Melky Cabrera Tests Positive For PEDs, Suspended 50 Games

Here's a quote from the Melky:

"My positive test was the result of my use of a substance I should not have used ... I am deeply sorry for my mistake."

Thanks for stating the obvious, you cheater. Anyone who watched him as a Yankee should have known something was a little fishy by his numbers this year.

Braves Release The Melk Man

Mark Bowman is reporting that the Braves have released former Melky Cabrera. Melky hit just .255/.317/.354 with just 4 home runs in 509 plate appearances this year for Atlanta.

2010 Yankees-Red Sox Comparison: Left Field

Yankees- Curtis Granderson- Perhaps the biggest difference between the 2009 and 2010 Yankees is that the 2010 edition will be entering the season with a clear answer to centerfield. When the Yankees sent Austin Jackson and Ian Kennedy elsewhere they got back the strong and potentially long-term answer to centerfield that has eluded them since the golden age of Bernie Williams. Granderson offers that rare combination of speed and power that you just have to love. I know their are a lot of Yankees fans who have coveted him since his Tigers knocked the Yanks out in the first round of the 2006 playoffs and now they'll finally get their wish.

He's coming off of a third straight year of decline but Brian Cashman and the Yanks did well to buy low on him. His BABIP in 2009 was .276 compared to a career mark of .323. While some of that can be pinned on a high FB% and a low GB%, some of those FB outs are going to turn into homeruns in the cozy confines of Yankee Stadium. I don't think a FB% six points higher than his career average can totally account for a change like that either, so bad luck was definitely a factor. Don't count on him reverting back to his 2007 MVP level form but I think something like his 2008 when he put up a line of .280/.365/.453 with a wOBA of .374 is a pretty realistic expectation.

We can't really be sure what we'll be getting from him on defense either. In 2006 and 2007 he was outstanding and saved his team over 13 runs over the course of the season both years, in 2008 he was awful and cost his team 8.9 runs, and in 2009 he saved his team only 1.6 runs (all according to UZR). They'd probably be better off putting Granderson in left and Gardner in center but I doubt they'll do that and they could still sign another leftfielder anyway. The Yankees have probably found the answer to centerfield though, even if it costed them A-Jax. He has a Jeter-like reputation off the field and produces on the field. If he can rebound in 2010, the Yankees are going to have another big hitter in their lineup.

Red Sox- Jacoby Ellsbury- Boston may have also found their centerfielder of the future after a few years of trying to plug the hole that Johnny Damon left when he bolted for the Bronx. Jacoby Ellsbury's name has been thrown around for a while now and he impressed in his major league debut in 2007. However, 2009 was the first time he really stepped forward and proved he could be a starter in the major leagues. It was a big improvement, at least offensively, over his 2008 for the 26 year old. He also further showed how much of a weapon his speed can be by leading all of the major leagues with his 70 stolen bases.


In his 2009 campaign he made a strange change. While his offense did improve, as one might expect from a young player still learning how to play at a ML level, his defense fell off a cliff. His wOBA went from .333 in 2008 to .354 in 2009. He was pretty much a replacement level player offensively in 2008 but in 2009 he actually contributed 11.8 runs above what a replacement level player would have according to fangraphs.com. The complete detoriation of his defense though erased the positive impact of his improved bat. In 2008 he spent time at all three outfield spots and played well in all of them. However, last year he played center exclusively and posted a -18.6 UZR out there.

To tell you the truth, Ellsbury probably belongs in a corner outfield spot. Especially with Mike Cameron on the team and I have to think that he'll eventually be moved. However, he's played a strong centerfield in the past and clearly has the pure speed to handle it. The Ellsbury/Cameron dynamic will be an interesting storyline to follow this year, especially if his defense doesn't improve.

