This week, the Yankees will host the Tampa Bay Rays, last in the AL East, before traveling to Minnesota for a four game set against the Twins, cellar-dwellers in the AL Central.

After losing two out of three to the Toronto Blue Jays and enduring a tough series with the Red Sox in the Bronx, New York will have an easier go of it this week as they take on two cellar-dwelling American league squads, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Minnesota Twins.

The Rays and the Twins:

Rays: 5^th in AL East (35-49), 25^th in runs scored, 19^th in OPS (.690), 12^th in wRC+ (98), 17^th in ERA (3.87), 11^th in FIP (3.69), 14^th in xFIP (3.72)

Twins: 5^th in AL Central (37-43), 15^th in runs scored, 18^th in OPS (.691), 15^th in wRC+ (95), 28^th in ERA (4.41), 19^th in FIP (3.88), 29^th in xFIP (4.25)

Quick hits:

Longoria heating up after slow start:  While Evan Longoria is still not hitting up to the lofty standards he set over the past few seasons, he's gotten going over the past month, hitting .272/.353/.446 for a 132 wRC+ in June through the 28th.  While he's still not up to his standard (133 wRC+ for his career versus 108 this year), Longoria has had to carry even more of the load this year. Wil Myers is still recovering from a wrist injury, David DeJesus now has a broken hand, and mainstays like Matt Joyce and Ben Zobrist struggled to offensive numbers below their career averages (prior to Sunday's blowout victory over the Orioles).

Price and Archer carrying decimated pitching staff: With a staff rocked by injury, it's no wonder the Tampa Bay Rays have struggled so much out of the gates in 2014.  Still, David Price and Chris Archer - the only two arms left that Joe Maddon planned to have in his rotation at the start of spring training - are quietly putting together solid seasons that are much better than their losing records.  Price currently sports a 3.00 FIP and what would be a career best 10.29 K/BB ratio, along with a 2.7 fWAR, which is 10^th among pitchers.  Chris Archer's 2.2 fWAR is good for 18^th in the league, and his 2.96 FIP is nothing to scoff at.  Much of his success this season has come from his incredible ability to limit homers in 2014, and while his 3.7 HR/FB% (3^rd best in the majors) is unsustainable, Archer has only built on the success of his terrific rookie season last year.

Former Yankees finding success in the twin cities: Phil Hughes and Eduardo Nunez will face their old team this week, and, because of course, they're both doing quite well in Minnesota.  While Nunez is currently dealing with a hamstring issue (he should be activated this week) he got off to a good start for the Twins, hitting .290/.319/.435 for a 110 wRC+ in 25 games.  Hughes has found even more success, and has been one of the best pitchers in the majors in 2014 (5^th in fWAR at 3.1).  It hasn't just been the fewer home runs surrendered thanks to not pitching half his games at Yankee Stadium (5.5% HR/FB); he's also found terrific control this season, managing a 0.87 BB/9, way below his career average of 2.60.

Yankees notes for the week:

Ellsbury, Gardner raking over past month: The speedy outfielders have both been tearing up opposing pitching in June.  Jacoby Ellsbury has hit .330/.394/.433 for a 132 wRC+, while Brett Gardner's been even better, hitting .296/.367/.500 for a 141 wRC+.  Gardner has hit four of his seven homers in June, second most among Yankee hitters in the month (Mark Teixeira is first), and while the offense has struggled overall, these two have been doing about as much as anyone could ask of them.

Johnson heating up as the season nears midway point: Kelly Johnson has been getting the majority of starts at third when righties take the hill lately, and he's finally found some success at the plate after a brutal start to the season.  Over the past month, Johnson has hit .263/.356/.421 with a 115 wRC+.  While he's still not hitting for the power everyone expected him to, at least he's getting on base, and that's better than nothing (and more than some others are doing).

Prediction: 4-3 (1-2 vs. Tampa Bay, 3-1 vs. Minnesota)

The Rays have been playing a bit better of late (9-6 in their past 15 games), and going up against Archer and Price will be no small task for the Yankee lineup that has struggled mightily in June.  Regarding the Twins, while they haven't been awful this year, their pitching (outside of Hughes) has been.  With Hughes matched up against Tanaka, the Yankees should be in prime position to take three of four in Minnesota.

How do you think the Yankees will fare this week?  Vote in the poll and sound off in the comments below!

Pitching matchups:

Monday, June 30: David Phelps (3-4, 4.35 ERA, 4.08 xFIP) vs. Chris Archer (4-5, 3.29 ERA, 3.59 xFIP)

Tuesday, July 1: Hiroki Kuroda (5-5, 4.23 ERA, 3.81 xFIP) vs. David Price (6-7, 3.63 ERA, 2.54 xFIP)

Wednesday, July 2: Vidal Nuno (2-4, 5.42 ERA, 4.38 xFIP) vs. Jake Odorizzi (3-7, 4.14 ERA, 3.54 xFIP)

Thursday, July 3: Masahiro Tanaka (11-3, 2.10 ERA, 2.46 xFIP) vs. Phil Hughes (8-4, 3.58 ERA, 3.31 xFIP)

Friday, July 4: Chase Whitley (3-2, 4.70 ERA, 4.20 xFIP) vs. Kyle Gibson (7-6, 3.77 ERA, 4.12 xFIP)

Saturday, July 5: David Phelps vs. Yohan Pino (0-1, 6.30 ERA, 3.95 xFIP)

Sunday, July 6: Hiroki Kuroda vs. Ricky Nolasco (4-6, 5.74 ERA, 4.08 xFIP)

Joe Torre's number 6 will join the set of retired numbers in Monument Park later this year, but who were the first to wear those numbers?

Throughout the course of their franchise history, the Yankees have retired 16 numbers, and they will put the 17th number in Monument Park later this year when they honor former manager Joe Torre. While the merit of retiring so many numbers can certainly be debated, the retired numbers displayed still stand out as one of the most iconic parts of Yankee Stadium, even though they decided to bury Monument Park under a center field restaurant at the new place for some reason.

The Yankees were one of the first teams to adopt uniform numbers, which they did beginning with the 1929 season to help the fans better identify their favorite players, like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Odds are that there will be several names on this post that you will recognize, but there will be many who were probably only remembered by their families. More players than you might think had their numbers re-issued after they left the team. Regarding managers with retired numbers, I went by the last player to wear the number since that's more relevant. The years noted in the parentheses are the years that the Yankee wore the number, not just the years of his playing career.

1

Retired for: Billy Martin (2B, 1950-57, Mgr., 1975-78, 1979, 1983, 1985, & 1987)
First worn by: Earle Combs (CF, 1929-35)
Last worn by: Bobby Murcer (CF, 1969-74)

I've never been a fan of number 1 being retired for the man who was a big reason why the Yankees' clubhouse was such an uncomfortable place in the '70s and '80s. In fact, it probably would be better served as an honorary for Combs, a Hall of Fame centerfielder whose place in Yankees history is greatly overshadowed by Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle. It's a nice touch that Murcer was the last to wear number 1 though, as many fans who fondly remember Murcer's playing days associate him with that number, though he later donned number 2 when he returned to the team in 1979.

3

Retired for: Babe Ruth (RF, 1929-34)
First worn by: Babe Ruth (RF, 1929-34)
Last worn by: Cliff Mapes (OF, 1948)

It's bizarre to consider that the Yankees issued number 3 after Ruth left the team, but the idea of retiring numbers was a foreign concept on those early days. Two-time All-Star outfielder George Selkirk wore number 3 in the eight years after Ruth's departure, and random bit players like Mapes donned it until the Yankees finally retired it on June 13, 1948 in the last year of Ruth's life.

4

Retired for: Lou Gehrig (1B, 1929-39)
First worn by: Lou Gehrig (1B, 1929-39)
Last worn by: Lou Gehrig (1B, 1929-39)

The "Iron Horse" was the only man to ever wear number 4 for the Yankees, and he was the first player in baseball history to ever be honored with a retired number. Ruth and Gehrig wore 3 and 4 because they hit third and fourth in the batting order, which was another part of the reasoning behind adopting numbers on uniforms. While that was untenable, the association of Ruth and Gehrig with 3 and 4 will last forever.

