May 14th, let’s stop and asess.

Sunday, May 13th. Loss (19-15) 

Andy’s Return, Yanks stifled by Kevin Millwood.  

Saturday, May 12th. Win (18-14)

Hughes has best game of season. However it was the Mariners. Hughes had managed to make it into the 7th against the Royals before that so he should be riding high. His next start will be in Toronto. Big test if you ask me.

Friday, May 11. Win (17-14) 

Yanks get to King Felix. Ibanez goes deep. He’s looked good at the plate as of late.

Thursday, May 10. W (16-14)

Sabathia shows Ace stuff against Price and Rays.

The Yankees are doing their usual thing. They are not perfect but who is? Some guys have gotten off to slow starts, but who hasn’t before. We’ve had a few blows, most notably Michael Pineda and Mariano Rivera so the pitching depth that the Yankees seemed to build over the winter is being tested early.

The offense has been inconsistent. You can’t accept being shutdown by Kevin Milwood either as a player, manager, owner or fan. Not on a special day at the stadium no less. Well, they beat King Felix the other night so everything evens out I suppose.

The injury bug has bitten a little with only Brett Gardner missing substantial time so far. The lineup will miss the elements of the game that Gardner brings, as only he brings. Their is no other player like him on the team. Eduardo Nunez was the closest thing in terms of speed and potential spark but he was rightfully sent down to work on his defense.

The jury is still out on Eduardo. I like him and would give him a shot to win a starting job in the next few years. He’s got the speed, and he’s got pop, I’ve always liked the way the ball jumped off his bat. Perhaps the outfield would suit him better.

Game 35: Nova vs. Hammel

In Baltimore to play the Orioles for the third time this year. There’s reason to feel confidant going up against the O’s, the Yanks have Owned them in recent years. Yankee fans should also feel confidant with Nova.

 

Lot’s to catch up on again.

Well, a lot has happened in 23 days since my last post. Funny the last line of the previous post. You must learn to laugh at your worries in this game.

Mariano, unbelievable.

Of course we are going to miss him but if there was one team equipped to deal with such a loss it’s the Yankees. Losing Mariano is not half as bad as losing CC or Jeter. It still sucks all the more, and it will cost them in certain situations this season, no doubt, but lets just hope we see him pitch again, and I’m sure we will.

Update: Gardner re-strains elbow muscle, shut down for ten days

Yep, gonna be pretty non existent for the first half. Ya know what, if he could return as his old self for the second half the Yanks will be alright. Lets just hope.

Eric Chavez on the 7 day DL with whiplash.

Swisher missed about 10 games with some hamstring discomfort but has returned strong, he’s one of the Yanks best hitters this season.

Did I mention that Michael Pineda recently had surgery and his season is over? Yeah, that happened. Since this is old news by now i won’t re-open the wound with the gory details.

Freddy Garcia didn’t survive April in the rotation but at least it’s given rookie David Phelps a few starts, he looks promising.

Phil Hughes has not been good this season. He could be of great use in the bullpen now, if and when he loses his rotation spot. I don’t believe in him as a starter anymore but I believe he could be above average in relief.

I would not have gone out of my way to assign the stupid closer role to anybody, and I wouldn’t have picked David Robertson. Not because I think he can’t do it, he is one of the best young arms out there right now. He is just so great in his present role that I couldn’t justify moving him. Why mess with such a good thing?

I’ll stop short of comparing it with Joba a few years ago, Joba made sense because Starting Pitching is more important than a set up guy, or in D-Robs case firefighter extraordinaire, but a closer is one of the great nonsenses in Baseball. In my eye’s proven veteran Rafael Soriano is clearly the guy who this role should go to, last night’s Yankee ninth inning debacle aside.

The Yankees have been inconsistent and kind of mediocre to this point. They look a little old, a little banged up. Certain players can certainly improve, most notably Tex; I really don’t want to except he’s a .250 hitter now. Can’t be, not yet. He needs to figure a few things out.

It would be nice if either Tex or A-Rod would step up and be a real middle of the order presence for a little while. Both would be nice but both are flashing some worrisome downhill trends offensively. They both do, however, have a bit left in their tanks.

If A-rod had a few more homers to go along with his current five it would seem a lot different but a .287 average and a .388 OBP are solid. Even Russel Martin, who’s currently batting .167 by the way, will get into a groove sometime this summer and bunch together some long balls, I’m sure A-Rod will have his time. He can still contribute, he’s just not the  scary home run hitter anymore.

This team still has a lot of talent, same old story. With the Angels and RedSox getting off to under .500 starts, the Yankees may have had a little room for error up to this point. The team stands to improve a bit with Andy Petitte’s return to the Stadium on Sunday which should be a nice moment.

Lots to catch up on

Joba Chamberlain suffered an open dislocation of his ankle while jumping on a trampoline, and lived to tell about.

Michael Pineda is starting the season on the DL, and in the minors, thus settling The Great Starting Pitching Surplus of 2012, temporarily. Andy Petitte will take someone’s spot in early May, most likely Freddy Garcia’s, but when Pineda is ready there will be a decision to make. Phil Hughes could wind up making it an easy one.

