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The Yankees have apparently added Kerry Wood in exchange for a PTBNL or cash.  It's really a flier on the Yankees part.  If Wood pitches well, they have improved their bullpen.  If he doesn't, they can eat the $1.5 million they owe him easily.  And don't forget, Girardi caught Woods when he was at his peak, maybe that will help him pitch well again.

We've heard that Curtis and Miranda are being sent down for Kearns and Berkman and it makes a lot of sense. Curtis is a nice player to have on the bench, but with these additions, you can't really find a spot for him.  Now the Yankees have to figure out how to deploy Berkman and Kearns.  With Berkman's inability to hit LHP, they will need to make sure to avoid bunching him next to Granderson, but early reports are that he will hit second.  That's a mistake in my mind, Swisher offers a lot more than Berkman and should get the call in the 2 spot.  Based on that, we will probably see something like this

Against RHP- Jeter, Berkman, Tex, A-Rod, Cano,  Posada, Granderson, Swisher, Gardner

Against LHP Jeter, Swisher, Tex, A-Rod, Cano, Posada, Thames, Kearns, Gardner

That's a better lineup than yesterday and when you throw in the Wood acquisition, you have to like what the Yankees did.  I would have liked to have seen an upgrade for Pena, but they did very well nonetheless and there will certainly be guys who sneak through waivers in the next month.  

UPDATE 4:35pm- Chan Ho Park has been DFA'ed.  I will never understand what the Yankees thought they saw in those 3-1/3 World Series' innings he threw that made them believe he would be good, but they have finally done the right thing.  Next on my list, Mitre.... 

UPDATE 5:10pm- The Yankees also moved Aceves to the 60-day DL.  Not sure why they DFA'ed Park today in that case.  Wood was in Toronto at 3:45 today (they showed him on MLB TV) Is he really going to get to Tampa in time for tonight's game or during it?  If not, the Yankees are going to play a man short tonight.  

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 04:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

The Yankees have apparently pulled off two trades tonight.  Lance Berkman and Austin Kearns are headed to the Bronx and Mark Melancon and some other guys are headed to Houston and Cleveland. 

Let's start with Berkman.  In many ways this is a switch-hitting version of Nick Johnson, but his abilities against LHP are a thing of the past.  And while his slugging percentage has diminished from the left side, his line of .245/.372/.436 is certainly adequate in a platoon with Thames.  Throw in his 4.13 pitches per plate appearance and Berkman will do a solid job of mimicking Nick Johnson for the Yankees. 

Is that enough for Mark Melancon?  If you had asked me that at the start of the 2010 season, I would have said no.  At this point, I am not sure.  Melancon has taken a step back this season, but despite the 3.67 ERA his BABIP of .367 at Scranton points to bad luck.  And, he has still stuck out over one batter an inning.  However, he has also walked 31 batters in 56 innings, which is not encouraging.  

Melancon could still turn into something, though his AAA regression this season is discouraging.  If I were in charge of the Yankees, I would have had the Astros pay less of the freight on Berkman and included a lesser prospect, but Berkman is an upgrade over Juan Miranda or Colin Curtis.   I'm not thrilled with the final price, but the bench/DH just got a lot better and that's the bottom line.

The other trade the Yankees made was for Austin Kearns in exchange for the infamous PTBNL. Kearns is better than Colin Curtis because he is a righty bat.  Other than that, there isn't a lot to get excited about here.  His results this year may have a lot to do with his .335 BABIP than anything else.  But, if the Yankees deploy his line against LHP (.720OPS) in the lineup over Granderson's (.538OPS) they have upgraded the lineup. 

What will be interesting to watch is how the Yankees fit these guys onto the roster.  Melancon comes off the 40-man, but someone else will have to as well. (Golson?)  But what about the active roster?  I would assume Miranda is gone with the Berkman addition, but who will bite the dust for Kearns?  I would hope it isn't Thames, but it certainly could be.  Demoting Curtis would be a mistake as well.  Here's a thought, with all the pitchers on the roster who can throw multiple innings, how about an 11-man pen? 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 09:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

It's really hard to figure out Philly.  Six months ago they trade Cliff Lee to Seattle and now they are trading for Roy Oswalt.  Net it all out and they saved about $4 million this year while taking on more salary for next year (and possibly 2012) while sending some prospects out and taking some in.  Considering the fact that Lee is the better pitcher, I think the Philly GM has a lot of explaining to do.

Enough about Philly, how about the Yankees?  Two interesting reports on the net today.  The first is Jorge Posada and the reports about the cyst behind his knee.   It's old news is some ways, but the fact that it's bothering him again may limit his availability to catch the rest of the way. Now, add in the reports that the Yankees are after Adam Dunn and I am confused.  

I'm not saying that Dunn isn't a great hitter.  He is the consummate "three outcomes" guy, but he hits more than enough homers and draws more than enough walks to outweigh his many strikeouts.  But, he is a lefty and he also has not played anywhere besides first this season.  In short, he is in many ways a much more powerful version of Nick Johnson.  That could certainly add value to the Yankees, but if Posada can't catch, where exactly do the Yankees play Dunn?  And when you consider the prospects the Yankees would have to give up for Dunn, why not go with the obvious internal candidate, Jesus Montero?

A month ago I wrote that it wasn't the time to consider Montero. I gave a number of reasons, but I suggested that he should have another month of AAA seasoning because he was just starting to hit AAA pitching.  Since I wrote that, Montero has put up a .348/.463/.608 line.  I would still prefer that the Yankees keep him in the minors a bit longer, but if the choices are; starting Cervelli 3-4 times a week, trading for Dunn or promoting Montero, I promote Montero.  Flip-flop Montero and Posada from DH to C as needed and see what happens. 

UPDATE 4:10PM- Joel Sherman reports the Yankees are essentially out of the Dunn market unless the Nats significantly lower their pricetag.  All I can say is good! But, with Posada out of the lineup again, will Montero be summoned soon?

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 01:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I put the question mark at the end of the title, but it's really not a question.  Joe Girardi had Joba Chamberlain available tonight.  Curtis Granderson hit his home run and after that three more Yankee batters came to the plate.  The inning changed and the Yankees chose to stick with Javier Vazquez. 