5

Retired for: Joe DiMaggio (CF, 1937-42, 1946-51)
First worn by: Bob Meusel (LF, 1929)
Last worn by: Joe DiMaggio (CF, 1937-42, 1946-51)

"Long Bob" Meusel was another crucial member of the Yankees' "Murderers' Row" of the '20s, and he hit 146 homers as a Yankee, including a league-leading 33 in '25. The '29 campaign was his last as a Yankee though, and the number bounced around familiar names like Tony Lazzeri and Frankie Crosetti until finally landing on the budding superstar DiMaggio in '37. (As a rookie in '36, DiMaggio wore number 9.) While DiMaggio was at war, they gave his number to first baseman Nick Etten, but it naturally returned to the "Yankee Clipper" when he came back. After his retirement in '51, the Yankees promptly retired it the very next April.

6

Retired for: Joe Torre (Mgr., 1996-2007)
First worn by: Tony Lazzeri (2B, 1929, 1934-37)
Last worn by: Tony Fernandez (SS, 1995)

Like Combs and number 1, number 6 should probably be retired for the Hall of Famer Lazzeri, who wore that number more frequently than any other throughout his brilliant Yankees tenure. Other notable names to wear it over the years were fellow Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Gordon, rookie Mickey Mantle in '51, two-time champion third baseman Clete Boyer, Steve Sax, and of course longtime Yankee Roy White. Fernandez, Derek Jeter's predecessor at shortstop, was the last player to wear it before Torre came on board in '96, and it was never issued again after his departure in 2007.

7

Retired for: Mickey Mantle (CF, 1952-68)
First worn by: Leo Durocher (SS, 1929-30)
Last worn by: Mickey Mantle (CF, 1952-68)

Yes, the first Yankee to don the famous number 7 was actually the Hall of Fame Dodgers and Giants manager Durocher, who Ruth nicknamed the "All-American Out" for his crappy play and generally annoying demeanor. After wearing 6 as a rookie in '51, Mantle took 7 in '52 and an inseparable association was born. Like DiMaggio, his number was retired the season after he left the game.

8

Retired for: Bill Dickey (C, 1930-43, Mgr., 1946)
Retired for: Yogi Berra (C, 1948-63, Mgr., 1964 & 1984-85, Coach, 1976-83)
First worn by: Johnny Grabowski (C, 1929)
Last worn by: Yogi Berra (C, 1948-63)

The number 8 has almost always been associated with Yankees catchers, and that even dates back to Grabowski, who along with fellow number 8 Benny Bengough was part of the Yankees' championship teams in '27 and '28. The number then passed to the Hall of Famer Dickey, who wore number 10 in his rookie '29 season, and then bounced around three different players before Berra's emergence. Yogi actually wore 38 and 35 in his first two seasons, something that seems unfathomable now, but later he took his mentor's old number. The Yankees never re-issued it after Berra retired, and they rightfully decided to retire it for both Hall of Famers in 1972.

9

Retired for: Roger Maris (RF, 1960-66)
First worn by: Benny Bengough (C, 1929)
Last worn by: Graig Nettles (3B, 1973-83)

Number 9 has belonged to so many illustrious names throughout Yankees history that it seems silly that it should be forever linked to Maris alone in Monument Park. It would have made sense to keep it in circulation. Terrific players like Charlie Keller, Hank Bauer, Maris, and Nettles wore it for several years at a time until the Yankees hung it up for good in 1984, the season after Nettles left the team. If they were going to retire it for anyone, Nettles would have made more sense than Maris, but alas.

10

Retired for: Phil Rizzuto (SS, 1941-42, 1946-56)
First worn by: Bill Dickey (C, 1929)
Last worn by: Rick Cerone (C, 1980-84)

It first belonged to Dickey but will always be associated with "the Scooter." A fan favorite and broadcaster for 40 years, the Yankees honored Rizzuto by retiring the Hall of Famer's number in August of 1985. It was the only number he ever wore. All-Star shortstop Tony Kubek was a rightful heir to the number, and he wore it for eight years, including three championship seasons. Later, the number 10 would also be linked to first baseman Chris Chambliss in the '70s, who won two titles and slugged his AL pennant-winning homer in '76 with the number 10 on his back. The light-hitting Cerone wore it for five years after Chambliss left, but he obviously had to wear a different number when he returned to the team later in his career.

15

Retired for: Thurman Munson (C, 1969-79)
First worn by: Hank Johnson (SP, 1929)
Last worn by: Thurman Munson (C, 1969-79)

Over the year, 21 seasons of All-Star play were performed by Yankees wearing number 15, none more famously than their beloved captain, Munson. Johnson was an unimpressive pitcher to kick off the uniform's history, but Hall of Famer Red Ruffing pitched excellently with it on his back, as did reliever Hank Borowy. Outfielder Tommy Henrich had four All-Star seasons and three championships wearing 15, and two-time All-Star Tom Tresh added two titles of his own in the '60s. When Tresh was dealt to the Tigers in the lost '69 season though, the Yankees gave number 15 to Munson, the high draft pick catcher who they called up in August. It was the only number Munson ever wore, and he experienced a decade of superb play and a couple titles. On August 3, 1979, the day after he tragically perished in a plane crash, the Yankees retired number 15 and left it hanging in his locker for 29 years until they left old Yankee Stadium.

16

Retired for: Whitey Ford (SP, 1953-67)
First worn by: Tom Zachary (SP, 1929)
Last worn by: Whitey Ford (SP, 1953-67)

A number of pitchers donned number 16 for the Yankees over the years, including Zachary, Hall of Famer Herb Pennock, no-hitter hurler and two-time All-Star Monte Pearson, and relief ace Joe Page for a year. Ford first wore 18 and 19 during his breakout rookie season in 1950, but when he came back from the Korean War, he was given number 16, and no one would ever wear the future Hall of Famer's number again.

23

Retired for: Don Mattingly (1B, 1984-95)
First worn by: Tony Lazzeri (2B, 1932)
Last worn by: Don Mattingly (1B, 1984-95)

Lazzeri really made his tour around the Yankees' retired numbers, didn't he? Number 23 was the fourth number to eventually be retired worn by Lazzeri, but it was issued only six times until the  '50s. Hard-throwing Tommy Byrne and 1962 World Series MVP Ralph Terry each wore 23 for a few years, as did former Red Sox pitcher-turned-Yankee Luis Tiant in '79 and '80. "Donnie Baseball" wore 46 for his first couple seasons and actually, one of his '83 coaches, Don Zimmer, was the last to wear it before Mattingly took it in '84. He became a six-time All-Star, an MVP, and a New York City icon until back injuries forced him into early retirement after the '95 season. His number was retired two years later.

32

Retired for: Elston Howard (C, 1955-67)
First worn by: Arndt Jorgens (C, 1929)
Last worn by: Elston Howard (C, 1955-67)

The number 32 didn't have much of a history when Howard, the first African-American in franchise history, took the number in '55. Jorgens was a third-string catcher who wore the number for less than a year, and though Henrich wore it as a rookie in '37, there weren't many other distinguished players to wear it. Future championship manager Ralph Houk took 32 for six years while serving as a third-string catcher in the late '40s and '50s (when he was a manager, he took 35). "Ellie" was excellent as a Yankee, making nine All-Star teams and paving the way for future African-American Yankee stars, like Willie Randolph, Rickey Henderson, and CC Sabathia. He continued wearing it as a coach after his retirement until his saddening death from a rare heart disease in 1980. It was retired four years later alongside Maris's number 9.

37

Retired for: Casey Stengel (Mgr, 1949-60)
First worn by: Herb Karpel (RP, 1946)
Last worn by: Gus Niarhos (C, 1946)

The number 37 is even more elusive in Yankees history. Only two active players ever wore the number. Karpel only pitched two games in his career. Niarhos was a third-string catcher, though he did appear on the '49 World Series champions with number 38. New skipper Bucky Harris took 37 in '47 and won a World Series, but when the Yankees finished third the next year, he was fired and replaced with Stengel, who took his number and won ten pennants and seven World Series titles. The Yankees did not re-issue 37 after firing Stengel in 1960, and 10 years later, Stengel became the first manager to have his number retired by the Yankees. (The Mets also retired Stengel's 37, making him the only baseball figure honored by both New York teams.)

