Jays Fans Have Interesting Signs

Soriano to begin rehab on Tuesday

As per Chad Jennings of the LoHud Yankees Blog:

Rafael Soriano came through today’s live batting practice with no problems, and Joe Girardi said the plan is for him to make a rehab appearance on Tuesday in Tampa.

“It went well, and I think we expect him to pitch in a game on Tuesday,” Girardi said. “I can’t tell you how he’s going to feel tomorrow, but I think we expect him to pitch in a game tomorrow and I think it’s in Tampa.”

Soriano threw either 25 or 26 pitches today — Girardi wasn’t sure which — and the Yankees would like him to pitch in back-to-back games before activating him from the disabled list.

If Soriano can return and pitch like the bullpen ace the Yankees thought they were signing, the staff will look quite strong. This will allow Girardi to either shorten games to six innings (which seems likely, as he stubbornly sticks to inning roles) or, much more desirably, to utilize Robertson as a true fireman. In essence, Robertson would come in whenever a high-leverage situation called for a reliever - be it in the second inning or the seventh.

Here's hoping the rehab stint goes swimmingly.

Game 91: Yankees @ Blue Jays

YANKEES (53-37)
Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson DH
Mark Teixeira 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Andruw Jones LF
Brett Gardner CF
Eduardo Nunez 3B
Francisco Cervelli C

Pitching: LHP CC Sabathia (13-4, 2.72 ERA)

BLUE JAYS (47-47)
Rajai Davis CF
Eric Thames RF
Yunel Escobar SS
Adam Lind 1B
Edwin Encarnacion DH
Aaron Hill 2B
Travis Snider LF
J.P. Arencibia C
Jason Mcdonald 3B

Pitching: LHP Ricky Romero (7-8, 3.09 ERA)

Game 90: Yankees @ Blue Jays

YANKEES (53-36)
Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Jorge Posada DH
Russell Martin C
Brett Gardner LF
Eduardo Nunez 3B

Pitching: RHP Freddy Garcia (7-6, 3.13 ERA)

BLUE JAYS (46-47)
Rajai Davis CF
Eric Thames DH
Yunel Escobar SS
Adam Lind 1B
Aaron Hill 2B
Travis Snider LF
Edwin Encarnacion 3B
Corey Patterson RF
Jose Molina C

Pitching: RHP Brandon Morrow (5-4, 4.60 ERA)

Could Ubaldo Jimenez be in the cards?

As per George King III of the New York Post:

The Yankees were one of 17 teams in Denver on Thursday night to watch Ubaldo Jimenez pitch.

According to several talent evaluators, they have a better than average chance to acquire the 27-year-old because they have the top-shelf prospects the Rockies are looking for.

In mid-June the Rockies started getting calls on Jimenez and were told they weren’t actively shopping him, but if teams were willing to talk about moving their best prospects the Rockies would listen.

At 44-48 and 8 ½ games behind the NL West-leading Giants, the Rockies are very close to being sellers in a sellers' market as the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaches.

According to a person familiar with the Rockies’ mindset, they believe Jimenez has pouted this year because Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez received contract extensions and he didn’t.

“They are annoyed at him,’’ the source said of Jimenez, who is 5-8 with a 4.08 ERA but pitching better lately after starting the season 0-5.

The Rockies recently scouted the Yankees’ Triple-A and Double-A teams and like Jesus Montero but not with the idea of using him at catcher. Instead, they view him as a first baseman. They also are high on pitchers Manuel Banuelos and Dellin Betances.

However, the party line other organizations have heard coming from The Bronx is that those three are untouchable.

[snip]


He is making $2.8 million this year and $4.2 million next season. There is a club option for $5.75 million with a $1 million buyout for 2013 and a club option for $8 million and a $1 million buyout for 2014. The second option is only good if the 2013 option is exercised and may be voided if Jimenez is traded.

Jimenez is certainly the most tantalizing name being bandied about as the deadline approaches, at least in so far as the Yankees are concerned. He's young, he's cheap, and his stuff is among the very best in all of baseball. His struggles have been well-documented this season, but it is worth noting that he's maintained well above-average strikeout and groundball rates while simultaneously posting a FIP 17% better than league-average. On the whole, Jimenez's 2011 has left a bit to be desired ... but he's the sort of game-changer that I believe could be the difference between a first-round exit and a World Series Championship.

Given Jimenez's age and team-friendly contract, the Rockies can and will seek a king's ransom for their ace. The question then becomes whether the Yankees should be willing to part with one or more of their top prospects in what amounts to something of a roll of the dice. In my mind, the answer is fairly simple - yes. I would be willing to part with Betances, and I could be swayed with both Montero (who appears to be persona non grata with the Yankees) and Banuelos. I'd be incredibly hesitant to deal more than one, however. As it stands, I'd be open to something like Betances, Noesi, Romine, and Joseph.

