Recapping the Yankees' minor league affiliates' results from April 20th.
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:L 9-4 vs. Lehigh Valley IronPigs
CF Antoan Richardson 1-4, E8 - throwing error, first of the season 2B Jose Pirela 1-4, double, K LF Zoilo Almonte 1-4, 2 RBI, K - batting .263 this season 1B Russ Canzler 0-4, K RF Adonis Garcia 1-4, RBI, K - batting .273 this season DH Ronnier Mustelier 1-4, RBI C Francisco Arcia 1-3, BB, passed ball SS Carmen Angelini 0-3, K 3B Jose Toussen 1-3, K, E5 - fielding error, first of the season
If you didn't know better, you'd think Jason Bartlett was loved by everyone in the organization from Day One.
Nearly 12 years ago, on July 12, 2002, the Twins acquired Jason Bartlett from the Padres in exchange for Brian Buchanan. Buchanan was a first round pick by the Yankees in '94, and came to Minnesota (along with Cristian Guzman, Eric Milton, and Danny Mota) in the trade that sent Chuck Knoblauch to New York. He was supposed to mash, and kind of did, but not really. His 2001 season was fine, but Buch was thoroughly lackluster in 2002.
Basically, the Twins were giving their outfield at-bats to Jacque Jones, Torii Hunter, Dustan Mohr, and Bobby Kielty, but they also wanted to call up Michael Cuddyer. Cuddyer, in his first taste of Triple-A, was killing it for Salt Lake City: .309/.379/.594 to be exact. As the organization's top prospect and with the Twins trying to avoid fading down the stretch like they did in '01, the team needed to give him a shot.
And that, as it turns out, might have been a little ironic. Because reversing course past the history lesson and getting back to Jason Bartlett, the organization quite clearly wasn't as willing to give him the same credence.
April 3, 2006: Cmathewson can't fathom how Jason Bartlett doesn't make the team out of spring training.
In 2004, Bartlett hit .332/.414/.470 as a 24-year old in his first taste of Triple-A baseball. The Twins called him up for a cup of coffee in September, and it was assumed going into 2005 that this flashy Californian kid with speed and a nice eye at the plate would get his opportunities.
To be fair, he did get his chance. Bartlett made the team out of spring training and started at short on Opening Day. But he was struggling at the plate, hitting just .242/.310/.374 through the middle of May, and he was returned to Triple-A to work things out. It's a standard tactic.
Gardy and the Twins gave shortstop to Juan Castro and Nick Punto. Castro, 33, held a career OPS+ of 56. He wasn't any better than Bartlett, hitting .257/.279/.386 on the season. In Bartlett's absence, from May 14 through the end of July, he hit .260/.270/.408. But Bartlett's development as a Major League asset was deemed less important than trotting out a career utility man with a reputation for soft hands, who was backed up by the all-effort and all-hustle Nick Punto - who hit .239/.301/.319 in 2005.
Bartlett, meanwhile, tore the cover off the ball in Triple-A. In 61 games for the Red Wings he crushed it, to the tune of a .332/.405/.459 triple slash. Minnesota promoted him for August 1, and he started 32 of the team's final 40 games. It was all justifiable and it was method-as-expected. It was certainly frustrating to see Bartlett get sent down for half the season, but he did struggle and he did get recalled when he proved there was nothing left for him to learn in the minor leagues.
Then came 2006, and this is where we need to really think about how highly Bartlett was regarded within the organization. In spite of Bartlett's impressive showing with the Red Wings for the prior two seasons, and in spite of Terry Ryan announcing "he's got nothing more to prove at Triple-A", Bartlett didn't make the team out of spring training. He hit .375 with a .450 on-base percentage, the Twins were giving third base to Stonewall Tony Batista, and they still gave short to a now 34-year old with diminished range in Castro. The mantra from the front office was that Bartlett wasn't doing the "little things good enough" and that they wanted him to act more like a leader.
Batista lasted one day longer on the team than did Castro. Minnesota cut their losses on their fading shortstop after 50 games and a .231/.258/.308 performance. Jason Bartlett started every single game at shortstop for the rest of the season, rewarding the team with a .309/.367/.393 performance.
Bartlett would spend just one full season as the team's everyday shortstop before being shipped off, along with Matt Garza, in the ill-fated Bill Smith trade that brought Delmon Young to Minnesota.
In December of 2012, Gardenhire would tell Rhett Bollinger that "he was never in favor of sending Jason Bartlett to the Rays". When news came out last week that Bartlett was retiring but had interest in coaching, the front office made it sound like they were hopeful they'd find a spot for him in the future.
Where and when did this change of heart take place? The Twins organization jerked Bartlett around pretty good over the course of three or four years, culminating in his trade to Tampa Bay. In terms of getting sent down and getting called up, we all know how active Gardy is in that process so it's also difficult to pin the blame on just the manager or just the front office. But apparently, at somewhere in the sordid history of one of the best shortstops the Twins never barely had, Bartlett gained a fan club.
It was time for Bartlett to leave the game as a player. We saw it in spring training, and although he gave one hell of an effort, his last game really spelled it out: two diving attempts made on fly balls at an unfamiliar position, ending in two belly flops.
He had one great offensive season, and for four or five years he was also a good defensive shortstop - all things this team could have used. I'm glad that, in the end, the organization had an appreciation for Bartlett, and that Bartlett, in turn, holds no ill will towards the Twins. It's good to see the kind words and the positive personal reviews. I'm glad that the chapter is closed.
In some ways, I think the sentiments mean more by remembering the journey that brought us here. Good luck, Jason. I'm sure we'll see you around.
Roberts has struggled early. Can he turn things around?
When the Yankees signed Brian Roberts to be their second baseman during the offseason, it was a fairly large gamble. Roberts has been so plagued by injuries, that the last time he played a full season was back in 2009. The Yankees hoped that he would finally be able to stay healthy, and that he might be able to return to the player he was in '09 when he hit .283/.356/.451. So far, Roberts is struggling at the plate more than any other player on the team who has had at least 40 at-bats.
Through 45 at-bats, Roberts is hitting .175/.306/.250 with a .500 OPS and a wRC+ of 62. He has seven hits, eight walks and eleven strikeouts. So far he's been worth 0.1 fWAR. His best game so far came against the Rays on Thursday, when he was a home run short of the cycle. We can hope that means he's finally heating up. Roberts was benched for several days with a lower back strain, and it's possible that he played that way for a few days, which could also have contributed to his early struggles.
What can the Yankees actually do if Roberts shows no signs of improvement? Well, they could cut their losses since he's only signed to a one-year contract for $2 million. I would say that you're kidding yourself if you think this might actually happen, since he brings veteran presents to the table and everything. On the off chance that this did happen, it almost certainly wouldn't occur this early in the season.
Now that Mark Teixeira is back, we could see Roberts riding the bench more frequently. Kelly Johnson's usual position is second base, so he could move there, and Yangervis Solarte could cover third base. Or vice versa. Maybe Roberts is feeling lingering back pain, or some other ailment, and would benefit from a few days off a week. Joe Girardi said that he expects Solarte, Johnson and Roberts to all get fairly regular playing time, but since Solarte and Johnson are hitting much better than Roberts, they might earn themselves more time on the field.