42

Retired for: Mariano Rivera (RP, 1995-2013)
Retired for: Jackie Robinson (retired by MLB in 1997)
First worn by: Bill Drescher (C, 1946)
Last worn by: Mariano Rivera (RP, 1995-2013)

Moar third-string catchers! Drescher was another random catcher who was the first to wear an eventually-retired number, though it gained more fame when All-Star second baseman and future broadcaster Jerry Coleman donned it for nine years from 1949-57. From then on, it was issued to countless different players on coaches. In '93, Domingo Jean was the last pre-Rivera player to wear it, and coach Mike Brown also had it in '94. Then, Rivera came along in '95 and the rest is history. MLB retired 42 throughout baseball in '97, but players like Rivera and Mo Vaughn who had previously been wearing it were allowed to keep it. Sixteen years later when the future Hall of Fame closer finally retired, the last baseball player to regularly wear 42 left the game and the Yankees ceremoniously retired 42 for Rivera, as well.

44

Retired for: Reggie Jackson (RF, 1977-81)
First worn by: Bob Seeds (OF, 1936)
Last worn by: Reggie Jackson (RF, 1977-81)

The reserve outfielder Seeds was the only Yankees to wear 44 prior to 1953, and in fact, the number was only issued to players on seven occasions prior to Reggie's arrival in the Bronx. Bullpen coach Jim Hegan actually wore 44 longer than any other Yankees, 14 seasons from 1960-73. Nettles wore Jackson's traditional number 9 that he had on the Athletics and Orioles, so he took number 44. It is quite silly that his number is retired from only five seasons of play, but whatever. Jeff Torborg, John Stearns, and Mike Ferraro all wore the number as coaches after Reggie's departure, though it was never given to another player.

49

Retired for: Ron Guidry (RF, 1975-88)
First worn by: Lou Berberet (C, 1954)
Last worn by: Jeff Johnson (SP, 1992)

This list wouldn't be complete without one more third-string catcher, would it? The forgettable Berberet had 49 for five games in '54, and it was only issued seven times until "Louisiana Lightning" switched from 54 to 49 in 1975. Strangely, the Yankees brought it back into circulation four years after Guidry's retirement for random pitcher Jeff Johnson, but that didn't last long. No one else wore it, and the Yankees retired the four-time All-Star's number in 2003.

***

I look forward to Austin Romine's number 53 inevitably being retired one day for someone far superior.

According to Deadspin, someone leaked internal information from the Astros' front office, making 10 months worth of communications public on the anonymous sharing website Anonbin. According to the article, the Astros have a ground breaking internal communications system called Ground Control that gives executives access to player stats, video, and allows them to communicate directly with other front offices. As Deadspin reports, the system underwent major improvements around the time when the leaked transcripts were first dated, so you can see when and how this information likely got out.

It turns out that the Yankees were mentioned in the conversation log that got out and it had to do with assistant general manager Billy Eppler trying to pawn Ichiro Suzuki off on the Astros in the offseason:

"03/18/14","Billy Eppler reached out to DS to say that they are still looking to move Ichiro. They would be willing to pay Ichiro down to 2M"

Ichiro is currently making $6.5 million in 2014, and while we knew the Yankees were willing to eat money to trade him to another team, $4.5 million is a lot more than it was expected they would be looking to go. Clearly the Astros said no, feeling that either $2 million was still too much to pay for a 40-year-old Ichiro, or they didn't want to take on that money while also giving up something of value to the Yankees.

Among other interesting tidbits that were uncovered are that the Marlins were willing to trade Giancarlo Stanton for prospects George Springer and Carlos Correa, as well as some insight into the Astros' shopping of Bud Norris at the 2013 trade deadline. It's pretty interesting stuff.

Spotty control from the bullpen and what has become the normal offensive output racked up another tough loss for the Yankees. Even a miraculous game-tying homer from Brian Roberts just proved to prolong the suffering,

The Yankees continued their run of games against the AL East with the first of a three game set against the basement dwelling Tampa Bay Rays. Chris Archer was pegged by the Rays while the Yankees sent David Phelps out to oppose him. The teams were kind enough to give the fans free baseball in The Bronx but it proved to just be extra opportunities for the Yankees offense to not do anything.

Phelps was victimized early on by the long ball. With two out in the first Matt Joyce took him deep to right for a solo shot and in the third Kevin Kiermaier added a solo homer of his own to get the Rays out to a 2-0 lead. The lead actually did not hold up against the Yankees offense for very long as they countered immediately in the bottom of the third. After Ichiro Suzuki was hit by a pitch Brett Gardner chased him home with a triple down the right field line. Derek Jeter brought in Gardner with a groundout and the game was now knotted up at 2-2. Both pitchers were able to settle in and there would be no more scoring for the next few frames.

Phelps lasted 5 2/3 innings before he was pulled with runners on first and second, but Adam Warren came in to put out the fire. It was not a stellar effort by the bullpen tonight, however. Warren was able to get out of walking the bases loaded in the seventh, but two walks from Dellin Betances set up a run scoring single in the eighth by Ryan Hanigan off of David Robertson. Things seemed bleak until Brian Roberts of all people came through with a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth off of Joel Peralta to save the team from another difficult defeat for a couple of innings.

Shawn Kelley worked an adventurous two frames of extra innings which featured a jam with the bases loaded and one out in the 11th, but made it through without giving up the tie. Jose Ramirez came on in the twelfth was bitten by a two out walk to Brandon Guyer who stole second and scored on a single from Logan Forsythe. That would be enough for the Rays as Brad Boxberger set the Yankees down in order in the bottom of the twelfth.

The Yankees are always going to be in trouble when the bullpen has an off night because they give their relievers (and starters for the most part) no room for error. Roberts' heroics proved to be little more than an extra chance for the offense to not do anything. Phelps and the 'pen were solid enough for the team to get a victory, but since they weren't flawless, the Yankees get another game closer to .500.

Game two of the series starts tomorrow at 7:05 PM. David Price and Hiroki Kuroda are your probables. Maybe Price will be traded overnight and save us some troubles.

Box Score

New York Times | Tyler Kepner: The Yankees need to get more from Brian McCann if they want to have a successful 2014 campaign.

It's About the Money | Brad Vietrogoski: The Yankees lost the series against the Red Sox because of Joe Girardi's poor bullpen management.

The Score | Drew Fairservice: Alfonso Soriano hit the lowest pitch for a home run so far this season.

Double G Sports | Matt Kardos: CC Sabathia will be pitching his next rehab start in Double-A Trenton.

Fangraphs | Jeff Sullivan: Was Masahiro Tanaka really an idiot for trying to fool the hitter?

The Star-Ledger | Jorge Castillo: Brian Cashman says he's ready to start making trades to improve the team.

Baseball Prospectus | R.J. Anderson: The Yankees are buyers in this preview of the looming trade deadline.

Fox Sports | Ken Rosenthal: Historical precedent dictates that Masahiro Tanaka and Jose Abreu should be considered eligible for the Rookie of the Year Award.

Baseball Prospectus | Tucker Blair: A scouting report of Yankees pitching prospect Andury Acevedo.

Star News Online | Eric Detweiler: Yankees draft pick Jordan Ramsey has decided to return to UNC-Wilmington for his senior year instead of going pro.

Newsday | David Lennon:Carlos Beltran had a great night on Sunday, but for most of the year he's hit more like Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada.

ESPN New York | Johnette Howard: Is Joe Girardi the real MVP of the Yankees for getting them this far on so little?

A-Blog For A-Rod | Brad Vietrogoski: Yankees 2014 draft picks Jacob Lindgren and Austin DeCarr made their professional debuts.

It took the late-game loss of a lead and twelve innings, but the Rays won again.