Advantage- Yankees- With the Yankees and the Red Sox the rivalries can extend down to individual players when they both become fixtures at their position. Think of Jeter and Nomar or Posada and Varitek. We may have another one of these developing in centerfield. Both Granderson and Ellsbury look like long-term answers for their respective teams. Granderson is much more proven though and his power truly dwarfs Ellsbury's. With that short porch in right, I could see the new Yankee centerfielder hitting over 30 homers on a regular basis. Thrown in the solid defense he should provide and you have a pretty potent weapon batting behind A-Rod and Texeira in the #5 hole.

Melky Avoids Arbitration With Braves

From Enrique Rojas:

Atlanta Braves outfielder Melky Cabrera avoided salary arbitration and accepted a one year offer worth $3.1 million from the club, sources familiar with the situation told ESPNdeportes.com.

He made $1.4 million last year so this is a nice little raise. Good for Melky.

Javy's Back, Now What? UPDATED

Updates (5:45 PM): From the Ledger, via Twitter:

Cashman: "Left field is an evolving situation. Stay tuned." But he says it won't be a big piece.

Also, regarding the starting LF's spot as of now:

Cashman: "Brett Gardner is now in a position to be an every day player for us."

Is Johnny Damon considered a big piece? I know that Bay and Holliday are, and I am not set with Gardner starting everyday. How about you?
BTW, it's also said that Granderson is the CF as of now, but that could very well change at anytime.

Original post: This trade has split Yankee fans seemingly down the middle, on whether or not it's a good trade. I, personally, like the trade. Sure, I'll miss Melky, and Javy's a guy who everyone remembers for that one disastrous game, but I like it. Now, there's a hole in left field that I'd rather not be filled by Brett Gardner. I would LOVE it if the Yanks brought back Johnny Damon. One of my favorite Yankees, there's now an opening for him. There's also Mark DeRosa, and the usual names (the more expensive ones)- Jason Bay and Matt Holliday. I hope they just sign Damon, maybe add a bullpen arm or two, and call it a winter. What do you guys think?

Yanks Send Melky, Dunn, To Atlanta For Vazquez And Logan

So much for Melky Cabrera being the starting left fielder. According to Sam Borden, the Yankees and the Braves have agreed to a trade that will send Melky, Mike Dunn, and righty Arodys Vizcaino to the Braves in exchange for starter Javier Vazquez and lefty Boone Logan.

Vazquez would become the Yankees #4 starter, although he may be in front of Andy Pettitte come Opening Day. He went 15-10 with a 2.87 ERA and 238 strikeouts for the Braves last year, and finished 4th in the AL Cy Young voting. He also posted a WHIP of 1.03 and threw 219.1 innings.

Many fans remember him for his ugly performance in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS in which the Red Sox clobbered him, but he's a very good pitcher and is a great acquisition for the Yanks. I think he'll do great in the rotation for the Bombers, and may be able to redeem himself if he can have a solid season and get the Yankees back-to-back championships.

Logan on the other hand, hasn't been a great pitcher in the first couple years of his young career. The 25-year old lefty posted a 5.19 ERA in 20 games for the Braves this past season, and has a career ERA of 5.78. Maybe a scenery change will help him, but to me, getting Logan doesn't make total sense to me.

But, what do you think of this move? I love it. And now, this may also mean the Yankees can still bring back Johnny Damon, now that left field has opened up. Great move, great move Yanks.

Cubs Might Be Interested In Melky or Gardner

From Ken Rosenthal:

Chicago GM Jim Hendry may also consider trades. One of the Yankees’ young outfielders — Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner — could become available this offseason, depending upon how their roster evolves.

As of now I see no reason to trade either, but if the Yankees do sign another outfielder than someone will have to go. But I don't see this happening mainly because I don't think the Yankees are going to add another bat.

Arbitration Decisions Coming For Yanks

Chien-Ming Wang, Melky Cabrera, Brian Bruney, Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre are all eligible for arbitration. The Yankees have to make any offer by December 12th.

Melky will get an offer, I'd like to see the same thing happen with Bruney and Gaudin. It makes sense to bring them both back. I wouldn't expect Wang or Mitre to get an offer. Mark Feinsand points out that "The consensus seems to be that the Yankees will non-tender Wang, then try to re-sign him to a smaller deal with some incentives." He doesn't think this will happen because he thinks other teams will make Wang a better offer, which is certainly possible.