Thoughts?

Keith Law's Midseason Top-50 Prospects

With the official halfway point of both Major League and Minor League Baseball having passed, ESPN prospect guru Keith Law revisited his pre-season top-hundred. His criteria for the revised rankings are as follows:

This list doesn't include players who've graduated to the majors (Mike Trout, Domonic Brown, Jeremy Hellickson, etc.), who have exhausted or are on pace to exhaust their rookie eligibility for 2012, and there are no 2011 draftees on this list because the draftees who might be good enough to make the list haven't signed yet.

As always, I emphasize upside and favor players with the potential to be stars at their positions or to pitch at the top of a rotation.

The following Yankees made the cut:

18. Manny Banuelos

He struggled with his command early after looking so good in the fall and spring. He has four walks against 24 strikeouts in his past four outings (19 2/3 IP), and that's a positive sign. Preseason Ranking: 12

21. Jesus Montero

His bat still hasn't really come around, although I have to believe the power and patience are all still in there. For a guy who projects as a first baseman or DH, though, .289/.346/.418 isn't an inspiring offensive performance given his history. Preseason Ranking: 4

34. Dellin Betances

Betances is a physical monster who doesn't repeat his delivery well because he's not that athletic but is missing bats this year on raw stuff. Preseason Ranking: 73

To be perfectly blunt, it's incredibly difficult to disagree with any of Law's observations - particularly with Montero. His performance has been very disheartening thus far, and the flashes of brilliance that we've grown accustomed to have been few and far between. Buster Olney suggested that Montero may feel somewhat unchallenged at Triple-A, but I'd much rather see a top prospect obliterate the competition than sulk their way through a season.

Despite his tumble in the rankings, I am pleased with Law's take on Banuelos - particularly as he seems to expect him to continue to improve. Betances' lack of athleticism is a bit disconcerting, but his mound presence and raw stuff could very well be enough for him to succeed (and most seem to agree with this stance).

Colon Concerned About Hamstring

In case you missed it, Bartolo Colon got hammered last night. He lasted just 2/3 of a inning while surrendering 8 runs (3 earned) on 6 hits, as the Yanks fell to the Jays 16-7. Apparently, he's also still concerned about his hamstring. Here's more from George A. King III:

There is something barking in Bartolo Colon’s left hamstring.

Now, the Yankees have to find out how serious it is.

“I will wait till [today] and see how I feel, but right now I am feeling really good,” Colon said in the aftermath of the Blue Jays shelling the Yankees, 16-7, in front of 37,342 at Rogers Centre.

Still, Colon admitted to being tentative with the leg that landed him on the disabled list last month.

“There is no pain at all, but every time I react and cover the base I get nervous about it,” said Colon, who couldn’t field two infield dribblers in the first that drove in runs. “I think my sinker isn’t sinking because I am thinking too much.”

...

“I was unsure,” Colon, 38, said of his mindset on the way to first base. “It’s no excuse, I didn’t pitch good at all.”

I read that and to me it sounds like this is all mental, or he's just afraid to admit he's still in pain. Either way, the Yankees need to get to the bottom of it as soon as they can.

Jeter Discusses All-Star Game Criticism

From MLB.com:

"I understand disappointment," Jeter said. "I was disappointed; I told [the media] I was disappointed when I made the decision. It wasn't an easy decision, but I felt it was a decision that was best for our team for the second half of the season. I understand the disappointment, but I was just surprised by the coverage of it, especially considering that it wasn't a story until Tuesday."

...

Among those was the Mets' Carlos Beltran, who said, "I don't know if his calf's still bothering him or not. Jose [Reyes] is on the DL, [but] Jose decided to come. I do believe that as a ballplayer, if you have no injuries, you should be here, because the fans are the ones who vote for you, who want to see you here. But if those players have injuries, sometimes they prefer to get the rest and take treatments, and try to get better for the season."

Jeter responded by saying, "If I went out there, I was going to play. If I went out there, that was the plan, to play."

And when told about the comments made by Beltran and the Cardinals' Lance Berkman, who made a similar statement, he said, "I'm happy they had good first halves. Congratulations to them for making the All-Star Game. I've never commented on people unless I know all the facts. I guess that's the best way to put it."

...

"Last I checked," he said, "the head baseball official had no problem with it."

...

"I do," he said. "It's just interesting, because when I got hurt, everybody's talking about how difficult an injury it is and [how] it takes until the offseason and it's serious, and you don't want to come back too soon. And then I decided to take some days to help out, and it turned into this. Yeah, the days help."

It's also mentioned in the article that Jeter dismissed the FOX report that he missed the game because of "emotional and physical exhaustion."