Five wins in six games? And the All Star break and second half of the season to go?

I won't count 'em out just yet. I'll feed a little bit of hope their way if the mojo keeps on comin'...

Last night's W certainly wasn't guaranteed, with a blown victory in the ninth, but a win is a win:

"It was a great game then a strange game and then it becomes wonderful because you win,'' manager Joe Maddon said. "I've talked about winning games like this in extra innings on the road and what it means about a team, and to be constantly dejected a bit based on what happened and to still hang in there.

And with win #36, the Rays actually made some history:

Their pitchers combined to strike out nine to give them 287 for June, breaking the major-league record for any month of 286 by the Kerry Wood/Mark Prior Cubs in August 2002. Boxberger got Ichiro Suzuki swinging in the 12th for the record. On the way Monday, they surpassed the American League record of 280 set by the Indians and Tigers in May 2013.

Disappointing season, but still setting records and going down in the stats books? Of course.

For the full game recape, scope this.

Links:

- Prior to this series against the Yankees, Danny Russell spoke with Keefe to the City about the season thus far, David Price's impending trade and the possibilty of a new manager (?!?!?!) for the 2015 season.

- ICYMI: the ESPN feature on Toe Nash aired earlier this week:

- The Hardball Times ran their first of two pieces on Tommy John Surgery yesterday, compiling the most knowledge they could on the surgeries in hopes of building the knowledge base. Still can't get over the amount of quality stuff being produced over there, bravo guys.

- "The Tigers hit a walk-off grand slam vs. the A's, leading to the saddest two tweets in sports team history."

This is absolutely phenomenal pic.twitter.com/OJbiRqUlO5

— Grape (@spacemnkymafia) July 1, 2014

- Vin Scully wins again, per usual, at the expense of Scott Van Slyke and his hotfoot:

- Entirely non-baseball related, but in the WTF column this lovely Tuesday:

@CutlerRidgeLAZ Check out this huge whoops from the UF marketing department: pic.twitter.com/iveDlTT3ud

— Jimi Kunkel (@JimiKunkel) June 30, 2014

New York could buy low on Chase Headley to improve its third base situation

According to Fox Sports' Jon Morosi, the Yankeesare scoutingPadres third baseman Chase Headley "regularly." Over the last week or so we've heard that the Yankees are targeting, almost exclusively, starting pitching, so this is the first instance of the team, publicly, targeting a bat.

Headley is in the midst of a career-worst season at the plate, hitting (entering last night's play) .204/.293/.327 with an 81 wRC+ through 61 games. Following his 2012 season, which saw him hit to a 145 wRC+, leading to a fifth-place finish in the NL MVP voting, Headley has battled inconsistencies and injuries (thumb in 2013, calf in 2014), which have hindered his performance considerably in the two years since his breakout campaign.

A free agent after the season, Headley could be an upgrade over the Yankees' current third base situation if he can even reclaim his 2013 form (113 wRC+). The Yangervis Solarte magic has appeared to run out and Kelly Johnson really hasn't proven to be anything more than a bench player; acquiring a guy with actual upside like Headley could give the weak Yankees' offense a jolt. If the cost is low (ie: none of the team's top prospects), it might be worth a shot.

Then again, it'd take more than just a rebound from Headley to get the Yankees above mediocrity: a new second baseman, right fielder, two starting pitchers, and even a reliever, would still be in order.

Recapping the Yankees' minor league affiliates' results from June 30th.

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:L 7-9 vs. Lehigh Valley IronPigs

RF Jose Pirela 1-5, RBI
2B Rob Refsnyder 1-4, BB, K, CS
LF Zoilo Almonte 1-3, 2 BB, K
3B Zelous Wheeler 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, K, HBP - has .432 OBP over last 10 games
DH Kyle Roller 0-4, BB, 2 K
C John Ryan Murphy 1-3, BB, K
1B Scott Sizemore 2-3, 2 3B, 2 RBI, BB - has hit .179 over last 10 games
SS Dean Anna 0-4, K
CF Taylor Dugas 2-4, 2B, RBI

Bruce Billings 6.0 IP, 12 H, 7 ER, 4 K, 2 HR - 66 of 103 pitches for strikes, 8 GB/4 AO
Danny Burawa 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, HR - 21 of 37 pitches for strikes, 3 GB/1 AO
Matt Daley 1.0 IP, BB, K

Double-A Trenton Thunder:W 2-0 vs. Portland SeaDogs

CF Mason Williams 1-3, BB, SB
LF Ben Gamel 0-4, 2 K
C Gary Sanchez 0-4, K, threw out two runners
1B Peter O'Brien 2-4, RBI, 2 K - hitting .200/.238/.425 over last 10 games
RF Tyler Austin 1-2, BB - hitting .265/.342/.441 over last 10 games
DH Rob Segedin 0-3
2B Casey Stevenson 2-3, RBI
3B Dan Fiorito 1-3, K
SS Carmen Angelini 0-3, fielding error (3)

Eric Wooten 6.1 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, PO - 58 of 93 pitches for strikes, 9 GB/3 AO
Taylor Garrison 1.2 IP, 2 BB, 2 K 15 of 30 pitches for strikes
Tyler Webb 1.0 IP, 2 K - sixth save of the season

Low-A Charleston RiverDogs:L 2-4 vs. Kannapolis Intimidators

SS Tyler Wade 1-5, RBI, 3 K - fielding error (11)
CF Dustin Fowler 1-5, 2 K
1B Mike Ford 1-4, 2B, K - hitting .235 over last 10 games
DH Reymond Nunez 2-4, K - hitting .189 this season
3B Miguel Andujar 2-3 - fielding error (20)
Eduardo de Oleo 1-4, picked off a runner at first
2B Gosuke Katoh 2-4, RBI - hitting .324 over last 10 games
LF John Murphy 1-4, 2B, K
RF Brandon Thomas 0-4, K - fielding error (4)

Chaz Hebert 4.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 K - 8 GO/3 AO
Eric Ruth 2.0 IP, H, BB, 3 K
Brett Gerritse 2.0 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 3 K, HR

GCL Yankees 1: Postponed for rain

GCL Yankees 2: W 6-3 vs. GCL Pirates

2B Junior Valera 1-4, SB - hitting .417 on the season
RF Frank Frias 2-4, BB, K - hitting .414 on the season
SS Angel Aguilar 1-4, HR, 3 RBI
1B Jake Hernandez 2-4, 2B - hitting .296 on the season
3B Allen Valerio 1-3, 2B, BB
C Jesus Aparicio 0-2, BB, K, PB (2) - threw out a runner
LF Jose Figueroa 1-3, RBI, BB
DH Wilmer Romero 1-4, RBI
CF Jordan Barnes 0-4, K, HBP - hitting .190 on the season

Carlos Diaz 1.2 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 3 K, WP
Elvin Perez 2.1 IP, 3 H, BB, 2K
Mike Noteware 2.0 IP, 3 H, 3 K, pickoff 
Feliz Santiago 1.0 IP, H, 2 BB, K
Abel Mora 2.0 IP, H, BB, K - 2 GO/2 AO

The Yankees seem to really be filling their organization with non-drafted free agents this year. They added Travis Hissong, Jake Hernandez, Matt Marsh, Mike Noteware, Tyler Palmer, and now you can add another three players to that list.

They have signed catcher Kevin Alexander out of Dallas Baptist. At five-foot-eleven, 210 pounds, he offers some power from the right side of the plate, however, there is also some concern over his plate discipline. His use as a designated hitter and time in the outfield says that there might be some serious questions about his defense. Alexander hit .247/.351/.381 with 14 home runs and 12 stolen bases over his four-year collegiate career and has already played in the GCL. Strangely, he has been a catcher and a pitcher, but there's no indication that his career rests on the mound.

If you're interested in a good story, Alexander found out the Yankees wanted to sign him while attending a tryout for undrafted players in Oklahoma. The Yankees did not have a scout on location, but they needed a catcher and came calling nonetheless.