For the full list of all 210 eligible players click here.

Melky May Have Torn His Hamstring

According to Sam Borden, Melky Cabrera may have suffered a full left hamstring tear last night and could be done for the remainder of the World Series. Brian Cashman told him that the Yankees doctors will evaluate Melky in the next few hours

If he is in fact done for the series, "the Yankees are allowed to petition for a roster change." Cashman also said that the player that would replace Melky would be one of the guys who is currently with the team so I'm guessing they'll add either Freddy Guzman or Francisco Cervelli.

More updates to come.

Swisher's Situation

We all know the ugliness of Nick Swisher's postseason so far. It's one marred by bad swings, bad outs and a lot of frustration. When the Yankees acquired Swisher last winter, which was a steal of a trade and if you forgot all we gave up was Wilson Betemit, it wasn't expected he'd be an everyday player. Then Xavier Nady went down early and for the year and Swish was the one who answered the call. Swisher in the regular season batted .249/.371/.498/.869 with 29 homers and 82 rbi's. But so far this postseason Swisher has been the invisible man. In this ALCS he's 2-for-17 and he's left 16 out on the pond to be wasted. Swisher has also let his patience go to waste, he's only walked 3 times as he's struck-out 10 times this postseason.

After growing frustrated, I, like many of you who attend the chat's said, "Swisher needs a day off." But who would play in his place? The general consensus was Brett Gardner, or at least thats who the fan wants.

Marc Craig from the Star Ledger had a little light to shed on the whole thing.

.....................................................................................

Here's a passage from the article,

In Game 2 of the American League Championship Series, Swisher went 1-for-2 with a run scored off Saunders. Lifetime, Swisher 5-for-21 (.238) with a home run off Saunders. He also has four walks and three strikeouts against the pitcher.

- If he had made a switch, Girardi said he would have opted to go with Jerry Hairston Jr. But Hairston has only 12 plate appearances since Sept. 23, when he left a game at Anaheim with a wrist injury. He missed six days before returning.

"It's hard to expect a lot from a guy like that," Girardi said.
He has two at-bats in the postseason, including a pinch-hit single in the 13th inning of Game 2. He later scored the winning run.

You can read the whole article here.

I find it interesting that Hairston Jr would still get the start over Gardner even with the speedy Guzman off the bench. I don't know if I like Hairston Jr in the line-up, or the outfield this postseason, to me Gardner should get the start. He covers a lot of ground, would allow you to stick Melky in RF, who has the best arm out of the 3 and if he gets the start, it might help open up his run game since he gets a better, longer look at the pitcher.

Last night though Swish was on the card and it's expected he will be again tonight.

One Roster Move To Make

With the Yankees facing the Angels in the ALCS, the question of rosters changes becomes an important one. Here's the change I'd make: I'd take Damaso Marte off the roster. Not only did he prove to be useless, but the Angels lineup is full of right-handed hitters so there is really no need for two lefties in the bullpen.

I would then add Freddy Guzman to the roster in his place. This not only gives Joe Girardi another running threat off the bench if he still wants to start Melky Cabrera. Or, he now can start Brett Gardner in center since Melky was invisible in the ALDS (2-for-12 with 5 K's), and still have the speed he wants coming off the bench. This gives Girardi more options offensively and against a team like the Angels he could use it.

Yanks Looked at Penny and Cameron (Again)

From Ken Rosenthal (hat-tip to River Ave. Blues):

The Yankees talked with the Brewers about trading for center fielder Mike Cameron before the Aug. 31 deadline for setting postseason rosters, but the teams did not get close to a deal, major-league sources say.

Cameron has long been a Yankees' favorite, but the club did not want to take on the rest of his $10 million salary, which would have amounted to more than $1.5 million.

The Yankees also did not view Cameron, a right-handed hitter, as a dramatic upgrade over Melky Cabrera, a switch-hitter who has shown significant improvement against left-handed pitching this season.

