The Yankees managed to split the Subway Series with the Mets. Interleague continues as the Yankees head back home over the Triboro Bridge to face the incoming Pittsburgh Pirates. Do we have another winner in the PSA DP?
UPDATE: Game is postponed due to weather.

It's fun to watch rookies come up and pitch. It's especially fun to watch rookies come up and pitch well. Chase Whitley made his major league debut and pitched great for his first time. He even got a hit. Whitley has most definitely earned himself another start. Meanwhile, Dellin Betances is becoming unfair.

5/15/14 Daily Prediction Answers

Aaron Tres was in a beer & nacho mood, so he left the other Aarons behind to do the math. Uno and Dos were not having any of that, so they followed him. A good time was had by all. However, the responsible Aardvarks made sure the math was done before they left, and the numbers show that long time listener is our victor. He scored 3,000 points, and if he can get back to back wins, he earns himself a free personal Wright beaning. So look out.

5/16/14 Daily Predictions & Fun Questions

What is your favorite classical composition?

Which meat would be harder for you to give up completely; beef or pork?

Living space: Which would you prefer? A house or a big apartment?

Personality wise: what do you believe is your most defining trait?

David Phelps will take the hill tonight against the Pirates. The Bucs have not been doing so hot lately, so at this point it would be ideal if the Yankees could take the series. Andrew McCutchen is going to be playing in our center field, so I'm personally excited by that. Excited as I may be, he is the enemy tonight. Defeat him.

That's if the weather holds up. Chances for rain tonight are extremely high.

Let's Go Yankees

UPDATE: Game postponed. Use this as your open thread for the day.

Tonight's game has been postponed. It will be made up as 2nd game of single-admission doubleheader this Sunday, May 18.

— New York Yankees (@YankeesWeather) May 16, 2014

Once a strength, the Yankees' starting rotation is now a major weakness. Can help be found on this summer's trade market?

To say the Yankees starting rotation is a mess is right now is sort of like saying that New York is a fairly big city. Things don't exactly look like they're going to get better anytime soon either, at least not on their own. Ivan Nova is done for the season and Michael Pineda is still several weeks from returning to the majors. CC Sabathia will attempt to come back on a freshly drained, cortisone injected knee, but ominous phrases like "degenerative changes" from Dr. James Andrews certainly don't sound good. Hiroki Kuroda's body is healthy, but his pitching hasn't been  - the 39-year-old has an ERA over 5.00 in his last eighteen starts, dating back to August of last year, and he's recorded an out in the seventh inning just three times in eight games this season.

Unfortunately for the Yankees, mid-May is a little early for most teams to be thinking trade, especially in baseball's new era of parity. The standings thus far are a giant cluster with only three teams in the entire sport sitting more than four games back from a playoff spot. That means there aren't many GM's looking to sell off their valuables, at least not yet. But eventually the Yankees will need to do something, and as Tanya noted yesterday, the Steinbrenners are willing to expand their budget to make it happen. Here's an early look at a few names they might consider making a play for.

Jeff Samardzija

Cubs righty Jeff Samarzija has been the most talked-about name on baseball's trade market for the past few months and that talk has only grown as Chicago's start to the season has been predictably awful. Despite the ugliness around him, the 29-year-old former Notre Dame wide out seems to finally be harnessing his vast potential. Through eight starts he's got an ERA of 1.45 and a FIP of 2.93 to go along with strong peripherals - a WHIP of 1.05, a K:BB rate of 2.81 a ground ball rate of 51.6 percent and a puny home run rate of 0.32.

With another year of arbitration to go before becoming a free agent in 2016, Theo Epstein's asking price for Samarzija will be well...high - as in start with Gary Sanchez and keep going. Beyond that, keeping Samarzija past next year would require an extension similar to or greater than the six-year, $105 mil guarantee the Reds gave to Homer Bailey this winter. That's a hefty price, both in prospects and in dollars, but Samardzija is a guy with top notch stuff still in his twenties. He'd slot right into the Yankees' number two spot behind Masahiro Tanaka to form a very tough tandem that could last for a number of years.

Jason Hammel

A significantly cheaper - and lesser - Cubs righty who could also be on the move is former Oriole Jason Hammel, who's looked solid after signing a one-year, $6 million deal with Chicago. Through 47.2 innings over seven starts, Hammel's 2.45 ERA is mostly thanks to an unsustainable .203 BABIP, but his FIP is still a solid 3.54 and he's managed the difficult AL before, albeit not very well in 2013.

If the Yankees are out to find back-of-the-rotation fodder to help hold the fort down in hopes that Kuroda regains his form and Sabathia and Pineda return healthy and effective, Hammel, with his low salary and probably low prospect cost, may be a guy they'll take a look at.

Justin Masterson

After extension negotiations with the Indians fell through in the spring, Justin Masterson is off to a so-so start this year, with an ERA of 4.31, a FIP of 3.69 and a WHIP of 1.38 through nine starts. The main issue was that Cleveland refused to offer more than three years, apparently due to concern over a dip in their 29-year-old's velocity and that trend has continued into 2014 as Masterson's average fastball has dropped to 89 mph. Still, there are a lot of things to like. Masterson doesn't give up home runs - he's never allowed more than 0.79 per nine innings as a starter - and he keeps the ball on the ground - his 63.2 percent ground ball rate this year is second among qualified major league pitchers.

Admittedly, a lot would have to happen for the Indians to make Masterson available this year even as his free agency approaches. They'd need to fall out of the race - they're in fourth place in the AL Central as of Wednesday night's games, but at 19-21, they're only two games out of the AL's second wildcard spot - and they'd have to find themselves a pretty good offer, one the Yankees might not be willing to (or able to) cede for a three or four month mid-rotation rental.

Mark Buehrle

The reason Mark Buehrle might be had is that he's due to earn around $31 million over the next year and two thirds thanks to a heavily back-loaded deal he signed with the Marlins back in 2011. The Blue Jays may prefer not to pay that much to a 35-year-old who hasn't had an xFIP under 4.00 since 2008. From the Yankees' perspective, despite his high actual cost, Buehrle "only" counts for $14.5 million per year against the luxury tax. If a salary dump similar to the Alfonso Soriano deal is something Toronto would consider, they'd have to be somewhat interested.

