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Hey, remember Alex Rodriguez?  Quite fellow, never stirred the pot, a pleasure to hear about.  Well, the good news is he is playing in a rehab game today which means he should be back in the lineup very soon.  The bad news is Selena Roberts' book comes out May 12 and the Daily News has a copy and has started to write about it.

Some of the stuff is not the surprising.  It claims A-Rod used steroids in high school and HGH in 2004. (Seriously, at this point can you honestly look at any player in baseball and 100% believe he is clean?  I know I can't)  What is more distubring to me, is the allegation that he would tip his teams' pitches to opposing batters in blowouts, hoping that would be done for him in return.  To me, selling out your own teammates like that is unforgiveable.  

As an added bonus, the book on A-Rod comes out the same day that the new book about Roger Clemens comes out.  Should be quite a day for baseball.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 09:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (19) | TrackBacks (0)

The last two night's have provided a glimpse into the ideal Yankee future- Hughes (22) and Joba (23) both in the rotation and both winning games.  It has happened before, September 2007 to be specific, but I wonder when was the last time before that when the Yankees had two pitchers getting wins who were under 25?

Who knows if this is the start of something or a flash in the pan, but the Yankees have a reason to be optimistic.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 12:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

YES just played this interview with Girardi about moving Joba to the pen.   

Girardi- I think if you looked at his numbers as a starter and compare him to other starters last year, you would say his numbers are pretty special.  But, it's it's always heightened when you come in the eighth inning you're only going to throw one inning.  I loved what he did in both roles last year and that's something we've talked about we debated over and over.  Threw a pretty good game against Boston.  Threw a pretty good game against Kansas City.  I mean he has thrown some pretty good games for us he hasn't necessarily been rewarded with wins but he's thrown pretty well. And it's hard to have that same presence outworldly as a starter because i think you would wear yourself out.  You can have it inside of you.  But you know this is something we talked about doing and we think he has top of the end rotation stuff and this is something he is probably going to grow and learn.

Question- Has his velocity been where you want it to be and if not will that improve?

Girardi- I think against Boston it was the best it had been and we've talked about how power pitchers take a little but more time than other guys sometimes and i think he was consistently 93 and i think it will continue to improve as the season goes on

Question- Can you envision any scenario this year in which he goes back to the bullpen?

Girardi- Well thats not something i necessarily want to get into.  I mean we have five starters now and we will stick with those five starters.  You see what situation you have as the season goes on but right now we are sticking with those starters.  

I don't know if that will put the rumors to rest, but I hope so.  Joba has 15 career starts with a 2.99 ERA.  If he kept that up he would win multiple Cy Youngs.  Let's see him start a lot more games this year and then decide where he should end up, the bullpen can be a fallback option and too many starters would be a wonderful problem to have. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 06:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (20) | TrackBacks (0)

You can't argue with the move to pull Pena and hit Posada, but consider what this is setting up.  Berroa is going to play third for the next three innings in a close game. (It's 2-0 right now)  If something happens to Molina then "insert name here" is your catcher for the rest of the game.  Gardner is the only available bat on the bench. 

I don't know if there is a stronger case than that for reducing the pitching staff to 12 pitchers, but I hope the Yankees do it soon.   

UPDATE- The Yankees have a way of making me look dumb often.  This game isn't close, doesn't change my opinion about cutting down to 12 hurlers though.

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 09:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

I keep hearing how the Yankees relievers other than Rivera have been a disaster and the Yankees need to make changes.  But let's look at some facts.  Last week the Yankees were 9-6 and feeling pretty good, now they are 9-10 and feeling bad.

But, Friday's game squarely falls on Rivera's shoulders.  If he does his job, that's a win.

Saturday, A.J. couldn't hold a 6-0 lead and gave up 8 runs.  You can blame the bullpen for what happened after that, but that game belongs on the starter.

Sunday, Andy Pettitte gave up four runs and Monday C.C. did the exact same. 

So, perhaps we are looking at this the wrong way?

Yes, there are question marks. But, when Bruney comes back things will be a lot better and let's see what Melancon can do before we try and trade the whole bullpen and bring in new guys.  Better, let's worry about the offense and things like A-Rod's hip and why Girardi has given up on Gardner so quickly. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 06:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

The Red Sox have won 11 straight and have virtually erased any concern of their 2-6 start.

What's working?  Jason Bay.  He's hit for power while getting on base.  Bay has 5 home runs and has walked an MLB leading 20 times while getting on base at a .506 clip.  Mike Lowell leads MLB with 22 RBI.  An impressive accomplishment considering he was an after thought during the Mark Teixeira negotiations and given his hip surgery.

Kevin Youkilis is hitting .414, getting on base 52.3% of the time and hitting for power with a .709 slg%.  Dustin Pedroia has dragged his average up to .286 and the rest of the line-up has stepped up their game.  David Ortiz continues to struggle, but has done better of late, showing a willingness to go opposite field with a few doubles.  Ortiz has always used all 90 degrees of the baseball field and now that he is back to doing that, I expect better production.  Not vintage Ortiz production, but certainly good production.

And of course a steal of home by Jacoby Ellsbury will always get an offense (or the crowd) fired-up.  Then again, had he been thrown out, with 2 out and the bases loaded, he'd have been demoted...

Tim Wakefield has, for the 3rd start in a row, bailed out the Red Sox bullpen by pitching deep into a game.  Wake has allowed only 16 hits in 29 innings and has managed to avoid the long-ball in 2009 (did I just create a jinx?).