Cameron, 36, has an .814 on-base plus slugging percentage overall, an .871 OPS against left-handers. Cabrera, 25, has a .755 mark overall and a .795 mark against lefties. The Yankees were reluctant to reduce his playing time.

Penny: No thanks, Yanks

The Yankees also had serious interest in right-hander Brad Penny, and recruited him with calls from manager Joe Girardi, outfielder Johnny Damon and Penny's former teammate in Florida, right-hander A.J. Burnett.

But Penny, who is headed toward free agency, preferred the National League and San Francisco's spacious AT&T Park over the new Yankee Stadium.

He made his Giants debut in Philadelphia on Wednesday night, pitching eight scoreless innings against the top-scoring team in the NL. However, he struck out only two, indicating that he was lucky as well as good.

Adding pitching depth is never a bad thing, but in the end I'm glad they stayed away Penny. Like John Smoltz, he couldn't handle the AL East, and the last thing the Yankees need is a guy who is afraid of his home ballpark.

Regarding Cameron, since his hot start back in April, he's hitting .243/.343/.417 over his last 103 games. Over that same amount of time Melky is hitting .269/.326/.407. For the amount of money Cameron makes it's not worth it for that little of an upgrade offensively. On the defensive side Cameron has been much better than Melky this year, but still, like the Yankees I don't feel it would have been a "dramatic upgrade" either.

Would either of these deals made the Yankees that much better?

I don't think so. Plus, they've done pretty damn well with what they have right now.

Gardner Could Be Back in a Week

According to Brian Costello, Yankees centerfielder Brett Gardner swung the bat for the first time yesterday since going on the DL and hopes to return to the Yankees in a week. A lot depends on how he feels today. If he isn't sore the Yankees will start to increase his workload. They also plan on sending him down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for a few games.

"I think he needs to get some at-bats if it's possible," Joe Girardi said. "How many at-bats he needs I can't tell you. I think a lot of it depends on how these first few days go, if he gets sore. He's going to be evaluated by our doctor tonight [we'll] see how he feels tomorrow and if he feels better he can do a little bit more tomorrow."

The Yanks could sure use him. Melky Cabrera is hitting just .198/.239/.326 this month and looks like he could really use a few days off.

Uh oh! Johan Has Elbow Soreness - Updated

Update: he news may be even worse for the Mets. First there's this from SI.com:

Santana's setback is particularly alarming for the fourth-place Mets, who are counting on the two-time Cy Young Award winner to lead their rotation for years to come.

"He has not been throwing between starts for quite awhile," New York manager Jerry Manuel said Monday after his team's 6-2 loss to Philadelphia. "I would say since before the All-Star break. He has been pitching with this problem, but not with the level of discomfort he has now. ... Now, it concerns him."

So, the guy who replaced Willie Randolph sent Johan Santana, the Mets ace for the next six years, to the mound knowing he was injured in a season that has been long over for the Mets. Good job Jerry.

It also appears that the lefty may be headed for surgery:

Mets players said Monday they expect Johan Santana will require surgery on his left elbow to repair whatever malady has prompted the club to scratch the pitcher from his scheduled start against the Marlins in Miami on Tuesday. Instead of making his 26th start, Santana is to have his elbow examined by Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek. And, if his teammates' sense of the situation is right, his next start likely will be next season.

The Mets offered minimal information, i.e., no specific diagnosis or theories, about the problem that manager Jerry Manuel said began to develop before the All-Star break. But Mike Pelfrey, Santana's fellow starter, said, "I don't think anyone expects good news." And Jeff Francouer said he anticipates Santana will require surgery after speaking with the pitcher in the clubhouse Monday.

Other players said Santana seems resigned to surgery.

At one point, Francoeur -- he, too, is injured now -- said Santana "can get it looked at now and be two months ahead by Spring Training," an indication of a possible need for surgery in the immediate future rather than after the season. Later he acknowledged his conversation with the pitcher and the likelihood of surgery.