Do you think there's any way that the Yankees would cut Roberts? Or do you think he'll be able to turn things around?
Following Saturday's debacle, the Yankeescalled upPreston Claiborne and Bryan Mitchell since Vidal Nuno was not going to pitch deep into Sunday's game and they wanted some fresh relievers. Mitchell was the emergency long reliever on Sunday in case Nuno imploded or the game went very long, and hell, the 12-inning affair almost saw him make his MLB debut. Mitchell was the last man left in the bullpen when the Yankees scored four runs in the top of the 12th, and he briefly started to warm up when Claiborne put some runners on his second inning of work while trying to close out the victory. Fortunately, the Yankees did not have to put the game in the hands of someone who has pitched just 14 innings above A-ball, as Claiborne escaped the jam to end the game.
Now that the Yankees have Monday off to recuperate from the wear and tear of the weekend series, the Yankees don't really need Mitchell on the 25-man roster anymore, as it's no longer an emergency situation and they need to make room for closer David Robertson's impending activation prior to Tuesday night's game in Boston. Thus, they have sent him back down from whence he came to Double-A Trenton, and in doing so, he has become the second phantom player on the Yankees' roster this season after Triple-A Scranton starter Shane Greene's two brief earlier call-ups. There's a decent chance both these players will make it back to the pros in a capacity where they'll actually be used, and while it might be a bit of a personal bummer for them that they didn't get to make their debuts, it's no doubt relieving for the Yankees. It's best for Mitchell to go back to his regular work developing as a starter on the Thunder.
Robertson appears to be ready to face the Red Sox tomorrow, so activating him tomorrow when he's eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list seems to be the obvious move. There's a chance that there might be further moves in the works to bring another starter up if the Yankees want to go a different direction from Nuno or David Phelps, but for now, it seems like Nuno (who will probably be more stretched out than the 69 pitches he was limited to on Sunday) will take the next start in place of the injured Ivan Nova on Saturday against the Angels.
Last week, we wondered who would be the Oakland closer. This week ... we still don't know. Sigh.
I had a big weekend, y'all. My favorite band, Nickel Creek, is back together now, and I sojourned down to Nashville for the concert. We had an Easter thing at the house Sunday. And I vacuumed my bedroom. No, really, I vacuumed.
Okay, basically, I took a trip to Nashville this weekend and then some other stuff. It means I got a late start on this closer-rankings column. The rankings are fine; the write-up might be sad.
Starting with an excuse! Good times.
The big closer kerfuffle from last week's piece - and my follow-up player piece Wednesday - was the situation in Oakland. Jim Johnson had lost his closer job. Luke Gregerson and Sean Doolittle (and Ryan Cook, and Danny Otero, and probably Rollie Fingers) were in the mix to replace him. I thought Gregerson was the best bet, and ranked him accordingly - though I didn't go crazy with it, having him at 22nd for the week and 30th for the rest of the season.
Over the course of the week, Gregerson got three save opportunities, blowing one. Doolittle got one chance and blew it. The A's went to extra innings approximately a billionty-six times. Johnson, relegated to middle relief, pitched really well, actually. Basically, it seemed (and seems) that the team decided to use Gregerson as the primary closer, while Doolittle became the team's leverage-against-lefties guy-if the crucial lefty opponent was hitting in the ninth, Doolittle might get the save op, but he might be used exactly the same in the seventh, tenth, or second (probably not the second).
Last week, we wondered whether Oakland - owing Johnson $10 million for the season - would really shy away from him for the long term. I argued that if Gregerson (or Doolittle or Cook or whoever) got the job in the short term came out and was lights-out for the first week, the team won't be in any big rush to change. Obviously, that didn't happen. For now, the job still isn't Johnson's. It's Gregoolitterook's. But with Johnson looking better, no one seizing the role, and the A's still winning, the jury's still out in the long-term.
Anyway, that right there was more than I expected to write. I'm tired, y'all. But what a concert. Seriously so great.
Here are the week's rankings. As a reminder, there are two sets: Rankings for the week to come, and rest-of-season ranks. We start with the group for now:
Right-Now Rankings
Rank
Player
Team
Last Week
Thoughts
1
Kenley Jansen
LAD
2
His BABIP is out of control; that'll settle and he'll be fine.
2
Craig Kimbrel
ATL
1
Long-range, I'm not scared, but the team might be gentle with him
The Yankees have an off day. Vidal Nuno's audition went well. Your PSA DP answers from yesterday and more fun questions for today.
The Yankees are finally out of the cesspool that is Tropicana Field and are heading to Beantown to face the Red Sox for three games. While the Yankees have an off day, the Red Sox will finish up their series against the Baltimore Orioles on Patriots Day in Boston. The day has much more significant meaning to the city of Boston after the tragic events of last year.
While we often enjoy a good verbal bout with our longtime rivals and their fans, we here at Pinstripe Alley would like to encourage Yankee fans, and fans all alike, to offer up their best wishes to the city of Boston and those affected by what happened last year at the Boston Marathon.
4/20/14 Daily Prediction Answers
1.
How many innings does the Yankee starter pitch?
5
2.
Total number of strikeouts? (From both teams)
24
3.
Total number of earned runs allowed? (From both teams)
5
4.
Total number of stolen bases? (From both teams)
2
5.
How many times do the umpires go to the replay?
2
6.
How many relief pitchers do the opposing team use?
7
7.
Name one Yankee you think will hit a home run tonight
No One
8.
Best overall Yankee of the night?
Nuno/Anna/Beltran
Because it's hard to really nail down who took the Best Yankee victory yesterday, the Aaron's have decided on a three way tie, much like they do when splitting up the amount of ants they eat. As for Best Predictor? That honor goes to PSA scribe Caitlin, who scored 3,000 points. Pancakes correctly answers the starter's number of innings pitched, the total number of stolen bases, and the total number of replays. Bravo. A new batch of questions will be up on Tuesday, as Aaron Uno has come down with a slight case of "headache rage" due to Tropicana Field.
Since the Yankees are off tomorrow, just some Fun Questions for the day.
Art Commission: If price were no object, what would you have drawn/painted/sculpted for you and you specifically?
Favorite Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle?
Ideal Pizza Toppings?
Is there any TV Show you kind of hate yourself for watching? (Past or Present)
Vidal Nuno made a very good impression yesterday. Only time will tell if that will translate into him becoming the 5th starter for the Yankees, as David Phelps is still a possibility. It's also possible that they make a trade or sign someone. Or maybe they just forfeit the season. Pack it up and cash it in, as it were. They probably won't do that.
The Yankees are not on, but plenty of other baseball to watch today. Unless you just need a break from baseball. If so, well I really don't know what to say to you. This is an off day open thread, so feel free to discuss whatever you'd like. If you're going to talk about something recent, Game of Thrones for example, please use spoiler tags. We here at the Pinstripe Alley staff appreciate it, as well as like not having to use the cannon.
How does the Yankees' starting rotation compare to those in the rest of the division following the injury to Ivan Nova?