Buehrle's 7-1, 2.04 ERA start is hugely cosmetic thanks to a career-best left-on-base rate of 81.1 percent and a ridiculous home run to fly ball percentage of 1.9. As the season goes on he'll probably regress to the solid but unspectacular low strikeout, high efficiency pitcher he's been for the past several seasons, but for the Yankees, that's not something to scoff at (have you ever actually scoffed at anything?) For a rotation in desperate need of stability, a pitcher who's thrown 200 or more innings thirteen years in a row might be quite a fit.

James Shields

James Shields might be a pie-in-the-sky type fictional target since the Royals have given no indication that they're willing to deal him, especially after giving up one of the top young hitters in baseball in Wil Myers to acquire him. Nevertheless, it's worth noting that Shields is headed for free agency at year's end and his asking price is said to be in the range of Zack Greinke's six-year, $147 million contract with the Dodgers. While Kansas City's payroll has risen by over $50 million since 2011, that's still more than triple the largest guarantee in franchise history - $55 million for both Mike Sweeney and Gil Meche.

Like Samardzija, Shields would be an ideal top-of-the-rotation partner for Tanaka that would make the Yankee staff a lot more formidable heading into the second half. Also like Samardzija, though, Shields' price tag would be insane, and would absolutely have to include Sanchez and whatever other higher-end prospects the Yankees could muster. Salvador Perez's presence likely makes Sanchez less attractive to the Royals than to most other teams, so even if Shields does hit the market, Brian Cashman would face a pretty steep uphill climb to acquire him.

Of course there are plenty of others whose names might get brought up in trade talks in the coming weeks. The Post mentionsCliff Lee and Bronson Arroyo, in addition to Samardzija and Hammel as names the Yankees might target, but Lee has a no-trade clause that includes the Yankees and Arroyo's sky-high home run rates make him a terrible fit for New York. The Pirates are off to a rough start, so perhaps Francisco Liriano or Edinson Volquez could be a possibility. One way or another, with starting pitching now clearly their greatest need, it'll be an interesting couple of months for the Yankee front office.

Sometimes you just watch a performance that deserves a piece that fawns over it. This is one such post.

So much of the writing process is inspiration. A poem about a beautiful sunset. A novel about a tragic event. A Twitter rant about the idiot in the Porsche that took up two parking spaces when you went grocery shopping. This post you're reading is no different. I knew I had to write something about Dellin Betances today, because holy hell that was some dominant appearance he made in last night's game against the Mets. Seven batters, six strikeouts.

@PSA_GIFs

I would say it was like something out of a videogame, but I've never been able to do that in any baseball videogame. And trust me, I've turned the difficulty sliders down to "Pathetic". Those were professional hitters, the top 1% in their chosen profession, and they were made to look downright silly. It was Betances' magnum opus in what has been, thus far, one of the most dominant stretches by a pitcher in recent Yankees history. Sure, it's May and he's a reliever, but it's still been nothing short of amazing.

Like most things, it's best to view Betances' awesomeness in context. Of Yankees pitchers with at least 20 innings pitched in a season, Betances' K/9 of 15.72 is the highest in team history, beating out the 2011 version of David Robertson with a 13.5. He's struck out 44.8% of the batters he's faced. He's third on the team in strikeouts and tied for second on the team in pitching fWAR. His 39 strikeouts are more than those of noted quality starters Dan Haren, Mark Buehrle and Yovani Gallardo. He has the most strikeouts of any reliever in baseball. He's been nothing short of dominant.

Not bad for a former starting prospect that seemed to be on the verge of being relegated to the minors for the rest of his career. The biggest detriment to him to this point, his lack of control, has been kept mostly in check. His BB/9 rate is under 4.00, which for a high-powered reliever is certainly acceptable. Even beyond the walk rate, he's had the necessary control to tempt hitters to swing at pitches out of the zone and catch them looking with pitches that just catch the corners. One of the more impressive aspects of his performance on Wednesday night was that four of his six strikeouts were looking, so it's not as though they were bailing him out by swinging at junk.

With Adam Warren pitching well and David Robertson being the great closer we knew he would be, the Yankees bullpen has become less of a question mark with considerable potential and more like the strength of the team. No pitcher embodied that potential quite like Betances and he is rewarding the Yankees for being patient with his development by being one of the best relievers in the game. He's sure to have some lapses in control and a home run or two is bound to occur, but I think we're at the point where we can assume that Betances is the real deal. As Yankees fans know, sometimes a reliever just bursts onto the stage and a few great performances become a sustained run of brilliance. It looks like Betances may have that in him.

Last Time on Pinstripe Alley

• Is Mark Teixeira's home run barrage sustainable?
• In appreciation of Dellin Betances' bullpen dominance
• Which starting pitchers can the Yankees realistically trade for?
• Off Day Open Thread 5/16/14: Skullduggery Ahead
• 2014 MLB Draft: Worst Yankees draft picks of all time by position
• Baby Bomber Recap 5/15/14: Eric Jagielo drives in five with two home runs in Tampa win

Yankees News

ESPN New York | Andrew Marchand:Dellin Betances has broken out as a bullpen star after he failed as a starter.

New York Post | Joel Sherman: The Tigers almost signed Yangervis Solarte before they ultimately traded for Ian Kinsler.

It's About the Money | Michael Eder:Carlos Beltran, CC Sabathia, and Shawn Kelley are on the disabled list, but there could be some positives to come out of it in the end.

Baseball America | Ben Badler: Greg Bird and Jake Cave make this week's baseball hot sheet.

Sports Illustrated | Cliff Corcoran: Five candidates who could replace Bud Selig as the commissioner of baseball.

The Wall Street Journal | Daniel Barbarisi: Will Masahiro Tanaka be able to dominate as he ages or will he turn into Daisuke Matsuzaka?

