Cervelli Made A Game of It, But...

In the 9th inning of last night's game against the Diamondbacks, Francisco Cervelli gave the Yankees and the home crowd a reason to believe that, once again, a late-inning rally would precede another comeback win. But in extra innings, the Yankees would fall to Arizona and lose the game, 6-2.

Diamondbacks starter Patrick Corbin pitched a brilliant game, tagging the Yankees lineup with fast ball after fastball. He would pitch only one mistake--a 78 mph slider--to Robinson Cano who launched it into right center field on a line drive. he would keep the Yankees at bay from there until the 7th inning.

Then with JJ. Putz in for Arizona to close in the 9th, Cervelli launched a monster home run to left field, tying the game at 2-2. Brennan Boesch had already committed an out, so groundouts by Ichiro and Lyle Overbay sent the game into overtime.

And it would be all Arizona from there. David Robertson and David Phelps were able to keep the D-backs of the board through the 10th and 11th innings. But Phelps got touched up in the 12th. His first batter, Gerardo Parra, smacked a double to left. Two walks came from Paul Goldschmidt and Miguel Montero, on an interference call and hit by pitch, respectively. Then, Cody Ross singled to left scoring Parra. And finally, Eric Chavez, who I felt the whole series would get a big hit in somewhere, launched a double to center clearing the bases. Overbay, Brett Gardner and Vernon Wells would go down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.

But one bright spot to last night's game was the pitching performance of Phil Hughes. Although he

Getty Images / Elsa

gave up two home runs last in the 3rd and 6th innings, Hughes pitched a good game, getting his fastball up to 93 mph and having good location on both his fastball and changeup. His demeanor on the mound was also markedly different from his last start when he got hammered in Baltimore. Hughes pitched with an intensity suggesting that his first two starts were needed warm-ups following his injury, and that perhaps he's good to go now. He couldn't get the win, but he didn't lose either. And being able to stay in the game and pitch 7 innings was key in the Yankees having a chance to comeback and win the game.

Tonight, Andy Pettitte is back on the mound to open the series against Toronto. He faces RHP Brandon Morrow. I'll be paying close to attention to Andy's face looking for any signs of a grimace, possibly indicating tightness in his back. Game time is 7:07 pm.

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Comeback Kids

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What was looking like an apparent loss for the Yankees and CC Sabathia last night, turned into their first great comeback of the season. With a little help from Brett Gardner and a major blast from Travis Hafner, the Yankees were able to overcome a 3-0 deficit in the seventh inning to beat the Diamondbacks, 4-3.

This was one of those nights where CC did not have his best stuff, yet was still brilliant. After giving up a two-run homerun to Paul Goldschmidt in the first inning, he settled in, using a variety of different pitches and speeds to keep the game within reach. Following the Goldschmidt home run and a single to Cody Ross, CC would retire his next 10 batters and would not give up another run until the fifth inning, when AJ Pollock hit a sacfly to score Josh Wilson who tripled on a line drive. He continued through the next two innings getting groundball outs and strikeouts with a bevy of pitches ranging anywhere from 74-90 mph.

Then, in the seventh inning, the Yankees' offense came through. Ben Francisco, who got his first hit of the season, singled on a grounder to left. Brennan Boesch followed with a double on a fly ball which moved Francisco to third. Eduardo Nunez walked on a groundball in the dirt from Diamondbacks starter Wade Miley to load the bases. Miley then walked Jayson Nix, scoring Francisco, and gave up a line-drive single to Gardner which brought in Boesch and Nunez, and tied the game at 3.

CC would return for the 8th and pitch a 1-2-3 inning, giving the Yankees another opportunity to take the lead. And on his first swing, Hafner nailed a 96 mph fastball from David Hernandez to right center field. Mariano Rivera closed out the ninth inning, getting his fourth save in 4 opportunities.

AP Photo / Kathy Willens

The Yankees appear to be on a nice roll now. The pitching staff has really settled in and the offense is coming through in key spots.What has to happen now is figuring out what adjustments need to made with Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova. It's been the veterans carrying the load while the young arms are continuing to struggle. Tonight, as Hughes pitches for the sweep, the key for him will be to get good movement and location on his changeup for strikeouts, and to keep his pitch count within reason. So far this season, when the starters have pitched beyond 5 innings, the Yankees have won. Hughes has yet to get into the fifth; hopefully tonight he will give this team length and secure his first win.

Hughes goes up against Patrick Corbin whose 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA. Game time is 7:05 pm.

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Clock Is Ticking On Phil Hughes

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There's really no way to say this except to be brutally honest: if Phil Hughes does not find a way to win games, he's going to find himself working out of the bullpen.

I could be way off about that, but it's what I believe to be true. Hughes laid another goose egg yesterday afternoon to the Orioles, helping the Yankees to a 5-3 loss. He gave up 3 home runs, 2 walks and 9 hits pitching in only 3 innings. In his two combined starts this sesson, Hughes has allowed 17 hits and 8 earned runs in a measly 7 innings.

Granted, Hughes is coming off of a back injury that had him sidelined during Spring Training. And he did pitch earlier than expected following the Yankees' horrific 1-3 start, so perhaps he simply needs more time to get his pitching groove back. But the Yankees may not be willing to show much more patience for Phil when they are relying on pitching to win games, and when they have David Phelps waiting in the wings.

Phelps was originally slated for last Saturday's start against Detroit which was eventually given to Hughes. Today, Phelps came in in relief and pitched brilliantly, allowing only one hit and striking out 6 in 4 innings. This was the kind of pitching performance that helped him earn in a spot in the rotation out of Spring Training. This will be the kind of pitching performance that will earn him a spot back on to the rotation in replacement of Hughes.