At the start of the season, it looked like the Yankees had one of the highest-potential rotations in baseball with the long-awaited arrivals of Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda to the team to complement up-and-coming starter Ivan Nova and veterans CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda. Nova in particular was pegged by some writers to be a breakout candidate in 2014 after pitching to a superb 2.70 ERA in 17 games following his return to the majors on June 23rd, a stretch that saw him toss three complete games and nab AL Pitcher of the Month honors in August.
Unfortunately for Nova, it wasn't meant to be in 2014. He got off to an awful start with an eyesore of an ERA and FIP in four starts (8.27 ERA, 6.85 FIP), only pitching well in one of them. An elbow shake at the end of his last start on Saturday in Tampa led to his removal from the game and an MRI that eventually revealed a partial tear of his UCL, a likely precursor to Tommy John surgery. If Nova does indeed need this operation, then he will be done for the year already, and the Yankees' rotation will take a hit as a result. The step down in capability from Nova to the likes of Vidal Nuno and David Phelps is not small. The Yankees have not officially decided who will step into Nova's place in the rotation, but here it is as of now, according to the invaluable MLB Depth Charts (keep in mind that "Role" does not strictly go by who has the most talent):
Yankees
Role
Player
Throws
1
CC Sabathia
L
2
Hiroki Kuroda
R
3
Masahiro Tanaka
R
4
Michael Pineda
R
LR/5?
Vidal Nuno
L
MID/5?
David Phelps
R
In the early goings, the first quartet of pitchers have been more than fine. Tanaka and Pineda have been dynamite, Kuroda has been serviceable, and Sabathia has rebounded nicely in three starts against three good offenses after an Opening Day disaster in Houston. Although Tanaka and Pineda still have plenty to prove, the rotation seems like it should be steady, even if it has to rely on an unknown in Nuno or Phelps. If they can get him stretched out, Phelps would probably be the preferable option since Nuno only has nine career starts above Double-A to his name, and Phelps has posted a decent 4.39 ERA in 23 career MLB starts in addition to a nice record of success from mid-2010 through 2011 in 30 Triple-A starts. Adam Warren seems more likely to be kept in his mid-relief role due to his more noticeable success there, but he's a candidate as well. Either way, there are options for the last spot in the rotation that are better than the likes of Freddy Garcia and Sergio Mitre, which the Yankees have occasionally had to rely on in years past.
The Red Sox received an unexpected stellar season from Lackey in 2013 after he was left for dead and though he was injured for much of the second half, they also were the benefactors of a sterling 1.74 ERA from Buchholz in 16 starts. Add in 213 presentable innings from their ace Lester, 10 league-average starts from trade deadline acquisition Peavy, and some promising work from young lefty Doubront, and it should be no surprise that Boston took a talented rotation into the playoffs last year. This year though, they are tasked with proving that their success was for real.
Lester is reliable, but 2013 was Lackey's first good season in four years. Buchholz hasn't looked the same since suffering from shoulder bursitis last year, and both he and Doubront are off to shaky starts in 2014. Although Peavy has been solid with a 3.33 ERA, it should not be forgotten that he has topped 25 starts just once since has ace days as a Padre in 2008. Like Phelps, Workman is a decent sixth starter who has already proved himself in Triple-A. At the moment, it would be difficult to say that the Red Sox rotation is definitively better than the Yankees' group. Much of it is dependent on Peavy and Buchholz staying healthy and Lackey proving that 2013 wasn't a dead cat bounce year. I would take the Yankees' group, but I would understand arguments in Boston's slight favor. They match up very well with them, though it's probably a pure toss-up as to which is better at this point given Nova's injury and Doubront and Buchholz's shakiness.
The Rays saw their starting rotation grow quite depleted by injuries over the past month or so to Cobb, Hellickson, and Matt Moore, who was lost to Tommy John surgery for the year. The difference between a Price/Archer/Moore/Cobb/Hellickson rotation and this group is significant. While Moore is gone for the year, they should probably get Hellickson back toward the end of May and perhaps Cobb in June. In the meantime, it's Erik Bedard (who hasn't been good in years) and Cesar Ramos (who is 30 and only has five MLB starts to his name) bearing unfortunate spots in the starting five. Woof. For now, the Yankees have a better rotation.
When Cobb and Hellickson return and substitute in for those two retreads though, it will get more interesting. There are parallels with Hellickson and Sabathia despite the age difference, as both seek to rebound from absolutely awful years in 2013. Like Tanaka and Pineda, Archer and Cobb are serious young talents, and they have the advantage of having an actual MLB track record as recently as last year. Odorizzi has been shaky early on, but he certainly has more potential than Phelps or Nuno. If Cobb and Hellickson come back healthy, the group led by a recent Cy Young Award winner in Price is likely better than the Yankees. Tampa will just have to hope that they can weather the storm until they do, and that no one else succumbs to the injury bug.
The early story of the 2014 Orioles' rotation has been the Chris Tillman Show, as the 26-year-old has dominanted in four starts with a 1.71 ERA and 3.34 FIP a season after emerging as their ace in 2013 thanks to 206 1/3 innings of 112 ERA+ ball. He is probably a more sure thing than anyone the Yankees have right now, though I would still take Tanaka's talents over him. Everyone else however has ranged from "meh" to "where have you gone, Jeremy Guthrie?" Ubaldo has looked more like the guy who struggled from 2011 through the first half of 2013 with the Rockies and Indians than Cleveland's ace down the stretch during their run to a Wild Card spot last year.
Chen and Norris are league-average pitchers but have yet to prove they are anything more than that, and Gonzalez is maddeningly inconsistent. Without Nova, I would still take the Yankees' rotation over Baltimore's at this point unless Ubaldo has a serious turnaround and one of their other non-Tillman starters (maybe even Gausman in Triple-A) can step up.
These days, Dickey's knuckleball seems to fluctuate from start to start even more so than normal, and while Buehrle's an amazingly consistent lock for 30 starts and 200 innings, it's hard to buy his 0.64 ERA beginning to 2014 as anything more than small sample size weirdness at age 35. At his best, he'll probably have a 121 ERA+ year like he did for the White Sox in 2011, and to his credit, at his worst, he'll still be league average. Between him and Kuroda, Buehrle probably has the slight edge. Until Dickey proves over a long series of starts that he's anywhere close to as good as he was for the Mets in his Cy Young year of 2012, it's probably best to just regard him as league-average as well. Hutchison is a 23-year-old looking to prove himself, and Morrow is a 29-year-old desperately seeking to stay healthy and recapture his 2012 form. Unlike Sabathia though, he didn't have a long track record of success before 2012. McGowan, Happ, and Redmond all represent the same level of underwhelming mediocrity, though one could possibly argue that matching up with the Yankees, it's now a wash between that spot and Phelps/Nuno. Still, the advantage has to go with the Yankees for more likely consistency throughout the rotation.
***
The Yankees are fortunate that their rotation depth is good enough to withstand the Nova injury and still have a decent argument to be among the division's best. If Tanaka and Pineda are for real, then they can definitely survive using a lesser starter in Nova's spot every five days while still being a legitimate threat.
While we’re a bit late, from now on, Pinstripe Alley will preview each week of the Yankees season. This week, the Yankees face off against the Red Sox and the Angels, who each will find themselves opposing Masahiro Tanaka.
Note: Stats accurate as of end of play Saturday, 4/19.