Obviously, there was more than enough time to warm up any reliever in the pen, but Girardi chose to turn the game over to Robertson when Vazquez got in trouble in the eighth and then to Logan when a lefty came to the plate.  I give Joe credit for that and also have to ask- what took so long?

Joel Sherman speculated today that the Yankees would send Joba to the minors.  Why wouldn't they?  I'm not sure what there is to be gained by keeping him in the pen in the bigs now and maybe he could learn something in the minors (better put, re-learn something)  Of interest, Jason Stark is reporting the Yankees are trying to trade Chan Ho Park  One can only hope that means they will cut ties with him either way shortly and Albe will be back into the mix as part of the "bridge to Rivera". 

What seems clear is that changes are afoot in the Yankees' bullpen mix. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 10:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

So Mitre is out of the rotation and Moseley is in it because Girardi thinks that Mitre isn't physically ready to start. Isn't that something the Yankees should have figured out before they activated him and let him start on Saturday? Can someone explain why a 29-year old pitcher with a career ERA of 5.45 in almost 400 innings of major-league ball is considered valuable? 

The amazing thing to me is that Sergio Mitre is still considered an asset for the Yankees.  He compiled a 6.79 ERA last year in over 50 innings of work.  The last pitcher to have that high an ERA in over 50 innings of work for the Yankees was Kei Igawa in 2007.  He appeared in two more games in 2008 and has not been heard of since, despite the fact the Yankees are paying him $4 million a year to win games for Scranton.  (Hey good news, Igawa's deal runs out after next season!)  Mitre makes $825,000 this year, the Yankees could swallow that in a heartbeat.  They could have kept him on the DL and started Moseley in the first place on Saturday.  That would have kept Albe in the majors where he could have helped.  I don't get the Mitre fascination.  Does he have damning evidence of a crime Joe Girardi committed?  

I blame Aaron Small for this.  Remember that 2005 season that came out of nowhere?  I think the fact that Small and Chacon basically came out of nowhere to combine for 17 wins made Brian Cashman into a full blown "dumpster diver".  He looks at the trash discarded by other baseball teams and hopes he can turn it into diamonds.  It worked for that brief moment with Small and Chacon and that made Cashman a believer.

Now we will get Moseley, a pitcher with a 5.38 ERA in almost 200 innings in the majors and a 4.97 ERA in AAA. A hot streak in Scranton has convinced the Yankees he is another diamond in the rough.  Who knows, maybe they will get lucky for a few starts and with Andy Pettitte reportedly healing quickly, that's all they need.  But, it's a flawed plan when they have two better arms in Nova and Albe wasting away in AAA. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 07:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 12:24 PM | Permalink

It has been said that your worst day at the ballpark is better than your best day at work, but yesterday tested that maxim.  It was hot, crazy hot, like standing on the sun hot.  The only good thing is that my seats are under the overhang and therefore in the shade.  To those fans sitting on the thirdbase side in the sun, I salute your endurance and question your sanity.  To those fans sitting on the Malibu Party Deck for most of the game, what were you thinking?  (It's a new deck on the 400 level that gives you the chance to drink in direct sunlight.  I estimate the temperature there was 400 degrees.  The cop at the entrance said to me as I checked the conditions, "Forget frying an egg, I think the beer will boil".  Wise man that cop)

The day started with disappointment as I learned Albe had been optioned.  Can't say I am surprised, but a dumb move by the Yankees.  That guy can help them.  Moseley, Mitre, Gaudin and Park are essentially the same thing- righties who are flawed in someway.

Disappointment turned to anger as Mitre did exactly what i thought Mitre would do.  Luck can't last forever and yesterday Mitre's ran out.  The Yankees and Mitre can make all the excuses in the world, but the fact remains that this guy just isn't going to cut it.  His ERA is now up to 3.99 and his BABIP is only .221.  If it gets to the average level of .300, that ERA will be through the roof.  And don't let Moseley's work fool you.  He is even luckier than Mitre with an .161 BABIP so far.  Choosing between the two of them is sort of like chosing between a Yugo and a Pinto- either ride is probably going to get you hurt. And if that's my choice, I reluctantly stick with Mitre because he is the guy who can give you more innings right now.

But there is another option, the same one that has been there all along.  Ivan Nova pitched 6-1/3 tonight at Scranton and allowed only one earned run while striking out six.  His BABIP is .300, which means he is right at the average and his sub-3 ERA at Scranton can be believed.  Furthermore, if the Yankees let Vazquez leave (probable) and Pettitte retires (50-50?) then they will have an opening in the 2011 rotation even if they signed Cliff Lee.  The Yankees can't slot Nova into the rotation for Thursday, but they certainly could for the next go around in the rotation. With Haren off the market, it's time to look internally for rotation help, why not try Nova?

BTW- made it through all nine innings and got a nice picture of the World Series Trophy. Unfortunately, I can't seem to upload it to this site.  Ah well....

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 09:32 PM | Permalink

Arizona has sent him back to the AL West, so I think we can all expect the Yankees to officially be out of the starters market.

Interesting trade for Anaheim since they are six back in the division and four in the wild card.  Also interesting that I can't recall ever hearing the Angels mentioned in connection with Haren.  Just goes to illustrate again that you have to be VERY careful what you believe before the trade deadline. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 06:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Run Prevention - So far the Red Sox have not been a run prevention club.  They are actually pretty bad at it.  For the reasons I mentioned previously, the club has struggled to keep runs off the board, but their offense, until recently, has picked up the slack.  Time to lock down the defense (hear me Adrian Beltre and Marco Scutaro?), get help in the bullpen and have the starters pitch like they should.  That's all I ask, I'm a simple man.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 10:13 AM | Permalink

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 03:00 PM | Permalink

If I had to sum everything up on the Haren front, I would say that Arizona is leaking a lot of stuff to the press and that includes the Yankees "offer" of Joba, McAllister and Nova. 