There is another variable to this situation, however. Ivan Nova was horrible in his first outing against Detroit and the Yankees appear to have a short leash on him also. If he bombs out in his second start, whenever that is, Phelps could replace him giving Hughes a reprieve. But if Nova bounces back with a solid win, the pressure will be on Hughes to make a decent game of it in his next outing.

And the Yankees offense wasn't great today, as the bats were cooled by Orioles pitcher, Jason Hammel. Only Travis Hafner, Vernon Wells and Francisco Cervelli were able to get hits, with Hafner and Wells both hitting solo home runs.

Hiroki Kuroda will get the start in Sunday night's game against LHP Wei-Yin Chen. Game time is 8:05 pm.

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Triple Play, You Say?

If you were looking for early signs that the Yankees could maintain their "awesomeness" in the absence of some of their superstars, last night's game against the Orioles was a clear indication that the Yankees, no matter who is in their lineup, just know how to ball.

In one of the rarest plays you will and may have ever seen, the Yankees made a 4-6-5-6-5-3-4 triple play in the 8th inning of last night's 5-2 win over The Birds. This was the first triple play of it's kind in Major League History.



With Nick Markakis and Alexi Casilla on first and second, respectively, batter Manny Machado who represented the tying run, hit a bouncer to Robinson Cano who flipped the ball to SS Jayson Nix to get Markakis for the first out. Nix then threw the ball to Kevin Youkilis at third, catching Casilla in a rundown. They would exchange tosses until Youkilis eventually tagged Casilla out.

Then, with Machado rounding first attempting to take second base, Youkilis threw the ball to Lyle Overbay, now catching Machado in a rundown. When Machado finally made the dash for second, Overbay threw the ball back to Cano who was able to get the tag on Machado and complete the triple play.

"That was awesome," CC Sabathia told the media after the game. "Any time you get a triple play, you're fired up."

CC would know. This was only the second triple play that the Yankees started in 45 years and CC.

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was the pitcher on the mound for both. The last was in 2010 against the Oakland A's, a 5-4-3 play started by Alex Rodriguez.

And speaking of fired up, CC was back in ace-like form, pitching 8 innings allowing only two runs (one earned) with no walks and 9 strikeouts. Mariano Rivera closed the game getting his second save.

There were also some not so good moments in the game last night. Eduardo Nunez was hit again, this time on his  right wrist, on a changeup by Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez. Nunez initially stayed in the game to run the bases, but realized on a practice throw to first that he would not be able to field at SS. Also, Michael Kay announced during the game that Andy Pettitte's start, slated for today, would be pushed back until tomorrow after suffering from back spasms.

Phil Hughes gets the start today against RHP Jason Hammel. Game time is 4:05 pm.

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Noteworthy News

Good morning maniacs!! While the Yankees-Indians matchup was rained out last night, news pertaining to our men in pinstripes was ongoing. There is always something going on in Yankeeland that makes for interesting headlines. Here's today's batch of noteworthy news:

• Dan Martin of The NY Post reports that Derek Jeter took batting practice for the first time since returning to the disabled list with ankle soreness.

• The Post's Kevin Kernan discusses how the newcomers have energized the Yankees' clubhouse.

• Christian Red of the NY Daily News covers Mariano Rivera's press conference yesterday, where he reveals the toughest batter he ever faced in his career.

• Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York questions whether Phil Hughes can get better.

• Newsday's David Lennon argues that Kevin Youkilis has been a prefect fit for the Yankees.

• Andrew Binninger of Rant Sports says there was no reason for Nick Swisher to be hurt after Yankees never reached out to him during the offseason.

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Yanks Pitching Woes Continue; Can CC Rebound?

AP Photo / Carlos Osorio

If the Yankees expect to make any noise in the AL East this year, the pitch staff  had better turn things around and quickly. Yes, I know we're only 5 games and one week into the season, and yes, their now 1-4 record was the same as last year when they went on to win 95 games. But it bears mentioning, again, that with as many power hitters as the Yankees have missing from this lineup until who-knows-when, pitching has to lead this team to wins. It's just that simple.

Yesterday's 8-4 loss to the Tigers came again on bad pitching. I won't put all of the blame on Phil Hughes though; he actually pitched well through the first 4 innings, limiting Detroit to just one run. But it all fell apart for Hughes in the top of the 5th. Detroit's Austin Jackson singled to left field; Torii Hunter followed with a double to center, scoring Jackson; Miguel Cabrera followed with a single to center scoring Hunter. The three were the only hitters Hughes would face in the iining, as Joe Girardi decided to pull him and bring in Boone Logan. The 2 runs would give Detroit a 3-1 lead.

Boone Logan, who has been awful in relief so far against Detroit, gave up a single to the very next batter Prince Fielder, moving Cabrera to 3rd. Victor Martinez followed with a sacfly scoring Cabrera, and a single to Andy Dirks prompted Girardi to make another pitch change for David Phelps. Phelps would then give up a single to Jhonny Peralta which scored Fielder.

The Yankees would go on to score 3 runs in the 6th inning on singles by Travis Hafner and Lyle Overbay, as Detroit starter Max Scherzer had walked several batters. Detroit lead 5-4 at this point, but Phelps gave up 2 more runs in the inning. Joba Chamberlain replaced Phelps for the top of the 8th and gave up a single, 2 walks and threw a wild pitch. He would provide Detroit's final run of the game giving up a sacfly to Dirks which scored Cabrera.