Oh, and then there's this:

And indication of the pain Santana has endured is that he opted not to make the start. Some 11 months ago, he pitched a three-hit shutout in a must game for the Mets on a left knee that required surgery immediately after the season. Teammates said Monday that the knee has been an issue at times this season, but that the elbow was a far more significant problem.

So their ace has knee and elbow problems, wow, what a mess. (hat-tip to NoMaas.org for the links)

I took a lot of flak from fans, readers, and friends, for being against the Johan Santana trade back in the winter of 2007. In the time since then the non-move hasn't looked so bad. Sure, they missed the postseason last year - might have made it with Johan - but they were able to sign CC Sabathia, keep Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, and Melky Cabrera, two of which have been huge contributors to the Yankees success this year. Oh, and if you think they could have gotten both Johan and CC, well, that wasn't going to happen.

Also, Johan's fastball is dropping, especially this season as this chart from Fangraphs.com shows:

And his numbers in the NL East this season are 13-9, with a 3.13 ERA, which are good numbers but what would they be in the far superior AL East?

Also, his K/9 has dropped from 9.66 in 2007, to 7.91 last year, and this year its down to 7.88. His BB/9 have gone up from 1.81 in '06 to 2.14 in '07. Surprsingly that's also gone up in the NL with a 2.42 BB/9 last year, and a 2.48 this year. Want more bad numbers? Well, here you go. Opponents hit .229 against him in '07, in '08 that went up to .238, and this year it's at .249. And his WHIP has gone up in each of the past five seasons in a row.

Besides all that we get this tweet from Bart Hubbuch about Johan's sore elbow (hat-tip to Mike Silva):

Unbelievable: Johan Santana's start Tuesday has been scratched due to elbow soreness. He is getting examined.

Anyone else still upset that Brian Cashman didn't make the trade? I know I'm not and never was.

Melky Cabrera's Future

I started this post a long time ago and scrapped it but I think its time to revisit it.

Melky Cabrera's comeback year has been no secret. He's come back from a season where most onlookers, detractors and fans of his alike, left him for dead to have the best year of his short career. He's stepped in for Brett Gardner well and the Yankees have not missed a beat. His line of .275/.337/.437 is not going to blow anybody away. However, considering the circumstances it presents a very interesting situation.

First of all, Melky is only a few days past his 25th birthday. Although he is already a veteran and it seems like he's been around forever, he is probably just beginning to approach his ceiling. He has reversed a three year trend of declining offensive numbers and is playing the best defense of his career, saving the team a few extra runs out in centerfield. Besides that, their is the added bonus of his penchant for getting the big hit late in the game. He has been nothing if not clutch. With some hard work over the winter, Melky has put himself back into the picture for the Yankees. Nobody thinks he's going to be a superstar but theirs some value in a 25 year old centerfielder with a .335 wOBA who can also handle the field pretty well.

The problem for Melky is that their is a bit of a logjam in centerfield. While he was healthy, Brett Gardner was doing a fantastic job for the Yanks and probably outplaying the "Melk-man." Despite being as devoid of power as we expected, Gardner has gotten on base at a decent clip and then he has the ability to really do some damage. Besides that, he is playing the best centerfield we've seen in the Bronx since the golden days of Bernie Williams. Austin Jackson also is making his way into the major leagues. Projections for him to start 2010 with the major league club appear to have been a little optimistic but he figures to be a part of their future plans.

None of these three guys really have the bats to play in left or right field, which will always be stocked with big power hitters. Sure the balance of Gardner and Melky is working for now but at some point, hopefully, A-Jax is going to be ready and that complicates matters. Melky is starting to get to the point where he's making some serious money through arbitration, as well. With Ramiro Pena learning the outfield, it seems like the Yankees are preparing to be rid of Melky. These next two months or so, could be pivotal in deciding whether Melky really is a part of the Yankees future plans or not.

Who should the Yanks call up to replace Gardner?

With Brett Gardner sidelined for the next three weeks or so with a broken left thumb the Yankees find themselves in a pretty tough situation.

