Do or Die Time In Yankeeland

AP Photo / Alex Brandon

What's happening in Yankeeland right now seems both unimaginable yet, at the same time, predictable. I don't know how you fanatics felt last night, but I went into the game feeling that a loss was on the horizon. Sorry, but this is where the Yankees have left me, and other fans like me, at this point. With very little hope. And that's what's so unimaginable: that Yankees' fans have literally been left with no hope; something that we've always had. On the flip-side, the predictability of the loss comes because the offense has shown no "substantial" signs of improving from game to game.

Getty Images / Leon Halip

But will I say it is over entirely, folks? No. If any team can build momentum from having their backs pushed all the way to wall, it's the Yankees. But the only way this will happen is for the offense to do what it does. Where are the homeruns?? Where are the stolen bases?? Where are the good at-bats?? What's happened to making pitchers work and running up pitch counts??? These are the fundamentals of what make the Yankees such a deadly team, and it's all been lost somehow. Alex Rodriguez and Curtis Granderson look absolutely dead at the plate; no good pitch recognition, allowing way too many "cookies" to pass their bats in the zone. Nick Swisher and Robinson Cano have lacked the control and patience that allows them to see as many pitches as they do, and get better opportunities for pitches they can hit. At least twice in this series, Ichiro has had an opporunity for a stolen base in a crucial situation, and has passed. And with the exception of Raul Ibanez, no one in the entire lineup has the power stroke. And I won't even bother to question hitting with runners in scoring position, because the Yankees haven't done that all season. But on all other fronts, it's as though everything that makes this team pop has just completely disappeared in the postseason. Definitely the worst time possible.

AP Photo / Kathy Willens

And speaking of A-Rod, with the exception of a close childhood friend of mine that I've been going back-and-forth with on this, I have kept relatively quiet on Girardi's decision to bench him. So I will say this: A-Rod is playing the worst baseball of his career right now. He is a shell of the hero we saw 3 years ago. Girardi's decision to play Eric Chavez was both warranted and necessary, in the beginning. But right now, Girardi can no longer justify sitting A-Rod out. Why? Because Chavez has done absolutely nothing in A-Rod's place. Nothing. Chavy is now 0-for-14 with 6 strikeouts, and he committed a costly error last night. If Chavez' struggles are just as bad as the guy who lead you to a World Series just 3 seasons ago, you must now give that guy the chance to come in and make something happen. If Chavez were hitting, I might not like it personally, but I would be alright with him playing for A-Rod. But that's not the case. Fanatics and Yankee haters who can't stand A-Rod can think whatever they want to think about him personally. But as I've stated to many people before, the Yankees do not win a WS Championship without his bat. He proved this in 2009 and he's proving it by default now. No, it's not all about A-Rod, but it's largely about him and how he can turn any game around at any time. Let's face it, none of the superstars on this team except Mark Teixeira are doing anything. So if Girardi continues to put Cano, Grandy and Swish out there in hopes of something happening, he has to afford the same to Alex. At this point, what do the Yankees have to lose by putting him in? But, I'd be surprised if gets to play tonight. He's 1-for-12 against Tigers' Max Scherzer with 4 strikeouts. Could be that leaving him out of last night's lineup was a missed opportunity for this team. But we'll never know.

But all is not lost, fanatics. We saw some good signs in the game last night. Eduardo Nunez looked damn good defensively showcasing his diving play up the middle, and the homerun off of  Justin Verlander in the ninth inning was a sight for sore eyes.  The bullpen has been lights out this entire postseason really, and last night only allowed one run in 5 innings without the help of David Robertson or Rafael Soriano. And Brett Gardner, although hitless, took some good swings last night. I think he has to continue to play and get at-bats while either Swish or Grandy sit games out.  