The reason I say that is two of the biggest sources of news from the Yankees side, Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman are very quiet right now.  When the Yankees leak something, it is usually through them.  In addition, Bob Klap has come out this morning and said the Yankees absolutely refused to put Joba in a trade for Haren.  Add it all up and I get the feeling, Arizona leaked it's preferred package to the press last night and then Arizona's CEO came out with his press conference to try and up the pressure on the Yankees to accept it.  Remember, Arizona just fired their manager and GM and they are averaging under 25,000 fans per game at home.  They need to make the fanbase believe again and Joba might be a "sexy" name to some.

As for Haren, I still think it is the right move to make, if the Yankees can pull it off without touching the 25-man.  Last season Haren compiled a 14-10 record with a 3.14 ERA.  This season he has a 4.60 ERA despite, almost every other peripheral stat remaining the same.  There is a slight uptick in walks, but also a slight uptick in K's.  Where he is getting hurt is his BABIP which is .341 vs. .271 last season.  And remember this guy has a career ERA of 3.64 in over 600 innings of pitching in the AL.

Adding Haren also gives you flexibility this season and next offseason.  This season you can slot him in the rotation now and then move Hughes back to the pen when Pettitte returns.  That strengthens the pen and while Hughes' overall numbers are good, he is not the same pitcher since May.  (I think Hughes will be absolutely fine in the long term, this is just part of his growing process)  And in the offseason, Haren's presence in the rotation means you don't have to back the truck up to pay Cliff Lee.  Cliff Lee is a great pitcher, but he will be 32 and probably want a five year deal for $20 million.  How many long term deals do you want to hand out to pitchers?

And there is another thing to consider, this may be the last roundup for a lot of guys on this team.  Jeter, Mariano, Posada, Pettitte, how long can we truly expect these guys to perform at these levels?  I am not saying the Yankees are in danger of falling apart, but consider this.  It's 2011 and Mariano is finally human while Jeter's numbers have regressed from this season.  Meanwhile Posada is hurt most of the time and Pettitte is back in Texas with his kids.  Even if the Yankees added Cliff Lee, do you think their chances at a title are better or worse than they are right now in that scenario?  

Don't mistake this for a surrender flag for the future.  The Yankees have changed the way they do business.  They are now rich and smart and that is going to mean the Yankees will be good for a long time.  But, they are sitting here in 2010 with a four-game lead with 67 games to play.  If you can go for the jugular, you do it.  Lining up a rotation of CC, Haren, Pettitte, AJ and Vazquez with Hughes and Rivera in the pen would do that.

UPDATE 11am Heyman chimed in on Twitter this morning with two updates from the Yankees side.  1- They would include Mcallister and Nova+ 2 "prospects" but will not eat Haren's deal and include Joba.  2- Arizona appears to have tried to get them to take Chris Snyder or Chad Qualls as well and the Yankees have said no.  Both sides are still talking.

With that I am off to a sweltering Yankee Stadium.  

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)

Remember all the fun we had two weeks ago?  Well, get ready because we may have a repeat.

Bob Klapisch is reporting that the Yankees are the front runner for Dan Haren and it's up to Cashman to decide if he will pull the trigger.  

Haren pitched on the 21st, so I don't think there will be the same urgency around this deal as there was around the Lee one.  What I do know is that if they get Haren, he is signed through 2012 with an option for 2013.  I would wager that might spell the end of the Cliff Lee to the Yankees idea.  

We'll see what develops.

UPDATE 7:50PM- Some other reports from around the interweb.  D'Backs want to make the trade by Monday and Yanks are definitely in front.  According to AOL, Ivan Nova is the key to this deal. 

UPDATE 9:05pm- I have read various rumors that Joba might be part of the package.  Hmmm.....

UPDATE 9:55pm- Chad Gaudin in for relief.  Have to imagine he is pitching for his job right now with Mitre due to be activated tomorrow.

UPDATE 10pm- If the Yankees got Haren, he might solve the DH problem too .364/.375/.527 in 55 AB's this year (I kid, I kid) 

UPDATE 10:10pm- The package for Haren is reportedly Joba, Nova and McAllister

UPDATE 10:35pm According to Bob Klap, I am totally wrong about Lee and Yankees would pursue him assuming Pettitte retires.  That would mean the rotation in 2011 could be CC, Lee, Haren, AJ and Hughes.  No room for any prospects in that case. 

UPDATE 10:56pm- The CEO of the Diamondbacks just announced that there is no frontrunner for Haren.  The Yankees have made an offer but "other" clubs have made equally substantial offers.  I can't see the Yankees increasing their offer, but this could also be posturing.  Sounds like we have a ways to go on this one.  

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 07:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Part II:

Starting Pitching - No trades needed here, just better performance from the existing crew.  Jon Lester has been great after a rocky start to the season and Clay Buchholz has been what we all hoped he be.  It is up to the highest paid starters in John Lackey and Josh Beckett who have really disappointed.  Lackey can eat up innings, but he is paid to do much more, like be a top 2 starter when in fact he is pitching more like a middle of the rotation guy.  Certainly Lackey's performance last night is something to build off.

Beckett has had 3 terrible outings which make his numbers look that much worse, but if you post a 7.29 ERA and are hurt and you're paid a ton, you aren't helping.  With Beckett now healthy and pitching tonight and Buchholz off the DL and Wakefield headed to the bullpen, this group should get better.

Tomorrow - Outfield

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 04:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I hope AJ Burnett was paying close attention yesterday because he could have learned a ton.  CC Sabathia clearly didn't have it, yet he battled his way through 6-1/3 innings.  He scattered 11 hits, mostly thanks to 9 strikeouts and bailed out his catcher from a terrible game. (more on that in a minute)  If AJ ever learned how to do that, he would be worth the money he earns, but I would never expect that to happen.  AJ should have made the transition from thrower to pitcher years ago, now it seems he never will.

*****

That had to be the worst defensive game Posada has played in a long time.  On the play at the plate he only tagged himself.  He almost airmailed a dropped third strike into right.  But worst of all was the throw to third.  It made no sense, take the out at first!  

Posada has never been very good behind the plate, but he hits well enough to make up for that.  Fans will be tempted to relegate him to permanent DH after a performance like that, but until the Yankees come up with a different answer than Cervelli as backup catcher, they can't do that.  I just wonder if we will have the same concerns when Montero cracks the big league lineup?