It's About the Money | Michael Eder: Reviewing Dellin Betances from Thursday night and his ability to strike you out.

Fangraphs | Jeff Sullivan: The Rays may have passed the Yankees and Red Sox as the team with the slowest pace in baseball.

Bronx Baseball Daily | Greg Corcoran: Luis Severino, Greg Bird, Peter O`Brien, and Chase Whitley are some of the top prospects at their levels this season.

ESPN New York | Wallace Matthews: How will the Yankees use Derek Jeter and Dellin Betances from here, and other questions.

Recapping the Yankees' minor league affiliates' results from May 16th.

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: W 5-3 vs. Lehigh Valley IronPigs

SS Dean Anna 2-4, double, RBI, E6 - throwing error, sixth of the season
RF Adonis Garcia 2-5, 2 doubles, RBI, K, E9 - fielding error, batting .318 this season
LF Ramon Flores 1-5, double, K, 2 OF assists
3B Scott Sizemore 1-4, RBI, BB, K, E5 - throwing error, fourth of the season
DH Kyle Roller 1-3, double, 2 BB - batting .250 w/ SWB
1B Russ Canzler 1-3, RBI, 2 BB
2B Jose Pirela 2-5
C Francisco Arcia 1-5, K
CF Antoan Richardson 2-4, RBI, 2 K

Matt Tracy 5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, K - 47 of 77 pitches for strikes
Diego Moreno 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, BB, 2 K
Robert Coello 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
Jim Miller 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB

Double-A Trenton Thunder: L 0-2 vs. Portland Sea Dogs

LF Ben Gamel 0-4, K, CS
CF Slade Heathcott 2-3, 2 doubles, K, OF assist
DH Rob Segedin 0-3, BB, K
C Gary Sanchez 0-4 - batting .154 over his last 10 games
3B Tyler Austin 0-4, 2 K
2B Rob Refsnyder 1-4, K
RF Taylor Dugas 0-4
1B Dan Fiorito 1-2, BB
SS Ali Castillo 1-3

Caleb Cotham 4.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 5 BB - 56 of 96 pitches for strikes
Jairo Heredia 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Pat Venditte 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K - 0.82 ERA this season

High-A Tampa Yankees: W 7-6 vs. Palm Beach Cardinals (18 innings)

CF Jake Cave 2-7, double, BB, K, SB
SS Cito Culver 1-8, RBI, BB, 3 K, SB, E6 - throwing error (7th), batting .200 this season
1B Greg Bird 1-7, double, 2 BB, 2 K
3B Dante Bichette Jr. 2-8, RBI, BB, K
DH Eric Jagielo 1-5, RBI, BB, 3 K
 -PH Trent Garrison 1-1, double
RF Zach Wilson 1-6, double, 2 RBI, 3 K, E9 - fielding error (3rd), batting .372 this season
2B Angelo Gumbs 1-8, double, 2 RBI, 4 K
C Wes Wilson 1-6, BB, 2 K, HBP
LF Anderson Feliz 3-7, BB, K, CS

Nick Goody 1.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Miguel Sulbaran 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K - 5 GO/4 AO
Dietrich Enns 2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
James Pazos 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Phil Wetherell 2 IP, 4 H, 1 R/0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, E1
Kyle Haynes 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
CATCHER WES WILSON 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (!!!!)

Low-A Charleston RiverDogs: W 4-2, L 0-3 vs. Hickory Crawdads

Game 1:

3B Jose Rosario 2-3, HR, 2 RBI, CS - first homer of the season
LF Michael O'Neill 0-3, RBI, K
RF Aaron Judge 0-1, 2 BB
1B Mike Ford 0-2, BB, K
DH Miguel Andujar 0-3, K
CF Brandon Thomas 1-3, HR, RBI, K - second homer of the season
SS John Murphy 0-2, BB
C Eduardo de Oleo 1-3, K
2B Gosuke Katoh 0-2, K, SB, E4 - throwing error, fourth of the season

Brady Lail 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 11 K - 66 of 87 pitches for strikes
Chris Smith 1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, K, WP

Game 2:

SS Tyler Wade 0-4, 4 K
CF Michael O'Neill 0-2, BB, K
DH Aaron Judge 0-2, BB
1B Mike Ford 1-2, BB, K - batting .315 this season
3B Miguel Andujar 0-3, K
LF Jose Rosario 1-3, K - batting .314 this season
2B John Murphy 1-3, 2 K
C Kale Sumner 1-3, K, passed ball
RF Mikeson Oliberto 0-3, 2 K

Caleb Smith 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R/0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K - 55 of 82 pitches for strikes
Jordan Cote 1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, K

Warren and Betances have pitched well out of the bullpen, but would they be better off in the rotation?

We're only a quarter of the way through the season, yet only two of the original starters remain in the rotation. Last year's injury bug struck back with a vengeance, knocking out Ivan Nova for the entire season. Michael Pineda is not expected to return before early June, at the earliest, but he threw a bullpen session yesterday without any pain. CC Sabathia is getting a cortisone shot and stem cells injected into his knee, but there's no timetable for his return. In the meantime, Vidal Nuno, David Phelps, and now Chase Whitley have taken their spots in the rotation. Is that the best rotation that the Yankees can assemble while staying within the organization, or should Adam Warren or Dellin Betances be moved into the rotation?

In the case of Betances, the answer should be a vehement no. Betances struck out six batters in a row during Thursday's shutout game against the Mets. He's been having an excellent season out of the bullpen, putting up a 1.61 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 15.72 K/9, 3.63 BB/9, 0 HR/9 through 22.1 IP. Opponents are batting .154 against him. Sure, it would be nice if he could take that success to the rotation, but it seems that the old adage, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies here. He's doing a great job in his current role, why risk messing that up? Especially considering the fact that Betances was converted from a starter to a reliever last season. In 2012, he struggled mightily as a starter, ending the season with a 6.44 ERA, but he was able to turn things around pitching in relief. The Yankees converted him to a reliever for a reason, and they should leave him in that role to avoid screwing up a good thing. Plus, we don't want another reliever/starter/reliever situation like with Joba Chamberlain.