The Yankees signed Texas Tech outfielder Adam Kirsch. The six-foot-one, 215-pound right-handed hitter has moved around considerably during his college career, starting out at North Central Community College and moving to Florida International University in 2012. Despite hitting .307/.393/.560 with 10 home runs in 2014, Kirsch likely went undrafted because he didn't play in 2013 until the summer and only one other season at a four-year college likely didn't give scouts enough of a track record. Still, he was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week in March and Big 12 Player of the Week in May, so he has potential.

Kirsch is joined by his Texas Tech teammate left-handed pitcher Jonny Drozd, who was also signed by the organization. The thing you need to know about Drozd is that he's a six-foot-seven, 200-pound power-armed monster reliever. While he started in 2013, he was used exclusively out of the bullpen as a situational lefty and closer this season. In 2014, he maintained a 2.09 ERA with a 5.89 K/9 and an excellent (especially considering his size) 1.84 BB/9 in 73.1 innings while collecting five saves. Perhaps most impressively, he finished his college career having not given up a home run in 92.2 consecutive innings.

It's been recently leaked that the Yankees allegedly tried to dump Ichiro on to the Houston Astros. What would have happened if a similar deal got done?

As Jason previously reported, communication logs from the Astros' front office have been leaked, a few of which involve the Yankees' Assistant General Manager Billy Eppler and General Manager Brian Cashman. Namely, the Yankees had inquired about sending Ichiro Suzuki to the Astros. The Yankees were so willing to get this deal done that they offered to reduce Ichiro's remaining salary to $2 million in 2014. What the Yankees' front office wanted in return is still unknown. This is all predicated on that this is true and that these talks were serious. Eppler and Cashman may have inquired about this type of deal with a number of teams, and they also may have been testing the waters to see what they could get in return.

There was plenty of talk about this type of trade in the offseason, especially after the Yankees had signed both Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran. Brett Gardner's contract was then extended and there was a general commitment to Alfonso Soriano after having a spectacular end to his 2013 campaign. It seemed like there was no room for Ichiro; at the time, that seemed correct. Since then, things have changed. The Yankees discovered a bone spur in Beltran's arm, and Soriano has basically turned into a pumpkin. What would have happened if the Yankees did get rid of Ichiro?

There were two general arguments in the offseason: trade from depth, or hold on to depth in case of under-performance and/or injury. I sat on the fence but probably leaned towards trading Ichiro with the amount of holes in the roster. Considering that no team was willing to give up legitimate, Major League talent, returns would have been in the form of minor league depth, a reliever, or cash considerations. Considering that, losses would have been greater.

At the plate, Ichiro had a great start to the year, but has since slowed with greater playing time (2013 was a fun time, as we know). From the beginning of the season to a month ago, Ichiro put up a triple slash of .321/.387/.369 (112 wRC+) in 93 PA, but with no home runs and only four doubles. Since then: .270/.304/.297 (65 wRC+) in 79 PA with only one triple. Offensively, the man has fallen off a cliff, while defensively, it's been a mixed bag. Depending on which measure one uses, he's either been well-below-average or merely serviceable. I don't take stock in either, to be honest. Single season UZR data is misleading, a stat that has him at -20.5 UZR/150, while Total Zone has him at -7 runs below average. rWAR has him at 0.7, while fWAR is at 0.3.

Inside Edge Data, which is more subjective, tells a slightly different story. He's converted 100% of his routine plays (48 attempts), 80% of likely plays (five attempts), 100% of even plays (four attempts), and 40% of unlikely plays (five attempts). According to that, it means that he's making just about all of the plays he needs to, and even a few that are out of the range of most. My hypothesis is that his UZR and TZ data is hurt by the fact that Ellsbury's range would take a significant cut out of his range factor. That's just a theory, though.

If the Yankees had traded Ichiro for a bucket of balls, they would have lost a decent backup outfielder. He's certainly better than internal options like Zoilo Almonte, and the team would have had to eat most of his salary anyway. He's been slightly above replacement level, but I doubt that any return would have yielded something better. He certainly does not have the stamina to play everyday anymore--as his diminishing batting line has shown--but a spot start is useful. With Beltran unable to play right field for the foreseeable future and with Soriano as a non-entity, Ichiro has proved that he serves a purpose on the roster. The argument that the Yankees' outfield depth should be held on to has held up, it seems.

The Yankees have been scouting the struggling third baseman.

The New York Yankees have been regularly scouting San Diego Padres' third baseman and impending free agent Chase Headley, per Jon Morosi of FOX Sports.

The Yankees, who are 2.5 games back in the AL East, are currently running out a third base platoon of Yangervis Solarte and Kelly Johnson. While Solarte still has a 108 OPS+ on the season, he has been dreadful since his blistering start. Since May 15th, the 26-year-old is hitting just .190/.271/.276. Over the past month alone, his OPS has dropped 88 points to a a season-low .746 mark. Johnson's performance has also dipped, as he is currently batting just .224/.300/.398 with a 92 wRC+ after posting a 101 wRC+ last season. Overall, the Yankees' offense has struggled, ranking 17th in the majors with a 93 wRC+ and 23rd with a 7.2 WAR. They've also hit just 69 home runs (22nd), which is surprising considering their offensively favorable home ballpark.

After posting MVP-like numbers in 2012 (7.2 WAR, 145 wRC+) and having another solid season last year (3.5 WAR, 113 wRC+), Headley has been awful this season. The 30-year-old has hit just .201/.289/.322 for a 79 wRC+ and .279 wOBA, though he has still been adequate defensively with a 5.1 UZR and three defensive runs saved.

While he has certainly struggled, Headley is a good bet to get better over the second half of the year as his .243 BABIP indicates some rather poor luck, and he has been hampered by injuries for much of the season. He also carries minimal risk for any acquiring team, as he is owed just about $6 million over the remainder of the season and probably won't require much more than a mid-level prospect to bring in.

The Yankees appear to not be alone among AL East squads looking at acquiring Headley, as the Toronto Blue Jayswere linked to him over the weekend. As Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported, Headley's market is "beginning to take shape", and there should be a substantial amount of interest in the Padres' star.

David Price failed to join some of the best possible pitching company by falling short of double-digit strikeouts on Tuesday. Also, Joe Mauer suffered an injury and the Yankee Captain tied a prestigious franchise record.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher David Price struck out nine batters in seven innings against the New York Yankees on Tuesday, ending his streak of double-digit strikeout games at five.

Price threw 119 pitches, forcing the hand of Rays manager Joe Maddon, who opted to go with reliever Jake McGee in the eighth inning instead of allowing his ace the opportunity to extend his streak. McGee and Grant Balfour kept the Yankees scoreless in the final two innings to preserve a 2-1 victory.

Had Price been able to notch one more strikeout, he would have become the fourth pitcher in big-league history to whiff 10 or more batters in six consecutive starts, joining Nolan Ryan, Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson. Though the 28-year-old left-hander just missed that achievement, he's still included in some pretty impressive company when it comes to major leaguers who have racked up double-digit punch-outs in five consecutive outings. That list is made up of Price and the three aforementioned legends, as well as Johan Santana, Curt Schilling, Dwight Gooden and J.R. Richard.

One of the few hits Price allowed was this fourth-inning double to Derek Jeter, which tied Lou Gehrig's franchise record:

Mauer injured

Minnesota Twins star Joe Mauer went 1-for-3 and drove in a pair of runs in his team's rout of the Kansas City Royals, but as is often the case with Mauer, it came with a price:

Joe Mauer left tonight's game with a right oblique strain

— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) July 2, 2014

The injury appeared to occur during Mauer's fourth-inning double, and he was replaced at first base by Josh Willingham the following inning.

Tuesday scores

Blue Jays 4, Brewers 1
Angels 8, White Sox 4
White Sox, Angels
Pirates 3, Diamondbacks 2
Nationals 7, Rockies 1
Rays 2, Yankees 1
Orioles 8, Rangers 3
Tigers 3, Athletics 0
Cubs 2, Red Sox 1
Braves 5, Mets 4
Marlins 5, Phillies 4
Twins 10, Royals 2
Mariners 13, Astros 2
Padres 8, Reds 2
Indians 10, Dodgers 3
Giants 5, Cardlinals 0

Yankees optioned Ramirez and added Sabathia to the 60-day DL in order to make room for a fresh arm in the bullpen.

