Posted by: Patrick
From Jon Heyman:
Never mind the Yankees' current standing in third place, or their recent struggles. Both Steinbrenner brothers are now said by people familiar with their thinking to be on board with Brian Cashman as their general manager, for now and long into the future. Even if the Yankees fail to play into October for the first full season since 1993, club insiders say that the Steinbrenners plan to offer Cashman a contract extension after this season.
Cashman didn't want to discuss his situation when reached by phone on Tuesday night. But he should have plenty of clues to know he's wanted back, according to club officials.
Cashman didn't want to discuss his situation when reached by phone on Tuesday night. But he should have plenty of clues to know he's wanted back, according to club officials.
08/13: Bye Bye Steven White
Posted by: James
Steven White was released yesterday and Mike Ashmore puts the move into context.
Quite the dive for White who was once ranked as high as #4 in the Yankees system by Baseball America (right behind Hughes). It's a little sad to see but hey, TINSTAAPP, right? I mean, this year has just been horrendous for him and it looks like he's lost it. His mechanics, velocity and overall presence on the mound have gotten to the point that, thinking of the starters that the Yankees have in the system pushing up behind him (Z-Mac, Pope, De la Rosa, etc.), he's just holding others back at this point. Still, some team will pick him up as a reclamation project, I am sure and I certainly wish the guy well.
I was speaking to a scout who saw White’s last start here, and he was only hitting 84 on the gun. That’s a big drop in velocity, and there really wasn’t much room for him in an organization stacked with pitching.
Quite the dive for White who was once ranked as high as #4 in the Yankees system by Baseball America (right behind Hughes). It's a little sad to see but hey, TINSTAAPP, right? I mean, this year has just been horrendous for him and it looks like he's lost it. His mechanics, velocity and overall presence on the mound have gotten to the point that, thinking of the starters that the Yankees have in the system pushing up behind him (Z-Mac, Pope, De la Rosa, etc.), he's just holding others back at this point. Still, some team will pick him up as a reclamation project, I am sure and I certainly wish the guy well.
Posted by: Patrick
Ed Price of The Star-Ledger reports that Hideki Matsui will make his first rehab start on Thursday. Brian Cashman told him that it'll be for either the Gulf Coast League Tampa team or the Yankees Class-A affiliate in Tampa, depending on what the weather is like.
Posted by: Patrick
I guess it should be the norm, this season, by now, but I'm still amazed by the consistency that Mike Mussina has had this year. If there is one individual milestone I want a Yankee to accomplish this season, it's for Moose to win 20 games. In last night's effort, he threw 7 innings, allowing just 3 earned runs on 8 hits while striking out 5 and walking 1. He left the game with a 6-3 lead. Win number 16, here we come!
Not so fast. Damaso Marte relieved Moose and allowed a double to the first batter. After a fly out, pinch hitter Randy Ruiz singled to right, putting runners on first and third for Delmon Young. Mariano entered, in attempt to clean up the mess.
What's the worst possible thing that could happen? Well, it happened. Young took Mo deep to right, hitting a three run homer that tied the game and gave Rivera his first blown save of the season. Ouch. But, with that out of the way, Mo retired 5 out of the next 6 batters, allowing just a single and forcing extra innings.
The Yankees offense was quiet in the 10th and Jose Veras entered to pitch the bottom half, retiring the side in order. Another scoreless inning for both teams followed in the 11th, Veras again faced three hitters and retired three hitters. Veras' ERA is now down to 2.79.
In the top of the 12, with one out, A-Rod homered to center to give the Yankees the lead. The red hot Xavier Nady added a pair of insurance runs with a home run of his own, scoring Ivan Rodriguez.
Edwar Ramirez pitched the 12th and it was yet another 1-2-3 inning. So, Veras and Ramirez combined to set the entire Twins lineup down in order in the extra innings of this game. Ramirez collected his first save of the season, while Veras collected win number 3.
With the exception of Jose Molina (0 for 4, 1 run and 1 walk), every Yankee starter collected a hit in this one. The offene was led by Xavier Nady (2 for 5, a double, a home run and 4 RBIs), Johnny Damon (3 for 5, a home run and 2 runs) and Derek Jeter (3 for 5, 1 RBI). Abreu and Giambi also had 2 hits each.
Jeter fouled a ball off his foot in the fourth inning. He stayed in the game, collecting hits in his next three at bats, but was removed in the ninth. He had x-rays and they were fine, so he may play today.
Not so fast. Damaso Marte relieved Moose and allowed a double to the first batter. After a fly out, pinch hitter Randy Ruiz singled to right, putting runners on first and third for Delmon Young. Mariano entered, in attempt to clean up the mess.
What's the worst possible thing that could happen? Well, it happened. Young took Mo deep to right, hitting a three run homer that tied the game and gave Rivera his first blown save of the season. Ouch. But, with that out of the way, Mo retired 5 out of the next 6 batters, allowing just a single and forcing extra innings.
The Yankees offense was quiet in the 10th and Jose Veras entered to pitch the bottom half, retiring the side in order. Another scoreless inning for both teams followed in the 11th, Veras again faced three hitters and retired three hitters. Veras' ERA is now down to 2.79.
In the top of the 12, with one out, A-Rod homered to center to give the Yankees the lead. The red hot Xavier Nady added a pair of insurance runs with a home run of his own, scoring Ivan Rodriguez.