On that note, the case for Adam Warren is not so clear. He was just competing for a spot in the bullpen a few months ago, and he did a fine job, posting a 1.61 ERA with 10 Ks over 10.2 innings. He ultimately did not win the rotation spot, but he has been very successful working out of the bullpen so far this season. 23.1 IP 8.49 K/9 2.31 BB/9 0.39 HR/9 1.54 ERA 0.99 WHIP .202 BAA. At this point, if anyone in the rotation should be replaced, it's probably Nuno, who has only managed to stay in the game up to six innings once out of his six total starts. In order to be added to the rotation, Warren would need to be stretched out first, which would take some time. Again, would adding Warren to the rotation be a gamble worth taking if it means losing one of the better relievers?

Do you think Betances and/or Warren would be better utilized if they were added to the rotation? Or do you think the Yankees should just keep it the way it is and we can cross our fingers that Pineda and Sabathia return soon?

Looking back at great MLB debuts in the last twenty Yankee years.

The Yankees have a reputation for having all the luck. In a tight pennant race? Count on the Orioles' Jack Cust to beat a 12th inning rundown between third and home, and then trip and fall before he can score.

Starting rotation in shambles and no offense in the infield? Call up Chien-Ming Wang and Robinson Cano.

Trailing in a playoff game? Send Bucky Dent, or Aaron Boone, or Chad Curtis, or Raul Ibanez to the plate.

And as Yankee fans, count on pinstripes to breath life into faded careers. In a season with incredible debuts from Betances, Solarte and Tanaka, I thought it might be fun to look back at some of great MLB debuts in Yankees history.

2007: Before the injuries and the inconsistencies and the extra weight, Joba Chamberlain was electric. It's easy to forget, but I was there with all of old Yankee Stadium, chanting for a middle reliever in the 7th or 8th inning. He struck out 34 in 24 innings, back before strikeouts ballooned to the point where every elite reliever is striking out one per inning. And he was the future.

2005: On May 6th of 2005, the Yankees were OLD and FINISHED, sitting at 11-19. Robinson Cano and Chien Ming Wang were called as warm bodies from a barren farm system. The Yankees went 84-48 the rest of the way (a .636 winning percentage, if you're scoring at home). Cano at 22 showed no patience, but could rake, with 34 doubles and 14 home runs. Wang was an enigma. He gave up a ton of hits, but everything stayed down, and his 4.02 ERA was second on the team to the 41 year old Randy Johnson (gah, we could have had the young Carlos Beltran instead). With no walks for Cano and no strikeouts for Wang, I didn't pick either to repeat their performances.

1998: Shane Spencer hit .373/.411/.910 as a September call up for the greatest team in history. He slugged 10 home runs (3 grand slams), and re-energized a team that had clinched their playoff spot in August and was coasting through September playing .500 ball.

Honorable mentions: Andy Pettitte and Derek Jeter, Alfonso Soriano, Adam Warren.

After a rainout yesterday, the Yankees and Pirates play their first game today and will then play a doubleheader tomorrow.

Yankees vs. Pirates today at 4:05 on FOX. Pregame on @YESNetwork at 3:00 pic.twitter.com/ZlGBfTnuYe

— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) May 17, 2014

Today's lineup looks mostly familiar. Brett Gardner, Derek Jeter, and Jacoby Ellsbury are at the top of the order. Mark Teixeira will bat cleanup with Brian McCann behind the plate and Alfonso Soriano in right field while Carlos Beltran is on the disabled list. Yangervis Solarte is playing third base while Kelly Johnson serves as the DH, and Brian Roberts bats ninth.

UPDATE:

Ellsbury has been scratched with flu-like symptoms, so here's the new lineup:

Revised #Yankees lineup: Gardner 8, Jeter 6, Tex 3, McCann 2, Soriano 9, Solarte 5, Johnson DH, Roberts 4, Almonte 7.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 17, 2014

Gardner is shifted to center field, while everyone moves up one in order to fit Zoilo Almonte in left and batting ninth.

Yankees prospect Abiatal Avelino has been placed on the disabled list after he pulled his quad running to first base. He's expected to miss about a month of action while he rests his leg. The 19-year-old shortstop has hit .294/.349/.387 with 11 stolen bases so far for the Low-A Charleston RiverDogs. Despite his age and level, he's considered to be the organization's top shortstop prospect and the No. 18 in the entire system overall, according to MLB.com. While he is out, 2013 draftee Tyler Wade will take his place as starting shortstop. Wade is considered to be just below Avelino on the shortstop depth chart, and the two were previously sharing playing time in the field and as designated hitter, so Charleston will be lucky enough to replace talent with more talent.

He has had a poor start to 2014 and has not had an above average season since 2012. Does he still deserve the title of "top prospect"?

Before Mason Williams' 2013 campaign, scouts, like Al Skorupa for example, thought of him as the possible Yankee center fielder of the future. Even though he was just coming off of a torn labrum injury, Skorupa was confident that he would develop into an "above average major league regular with a significant chance to be more than that", a player that could hit ".280-.300" and could also be an above-average defender. Most other talent evaluators agreed, putting Williams near the top of organizational top prospect lists. Williams did nothing but disappoint those evaluations and showed everyone that his hit tool was nowhere close to being developed. In his last season, combined between High-A and Double-A, Williams slashed .245/.304./.337 (.641 OPS) with four home runs and 15 stolen bases in 117 games. For someone whose billing was "top prospect", those aren't top prospect-esque numbers. The organization lost enough confidence in him and were not going to bet on him being Bernie Williams 2.0, so they went out and signed Jacoby Ellsbury and extended Brett Gardner.

When Williams came into spring training this year, the expectations were not as high as 2013, but slightly adjusted. Marc Hulet of FanGraphs described them as such:

"Williams’ stock slipped in 2013 as he showed up a little out of shape and with inconsistent effort on the field. He lacked pop last year and, while he’ll probably never be a power hitter, he needs to keep his swing short and quick to the ball. When he’s right, Williams has above-average speed and the ability to swipe 20+ bases. Defensively, he’s a strong fielder with a good arm and range, as well as solid reads... Still just 22, Williams has time to step up his game but he currently projects as more of a solid regular than a true star outfielder."