The Yankees will play two series this week, starting out at Boston on Tuesday and finishing with a three game stand at home against the Los Angeles Angels. The Yankees took three of four from Boston in their first series a week ago, getting strong pitching performances from Michael Pineda, Hiroki Kuroda, and Ivan Nova. Since then, the Red Sox have taken two of three from the White Sox and have split the two games they've played with the Baltimore Orioles at the time of writing. Their offense has struggled so far in the early going, ranking 25th in the league in runs scored and 24th in batting average. Their team ERA ranks in the top ten in the league, but, as they'll be facing Masahiro Tanaka and Pineda when the Yankees come to town, their offense will probably need to heat up to take a couple from the Yankees. This is the Red Sox we're talking about here, though; that offense will come around, more than likely sooner than later.
Speaking of offense, the LA Angels are second in the majors in runs scored in the early going of 2014, mostly due to their league leading 29 home runs. Mike Trout has been predictably terrific, hitting .307/.373/.613 with five home runs and 13 RBI, but Albert Pujols has rediscovered some of his old power, hitting .280/.349/.587 with six home runs and 14 RBI so far this year. While their pitching has struggled (seventh worse collective ERA in the league), their potent offense will make them a threat in any game.
Pitching Highlight: Tanaka vs. Lester
This will mark Tanaka's first appearance against the Red Sox, and is a must watch game for any Yankee fan. He's been even better than expected so far this year, posting an otherworldly 1.79 xFIP and striking out 11.45 batters per nine innings en route to a 2-0 record. It'll be great to see him (hopefully) befuddle the Red Sox lineup with his terrific variety of pitches and, of course, that ridiculous splitter.
Of course, the man opposing him will be no pushover. Jon Lester has gotten off to another good start - his xFIP is just 2.71, and while his record is 2-2, he pitched very well even in those two losses: one he lost 2-1, and the other he only gave up two earned runs (two unearned runs also scored) while getting no runs of offensive support. He's been striking out batters at a great clip as well (9.00 K/9), and he allowed just two runs over six and two-thirds innings in a winning effort the last time he faced the Yankees. Needless to say, it should be an exciting pitcher's duel in Fenway on Tuesday night.
Who's Hot and Who's Not:
Hot:
Jacoby Ellsbury: The Yankees biggest offseason move in the field has not disappointed so far. Ellsbury has been on a tear to begin this season, hitting .338/.395/.441 with a wRC+ of 133. He leads the team in hits with 23, and is second on the team with 10 runs scored (behind Alfonso Soriano's 11). He's also displayed the terrific speed the Yankees expected, stealing eight bases in 10 tries while making some terrific plays in the outfield. While he has yet to hit a home run, he's been a force at the top of the lineup and on the base paths, and has so far been everything the Yankees hoped he would be.
Yangervis Solarte: Plangervis! While it seemed the Yankees were destined to pick Eduardo Nunez for the major league roster, even though he had been dreadful for the past couple of seasons and Solarte lit up Spring Training pitching, the Yankees picked Solarte to join the big league squad. And boy, does that look like an amazing decision so far. Solarte is hitting .351/.431/.526 with a 172 wRC+ so far this season, leading the team in OBP and looking extremely comfortable at the plate so far. Hopefully, with his versatility in the field, Joe Girardi can find a way to keep his bat in the lineup, as he's clearly earned a spot. As long as he keeps producing at something close to this level, the Yankees need to keep him in the order.
Not:
Ivan Nova: This is less about his performance and more about simple sadness at his injury. Nova pitched horribly Saturday, and it seems now that it was at least partly due to the partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his arm. He's been placed on the DL, and his injury will be a big blow to the Yankees rotation. Here's hoping either David Phelps or Vidal Nuno can at least be a decent fill-in at the back of the rotation. A rotation of Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Tanaka, Pineda, and Nuno/Phelps doesn't look too bad on paper, but still, with such high hopes for Nova after his strong finish in 2013, it's too bad that he'll be out for quite some time, and perhaps the rest of the season.
Kelly Johnson: Johnson has been somewhat productive so far this season, posting a mediocre triple slash of .226/.293/.491 and a decent wRC+ of 116. So far, he's really only been valuable for his occasional power, as he's hit three doubles, one triple, and three home runs, knocking in eight runs so far. However, over the past week, he's certainly struggled, hitting just .111 with two hits in 18 at bats, one run scored, and one RBI. It hasn't been pretty lately for Johnson, and since he'll probably be playing plenty of second base with Brian Roberts getting regular days off, hopefully he can turn it around sometime soon.
Final notes and prediction: 4-2 (2-1 against the Red Sox, 2-1 against the Angels).
While the Red Sox haven't been playing great to start the season, this first series against the Yankees at Fenway is bound to pump everyone up. While it's hard to bet against Pineda and Tanaka so far this year, I think the Red Sox will get to one of them (potentially Pineda since this is their second look at him). Still, look for the Yankees to take two of three, because I'll take Sabathia (even present day Sabathia) over Doubront any day.
Against the Angels, the Yankees superior pitching and solid offense should be able to take two out of three, especially at home. The question mark in the rotation might lead to trouble, although Hector Santiago has only managed a 5.17 xFIP so far this year. Still, the Angels offense is bound to break out for a game, and Kuroda has looked only okay so far this season, so the Yankees probably won't pick up a sweep.
The Yankees will be without their longtime captain next season. Who will step up and take on the role of team leader?
Since the mid-'90s, the Yankees have had an embarrassment of riches when it comes to leadership. When the team was struggling, they could look to one of the "core four" to get them back on track. From that group, Jeter is the only one still playing and, as you may have heard, he'll be retiring after this season. That means that for the first time in a long time the Yankees will have no clear leader on the field next season, but who is most likely to step up and fill those big shoes?
The Yankees are all about tradition, so it's a safe bet that the next team leader will be a guy who has been around for a while and won at least one ring in pinstripes. There are a handful of players that fit that description:
Brett Gardner - The speedy outfielder just signed a four-year contract extension, so he's not going anywhere. His successful 2013 campaign was one of the few bright spots in last year's disastrous season. Since he's not known as an outgoing or fiery guy, he would quietly lead by example a la Don Mattingly.
Mark Teixeira - Even before injuries started keeping him off the field last year, his production had been declining since 2009. It doesn't help that he has two years and many more millions of dollars left on his contract after this season. He has the reputation of being on the boring side, so his leadership might come in the form of organizing a team juice party or something.
CC Sabathia - The big fella is still trying to figure out how to pitch effectively while age and injury are sapping his velocity. He's still the staff ace by default, but Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda are pitching more like number ones so far this year. With his newfound dieting obsession, he could lead by starting a wacky new diet plan for the team.
David Robertson - After being given the unenviable task of taking over the closer role from Mariano Rivera, he's hit a speed bump in the form of a minor groin injury. Still, his track record shows that he should handle the role well and the Yankees would be wise to extend his contract. He's earned the nickname "Houdini" by being an escape artist on the mound so maybe he can inspire his teammates by performing magic tricks when they're struggling.