AP Photo / Carlos Osorio

So tonight, CC Sabathis gets the start. Bottom line is, CC has to be CC and the offense has to dig deep and score runs. Right now, the Yankees' approach has to be that of a 12-step program: just take each remaining game (because I do believe they will win tonight) one at-bat at a time. If the Yankees can pull it together in the next two in Detroit, we'll be looking at a different series. They still have a chance, but the bats have to come alive.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

No Structural Damage to Tex's Wrist

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So if you're like me, you've been holding your breathe since Mark Teixeira left last night's game with a wrist "injury." At this point, it seems as though a new injury seems to "pop up" within the Yankee roster every week now. If Tex has seriously injured his wrist, what would this mean for an already compromised team that's been making it more of a habit of losing lately than winning? Well, Nick Swisher and Eric Chavez would platoon first base for Tex. On the days that Swish is at first, Ichiro would remain in right field. When Chavez plays first, Jayson Nix and Ramiro Pena would platoon third base. And while Swish and Ichy play first and right, respectively, Andrew Jones and Raul Ibanez would continue to platoon left. Whenever Swish moves back to right and Ichy is placed in left, Ibanez and Jones could take their turns as the DH. Confusing enough for ya?

Well thankfully, we may not have to worry about Joe Girardi re-shuffling the contents of his binder to consider such moves. Yankees.com reported today that an MRI on Tex's hand showed no structural damage, only inflammation. So while he'll most like be out for another game or so, we shouldn't expect to see Tex placed on the DL. Good thing, because another one of our superstars being forced to watch the game from home, would have been more than I could bear. And I'm sure that Girardi is happy to not have to face the "How are you going to manage?," or "How bad is this for the team?" questions by the media once again.

On another note, the Yankees have been on a terrible run since being swept by the Oakland A's two weeks ago (although, they shouldn't feel too bad because Oakland is beating EVERYBODY!). They've lost eight of their last eleven games; the majority of which were decided by a run. Yes, the team remains atop all of baseball, but with the injuries mounting, this no time for our boys to fall backward. I'm expecting a strong start tonight from Ivan Nova, who bodes very well against the Orioles. He goes up against Chris Tillman tonight. Game time is 7:05 pm.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

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.

The Associated Press

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.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Wild First Loss for Yankees

Brian Blanco/EPA

In what was one of the oddest Opening Day games that I believe I've ever seen, the Yankees had their first loss of the season, falling to the Tampa Bay Rays 7-6. Questionable managing, bad pitching , and a shocking ending all conspired to give fans of both teams an opener they probably won't forget for some time.

What went wrong:

The Micro-Manager Is Girardi - If what we saw yesterday was any indication of what we can expect to see this season from Joe Girardi, well, we won't be witnessing anything new. In classic overthinking Girardi-style, the manager had CC Sabathia walk infielder Sean Rodriguez, loading the bases for Carlos Pena in the first inning. The first inning. Girardi, acting on Pena's 4-for-35 numbers against CC, gambled that he would not be able to turn on CC's fastball, but he did, hitting a grand slam and putting the Rays up 4-0. We know that Girardi is a smart baseball guy, and his numbers as a manager with the Yankees are the best of any manager in the past four years. But moments like that are what make fans cringe, and cry for the burning of "Girardi's Binder." The move made no sense, particularly since CC had not been in the game long enough at that point to correct the poor movement on his fastball, which was obvious from early on.

Associated Press

Sabathia Not Ace-Like - Again, Sabathia struggled with the command of his fastball yesterday, and the Rays took full advanatage early on. He walked his first batter--Desmond Jennings--on a full count. Two batters later, he gave up a single to Evan Longoria. Next came the walk to S. Rodriguez, followed by the grand slam from Pena. In the third inning, he would give up another home run to Longoria. CC settled down somewhat after that, not allowing any more runs for the next four innings, but he gave up four more hits and another walk to Jose Molina. CC's best pitch seemed to be his breaking ball, which he used to get outs yesterday. He was able to use his slider in some spots, most notably in the fifth inning when he struck out Pena with men on second and third. But CC's ace pitch is his fastball. He struggled with it during Spring Training, and needs to get it going now.