So instead of a 60-65 grade potential, he now sits at about 50-55 (on a 20-80 scale). That is certainly not bad at all--an everyday starting outfielder could demand $10-15 million a year on today's open market. So, has Williams stepped up in 2014? Not exactly. Through 35 games and 165 PA, Williams has hit .188/.282/.257 (57 wRC+) with one home run, six extra base-hits, and five steals. His struggles were recently documented on NJ.com, where he was said to have "flung his bat across the grass along the first-base line when he popped to left field" after being the only Trenton Thunder batter not to record a hit on May 7th. Although this highlights the makeup issues (problems in dealing with adversity) that have cropped up before, Williams has asserted that he is putting the work in. He has said that he is trying to work on his craft, that he is "...putting more time in the cage, more time on the field." His manager Tony Franklin has stated that he too is trying his best to dig Williams out of his hole:

"You do everything you can to help... You work with them, you talk with them, you show them videos. Hopefully, by the end of this month, he’ll come out of it and start to (hit) well... It’s still early, but by the same token, he’s got to get going."

But is all of this enough? Often times one experiences success in the low minors, only to find that Double-A and Triple-A are too much to handle. The issue of his torn labrum may have permanently sapped his bat speed, and it could also be possible that his ceiling was truly overestimated. When he was one of the top prospects in the Yankees organization in 2012, he was described as having a ~30 hit tool with the potential for 60. It's possible that he'll never reach higher than 45-50. Nonetheless, he still has his defense. Reports from Trenton continue to indicate that he is playing plus-defense in center, and that was probably the basis for his initial promotion in 2013, especially given his ills at the plate.

In assessing Williams' potential, I'd have to echo Franklin: if he does not hit soon, his stock could be permanently damaged. When all is said and done, he could be a plus-defender in center field with a slightly below-average bat. That would not be such a terrible thing, and he would probably do decently in a future corner outfield role if Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury are to indefinitely remain in the outfield. Is Mason Williams a top prospect anymore? I don't think so, unfortunately. But that doesn't mean that he can't contribute to the big league club in the future, and it doesn't mean that he won't have trade value. He has the future of a Major League regular or competent backup, a commodity that is never in abundance. It's realistic, yet disappointing considering where his stock has fallen from. I'm hoping that if he turns it around in a hurry, the expectations can adjust in a positive direction.

The Doctor is in.

The charts are in and we have some injury updates for you to look over:

Jacoby Ellsbury: Day-to-Day
Injury: Illness
Due Back: Tomorrow

Jacoby Ellsbury scratched w stomach bug... Almonte will start in his place #Yankees

— Meredith Marakovits (@M_Marakovits) May 17, 2014

This isn't anything to worry about, but it's unfortunate nevertheless, considering they have a doubleheader tomorrow. Zoilo Almonte will finally get a chance to play and hopefully he fills in well.

CC Sabathia: 15-Day Disabled List
Injury: Knee
Due Back: TBD

Girardi says Sabathia will be off crutches monday, but due to unusual nature of his knee procedure, girardi seems unsure when he'll return.

— Daniel Barbarisi (@DanBarbarisi) May 17, 2014

CC's knee has been drained and has received an injection of cortisone and stem cells in an attempt stave off the degenerative condition he is currently facing. Joe Girardi doesn't sound too confident about when the supposed ace of the staff will return, but he will be reevaluated on Monday to see how his injury is reacting to the treatment. It looks like Chase Whitley, Vidal Nuno, and David Phelps will all remain in the rotation for a little while longer.

Michael Pineda: 15-Day Disabled List
Injury: Shoulder/back
Due Back: June

Pineda will throw a 25 pitch bullpen session tomorrow

— Daniel Barbarisi (@DanBarbarisi) May 17, 2014

It was reported that Michael Pineda would take a little longer to return than originally expected. Now that he's about to start pitching again, it won't be long before he's ready to return. Expect him back around the beginning of June and hopefully this time off has helped him more than it hurt him. Maybe in a few months we'll look back on this time as a saving grace because it allowed him to get later into the season without hitting his innings limit.

 Shawn Kelley/Carlos Beltran: 15-Day Disabled List
Injury: Back/Elbow
Due Back: Late-May, TBD

Shawn Kelley expected to play catch Monday. Beltran feeling a little better. Kuroda will start game 1 tomorrow #Yankees

— Meredith Marakovits (@M_Marakovits) May 17, 2014

Kelley has been out with a stiff back for awhile now and has not pitched in a game since May 6 against the Angels. His DL stint has been backdated so he'll be eligible to return in another four days. We should know by Monday if he's going to be ready in time or if the injury is going to linger for a bit longer.

Carlos Beltran has been waiting out his injured elbow for a few days now. He recently received a cortisone shot to help deal with the pain of the bone spur and he says that it has helped some. He's relatively pain free, but he hasn't been able to swing the bat, a problem that led to his placement on the DL. By the end of the 15 days we'll know whether or not he needs surgery or if he can wait until the season is over. It could end up being something to watch no matter what. 

Last night felt familiar. It felt familiar without picking a specific previous time it happened, because the Mariners have done this so many times—failing to get the key run when it mattered. But though you don't need to pick out another time it happened, it's easy to do.

This felt like Sunday, April 20th, a 3-2 loss to the Marlins. We probably all remember it, but to refresh, it was the Mariners' sixth loss in a row, and it came with the tying run left on third base in the ninth. And it wasn't just that he was left there, but like last night, they had a big run ninety feet from home with two outs to work with, and they couldn't get him in when it really mattered. Nick Franklin and Michael Saunders both struck out to end the game.

The Mariners, right now, have only lost three in a row—the first coming in a Fernando Rodney blown save. They're still scuffling quite a bit, having now lost six of nine, though not the level we saw at the end of April (but, that losing steak also started with Rodney blowing a save). And that reminds me of something said by the man who made the final out of that game down in Miami. Well, specifically, one thing he said over and over.