Tanaka and Pineda have been terrific so far, surpassing expectations and dominating opposing lineups
While Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman tried to temper expectations when Masahiro Tanaka came to the Bronx, insisting that they saw him as a "solid, potential No. 3 starter," there was little doubt that fans had much higher hopes for the 25-year-old pitcher. Spring training brought the return of another promising pitcher, Michael Pineda, who had finally healed from the torn labrum that has cost him two seasons. With these two slotted into the back of the rotation, the Yankees looked to have a deep and promising pitching staff.
So far, these two pitchers have not disappointed. As this young season enters its fourth week, Tanaka and Pineda have undoubtedly been the best pitchers on the Yankees' staff in 2014. CC Sabathia has been inconsistent while adjusting to his decreased velocity, Ivan Nova struggled before getting hurt, and Hiroki Kuroda has been good but not great; however, the back end of the rotation has been just lights out. Tanaka has thrown 22 innings over his first three starts, posting a 2-0 record and a terrific 2.05 ERA. However, his peripheral stats show that, other than a couple big homers, Tanaka has been almost unhittable. Hitters are batting just .185 against him, his WHIP is an amazing 0.77, and he's striking out batters at the ridiculous rate of 11.45 K/9. His command has been excellent as well (walking 0.82 hitters per nine innings), and, while his ERA of 2.05 is great, his xFIP of 1.79 truly shows just how dominant he's been. Hopefully he can keep it up over the next week or so, as he'll get his first shot at the Boston Red Sox before likely finding himself up against the Los Angeles Angels, who are leading the league in runs scored.
While Tanaka has been great so far, even setting the Yankee record for most strikeouts by a pitcher in his first three starts, Pineda has also been outstanding. His record is only 2-1, but his one loss came in a game where he pitched six innings of one-run ball (hardly a disastrous outing). Although his ERA is better than Tanaka's at 1.00, the rest of his stats aren't quite as impressive. His xFIP is a somewhat mediocre 3.87 and his K/9 is only a 7.50, but he's only walking 1.5 batters per nine innings and hitters are only hitting .200 against him--not too shabby for a supposed No. 5 starter.
While it's certainly still early, and both of these pitchers will no doubt run into some trouble as the season wears on, it's a great sign that these young pitchers are having such tremendous success so early in the season. After all the money the Yankees dropped on Tanaka, it has to be comforting to see him show the same terrific command, excellent variety, and wicked splitter that he displayed in Japan. Pineda finally living up to his potential is great for the Yankees, but it's also just great to see him playing baseball again in general after suffering an injury that could've derailed his career. If Sabathia performs a bit better (hopefully his solid outing against the Rays is a sign of things to come), the Yankees should be in great shape this season, as this is quickly becoming one of the best rotations in the American League.
ESPN New York | Wallace Matthews: How Masahiro Tanaka and Jacoby Ellsbury will perform in Fenway Park is at the top of the list of things the Yankees have to worry about going into Boston.
Recapping the Yankees' minor league affiliates' results from April 21.
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:L 2-4 vs. Lehigh Valley IronPigs
DH Corban Joseph 1-4, RBI, K RF Ramon Flores 0-3, BB, K LF Zoilo Almonte 0-3, BB, SB 3B Russ Canzler 1-4, K, E5(3rd) - batting .271 this season 1B Francisco Arcia 0-4, K CF Adonis Garcia 1-4 2B Jose Pirela 1-2, 2 BB, SB - batting .263 this season C Austin Romine 0-3, BB, K SS Carmen Angelini 1-3, K
Double-A Trenton Thunder:W 5-2 vs. Akron RubberDucks
CF Mason Williams 0-3, BB - batting .229 this season LF Ben Gamel 2-4, triple, RBI, BB, K DH Rob Segedin 2-4, 2 RBI C Gary Sanchez 1-4 3B Tyler Austin 2-4, triple, RBI, 2 E5 - fielding and throwing error (2nd and 3rd) 2B Rob Refsnyder 1-4, RBI, K - batting .245 this season RF Taylor Dugas 1-4 1B Dan Fiorito 1-3, BB SS Ali Castillo 1-4, double, K
Jeremy Bleich 5.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R/0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K - 54 of 88 pitches for strikes Taylor Garrison 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K Pat Venditte 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, BB, 2 K Diego Moreno 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, K - 1.29 ERA as Thunder closer
High-A Tampa Yankees:W 2-1 vs. Brevard County Manatees
CF Jake Cave 2-4, double, K - batting .288 this season SS Cito Culver 0-3, BB, K 3B Eric Jagielo 1-4 DH Dante Bichette Jr. 2-4 - batting .406/.524/.594 over his last 10 games C Peter O'Brien 0-3, BB, K 2B Angelo Gumbs 1-3, 2 RBI, K - batting .318 this season RF Zach Wilson 0-3, K 1B Reymond Nunez 0-3, 2 K LF Claudio Custodio 0-3
Eric Wooten 6 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, E1, hit batsman - 10-3 GO/AO Zach Woods 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K Phil Wetherell 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, K James Pazos 1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Low-A Charleston RiverDogs:W 4-1 vs. Lakewood BlueClaws
SS Abiatal Avelino 2-5, double, K, CS - batting .293 this season 1B John Murphy 0-5, K DH Aaron Judge 2-2, triple, 2 BB - .364/.500/.545 over his last 10 games 3B Miguel Andujar 0-3, HBP LF Michael O'Neill 0-3, BB, 3 K CF Jose Rosario 1-3, K 2B Gosuke Katoh 0-2, 2 BB, K, CS - batting .125/.317/.219 over his last 10 games C Eduardo de Oleo 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, passed ball - second homer of the season RF Mikeson Oliberto 0-4, 3 K
Luis Severino 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K, E1 - 7-1 GO/AO, 1.93 ERA this season Jaron Long 2.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, K Nick Rumbelow 1 IP, 0 H, ER, BB, 2 K
The soft-tossing left-hander Vidal Nuno will get his chance to replace Ivan Nova's spot in the rotation.
It was because of a rain-out on April 15 against the Chicago Cubs that the Yankees would need a sixth starter for Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. It was also because of Ivan Nova's disastrous outing a week prior to the rain-out that Vidal Nuno, who relieved Nova in that game, would be stretched out enough to make that aforementioned Sunday start in Tampa. With Nova now likely shelved for the remainder of 2014, it is now Nuno who gets to replace the injured starter as the team's fifth starter, at least for now.
In Nuno's spot start (or audition), the crafty lefty went five shutout innings, allowed three hits, two walks, and struck out six. He had a pitch-limit of ~75 pitches and was still able to complete five scoreless innings with just 69 total pitches. Not bad. He started to fade a bit in the back-end of his start (4-of-10 base runners reached base for Tampa in fourth and fifth), but was otherwise pretty flawless. Can't really ask for more given his pitch-limit and the fact that the Rays were crushing the ball the previous two days.
Joe Girardi didn't say after the game that Nuno would make another start, but the 26-year-old left-hander is "of course" in the mix to replace the injured Nova. Nuno would be set to pitch in Nova's spot on Saturday, and I would have to believe that the former is going to continue to start, even if the team hasn't officially announced it yet (at least they haven't announced it as this post is being written). That next start would come against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at the Stadium.