The Yankees have made some recent roster moves, but they're probably not the ones you were wishing for. Sorry to squash your Refsnyder hopes.

After the twelve-inning loss to the Rays on Monday, the Yankees elected to option Jose Ramirez to Triple-A in favor of adding a fresh arm to the bullpen. Jim Miller was added to the roster in his spot. The right-hander has pitched pretty well this season. Through 41 innings he has a 2.85 ERA, 3.11 FIP and 1.27 WHIP. He's notched 43 strikeouts, giving him a K/9 of 9.44. Miller also has a BB/9 rate of 3.73 and HR/9 of 0.44. Miller has made an appearance with the Yankees once before. Last September he gave up 3 earned runs, including a home run to Xander Bogaerts, in just 1.1 innings pitched against the Red Sox. This was also a game that David Huff started...(at least we haven't gotten to that point this year?).

In order to make room on the 40-man roster for Miller, the Yankees also moved CC Sabathia to the 60-day DL. There isn't any need to be concerned about this, as it was simply done to open up a free spot to help the bullpen. The move means that Sabathia won't be able to come off of the disabled list before the end of next week. He wasn't going to be ready to be activated before that anyway, seeing as how he's only made one rehab start. Sabathia is expected to make his second rehab start today, after only three days of rest, and then the plan is to have him pitch every five days until he's ready to be activated. Likely, sometime after the All-Star break.

Recapping the Yankees' minor league affiliates' results from July 1st

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:L 2-3 vs. Lehigh Valley IronPigs

RF Jose Pirela 2-5, K - Player of the Month of June
2B Rob Refsnyder 0-3, BB, K - hitting .605 OBP over last 10 games
LF Zoilo Almonte 2-4, HR, 2 RBI, K
SS Zelous Wheeler 0-4, K
1B Kyle Roller 2-4, 2B, K
C John Ryan Murphy 0-3, BB, 2 K, PB (2) - hitting .243 over last 10 games
3B Scott Sizemore 1-3, BB, K
DH Austin Romine 0-4, 2 K
CF Taylor Dugas 1-4, K

Alfredo Aceves 5.1 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, BB, 2 K - 7 GO/4 AO, 63 of 90 pitches for strikes
Robert Coello 1.0 IP, H, BB, 3 K - 20 of 30 pitches for strikes
Pat Venditte 2.2 IP, H, 2 BB, 5 K

Double-A Trenton Thunder:L 4-5 vs. Portland SeaDogs

CF Mason Williams 0-5, K - hitting .158 over last 10 games
LF Ben Gamel 4-5, 2B, RBI, K - hitting .325 over last 10 games
C Gary Sanchez 2-4, BB
1B Peter O'Brien 1-5, RBI, K
DH Tyler Austin 1-5, K
3B Rob Segedin 2-5, 2B, RBI, 2 K - hitting .324 over last 10 games
RF Zach Wilson 1-3, 2B, 2 BB
SS Carmen Angelini 0-4, BB, 2 K, fielding error (4)
2B Ali Castillo 1-3, BB

Manny Banuelos 0.1 IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 2 BB - 19 of 34 pitches for strikes
Jairo Heredia 5.2 IP, H, BB, 5 K - 6 GO/6 AO, 44 of 57 pitches for strikes
Manny Bareda 1.0 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 3 K, WP
Phil Wetherell 2.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, K

High-A Tampa Yankees:W 14-2 vs. Lakeland Tigers

CF Jake Cave 4-7, 2 K, SB - hitting .417 over last 10 games
SS Cito Culver 1-3, RBI, 2 BB, K
1B Greg Bird 3-6, 2 RBI, K - hitting .394 over last 10 games
3B Dante Bichette Jr. 1-4, 2B, 4 RBI, BB, 2 K
RF Aaron Judge 2-3, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, K, HBP - .467 OBP over last 10 games
LF Jose Rosario 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB
2B Angelo Gumbs 0-6, 3 K, fielding error (4)
DH Matt Snyder 2-6, 2 2B, 3 K
C Trent Garrison 2-4, 2 BB, CS - picked off a runner on first base

Dan Camarena 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R/0 ER, BB, K - 5 GO/12 AO (!)
Kyle Haynes 2.0 IP, H, ER, 2 K, HR - 4 GO/0 AO
Nick Rumbelow 1.0 IP, H, 2 K

Low-A Charleston RiverDogs:L 8-9 vs. Savannah Sand Gnats

CF Michael O`Neill 4-6, 2 2B, K, SB - hitting .308 over last 10 games
SS Tyler Wade 1-3, BB, K, SB, fielding error and throwing error (13)
RF Dustin Fowler 0-4, 2 RBI, K, throwing error (2)
DH Mike Ford 0-4, K
3B Miguel Andujar 1-3, 2 BB - hitting .355 over last 10 games
LF Kale Sumner 1-4
C Eduardo de Oleo 1-4, BB, picked a runner off first base - hitting .371 over last 10 games
2B Gosuke Katoh 1-5, HR, 3 RBI, 2 K
1B Reymond Nunez 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB

Ian Clarkin 4.0 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, HR, picked off two runners - 3 GO/1 AO, 43 of 77 pitches for strikes
Chad Taylor 2.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 K - 28 for 41 pitches for strikes
Cale Coshow 2.0 IP, 4 H, 3 K - 24 of 35 pitches for strikes
Philip Walby 0.2 IP, H, 3 R/1 ER, 3 BB, K - fourth blown save this year

Short Season-A Staten Island Yankees:L 4-5 vs. Aberdeen IronBirds

CF Devyn Bolasky 0-4, RBI, K - hitting .275 on the season
LF Brady Steiger 0-3, BB, K
1B Chris Breen 0-4
2B Ty McFarland 0-4
RF Austin Aune 1-3, BB, K, SB - hitting .204 on the season
C Luis Torrens 2-4, 2 RBI, PB (2) - hitting .273 since moving to Staten Island
SS Thairo Estrada 1-3, HBP - hitting .400 over last 10 games
DH Isaias Tejeda 1-3, 2B, 2 K
3B Renzo Martini 1-4, HR, RBI

Matt Borens 3.0 IP, H, 3 K - 0 GO/4 AO
Sam Agnew Wieland 2.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R/3 ER, 2 BB, K - 6 GO/0 AO
Matt Wotherspoon 2.0 IP, 2 H, ER - 1 GO/3 AO
Joe Harvey 1.0, K 1 GO/1 AO

GCL Yankees 1:

Game 1:W 7-1 vs. GCL Braves

SS Jorge Mateo 2-5, 2 2B, 2 K, SB - hitting .333 over last 10 games
3B Drew Bridges 1-3, 2 BB, K
CF Leonardo Molina 2-5, 2B, RBI, K
DH Alexander Palma 1-4, K, HBP
2B Bryan Cuevas 1-5, fielding error (2)
1B Dalton Smith 2-5, 2B, RBI, fielding error (2)- hitting .310 to start the season
C Alvaro Noriega 1-4
LF Miguel Mojica 1-4, 2 RBI, K
RF Dominic Jose 3-4, 2B, CS, outfield assist - hitting .450 to begin pro career

Luis Niebla 0.2 IP, BB, K
Sean Carley 2.0 IP, 3 H, ER, 3 K
Simon De la Rosa 4.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 3 K - 5 GO/2 AO
Luis Cedeno 1.2 IP, H, BB, K
Dayton Dawe 0.2 IP, K

Game 2:L 1-3 vs. GCL Braves

SS Jorge Mateo 0-3, K
3B Drew Bridges 0-3, K
DH Leonardo Molina 1-3, 2B, RBI, 2 K
RF Alexander Palma  3-3, 2B - hitting .351 to start the season
LF Kendall Coleman 1-3, 2 K
1B Dalton Smith 1-3, K
2B Ryan Lindemuth 0-2
C Brian Reyes 0-2, K
CF Dominic Jose 0-2, HBP