Mad Maddon - Joe Maddon can thank a shaky Mariano for saving his hide yesterday. The Rays manager made two horrible moves late in the game with his team down 6-5, first sending newbie Jack Vogt up to pinch-hit against David Robertson in his first major league at-bat. Strikeout. Maddon followed this by having catcher Jose Molina "squeeze" with two strikes. Molina bunted foul, and the Yankees headed into the ninth inning still up by a run.

Associated Press

Really, Mo? - In a career first, Mariano Rivera not only blew the save in his first opportunity on Opening Day, but he blew the game. He gave up a single to Jennings, followed by a triple to Ben Zobrist, which tied the game at 6-6. Girardi then had Mo walk Longoria and Luke Scott to load the bases with no outs. Mo managed to strikeout S. Rodriguez, but would give up the winning single to Pena. He had no command of his cutter, pitching high in the zone and missing the corners. We know that this won't be a regular problem for our closer, but it was still a bit scary to see Mo fold the way he did.

What went right

A-Rod Being A-Rod - Alex Rodriguez went 2-for-3 yesterday, hitting a double to center in his first at-bat, and singling to center in the third inning against James Shields. A-Rod scored two runs and played excellent defense at third, saving a run in the fifth by catching a hard line drive from Elliott Johnson which stranded Longoria at third.

Brian Blanco/EPA

Ibanez Making History - Raul Ibanez got his first RBI of the season by grounding out to second base and scoring A-Rod in the second inning. He followed that with a monster 3-run home run in the third, again scoring A-Rod and Ribinson Cano. The four RBIs made Ibanez only the second Yankee to achieve that in his first game wth the team. Roger Maris was the first to do it.

The Great Houdini - In typical fashion, David Robinson managed to get himself into trouble, only to strike his way out of it. In the eighth inning, he walked S. Rodriguez and gave up a single to Pena which put both players on the corners. Robertson then dug in, striking out all of the next three batters. Classic.

Next Up - The Yankees and Rays have a 7:05pm start for tonight's game. It will be a matchup of   Hiroki Kuroda vs. David Price.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

The Inside Yankee Experience

Steinbrenner Field

So I normally head down to Tampa each year to catch at least one game during Spring Training. I check in at the Comfort Inn at Raymond James Stadium (which is only about a 10 minute walk to Steinbrenner Field), have a nice dinner at Lander's Steakhouse (located on the hotel's property), catch the game, sleep, and then make my way back to NYC the next morning. In the past, this was all I needed to get me geared up for the oncoming season, but this year I took my visit a step further.

From the goodie bag

The Yankees have started what they call "The Inside Yankee Experience." For those fanatics, like myself, willing to pay a "little extra" to be in on what every true Yankee fan would dream of, you get an opportunity to meet a Yankee player(s) from the current roster, a member of the team's personnel, field seats and entry to early batting practice where, if you're lucky, you might be able to talk to the players while they warm-up. You also walk away with some cool items including a Yankees cap, replica WS Championship ring and an official Rawlings baseball.

So my day at Steinbrenner Field began at 7 am. Those of us who signed up for thr "Experience" were registered, given our goodie bag, and taken in to one of the stadium's meeting rooms for a complimentary breakfast buffet. It was a nice spread--scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, french toast, bagels, omelets made-to-order and a selection of fruits. While the food was the first thing we noticed as we stepped in to the room, it was the memorabilia on the walls that made everyone say, "Wow!"

Yogi's jersey and gear

There were glass cases with signed jerseys of CC Sabathia and Tino Martinez. Mariano Rivera's jersey case included a pair of his Nike sneakers. And then there was Yogi Berra's jersey case, which included his old baseball glove and face mask; to see Yogi's gear gave me goosebumps. There were also cases with more signed balls and bats from other notables like Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte. One signed ball that I really got a kick out of seeing was that of "Goose" Gossage. When I was a kid, "Goose" was one of my favorite pitchers because I went to a game (don't remember which) where he almost hit the batter in the head and knocked him to the ground. "Goose" was ferocious and I loved that about him.