This afternoon, CC Sabathia makes his second start against Justin Verlander. Sabathia did not pitch

AP Photo / Matt Slocum

well in his first start against the Red Sox, and has shown to be a slow April starter in recent years. What the Yankees will need from CC today is for his four-seamer and slider to be dead on. In his first outing, his fastball sat in the mid to high 80's; he'll need to improve that to at least the low 90's to stand any chance against the top of Detroit's lineup. Both Cabrera and Fielder have a combined 15 RBIs and 3 home runs against CC.

The start of today's game is at 1:08 pm.

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Hughes Off DL, Gets Start This Afternoon

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Yesterday, the Yankees released Phil Hughes from his stint on the disabled list. He will start this afternoon's game against the Tigers, facing Detroit starter Max Scherzer; a start originally slated for David Phelps.

This move by the Yankees seems somewhat in desperation. Hughes was supposed to start today in a minor league game for Triple-A affiliate Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. But after losing to the Tigers yesterday, 8-3, and starting the season with a 1-3 record, the Yankees want to take a chance that Phil can do what Andy Pettitte did on Thursday: provide relief to a depleted pitch staff and restore order for a slumping lineup.

Hughes' record against Detroit may also be why the Yankees were willing to pull him from the disabled ranks earlier than anticipated. In 8 career starts, he sports a 5-4 record with a 4.22 ERA. Not bad. But even better, on the Tigers' home turf, Hughes has a 2.78 ERA and the only complete game of his career.

So Hughes will be expected to step in today and go big having not been able to pitch to major league hitters since last year's ALCS. He was scratched from Spring Training in mid-February with back pain, and was limited to simulated games and stints in the minors after rehab. The pressure will be on; thus far, the rotation has pitched to an ERA of over 5, and have allowed 25 hits in less than 20 innings.

Today's game will be broadcast on FOX at 4 pm.

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Andy Will Rejoin Yanks in 2013

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Woo hoo!!!

So we were all able to breathe a little easier last week when news came that Hiroki Kuroda and the Yankees were able to agree on a one-year deal that would bring, arguably the best pitcher for the team in 2012, back to the rotation for 2013. With Kuroda and CC Sabathia in tow, the focus became on just how long the Yankees would have to wait before Andy Pettitte would make any decision on his return to the Bronx. Now fanatics, the wait is over.

According to yankees.com, Andy will be back with the club for 2013 and a deal will be made sometime this week. According to a source, Andy's salary for next year will be in the range of $10-$12 million. His salary for 2012 was $2.5 million.

So the Yankees now seemingly have their rotation in line, with Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova in the 4 and 5 spots, respectively. Nova had a down year in 2012, going 12-8 with a 5.02 ERA, a marked difference from his 16-4 record and 3.38 ERA in 2011. Hughes had a decent year with 16-13 record and 4.23 ERA.

And it looks to be another wasted season ahead for pitcher Michael Pineda, as the Yankees are not looking for him to make any real contribution to the club next year; this according to Brian Cashman and pitching coach Larry Rothschild. Coming off of the shoulder surgery that kept him out of the rotation in 2012, he's showing no signs of progress. Matter-of-fact, when asked about his status last week after he threw a mound session, Cashman said Pineda had "zip" on his fastball. Unlike elbow surgery, shoulder surgery is a lot less predictable in terms of recovery. The Yankees can only bring Pineda back as his shoulder allows.

What's next? Mariano Rivera is also expected to agree to a one-year deal with the club "soon," according to reports.

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Andy Still Good In Return

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Andy Pettitte made his return to baseball yesterday and although the results don't say so, he had a damn good outing. In their finale against the Seattle Mariners, the Yankees would lose 6-2; four of the six runs Andy was responsible for, as he gave up two 2-run home runs.  But the two shots were really the only black marks on his outing. Overall, I think it's safe to say that Andy is back!

On a day where there was much speculation that perhaps Andy might begin the game so hyped over his return he might over-pitch, he was actually his same old self--throwing his cutter and curveballs in the mid to upper 80's and inducing ground balls. He managed to get through the first three innings without giving up a hit  and wasn't hurt by the walks to Ichiro in the first and Alex Liddi in the second. But in the fourth the walk to Jesus Montero set up a the first two-run shot by Justin Smoak, and Andy faltered a bit from there. In the next 2 1/3 innings, he would give up six more hits, one being the second two-run homer by Casper Wells.



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So again, the two homers were really the only mistakes Andy made in his return. he worked economical innings and threw 94 pitches into the seventh. Not bad for the 39-year old who returned after an entire year away from the game. Andy is most likely replacing David Phelps in the lineup, as Phil Hughes pitched to his best outing on Saturday in the Yankees 6-2 win. In my opinion, Phelps was a long-shot to beat Hughes for a roster spot, but it was nice to see this kid get his shot in the majors after staying atop the Yankees prospect list for the past few years. Any kinks in the rotation's armor during the season, and we could see him return.

Quite disappointing yesterday was the offense. The Yankees only two runs were both made on bases loaded walks, which was all they could muster because they could not hit Seattle's Kevin Millwood, who pretty much threw fastballs and sliders around 90 mph his entire outing. In the 5th with bases loaded, Derek Jeter hit into a double-play; in the eighth with bases loaded, Mark Teixeira swung and missed for the final out. Curtis Granderson, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano failed to hit again, but Eric Chavez went 2-4 as the DH, and has had a hot bat since returning from "concussion-like symptoms" on May 11.

Next up, the Yankees take on the Orioles at Camden Yards. Hopefully the offense will get itself back in order. Ivan Nova gets the start against Jason Hammel.