Even the young kids in Hunter Jones and Michael Bowden have done their part.

The Red Sox are playing well as a whole.  The concerns are:  Josh Beckett and his 6.00 ERA and Javier Lopez.  I am thrilled that my biggest bullpen concern is Lopez, but he has been terrible having allowed 14 hits/walks in only 5 2/3 innings.  His 4.76 ERA isn't reflective of his inability to keep batters off the base paths.  Beckett is just...annoyingly inconsistent.  He is walking too many players and just seems to lose focus.  He is my 2009 downer so far.

I'll hold off on any further complaints, but I also recognized it is early with only an 1/9 of the season in the books.  The Rays have not played well and the Yankees will have an important player returning soon, so the Red Sox cannot afford to fool around.

Notes:  Julio Lugo is back and should slowly resume his shortstop position, given what Terry Francona said today, don't expect Lugo to be the starter in the immediate future.  Nick Green has done a great job offensively and will probably get 75% of the innings over the next week with Francona slowly dialing the innings more towards Lugo over time.

I'm still very much looking forward to John Smoltz being an option.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 11:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Ugh, ugh, ugh.  Not much else to say.  Well a couple of things. 

Pena plays third until A-Rod returns.

Cabrera at home this year OPS 1.555 on the road OPS .666.  In 1600 plate appearances he is a career .711.  I know Girardi thinks he is swinging a "hot bat", but maybe that bat is a creation of the new Yankee Stadium and it is too early to give up on Gardner?  (I will admit, Gardner isn't doing much, but we know what Melky is)  

Sabathia pitched pretty well, not great, but at least he rested the bullpen.  

Tomorrow the Yankees turn to Hughes.  I hope that besides demoting Jackson, they consider cutting it down to 12 pitchers again.  The Yankees need another bat on the bench, especially with Damon banged up.

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 09:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

This is why the Yankees gave Sabathia all that money, a start like this.  The team is reeling and it needs someone to lift them on his back and carry them to a win.  It's a big spot in the young season, can C.C. deliver? 

And guess who is starting at third?  Not Berroa! 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 05:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Not a good weekend in Fenway, but at least Melancon looked good and pitched his way out of big trouble in the 8th.  Fair or not, I think the Girardi death watch starts now and will be in a frenzy if the Yankees don't take the series from Detroit. I would not want to be Joe if the Yankees come home Thursday under .500. 

With that, I am going to try and get some sleep.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 11:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

You simply can't lose that game.  Up 6-0 Burnett has to find a way to bring it home.  I found the managing by both guys strange to say the least.  Why did Francona keep Beckett in there and why did Papelbon close out a 5-run lead?  More importantly what was Girardi's bullpen plan tonight?

Veras came in for the 6th and Albe came in for the 7th which makes you think Ramirez or Marte would have been used for the 8th if the Yankees had a lead <gulp> Why was Coke, who has been hot recently, pulled after getting Ortiz out?   

I don't get it, but the Yankees better figure out a way to win tomorrow.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 08:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 03:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Angel Berrora is on his way which is an interesting move because he has played third for a total of one inning in his career.  Does this mean Pena is the starting thirdbaseman right now with Berroa backing up the middle infield?  What happens if Pena gets hurt?

No word yet on the 40-man move made to add Berroa.   

UPDATE: Pete Abe is reporting that Melancon is on the way to Boston.   That must mean Bruney is going on the DL as well, ugh.  So in the span of 24 hours, the Yankees have DL'ed three players and they need to add two of the replacements to the 40-man roster.  On the plus side, outside of Austin Jackson, there is no guy a Yankees' fan is more interested in seeing than Melancon.  The Yankees see him as their next closer and he has been electric at Scranton, 17 K's in 10 innings and a spotless ERA.  I would expect Albe gets the 8th inning for now, but Melancon could move into that role soon. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Bruney has a "cranky elbow" according to Joe Girardi and wasn't even in Fenway tonight.  Cody Ransom is probably out for "awhile" with a quad problem. Wang is going on the DL and Robertson is being called up. 

The Wang move is obviously temporary, Phil Hughes is most likely going to get the start on Tuesday.  Bruney's elbow is a HUGE concern because he has become a great option in the 8th.  On the plus side, Albie looks pretty good right now.

Ransom's injury is interesting.  If they have to make a roster move who comes in to play third?  I have already voted for Eric Duncan, but that would require a 40-man move.  They could add Juan Miranda and have Pena play third, but that wouldn't leave any depth at middle infield.   

So, expect a bevy of moves tomorrow.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 12:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

It's 10:27pm and Rivera just finished the 8th inning.  I just want to know, why is he in there?  I am assuming Bruney is hurt and that is the reason he didn't pitch the 8th.  But, Albie was two strikes from getting out of the 8th and he got pulled.  That didn't make sense to me and with Ellsbury up, why wouldn't you go to Marte if you didn't trust Albie with an 0-1 count?  Strange moves by Girardi in my mind and I hope it works out.  I just hate bringing in Rivera for the 8th, he never seems the same in the ninth. 

Sadly, I was right to worry- on to extra innings.

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 10:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

I can't believe Michael Kay just said this:

"Now the Yankees played the Red Sox at the end of last season. And there's something very special about that last game.  And the thing was, that was the only game in Derek Jeter's career where he actually knew coming into the game that that was the last game of the season.  The Yankees never went to seven games in a World Series so he never knew it was a last game.  When they lost in the playoffs he never knew it was a last game.  Last year's last game was the only time he knew going into a game that that was going to be it for the year." 