Raul Ibanez

So after taking pictures and filling up on breakfast, we were greeted by three Yankee players: Ivan Nova, Raul Ibanez and Rafael Soriano. Sure, it would have made my entire year if A-Rod, Mariano or Jeter had walked in, but that would have been too good to be true. But to see Nova, Ibanez and Soriano was actually a nice surprise. The group sitting at my table all believed that we'd probably get minor league players, so to have those guys come in--particularly Nova who is becoming big with the Yankee faithful--amazed all of us. They signed our baseballs and took photos with us. We didn't get much time to hold a conversation with them, since it was close to the time of their practice, but I did manage to sneak in a question to Ibanez. I asked him if he was ready for the fans in New York. He looked at me smiling and laughed, "I hope so!" That drew laughter from many in the room.

Suzyn Waldman

After the players returned to practice, Suzyn Waldman, who covers Yankee games with John Sterling on WCBS Radio came in and spoke to us. It's been said by many that Waldman is not a great radio personality because of her perceived lack of baseball knowledge. Well, that is far from being true. Waldman knows baseball! She spoke about the team and some of her thoughts on different players; about up and coming minor league players that she believes will be called up at some point this season; about the situation with Joba Chamberlain, and what improvements she's seen with A-Rod regarding his motion at the plate. Waldman also pointed out that her style of reporting is to focus on the personality of the players and talk about moments, while Sterling calls the game and talks stats. She took questions from us and afterward, I found myself having a whole new respect for her.

Next stop was to head out to the field for early batting practice. We were told that someone from Yankees personnel would be waiting to greet us. I immediately thought that perhaps one of the trainers would be talking to us about what the players' workout regimens were and so on, or maybe one of the coaches like Tony Pena or Larry Rothschild would talk to us. We were already told that the "legends"--Yogi, Ron Guidry, Reggie Jacson, etc.--had already left training camp, so we knew that opportunity had already passed. I really didn't want to get my hopes up for this, but found myself having an "Oh my God!" moment when I saw who was waiting for us. It was Tino Martinez!

Me and Tino

Trying not to get too giddy and prevent an embarrassing moment from happening, I pulled myself together while waiting on line for Tino to sign my ball, and tried to think of a good question to ask him. Besides his greatness as a player, one of the things that I enjoy about Tino is when he's in the booth as a commentator. So when it was my turn to have my ball signed and take a photo with him, I asked him if he would be in the booth for any games this year.

"No, not this year," Tino said. "[YES Network has] so many guys covering so, they don't need me {laughing}." I went on to tell him that I enjoy him as a commentator, and he thanked me graciously, seemingly surprised that he was impressive enough to deserve the compliment.

Being able to see, touch and talk with Tino was the biggest thrill for me at that point. I'm like most fanatics that revere great players from the past, and Tino was one of my faves from those teams in the late '90s. I was good for the day by then and wasn't expecting much more after that. That was until the players took the field  and our group got up close and person with The Captain.

Left to right: A-Rod, Jeter and Russell Martin

It's sometimes the little things about Jeter that make him so loved by Yankee faithful. As the guys were doing their stretch exercizes, directly in front of us, of course some people from our group called out to them to get their attention. "Hey, Alex, how ya feeling?" "Good morning, Jeter!" "Hey there, Robbie!" These were just some of the cries from impatient fans that wanted "their" team's attention. I chose not to say anything, realizing that these guys were focused on their workout, and weren't interested in having conversation. Some of them waved at us acknowledging our presence, but a wave is never enough for Yankee fans. The shouts persisted, but to no avail, as the players ignored the cries and continued to stretch. As the cries not only became even more persistant but louder, Jeter decided to do what any Captain should do: represent his team by saying some kind words on their behalf. Jeter walked up to us--as we were standing in the front row--and greeted us.