Other starter candidates that are currently in the majors are David Phelps and Adam Warren. Based on how they've been used, I would have to think that Phelps is ahead of Warren for a spot in the rotation. With Nuno now (potentially) penciled into the rotation, Phelps is most likely the team's long-man and Warren will continue to pitch in higher-pressure spots, this time coming in the seventh inning instead of the eighth now with David Robertson off the Disabled List. If Nuno gets knocked out early in Saturday's start, Phelps would come out the 'pen first, and that way he could get stretched out to make the next start if such event occurs.
Although they don't have many starting pitching prospects that are ready to step in from Triple-A, the Yankees have Shane Greene and Alfredo Aceves waiting in Scranton, who, theoretically, could fill in if needed. Greene has only made two minor-league outings because he spent time down in Extended Spring Training and with the big league team. Though his two outings so far have been relief appearances, he'll apparently get stretched out to start, according to RailRiders' beat writer Donnie Collins. With Greene, his control has greatly improved (1.7 BB/9 in 2013, 5.1 BB/9 in 2012) to the point where he went from just another arm to interesting prospect. Greene also opened some eyes in spring training and it's pretty clear the Yankees like him.
In the middle of camp, the Yankees signed Aceves after he opted out of his deal with the Orioles. He apparently did so because he knew he wasn't going to make the team, yet he joined a team in the Yankees whose rotation and bullpen were pretty much already set after he signed. However, with Nova now on the shelf, the door back to the big leagues for Aceves has cracked open at least just a little bit. He isn't on the 40-man roster as of now, but the Yankees will have an open spot once they place Nova on the 60-day DL.
Unfortunately, Aceves wasn't the pitcher he once was, thus he's hardly that attractive of an option. From 2008-2011, the now-31-year-old pitched to a 2.93 ERA and 4.08 FIP in 240 innings, with the vast majority of those outings coming in relief. The next two years, though, were much worse, as he pitched to a 5.21 ERA and 4.95 FIP in 121 innings and 80 appearances (six starts). Because of his most recent track-record, I would imagine that he is behind the likes of Nuno, Phelps, Warren, and Greene for the team's final spot in the rotation. Not to mention, only 15 of his 194 appearances have come as a starter, so even if he does make it back to the majors it'll most likely come in a long-relief role.
I was able to watch Aceves' start last Friday (5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 79 pitches) on MiLB.tv, and he looked pretty good. According to the announcer, Aceves was mostly at 93 miles-per-hour on his fastball. He also showed a decent curveball with some downward break and a change-up that had plenty of fade against left-handed batters. That start, however, came against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, who are very bad offensively, and they had Reid Brignac fifth in their batting order.
Nuno is not really known as a guy who can miss a whole lot of bats, and I'm not sure if he can survive that way long-term pitching in the AL East. He doesn't throw particularly hard and doesn't have a standout out-pitch. Sure, he can fool some batters by back-dooring a curve or a slider, and he can also freeze batters by painting the corners with a fastball, which we saw on Sunday's start. But, at the same time, he pretty much has to be perfect with his location to get batters out, and we saw in his relief outing against the Orioles what could happen if he isn't on his game. Still, though, Nuno gave Girardi and the Yankees not much of a choice as to who should fill Nova's spot in the rotation, and it's not like there aren't a shortage of alternatives if he falters.
David Robertson returns from the disabled list as Slade Heathcott and Greg Bird prepare to return to action
The Yankees are getting their team back from the disabled list (for the most part). Mark Teixeira returned from a pulled hamstring, and though they have now lost Ivan Nova to a partially torn Ulnar Collateral Ligament, they are also getting David Robertson back. The Yankee closer has been out of commission since April 6 after he injured his groin just three innings into his new role.
To clear space on the 25-man roster, Bryan Mitchell was optioned back down to Double-A yesterday. The return of Robertson will strengthen the depth of the bullpen as acting closer Shawn Kelley will now slide back into his 8th inning role and the entire pecking order is pushed down. This comes at the perfect time, since losing Nova likely means that one of Vidal Nuno, David Phelps, and Adam Warren will be moved to the rotation, and the Yankees bullpen depth will be even further diminished.
In other reliever news, the recently designated for assignment Cesar Cabral has cleared waivers and was outrighted back to Triple-A. After a disastrous performance where he gave up three hits, three runs, and hit three batters before being ejected without recording a single out, it seemed that we had seen the last of Cabral. We still might have as he's now off the 40-man roster.
As for Yankees prospects, it seems that at least two are on their way back. Mark Newman has said that Slade Heathcott and Greg Bird are about two weeks away from returning from their respective injuries. Slade missed all of big league camp as he wasn't quite ready for game action after undergoing offseason knee surgery. What would a season be without a Slade Heathcott surgery? He was originally assigned to Triple-A before the season, but it's also possible he could return to Double-A in order to get back into a rhythm.
Bird has sat out the beginning of the season with a back injury, but should be ready to go shortly. Hopefully he can regain some of the moment he had going for him after his spectacular 2013 season, but it is concerning that the injury that originally caused him to move out from behind the plate might be cropping back up again. When he's ready, Greg Bird will report to High-A Tampa.
Newman also let it be known that Danny Burawa and Nik Turley are still farther off. Burawa has been sidelined with an oblique injury, which is normally more nuisance than actual threat. However, in this instance, Burawa missed all of 2012 with a torn oblique muscle, so they're taking it slow with him and he will be examined to determine how serious the injury might be. Turley injured his arm just before the start of spring training and hasn't returned since. That's probably a little concerning.
The Yankees begin a three game series with the Red Sox. Masahiro Tanaka takes the mound in the Revered Hall of Doubles. New PSA DP questions are here for the week. Answer them and reign supreme over your fellow PSAer.
After splitting the series with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Yankees are in Boston to face off against the Red Sox for a three game series before heading back home. The Red Sox and Orioles just split a four game series at Fenway. Masahiro Tanaka will get to test his pitching prowess in the Revered Hall of Doubles tonight.
4/20/14 Daily Predictions & Fun Questions
1.
How many innings does the Yankee starter pitch?
2.
Total number of Yankee doubles?
3.
Total number of Yankee earned runs scored?
4.
Total number of times Yankee batters strikeout?
5.
Total number of times Yankee batters walk?
6.
How many relief pitchers do the Yankees use?
7.
Name one Yankee you think will hit a home run tonight
8.
Best overall Yankee of the night?
You're setting off on an adventure. It's dangerous to go alone, so what two weapons do you take with you? (modern day weapons do not count)
Favorite non-alcoholic drink?
You've just hit a home run. Think of the most arrogant way you can celebrate it.
Best ice cream flavor?
With these games being played during the week instead of the usual weekend series, there's a chance these games won't be on ESP...never mind. Just checked the broadcast schedule, and Wednesday's game is both a YES and an ESPN broadcast. If possible, avoid the wank. That's tomorrow though. Tonight is Tanaka Time, which is pretty much the most excited, super-fun, awesome time to watch the Yankees lately. Here's hoping that's the case tonight.
Ellsbury is far from the first Red Sox great-turned-Yankee to return to Fenway Park. How did his predecessors perform?