*****

One last observation about the trade market.  Reportedly, Haren and Greinke are available and I would show moderate interest in the first and none in the second.  Haren has pitched well in the AL before and while his numbers in Arizona are down, he is missing bats at a high rate and his ERA can mostly be explained by a .341 BABIP.  He has playoff experience and would be a nice addition to the rotation.  But, the price will probably be way too high.  For instance, I would not trade Montero or Romine for him.

The reason I would stay away from Greinke is that despite his very good numbers, he has never pitched in a pennant race.  Throw in the fact that he had real struggles with social anxiety disorder in the past and I don't think injecting him into a pennant race in New York is the way to go.  When you consider what he would cost in prospects, it isn't worth the risk to me.

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

A follow-up to my relief corps commentary, Manny Delcarmen was just horrendous last night.  Turning a 6-0 lead into a tie game with the help of Jonathan Papelbon.  Thank goodness Daniel Bard, Hideki Okajima and Ramon Ramirez kept the Mariners at bay (Anyone?  No?).

Delcarmen's performance is just further evidence the Red Sox need help bringing the gap between the starters and Bard/Papelbon.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 09:22 AM | Permalink

The Red Sox are slipping.  The injuries are starting to catch up with them.  Duct tape and chewing gum is not enough.  With the non-waiver trade deadline a little more than a week away, here's what the Red Sox need to do.

Over the next few days, I'll do some quick and short analysis on areas of need for the Red Sox.  First up:

Relief Pitching - No worries with the 8th and 9th innings what with Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon doing just fine.  It's the other guys such as Hideki Okajima (5.72 ERA), Ramon Ramirez (4.85 ERA) and Manny Delcarmen (4.29 ERA, 20 walks, 23 K's in 35 innings) who are causing trouble.  The Red Sox have promoted and put Michael Bowden in the bullpen, but Bowden doesn't have any relief experience and has proven nothing at the big league level.  A trade is need to bring in a reliable arm.  Think Eric Gagne...wait.

Tomorrow:  Starting Pitching

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 09:20 PM | Permalink

We saw an umpire make an unforgivable mistake in Detroit earlier this year.  We heard an umpire make totally unwarranted comments earlier this year.  Today we saw an umpire overreact again.  But last night, we saw conclusive evidence that MLB needs to rethink the way it handles umpires.

If you haven't read about it, the situation was this.  Joe Torre had been thrown out of the game and Don Mattingly was managing.  In the 9th, he came out to the mound to talk to his pitcher.  He started off the mound and then heard a question from one of his players.  Problem is, he had already stepped off the mound so by stepping on it again he made a second trip to the mound.  The Giants manager came out and said that the second trip to the mound meant the pitcher had to be removed and a new one brought in (with regular warmup as opposed to an injury)  The umpires agreed and the new pitcher promptly surrendered the lead and the game.  There's just one problem, the umps didn't know the rules.  The rule states that a pitcher has to be removed after a second visit to the mound- BUT

In a case where a manager has made his first trip to the mound and then returns the second time to the mound in the same inning with the same pitcher in the game and the same batter at bat, after being warned by the umpire that he cannot return to the mound, the manager shall be removed from the game and the pitcher required to pitch to the batter until he is retired or gets on base. After the batter is retired, or becomes a base runner, then this pitcher must be removed from the game.

So, Mattingly should have been ejected and the pitcher should have been allowed to finish pitching to the current batter.  That's the rule.  Unfortunately for the Dodgers, they didn't protest the game or they would have had a pretty solid case.  

But the bigger problem is how do the umps not know that rule?  The bad calls, the short fuses, those are all mistakes we can relate to as human beings, but if your job is to enforce the rules, you had better know those rules!   I can't wait to hear MLB try and spin this one, it's just another example of the need for a major overhaul in umpiring. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 09:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

The Post today reports the Yankees have asked the Marlins about Cody Ross, but the price is too high. 

It's interesting that the Yankees would target Ross because he wouldn't be a rental.  Ross is still in his arbitration years and won't be a free agent until after the 2011 season.  He is also a righty bat, who kills LHP (.291/.353/.594 against them in his career) and he is primarily a centerfielder, though he can play anywhere. Add in the fact that he makes $4.5 million and you would have to conclude that the Yankees are looking for a platoon partner for Curtis Granderson.  

You can't blame them, as bad as Granderson has been overall (.694OPS) he is even worse when isolated against LHP (.557OPS)  But if you took his numbers against RHP (.242/.325/.450) and added Ross in to hit against lefties, you would have a pretty great combination. 

The problem is the price is too high right now.  That could change or the Yankees could look elsewhere (Reed Johnson?), but the important thing is that they are looking.  

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Jack Curry is reporting the Yankees will recall Albe from AAA when they DL Pettitte. 

Albe is an interesting pitcher.  Throughout his career he has gotten worse the more pitches he has thrown.  In Scranton he has essentially been a one inning guy and the results have been impressive.  46 innings 61 K's and an ERA of 0.96

Will it translate to the bigs?  Good question, but I hope the Yankees start trying him for one inning at a shot.  Maybe he can be a factor down the stretch.  

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 03:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Remember Jon Weber and what a great story he was in spring training?  He just got suspended for at least the second time for "a banned substance".  I know the article says it is the third time, but my understanding of the drug policy in place was that a third positive test meant a lifetime ban and he got 100 games.

I don't know why news like this shocks me anymore, but it does.  Ugh

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 09:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

It isn't very often that the Yankees get a chance to peek at their future during the season, but Andy Pettitte's groin strain is such an opportunity.  LoHud is reporting that Andy Pettitte is being placed on the DL and could be out 4-5 weeks.  That seems like a long time for a Grade 1 strain (Pettitte had the same injury in 2001 and missed two weeks) but the Yankees will be cautious and rightfully so. In need of a starter, the Yankees could have turned to Ivan Nova and have seen what he is capable of.  Nova has a 3.21 ERA in Scranton with a 3.07 BABIP (more on that later)  More significantly, if the Yankees have an opening in the 2011 rotation, Nova is one of the top candidates to fill it.  He looked good in his cup of coffee in the majors, so why not give him a few starts now and see what happens?