I try and block out parts of 2001 for obvious reasons, but that World Series happened.  Amazing that the Yankees' play-by-play guy doesn't seem to be aware of it.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 08:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Sports fans have been given a ton of great stuff in recent years.  HDTV gives you a fantastic picture.  The internet makes it easy to follow your team and read about them on great blogs (shameless plug) But there is nothing better than Tivo, or any type of DVR, because it allows you never miss a game, a play or a moment in a game.

I am giving thanks for my Tivo today because I have two events I want to watch tonight.  The first is obvious if you read this site.  But as much as I want to watch tonight's game, there is something I want to watch more, the Rangers-Capitals game.  Normally, baseball comes first, but playoff hockey trumps regular season baseball so I will be watching the Yankees-Red Sox game on delay.  Thank you Tivo!

Speaking of the Rangers, something occured to me the other night when I went to their game.  (Andy talked about great sports days the other day, Wednesday was one of those for me.  Came home from work, caught the bottom of the 14th and then headed to the hockey game)  The great thing about MSG is the way it is designed, the luxury boxes are at the top of the arena.  That means that from the ice to the roof, you only have seats and seats full of screaming, passionate fans.  I haven't been to the new Yankee Stadium, but I think they have put way too many expensive seats in the way of the real fans.  It seems like they have taken some of the homefield advantage away which is really a shame.  (And of course they are going to do the same thing at MSG)  

Anyway, enjoy the game, but don't tell me what's happening until tomorrow! 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 04:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This is a great piece of fantasy from Gordon Edes (formerly of the Boston Globe) where he imagines A-Rod actually going to the Red Sox in 2004. 

It's impossible to say what would have happened.  Looking back at the trade in 2004, I worte this as it was being concluded...

"If this deal goes through, the Yankees still do not own a free pass to the World Series.  The Red Sox have made some great moves this offseason and the playoffs always come down to pitching.  While the Yankees have added some great pitchers, health will be a factor in determining the success of this team.  If Brown goes down to an injury, ARod won’t be able to step in and replace him.  Pitching will determine how far this team goes, don’t forget that in the euphoria of the ARod deal. "

In 2004 the Red Sox had better pitching than the Yankees and they have had better pitching most of the years since then- that's why they've won two titles and the Yankees haven't.  I imagine they would have won it all in 2004, though I am not sure A-Rod would have been a help in the postseason.  It's a fascinating discussion.  What would the Yankees have done if they hadn't gotten A-Rod?  If the 2007 Red Sox with A-Rod had made the World Series, how would A-Rod have opted out of his contract during the game?  Maybe via text message?  Was Twitter around in 2007? 

Who knows, but despite Wang's struggles and Sabathia's slow start I think the Yankees have some very good pitching this year.  We will see if they show that when they head to Fenway tonight.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 01:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

MLB Tonight had an interesting feature Thursday night that focused on the frequent high and/or tight pitches from Joba Chamberlain to Kevin Youkilis.  I believe the tally is 1 knockdown, a fastball behind the legs, a fastball behind the head and a beanball (upon further review, it wasn't a beanball, but instead ruled a foul ball).

One of those knockdowns resulted in Joba getting tossed.  Obviously there is something between the two of them and with Joba vs. Jon Lester tonight at Fenway, we might see some fireworks. 

Joba has ok control, but no matter how much control you have or how wild you are, 4 pitches at or behind Youkilis suggests there is a problem.  Normally Red Sox fans would want Josh Beckett on the mound in such a situation as it seems he'd knockdown a grade schooler if he felt it necessary.  But Beckett has too much willingness to mix it up and would only manage to get himself suspended again.

I think Lester has a better chance of managing this situation as he'll be a bit more thoughtful in how he chooses to retaliate should it come to that.

Finally, is it me or does Chamberlain seem best suited for the closer role?  Sure he can start, but it just doesn't seem to fit.  I imagine if Mariano Rivera stays healthy, Chamberlain will remain a starter, but the minute Rivera struggles or gets injured, Chamberlain will be tabbed...and will look the part much more so that he does as a starter.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Check out this quote from Nardi Contreras about Chien-Ming Wang:

"Maybe it's the arm strength, not getting enough innings pitched last year.  He hadn't pitched in eight months. With arm strength, it'll be easy for him to get the ball down. More arm strength, more velocity. The man didn't pitch for eight months. It takes time to get it back."

Not sure why it took until April to figure that out, but better late than never I guess.  The question now is what do they do about it?  I would opt to DL Wang, recall Hughes and let Wang work things out in the minors on rehab.  The Yankees could also have Wang throw another extended spring game on Tuesday and then make a DL decision.  They could use Hughes for the start in Detroit on Tuesday in that scenario as well. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 06:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Former Red Sox pitcher Kason Gabbard is once again a Red Sox pitcher.  The Boston Globe, via Dallas Morning News, is reporting that the Red Sox re-acquired Gabbard for cash considerations.

An interesting development given that he has major league experience and the Red Sox seemingly have decent starter depth, seemingly.  So let the speculation start.  Or maybe it's because the Red Sox just released Davern Hansack when they promoted Jeff Bailey and they need that arm in Pawtucket.

Then again, word has it that Hansack will be re-signed to a minor league deal.  So wait, I've just gone full circle and feel a bit sick now...all the while not concluding anything.  Very typical of me.

Regardless of why, Gabbard is in the organization again.  Let someone else tell you why.