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The Grand Finale

I know it's still very early, but in my opinion, last night's game was a must win for the Yankees. I say that because the pitching and offense have been somewhat sluggish thus far this season, and to have the Minnesota Twins, a team that the Yankees knock around like cats do mice take a four-game series, could have induced some mental doubt; something that may have affected them going into tonight's series against the Red Sox.

Granderson inset - AP photo

So, the Yankees did what they needed to do. The "Big Bats" went to work and simply out-slugged the Twins for the win. Curtis Granderson put on his own version of the "Laser Show" with three home runs last night--two solos and a two-run shot for four RBIs. He would go 5-for-5, adding in two singles. None of Minnesota's pitches were safe from Grandy. His first two homers came off of 93 and 90 mph fastballs from Anthony Swarzak. The third home run pitch was an 88 mph changeup from Jeff Gray. The singles came on an 84 mph slider and 96 mph four-seamer from Alex Burnett and Glen Perkins, respectively. Grandy now leads the team with 6 homers and 14 runs. He's second behind Derek Jeter in RBIs with 10.

Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Raul Ibanez had a good night as well. Tex went 2-for-4 with a two-run shot in the first which put the Yankees one run behind the Twins, who had already scored four runs. A-Rod hit singles in the first and second innings and Ibanez added singles in the third and seventh. Speaking of Alex, he seems to be slowly making his way out of the slump he's been in; hopefully home runs will ensue. He seemed a little less antsy at the plate last night and more focused on putting balls in play instead of trying to drive them for home runs. And Ibanez has looked excellent of late, going 7-for-16 in his last 4 games.

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A somewhat disappointing start for Phil Hughes, however, although the offense allowed him to get his first win of the season. He went 5.1 innings, giving up six hits and allowing 2 earned runs. As I mentioned, the Twins knocked in four runs off of him in the first inning, two of which came on an error by Eduardo Nunez. Regardless, Hughes still has not figured out how to put batters away when he's ahead in the count, as he continues to rack up his pitch count in early innings. What has looked great in all of his starts, has been the movement and placement of his changeup.

And just a little note on The Captain, Jeter went 1-for-5 last night, and has hit safely in 10 straight games. He's batting .373. Nice.

In a few, our boys head up to Fenway Park to meet the Red Sox on what is the park's 100th birthday. I could care less about all the ceremonies taking place; I just want the Yankees to put Boston into further misery, as they are 4-8 to start the season. There are reports of dissention in the ranks; Bobby Valentine is not playing nice with some of his superstars. Let's see how long this lasts. Ivan Nova gets the start against Clay Buccholz.

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What A Home Opener Should Be

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A Friday afternoon in the city. Sixty-five degrees under bright, sunny skies. A capacity crowd at the stadium. A beloved member of The Core Four throwing out the first pitch. And the afternoon capped off by a 5-0 shutout of the Angels. The Yankees made my day yesterday. *Curses* to not being at the stadium!

Jorge Posada, returning to the stadium to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, was a great moment. It was odd seeing him run out their in "civilian" clothes, though; just made it even more apparent that he would no longer be out their playing in pinstripes. I loved that he was able to throw the ball to his dad, the man whom he credits for making him such a great baseball player. And it was nice how the team stood behind him while he was on the mound. They'll never forget everything Jorge did for the team, and I'm sure yesterday will rank high on his list of great Yankee memories.

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So I guess all Alex Rodriguez needed was to get a whiff of the air in the Bronx. After a five-game slump, he came out blazing in yesterday's game, going 3-for-4 with two singles and his 630th home run. He also threw in a stolen base for good measure. Alex is now tied with Ken Griffey, Jr. for 5th place on the all-time home run list, and needs 30 more to tie Willie Mays for 4th place. I think he can get that done this year; last season was the first in 14 that he didn't reach the 30 homer mark, and regardless of how bad the season played out for him, I'm not ready to give up hope that A-Rod can still put up big power numbers.

And how about Nick Swisher? He's been coming up with big hits for the Yankees, and today, his three-run, base-clearing double in the first inning proved to be the game winner. Swish has been seeing the ball really well, and is looking good at the plate; he's not swinging at too many pitches out of the zone and is fouling off balls pitched inside. I'm expecting him to have a season comparable to 2010; this is a contract year for Swish and with his name having been bounced around in trade talk for the prior two seasons, it's a no-brainer that he'll have to show the organization why he's more valuable to them than not.

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But today's game was really about Hiroki Kuroda. He pitched 8+ innings of shutout ball, allowing just five hits and  two walks while striking out six. He showed all four of his pitches--fastball, slider, sinker and curveball--mixing speeds anywhere from 78 to 93 mph. He had great command throughout the game, and showed a steady demeanor for a pitcher making his debut at the stadium. It was nice to see him bounce back from his shaky start in Tampa Bay.

And Curtis Granderson hit his second homer of the season; a line drive over the porch in right field that barely looked like a double at the point of contact. Grandy started Opening Week slow, but has picked up the pace rather nicely in the last few games.

Today, Phil Hughes gets his second start and will face CJ Wilson. There are two things I'm hoping will happen: Wilson doesn't make the Yankees regret not signing him in the offseason, and A-Rod and Albert Pujols go toe-to-toe in a match-up of the active home run leader versus his heir apparent. Today's game starts at 1pm on FOX.

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Yankees 2012 Season: Five Areas for Success

Associated Press

The 2012 baseball season officially begins for the Yankees in just a few, as they visit the Tampa Bay Rays for their home opener. There is much anticipation for what should be an "improved" Yankees team, as both the lineup and rotation have seemingly resolved their issues. Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher have gotten over the injury hump, and Raul Ibanez has found his stroke in the past two weeks. The rotation is set; Freddy Garcia will take over the fifth spot fior the time being. What will happen when Andy Pettitte returns and when Michael Pineda is released from the disabled list remains to be seen.