During the 2013-14 off-season, Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury departed the team that drafted him in favor of the Yankees on a seven-year, $153 million contract. It was a unique moment in the rivalry's history, as never before had a member of a World Series-winning Red Sox team immediately left them to join the Yankees. Such a change will surely lead to an interesting reaction at Fenway Park when Ellsbury takes the field there for the first time as a Yankee. Although Ellsbury was the first to leave a championship team, numerous Yankees of recent years past have been former Red Sox who were greeted with a... mixed reaction, at best.
Keep in mind that yes, I do know that other former Red Sox like Sparky Lyle and Red Ruffing also returned to Fenway, but they were mostly unknowns when they were traded from Boston, unlike these players. Additionally, yes, Babe Ruth also returned to Fenway immediately after his infamous trade, but we don't know much more other than the fact that he went 2-for-4 with a double on April 19, 1920. Anyway, on to the recent "traders"...
After famously declaring that he would never play for the Yankees, the bearded leadoff man for Boston's 2004 championship team decided to change his tone when the Red Sox didn't give him much of a return offer during the 2005-06 off-season. The Yankees waited him out to get his contract lower, even amusingly declaring that they were fine going forward with friggin' Bubba Crosby as their center fielder, and eventually, Damon signed with them in early January on a four-year, $52 million deal. Given his previous declaration, many Red Sox fans were furious, and though some fans still cheered, the crowd reaction was more of a collective boo.
The eventual story of the game was David Ortiz destroying a three-run homer off another former Boston player, Mike Myers, deep into the windy Boston night, a shot that probably would have gone 500 feet had the weather been fine. The Yankees lost 7-3, Damon went hitless, and the Red Sox fans went home happy. Of course, it was Damon who had the last laugh, as his team made the playoffs, and Boston failed to make it while finishing below second place for the first time since 1997.
July 31, 1999: 5 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 40 GSc
It wasn't technically the Rocket's first visit back to Fenway since leaving the team in the so-called "twilight of his career," as then-Boston GM Dan Duquette said. He pitched two Cy Young Award-winning seasons with the Blue Jays in '97 and '98 before getting traded to the Yankees on the first of spring training in '99. Clemens had an up-and-down first season in New York, pitching to a mere league-average 102 ERA+, a bit of a letdown after his gaudy years in Toronto. His first time back at Fenway as a Yankee was similarly mediocre, as he struggled to hold a lead and left the game when Nomar Garciaparra led off the sixth with a single. Middle reliever Jason Grimsley couldn't hold the two-run lead, and the Yankees lost 6-5 when Jose Offerman tripled against sinkerballing Ramiro Mendoza to lead off the ninth and John Valentin walked off with a single to left.
The two teams met in the playoffs for the first time that year, and Clemens's first playoff start at Fenway was awful. The Yankees were blown out in Game 3 of the ALCS, 13-1. Fortunately for the Yankees, that was their only playoff loss in '99, as they went 11-1 on the way to repeating as World Series champions, earning Clemens his first World Series ring.
Boggs was one of the greatest pure hitters in baseball history, and he plied his craft in Boston for 11 years, making eight All-Star teams, reaching 200 hits in a then-AL record seven consecutive seasons, and winning five batting titles. In '92 however, Boggs stumbled to a .259/.353/.358, 96 OPS+ line, and deciding that the 34-year-old was probably toast, the Red Sox let him walk as a free agent. He jumped to the rival Yankees on a three-year, $11 million deal, and he immediately went right back to hitting .300. His first game back at Fenway was something special:
A perfect day at the plate, though the Yankees did fall 7-2 because Melido Perez was awful. Nonetheless, Boggs eventually won his first World Series title with the Yankees in '96 and he rode around Yankee Stadium on horseback. It was pretty tremendous.
...what do you mean Kevin Youkilis played for the Yankees? I have no idea what you're talking about. Regardless of such crazy talk, here's hoping that Ellsbury does his best Boggs impression tonight back at Fenway and Masahiro Tanaka pitches the Yankees to a win.
Yesterday Jose Campos was officially placed on the disabled list with inflammation in his elbow. Today it turns out he actually underwent Tommy John surgery on Friday. That's quite an escalation. While he was assigned to High-A Tampa to begin the season, the right-hander never pitched in any minor league games. The oft-injured piece from the Michael Pineda-Jesus Montero trade has been dealing with elbow issues for a few years now. The Yankees had to shut him down in 2012 when he experienced elbow problems. In 2013, he remained healthy, but was kept to a limited pitch count that never seemed to allow him to go more than three or four innings per start.
This was supposed to be the year he would finally be allowed to just go out and pitch. Now that his season is over before it even started, Campos, the No. 20 prospect in the organization according to MLB.com, won't be ready to pitch again for another 12 months. That's a lot of development time he's lost due to injuries already, so he'll likely be coming off top prospect lists from here.
Chris Leroux has been spotted in the Yankees clubhouse, so it's likely that he has been brought up after Bruce Billings ended up pitching four innings in relief of an ineffective Hiroki Kuroda. No official move has been announced, but it's very likely that Billings has been designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. You might think placing Campos on the 60-day DL would be the more likely move, but the Yankees can't do that because it would start his service clock. That's why they had to keep Manny Banuelos on the 40-man roster all through last season, despite all those injuries.
UPDATE:
The Yankees have optioned Shane Greene back down to Triple-A and have unconditionally released Nik Turley in order to make room for Leroux on the 40 and 25-man rosters. Turley has yet to pitch this season after injury his pitching arm just before spring training. It's unknown if they'll try to re-sign him like they did last season with David Adams or he'll go elsewhere.
In his second start of the year, Vidal Nuno didn't have quite as good of an outing as his first, but he was still pretty good. He allowed three runs in just over four innings, keeping the Yankees in the game and allowing for another unheralded source to get some big hits. John Ryan Murphy drove in three runs on two hits (including his first major league home run) as the Yankees beat the Angels 4-3.
The Angels took an early lead when Mike Trout hit a one-out home run in the first to give the Angels a 1-0 lead. Nuno got into a bit more trouble after allowing a single to Albert Pujols, but he escaped with no further damage.
After two scoreless half-innings, the Yankees took a lead in the bottom of the second. With one out in the inning, Mark Teixeira was hit by a pitch. That was followed by a Brett Gardner infield single and a walk to Brian Roberts, which loaded the bases. After Kelly Johnson flied out, Murphy came to the plate. During the at bat, Angels' starter Hector Santiago was called for a balk, which brought home Teixeira to tie the game. Murphy then singled to score Gardner and Roberts to make the score 3-1.
The Angels would come back to tie the game in the top of the fourth. Pujols led off the inning with a single. That was followed by Nuno issuing a walk to Howie Kendrick. Erick Aybar then hit a ground ball to third. Johnson tried to start a double play and got the out at second. However, Kendrick slid hard into second, causing Roberts' throw to go over Teixeria's head. That allowed Pujols to score. Chris Iannetta then doubled to score Kendrick, tying the game. After Ian Stewart struck out, David Freese singled. Iannetta had to be held up at third, which would be huge as Jacoby Ellsbury made a diving catch on a J.B Shuck blooper to end the inning.