Here's Michael Saunders speaking with Shannon Drayer following the Mariners' win over the Yankees on May 2nd, which I caught on the Mariners' podcast:

"We got off to a great start on the road to start the season off and, obviously like you said, we went through a tough stretch and we were just trying to minimize the damage, if you would. It won’t be our last tough stretch going through the season obviously with how long the year is, but that needs to be an experience that we’ve learned from and not let it get to eight to nine next time—and we need to take it one game at a time."

A week, and several wins later, here is Saunders again, this time talking to TEAM Radio 1040 out of Vancouver about Lloyd McClendon—and shedding some light on where this "learn from it" mantra came from:

"He gets how hard this game is and he’s never forgotten that. He puts his players first. He commands a lot of respect. When he speaks up, we listen. He’s that guy in the room. He keeps the clubhouse loose, especially when we went on our little bad streak of eight in a row, he was keeping us loose. He reminded us of how tough this game really is and we’re going to come out of this and, when we do, make sure that we learn what we went through because it’s not going to be the last time that we have a struggle like we did. But hopefully we can learn from that and minimize the damage over the course of a long year."

And finally, here is Saunders talking to Steve Sandmeyer and Jason Churchill for 1090 The Fan about went on during that losing streak. This was the same day as the previous quote, Friday, May 9th:

There were things that were unspoken. There were things that were verbally said and, mainly the fact that this is such a long season—we play every night. At the very least, we play 162 and we’re hoping to play  a little bit more than that this year. We gotta understand that it’s not the end of the world. You’re not going to win pennants in April. This, obviously will not be the last time we go through a losing stretch and hopefully we can learn from what happened in April. And luckily, it happened so early. Hopefully we can learn from that and limit the damage the next time we go through a little bit of a rough streak.

As you can tell from the fact that the last two clips came on the same day, these guys give a lot of interviews. And they're bound to repeat themselves. But still, the fact that he's said this three times (if not more) means that this philosophy was pounded into the guys' heads by McClendon—and, at least with Saunders, it resonated.

Of course, it's one thing to say you've learned from something, and it's another to stop a skid like this. And even then, how does one "learn" from a losing streak and adapt? If it were as easy as just playing better, they wouldn't have lost six of nine in the first place.

Either way, I'm still interested to see how this team responds to another stretch of adversity. They had their season pushed to the brink once before, and though this isn't where it was then, they're still just a half game closer to first place now than they were at the end of that eight-game losing streak.

The Mariners have their three best pitchers going the next three days. I don't know how exactly a team goes about learning to better deal with and pull out of a losing streak, but here's to hoping this team has.

It's hard not to get carried away with this one. Daniel Carbonell recently defected from Cuba, and he's looking for a place to play. He's a five-tool switch-hitting center fielder, and the Mariners reportedly have a shot at signing him. This comes today from Ken Rosenthal:

Told #Yankees, #Mariners are two of five finalists for Cuban free-agent OF Daniel Carbonell. Neither team has confirmed.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 17, 2014

If you want to see what he's like, watch the video above of him practicing baseball in his underwear. Here's the description on that video:

The 22 year-old (23 on March 29, 2014), is a legit five tool player: exceptional speed (sub 6.5 - 60), quick hands, and a rifle for an arm. The ability...

Too many dingers or something.

In the first inning, Mark Teixeira hit a home run. In the third inning, Zoilo Almonte hit a home run. In the sixth inning, Brett Gardner hit a home run. There appears to be a trend developing here. The Yankees hit five home runs on the day (only two of which were Yankees Stadium Specials) as they beat the Pirates 7-1.

The Yankees got on the board quickly in the bottom of the first. With one out, Derek Jeter reached on a single. Teixeira then hit a home run that just cleared the wall in right field. After one inning, the Yankees led 2-0. A couple innings later, the Yankees added to their lead when Almonte led off the third with a monster home run to right, making the score 3-0.

The Pirates managed three hits in the top of the fourth, yet scored no runs, thanks to a strike him out throw him out double play and Alfonso Soriano throwing a runner out at the plate. After escaping another jam in the fifth, David Phelps' day would be over. He went five innings allowing no runs on five hits and three walks. He did a decent job stranding runners and keeping the Pirates off the board.

In the top of the sixth, Dellin Betances was brought in. The first pitch Betances threw was hit for a home run by Starling Marte. After that Dellin went back to being Dellin. He struck out the next three Pirates to limit the damage to just one run.

The Yankees then went and got that run right back in the bottom of the sixth when Gardner led off the inning with a home run. That made the score 4-1.

Tony Sanchez led off the seventh with a single, but was thrown out trying to stretch it to a double. He was originally ruled safe, but Jeter immediately called for the replay himself. Jeter was shown to be right as he very clearly tagged Sanchez before the runner was close to the bag. That was the only real highlight from an otherwise uneventful seventh inning from Betances.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Yankees added more thanks to yet another dinger. Soriano led off the inning with a fourth Yankee home run, making it 5-1.

Adam Warren came in and pitched a scoreless inning in the top of the eighth. And in the bottom of the eighth? You guessed it: another home run. Gardner drew a lead-off walk and three batters later Brian McCann homered to make the score 7-1.

With a six-run lead, Matt Daley was brought in to try and finish off the game in the ninth. And he did. Daley pitched an easy 1-2-3 inning to seal a 7-1 win for the Yankees.

The Yankees and Pirates will play a double header tomorrow at Yankee Stadium. The first game will start at 1:05 eastern. Hiroki Kuroda and Charlie Morton will be your starters. Vidal Nuno and Gerrit Cole will pitch the second.

Box score.