"Hello everyone," he said, his greeting reciprocated. "On behalf of the team, I'd just like to thank you all for coming out today and I hope you enjoy the final game. We really appreciate you guys for always supporting us. Thank you."

The greeting came with many thanks from us, and it "calmed down" the shouts. Great move by Jeter, who always remembers how important Yankee fans are to the team and organization. I was just thrilled to actually hear him say anything in person. It was a cool moment, and I can forever tell everyone that Derek Jeter spoke to me up close, and expressed his appreciation for me.

Andy on the mound.

Afterward, Joe Girardi came over to us and thanked us all for coming out while signing some of the kids' baseballs. He ran off after a few minutes of shaking our hands and taking some quick questions, and by then, it was time for us to settle in and get ready for the game. Turned out to be a good one, as our boys beat the Mets with a score of 8-3. And of course, the biggest thrill being the return of Pettitte, who pitched a scoreless sixth inning.

It was a great "Experience" fanatics, and I'm looking forward to signing up for another one next year. The Yankees organization has always come up with ways to provide their fans with events to remember, and this was no exception. The Yankee's staff in Tampa took great care of all our needs, and treated us like friends. I'll remember this forever, and who knows, I may sign up for the "Experience" here in New York. Stay tuned...

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

The Rollercoaster

The past week in Yankeeland has had more peaks and valleys than any we've seen in a very long time. Great news was later overshadowed by not-so great news, and vice versa. The season is almost upon us, and I just want for everything to be on course when the Yankees take the field in their first, official game. Here are some of the big headlines from the past week.

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Joba could pitch - News of Joba Chamberlain's ankle injury spread like a wildfire, leaving some folks feeling sympathetic, and some outraged that he would put himself in a position to be hurt. Amidst talk of Joba possibly being out for the season, Joe Girardi "lightened things up" a bit with his assessment that Joba could possibly pitch come July or later. Because the open dislocation of Joba's ankle left no microfractures, Girardi believes Joba could pitch this year, barring any infection of the ankle area. Joba was released from the hospital Sunday, and will be in a cast for six weeks.

Andy still grooving - Andy Pettitte's comeback has seen much success thus far. He was so impressive in his first bullpen session last week, that he's already thrown one live batting practice and is expected to throw his second today. It's common for pitchers to throw in a game after a second LBP, so it will be interesting to see if Andy sneaks one in before the season starts. Girardi has already been vocal in saying that he believes he will.

Ibanez' coming out party - It's been a ghastly Spring Training so far for Raul Ibanez. Heading into Saturday's game against Detroit, Ibanez was hitting to an .054 AVG with a .103 OBP. But he managed to finally show some power, and connected on a 2-run shot in the Yankees' 4-2 win. Don't get excited yet; it was Ibanez' only hit of the game. He went 1-for-3, and boosted his AVG to a mere .075

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A-Rod gets plunked - As usual, there's not a month during the baseball season where Alex Rodriguez won't feel the back-end of a fastball pitch inside. It would amaze me more if Alex were to escape getting hit, than him actually playing 162 games this year. Seriously. He was drilled on Sunday by a 95 mph pitch from Detroit's Bryan Villareal, but is okay, and is expected to play in tonight's game.

Garcia makes his mark after trade rumor - The battle for a rotation spot won't be easily decided if Freddy Garcia has anything to say about it. Reports of the Yankees actively trying to trade The Chief came out Friday, and Garcia answered with a stellar performance in Saturday's win against Detroit. In 4.1 innings, Garcia allowed only one hit. no runs and struck out four. Yes, if you were betting on who would be pushed out of the rotation, the easy money would be placed on Garcia. But he's giving the Yankees reason to maybe reconsider making any moves until Pettitte's return forces a decision.