In the top of the fifth, Nuno got Collin Cowgill to ground out before walking Trout. That would be the last batter Nuno would face. He was taken out after going 4.1 innings allowing three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out four. Dellin Betances was brought in and was also called for a balk against the first batter he faced. That put Trout on second, but nothing would come of that as Betances got Pujols to ground out and Kendrick to fly out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, Murphy led off the inning with a home run, his first in the majors, to put the Yankees back on top. The Yankees had a chance to add more that inning, but squandered it, keeping the score at 4-3.
Betances came back out for the sixth. He walked one batter, but got out of the inning with the Yankees still in front. In the top of seventh, Betances again came back out to the mound. He struck out Shuck, but after allowing a single to Cowgill, Betances was pulled in favor of Shawn Kelley. Betances was solid in his two innings of work.
The first person Kelley faced was Trout. Kelley walked Trout on four pitches and then got behind on a 2-0 count to Pujols. However, Kelley would get Pujols to fly out for the second out of the inning. Kelley then struck out Kendrick to escape the jam.
In the top of the eighth, Kelley got Aybar to ground out before Iannetta and Ian Stewart reached on singles. After Kelley got David Freese to fly out, Matt Thornton was brought in to face pinch hitter Raul Ibanez. On the seventh terrifying pitch of the at bat, Thornton got Ibanez to fly out to end the inning.
After the Yankees couldn't extend their lead in the eighth, David Robertson came in to pitch the top of the ninth. Robertson struck out Cowgill to start the inning, but after that, the inning got scary. Trout came to the plate and singled up the middle. That put the go-ahead run at the plate, in the form of Pujols. At one point, it looked like Pujols might foul out, but Teixeira couldn't catch the ball, as two fans got in his way. That wound up amounting to nothing as Pujols ended up flying out. That left the game up to Kendrick. Kendrick worked the count full, but on the seventh pitch of the at bat, Robertson struck him out to end the game. Robertson got the save and the Yankees got a 4-3 win.
The Yankees and Angels will close out their series in the Bronx tomorrow at 8 eastern. Masahiro Tanaka will pitch for the Yankees and Garrett Richards will go for the Angels.
Austin has been placed on the disabled list with a strained groin, which he suffered on Wednesday night when he stole third base. Word is that it isn't too serious, so Austin shouldn't be out for long. After dealing with an injured wrist for much of the 2013 season, Austin really needed to have a healthy 2014. He has a slightly below-average .250/.333/.346 batting line, though he might have been heating up (six hits in his last five games) before going down. Maybe this ends up being nothing and he picks it back up, but we don't know yet.
Ty Hensley
According to his personal Twitter feed, former first-round prospect Ty Hensley is pitching bullpens again. The big right-hander has been limited to just 12 professional innings, all coming in 2012. Since then he missed the entire 2013 season after undergoing double hip surgery. Hensley will likely continue to workout and pitch at the Yankees complex in Tampa and could then join Short Season Staten Island this summer.
Yankees pitching prospect, Bryan Mitchell has been placed on the disabled list with elbow inflammation. Any kind of elbow injury is concerning, especially just after the Campos news, but luckily, the MRI came back clean, so it could just be a matter of waiting for the inflammation to clear up. He was brought up to the majors on April 20th and was sent back down the next day without getting into a game. Mitchell has a 4.26 ERA and 2.07 FIP over four starts this season at Double-A Trenton and it was somewhat of a surprise that he was called up at all.
Sanchez is being held out of games at the moment because he's dealing with some soreness in his hand. Trenton Thunder manager Tony Franklin says it's more of a precautionary thing, so he could be back very soon. Sanchez has gotten off to a good start, hitting.286/.385/.429, so the faster he gets back the better. UPDATE: Sanchez played today .
Luis Torrens
Torrens has been out of action since the 15th and Kale Sumner has replaced him on the roster, while Torrens has been sent to "Staten Island." I wasn't sure if he was hurt or demoted for hitting just .154/.353/.269 so far this season. He's about 2.5 years younger than the average player at the Low-A level, so he certainly could be overmatched.
It turns out he has been dealing with some kind of shoulder issue. He's still catching bullpens, though he isn't throwing the ball just yet. Torrens will probably rejoin the Charleston RiverDogs sometime next week and will get another chance to prove he can hit at this level.
Other injuries:
Fred Lewis and David Herndon have also been placed on the disabled list, but I have yet to uncover what for. According to RailRiders beat writer Donnie Collins, Lewis left Thursday night's game with some kind of hand injury. Herndon, though, is a total mystery.
According to Baseball America's Minor League Transactions update for the week, Charleston RiverDogs center fielder and 2013 eighth-round pick Brandon Thomas has been placed on the disabled list. There's no information on what it might be, though.
Former Yankees manager and current MLB executive Joe Torre remains unsure about legalizing pine tar use for pitchers. What they may have planned instead will surprise you.
Although the legalization of pine tar for pitchers seems like a no-brainer for many in the baseball fraternity, MLB executive vice president Joe Torre believes we may want to think twice before letting players doctor baseballs, according to a report by ESPN.
Torre acknowledges the benefit of players having a better grip on the baseball while hurling it 100 mph. But it's the potential for abuse by those unfamiliar with the substance and the risk that presents to their fellow players that has him concerned.
"I can understand the fact you don't want the ball slipping out of a pitcher's hand because someone can get hurt," Torre told ESPN.com Saturday. "But there's also the aspect that the ball may stick on your fingers longer and you may be able to make it sink or cut more or whatever. And it may act in a dangerous way with guys who don't know what they're doing with it."
Pine tar has been in the news since an issue with Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda's blatant use a few weeks ago at Yankee Stadium reached a (pardon the pun) fever pitch when he was thrown out of a game in Fenway Park on Wednesday. While Red Sox manager John Farrell was reluctant -- especially as a former pitcher himself -- to call out the hurler for his indiscretion, the gobs of pine tar on Pineda's neck were too blatant for him to continue to ignore.
But, the idea of using pine tar in a game has long been routine for pitchers and batters alike, even though only the latter are allowed to use the substance as a way to increase their grip. Due to their worries about the dangers of pitchers being able to openly doctor the ball with foreign substances, Torre and other baseball officials may look into using balls similar to those found in Japan.
Described in the ESPN report, the balls are tackier than their American counterparts and would presumably minimize the need for an extra grip-enhancing substance. This seems like a far more appealing path for Torre, who reiterated that while he appreciates the concern over players being able to properly grip a ball, the larger concern of allowing pitchers to apply foreign substances into the game may outweigh the potential good.
"As far as legalizing a foreign substance, my only concern is the probability that if you use it excessively, you'll have the ball act in a way that could be dangerous," Torre told ESPN. "If you just open it up and say, 'Yeah, you can go ahead and use this,' it's tough to be responsible for the outcome because you don't know what that's going to be."
Regardless of what happens with pine tar -- and according to statements by departing commissioner Bud Selig, that won't be settled until the offseason -- Torre doesn't believe it will be a lingering issue between the Red Sox and Yankees. In what may have been a subtle warning and/or plea to both teams, Torre told ESPN, "Having something like this happen early in the season, I hate to even believe this will be a tit-for-tat thing. I hope it's not going to be that."
Though, after almost a century of bad blood between the two teams, it's likely they'll use any excuse to go tit-for-tat.