It needn't be said, but what should be an entertaining series starts Friday at Fenway.  Get ready for 4+ hour games.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 04:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For Boston sports fans, this past Monday, Patriots Day, was a great day.

Boston Marathon

Boston Red Sox - 11:05am start

Boston Celtics - playoff game

Boston Bruins - playoff game

All on the same day, pretty neat stuff.

As for the Red Sox, they've righted their ship somewhat and things appear much better than just a week ago. That said, I find my self impatiently waiting for the return of Julio Lugo.  How can that be you ask?  Well with Jed Lowrie out for 8-10 weeks (wrist surgery) and Nick Green filling in, the Red Sox need Lugo back.

Green is good with the glove, but doesn't offer much with the bat.  He is a nice short term option, but won't give you much more than a .650 OPS over any long stretch.

---

Rocco Baldelli was also put on the DL with a hamstring strain.  Jeff Bailey was purchased from AAA Pawtucket to take his place.  I love Bailey's bat, but the sad part of this promotion is that Bailey will have to pass through waivers (and accept) his assignment back to Pawtucket when Baldelli returns meaning this might be his last trip to Boston.

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Since my last post where I moaned and groaned about the lack of offense, the Red Sox have hit .318, gotten on base at a .407 clip and slugged .543.  They've averaged 7.6 runs over this 5 game win streak.  Not bad.

David Ortiz showed some signs of breaking out in his last game, but he remains the most concerning element.

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The Red Sox will try to play 2 today, but the night game is questionable with rain on its way.  Then the Yankees come to town for a 3 game set starting Friday.  Chien-Ming Wang, originally scheduled to throw batting practice to Red Sox batters on Friday, has been pushed back so he can work on his mechanics.  Probably a good idea on the Yankees part.  Not that the Red Sox line-up is the best in baseball, but they have enough veterans capable of piling it on.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 09:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

Xavier Nady will not need surgery and should be able to return in 4-6 weeks.  That's the good news, the bad news is he has a partial tear in his right elbow and that could affect his ability to throw a baseball more than anything.

So, the Yankees could essentially have two outfielders on the roster who can't really play the outfield.  That is a less than optimal situation, but there is really nothing they can do about it.  Neither one is really tradeable at this point and both should hit enough to make it worth while.  

Now with the Nady timetable the 60-day DL is out of the question which means adding a player to the 40-man roster is going to require someone to be released.  I don't see the Yankees doing that, but I hope they don't plan on carrying 13 pitchers for the forseeable future.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 08:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It was a simple plan, just use the off day to reset the rotation and avoid Wang in Fenway, now rain has screwed that up.  Whoever takes the ball tomorrow won't be ready to pitch until Sunday meaning the Yankees have some interesting choices. 

Pettitte was scheduled to start tonight with Sabthia and Joba following him.  You could move Pettitte and Sabathia down a spot and then start Joba, Burnett and Pettitte in Fenway.  That gives everyone extra rest, which is probably the way to go, but you could get creative.  Skip Joba entirely until Sunday in Fenway.  Pitch Wang, save Sabthia for Fenway, a plethora of decisions await and with the rain we probably won't have a clue until tomorrow. 

UPDATE: I was wrong about the wait, looks like Joba will start things in Fenway.  Youkilis better buckle up his chin strap.

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 06:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Sure it's not October, but today's events were pretty strange.  Start with Jorge's home run, is anyone really sure if it was or wasn't?  (On a side note, why don't the umps just go immediately to replay if they have a question about a play instead of talking it over on the field and further delaying the game)  Then, that ball that Ransom hit is totally lost in the sun, allowing three runs.  Strange stuff, but glad to see it happen. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 07:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Steven Jackson is up today with Anthony Claggett back to the minors.  This is kind of fun, the Yankees have 20-something pitchers on their 40-man roster and they appear willing to use all of them in April.

They are still reading Nady's MRI's, so they haven't figured out what to do with him yet, but expect another roster move if they move him to the 60-day DL.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 01:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

It's 13-2, Chien-Ming Wang was rocked again and the new stadium looks like Coors Field.  At this rate this game might end 30-2.

I have no idea what the Yankees can do about it, but the ball really carries at the new place.  Today is pretty warm, but can you imagine what the scores are going to be in July if the ball carries like this in April?

As for Wang, I think the Yankees need to find an "injury" that will allow them to DL him and get him some minor league rehab starts.  At the very least, they need to use the offday on Thursday to reorder their rotation and keep Wang from making his next start Friday night at Fenway.  They can easily do it, just pitch Burnett, Pettitte and Sabathia on their regular rest and save Wang for the Detroit series.

What the Yankees really have to do is rethink their position on a long reliever.  The bullpen is going to be fried by the end of the month at this rate.  Claggett has already thrown 33 pitches and we haven't reached the 3rd inning.  So, you probably have the other bullpen guys pitching six innings today, not good at all.  What will probably happen now is the Yankees will use Nady's injury to add a pitcher to the 40-man, perhaps Brett Tomko since he is pitching well at Scranton.  Aceves has gotten shelled in Scranton so far, so I don't think it will be him.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 04:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

The Yankees brought up Anthony Claggett today and optioned Juan Miranda down.  With Wang pitching today, it makes sense to have an extra arm just in case.  One other thing the Yankees should consider is splitting up Joba and Wang so they don't follow eachother in the rotation.  They will have a chance to do that next week with the off day.