Andy’s comeback is going nice and steady.

The Yankees began their season by getting swept in Tampa, then swept the Orioles, then took two out of three against the Angels. It appears as if the veteran Kuroda was a good bet. He really looked great against a decent Angels lineup pitching into the ninth on opening day.

The Red Sox recently lost Jacoby Ellsbury with a dislocated shoulder. The Sox have looked a bit spotty in the early going and definitely have some question marks, but one thing that isn’t questionable is that Bobby Valentine is an A-Hole.

And Johnny Damon has signed with the Indians.

The 2012 season is in full swing and the Yankees are looking just fine with reinforcements on the way whether the team will need them or not. Jeter is looking like the Jeter of three years ago and while no other hitter is setting the batters box on fire, pretty much everyone has flashed a little something up to this point.

David Phelps has opened some eyes. He has looked great in a small sample out of the pen. The Yankees have no worries right now.

ANDY PETTITE IS BACK.

On one hand the Yankees don’t need Andy Petitte. They already have six legitimate starters for five spots and depth beyond that on the farm.

On the other hand, do any of these guys instill in you the confidence that Andy Petitte would?

Petitte shouldn’t be ready to go in the Bronx until sometime in May, so someone’s rotation spot is safe until then. Andy’s comeback will certainly contribute to surplus of starting pitchers already on the 25 man roster, but it’s a small price to pay for what he can potentially bring to the table, in October.

This move is all about October, for both parties.

Luckily the Yankees have some flexibility. For one they should easily be able to move effective veteran Freddy Garcia and his modest contract if they so choose, Nova and Pineda have options though it’s hard to see either one of them starting the season in AAA, and Phil Hughes has proven to be a viable option in relief.

If Hughes is destined for the bullpen because of this, I would rather just start him in the pen from day one and let Freddy keep the spot warm for Andy. After that, Sweaty Freddy could keep Joba’s spot warm in the pen. As for Hughes, I would like to see him get one more shot in the rotation, but that would mean at either Pineda’s or Nova’s expense.  Check out Steve Sciacco over at the Yankee Analysts who  explores how Pineda should be the odd man out.

The only thing doubters can point to about Andy in 2012 is the fact that he missed the entire 2011 season. This is not the worst thing in the world, the proverbial bunch of saved bullets. It may not even be a bad thing at this stage of his game. We all saw what Bartolo Colon did last year after missing nearly three consecutive seasons at a similar age, and it was due to injury.

On the flip side of all this, I suppose it’s possible that Andy’s comeback never materializes but I just don’t see it. I trust Andy, and so do you. I’m sure everyone involved expects this thing to work. I fully trust Andy Petitte to know if a comeback would be worth it to the Yankees and their quest for yet another championship. He sure isn’t coming back for the money. And you gotta love that. The guy is still hungry, he wants back in, willing to pitch for peanuts. I’ve got a good feeling about it. You?

Quick Passing Summation of The Sox before we get this thing started

I am a Yankees fan, so the Red Sox are quite relevant in my world. We’ve been through a lot together and it shall continue. I’ve definitely tempered my hate in recent years, probably since the 2009 World Championship. I’ve just learned to approach this rivalry with a little more Zen. We’ll see how long it lasts.

Bobby V. will take over for Ozzie Guillen as the most obnoxious manager in the American League. He’s sarcastic, has a big mouth and is kind of full of himself. As a tactician, I think he always has a plan, he’s a thinker in the dug out. He’s never won anything but came close in ‘99 and 2000. I think if he can control the obnoxious quotient it could work. The team may have needed a new look, and a kick in the ass, and Bobby Valentine would appear to be the perfect guy for that job.

I know Carl Crawford isn’t as bad as his 2011 season, but wrist surgery this winter doesn’t help his cause in 2012. That aside, he just looked lifeless to me last season. Apathetic. Far from the impact player the Red Sox seemingly payed for. Perhaps the sentiment that he really wanted to play for the Angels is accurate.

Jacoby Ellsbury made us forget about Crawford all together. He looks like a big bright shining star right about now. Five tools, MVP runner up, about to enter his prime.

I’m sure it sucked for fans seeing Marco Scutaro go, especially with out seemingly anything coming back in return. If the trade’s ultimate purpose was to free up money to pursue a starting pitcher, it seems as if that wont manifest itself until mid season.

The rotation can seem a bit dubious depending on how you look at it. I’ll give them Lester and even the fragile Beckett, but Bucholz, Bard, Acevas, Padilla and Dice K are all wild cards. Oswalt would have been one too. A revamped bullpen will be its own question mark so the rotation could have it’s work cut out for it.

If there is one player the Sox have to keep on the field, and in the lineup, it’s Kevin Youklis, one of the toughest at bats in the game. That DH slot is really tailor made for him right about now but you couldn’t argue with bringing back Ortiz.

2011 was a total disaster, but some very good ballplayers were left in the wake; Ellsbury, Pedroia, Gonzales, Youklis, Ortiz, Beckett, Lester are all top shelf. The team doesn’t appear to be a finished project as of this writing. They may need to make an addition or two, and they surely will.

The 2012 Season is Upon Us. Things Look a Little Different.

Baseball is here again. I know, by the end of Spring training it’s excruciating but the baseball off season always seems to go by quickly. The holidays help distract us from a baseball-less existence, as does the Hot Stove season which can be an everyday read until February. Well, we are smack in the middle of the 2012 pre- season and it looks like the Baseball landscape has changed a bit.

Expanded playoffs.

Ultimately it’s another opportunity for a playoff birth. Yes it will suck having to win a one game playoff just to be the wild card, but I’m on board with a new twist to the Postseason.

Would have loved expanded replay but that must wait according to the powers that be.

Some teams have had major makeovers.

The Marlins

Reyes, Buehrle and Bell will add some multi faceted veteran leadership on the field, and the teams new Manager and ball park should create lots of interest and excitement for all involved. They are still not being considered serious contenders but you would hope the Marlins would have some money left for a mid season acquisition if it could make a difference.

The Angels

Albert Pujols- Who saw that coming? The C.J. Wilson acquisition pales in comparison but can’t be ignored as he joins an already solid trio. They will give Texas a run for their money unlike the last two seasons.

The Cardinals.

Departures rather than additions sum up the cards makeover. Super Star Albert Pujols, their hall of fame manager Tony Larussa and much heralded pitching coach Dave Duncan are all gone and of course it overshadows Carlos Beltran and the return of Adam Wainwright. Still, these two players can be key, and the Cardinals will surely move on and begin a new era in their storied franchise.

The Nationals.

They definitely have been trying. They acquired slugger Jayson Werth via a big time contract last off season, and traded top prospects to add young lefty starter Gio Gonzales, as well as sign starter Edwin Jackson this off-season. They most recently locked up their star third baseman Ryan Zimmerman with an eye towards the future.

Things are definitely improving in Washington, on the Baseball front, but only when the Nat’s young super stars Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper truly begin to bare fruit will be when the team truly becomes relevant.

The Poor Mets

Dark days in Flushing. The Mets have two halfway decent names left on the roster and they are hoping that they stay healthy and produce simply so that they will be able to shed their salaries. What else can be said about the Mets? They are a non issue.

The Red Sox

Coming off of last years debacle, the Sox have done their best to change the scenery. Many components still remain, but the Sox will be less Papelbon, Varitek, Drew, Scutaro, Wakefield, Lackey (who’s injured), Terry Francona and Theo Epstein. They have been replaced by Andrew Bailey, Mark Melancon, Kelly Shoppach, Cody Ross, Ryan Sweeny, Clayton Mortensen, Bobby Valentine…and Chris Carpenter.

So Long, A.J.

A.J isn’t the worst pitcher on the planet. His 2010 and 2011 seasons weren’t the worst ever recorded. His E.R.A has been on the rise and he has been the model of inconsistency while consistently setting new lows for himself in a Yankee uniform, but certain aspects of his performance are positive, and it’s for these that teams would be interested in him.

I’m not going to go into how if the Yankees didn’t trade Burnett it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, and maybe even how the Yankees shouldn’t trade him at all. And I’m not even going to go into how his inconsistency just makes him an unknown quantity every time he takes the mound thus rendering him completely untrustworthy.

To put it simply, A,J doesn’t have a roster spot anymore. The Yankees have seven starters, and out of all seven A.J is not only the weakest link but the biggest head case. The writing’s been on the wall ever since that fateful Friday the 13th. The Yankees acquired Michael Pineda to replace A.J. as that number 2 behind Sabathia they thought they were getting three years ago. Then they acquired Hiroki Kuroda to replace him all together.

A.J will succeed in Pittsburgh, and would in most other non Yankee, particularly NL, environments. I have little doubt actually. One thing I can’t see under any circumstance is a scenario where this backfires on the Yankees. No matter how many innings, or how many strikeouts he still gives ya, A.J’s time in New York had come to its end.

I must disregard the sentiment that the Yankees needed to unload some of A.J’s contract to sign Ibanez and Chavez for mere peanuts. Yes, Cashman is clearly trying to steer the organization towards not only more fiscal responsibility but smart baseball decisions as well. Getting rid of A.J was about eliminating the magnet of negative focus that he’d become. Likewise it was unhealthy for the club when A-Rod was sticking out like a sore thumb a few years back (remember when he never failed to say something stupid?) and it was on its way to becoming a full-blown circus in 2012 if A.J. simply continued to be A.J. in a Yankee uniform.

From all accounts A.J was a great guy in the club house; he always talked to the media and is a really nice guy. He will be missed in many respects. I always rooted for him. I could chalk some of this up to not being able to pitch in new York, but not all of it. Performance wise A.J definitely has troubling tendencies that should concern teams looking to acquire him, but he’s still got a lot left in the tank in my opinion. I wish him all the best and hope he finds his way to a contender again.