Even with all their "ducks in a row" for the moment, there are still questions surrounding the team. Many things will have to go right in order for the Yankees to have a succesful season. Post season play is no longer as sure a bet for this team as it has been in the past; with the new wildcard rule in place, the Yankees, like any other team, can easily find themselves being eliminated after only one game in the playoffs. So securing the AL East is essential. In order for that to happen, here are five things that the Yankees should look for this year:

A Healthy A-Rod - It was said many times this offseason, but is still worth mentioning: A-Rod must have a stellar 2012 season. Meaning, he has to be available for at least 130 games (by my estimate), and he needs to be hitting in the ballpark of .285 or better. His SLG numbers have continuously dropped since the .645 in 2007; he's normally teetered between .550 and .600 for his career, and if he truly is healthy, I'd expect him to slug around that mark again. What I noticed during Spring Training was A-Rod's ability to make full turns with his swing, which he had not been able to do very well since the hip surgery in '09. With that improved, he should be able to increase the number of hits on balls pitched inside.



Associated Press

 A More Productive Tex - That may sound somewhat unfair, considering Mark Teixeira blasted 39 home runs and drove in 111 RBIs last season. But ending the year with a paltry BA of .246 is nothing to be proud of and Teixeira knows it. Just think of where his HR and RBI numbers could have been sans all the pop-ups, hits into the shift and double-play grounders. Mark also needs to work on reducing the number of fastballs in the "zone" that he allows per plate appearance. It's something that is never really talked about, but he allows too many hitable fastballs to cross the plate without taking a swing. It would definitely explain his strikeout numbers; he's averaged 113 SOs per season since 2009. Hitting behind A-Rod in the lineup this season, Tex will see better pitches; hopefully the result will be an improvement in his offense.

Increased Numbers for Gardy - With the stellar numbers Brett Gardner put up in 2010 (.277/.345/.369), it is now expected of him to take those numbers to the next level. Adding the bunt to compliment his speed should allow Gardy hit above his watermark of .277, and increase his on-base numbers as well. If he can get on base more and raise his stolen base numbers, runs scored for the team overall could improve by a number serviceable enough to put the Yankees in a position to win more games.

A Full Season in the Rotation for Hughes - Phil Hughes needs to pitch well enough to remain in the rotation for a full season. It's that simple. He looked great this Spring and has improved not only the speed on his fastball, but the movement on his changeup. Health has been the biggest issue for Hughes thus far, so like A-Rod, he must do whatever he has to to keep himself from any stints on the disabled list. If he can do that, he can give the Yankees at least 18 wins again this year.

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Continuation of 2011 for Nova - I've learned not to put much stock in Spring Training numbers, so I'm going to overlook Ivan Nova's not-so-impressive totals. His first start of the Spring was his only decent one, and he seemed to come undone in each start thereafter. But we've seen many players have horrible Springs and turn things around once the season begins (think Robinson Cano), so Nova should be afforded the same benefit. Barring any injuries and getting back to throwing the changeup that gave him so much success last year, I see no reason why Nova can't reach his watermark again, or give the Yankees at least 12-15 wins. For him, it will come down to learning how to make adjustments mid-game. If he can do that, everything will fall into place.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Andy's Arrival Sparks Warning From Girardi

Ron Antonelli/New York Daily News

Andy Pettitte officially arrives in Spring Training camp today, and it has apparently sparked some "words of wisdom" from Yankees manager, Joe Girardi. If you read my last post on Andy's call-in to ESPN's The Michael Kay Show, and if you're a Yankee fan with half-a-brain, you know that he will be part of the starting rotation. This leaves the dilemma of who will be in and who will be in the bullpen once Andy makes his 2012 debut, and Girardi has put his pitchers vying for a coveted rotation spot on notice. The following is an excerpt from Mark Feinsand's piece last night in the Daily News:

“If you don’t want somebody to take your job, pitch that way; it’s really simple,” Girardi said. “Let’s say the job was given to you and you were struggling; they’re going to look for someone to give the job to. You have to produce. That’s the world we live in in New York. It’s not like, ‘You’re this guy and we’re going to give you 20 starts no matter what happens.’ We don’t live in that world here.”

Clearly, these remarks are aimed at Ivan Nova, Michael Pineda, Freddy Garcia and Phil Hughes. CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda have already been guaranteed their spots in the rotation. So what does it mean for each pitcher individually?

Michael Pineda - He must get some speed back on his fastball. His once mid-high 90's fastball has only reached a speed higher than 92 mph once so far this Spring. It is not Pineda's style to paint corners, an ability that has helped other great pitchers in the past who lost velocity on their fastball (think Mike Mussina). So, he'll need to work in getting his fb above 95, while trying to make improvements on his changeup, a necessary third pitch that he'll need to be a successful strikeout pitch in the AL East.

Ivan Nova - Nova has to forget about blaming his catcher for his woes, and get back to throwing the changeup that made him a success last season. He also has to improve on the command of his fastball. Hitters are getting ahead of him in the count as he continues to miss his spots. With just 4 starts under his belt, Nova has given up 5 runs in two of them (Mar. 3 against Toronto; Mar.18 against Baltimore) and has a combined 11 earned runs and 16 hits in just 12.2 IP. What seemed like a sure thing that Nova would be in the rotation, has now become riddled with doubt.