Associated Press

The Captain returns - Derek Jeter returned to play on Friday against the Minnesota Twins after rehabbing from a calf injury.  He went 1-for-2 against the Twins, then went 2-for-3 on Sunday against Detroit. Looks like The Capatian is doing just fine. David Robertson also made only his second appearance of the Spring on Sunday, after missing three weeks following a foot injury. He pitched one inning, striking out one and allowing no runs.

Player dealings - The Yankees made several moves last week, optioning players back to Triple-A and reassigning others to minor league camp. Among the notables were Dellin Betances, David Phelps, Ramiro Pena and Brandon Laird; all optioned to Scranton Wilkes-Barre. The New York Post's George King III reported Sunday that the Phillies are interested in acquiring Pena, who would fill in for the ailing Chase Utley at second base.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Tidbits: Cano, A-Rod, Betances, DH and Pineda

Fanatics! It's been a while, and I'm sure many were wondering where the hell have I been for the past two weeks. Well, I was sick for a "minute," and needed to step back a bit from doing anything, literally. Then computer issues, which are always a bummer, hampered my "ability" to post. Don't know why, but Blogger, which is the web host for Bomber Boulevard, is extremely sensitive, and if there are any "bugs" on my computer, it simply will not cooperate. Other programs might slow down, but Blogger just shuts down...lol!

But anyhoo, I'm back and looking forward to getting my baseball brain back into the game. I won't go over everything that has happened with the Yankees in the two weeks that I've been away; I'll just recap some of the more interesting stories that I've been paying close attention to thus far this Spring:

"Silent Spring" for Cano - Robinson Cano is having a very slow offensive start to Spring Training thus far, and I only bring this up because he's Robinson Cano. Nothing to really worry about here; we're constantly told that ST games are just "practice" games for players to prepare for the season, although, I believe thay take it more seriously than that. I'm sure Robbie is not too thrilled with his output nonetheless: .167 AVG on 3-for-18 hitting, .200 OBP, .167 SLG and .367 OPS. Robbie also has yet to connect on a home run. Again, nothing to really worry about here, as this is reminiscent of his ST start last year. Robbie is one of those players that knows how to "turn it on" once the season begins.

A-Rod Having Another Good Spring - While his offense has slowed a bit in the past week, Alex Rodriguez is putting together another fantastic ST campaign. A .333 AVG on 6-for-18 hitting, Alex has knocked in 4 runs in 7 games and is slugging at a .611 clip. This is a very good sign of Alex's health being on the right track. I have noticed, however, that he is a bit slow on the basepaths; perhaps there is still more work to be done in regards to his left knee. It was revealed recently that he not only sought advice from Kobe Bryant on the orthokine treatment, but also from Phoenix Suns star Grant Hill. Hill recommended that Alex work with Dr. Mike Clark, a physician who believes in strengthening the entire body rather than focusing on specific areas.

More Improvements for Pineda - Michael Pineda is having an impressive ST thus far, and is continuing to make more improvements by revamping his changeup. Great idea. But Pineda's fastball numbers are what need improving, and he'll need to get some speed back on his pitch if he wants to be successful against the arsenal of slugging in the AL East. Mark Feinsand of the Daily News wrote a piece yesterday on Pineda's fb "issue," which doesn't seem to be of much concern to him or the team. But it is still worth noting that he has yet to reach the mid-high 90's this Spring; radar numbers that made him such a threat with Seattle last season.

The Non-factor Is Branyan - So much for the potential "high reward" that would have come from Russell Branyan's "low risk" minor league contract. Branyan has been sidelined with his recurring back injury this Spring, and it's safe to say at this point, he will not be making the team out of ST. It was probably a done deal for Branyan once the Raul Ibanez signing was made official, but it would have been nice to see what he still had left with his bat.

Short, But Sweet for Betances - Dellin Betances has not seen much time on the mound thus far, but has still been very good. In his 4 innings pitched, he's struck out 2 batters and has yet to have a run recorded against him. He has in that short period also allowed 3 hits and 2 walks, but overall his growth continues to look good. I'm rooting for Betances to make at least one visit to the majors this season.