However, what they have apparently decided to do is bring Sergio Mtire off the DL and use him to start Saturday.  This is a mistake because the Yankees are setting themselves up for an unpleasant surprise.  They are being seduced by Mitre's ERA of 2.88, a figure that won't last.  Don't believe me?  Look at the numbers, his strikeout rate is dow, while his walk rate is up from 2009.  He is also throwing fewer groundballs.  So why the 2.88 ERA?  He has an absolutely amazing BABIP of .191. 

There is an old expression, "I would rather be lucky than good" and Mitre is living up to that.  For whatever reason this year, hitters are not dunking them in there against him.  It won't last, it never does.  And when it stops lasting, Mitre is going to get pounded.  Of all the pitchers to ever play in baseball, Mitre ironically most resembles Dave Eiland statistically.  Remember Dave Eiland on the mound? 

Maybe Mitre's luck will hold up.  I wouldn't bet on it and I don't know why the Yankees are going to.   They could have chosen Nova.  Short of that, how about Gaudin?  They seem to believe in Moseley.  So many choices, why did they pick this one?

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 08:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

To me, that looked like a groin injury. Whatever it was, Andy Pettitte is out of the game in the third inning and that is only going to fuel the fire in regards to AJ. 

Of immediate concern, how do the Yankees piece together the next 6+ innings with  Chad Gaudin out and Moseley probably as well?  Robertson is coming in with runners on, which is a great move, stop the bleeding and see if Robertson can get you 1-2/3's.  Then we probably get Chan Ho and Logan for two each? 

Ugh

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 02:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

AJ Burnett has really opened the hornet's nest tonight.  Burnett had to leave today's game with cuts on his hand after punching something (thankfully not someone) in between innings.  The media smelled blood in Joe Girardi's press conference and questions about trust, composure and intelligence blanketed the room.  Give Girardi a lot of credit for trying to stop the feeding frenzy, but it didn't work.

AJ looked pretty taken aback when questioned by Kim Jones.  He apologized to his teammates and the fans and he stood and answered all the questions he received. He did say he was 100% sure he would make his next start and he did genuinely seem like he wanted to put this behind him.

The problem is, the press is going to jump all over him in the next couple of days.  Does AJ have the emotional fortitude to handle the New York press all over him?  That's the real question.

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 08:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Fresh off the beating he took for his management of the AL in the ASG, Joe Girardi set himself up for a lot of second guessing with his ninth inning managing.  (Side note, if Beltre was really only available for two innings then Girardi had no options in the ASG.  And if that is true, it's just another reason MLB needs to stop trying to make the game count by awarding homefield in the WS)

I should stop here and note what a gift Joe Maddon gave the Yankees as well.  Instead of bringing in his closer to start the ninth, he went with Randy Choate.  He made two more pitching changes in the ninth, with the game on the line, but left his best reliever on the sidelines. Bad move Joe.

With Choate on the mound and Granderson on first, Girardi pinch hit with Pena.  I understand the thinking behind the move, sacrifice Granderson to second.  But why not try and steal the base?  First, Granderson is 7-7 in steals this year and the Tampa catcher throws out only 25% of the runners.  And if you don't want to steal the base, why not bring Thames into the game with the lefty on the mound?  The sacrifice is the wrong move in my mind because you give up an out for a situation you could get with a steal or a better result- Thames hitting.  Plus, Pena is now your DH with a game potentially headed into extra innings.  Since he is your only infield reserve, you might be in trouble in extra innings. (BTW, expected runs scored drop when you go from a runner on first with no outs and a runner on second with 1) But it all worked out and the Yankees picked up a big win.  

*****

I have been to six different ballparks in the last six weeks and today I am going to a 7th, more familiar one, the ballpark in the Bronx.  Last time I set foot in there, the Yankees won the World Series.  Today is Old Timer's Day, which should be a lot of fun.   I haven't been to one since Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio used to be in uniform.  I'll have a report later and I might send a tweet or two during the game (@yankeesredsox)

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 10:12 AM | Permalink

Well, well, the Yankees made a move today recalling Juan Miranda and sending Kevin Russo down.  Miranda is going to start at DH tonight and bat 8th.

It makes a ton of sense to give Miranda a crack at the role of lefty DH.  As I have mentioned before, the Yankees can comfortably DH Posada when they face a lefty or use Thames, but their options against righties were really only Colin Curtis.  If Miranda can hit righties, the Yankees might not need to make a trade to bolster the bench.  I would suspect that this is the first move of two, the second being the recall of Nunez from Scranton as the Yankees look internally before looking externally.

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 04:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

If you are a fan of Seinfeld, this story is a pretty good one.  For those of you who haven't clicked yet, it describes George's reaction to the parody they did of him on Seinfeld and how he tried to get them to change the first name of George Costanza.  It's a classic Steinbrenner tale.

It also contains my favorite Seinfeld quote mouthed by the "fake" Steinbrenner- (said in regards to Babe Ruth) "Here's something I just found out recently. He wasn't really a sultan!"

Some other personal favorites

"We can't have Big Stein flopping and twitching"

"Nothing but empty calories and male curiosity- hey Georgie?"

From a hot tub  "How're you enjoying it, George? Melts that tension away, doesn't it? You gotta get that jet on the good spot. Oh. Oh. Uh. Uh. Yes, that feels good. Yes, that's real good. Oh yeah, that's where I keep all my tension. Right down to that chicken bone.Sometimes I get my wife to just stuck her thumb right in there like a screwdriver. Ya know, the Phillips head, not the flat one. Oh God, those flat ones frustrate me. You got it in, but it slips out. You put it in again, slips out again. You a single man, George?"

"The pita pocket prevents it from dripping!"

Anyone out there have a personal favorite I missed?

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 09:27 PM | Permalink

A word before I look at the team.  I understand that Hal Steinbrenner and his family own the Yankees and I understand that they wish to do something to remember their Dad.  But, that thing cannot be renaming Yankee Stadium "Steinbrenner Field" as I have read in some circles.  George was many things, but he was not bigger than the Yankees.  For 87 years the Yankees have played at Yankee Stadium.  It was originally built in 1923, refurbished in 1974-75 and a new one arose for the 2009 season.  It remains one of the four stadiums left that did not sell out their naming rights.  (Though ironically, Wrigley Field is in a way, the originator of naming rights) It remains to New Yorker's "The Stadium" and it always should remain that way.  The city should get in front of this issue and rename 161st Street in the Bronx "George Steinbrenner Way" There are plenty of other streets named throughout NYC for much lesser figures, that would be the correct way to proceed.