Last Time on Pinstripe Alley

• Yankees 7, Pirates 1: Yankees hit five home runs in win
• Yankees injury report: Sabathia, Ellsbury, Pineda, Beltran, Kelley
• Yankees prospects: Is it time to give up on Mason Williams?
• Yankees lineup vs. Pirates - Top prospect Abiatal Avelino to the disabled list
• Daily Yankees Predictions 5/17/14: Drink up me hearties, yo ho!
• Great Yankee debuts of the recent past
• Should Adam Warren or Dellin Betances move into the Yankees' rotation?
• Baby Bomber Recap 5/16/14: Brady Lail racks up 11 strikeouts over six innings

Yankees News

LoHud | Vincent Z. Mercogliano:Michael Pineda might be showing positive signs as he returns from injury, but the status of CC Sabathia is still very uncertain.

The Trentonian | Nick Peruffo:Slade Heathcott has returned to the Trenton Thunder and now faces questions about his aggressive style of play.

MiLB.com | Jake Seiner: From Indy ball to the Charleston RiverDogs, minor league reliever Chris Smith has been through an adventure just to get to affiliated ball.

New York Times | Michael Beschloss: 90 years ago this summer, Babe Ruth ran into a concrete wall and was knocked unconscious on the field.

LoHud | Vincent Z. Mercogliano:Dellin Betances is finally living up to the hype, even if he's a reliever now.

SB Nation | Grant Brisbee: Totally real scouting reports for some of baseball's best players, including Derek Jeter.

LoHud | Chad Jennings: With Carlos Beltran on the DL, it puts pressure on the rest of the outfield to make up for the team's loss.

MLB Trade Rumors | Zach Links: This is the anniversary of the end of Yogi Berra's player-coach career for the New York Mets.

Pinstripe Pundits | Chris Mitchell: The Yankees' 2012 second-round draft pick Austin Aune already looks like a complete dud.

Recapping the Yankees' minor league affiliates' results from May 17th.

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders: L 3-6 vs. Pawtucket Red Sox

SS Dean Anna 1-3, HR, RBI, BB, CS - first homer with SWB
RF Adonis Garcia 1-4, 2 K
LF Ramon Flores 1-4, K
2B Scott Sizemore 0-3, BB, 2 K - batting .258 with SWB
1B Kyle Roller 0-4, 2 K
3B Zelous Wheeler 1-4, K
DH Jose Pirela 3-3, HR, 2 RBI - third homer of the season
C Francisco Arcia 0-3, E2 - throwing error, third of the season
CF Antoan Richardson 0-2, HBP

Brian Gordon 6.1 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 6 K - 66 of 96 pitches for strikes
Branden Pinder 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, K

Double-A Trenton Thunder: L 3-6 vs. Portland Sea Dogs

CF Ben Gamel 3-5, 2 doubles, K - batting .294 this season
2B Rob Refsnyder 1-5, K, CS
3B Rob Segedin 0-3, BB
DH Gary Sanchez 0-2, RBI, BB, K
C Peter O'Brien 1-4, HR, RBI, K - fifth homer of the season
RF Tyler Austin 2-4, double
1B Dan Fiorito 1-3, double, RBI, BB, K, E3 - throwing error, third of the season
LF Taylor Dugas 0-3, K, HBP
SS Ali Castillo 0-4, K

Eric Ruth 4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, K, hit batsman - 48 of 77 pitches for strikes
Tyler Webb 2 IP, 0 H, 1 ER, BB, 2 K - 5.14 ERA with Trenton
Taylor Garrison 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB

High-A Tampa Yankees: W 3-2 vs. Palm Beach Cardinals

CF Jake Cave 2-4, RBI - batting .318 this season
SS Cito Culver 3-3, double, RBI, BB, SB
DH Greg Bird 0-3, BB, 2 K
3B Eric Jagielo 1-4, RBI, K - batting .257 this season
1B Matt Snyder 0-4, K
2B Angelo Gumbs 1-4, K
RF Anderson Feliz 0-3, BB
C Trent Garrison 1-3, BB, passed ball
LF Claudio Custodio 1-3

Conner Kendrick 5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K - 9 GO/1 AO
Brett Gerritse 4 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, K

Low-A Charleston RiverDogs: W 3-1 vs. Savannah Sand Gnats

SS Tyler Wade 0-4, K, E6 - fielding error, sixth of the season
LF Michael O'Neill 1-3, RBI, BB, K, CS
RF Aaron Judge 3-4, double, RBI, K - .879 OPS over his last 10 games
1B Mike Ford 1-4
3B Miguel Andujar 2-4, RBI, K - batting .217 this season
C Jackson Valera 1-4
CF Dustin Fowler 0-4, 3 K
DH Brandon Thomas 0-4, K
2B Gosuke Katoh 1-3, BB, 2 K, CS

Rookie Davis 3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K - 30 of 51 pitches for strikes
Giovanny Gallegos 4 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, K, WP
Rony Bautista 0.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, BB, WP
Cesar Vargas 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, K

The Yankees play a doubleheader against the Pirates. Kuroda will pitch Game 1 and Nuno will pitch Game 2. Two Yankees games, two chances to win the Daily Predictions. Did anyone one of you landlubbers win yesterday?

The Yankees won the first game of this three game series against the Pirates yesterday. David Phelps pitched five innings of shutout baseball. Despite how inefficient it was, it got the job done. You know what else got the job done? Dingers. Glorious, glorious dingers. Keep those coming, offense.

5/17/14 Daily Prediction Answers

The Aardvarks decided that since yesterday was a day of dingers, everyone who hit one got a chance to be the best Yankee of the night. Due to that, a lot of people scored 2,000-3,000 points a piece. However, there was no winner. Four ladies of Pinstripe Alley would tie with 4,000 a piece. Caitlin, Lilly, stratchey, and noonoo were those four. Aaron Uno applauds your efforts, and reminds you that today, you have two chances to win.

5/18/14 Daily Predictions & Fun Questions (GIVE YOUR ANSWERS FOR BOTH GAME 1 & GAME 2)

Making your bed: "I want it to look clean & perfect" or "Why bother? It's only going to get messed up again?"

Name some of your all time favorite commercials. Link if possible.

Name your top three favorite comedies of all time

Snacks: Do you prefer salty snacks or sweet snacks?