Freddy Garcia - I guess for Garcia, it will be up to him to maintain the craftiness of his 88 mph fastball. He has what Pineda lacks - the ability to paint corners. If he can come back and repeat his performance from last season, I believe the Yankees will make him a starter. Bad news for the youngsters, especially since Garcia's made it clear to the Yankees that he's not looking to be traded, and intends on competing for a slot.

Phil Hughes - Hughes has actually looked very good this Spring. After a shaky first start against Pittsburgh on March 6, Hughes rebounded greatly in his last two, and pitched to an  ERA of 1.08 when the Yankees beat the Nationals last Friday. Hughes appears to have improved on his pitch mechanics and the velocity of his fastball. He also seems to be using his changeup more as a strikeout pitch, which is reminiscent of his stellar campaign in 2010. If he continues to pitch well, I don't see how the Yankees will justify putting him in the bullpen.

Which leads to my opinion that the 5th spot in the rotation could be a juggling act for Girardi. He's already said that the team has no plans of employing a 6-man rotation, and it wouldn't look good for the Yankees if Pineda, with all the hype surrounding his trade, were to lose his spot to Garcia. Girardi may have to consider the PR aspect of his decision, and opt to make the 5th spot a platoon position. I could be reaching on this, but it is feasible. We'll have to wait and see how it all plays out once Andy takes the mound.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Fans: A-Rod Biggest Story For Yankees In 2012

Associated Press

Fan Poll results are in, fanatics! As I expected would happen, the majority of you agreed with me, that Alex Rodriguez' health would be the Yankees biggest story this season. An obvious choice, A-Rod is still considered one of the best players in the game today, having more than the ability to completely affect the outcome of games.

While Robinson Cano has risen to become the Yankees best hitter and one of the most potent players in their lineup, A-Rod is still their best player. Finishing last year with slash numbers of .276/.362/.461, I'm projecting those numbers will change to approximately .295/.400/.560. These numbers slightly represent the median between his numbers in 2008 and 2009; all except his OBP (.400) numbers, which were very close in those two years, and were relatively close to the two years prior. I think these numbers are good enough to represent a great comeback season for A-Rod.

Associated Press

What I also expected from the Fan Poll, was that the starting rotation would come second in votes. On paper, the rotation appears to be the best in the East, but there are still many questions to be considered. How will CC Sabathia's weight loss affect his performance? Will Ivan Nova be able to repeat what he accomplished last year? Where will Michael Pineda and Hiroki Kuroda be placed in the rotation, and how will they fare in New York? Can Phil Hughes get back to the pitcher he was in 2010 and regain speed on his fastball? Where will Freddy Garcia fit in? These are all questions that we can't know until months down the line, but are all suggestive of how well the Yankees will do this year.

Many thanks to those of you that participated in this poll. A new poll will be available soon.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Fifth Spot Belongs to Phil Hughes

Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Baseball, like any other business, is full of politics. Sometimes, in order to keep "order," so that feathers aren't ruffled, management will tell an employee what they need to hear, instead of what they've already decided. As could be the case now with Brian Cashman and pitcher Freddy Garcia.

Below is an article from Joel Sherman of The New York Post, which pretty much confirms that, as per Cashman, Phil Hughes has already won the 5th spot in the Yankees rotation. This disspells the "illusion" that he and Garcia will be competing for it. Hughes' age, the Yankees investment in him and that they are only committed to Garcia for one year, seem to be the mitigating factors at play here. 

It will be interesting to see how other members of the media latch on to this story, as I am sure that Hughes, Cashman and Garcia will probably be asked to respond.

TAMPA — We can pretend there is a competition going on for the Yankees’ No. 5 starter spot, but that is what it is. Pretend. The WWE stages more realistic battles.

The Yankees are saying it is Freddy Garcia vs. Phil Hughes. But their general manager is also saying this: He believes Hughes is, right now, a top-of-the-rotation starter. That has not been said about Garcia since, oh, about 2001.

So this is a competition only because the Yankees want to sell you that this is a competition. They do not want a prideful veteran in Garcia to be offended. They do not want Hughes, who showed up out of shape last year, to feel he is being handed anything. And with six weeks to Opening Day, the potential for injury or stumble means the Yankees see no reason to publicly declare even a front-runner, much less a winner.

But understand this: The competition is rigged. If it is close, Hughes wins. If it is advantage Garcia, but only slightly, Hughes wins. Hughes can only lose this by doing what he did last spring, having his fastball go on a mysterious hiatus. The early signs are Hughes’ better dedication to offseason conditioning has led to less gut and more heat.

Normally anything in February or March should be ignored, but it was obvious in his first live batting practice session yesterday that Hughes’ arm was quick and his fastball had life.

“It is a heavier ball,” Russell Martin said. “He changed his body. He looks more explosive. He has more arm speed, which leads to a better breaking ball and more deception on the changeup.”

For his part, Hughes is mostly dismissing early signals as pretty inconsequential and promoting the idea of a fierce competition in which he must earn his way into the starting five.

But, again, we turn to the general manager, Brian Cashman, who when asked about rotation competition talks about “six guys for five spots.” But when asked specifically about Hughes, Cashman says: “Aside from last year he was viewed, and not just by us, as one of the better young arms in the game; with success to prove it. He was a dominant reliever for us in 2009 and an All-Star as a starter in 2010. Why would I judge him by last year when he was injured? It feels like everyone wants to take him down a peg. I think he is a top-of-the-rotation starter.”

And why exactly would “a top-of-the-rotation starter” not be at least the No. 5 man? Especially when the words associated with Garcia are “dependable,” “competitive” and “savvy.” When he was signed for one year at $4 million, the Yankees had not yet pulled off their trade for Michael Pineda or their signing of Hiroki Kuroda.