*****

Now on to baseball.  As things stand the Yankees have a 2-game lead in the division with a 5-game lead in the wild card.  They have finished their trips to the West Coast, but they also have 13 games left against Tampa, which could go a long way to deciding things in the AL.  September 20th-September 26th looks to be the critical stretch with four games against Tampa followed by three games against Boston. 

The Yankees have 2 big issues they need to address.

1- The bullpen.  Mariano is back to being Mariano, but he needs to be handled gently.  The problem is after him, where do you turn?  Damaso Marte is great against lefties, but wild against righties.  Joba has had bad luck, .370 BABIP, but something weird is also happening.  The percentage of balls outside the strikezone that hitters make contact with has jumped from 40% in 2007 to 61% in 2010.  When he came up in 2007 he threw sliders 34% of the time and curveballs only 2% with fastballs at 62%.  In 2010 he throws a fastball 65%, slider 27% and curve 7%. I wonder if he needs to go back to throwing more sliders and less curveballs.  (Though I will also readily admit that Lopez parked a 97-mph fastball last Saturday for a grand slam)

Beyond Joba there are plenty of questions as well.  Robertson is better, but still wild.  Chan Ho Park is still a mistake signing.  Aceves is probably gone for the year, which is a HUGE loss, and Mitre will be back soon.  One guy to keep an eye on is Albie.  He is dominating in Scranton pitching only one inning at a time.  That's significant because in his career he has been much better in his first 25 pitches than his next 25.  Could he be part of a bridge to Rivera?  

If the Yankees feel Joba will come around and Albie can be trusted in big innings, then a trade is probably not necessary.  But if they don't, Brian Cashman needs to work the phones.

2- The bench  The Yankees need to build a better bench.  They were on the right track with guys like Russo and Pena, but those guys can't hit.  Both are sub .500 OPS.  Thames is a nice piece to have and Cervelli is a solid backup catcher, but beyond that the Yankees need some help.  An interesting move they are currently trying is Eduard Nunez at third and second.  Nunez is a shortstop hitting .305/.354/.405 at Scranton with 18 steals.  If he is ready to play multiple positions on the infield, he would allow the Yankees a chance to rest A-Rod and Jeter more or DH them more.  Ultimately though, it comes down to Nick Johnson and what his prognosis is.  If he is truly hurt for the year (and I would bet he is) a trade makes a ton of sense.

16 days to the deadline and counting.

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I was going to make this point yesterday, but put it under the "too soon" category.  By dying yesterday, George Steinbrenner saved his family hundreds of millions of dollars.  With the Estate Tax not in force in 2010, it's conceivable George passed everything he owned on to his children.  I say conceivable because it's also possible everything went to his wife. This is obviously a huge issue for Yankees fans because if George passed the team onto his children in his will, his kids can just go on running things as they are and not have to worry about an enormous tax liability. 

I'm sure we will learn more about this when Hal holds a press conference and addresses these types of questions. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 08:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I get it, you guys don't like the Red Sox and Yankees, but this is the ALL-STAR GAME!  Your team is in the AMERICAN LEAGUE, so you should root for the AL. Booing Red Sox and Yankees players in the intros is the job of NL fans tonight.  I understand that getting to a game before the third inning has disoriented you, but from this point forward, please root for the guys who might help your team get four World Series games at home this fall.  Then again, with the Rangers way ahead and their recent acquisition of Cliff Lee, maybe you have packed it in?

Oh one more thing, a moment of silence means silence.  Show some class.  

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 08:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Love him or hate him, you cannot deny that George Steinbrenner mattered.  From the moment he bought the Yankees in 1973 until almost the end of his life, he was the one who called the shots.  He took a franchise that had fallen on lean times and built it back into the preeminent sports franchise in the world.  He was a visionary, being the first owner to really understand and utilize free agency and his creation of the YES Network has been copied by many franchises and college conferences.  He was incredibly generous, writing checks for countless causes from the Virginia Tech tragedy to thousands of nameless beneficiaries.

But there was also all the other "stuff" From the ridiculous elevator fight in 1981 to the hideous firing of Yogi Berra after only 16 games in 1985.  You have to be over 30 to remember what a bully he was in his prime.  I wrote about it a few years ago and now that the game is over, I'm still not sure what it all adds up to.  RIP George, you were a true legend. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The Yankees lost an icon today as Bob Sheppard passed away.  What's amazing to think about is that Mr. Sheppard was almost 100 years old, falling just three months short of the milestone.  He didn't even start announcing Yankees' games until he was 40 and didn't stop until he was almost 97-years old.

And it wasn't just Yankees' games.  He was the Giants announcer for years and as such, he became ingrained in the sports consciousness of most New York sports fans.  Whether it was Yankee Stadium or Giants Stadium that voice was all you needed to hear to get ready for the game.  We have missed his voice these last few years and it saddens me to think that younger generations will never get that tingle in their spine from hearing "The Voice of God".

Billy Crystal once said that when he got to Heaven he hoped Bob Sheppard would be there to announce him.  I don't know who's manning the PA up there tonight, but I hope he brought his A game.  

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 09:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Disappointing to see Jacoby Ellsbury continue to publicly fight with the Red Sox medical staff.  I'm not sure how it happened, but Ellsbury seems very unhappy with Boston and I think his stay here might be limited.

It stems from the diagnosis of his broken ribs on 2 separate occasions this season.  Whether the Red Sox were right or wrong, it would be best to have these discussions behind closed doors, wouldn't it?

Speaking of injuries, the Red Sox have 9 players from their opening day roster on the DL.  They are:  Mike Lowell, Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez, Jason Varitek, Manny Delcarmen, Josh Beckett, Clay Buchholz, Jeremy Hermida and Jacoby Ellsbury.  Wow.  Amazing to seem them still in the hunt.