Hiroki Kuroda will get the start for Game 1 while Vidal Nuno takes the mound for Game 2. It's a whole day of baseball, fellow PSAers. Here's hoping the Yankees sweep the doubleheader, sweep the series, and thus send these bilge rats to Davy Jones' Locker! The Game Threads have been better than ever, and it's all thanks to you. Let's keep it up today!

Let's Go Yankees

Ken Rosenthal reports the two AL teams are in the mix to sign the Cuban defector.

Recently defected Cuban outfielder Daniel Carbonell is most likely to sign with the New York Yankees or Seattle Mariners, according to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal.

Carbonell played professionally in Cuba since he was 17 years old before recently defecting, and while he might not receive the same hype as players like Jose Abreu and Yasiel Puig, he's still a four-tool outfielder (he lacks power) who can have a serious impact at the big league level.

Currently, Carbonell has established residence in Mexico, though it doesn't look like he'll be there for long if Rosenthal's report is correct. The 6'3", 220 pounder has athleticism that should have MLB teams salivating, and by the looks of it, the Yankees and Mariners look to be the most likely to cash in.

The Mariners don't have much history with Cuban imports, having signed Yuniesky Betancourt in 2005 and getting five solid but unspectacular years out of him. More recently, the team brought on pitching prospect Roenis Elias, and his future looks very promising.

It's hard to imagine the Yankees will make a huge push to go after Carbonell, given their stock of outfielders and already massive payroll. Conversely, this is the high-spending Yankees we're talking about, and many of the team's outfielders are nearing the ends of their careers—Ichiro, Alfonso Soriano—which could make this a move with the team's long-term future in mind.

The Yankees are one of five finalists for Cuban free agent outfielder Daniel Carbonell.

A couple of weeks ago, Jason wrote about the Yankees having expressed interest in Cuban free agent Daniel Carbonell. Now it appears that they are amongst the finalists in talks with the outfielder.

Told #Yankees, #Mariners are two of five finalists for Cuban free-agent OF Daniel Carbonell. Neither team has confirmed.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 17, 2014

Prior to defecting from Cuba back in October, Carbonell played for Camaguey in the Cuban National Series from 2009-2013. The 23-year-old's career numbers during that time are .287/.359/.398 with an OPS+ of 94. It should be noted that in 2012, Cuba raised pitcher's mounds and switched to a "less lively" baseball in an effort to lower offensive production, which may have had an impact on his stats. In comparisons between Carbonell and fellow Cuban, Yasiel Puig, Carbonell is considered to be the faster of the two.

It doesn't seem like there would be much to lose if the Yankees do sign Carbonell. There may not be that much hype surrounding him, but Puig and another recent Cuban defector, Jose Abreu, have found success in the majors so far. Abreu is currently batting .265/.317/.606 and leads all of MLB in terms of the most home runs hit, 15. Puig is off to a good start as well, hitting .333/.422/.590. Carbonell isn't expected to perform like those two, but what would be the harm in signing a speedy outfielder who can hit for average?

Kuroda was unspectacular but still good enough to get the Yankees a win.

After seven runs yesterday, it looked like the Yankees may be headed to a similar total today. While they didn't score that much, the four early runs they did score were enough for the win as Hiroki Kuroda and the bullpen held on for a 4-3 win.

The Pirates got on the board quickly when the second batter of the game, Neil Walker, hit a home run to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead. But in the bottom half of the inning, the Yankees quickly took the lead themselves. Brett Gardner led off the inning with a walk. Derek Jeter then did a Jeter thing and laid down a bunt. However, the Pirates had no play on the bunt and both runners were safe. Jaocby Ellsbury then worked a full count before getting hit with a pitch. That loaded the bases for Mark Teixeira. Teixeira ripped a single to right-center, scoring two and moving Ellsbury to third. Brian McCann then added another run when he singled. The Yankees let Charlie Morton off the hook and failed to add more in the first, but they now had a 3-1 lead.

However, the Yankees did add more in the bottom of the second. Kelly Johnson led off the inning with a single. During Zoilo Almonte's at bat, Johnson was able to steal second and then go to third when Tony Sanchez's throw got into center field. After Almonte struck out, Gardner doubled. That scored Johnson and made it 4-1.

Kuroda escaped a bases-loaded jam in the top of the fourth, but the Pirates were able to cut into the lead in the fifth. Tony Sanchez led off the inning with a home run, making it 4-2. Clint Barmes then doubled and moved to third on a ground out by Travis Snider. Walker then hit a liner straight at Johnson at third. Johnson got his glove on it but couldn't make the catch, allowing the run to score. It was ruled a single and the score was now 4-3. Kuroda managed to escape the inning but the Pirates were now down just a run.

After a scoreless sixth, Kuroda would end up being replaced before the start of the seventh inning. Hirok went six innings, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out seven. It got a bit messy towards the end, but overall, it was a pretty decent effort from Kuroda. Matt Daley and Matt Thornton combined for a scoreless top of the seventh.

After the Yankees couldn't do anything in the bottom of the eighth, Adam Warren came in to pitch the top of the eighth. With one out Andrew McCutchen singled to right. Alfonso Soriano dived for it and managed to trap it in his glove. If Soriano missed the ball and let it get past him, McCutchen would have been on third at least. Nevertheless, he just was on first. After Warren got Pedro Alvarez to ground out, Girardi decided to go to David Robertson to try and get a four-out save. Robertson struck out Starling Marte on three pitches to send the game to the ninth inning.

The Yankees couldn't get an insurance run, but Robertson made sure the last three outs were fairly stress-free. Robertson threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning to seal a 4-3 Yankees win.

Hey, there's another game coming in a few minutes! See you soon!

Box score.

We already won one. Let's take two.

The Yankees topped the Pirates in Game 1 of today's doubleheader behind Hiroki Kuroda and an early offensive outburst. Can they make it two to sweep the doubleheader and the series? Vidal Nuno gets the start for New York against Gerrit Cole, who was almost a Yankee before passing on pinstripes for college.