So not only was Garcia in the starting five, but so was A.J. Burnett. The additions of Pineda and Kuroda to join CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova enabled the Yankees to trade Burnett and, now, de-emphasize Garcia. If everyone is healthy (big if) come April, Garcia will be the long man, a proven safety net.

The sport has been gravitating the past few years toward more high-end pitching, and the Yankees believe to survive in the AL East you have to have elite stuff. Garcia finished last year at 12-8 with a 3.62 ERA. But against Boston and Toronto, the two best offenses in the division not belonging to the Yankees, the righty was 2-5 with a 5.31 ERA. Hughes had a 7.43 ERA against teams with a better than .500 record. But the Yankees do not think that was the real Phil Hughes.

At 25, he is 10 years younger than Garcia. These days the best Garcia can do is maintain his now-limited fastball and rely on his unflinching nature and high pitching IQ to compensate.

Also, the Yankees are committed to Garcia only through this season. Hughes, though, as young as he is, can be a free agent after next season. So, right now, he is like a college senior who has yet to declare a major. Is he starter or reliever, back end of the rotation or front?

Cashman believes he is front of the rotation. So the No. 5 competition today is just theater. Nevertheless, Hughes’ scholarship ends after this. Time to declare who he is.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Yankees Tender Contracts to Eligible Players

Today, the Yankees tendered contracts to all eligible players on their roster, including notables who were up for arbitration.

David Robertson, Joba Chamberlain, Russell Martin, Brett Gradner, Boone Logan and Phil Hughes, all arbitration eligible, were retained by the Yankees almost a week before next Monday's midnight deadline according to a report on yankees.com. No word yet on the amounts, which are most likely still being worked out.

Each of these players have been a huge part of the Yankees success in the past few years, and that is expected to continue for some time to come. There were rumors earlier this year of the Yankees considering trading Chamberlain in a package deal for a starting pitcher; that never happened as no starters were available for a trade, and Joba ended up missing most of the season following Tommy John surgery. Also, Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon came up big for the Yankees in their starting rotation, so a trade really wasn't necessary. Word is that Joba has recovered from surgery expeditiously and could possibly be ready for opening day. If the surgery was a success, Joba should be back to hurling fastballs at 95 mph.

Of all the players mentioned here, I'm expecting nice raises for Robertson, Gardner and Martin. Robertson has solidified himself as the heir-apparent to Mariano Rivera, who may be retiring after this season. Gardy finally worked out his issues at the plate and came up big in key situations this season, although his batting average, RBIs and runs were slightly down from last year. Martin was a huge offensive threat in the beginning of the season and started to wind down around May, but his defense behind the plate was stellar; he ranked 6th amongst all catchers with a caught stealing average at 30%.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

My Thoughts on the Return of Freddy Garcia

I'm a happy camper. Freddy Garcia is returning to the Yankees, and I'm all for it. Following a season where he posted a 12-8 record with a 3.62 ERA, the Yankees made a good move by re-signing a vet who gave them much more than any of us in Yankeeland could have anticipated. It's a good show of faith by the organization, and I'm happy to see them reward a guy who was pretty much a non-factor in baseball following a stellar 2006 season with the the White Sox. My only question is, what does this mean for the Yankees' offseason plans?

According to numerous reports, the Yankees will pay Garcia about $5 million on a 1-year contract for 2012. That much of a payout almost guarantees that Garcia will have a spot on the 5- man rotation. So we can assume right now that the rotation will look like this:

CC Sabathia
Ivan Nova
AJ Burnett
Freddy Garcia
??

So who gets the 5th spot? The Yankees are certainly looking at the free agent market for pitching, and CJ Wilson still seems like their best bet. Mark Beurhle is also picking up some steam in Yankee circles with the memory of his 2009 season and perfect game performance still fresh in the mind of Yankee fans alike. I'm fine with either signing, but, wouldn't this mean forcing Phil Hughes back into the bullpen? Have the Yankees just conceded now that Hughes is far more potent as a reliever than a starter? It's a legitimate question fanatics, and one that I'm sure has Hughes working his butt off in "fat camp" to muzzle down.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Hip, Hip, Jorge!

It's been a rough year for Jorge Posada.

A valued member of the "Core Four," he has taken a lot of hits this year, beginning in the offseason, when GM Brian Cashman told him that he would no longer be the everyday catcher for the Yankees, but would instead be their designated hitter. It was a move that most of us saw coming, taking into account Jorge's age and the injuries that have plagued him for the past few seasons, coupled with the rising star of prospect Jesus Romero and the known defense of newcomer Russell Martin. Being the DH made sense, as Jorge has always been productive as a hitter, but his efforts in April and May were, for lack of a better word, lackluster, as he batted .132 and .219, respectively.

And who could forget "Jorge-Gate;" my term for the craziness that surrounded Jorge's request for a "day off" just an hour before a start on May 14, after learning of his demotion in the lineup during a series against the Red Sox at the stadium. It was an ugly turn of events that left many believing Jorge's run with the Yankees may come to an end this year.

But, Jorge managed to turn things around in June. He batted .382, getting 26 hits in 22 games. It seemed as though he was on his way back to being the hitter he once was, and on the verge of silencing the critics who deemed him "washed up." But it wouldn't last very long, as July saw his production dwindling again. He fared better overall than he had earlier in the season, but in 17 games following the All-Star break, Jorge went homer-less and managed only two RBIs. The lack of hitting was enough to force Joe Girardi to make a difficult, but necessary decision.

