Yanks Pick Pena

Peter Abraham is reporting that Ramiro Pena was added to the Yankees 40-man roster following today's game. They reassigned Angel Berroa to minor league camp, and to make room for Pena on the 40-man roster they designated Dan Giese for assignment.

If you're wondering, Pena will wear No. 19.

Jim Kaat on Teixeira and the Yanks Bullpen

From Jim Kaat:

The latest deal by the Yankees gives them the gold standard for first basemen in Major League Baseball. Mark Teixeira is a tremendous combination of hitting for average and power, and on top of that, he's an excellent fielder. It solves their problem at first base, which has existed since Tino Martinez was not retained after a terrific run with the Yankees.

If you're a Yankee fan, you have to feel they may have bought the World Series ring that has avoided them since 2000. However, most of you that have read my thoughts or listened to them on the YES Network over the years know I'm a pitching guy. No matter how well Teixeira does, it still will be the guys at the end of the game that decide their fate. Unless they can just outscore everyone, and that never happens against good pitching. This should save some infielders a few errors on errant throws. This guy is good around the bag.

Anyone know who they're counting on to pitch the seventh and eighth inning yet? That's where I'd spend my money. But, like I said earlier, I'm a pitching guy... I always have been, and I always will be. I'd overpay Andy Pettitte for one year because he's "been" and "done" more than any of the new crop.

As I said before I would probably overpay for Pettitte too, but at this point I don't believe anyone is going to give him much more than the $10.5 million the Yanks offered him so I don't think the Yanks should up their offer.

With the bullpen I think the Yankees will be fine. Between Phil Coke, Brian Bruney, Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez, Damaso Marte, and Jonathan Albaladejo, I think the Yanks will be fine from the sixth inning on.

I see the bullpen setting up like this:

Long Reliever: Aceves/Giese

Middle Relievers: Ramirez, Veras, Albaladejo, Coke/Marte

Setup: Coke/Marte, Bruney

Closer: The Greatest

I think that should be fine.

Don't forget, they also have Mark Melancon in AAA who may be ready to join the big club very shortly. And that's without even mentioning the five or six other arms the Yankees have in the minors waiting in the wings.

Giese to the DL

From Peter Abraham:

This release from the Yankees:

RHP Dan Giese was examined today by Dr. Chris Ahmad at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York. He was diagnosed with rotator cuff tendinitis and will be placed on the 15-day disabled list. The club will make a corresponding move tomorrow.

Either Darrell Rasner or Phil Hughes will start in place of Giese, probably Rasner, although I'd like to see Hughes.

This also further proves that anything Joe Girardi says about an injury is bull****. In fact, I think the beat writers should just stop asking him about injuries from now on.

UPDATE 5:50 p.m.: Darrell Rasner will start Tuesday, and it's very likely that Chris Britton will once again be called up.

Giese's Injury Opens Door For Hughes to Start Tuesday

From Mark Feinsand:

Girardi said he believed Giese would still be able to make his scheduled start on Tuesday, but that will likely depend on what happens during the pitcher's visit to Dr. Chris Ahmad today at New York-Presbyterian. Giese is hoping that he will heal with some rest and anti-inflammatory medication.

Girardi also believed that Matsui and Posada would only need rest, Wang would be fine, Jeter would play yesterday, and Joba would make his next start too. So will that track record I'm going assume he's wrong about Giese too.

Giese himself didn't sound so optimistic.

"My shoulder just stiffened up on me when I started facing Mauer," Giese said. "I was trying to overthrow and it got progressively worse and worse the more pitches I threw."

"I've had it in the past and you usually have to just give it time to rest and you can bounce back pretty well," he said. "Obviously I'm concerned. I had to come out of a ballgame and I didn't do my job. Hopefully tomorrow, the doc will have some good news."

If Giese is unable to go Tuesday, the Yankees could bring up Phil Hughes, who is scheduled to make his fifth and possibly final start in the minors on Sunday. Hughes allowed two runs in 5-2/3 innings for Triple-A Scranton on Tuesday, throwing consistently in the 93 mph range.

"They said he threw the ball pretty decent, but there are still some things he needs to work on," Girardi said. "He's building arm strength and getting closer to where he has to be."

I see nothing wrong with letting him work on things at the big league level. If the Yankees were a game out and had another viable option to pitch I'd understand leaving him in AAA, but they're not, and they don't, so just let him start.

Ponson and Giese to Start Firday's Doubleheader

Joe Girardi made it official before last night's game against the Pirates, when he told the media that Dan Giese and Sidney Ponson will be starting this Friday's two stadium doubleheader. Giese will face Mike Pelfrey, and Ponson will face Pedro Martinez.

Do these pitching match ups worry you? They certainly worry me a bit, but the Yanks didn't have many other options.

Giese Optioned To AAA

According to Peter Abraham right-handed reliever Dan Giese was optioned back to Triple-A Scranton to make room for Jorge Posada on the roster.

According to John Sterling, Joe Girardi said he will be back up very soon, maybe Sunday.