It will be interesting to see what the next move is.  Nady is having another MRI today, but unless it shows something entirely different, he will probably be lost for the season.  That means he goes on the 60-day DL and the Yankees could then add someone to their 40-man roster.  I would bet that means a new bat for the bench, just wondering who will get the call.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 02:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Eric Duncan was once the jewel of the Yankees' farm system, but he seemed to max out at AAA and was left unprotected after the 2007 season.  Yet, Duncan has continued to toil at AAA in Scranton, playing first, third and even some outfield.  What's important to remember about Duncan is he is still only 24 and he has started this season .364/.440/.500.

When you look at the Yankees' offense so far this season you have Cano, Swisher, Jeter and Posada doing the bulk of the production right now with Teixeira starting to emerge, Garnder not walking enough, Matsui struggling and Ransom killing the team.  Also, it sounds like Xavier Nady is going to miss the season with an elbow injury and Matsui's knee is balking again.   

I will get to the outfield problem in a minute, but for now I want to go back to Ransom.  Ransom is 4-for-33 with 11 strikeouts.  There is a reason that Ransom is 33 and has only had about 250 AB's in the majors and the Yankees are seeing that right now.  The Yankees don't need to panic and make a trade, but they need to get more production from third than they are currently receiving.  Ramiro Pena is a nice prospect, but with zero AB's above AA before this season (and limited success in those AB's) it is unrealistic to think he can hit much at the major league level.  Plus, I think long term the Yankees would be better off putting Pena in the starting lineup at AAA everyday and seeing what his bat does.  So, why not give Duncan a crack?  Miranda can only play first, which is really not a position the Yankees need help with.  As I mentioned previously, Duncan can play multiple positions and would give the Yankees some nice depth.  Who knows, he may even hit a little bit. 

Now, on to the outfield.  I am officially worried about the current situation.  Nady is probably lost for the year, Matsui's knee is a problem just from being on base.  So, a position that was a strength going into the season is now a weakness, only eleven games in.  

I hope the Yankees recognize this and try and fortify the outfield.  There are not a lot of great options in the minors.  Austin Jackson needs to play every day and Shelly Duncan has not shown the ability to thrive on the bench.  How about taking a flier on Jim Edmonds, currently unsigned?   Edmonds managed 20 homers last season and got on base 34% of the time.  Yes, he is old, but he probably can still hit and it wouldn't cost much to find out either way.  If Garnder continues to struggle you could put him in at center. The point is, something needs to be done if Nady is truly lost for the year.  Chances are Matsui will be down for stretches of the season and you cannot bank on Damon playing 150 games.  Plan B right now is Melky and we know what that means.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 08:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

The Yankees have placed Nady on the DL and called up David Robertson.  The fact that it is Robertson makes me think another move is coming up. I don't think the Yankees want 13 pitchers and I suspect that if they really did, they would have called up a long reliever like Aceves. 

But, they didn't, they picked Robertson.  I would guess that they did it as a placeholder because assuming Nady's injury is as bad as rumored, he will go on the 60-day DL.  Once that is done, they can put a new player on the 40-man roster.  Since Miranda and Cervelli are the only hitters on the 40-man right now, I think they go that route and then recall Duncan or someone like that.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

The Red Sox arrive back in Boston with a 3-6 record.  Here's why (sorry in advance if the formatting looks terrible):

When your 1, 2 and 3 hitters are all below the Mendoza line, things are never good.  Wednesday's game was a welcomed change, but we need to see more of that.  Where would they be without Youkilis and Bay?

I'm being somewhat selective here, but you can see some of the starters have been terrible and 3 members of the bullpen have struggled.  Kudos to Papelbon, Ramirez and Delcarmen thus far in the pen (although Delcarmen has walked 4 in 4 innings...)

The Red Sox have essentially started the season with a slump.  Let's hope that home cooking and Baltimore as an opponent will help right the ship.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Amazing isn't it, but with today's win the Yankees are 5-4 and nine games equals just over 5% of the season.  That seems fast.

I have been on vacation since last week, but thanks to the Yankee Radio Network and the MLB At Bat IPhone app, I heard almost every game.  Here are a couple of random thoughts before I try and get some sleep to prepare for Opening Day at the new place.

1- Girardi got way too cute with his bullpen on Sunday.  I know the book may say bring in a righty, but Bruney and Marte are the guys who have to pitch in close games.  Veras and Coke haven't prepped for that role yet.  

2- I heard someone say that the Nady injury (whatever it exactly is) is a blessing for the Yankees because they will play the superior player (Swisher) in right now.  That's stupid because as they showed over the first eight games, having both of them gave Girardi the luxury to mix and match some things.  Swisher may have been better than Nady, but Nady is a whole lot better than Melky.

3- With this injury, I wonder if they call up Shelley Duncan?  You could do some interesting things with Duncan like sit Gardner against a tough lefty and move Swisher to center.  Looking at the 40-man, Francisco Cervelli and Juan Miranda are the only hitters on it not already on the DL or in the majors and I don't think either of them would be much help right now.

4- Just wondering, but how many empty $2,500 seats are we going to see on TV tomorrow?  

5- Huge hit for Ransom today, he really needed that.  I was beginning to wonder if the Yankees were going to go with Pena until A-Rod returned.

6- I really like Brett Gardner, but he has to walk more than once every nine games to be effective.

7- Four losses this year and three of them are when the starter didn't give them a chance (Wangx2 plus Sabathia Opening Day) The fourth was the bullpen implosion Sunday.  Not sure why I find that interesteing, but I do.  

About 12 hours to first pitch at the new place.  See you then! 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 12:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Another game, another body.  Daisuke Matsuzaka was put on the DL today with general arm fatigue and shoulder soreness.  Great.