And so, it was announced last Sunday, that Jorge would no longer be the everyday DH, but would instead be a bench player. The honor of DH would go to Eric Chavez, who could be platooned to third base on days when starters like Derek Jeter or Mark Teixeira need a day off from playing in the field.

"[Girardi] said he's going to put the best lineup on the field," Jorge said. "And he doesn't know when I'm going to DH again, so right now I'm sitting the bench."

The one thing that most of us had to know, was that there was no way Jorge would repeat the mistake he made on May 14 by throwing another "temper tantrum." The criticism he received by haters and fans alike was scathing, and I believe he learned all too fast how quickly even an icon can turn into Public Enemy No. 1. What Jorge needed to do was just be ready to play whenever called upon, and give Girardi a reason to rethink his position. He did that yesterday.

Coming up to the plate in his first at-bat yesterday afternoon against the Rays, Jorge received a standing ovation at the stadium from sympathetic fans who wanted to show him that they appreciated all he's done for the Yankees in his career. Jorge responded with a two-RBI single to right field. He answered a second round of cheers in the fourth inning, with a single to center. For an encore in the fifth, following a solo shot by Curtis Granderson and a double and two walks by Robinson Cano, Nick Swisher and Eric Chavez, respectively, Jorge smacked a grand slam homer to the right field porch; the tenth of his career. It put the Yankees ahead 7-0 and they would go on to win 9-2. This was an incredible day for a proud man who has to have been in doubt of his worth at this point in his career.

After the big hit, Jorge would wave to the crowd for a rousing curtain call; a definite act of vindication.

"The fans are a big reason that I love playing the game. They deserve a lot of credit,"Jorge said.

It's been rumored that the relationship between Jorge and Girardi has been sketchy since Jorge relieved Girardi of his everyday catching duties back in the late 90's. If there is dissension between the two, you wouldn't know it listening to Girardi's comments after the game.

"[Jorge] is a beloved Yankee and we all love him," Girardi said. "At times it's been a struggle for him but he's never stopped working. For that, I'm extremely proud of him."

As are we. I'll be the first to tell you fanatics, that I was in total agreement with Girardi for benching Jorge, and I still am. It's never easy benching a legend, especially when that legend plays for the Yankees, but what's best for the team must always come first, and I believe Girardi made the right call. I also believe that Jorge, although obviously disappointed, knew in his heart that the demotion was deserved. But today, he gave me, Girardi, and every other person in agreement with his benching, a reason to maybe think twice before relegating him to the dugout. The legend appears to have a lot of game left in him. With a month and a half left to the season, a continuation of today's performance down the stretch, could easily secure Jorge a spot on the postseason roster. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

And...

Phil Hughes continues to make a bid for a permanent spot in the rotation. He pitched 6 solid innings, striking out six batters, and only allowing two runs on four hits in yesterday's win. The fastball was definitely working for Hughes. It's likely that he may be designated to the bullpen, as Ivan Nova has clearly earned his way back in to the rotation, but Hughes certainly made that an even tougher decision for Girardi to make with today's performance.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

A Letter To Bartolo Colon

Dear Bartolo Colon,

First, let me start by congratulating you on your first win of the season. You pitched a spectacular game, going 6.2 innings with 2 earned runs and 7 strikeouts. It was amazing watching you deliver all of the pitches in your arsenal; the fastball, changeup, slider and curveball were all working for strikes yesterday. It was a little "touch-and-go" for you in the beginning, as you allowed a single and a walk in the 1st inning and then gave up the solo shot to J.P. Arencibia in the 2nd. But thankfully,scoring in the first 2 innings from the lineup had the Yankees on the board already with 3 runs, so the homer didn't hurt as much, and you cruised from there, pitching 1-2-3 innings in the 3rd, 4th and 5th. You pitched a solid, veteran game tonight and for that I, and every other fanatic, are truly grateful.

And with that, I would like to formally apologize to you. I have never been a fan of yours, as you were once the CY Young pitcher for the Yankees' nemesis, LA Angels. There was much talk about you when you won the award in 2005, and I resented the sentiment of those who dared speak of you possibly winning the MVP award that year, when it clearly belonged to Alex Rodriguez. I remember the game that year on April 26 when A-Rod hit 3 homers off you; I was there at the old stadium that night and, although I'm fully aware of how great A-Rod is, I didn't think much of you as you allowed your team to lose at the hand--or should I say bat--of one man.

Then I watched as you completely shut down in the 4 seasons that followed. Shoulder injuries made you a shell of your former Cy Young self, and it seemed that you would never be relevant as a big-game pitcher in the majors ever again.

And so when rumors first came of the Yankees showing interest in you, I completely lost it. I blamed the rumors on you; theorizing you using the Yankees name to build interest for yourself during the offseason. I won't go over everything that I said again, but you can read it all here. And then, when the Yankees decided to sign you in late-January, well, let's just say that I wasn't thrilled at all; you can read about that here. I blamed the Yankees' vulnerability to the indecision of my beloved Andy Pettitte on their rush to judgment. I even broadcast my anger on twitter. But one of my fellow bloggers, J-Boogie of Baseball & The Boogie Down, reminded me that you were a low-risk signing, and that if you were to give the Yankees what they needed, then that was a plus for them. He was right, and I, was so wrong.

You have given this team everything they've needed and then some. You were fantastic in Spring training; you've pitched solid innings this season in relief. And now, last night, you gave this team a reason to be comfortable while Phil Hughes does his stint on the DL for his "dead" arm. No one would ever think that a guy who hadn't pitched since 2009; a guy plagued with shoulder injuries, could come back this strong, but you have, and you are no longer to be ridiculed, but to be commended. Thank you.

A new believer,

Rasheeda Cooper

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper