The Stirring Straw

Hafner Ties it, Wells wins it in the 10th for the Yankees

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Tue, 21 May 2013 02:48:00 +0000

After a solo homerun by Travis Hafner extended the game in the ninth inning, the New York Yankees needed just one more inning to take the first game of the series against the Baltimore Orioles by a final score of 6-4.

Back-to-back doubles by Ichiro and Vernon Wells to lead off the inning gave New York the lead in the 10th inning. Hafner's heroics would continue in that inning as well as he added the Yankees' insurance run.

Earlier in the night, solo homeruns by Robinson Cano, David Adams and Lyle Overbay provided the Yankees' offense off Freddy Garcia and the O's bullpen. Adam's homerun was the first of his career.

Unsung hero of the game?

CC Sabathia started the game for New York and could not make it out of the seventh inning as he left with the Orioles leading 4-3. It was the left-handed hitters in the lineup that capitalized on the mistakes by taking him opposite field. He allowed 11 hits in 7.1 innings.

One of the more impressive performances to go under the radar is that of Shawn Kelley out of the bullpen. He did not allow a run and struck out three batters in his inning of work. He was called on to get out of Sabathia's jam with a runner on second base and just one out. His season numbers now have him at 32 strikeouts in just 18 innings of work. As David Pauley pointed out on Twitter, that's the highest K/9 among relievers in 15.58. He also leads the Major Leagues with 16 K/9 innings.

David Robertson got credit for the win with his scoreless ninth inning. Mariano Rivera remains perfect after recording his 17th save in 17 opportunities this season. It was also his 625th of his career.

The Yankees look to add to their divisional lead on the Orioles tomorrow by sending Phil Hughes to the mound.

Scott Proctor Retires

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:03:00 +0000

Scott Proctor's MLB Career 2004 - 2013

Former New York Yankees reliever Scott Proctor has decided to retire from baseball after pitching in 307 career games. He was most recently a member of the Baltimore Orioles after being traded by the San Francisco Giants in late March. He was released by Baltimore on April 27.

Proctor spent the 2012 season pitching in Korea with the Doosan Bears. He was invited to Spring Training with the Giants, where he used the opportunity to pitch in 13 innings. There was even a point in which he offered to pitch as a starting pitcher for them.

He was acquired by New York along with Bubba Crosby in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for Robin Ventura on July 31st, 2003. He would be assigned to Triple-A Columbus after the trade deadline and recalled by the Yankees on April 20, 2004.

Proctor was relied on by Joe Torre, the Yankees manager at the time, as one of the more durable pitchers in the bullpen. In 2006, he led the American League with 83 appearances and pitched in 102.1 innings while posting a 3.52 ERA. He collected his first career save that same season, which would be the only one of his career.

While Torre's use of him was pointed as a reason to his demise, Proctor told the San Francisco Chronicle he was a recovering alcoholic and that was the main reason for his downfall. Mariano Rivera was one of his teammates that helped him get help.

In honor of his retirement, let us all gather our own set of disposable belongings and make a bonfire in remembrance of the great career that was Scott Proctor's.
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"I'm just throwing like [junk]. I can't expect to throw the ball over the middle and expect to get an out of it."

- Scott Proctor 6/30/07

Yankees Acquire Reid Brignac from Colorado

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:05:00 +0000

Brignac is a utility infielder.

According to a report from Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the New York Yankees have acquired infielder Reid Brignac from the Colorado Rockies. Brignac, a utility infielder, was designated for assignment by the Rockies earlier in the week.

Heyman later reported that the Yankees will send Colorado $75,000 in exchange for Brignac.

Brignac has been in the majors for six seasons, five of which in Tampa Bay. In his first season in Colorado, he hit .250 with a .294 OBP, with one home run and six RBI.

Brignac's best quality is that he is a guy who can play almost everywhere on the diamond. He primarily plays at second base or shortstop, but has also played in left field, right field and third base. With so many injuries on New York's roster, Brignac could be used in numerous situations to give somebody a rest.

Brignac is the second player the Yankees have acquired from the Rockies this season, the first being Chris Nelson.

Injury Updates: Pettitte headed to the DL; Nuno Called Up

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:10:00 +0000

UPDATE: Andy Pettitte will head to the 15-day disabled list after his back continued to spasm during his start on Thursday night against the Seattle Mariners. Vidal Nuno will be called-up to replace him in the rotation.

The New York Yankees are in the process of receiving some of their injured stars back in the coming weeks. Yet, that won't stop the injury bug from biting the team.

Each day this week, manager Joe Girardi has hinted at the return of Travis Hafner. He did not pinch hit in the series against the Mariners, but if he does well before tonight's game the designated hitter would be available to pinch hit. (Via Joel Sherman of the New York Post)

Starting pitcher Andy Pettitte's status for his next start is yet to be determined. There will not be a trip to the disabled list for the southpaw.

The Yankees' catching depth is already dwindling with Francisco Cervelli on the 60-day disabled list and Christ Stewart's availability is day-to-day with a groin injury. Girardi plans on using him in emergency cases for the next few days. An MRI returned clean.

Infielder Alberto Gonzalez, who also pitched on Tuesday night, would assume the third string catcher's role. Bobby Wilson is at Triple-A, but not on the 40-man roster. He is hitting .174 for the Scranton Railriders.

17 years after first save, Rivera's dominance continues

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:44:00 +0000

John Wettland was unavailable for the final two outs of the New York Yankees' game against the Anaheim Angels on May 17, 1996 after getting hit by a ball in batting practice. All it would take would be his signature cutter to get a ground-out by Garret Anderson to second base to complete a double play and lock up Mariano Rivera's first career save.

Fast forward 17 years and we find ourselves marveling every time Rivera warms up in the bullpen, because we know it may be among the last.

Behind the plate for the beginning of history was Joe Girardi, who now makes the call before the playing of Enter Sandman before the ninth inning.

This year, the season began with questions as to whether or not Rivera would be able to dominate or even pitch close to his caliber before the torn ACL. 16 saves in 16 opportunities later, those questions are gone.

He has not allowed a run in his last five outings and has an ERA of 1.56 on the year. FanGraphs' Drew Sheppard put together a pretty cool analysis on his ability to break bats and although no official stat is recorded, he's been tracking it in 2013. Sheppard also notes that Rivera's win probability added, which measures the difference in win expectancy between the start and end of play, leads all Major League relievers with 1.86. The only person with a better statistic is Seattle Mariners starter Felix Hernandez.

The man's job is simple to describe. Rivera enters the game and is suppose to get three outs and close out a victory. Add in pressure from the atmosphere, match-ups, injuries to the defense and things get a lot more difficult, but there is only so much that can be analyzed for a man that dominates with one pitch.

2012

2013

Velocity may be down, but it has not changed the frequency of what he throws. The horizontal and vertical movement of his pitches are still there, if you want to peruse more of his charts.

In his first nine games, before the injury in 2012, Rivera had only eight strikeouts. He's on a similar track in 2013, if we were to look at such a small sample. The strikeouts may be down a bit, but he is still getting the job done.

Whether it's slamming it with a strikeout or gently closing it with a grounder to the infield, Rivera is shutting the door somehow for the save.

That's one thing that doesn't change 17 years later.

Pettitte Leaves Early as Yankees Drop Finale With Seattle

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Fri, 17 May 2013 02:56:00 +0000

Richard Perry/The New York Times

The Seattle Mariners defeated the New York Yankees 3-2 to take the three-game set in the Bronx. Andy Pettitte, who was going for his 250th victory, left the game early due to a tight left trapezius muscle.

The Mariners got the scoring started in the second inning when doubled, scoring Kendrys Morales. David Adams answered for New York in the bottom half of the inning, scoring Curtis Granderson on a double of his own to tie the game at one.

Seattle added one more in the fourth when Brendan Ryan singled home Michael Morse, giving them a 2-1 lead. In the top of the sixth, Morse blasted a solo home run off of Shawn Kelley and gave the Mariners a 3-1 advantage. The Yankees scratched their way back with another run from a Robinson Cano RBI single.

Things got interesting in the bottom of the ninth. After Austin Romine lined out to second base, Brett Gardner hit a single to left field. Gardner stole both second and third base but could not be brought home. Jayson Nix completed an 0-for-5 day with a strikeout and Cano grounded out to seal the win for Seattle.

The bigger storyline is Pettitte, who had thrown 4 and 2/3 innings before leaving the game. He allowed two earned runs. There has been no word on his status.

Former Yankee Hector Noesi got the start for Seattle and pitched rather well, going only 4 and 1/3 with three hits and an unearned run.

The Yankees drop to 25-16 on the season. They will welcome the Toronto Blue Jays to town tomorrow.

Dellin Betances called-up

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:31:00 +0000

Dellin Betances was recently sent to the bullpen in Triple-A Scranton. His time there wouldn't last long as the New York Yankees have called him up to join their bullpen and send down Brett Marshall.

This will be Betances' second stint in the Major Leagues after making two appearances for the Yankees in 2011. He leaves Scranton with a 5.40 ERA in 28.1 innings. He has only allowed one run in his 4.1 innings of relief. He will assume a reliever role with the Yankees.

Marshall threw 108 pitches in relief of Phil Hughes last night. That's the most for a Yankees reliever since Esteban Loaiza threw 109 against the Red Sox in 2004.

Jobs Chamberlain is another reliever that could rejoin the major league roster soon.

Hughes falls flat as Yankees lose 12-2 to Mariners

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Thu, 16 May 2013 02:19:00 +0000

Ugliest start of Hughes' career? Very likely.

Phil Hughes may have put together the worst start of his career on Wednesday night as he failed to get out of the first inning and allowed seven runs in the Yankees 12-2 loss to the Mariners at Yankee Stadium.

Against one of the worst hitting teams in the American League, Hughes only threw 36 pitches and surrendered six hits. He walked two batters before even getting two outs in the inning.

The deadliest blast was a grand slam by Raul Ibanez that made it 6-0. Just months ago, Ibanez was a member of the Yankees and brought fans to their feet at Yankee Stadium with a game winning homer in Game 3 of the American League Divisional Series.

The Yankees were undefeated in games Vernon Wells hit a homerun in, but even after his solo shot in the bottom of the first inning, things were an early uphill climb to keep things undefeated.

By the ninth inning, Wells found himself playing second base as Alberto Gonzalez pitched and got Robert Andino to fly out. Chris Stewart, who provided the Yankees' second run on a homerun, was playing first base. Things got weird.

Preston Claiborne only allowed one hit in his 2.1 innings of work as he also struck out two batters. Brett Marshall's major league debut was not as smooth as he may have wanted. The 23-year-old went 5.2 innings while allowing five runs on nine hits, two of which were homeruns.

The Yankees look to get their offense clicking tomorrow night as they face Aaron Harang, who enters with a 1-4 record and 7.30 ERA. Andy Pettitte will take the hill for the home team.

David Adams Called Up

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:02:00 +0000

The New York Yankees have added David Adams to the major league roster. Chris Nelson's name has been designated for assignment to make room for the infielder.

Adams will bat sixth and play third base in his debut tonight.

Here is the Yankees lineup:

1. Brett Gardner CF

2. Robinson Cano 2B

3. Vernon Wells DH

4. Curtis Granderson LF

5. Lyle Overbay 1B

6. David Adams 3B

7. Ichiro Suzuki RF

8. Chris Stewart C

9. Alberto Gonzalez SS

Phil Hughes will take the hill for the Yankees as the starting pitcher.

Yankees lead majors with 25 wins with 4-3 victory over Mariners

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Wed, 15 May 2013 02:47:00 +0000

Upon the exit of the King, the Sandman eventually made his way into the ballgame on Tuesday night as the New York Yankees defeated the Seattle Mariners 4-3 at Yankee Stadium.

The pitching duel of CC Sabathia and Felix Hernandez went . Sabathia exited the game after surrendering 10 hits, but also had 10 strikeouts. Hernandez was pulled from the game after six innings after he looked hurt fielding a Granderson dribbler to him. Earlier in the game, he collided with Lyle Overbay on a play at first base. The end result was not pretty for the Mariners as Hernandez was credited with an error and obstruction that put Overbay on-base.

Curtis Granderson returned to the Yankees lineup for the first time all season. He opened his year by grounding into a 6-6-3 double play. He ended the night 1-for-3 with a strikeout and walk.

The offensive heroics go to Overbay and Robinson Cano. The second baseman tied the game with a two-run double in the seventh inning and Overbay gave the Yankees the lead with a sacrifice fly-out.

David Robertson pitched one inning not allowing any damage to cross the plate after getting into a jam with a runner of first and second without any outs. Mariano Rivera’s entered in the ninth inning and recorded his 16th save of the season and 624th of his career. He is on pace for 66 in 2013. Safe to assume his knee is doing fine.

The Yankees bullpen has done a remarkable job not allowing any runs in the last 24 2/3 innings.

With the win, the Yankees add to their first place lead in the American League East as they sit alone two games over the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox. Both lost on Tuesday night. Their 25 wins are the most in baseball.