With the trading deadline approaching, the Red Sox are going to have to evaluate whether or not the previously mentioned 9 DLed players will have a chance of coming back and making an impact.  If not, expect a deal to plug any holes.  I think all 9 have a chance of coming back with the possible exception of Ellsbury, I'm just not sure what to think of his situation.

If Ellsbury cannot contribute this year, the Red Sox will look for a power corner outfielder.  Jason Werth's name has been mentioned, but I don't see why Philadelphia would move him in the first place as they are only 5.5 games back.  Plus, he'd be expensive.

The Red Sox lead all of baseball with 478 runs scored but have allowed 406 runs which ranks 20th in MLB.  It doesn't help that the left side of the infield has 25 errors.  Beltre has 14 and Scutaro has 11.

When the 2nd half of the season starts, we should start to see players come off the DL slowly transforming the team back to what we would expect to see.

I don't think I like David Ortiz in the HR contest.  It can only mess up his swing in my opinion, that's the last thing he and the Red Sox need.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 09:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

While the Cliff Lee madness was in full swing last night, I headed down to Coney island to check out the new amusement park, Luna Park, and the Brooklyn Cyclones.  If you are in the NYC area, I definitely recommend both.

Luna Park is in the space where the rundown rides used to be between the The Cyclone and Dino's.  They have totally refurbished it and put about 18 rides into that strip.  They have some kiddie rides and some pretty good adult ones too.   They are a bit pricey on an individual basis, but for $26 you can purchase a 4-hour bracelet that allows you to ride as often as you like.  Surprisingly on a Friday Afternoon at 5pm, the park wasn't overrun with people.  It was "comfortably crowded" but the lines were no more than 10 minutes for a ride. Of course when you tire of rides you can head up to the Boardwalk for some of the best people watching ever.  It's also a great spot to grab an adult beverage and clam roll and enjoy the breeze off the ocean on a hot day. 

We then headed down to the Cyclones Park, MCU Stadium, right under the Parachute Jump.  It's a great setting for a game, with the ocean over the outfield wall and most of the seats in the shade.  The ballpark features some very good BBQ items and of course you can get a Nathan's or a Knish.  And there are plenty of Brooklyn Brewery beers available to consume.  Parking is $5 and tickets behind home plate were $16.  After the game on Friday night's they have a fireworks show.  It was a pretty good one, about 15 minutes and a lot of fireworks.  

All in all, a pretty great way to spend a Friday night. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 12:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

In the end, the Yankees didn't get Cliff Lee.  You have to wonder if some of the reports that the Mariners took their offer and shopped it are true.  On the heels of last year's failed Washburn negotiations, it might be a long, long time before you see the Mariners and Yankees complete a deal. 

I still think that trade would have been a slam dunk, but luckily the rotation is not the Yankees weakness.  They didn't need Lee in the way that other teams did.  Where Lee could haunt them is in the playoffs and Texas will present a challenge with Lee and CJ Wilson, both lefties at the top of the rotation.

That's a worry for the future, for now the needs are the same they were this morning.  Figure out how to solidify the bullpen and find a bat that can offer some positional flexibility.  

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 10:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

So, moving from last night's egofest we have news that the Yankees are "close" to acquiring Cliff Lee.  The details are sketchy, but Jesus Montero is the centerpiece of the deal and two other prospects are rumored to be included. Montero is a steep price to pay, but Lee is worth that price in my mind for three reasons.

First, the Yankees do not have a great spot to play Montero.  The fact that they have offered him to the Phillies for Lee and are willing to do the same with the Mariners tells you the Yankees don't think he be a full-time catcher.  And if he can't fill that roll, the Yankees would have to DH him which is something a team with older guys who need to take breaks on a regular basis can't do.  In 2011, the best plan would be for Posada to DH 80-100 times, A-Rod 20, Jeter 20 and other guys fill in as needed.  (I know Jeter is a free agent, but I am willing to bet anything he is back for 2011)  And the DH picture doesn't get much clearer in the future.  A-Rod is going to need more time there.  Jeter past 2011 would as well.  With DH and first blocked for the forseeable future, Montero doesn't fit if he can't catch everyday.

And that brings me to the second reason the Yankees can trade Montero, Austin Romine.  Romine is 21 and his catching skils have never been in doubt.  Add in a .281/.361/.423 line at Trenton (a huge pitcher's park) and his bat is coming along nicely too.  Romine's the true catcher of the future for this team and his hitting in AA makes Montero expendable.

The final reason is what Lee means to the rotation.  Sabathia and Lee are as good a 1-2 as any team in the league has.  Come playoff time this trade would make it extremely likely you won't see AJ Burnett starting any games for the Yankees.  Add in the likely return of Hughes to the bullpen, where the Yankees can easily manage his innings and you have a win-win. 

One caveat, it would be a mistake to turn around and trade Vazquez.  Vazquez has pitched very well since mid-May and he will be a Type A free agent next year.  That means the Yankees would get two draft picks if someone else signed him, and with Lee, Sabathia, AJ and Hughes already in the rotation, you would have to think the Yankees let him walk. Plus, you can never have enough pitching.  Keep Vazquez, restock the farm system with the draft picks after the season.

Hang on to your hats, it's going to be a bumpy day.

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)

Joe Girardi announced on Mike Francesca's show today that Nick Johnson had suffered a setback in Tampa and had come back to New York.  He also mentioned that the type of injury he suffered can take a full year for players to recover from. 

I think that's the official word that the Yankees need to give up the ghost and assume that Nick Johnson isn't coming back.  Now they can go out and target a bat on the trade market.  A righty who can play multiple positions Would be a perfect fit.  

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 06:24 PM | Permalink

This may be the only place on the internet where you are safe from constant chatter about a certain basketball player with a TV special tonight.  I won't use his name, but I think you can figure it out.  What I will say is this, A-Rod managed to make himself pretty unlikeable with all of his contract machinations (both in 2000 and 2007) I am surprised that this basketball player didn't learn anything from that because he will be public enemy #1 for NBA fans in every city except the one he joins in a few hours.  At least he will have his millions to comfort him.