Right now the Yankees have five guys who can play the outfield; Johnny Damon, Nick Swisher, Brett Gardner, Eric Hinske, and Cody Ransom. But only one of those players is good enough defensive to play center regularly and that's Melky Cabrera. Now, I'm not so sure I want to see Melky in center every day, but as of right now he's going to have to because those other guys are just not good enough to play center, even if it's only one or two days a week.

To me this makes the idea of calling up Austin Jackson much more reasonable than it was when the Yanks had both Gardner and Melky on the roster. I see little problems with calling him up for three weeks, playing him everyday, and then sending him back down. As Chad Jennings pointed out today, the Yanks could still send Jackson back back to Triple-A and recall him on September 1 without burning an option.

In 92 games for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre AJax is hitting .311/.375/.429 with 4 HR, 19 doubles, 5 triples, 38 RBI, and 17 stolen bases in 19 chances. But lately he's been in one of his worst slumps of the season, going .167/.244/.194 over the past two weeks. Then again, Francisco Cervelli was hitting .190 in Double-A before coming to the Bronx out of necessity, and things worked out pretty well for him.

A few months ago when people first brought up the idea of calling up Jackson, I wanted nothing to do with the idea. Giving Jackson an early call-up at that point didn't seem like the smartest move. He was new to Triple-A, and the Yanks didn't necessarily need another center fielder. I wanted them to leave him in Triple-A all year and then call him up in September and then was hoping he'd make the team out of spring training next year. But situations have come up that have change my feelings. As long as he plays almost everyday, I don't see how three weeks of AJax in the pros now would be a bad thing. If he struggles you send him back down, if he does a decent job you keep him until Garnder comes back, and if he plays great, well, that's a problem I'm sure the Yankees would love to have.

There are other options, though. Shelley Duncan and John Rodriguez are having very good years down in Scranton, but do the Yanks really need another corner outfielder? If I was running the show I'd want someone who could play center and play it well.

Ramiro Pena has been playing some games in center field since being sent down, and though I think it's pretty unlikely, he could be another option. I asked Chad Jennings how Pena has looked in the outfield so far and here was his response:

I believe I've seen him play center twice and he looks good. He's terrific side to side and looked good the one time I remember him charging a ball. Not sure about going back on flyballs. Don't remember him having to do it. His throws have been ok. Clearly still figuring out that part of it. He can certainly play the position. He's looked better than I expected.

So far so good for Pena in the outfield, but I just don't think he's had enough experience yet.

Besides that, they could always make a trade, but right now I have no idea what the market looks like for centerfielders. And do the Yankees really want to trade for someone they might only need for three weeks? I don't think so.

Who do you think should replace Gardner?

Time to Trade Melky?

Melky Cabrera has surprised everybody by bouncing back from a terrible '08 campaign. However, he has completely collapsed since May and April and clearly isn't as good an option as Brett Gardner in center field. Melky's seasons stats still look pretty good but they're getting worse by the day and the Yankees have some better options available. Really since he established himself in the major leagues, he's been in one trade rumor after another. For whatever reason though, the time has never been right

After his first two years in the majors, some crazies (like me and Baseball Prospectus) thought he had the potential to breakout soon and transform from a fringe starter into a mainstay in centerfield for years to come. Then after 2008 he had pretty much no value after suffering a demotion to the minors and major steps backwards. However, with Melky's solid first half of 2009 he may have recouped some value.

I'm not expecting the world for Melky but I have to think that some teams would be interested in him. He's an average player who's game has improved across the board this year. His EQA of .271 matches his career high and he seems to be playing the field as well as ever. He's still only 24 and conventional wisdom states he's about to hit his peak years. The Indians (Ben Fransisco) and Reds (Wily Taveras) are both competitive teams that have to be searching for an answer in centerfield. Its difficult to imagine a situation where Melky could have a significant future in New York. He's been passed over by Brett Gardner and the spectre of Austin Jackson is looming in AAA. Even Ramiro Pena is starting to learn centerfield and could take away any usefulness Melky would have on the bench.