I love the WBC.

So things look a bit bleak for the Red Sox but we are in just the 2nd week of the season, no need to get worried.  But you can get annoyed.  Have at it...

The Red Sox return from this awful road-trip to an off-day Thursday and then an extended home stand starting with the Orioles.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 04:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Josh Beckett was suspended for 6 games for throwing at Bobby Abreu this past Sunday.  If you saw the game, there is no question the pitch would have hit Abreu in the head had he not moved.  At the same time, it was a dead ball because time had been called.

Beckett was looking at 2nd base and then turned to home and immediately started his delivery.  It seems like it would be hard to look towards home and start your delivery at the same time, realize the umpire has called time and alter your aim towards Abreu's head all in a split second.

I have to balance that with the fact that Beckett seems to get himself into these situations more often than others.  He seems to like confrontations.  So I have decided that Beckett did indeed try to throw at Abreu, but keep out hope that he didn't mean to aim for the head.

Either way, Beckett pitched like crap on Sunday and needs to show his teammates that he can pitch and keep the Red Sox in each and every game.  No mental breakdowns.  Just do what Jason Varitek says.

The rough start continues for Boston.  Funny, Tampa Bay, New York and Boston are 3rd, 4th and 5th respectively thus far in the AL East.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 03:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Jed Lowrie was put on the DL today with a sore left wrist, the same wrist that caused him trouble last year.  This move came out of no where and is a major disappointment.  Gil Velasquez was called up to replace Lowrie.

Now this means I can't wait for Julio Lugo to make it back.  I can't believe I just said that...

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 09:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Do you realize that after the Red Sox finish this current road trip this Wednesday in Oakland, they return to the West Coast only one other time during the regular season?  And that happens May 12-17 with another stint in Anaheim and then to Seattle.

After that?  Nothing, no more 10:05pm starts.  That's amazing.  I guess the MLB schedulers are giving them a break for their 2008 start in Japan.

Either way, the trip back to Anaheim should prove interesting giving Sunday's fireworks.

Week 1 in the books and the Red Sox are in last place in the AL East.  Small sample size and nothing to worry about, right?  Right.  That said, the Red Sox are trending into some worrisome areas.

First off, where's the beef?  The Red Sox, through Sunday, have sported a .242/.329/.434 (avg/obp/slg).  Where's the filth?  Red Sox pitchers have posted a 5.02 ERA and a 1.54 Whip (That's 1.54 hits and/or walks per inning pitched).

Above represents a bad combo.

Not to ring any alarms, but a few thoughts:  Jacoby Ellsbury had a somewhat disappointing year in 2008.  So far in 2009 he is off to a...dud.  Ellsbury has 2 types of swings, the just get my bat on the ball so I can run like crud or the swing for the fences cut.

The latter swing is slow, that is to say it is a more deliberate swing and seems to result in balls being fouled off to the 3rd base side.  His former swing is more like a reactionary swing.  That's the swing I want to see.  Ellsbury should just try to put the ball in play and use his legs to get on base.  Keep it simple.  If Ellsbury cannot figure out a way on base at least 35 % of the time (so far at 26.9% i n2009), the Red Sox will need to either consider moving him to 9 in the order or finding an alternative.

Pedroia is off to a very slow start, as is Mike Lowell, David Ortiz, Jed Lowrie (1 hit) and JD Drew.  The good news is that's only 5/9 of the line-up...um...

As for the arms, let me give them all another turn in the rotation.

But let me rant of a moment.  Josh Beckett, the Red Sox opening day starter, has posted a 4.11 ERA since joining Boston.  4.11.  The MLB average ERA from 2006-2008 (he joined the Red Sox in 2006) is 4.43.  I guess my point is that despite the fact that Beckett has enormous talent, he is frustratingly inconsistent.  I don't have too much more to say about Beckett at present other than I expect my #1 starter to not be inconsistent.  Be good far more often than not, ok.

Off to Oakland for 2 late night starts and a late afternoon start.  In other words, 3 games you'll struggle to watch live.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 12:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As I watch today's Yankees game and see Sidney Ponson followed by Kyle Farnsworth I can't help but think how having both those guys on your team at the same time might make you nuts.

Oh wait.... 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 06:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Hey, I loved today's win and I loved A.J. Burnett, but I have a couple of questions from it.

First, why did Jeter lead off?  The only reason I ask is because Nady hit cleanup.  Nady had been hitting 7th and his promotion to cleanup was interesting. I would assume it was because Girardi wanted to keep a left-righty balance in the lineup, but think about this.  Today's lineup was:

Jeter-R

Damon-L

Teixeira-S

Nady-R

Cano-L

Swisher-S

Ransom-R

Gardner-L

Molina-R

Now, swap Jeter and Damon and you have perfect balance throughout the lineup.  Girardi had to know that, but he chose to go with Jeter first.  Why did he do that?  I have to assume that maybe he thinks Jeter is a better hitter than Damon (I agree).  

Next question is what does Swisher have to do to start?  Granted, today was a special day for Swisher, but he has shown flashes of this potential before and if the Yankees are truly about the #'s, Swisher needs to be the rightfielder.

Finally, does anyone else find it odd that Marte didn't pitch in that game?  The Yankees are on a pace to burn out the bullpen and Marte has a total of 1/3 of an inning this season?  Strange and something I hope they rectify soon. (if needed) 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 12:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

August 2nd, 1979, I can still recall the moment on that day when I heard that Thurman Munson had died in a plane crash.  I thought of that a lot this morning when I heard about Nick Adenhart of the Angels being killed in a car crash. It is always a tragedy when someone dies young and this is much worse because it sounds like it could have been prevented because the person who crashed into Adenhart was under the influence.   

It's sadly ironic that less than 24 hours after Joba Chamberlain talked about how badly he had screwed up driving under the influence this happens.  Hopefully, between this and Joba's experience more people learn that you just have to turn the keys over to someone if you have been drinking.  Sadly, it always seems that the innocent person gets hurt when someone drives drunk.  It was certainly that way for Nick Adenhart. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 02:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I never understood why the Yankees didn't give Chris Britton more of a chance.  Sure he was, um..."big", but the guy seemed to get a lot of outs when they gave him a chance. I used to wonder if he had personally offended someone in the Yankees organization because of his lack of opportunities.

Now comes word via Chad Jennings that Britton has been sent to AA by the Padres!   The Padres have to be one of the worst teams in baseball and they don't even have room for him to resume his AAA career?  I don't get it at all. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 08:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

That was bad on so many levels, but the fact remains that it was only one game.  Yes, Sabathia and Teixeira sucked, especially when it counted, but again it was one game.  I am amazed at the papers this morning and all the fur flying about how badly CC and Mark played.  Did I mention it's only one game?

Now, if Sabathia gets pounded Saturday and Teixeira comes into his Yankee Stadium debut with a .127 average, you might have the start of something to talk about, but for now let it be.  I found some other things in the game far more interesting.

Posada looked good at the plate and miserable with the glove.  Maybe he forgot how to catch while he was hurt, but some of those wild pitches should have been passed balls.  

Bruney and Coke had rough games, but Albie looked good.

Matsui hitting that home run was good to see.  They will need his bat this year.

Cano walked twice, a very good sign and turned a nice double play when they needed it.  

Anyway, one game down, 161 to go.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 09:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Was it me, or did the Orioles play "The Imperial March" aka Darth Vader's theme song when the Yankees were being introduced before the game? 

Pretty clever Baltimore, may I suggest the Yankees play "Send in the Clowns" when the Orioles come to town? 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 04:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Is there anything worse than having Opening Day rained out?  The White Sox and Red Sox have already suffered that fate, will the Yankees?  Based on this, I am hopeful that we will get this one in, but who knows with Mother Nature?

On a side note, it appears the Yankees didn't lie.  According to this article, the Yankees did drop their payroll, $8 million from last season's figure.  Overall, 14 teams have a lower payroll, 10 of those decreased their payroll by more than $10 million.

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 10:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The anticipation, the thrill of opening day for Red Sox fans just got washed away.  The Red Sox have officially postponed opening day because of the "near certainty of heavy rain."

The game will be played Tuesday at 4:05pm.  At least I have a shot at catching the last few innings of a 4:05pm start.  Always thinking about me...

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Andy and I braved the wind and the cold to go to Citi Field yesterday.  Actually, we didn't have to brave much because we scalped amazing seats with a wonderful indoor option.  So, we would watch some baseball in our seats and then retire to the indoor bar for an adult beverage before heading back out to the seats.  In between adult beverages and sitting in the seats, we walked around all of Citi Field, let me share some impressions.

First, the Jackie Robinson Rotunda is spectacular.  It is the full height of the stadium and makes a wonderful entrance.  They are two video screens with highlights of Robinson's career, pictures of him throughout his life and his quote "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives"  There is also a big, blue "42" right behind the main escalators that was very popular with the kids to climb on. 

The ballpark has some interesting dimensions.  The upper deck overhangs the field about 8 feet in right.  The height of the outfield fence varies all over the field.  One complaint about the layout.  From the seat I was sitting in, which goes for somewhere between $105-$250 per game, depending on opponent,(not that I paid even half that) you could not see the whole field.  The rightfield corner is out of view.  Shouldn't you get to see the whole field when you are paying over $100 per seat? The seats are very nice, comfortable and wide. It looked like all the seats had cup holders.   

There are tons of different food options and you can eat all sorts of different fare from hot dogs to crab cakes and lobster rolls.  One nice touch is the open concourses which allow you to keep an eye on the game while waiting in line.  There is a dunk tank, a couple of batting cages and a mini Citi Field for the kids to play on. I was struck by how many things there were to do that had nothing to do with watching a baseball game- and isn't that the point of the whole experience?

I really enjoyed Citi Field and I think Mets' fans- who had a dump of a stadium to go to, are going to absolutely love it.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 06:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

It's time to once again make some predictions that will probably be terribly wrong. (I had Pitt winning the National Championship this year)

Anyway, here is how I see teams finishing this season....

AL East

1- Yankees- There are a lot of things I worry about from Posada's health to Jeter's range, but the fact remains the Yankess had a wonderful offseason and are a deep and dangerous team.  I think they have improved the defense, offense and pitching staff.  They are better equipped to deal with the inevitable injuries they will suffer and Girardi seems looser this year.  I think it adds up to an AL East crown.  

2- Boston- Great team, great pitching, but I think just a fraction behind the Yankees.

3- Tampa- It's too bad that the three best teams in the AL are all in the same division.  I like a lot of things about Tampa, but this year they are not going to surprise anyone, they will be expected to win.  I think those expectations will be tough to live up to for a young team and they won't repeat as division champs or even make the playoffs.