Orby Tavares 5.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, HBP - 5 GO/6 AO
Travis Hissong 2.0 IP, 3 K - 2 GO/1 AO

GCL Yankees 2: L 3-5 vs. GCL Pirates

2B Junior Valera 1-4, BB, K - hitting .400 to start the season
LF Jose Figueroa 1-2, 2B, K, HBP
1B Jake Hernandez 0-4, 2 K
3B Allen Valerio 1-3, 3B, RBI BB, K, throwing error (3)
DH Frank Frias 0-3, BB - hitting .375 to start the year
C Jesus Aparicio 0-4
SS Tyler Palmer 1-4, K - hitting .190 to start the year
RF Wilmer Romero 0-4, K, outfield assist
CF Jordan Barnes 1-4, RBI, 2 K, SB, outfield assist

Derek Callahan 2.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 2 K, picked off two runners - 2 GO/0 AO
Manolo Reyes 2.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R/2 ER, 2 BB, K, balk - 3 GO/1 AO
Lee Casas 1.2 IP, 3 H, K, HBP - 2 GO/0 AO
Alex Polanco 2.0 IP, H, BB, 2 K - 3 GO/0 AO

Vidal Nuno is all that stands in the way of the Rays sweeping the Yankees this afternoon. Well, that and the abysmal, lifeless offense we are witnessing.

Hiroki Kuroda pitched a pretty good game last night. Like so many well pitched games this year, it was all for nothing. The Yankees offense is not functioning. It needs a boost of some kind. Prospects, a trade, a couple glasses of JuicePress. Something.

7/1/14 Daily Prediction Answers

The Yankees may have lost four games in a row, but at least the Daily Predictions has a winner. With 3,000 points, jackhole91 is the victor. It's getting harder and harder to accurate guess what this time will or will not do, so kudos.

7/2/14 Daily Predictions & Fun Questions

What is your favorite nursery rhyme?

Do you like Madonna? If yes, what is your favorite Madonna song?

Better sausage: Sweet Italian Sausage or Hot Italian Sausage?

Least favorite airport ever?

Vidal Nuno, coming off his fantastic start against Boston, is all that stands in the way of the Rays sweeping the Yankees this afternoon. It has come to this. As for the offense, I really don't know what to say anymore. I don't know what more the Yankees brass needs to see here. I'd much rather watch Pirela and Refsnyder struggle and learn than watch Soriano and Roberts struggle.

Go Yankees Go Baseball

Trade rumors have swirled about the Royals' interest in trading for a bullpen piece. Is it necessary?

The calendar tells me that it is currently July. I find it difficult to keep track of these things, what with all the things that are going on in my boring life. I have no idea what happened to the other months between now and February. Since it is July, the internet personae fire up the hot stove, which doesn't make any sense to me (again, it's July), to talk about trade rumors. The Astrosgifted us a primer for the season, but let's get specific.

One of the rumors generated by the fiery coals of the hot stove is that the Royals are on the lookout for some bullpen help. Somebody somewhere (I can't find the link) on the internet thinks this, so it's only natural that we should dissect it like a psychotic scientist and hang our lives on what might happen. The following entails an analysis of the bullpen to determine if, indeed, bullpen help is necessary.

The methods by which I went about this analysis might be unorthodox. I wanted to compare how the top three in innings pitched by team have performed against each other. Basically, what I have done is take the sum total of fWAR among the top three relievers in innings pitched for each team. Below are the results of said sums.

Our beloved hometown team, the Royals, do not rank poorly in this analysis. There are the Yankees, there are the Athletics, and then there are a bunch of teams who are pretty similar. It seems to me that the Royals' top three relievers by innings pitched match up OK against those other dastardly clubs.

But then again, I did mention that there are a bunch of teams squished together. You have to have more than three relievers these days to finish games, and maybe that's where teams distinguish themselves. What I then did was take the sum total fWAR of the next four pitchers by innings pitched. Below is a very similar graph to the above graph, but different.

There are six teams, then there are the Royals, and then there are a bunch of teams before we reach the bottom of the barrel of monkeys relievers. The Royals certainly don't rank poorly here either.

While the Royals could probably have a better bullpen, it's not my first choice for things to upgrade. However, the Royals already ...upgraded... in right field. They are entrenched at third base, second base, first base, fourth base, and all bases. Their bases are covered. The bullpen may represent the only area where another upgrade could be achieved. I don't think any bullpen transaction will move the team meter past mediocre, though.

Then again, the Royals have been hoarding cash considerations, and the above numbers were compiled before last night's game, when Michael Mariot did his best impression of Michael Mariot, at which he is skilled. Maybe the cash considerations they're hoarding will be enough to overpay for Jim Johnson.

The Yankees have now lost four games in a row and now Vidal Nuno is pitching. Will they ever win again?

Yankees lineup: Gardner 7 Jeter 6 McCann 2 Beltran DH Johnson 3 Soriano 9 Ichiro 8 Roberts 4 Solarte 5 Nuno LHP

— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) July 2, 2014

If you thought the Yankees weren't scoring runs with their best lineup out there, now they will have to do better without Jacoby Ellsbury and Mark Teixeira. The outfielder feels a bit banged up at the moment and Tex actually had his knee drained last night, though he's supposedly going to be fine.

For today, Brett Gardner leads off, Derek Jeter continues to play every single day, and Brian McCann will be hitting third, because why not. Carlos Beltran is batting fourth, Kelly Johnson is "playing" first base, and Alfonso Soriano will keep getting chances to disappoint us all. Ichiro Suzuki, in center field, Brian Roberts, and Yangervis Solarte round out the lineup, proving that today's offense will have one legitimate hitter.

The 2014-2015 international signing period began at 9 am today and the Yankees have been projected to sign a good percentage of the top prospects around the world. Their first announced signing is not one of them, but that will come soon enough. The team has signed outfielder Frederick Cuevas to a $300,000 bonus. At five-foot-eleven, 185 pounds, the 16-year-old doesn't have one standout tool, but has gap power and has performed well in games. He likely fits as a left fielder going forward.

IPL UPDATE: Frederick Cuevas #Now Sign for 300K with NY Yankees. @Yankees#Thebestofthebest2014pic.twitter.com/LILXSTblhO

— IPL BASEBALL RD (@iplbaseball_rd) July 2, 2014

The team has already signed Dominican outfielder Frederick Cuevas and will continue to sign more players as we get further into the signing period. Another international signing has been announced, and this one is the first substantial one for the Yankees.

Source: #Yankees have agreed to a $750K deal with SS Diego Castillo (VZ), ranked #16 on http://t.co/bw8Mkjwr2Fpic.twitter.com/vZAOcyg3mT

— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) July 2, 2014

Ranked as the No. 16 international prospect by MLB.com, the five-foot-10, 150-pound shortstop is expected to stay at the position with his good footwork and soft hands with one of the strongest arms in this international class. He has a repeatable right-handed swing, but will likely only be a line drive hitter with little power. MLB says he has a 55-hit tool, 45-power, and 55-run, but also has a 60-arm and 60-field tool as well.

Baseball America has Castillo at No. 24, describing him as a very polished 16-year-old. On the less optimistic side, Matt Garrioch at Minor League Ball believes that his lack of foot speed might ultimately cause him to move to second base.

Roughly $200 million to old-timers out, Masahiro Tanaka and a .500 team back in -- except they're not a .500 team.

When former Mets general manager Frank Cashen passed away earlier this week, there were reflections not only on the team that he built and maintained from 1981 to 1990, but what came immediately after: a bloated roster that featured an ill-matched, expensive congeries of veterans like Vince Coleman, Bobby Bonilla, Eddie Murray, and Bret Saberhagen. That team's misadventures culminated in a 59-103 disaster season in 1993, ironic given that its 72-90 season the year before had already earned the memorable book title The Worst Team Money Could Buy.