Note: Joba Chamberlain pitched in the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Railriders game. He completed his inning of work in 12 pitches, nine for strikes, while facing five batters.

Travis Hafner was diagnosed with tendonitis in his shoulder, but could still be available for the Yankees on Wednesday.

Curtis Granderson may return tomorrow

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Mon, 13 May 2013 23:23:00 +0000

New York Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson could rejoin the major league roster on Tuesday. He is expected to play in one more game in Triple-A. Two nights ago, he went 2-for-5 with a homerun for the Railriders.

It is not completely certain if Granderson will return to his regular spot in centerfield as soon as he returns. Manager Joe Girardi says he could toy with the idea of having Granderson play a corner outfield spot. That was the direction Girardi was taking things before the outfielder broke his forearm in Spring Training.

Earlier in the day, the team optioned Brennan Boesch to Triple-A.

Yankees Split Doubleheader in Cleveland

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:17:00 +0000

The New York Yankees completed an eight-game road trip with a make-up doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians. The Indians won the first game, 1-0, while the Yankees took the second, 7-0.

The first game was a pitcher's duel featuring David Phelps and Justin Masterson. Phelps was the tough-luck loser, going 6 and 2/3 innings and his only run came from a Jason Kipnis solo home run in the bottom of the first inning. Phelps gave up four hits and five walks but struck out seven.

Masterson was masterful for the Tribe, throwing a complete game, four hit shutout. He fanned nine Yankee batters and walked only three. Brett Gardner, Brennan Boesch, Chris Nelson and Chris Stewart were the only Yanks who recorded a hit.

The Yankees got game two started quickly when Vernon Wells drove in Gardner on a fielder's choice ground out in the top of the first to put the Yanks on top.

Vidal Nuno gave the Yankees everything they could ask for, throwing five shutout innings. He struck out three batters and allowed only three hits in his first major league start. Trevor Bauer went 6 and 2/3 innings and gave up only two earned runs for Cleveland.

After five innings of scoreless baseball, New York broke the game open in the seventh inning against Nick Hagadone. Corban Joseph started the rally with his first career hit, a double. Austin Romine brought Joseph home on another double, extending the lead to 2-0.

Jayson Nix made it 3-0 on a bloop single, scoring Romine and moving Gardner to third. Wells drove in his second run of the game on an RBI single, making it 4-0 Bombers.

Lyle Overbay brought home two more on a double to center field and Ben Francisco scored him on a throwing error by third baseman Mark Reynolds.

Adam Warren threw four impressive innings in relief of Nuno. Warren let up only two hits and struck out three batters.

The Yankees head back home for a six-game home stand against the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays. CC Sabathia will face Felix Hernandez in the Bronx tomorrow night.

Yankees' Depth to be Tested in Doubleheader on Monday; Joseph Called Up

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:47:00 +0000

The New York Yankees are currently slated to play in a double header today in the middle of a 16-game streak without breaks. Mother nature is the only one that could schedule an off-day soon. The team takes on the Cleveland Indians as part of a make-up for a rain-out earlier in the year.

With a doubleheader today, Corban Joseph was called up from Triple-A as the team's 26th man. He will be making his major league debut in the first game as the first baseman and since manager Joe Girardi will not start Robinson Cano at second base twice, Joseph may see that territory in the second game.

Alberto Gonzalez may start both games at shortstop due to Jayson Nix's left leg discomfort. No injury has been announced.

The depth of this team has already been tested all season with injuries, but on long trips and series another challenge is thrown their way.

In the bullpen, Mariano Rivera and David Robertson have seen action in four of the last five games. While it shows Girardi's confidence in his late inning relievers, the offense will have to provide the off-day for those two pitchers by not keeping the game close and scoring more runs.

The job of blanking the oppositions' bats will fall on David Phelps and Vidal Nuno today. The first game is slated to begin at 12:05 p.m. with the Yankees facing a familiar face in former Red Sox pitcher Justin Masterson. The night cap is scheduled to begin 20 minutes after the final out of the first game. Trevor Bauer will be the Indians' starter for that game.