4- Baltimore- The reason I pick them 4th instead of 5th?  See below

5- Toronto- I just have a feeling they are going to launch a fire sale and Roy Halliday will be pitching somewhere else and Alex Rios will be hitting somewhere else

AL Central

1- Minnesota- Joe Mauer's back worries me, but I think a full season with Liriano pushes them to the top of a bad division

2- Cleveland- Does anyone else expect Carl Pavano to pitch against the Yankees when they open the new Stadium and fire a two-hit shutout or is it just me?  Anyway, I think they just miss out beating the Twins for the crown.

3- White Sox- I think the final three spots are a toss up, but I think Chicago finishes third plus they have a big fan in the Oval Office.

4- Kansas City- I think Detroit is a mess and the Royals have some nice young players, plus Greinke could be great. 

5- Detroit- I don't like the pitching in either the rotation or bullpen and I think it is going to be a long summer for the Tigers.

AL West: 

1- Angels- Losing Teixeira hurts, but Abreu will help replace him.  Still the class of the division, but they had better watch behind them because...

2- Oakland- The A's are closing fast on them.  Giambi+Holliday+ young pitchers= a pretty good club.

3- Texas- Signs of life, but as the saying goes in Texas, the baseball season is over when the Cowboys open training camp.

4- Seattle- Bedard is an injury mess and Ichiro on the DL.  At least the fans can root for Griffey again.  

NL East

1- Phillies- I actually like the Mets a little bit better, but after the last two Septembers I am going with the defending champs. 

2- Mets- See above, but that bullpen has been reworked and looks great.  I have some doubts about the rotation, especially Oliver Perez.

3- Braves- Better than last year, but still not as good as the top two teams in the division.

4- Marlins- The best player in baseball is Hanley Ramirez and Nolasco has been amazing this spring, but I don't think they have enough pieces to make a run.  Then again, they could be the 2009 version of the Rays if everything clicks.

5- Washington- We can update that great baseball line to, "First in war, first in peace and last in the National League" 

NL Central

1- Cubs- The class of the division and possibly the league

2- Reds- I think there will be a revival on the banks of the Ohio this season.

3- Cardinals- Mediocre at a number of spots, but Pujols is amazing.

4- Brewers- Tough to lose all those players and still compete.

5- Pirates- Yes, they lost to a college team last week, but I think they are better than Houston.

6- Houston- This is another team I could see holding a fire sale in the middle of the season.  Berkman, Oswalt, Lee, they have some attractive pieces to trade.

NL West

1- Dodgers- Manny's back and that makes the difference.

2- Arizona- Love the rotation and I think they will make some noise before falling short.

3- Giants- They are on the upswing, but the offense needs to improve.

4- Colorado- I would have picked them for last, but there is no question in my mind that the Padres are terrible.

5- San Diego- The worst team in baseball.

Playoff predictions

Red Sox win the wild card and play the Angels who they beat for the 55th time in a row

Yankees play the Twins and beat them

Red Sox beat the Yankees in the 17th inning of Game 7 when A-Rod forgets to throw to first on a bunt play because he is posing for another photo shoot.

In the NL the Mets are the wild card team and they beat the Dodgers.

The Cubs take care of the Phillies

The Cubs beat the Mets, setting up a World Series between the most tortured fan base in baseball and the former holders of that title.  The Cubs win it all, putting an end to 101 years of losing.  Embracing the spirit of bipartisanship, the President embraces the team from the North Side for a change.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

It is a minor move, but it has major implications: Ramiro Pena is the Yankees new backup infielder.  The obvious choice was to take Berroa, an expensive veteran with very little upside, but the Yankees went with a guy who has never played above AA. Why did they do it?  Defense is the primary answer, the guy is a wizard with glove.  Now the question is, how will the Yankees use Pena?

He will probably sit on the bench unless there is an injury or they need a pinch hitter, but the Yankees would be smart to consider Pena as a late-inning defensive replacement for Jeter and give him an occasional start when Chien-Ming Wang is on the mound.  

Whatever they do with Pena, it is significant that they chose youth over experience and gave him a spot.  Hopefully, it is the start of a trend in the Bronx.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Later today Andy and I will take a bit of a field trip to Citi Field to take in a Mets-Red Sox game.  After watching the debut of both New York baseball palaces on TV last night, I am eager to see one in person.  Due to massively expensive tickets I have to wait until April 18th when I can use my own, much cheaper Saturday Plan seats, to see the new Yankee Stadium, so Citi Field will come first.

It's great to be headed to a baseball game again and only two days left until Opening Day! (And yes, I am aware that there is a "real" game tomorrow night, but I hate that MLB sold its soul to ESPN) 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 08:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Interesting little tidbit in this story about Yankees' ticket prices.  If you take the difference in average ticket prices at the new stadium and the old one and assume the Yankees sell 50,000 seats a game the team stands to make an EXTRA $120 million in ticket sales this year.

Now, don't forget that the Yankees own a share of this which will bring new revenues online this season as well and the team is absolutely awash in cash. (They also have a share in YES making them plenty of money)  Use my numbers above and the Yankees make almost $300 million from ticket sales in 2009.

Yes, they have debt to pay off from building the new place, but I wouldn't expect the Yankees' payroll to shrink anytime soon.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 05:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Unless you are in your 60's there has been only one "voice" of Yankee Stadium throughout your life and that voice was "The Voice of God".  Now comes word that Bob Sheppard is officially retiring. 

In many ways it seems appropriate that he never will do a game in the new place, but I am sad that I will never hear "Your attention please, ladies and gentlemen.  Now batting for the Yankees..." at lest with the same inflection, tone and accent. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 04:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)