 The DH Edition: Ibanez and Jones - Neither of the Yankees Dh options are making a good case for themselves this Spring. Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones are hitting to a .094 AVG, combined! I reiterate, ST is for "practice," and now is the time for players to get all the kinks out and get into a groove. Let's hope that once the season begins, these two will find their stroke and solidify the middle of the lineup.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

A-Rod Talks Surgery, Teammates, Jorge and Bobby V. Comments

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This afternoon, Alex Rodriguez phoned into The Michael Kay Show on 1050 ESPN Radio, and answered questions from Kay on several topics. If you missed it, here are some interesting excerpts from the interview:

On the number of games he should play this season:

"It doesn't really matter what I say here in February or March. It doesn't really make a lot of sense for me to throw out any type of number. I've worked extremely hard [and] I'm preparing myself to go out there and put up a big number as far as games played and be very productive and help this team win."

On making adjustments due to his age:

"I think for me, I'm not lowering my expectations. You know...again, I've worked extremely hard and I think I'm in great shape and ready to go for a great season. I'm not lowering my expectations, that's for sure. The one thing, you wanna go in and put up the big numbers with games played and, you know, let the chips fall where they may."

On the orthokine treatment:

"I feel good. I talked to Kobe [Bryant] [and] he raved about the procedure. You know, I respect Kobe a lot and [when] someone of his stature endorses something like this that can be beneficial to me physically, I felt it was worth taking a look at it. I'm very happy with the outcome so far"

On Bobby Valentine's comments about his "fight" with Jason Varitek:

"I didn't actually read the whole thing. You know...I think it's important to know that the reason why everyone cares so much about this rivalry is because for a long time, both teams have contended for a championship. If both teams were losing games, no one would really care. It's because they have great players, great management and that's why they care. It's not for anything anybody says off the field."

On Varitek not taking his mask off:

"I don't remember that {laughing}."

On Michael Pineda:

"Electric stuff. I remember talking to some of the guys and we just looked at each other and said, 'Wow!' You know, this kid has all the potential in the world. When Cashman makes a move like this...it makes you feel like a little kid again; it reminds you of why it feels great to be a New York Yankee and play for this great organization. I remember calling CC [Sabathia] and [Mark Teixeira] and half a dozen of my teamamtes, and celebrating getting such a great arm."

On Raul Ibanez:

"Raul and I were teammates...in 1994 and I was in Wisconsin in A-ball. I hit third and he hit fourth and, you know, Raul is one of the greatest...classiest human beings you've ever met right there in the line of Mariano Rivera. This guy is...unbelievable. He gets to the stadium at 6:30 in the morning and I think I left [there] an hour ago, and he was still there. And he looked in the mirror and he said, 'Alex, can you believe I'm wearing this uniform? It's surreal, I still can't believe it.' Here's a guy that's played north of twelve years and feels like a rookie."

On AJ Burnett:

"Well, I respect AJ. [He's] a good friend, and I mainly want to thank him for helping us win a championship in 2009. He is a great competitor, he has great stuff and not only me, but all his teammmates...we wish him the best."

On the absence of Jorge Posada:

"You know, what Jorgie brought to this team was very unique. Besides being one of the greatest switch-hitting catchers of all time, he was a fierce leader for us. No one is going to ...replace that. I think other players are going to have to come in and step up their game.

"One thing for me, he belongs up there with the Yankee greats, and that's a tough group to crack."

 On A-Rod seeing the end of his career:

"You can always see the end. It's inevitable. You wish the game can go on forever, but it doesn't; we're sort of on borrowed time. I think all of us who are kind of in the seventh inning or the fourth quarter of our careers, we're cherishing the game more and more each and every day."

On talking Mariano Rivera out of retirement:

"Like I said, no one plays forever. Selfishly, I want Mo to play for a long time. The one thing about Mo, everyone calls him the best reliever of all time, but very easily, he could be the best pitcher of all time.