Here is the Yankees' lineup for Game 1:
1. Brett Gardner CF
2. Ichiro Suzuki LF
3. Robinson Cano 2B
4. Travis Hafner DH
5. Brennan Boesch RF
6. Chris Nelson 3B
7. Corban Joseph 1B
8. Chris Stewart C
9. Alberto Gonzalez SS

Cano and Wells Power Yanks to Sweep in Kansas City

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Sun, 12 May 2013 20:07:00 +0000

Back-to-back home runs from Robinson Cano and Vernon Wells were all Hiroki Kuroda needed as the New York Yankees completed a sweep of the Kansas City Royals in a 4-2 victory.

The Royals got off to a nice start when Alex Gordon got the scoring started with a sacrifice fly in the first inning.

After Chris Stewart singled in the top of the third, Cano blasted a two-run homer on Ervin Santana's first pitch of the at-bat. Two pitches later, Wells hit a solo shot that gave the Yankees a 3-1 lead.

New York never looked back as Wells added another run on an RBI single, scoring Brett Gardner.

Kuroda had another strong outing, going 7 and 2/3 innings and surrendering only two earned runs.

David Robertson got a crucial out in relief of Kuroda with a man on second in the eighth inning.

Mariano Rivera gave up a lead-off single to Eric Hosmer in the ninth, but doubled off Salvador Perez and forced Mike Moustakas to fly out to save his 15th game of the year and 29th in a row against Kansas City.

The Yankees will close out the road trip with a doubleheader on Monday in Cleveland to finish a four-game slate that was shortened due to rain in April. They will go back home for a series against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday.

Alex Rodriguez Works Out on Yankees Off-Day

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Mon, 06 May 2013 18:48:00 +0000

The New York Yankees have an off-day on Monday, but Alex Rodriguez was back on the field for the first time since undergoing surgery on his left hip. The media was not allowed to observe the workout session, but several reports say he looked fine walking out of the complex in Tampa.

The third baseman took 20 to 30 swings off a tee and did some running. He is not expected back in a Yankees uniform until after the All-Star Break.

Injury Bug Continues to Bite

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Fri, 03 May 2013 17:42:00 +0000

Cervelli broke his hand after getting hit by a foul tip last Friday night.

The injury bug continues to bite as the season progresses for the New York Yankees.

During the month of April, the Yankees had gotten by without their stars. The team is 17-10 and in second place in the A.L. East, which is not bad for a team down so many starters.

As the calendar turned to May, more additions to the disabled list have started to be made. Ivan Nova went on the 15-day DL with inflammation in his right triceps. Kevin Youkilis joined the DL with nagging back pain. Francisco Cervelli broke his hand after getting hit by a foul tip last Friday night and is on the 60-day disabled list.

New York's most stable group got hit by the bug next. Joba Chamberlain was added to the 15-day DL with a strain in his right oblique and, as the cherry on top, David Robertson is day-to-day with a hamstring injury.

This leaves the Yankees without six position players, two starting pitchers and two bullpen arms for at least the next couple of weeks.

On the bright side, Robertson should return soon and Alex Rodriguez was cleared for baseball activity yesterday. Youkilis, Nova and Chamberlain should return later in the month and Granderson could be back on the field in June.

All the Yankees need to do is survive the next couple of weeks. The schedule is somewhat favorable, especially earlier in the month. The rotation is still intact and as long as CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Andy Pettitte and Phil Hughes continue to pitch effectively, the Yanks can still win ball games while the lineup rebuilds.

Yankees Take Series From Houston in 5-4 Victory

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Thu, 02 May 2013 02:48:00 +0000

After losing the first of a three-game set against the lowly Houston Astros, the New York Yankees rallied to win the final two games to take the series. The Yanks secured the series with a 5-4 win in a back-and-forth matchup.

Both starting pitchers were mediocre. David Phelps threw 5 2/3 innings, giving up four runs in the fourth inning. He did strikeout five batters and only walked one. Erik Bedard wasn't much better than Phelps. Bedard lasted only four innings before being taken out of the game. He gave up four runs with four walks and only two strikeouts.

The Yankees got the scoring started in the first inning with a Jayson Nix RBI single. Chris Stewart added another run with a sacrifice fly in the second to make it 2-0. The Yankees struck twice in the third when Robinson Cano and Ben Francisco hit solo home runs and extended the lead to 4-0.

The Astros rallied back in the fourth to tie the game. Carlos Pena brought home Houston's first run, then Phelps plunked Fernando Martinez to make it a 4-2 game. A Brandon Barnes fielder's choice and a Matt Dominguez single evened the game at four.

The Yankees answered back in the sixth when Ichiro Suzuki brought home the game-winning run on a double play that scored Eduardo Nunez. The Yankees were only 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position on the night.