Edwar Ramirez pitched the 12th and it was yet another 1-2-3 inning. So, Veras and Ramirez combined to set the entire Twins lineup down in order in the extra innings of this game. Ramirez collected his first save of the season, while Veras collected win number 3.
With the exception of Jose Molina (0 for 4, 1 run and 1 walk), every Yankee starter collected a hit in this one. The offene was led by Xavier Nady (2 for 5, a double, a home run and 4 RBIs), Johnny Damon (3 for 5, a home run and 2 runs) and Derek Jeter (3 for 5, 1 RBI). Abreu and Giambi also had 2 hits each.
Jeter fouled a ball off his foot in the fourth inning. He stayed in the game, collecting hits in his next three at bats, but was removed in the ninth. He had x-rays and they were fine, so he may play today.
Posted by: Seamus
The Yankee lineup couldn't manage anything against Glen Perkins, and a decent start by Sidney Ponson went to waste as the Yankees were shutout by the Twins. The 4-0 loss was the Yankees' 4th straight, and their 6th loss in their last 8 games. The Yankees fell further back behind the Rays and Red Sox, and are now 9 and 5 games out, respectively.
Sidney Ponson was not bad, as he allowed 4 runs and 7 hits in 72/3 innings. He probably pitched a little better than his line shows, and a 4-run outing certainly should be more than enough to keep this Yankee lineup in a game. Edwar Ramirez relieved Ponson in the bottom of the 8th and retired the only batter he faced.
The story of this game, however, was the ineptitude of the Yankees' offense. They had a big chance to go ahead in the 2nd, as they had runners on 1st and 3rd with nobody out, but Pudge Rodriguez popped up just past the infield dirt, and Melky Cabrera grounded into a double play to end the inning. After that, it was just six more innings of Glen Perkins mowing them down. The Yanks didn't fare any better against Joe Nathan in the 9th, either.
YES was just all over Girardi throughout the game about starting Justian Christian in LF and benching Johnny Damon, and I think rightfully so. There's no way you can sit Damon simply to rest him in a game like this, especially coming off of a three-game losing streak. It's unacceptable at this point in the season to have both Christian and Melky Cabrera in the starting lineup. Perhaps Girardi was on another one of his "sit lefties against lefties" tangents, but YES rightfully pointed out that Perkins has a .353 BAA vs. lefties (.898 OPS). I think Giambi should have played, too.
Hopefully Girardi puts a better lineup in tonight against Nick Blackburn. The Yanks will have Mike Mussina on the mound, who will be looking for his 16th win. Game starts at 8:10 ET.
Sidney Ponson was not bad, as he allowed 4 runs and 7 hits in 72/3 innings. He probably pitched a little better than his line shows, and a 4-run outing certainly should be more than enough to keep this Yankee lineup in a game. Edwar Ramirez relieved Ponson in the bottom of the 8th and retired the only batter he faced.
The story of this game, however, was the ineptitude of the Yankees' offense. They had a big chance to go ahead in the 2nd, as they had runners on 1st and 3rd with nobody out, but Pudge Rodriguez popped up just past the infield dirt, and Melky Cabrera grounded into a double play to end the inning. After that, it was just six more innings of Glen Perkins mowing them down. The Yanks didn't fare any better against Joe Nathan in the 9th, either.
YES was just all over Girardi throughout the game about starting Justian Christian in LF and benching Johnny Damon, and I think rightfully so. There's no way you can sit Damon simply to rest him in a game like this, especially coming off of a three-game losing streak. It's unacceptable at this point in the season to have both Christian and Melky Cabrera in the starting lineup. Perhaps Girardi was on another one of his "sit lefties against lefties" tangents, but YES rightfully pointed out that Perkins has a .353 BAA vs. lefties (.898 OPS). I think Giambi should have played, too.
Hopefully Girardi puts a better lineup in tonight against Nick Blackburn. The Yanks will have Mike Mussina on the mound, who will be looking for his 16th win. Game starts at 8:10 ET.
Posted by: Patrick
Cody Miley, the 17 year old son of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre manager Dave Miley, passed away on Monday after a car accident, according to the Tampa Tribune. Very sad. Our thoughts are with the Miley family.
Via Chad Jennings.
Via Chad Jennings.
Posted by: Patrick
Ed Price of The Star-Ledger reports that Joba Chamberlain will begin his throwing program on Friday. He had said that he would start on Wednesday, but Joe Girardi had it pushed back.
Girardi told price that he's "not necessarily so sure" that Joba will need to make a rehab start in the minors, before rejoining the Major League club.
Girardi told price that he's "not necessarily so sure" that Joba will need to make a rehab start in the minors, before rejoining the Major League club.
Posted by: Patrick
From Peter Abraham:
Hideki Matsui increased the intensity of his workouts in Tampa, Fla., doing more sprints and taking a longer session of batting practice. The injured designated hitter (left knee) could be a day or two from playing in a minor-league rehab game. "It was a good day," Matsui told the Associated Press. "As long as we keep progressing this way, I think I'll be able to play in a game soon."
08/10: Kennedy Demoted
Posted by: Patrick
After his loss on Friday and his controversial comments after wards, Ian Kennedy has optioned to Triple-A, according to Kat O'Brien. Billy Traber is up.
Posted by: Patrick