Not so fast. That Mets team cost a more-or-less league-leading $44.6 million dollars, but even accounting for inflation, that team isn't a patch on this season's roughly $200 million Yankees, a team that fell to .500 with Tuesday's loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees aren't the most expensive team in baseball this year; at that price, they're bargain-basement compared to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but they're an easy No. 2,  and that's the problem: the Dodgers are good. The Yankees are not. Given their -34 run differential, the Yankees have been lucky to break even. Take away Masahiro Tanaka's best-in-league performance and you wouldn't even know they existed.

It's wonderful. It's one of the best developments in baseball so far this year.

It can be taken for granted that this is a sentiment that Yankees fans will not find themselves in sympathy with; fans of all the ballclubs have a tendency to say, "My team, right or wrong," a sentiment that brings to mind G.K. Chesterton's quite sensible rejoinder that saying "My country, right or wrong" was tantamount to saying, "My mother, drunk or sober." That's another thought that probably won't find much love among the hardcore, and yet -- and I realize this is an unusual term to apply to a baseball team -- on an aesthetic basis the 2014 Yankees are appalling. With the exception of Derek Jeter, there is an almost total discontinuity with what came before, a baseball version of J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" reboot with the soon-to-be retired shortstop playing the role of a legitimacy-conferring Leonard Nimoy.

If that pop-culture analogy doesn't work for you, then imagine the experience of being a Yankees camp follower and going to sleep with one family and waking up with another. Like David Byrne, you find yourself singing, "This is not my beautiful house. This is not my beautiful wife." Or maybe you don't. Maybe your loyalties are flexible. You adjust quickly, take instructions. Told to root for Brian McCann, you root for Brian McCann. Or Jacoby Ellsbury. Brian Roberts. Yangervis freakin' Solarte.

The end of the reserve clause and the advent of free agency has long meant the possibility of radical change from season to season, and the Yankees have been the most eager practitioners of off-the-shelf team-building for almost 40 years. In its original form it was born of impatience. In this instance, it was born of incompetence. A similar approach worked in 2009 and led to a World Series victory. Given the absence of a dominant team in the AL East, it might work again, but the odds are it won't, as it didn't in so many other seasons. This is reassuring. The universe is egalitarian in its withholding; money can't always buy happiness. It can't even buy entertainment, necessarily, which, with the exceptions of Tanaka, David Robertson, and Dellin Betances, this year's roster largely is not.

Yes, it's a hell of a lot more entertaining than last year's Vernon Wells show, but that's setting a low bar.

"Give me inexpensive homegrown players or give me... a very large sandwich!" (Getty Images)

In this plutocratic age of ours, the uncertainty surrounding the Yankees' postseason aspirations is reassuring. Researching the origin of the Theodore Roosevelt impersonator that showed up at the USA team games at the World Cup for a story on the ex-president's near-fatal journey through Brazil, I repeatedly came across the rich man's thoughts on his fellow rich men that seemed to apply here. "There is absolutely nothing to be said for government by plutocracy, for government by men very powerful in certain lines and gifted with the ‘money touch,'" he wrote in a 1913 letter," but with ideals which in their essence are merely those of so many glorified pawnbrokers." More famously, he said in a 1910 speech that would have gotten him drummed out of the GOP today as surely as it did the GOP then, "Our country... means nothing unless it means the triumph... of an economic system under which each man shall be guaranteed the opportunity to show the best that there is in him."

The Yankees don't show the best that is in them, they just spend. There is nothing wrong with that, of course. Spending is part of building a good baseball team. But a team that only spends lacks artistry, and it tries to patch over with green paper its failings in other areas, particularly player development. The Yankees have Jacoby Ellsbury stripped of his Fenway Park powers, Carlos Beltran in his dotage, Brian McCann, born, educated, and brought to the majors in Georgia, trying to justify his big-city contract, Alfonso Soriano looking like he needs reading glasses not because they necessarily wanted them, but because in June they reached for Andrew Brackman, Keremy Bleich, Slade Heathcott, Cito Culver, Dante Bichette, Jr., and so on.

Arguably, scouting director Damon Oppenheimer, in place since 2005, is the Yankees version of Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd. Tenure has triumphed over results.

Given their failures in June, the Yankees have one of the oldest teams in baseball history, one that will be comprised almost entirely of mercenaries once Jeter is gone. The exception, a beautiful one, is a good bullpen endgame, mostly homemade, and comparatively inexpensive. On the position-player side, there's Brett Gardner (already 30) waving a lonely hand to represent the post-Jeter farm system, and that's all. Perhaps last year's well-regarded draft class, which has third baseman Eric Jagielo and outfielder Aaron Judge (the latter in particular) doing very solid work at High-A Tampa, will eventually change that, but that won't happen this year and probably not the next.

That's if they're still in pinstripes -- the Yankees would likely have to consider moving one or both in any trade for a much-needed starting pitcher. The starting rotation currently ranks ninth in the AL with a 4.01 ERA and includes such pray-for-rain names as Vidal Nuno and Chase Whitley. Hiroki Kuroda seems like a ghost of himself, and no one knows what CC Sabathia will have left in the tank when he returns from rehabbing his knee, and anyone waiting at a bus stop for Michael Pineda had better hope that sucker is heated because they might still be there in December.

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Flags fly forever (my flag, right or wrong?) and the division is close enough that all things being equal it would make sense for Brian Cashman to take his begging bowl to Chicago and camp out at Theo Epstein's door, hoping to get a pity Samardzija or a helping Hammel. Unfortunately, all things are not equal. First there is the ghost of Steve Trout, not just because he was a Cub, but because neither Samardzija nor Hammel have records of ace-like consistency, second because trading off what little youth the Yankees have would simply serve to perpetuate their reliance on greybeards who have already given their best to rival organizations.

On the scale of classic baseball errors of thought, there's being Ruben Amaro, Jr. because that's who you were born to be, and then there's being Ruben Amaro, Jr. by choice. A just theology would have the latter earning residence in a much lower circle of baseball Hell.

No, the 2014 Yankees aren't the worst team money could buy, but they may be the most tedious. Tanaka can only pitch every five days, after all. The great excitement of the second half will be seeing if they can somehow continue playing over their .450-.460 statistics, if their light hitting and weak rotation will finally drag them down to that level, or if someone in the 30-and-up brigade can find a second wind. At least one of them probably will, and it may even be enough given Toronto's 88-win pace and the two wild cards.

Still, that's not as exciting as what the Brewers are doing with $92 million or the A's with $75 million. Again, most Yankees partisans won't find anything to agree with in that statement, but then this team of imported old-timers is one only the most fanatical diehard could love.

When word came out that the Yankees were planning on going big on international prospects this year, this is exactly what people had in mind. They have officially signed shortstop Dermis Garcia and third baseman Nelson Gomez, who rank No. 1 and No. 2 on MLB.com's top 30 list, to what amounts to a combined $5.5 million:

El torpedero Dermis García firmó con los Yanquis de Nueva York por US$3.2 millones #2dejulio

— Dionisio Soldevila (@dSoldevila) July 2, 2014

Source: #Yankees have signed Nelson Gomez, #2 on @mlb Top 30 Int'l Prospects list, to a $2.25M deal http://t.co/bw8Mkjwr2F@MLBPipeline

— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) July 2, 2014

Garcia is considered to be a big shortstop at six-foot-two, 162 pounds, so questions will loom about whether he'll stay at short or move to third. He has a great throwing arm (60-grade) and scouts believe he will work hard to improve in the field (45-grade). Offensively, he has good bat speed and big right-handed power potential. They grade him to have a 55-hit tool with 65-power, though he's a poor runner with a 35-run tool. Baseball America isn't as high on him as they rank him No. 9 and Matt Garrioch has observed that he has a long swing that he'll need to fix. He expects Garcia to be a solid third baseman in the end.

Gomez is MLB.com's No. 2 prospect, coming in a six-foot-two, 220 pounds is described as a pure hitter and could be the best hitter in the class with a 60-hit tool and 60-power. He already shows good plate discipline, can square the ball up well and hit for powers to all fields. He has a good arm (60-grade) and should become a better fielder (50-grade). Baseball America rankes him at No. 6 and Garrioch is less optimistic about the right-handed hitter, claiming he is a bat-only prospect and might end up as a 1B/LF-type.