Jose Veras DFA by Indians

The life of a MLB reliever sure is filled with a lot of ups and downs. Last year this guy was a major part of the Yankees pen, now he's pretty much useless. Today he was designated for assignment by the Indians after posting a 7.62 ERA in 13 innings for the Tribe.

Would anyone be surprised if he ended up back in the Yankees system?

Veras To The Indians

Tom Rock is reporting that the Yanks have traded Jose Veras to the Indians for cash.

According to the Beacon Journal, the team announced that Veras will join Cleveland's 25-man roster in the next few days.

I bet you he does well in Cleveland.

Good luck Jose.

Are things turning around for the Yankees bullpen?

With Brian Bruney back in action the Yankees bullpen got a huge boost this week, but even prior to his return the Yankees pen started to turn things around. Over their last ten games the Yanks' bullpen is 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in the last 10 games. Jose Veras is still awful and can't throw a strike, but with the rest of the mix they have now the Yankees bullpen is slowly rounding into form. Bruney is back, Alfredo Aceves is becoming a weapon, Phil Coke and Jonathan Albaladejo are improving, and even Brett Tomko has been solid.

Do you think the bullpen have turned a corner or do you think they will go back to blowing games regularly?


(Yes, I know I probably just jinxed them.)

13 Yankees Heading to the WBC

The 2009 World Baseball Classic rosters were announced tonight, here are all the rosters from MLB.com.

There will be 13 Yankee minor and major leaguers heading to the WBC, here's a list of those players and the country they will be playing for from Bryan Hoch's blog:

United States: Derek Jeter

Dominican Republic: Alex Rodriguez, Melky Cabrera, Robinson Cano, Damaso Marte, Edwar Ramirez, Jose Veras

Mexico: Alfredo Aceves, Jorge Vazquez

Italy: Francisco Cervelli

Panama: Jahdiel Santamaria

China: Kai Liu, Zhenwang Zhang

Former Yankees Bobby Abreu, Ivan Rodriguez and Bernie Williams will also be playing. Abreu for Venezuela, and Rodriguez and Williams for Puerto Rico.

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.

Veras Pitched 8th due to Farnsworth's "Cranky Bicep"

From Anthony Rieber:

Yankees fans probably sighed with relief when Jose Veras and not Kyle Farnsworth was called on to protect a three-run lead in the eighth inning of yesterday's 6-3 win over the Royals.

But don't rejoice just yet, Farnsworth-bashers. Joe Girardi revealed that he passed over Farnsworth because of a "cranky bicep," not a desire to change the bullpen pecking order.

"He said he was available, but it was my thought to give him a couple of days," Girardi said.

I don't know what I was thinking. I actually believed that Girardi had smartened up, and realized that after three or four bad outings from Farnsworth that it was the time to try someone new in the 8th. But of course not, Girardi still trusts his boy, and don't be surprised to see The Farns in a big spot some time soon.

If it were up to me, I'd keep running Veras out there until he shows he can't do that job.