Boone Logan, who eventually got the win, and David Robertson combined for 2 1/3 innings of shutout baseball. Mariano Rivera made quick business of the Astros, closing the game out in just seven pitches.

It certainly wasn't the prettiest series the Yankees have played this season, but the important thing is that they took two of three to stay within striking distance of the first place Red Sox. The Yankees have a day off before welcoming the Oakland A's to New York. CC Sabathia will start the series off and will be opposed by Oakland's A.J. Griffin.

Yankees Beat Houston 7-4

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Wed, 01 May 2013 02:42:00 +0000

Hiroki Kuroda pitched seven shutout innings and threw eight strikeouts as the Yankees evened up the series with the Astros in a 7-4 victory.

Kuroda's dominant performance was greatly needed for the Yankees, who were coming off a 9-1 drubbing against the Astros last night.

Travis Hafner scored the first two runs of the game with two RBI singles and gave the Yanks a 2-0 lead in the third.

Houston's Chris Carter belted a two-run shot in the eighth off of David Robertson to cut the lead to 4-2 but the Yankees put the game away immediately.

Lyle Overbay hit a solo shot to make it 5-2, Chris Stewart singled home a run to make it 6-2 and then Robinson Cano scored the seventh run on a sacrifice fly.

The Astros didn't go down easily. After recording two outs in the ninth inning, Robertson gave up a two-run double to Jose Altuve to make it a 7-4 game.

Mariano Rivera was brought in to close out the game and did just that, striking out Jason Castro to give New York the win.

The Yankees move to 16-10 on the season and will have David Phelps on the mound in the rubber match against Erik Bedard.

Game 26: Yankees vs. Houston

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:19:00 +0000

Here are tonight's lineups:

Houston Astros
1. Robbie Grossman, CF
2. Jose Altuve, 2B
3. Jason Castro, C
4. Carlos Pena, 1B
5. Chris Carter, DH
6. Rick Ankiel, RF
7. Matt Dominguez, 3B
8. Brandon Barnes, LF
9. Marwin Gonzalez, SS

Pitching: Phil Humber (0-5, 7.99 ERA)

New York Yankees
1. Brett Gardner, CF
2. Ichiro Suzuki, LF
3. Robinson Cano, 2B
4. Travis Hafner, DH
5. Brennan Boesch, RF
6. Jayson Nix, 3B
7. Lyle Overbay, 1B
8. Eduardo Nunez, SS
9. Chris Stewart, C

Pitching: Hiroki Kuroda (3-1, 2.79 ERA)

Struggling Humber: The Yankees have a great opportunity to get back on the winning side of things as they will face Phil Humber, who is 0-5 with an ERA just under eight. He has struggled mightily in the first month of the season and gave up seven runs in 4 2/3 innings in his last start.

Hiro Time: Hiroki Kuroda takes the mound for New York today. Kuroda has picked up where he left off last season and is 3-1 with a 2.79 ERA. In his last start, Kuroda went six innings and gave up only three runs in a win over the Blue Jays.

No Youk: Another Yankee joined the disabled list today, this time it was third baseman Kevin Youkilis. The team placed him on the 15-day DL with a lumbar spine sprain. He has missed seven of the last eight games before GM Brian Cashman decided to shut him down.

Yankees Get Blasted at Home by Houston

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 02:17:00 +0000

The New York Yankees' four-game winning streak was snapped Monday night against the Houston Astros by a score of 9-1. Andy Pettitte struggled mightily against his former team, going only 4 1/3 innings and giving up seven runs to the struggling Astros.

For the Astros, this marked their eighth win of the season and fourth on the road. Houston came into New York following a four-game sweep by Boston and definitely played angry.

Lucas Harrell went 6 1/3 innings and gave up only one run. Carlos Corporan had a field day, going 4-for-5 with four RBI and a two-run home run in the top of the fifth inning. Brandon Barnes went 3-for-5 and drove in three runs.

Vernon Wells drove in the only run for the Yankees on an RBI single in the sixth inning. Austin Romine went 0-for-3 in his season debut behind the plate in place of Francisco Cervelli.

The Astros tagged Pettitte for three runs in the first inning, which dug the Yankees into a hole they couldn't get out of. The game was over in the fifth inning, after the Astros scored four more runs, two off of Pettitte and two more against Adam Warren.

The one bright spot of the game was rookie Vidal Nuno, who threw three shutout innings in relief.