What could they realistically get from Cleveland or Cincinnati? I really don't know, I'm terrible at judging a player's worth but they could package Melky in a deal for Aaron Harang or Cliff Lee if they end up needing another pitcher. If everything works out in the rotation until July 31st then they could probably get a solid "B" level prospect for him instead. If they traded Melky, they could just bring up Ramiro Pena to take over his role without blinking an eye. I think its time to trade Melky.

Second Half Issue: Five Outfielders

One of the problems (I'll get into the others throughout the break) facing the Yankees, and mainly Joe Girardi in the second half is that they now have five outfielders fighting for playing time, Johnny Damon, Nick Swisher, Melky Cabrera, Brett Gardner, and Eric Hinske.

Yesterday, Girardi explained his plans:

Joe Girardi benched Johnny Damon and Nick Swisher yesterday and announced plans to use all five of the team's outfielders after the All-Star break.

"As I told all the outfielders today, we have five guys who are playing pretty good," the manager said before a 5-4 loss against the Angels. "Everyone's going to play. It's all about winning ballgames. We know everyone wants 600 at-bats, but it's probably not going to happen."

Regarding newcomer Eric Hinske Girardi had this to say:

"There are certain guys we're going to play him against," Girardi said.

Like I said all offseason having too much depth anywhere on the team is a problem I hope the Yankees continue to have.

All around the Yanks have been getting surprising good production from their outfielders. Much more than I think anyone expected coming into the year. Swisher has been solid, and a lot better than the hitter he was in Chicago last year. Melky and Gardner have both had a good first halves, and combined they've put up some very nice numbers as the Yankees center fielder, and in left Damon is having very good offensive year, and is tied for second on the team with 50 RBI and is third in homers with 16.

On the other side of the ball, everyone but Damon has been pretty good. Damon is having one of the worst defensive years of his career, and at times looks like a bad little leaguer. You know, like the kid you try really hard not to laugh at when a fly ball smashes him in the face. Swisher looks like a fool too sometimes, but he's actually been surprisingly efficient. I haven't seen enough of Hinske to come to any conclusion, but he looks like a decent corner outfielder so far. Brett Gardner has been great in center, and Melky has been just about average.

Girardi's plan is to play everyone and while making sure everyone is rested, which is no easy task in this gam but with five guys it's very doable. But if you were Girardi who would you give the bulk of the playing time to?

Melky Expected Back Tonight

According to George King of the New York Post the Yankees expect Melky Cabrera back in the lineup tonight against Cleveland. Besides the fact that he's played well defensively and leads the team in hitting, it's also good to get him back so that they can give Nick Swisher and Johnny Damon a day or two off. Swisher hit .150 in May by going 12-for-80, although he has hit safely in five of his last six games. And Damon has a bruise and cut on his thigh from slamming into the wall in Texas.

I'm guessing that with a lefty on the mound tonight for the Indians Damon will sit.

Posada's Headed To Cleveland

UPDATED 7:41 p.m.: Marc Carig just spoke with Brian Cashman and Cash told him that Melky will be available to come off the bench in Cleveland.

According to this report from the AP, Jorge Posada played six innings in an extended spring training game today. He then told the media he was scheduled to head to Cleveland to rejoin the Yankees (But it won't be at the Ritz Carlton.).

"The hamstring is feeling good," Posada said. "I'm happy with everything. The most important thing was just running, seeing some pitches and getting the timing down."

Posada made two strong throws to second on stolen bases attempts, recording one out and being denied a second when the second baseman dropped the ball.

Xavier Nady, out with a right elbow injury, was the designated hitter and had two hits in five at-bats. He hit an opposite-field homer to right, singled and also walked.

Nady is scheduled to resume throwing Monday.

Backup catcher Jose Molina (strained left quadriceps) worked out at the Yankees' minor league complex in Tampa, but hasn't started playing in extended spring training games.

Peter Abraham also is reporting that Cashman confirmed that Posada will be activated tomorrow. Cashman also told Abraham that Melky Cabrera showed improvement today.