, others, in new SI Article

From Phil Taylor:

It's when Jackson is plunging into touchy issues that some of the Reggie of old emerges; the only difference is that the star no longer has as big a stage. Over a plate of seafood at an oceanside restaurant in Monterey, he casually mentions that he plans to bring up the issue of undeserving members of the Hall of Fame at the next members-only dinner in Cooperstown. He believes that the Baseball Writers Association of America, whose members vote for the Hall, have adopted too low a standard. "I didn't see Kirby Puckett as a Hall of Famer," he says. "I didn't see Gary Carter as a Hall of Famer. I didn't see Don Sutton as a Hall of Famer. I didn't see Phil Niekro as a Hall of Famer. As much as I like Jim Rice, I'm not so sure he's a Hall of Famer." What about Bert Blyleven? "No. No, no, no, no," Jackson says. "Blyleven wasn't even the dominant pitcher of his era -- it was Jack Morris."
...

He isn't silent on the subject of steroids in baseball either. Jackson makes no secret of his displeasure that since his retirement in 1987, he has been passed on the home run list by seven players, five of whom, Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro and Sammy Sosa, have been linked to performance-enhancing drugs. "I don't think the fans really count them, and I agree," he says. "I believe that Hank Aaron is the home run king, not Barry Bonds, as great a player as Bonds was." Jackson was a supporter of Bonds (who is a distant cousin) as recently as 2007, when he said, "They tried to get this guy more than anybody ... and they've got nothing on him." But he says now that the volume of evidence against Bonds is so great that he has changed his mind.

And A-Rod? "Al's a very good friend," Jackson says. "But I think there are real questions about his numbers. As much as I like him, what he admitted about his usage does cloud some of his records."

There is little need to ask whether Jackson thinks any of the PED-linked players should be inducted into the Hall. "If any of those guys get in, no Hall of Famer will attend," he says. There is only one player in that category for whom he might make an exception. "The question is going to be a guy like Andy Pettitte, who admitted that he got involved for a while, but who is so universally respected in the game. I think he'll get in, but there will be a lot of [members] who won't go." Would Reggie? Jackson takes a deep breath. "He's an awfully good friend," he says. "I've known Andy since he was 20. I'll leave it there."

I agree with everything he said except I don't think Andy Pettitte is any different than A-Rod or any other cheater. In my opinion if you did PED's you don't belong in the HOF. I'm not saying you can't root for these guys--I do--but when it comes to the HOF, that's where I would draw the line.

Joba "2 Weeks" Away From Rehab Stint

This could be very good news for the Yanks. It's assumed that he'll need about a 30-day rehab stint which would set him up for a mid-August return, which earlier in the year seemed impossible.

Cory Wade Optioned To Triple-A

According to various reports, the Yankees have optioned Cory Wade to Triple-A to make room for Chad Qualls. Wade has struggled lately allowing 10 earned runs on 11 hits over his last two outings (3 innings pitched)and has seen his ERA climb from 2.63 on 6/11 to 4.45. Overall he's pitched to a very ugly 9.68 ERA over his last 20 outings, so maybe a few weeks in the minors will do him some good.

Yanks Sign 16-Year-Old Venezuelan Catcher

According to George A. King III, the Yankees have signed 16-year-old Venezuelan catcher Luis Torrens for $1.3 million.

Baseball Americas has Torrens as the No. 2 international prospect.

"He is the premier talent in Latin America," a talent evaluator said of Torrens.

If you want to check out a short video of Torrens, click here.

Yanks Acquire Chad Qualls

To make room for Quallls on the 40-man roster the Yankees have designated Matt Antonelli for assignment.

The 33-year-old was 1-1 with a 4.60 ERA in 35 games for the Phillies this season. In 31.1 innings, the right-hander allowed 16 ER on 39 hits, walked 9, and struck out 19.

Cano, Granderson & Jeter Are All-Star Game Starters

From MLB.com:

The starting lineups for the 2012 All-Star Game on July 10 at Kauffman Stadium have been named, so get set Kansas City, here they come.

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The 17 starters announced on the 2012 MLB All-Star Game Selection Show presented by Taco Bell on TBS on Sunday give new meaning to the words "star power." Fans have already won, making a record-setting statement in support of their favorite players, but who will win the game this year?

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Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, winner of last year's Home Run Derby, got the starting nod for the third consecutive time, his fourth All-Star Game selection.

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is back in the All-Star Game for the 13th time in his career. The Yankees captain bowed out of last year's game, citing exhaustion from the mental and physical rigors of the pursuit of his 3,000th career hit and the need for rest over the All-Star break.

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Boston designated hitter David Ortiz is an All-Star for the eighth time. Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson and Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista can each smile knowing that they are both three-time All-Stars and in the starting lineup for the second consecutive year.

Yankees starter CC Sabathia also made the AL squad. Click here for the full AL & NL rosters.