The Yankees fall to 15-10 on the season. Hiroki Kuroda will try to get the Yanks back on track tomorrow night, he will oppose Houston's Phil Humber.

Game 25: Yankees vs. Houston

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:18:00 +0000

Altuve is one of the few bright spots for Houston

Here are the lineups for tonight's game:

Houston Astros
1. Jose Altuve, 2B
2. Brandon Barnes, RF
3. Brandon Laird, 1B
4. Chris Carter, LF
5. Carlos Pena, DH
6. Ronny Cedeno, SS
7. Carlos Corporan, C
8. Matt Dominguez, 3B
9. Robbie Grossman, CF

Pitching: Lucas Harrell (2-2, 4.08 ERA)

New York Yankees
1. Brett Gardner, CF
2. Robinson Cano, 2B
3. Vernon Wells, LF
4. Travis Hafner, DH
5. Brennan Boesch, RF
6. Jayson Nix, 3B
7. Lyle Overbay, 1B
8. Eduardo Nunez, SS
9. Austin Romine, C

Pitching: Andy Pettitte (3-1, 2.22 ERA)

Hello Houston: Tonight's game will mark the Astros' first trip to the Bronx as a member of the American League. Houston has had problems in its A.L. debut, posting a 7-18 record, which is the worst in the conference. Houston is 1-8 against the Yankees all-time, including a 1-5 record in the Bronx.

Bounce back for Andy: In his last start, Pettitte was the tough luck loser, surrendering only two earned runs and fanning 10 batters in a 3-0 loss to Tampa Bay. Pettitte has been the Yankees best pitcher through the first month of the season and his 2.22 ERA and 1.13 WHIP is a clear sign that he has plenty left in the tank.

Pettitte will also be facing his former team tonight. From 2004-2006, Pettitte went 37-26 with a 3.50 ERA in Houston. One of his finest seasons was in 2005 when he went 17-9 with a 2.39 ERA, helping the Astros win the National League.

Keep sweepin': The Yankees are coming off of a four-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays, while the Astros come to New York after being swept by the Red Sox in a four game slate. Houston was outscored 28-10 by the Sox and are vulnerable to be swept again in the Bronx.

Hideki Matsui to Return to Yankees

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:07:00 +0000

The New York Yankees will sign former outfielder Hideki Matsui to a one-day contract to allow him to retire in pinstripes, according to George King of the New York Post. An official signing has not been announced yet, but negotiations are underway. July 28th is Matsui bobble head day at Yankee Stadium, so that date could be targeted for the celebration.

Cervelli, Nova Hurt; Yanks Down Jays

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 05:09:00 +0000

Cervelli (right) is expected to miss six weeks (NY Daily News)

The Yankees continue to get beat up... off the scorecard.

The Yankees won their second straight game against the Toronto Blue Jays by a score of 6-4. In the victory, New York lost catcher Francisco Cervelli with a fractured right hand and Ivan Nova with an injury near/above his right elbow. Cervelli, who was injured by a Rajai Davis foul ball in the first inning, is expected to be out for six weeks following surgery tomorrow morning. Catcher Austin Romine will be called up from AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre to replace him on the roster. The status of Nova, who left after 2+ innings, is uncertain, though Joe Girardi noted that David Phelps (who got the win with four innings in relief and nine strikeouts) could throw 90 pitches should Nova need to miss a start. If Nova lands on the DL with Cervelli, Cody Eppley would likely be called up to replace his spot on the active roster.

The Yankees bullpen (Phelps, Joba Chamberlain, David Robertson, Mariano Rivera) allowed only two runs with 11 strikeouts. Rivera made the game a little dicey in the ninth, allowing three hits before striking out Colby Rasmus with the bases loaded (and Jose Bautista on deck) to get his eighth save in eight chances.

The offense scored quietly, outside of an RBI triple by Lyle Overbay and a solo home run by Brett Gardner. Vernon Wells, the only Yankee with multiple hits, went 2-3 with a run scored and an RBI.

Other notes:

- Eduardo Nunez made two strong defensive plays, snaring a Maicer Izturis one-hopper on the backhand and robbing former Yankee Melky Cabrera of a single up the middle. Defense has always been the question mark with Nunez, so with his average under the Mendoza line it is nice to see him making a case to stay on the field. He knocked in the first Yankees' run with a fielder's choice groundout.