On to baseball  and the Yankees have four games until the All-Star Break and another crack at the Seattle duo of Hernandez and Lee (assuming Lee is still a Mariner tomorrow night) 

I think the Yankees have hit upon a good idea with their lineup shuffles of late.  Brett Gardner has a .395 OBP and can run like the wind, why wouldn't you have him leadoff against RHP?  And, putting him in center against LHP with Thames in left and Granderson on the bench is also a good move.  Sitting Grandy last night was a good idea and I hope they do it again Friday if Cliff Lee is pitching.  Granderson has been awful and he is hitting .184 over the last 28 days.  A big part of the problem is his continuing struggles vs. LHP (.198/.244/.284).  I don't know if Curtis is simply having the typical first year jitters of playing in New York or what is going on, but the Yankees can't coddle him any longer.   Until his bat shows some life, keep Thames in left and Grandy on the bench when a LHP is starting.  DH Posada and let Cervelli, who can only hit LHP, catch.  That's the best lineup for those games.  It may be a blow to Granderson's ego, but the Yankees can't worry about that right now.

If the Yankees are not comfortable with Thames in left on a platoon basis, their internal choices are Russo and Huffman.  I don't see either of those options getting a real shot, so how about a trade?  Reed Johnson is still hitting lefties very well in LA.  Coco Crisp could provide some defense and an average bat.  There are other guys who could slot into left and allow Gardner to play center.  Whatever the choice, the Yankees need a different answer than Granderson in center no matter who is on the mound. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)

Didn't it seem like yesterday was Opening Day? Can it really be true that the Yankees have now completed 81 games?  Am I the only one who thinks that was fast?  Well whatever happened to the time, we know the result- the Yankees are 50-31 with a 1-1/2 game lead in the AL East.  Last year they came to the halfway point at 48-33, 1 game back.  They have scored 15 fewer runs than at this point last year, but allowed 50 fewer.  By the pythagorean win-loss method, they are exactly where they should be. 

In 2009, the Yankees scored more runs in the second half (+13) and allowed fewer (-27) while compiling a 55-26 record.  It will be interesting to see if the 2010 Yankees can equal that production.  I think it is fair to say that the current team has only two hitters significantly hitting above their projections- Gardner and Cano.  Yet guys like A-Rod, Jeter, Granderson, Teixeira and Johnson are well below their career numbers.  If things revert to norm, you would have to expect the offense to improve.

On the pitching front, Andy Pettitte seems due for a big correction.  Phil Hughes hasn't shown he can do this as a starter over a full season.  Vazquez and Burnett should get better if you believe the back of their baseball cards, Sabathia is pretty much where you would expect him to be.  What I keep wondering is if the Yankees should go all in on someone like Cliff Lee and move Hughes to the bullpen?  Joba hasn't been the setup guy we expected and none of the other relievers look like they are ready to step up.  It would cost Montero, plus something else, but imagine what the Yankees would have with Lee in the rotation and Hughes back in the 7th and 8th. 

But that's a discussion for the near future. For now, let's enjoy the final 81 games of 2010.  

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 08:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

It's rare that I disagree with Joel Sherman, but his column this morning calling for the elevation of Jesus Montero to the bigs strikes me as the wrong move.

Now I don't deny that the Yankees could use some offensive help.  Cervelli is really someone you should only use against LHP and the bench doesn't have a lot of "oomph" on it right now.  But, Montero is only 20 and struggled for two months in AAA this year.  He had a very nice June, but it can't be said that he has dominated AAA- yet.  And that to me is the key. 

Jumping to the majors isn't easy.  Look at Pedro Alvarez, a top-rated prospect in the Pirates organization.  Alvarez hit .277/.363/.533 in AAA before his callup and he is hitting .160/.218/.220 in 55 plate appearances in the bigs.  Jose Tabata (remember him?) got the call and has so far hit .247/.322/.346.  Remember Starlin Castro and his 6-RBI debut this year? .274/.337/.372 and only 12 RBI's since.  

Yes, the transition can be done and done successfully midseason, but the Yankees have to look at the big picture here.  Montero needs to catch everyday he can, something he won't do in the bigs.  And, he needs to show his bat can handle AAA before he gets promoted.  In June he did that, .283/.324/.505, but that still leaves his overall numbers at .245/.311/.412, which tells you how bad his first two months were.  Let's give him another month at least before forcing him into the pressure cooker of Bronx baseball.  Long term, it is 100% the right move.

For now, how about Cervelli catching and Posada DH'ing when they face a LHP and let's see Colin Curtis get some playing time against RHP.  It's not the ideal DH situation, but until the lefty bat market heats up, it will have to do.

******
The Yankees optioned Boone Logan to the minors and promoted Dustin Moseley.  This move also used up the remaining spot on the 40-man, which tells you the Yankees are not expecting Nick Johnson back soon.  Johnson could have come off the DL July 8th, but would also require reinstatement to the 40-man roster.  Since we haven't even heard a report of him swinging a bat, I would guess August 1st has to be the best case scenario at this point. 

Assuming he is hurt as badly as we think, how about calls to Arizona and KC to check into the availability of DeJesus and LaRoche?

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 01:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Alright, this is just getting ridiculous.

ESPN Boston is reporting that Jason Varitek has a fracture in his foot and will miss up to 6 weeks.  This really is getting worrisome it  means the Red Sox are now featuring a backstop tandem of Kevin Cash, he of the .541 career OPS, and Gustavo Molina, he of the .301 career OPS.  Yikes.

There is no concrete word on how Varitek injured his foot but most assume it must have been a collision with Adrian "I break bones in my teammates bodies" Beltre.  Having broken the ribs of both Jacoby Ellsbury and Jeremy Hermida already the natural progression, it would be easy to assume, would be for Beltre to focus on Varitek's feet.

There was no on-field collision between the 2, so perhaps it was on the team plane or in the locker room, or a car accident between the 2?  Who know?

At least Cash has some experience with most of these starters and has caught the knuckleball before, but the line-up has been further diminished.  Considering that Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez, all Red Sox regulars are out, there is little hope they can sustain their offensive production.

Depending on the seriousness of Varitek's or Martinez's injuries, I wouldn't be surprised if Boston pulls off a trade of some sort to add some offense to the line-up.  The options would be limited especially at the catcher spot, but you never know.  Maybe they can pick up Joe Mauer...no?  Fine.

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 09:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)