- Speaking of people staying on the field, Kevin Youkilis missed his seventh straight game with discomfort in his lower back. With J.A. Happ slated to start tomorrow for Toronto, Saturday would be the most likely date for Youkilis' return. If he cannot make that start, the Yankees might place him retroactively on the 15-day DL. Jayson Nix started at third in his place, batting second in the lineup.

- Loosing Cervelli for six weeks is a tough blow for both the Yankees and the catcher. Cervelli had a slash line of .269/.377/.500 with three home runs and eight RBI (and third in WAR among Yankees position players). Chris Stewart will get the bulk of catching time, though this gives Romine a chance to finally break out.

- Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion smashed two solo home runs into the second deck in left field. He has three homers over his last two games. He was 0-12 in the Blue Jays' first series with the Yankees this week, but has quickly reversed that trend.

New York continues its four-game series with Toronto tomorrow at 4:05 PM. Lefty will oppose lefty as CC Sabathia faces off against J.A. Happ.

Ivan Nova left in the third with elbow pain (NYT)

Thoughts on CC's Start

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:30:00 +0000

There have been many story lines following the Yankees so far this season including the resurgence of Vernon Wells, the replacement of Russell Martin, and of course the last season of Mariano Rivera. However, one of that seems to be trumping all of these, at least when it comes to mainstream media outlets is CC Sabathia's loss of velocity.

Sabathia of course had off-season elbow surgery and his work load was decreased this Spring versus the past, but it didn't seem to worrisome at the time. It was very obvious from his first start against the Red Sox that CC was working with a diminished fastball as he averaged 90 and topped out at 92 with his heater in that game. And while there is some cause for concern, last night shouldn't have raised eyebrows any higher.

Ken Davidoff of the New York Post wrote an article for today's paper about the problem and his opinion seems to differ a little bit from mine. Here's part of that piece:

Sabathia’s substandard velocity, a curiosity that could be excused in his three prior outings, again became a primary item of conversation last night, as the Yankees and their ace suffered a 5-1 loss to the dangerous Rays at Tropicana Field. The big lefty gave up a season-worst five-runs, including a season-worst three home runs, as the Yankees fell to 10-8 on the season.

Now, sure Sabathia allowed five runs last night on three homers and that looks pretty bad, but let's take a little bit of a more in-depth look at this. CC obviously had a tough first inning allowing four runs on four hits and two homers. After that he allowed a total of three hits, one run, and two walks while striking out six in seven innings over 84 pitches. That is very solid start, especially for a guy who battled command all night. Of course, you can't just leave out the first inning because it did happen, but my point is he had one bad inning; it happens. Outside of that, he actually pitched very well and limited the Rays offense pretty well.

Another point that that seems to elude Davidoff is the fact that Sabathia was actually throwing harder than he had all season. He was averaging 91 with the fastball in this outing and topped out at 93. Maybe it's not that big of an increase, but it's still progress and you have to expect that as he starts to build up more arm strength as the season goes on, that he'll add another tick or two.

Sabathia had three solid starts before his one last night and the main difference was not velocity, but command. Let's take a look at the first home run he gave up to Ryan Roberts. Cervelli is calling for him to bounce a slider down and in. Here's the target:

(Click to Enlarge)

And here's the pitch:

(Click to Enlarge)

Yep, up and out over the plate. We can go back and look at each of the homers and you will see that CC was missing spots by feet and it wasn't really a velocity issue. And I know pitchers might have more room for error if they throw harder and that's true, but if CC has his usual command it's not an issue. We saw that in his previous three starts and his secondary pitches have been great all year. Even if he does have his usual velocity those pitches probably still get hit hard because those locations were really bad. So hey, Sabathia had a tough start (or really a tough inning) last night and that happens. And while the velocity is a slight concern, last night alone shouldn't make people more nervous than they were already.

Derek Jeter Out Until After All-Star Break

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Filippi) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:27:00 +0000

Brian Cashman addressed the media on Thursday afternoon to talk about shortstop Derek Jeter's visit to Charlotte to see a doctor.

Cashman said Jeter has been suffering some ankle issues in the same spot where he underwent surgery. A CT scan revealed a crack in that area.

Jeter would most likely rejoin the team after the All-Star Break as his setback will not require surgery, but just time to heal.

Another visit to the doctor is scheduled for Friday, while the Yankees play the Tampa Bay Rays. He will address the media in New York.

Eduardo Nunez will continue to man shortstop duties for the Yankees in the mean time.