"What's overshadowed is what he [brings] to the clubhouse. Mariano for me, has been such a rock. I think it's even more impressive what he does in the clubhouse than what he does on the mound."

On Robinson Cano hitting third in the lineup:

"I think Robbie is in a very special place in his career. I think the sky is the limit for him. If he gets in a position where he's comfortable hitting in that third spot, and add probably 50 or 60 at-bats, he can get in a groove where he can do some very special things. And without a question, he's going to be the main ingredient of what we do here in the next three to four years."

On whether the Yankees actually practice the play where Derek Jeter makes the "flip:"

"Absolutely. I can't really explain it because that's the shortstop's responsibility. But when Derek is on [here], he'll explain it to you {laughing}. We probably practiced it eight or ten times today."

(Interview courtesy of The Michael Kay Show, 1050 ESPN Radio)

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Chavez Agrees To Deal With Yankees

Andrew Theodorakis/Daily News

This is what happens when you trade your reporting duties for a night "in" with girlfriends. I've been calling for the Yankees to hurry up and make a deal with Eric Chavez, and when the deal goes down, I miss it. But, the white wine and cheese fondue that I gorged on last night, were well worth it. Anyhoo, here is the report courtesy of Bryan Hoch of yankees.com:

TAMPA, Fla. -- Joe Girardi spoke on Tuesday afternoon as though Eric Chavez was already listed on his roster, and the Yankees' manager had good reason for his confidence.

Chavez and the Yankees have agreed to a one-year, $900,000 contract that includes bonuses for performance incentives, MLB.com has confirmed.

The deal was first reported by MLB Network and CBS Sports analyst Jon Heyman and has not been officially announced by the club because Chavez must first pass a physical

Earlier in the day, Girardi mentioned Chavez as one of his backup first-base options before quickly realizing his error and clarifying that a deal was not yet finalized.

"We don't have him, but there has been talk about him," Girardi said, adding, "I'd like to have him back. I thought he was productive for us and he gives me flexibility."

The Yankees had been negotiating with Chavez, 34, envisioning him as a solid option to back up Alex Rodriguez at third base and Mark Teixeira at first base.

In fact, his locker next to Nick Swisher at George M. Steinbrenner Field had remained vacant, an indication that he was eventually expected to arrive in camp.

Girardi said that he does not view Chavez as one of the Yankees' primary designated hitters. Those roles will be filled by Raul Ibanez against right-handed pitchers and Andruw Jones against lefties.

A six-time Rawlings Gold Glove award winner at third base and an American League All-Star for four consecutive seasons beginning in 2002, when he starred for the Athletics, Chavez will likely be the final addition to the roster before position players report to camp on Friday.

While the Yankees had interest in Chavez dating back to before December's Winter Meetings, the Yankees were most recently waiting to complete the trade of A.J. Burnett to the Pirates before further pursuing Chavez.

I love that the Yankees wasted no time in getting this done. Looking at this now, it was a smart move for them to release AJ Burnett and secure Raul Ibanez, so they could simply look at what money was available for Chavez and make a deal. I also love that Girardi will use Andruw Jones as his DH option against lefties.

Designated hitter(s), check. Loaded rotation, check. Full bullpen, check. Let's play ball!

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Ibanez and Yankees Agree On 1-Year Deal



Getty Images

So the inevitable has happened. The Yankees and outfielder Raul Ibanez have agreed on a 1-year contract, reportedly worth $1.1 million. Buster Olney of ESPN reported the deal this morning via twitter:

Yankees have an agreement with Raul Ibanez, pending a physical.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) February 20, 2012

Ibanez deal worth $1.1 million in base salary, plus incentives.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) February 20, 2012

Now that the Yankees have seemingly taken care of their DH situation (which I am really not happy about, as my belief has been--and still is--that Andruw Jones was their best option for the DH role), the Yankees will hopefully find a way to get a deal done with Eric Chavez. Chavez is the best option to play third base throughout the season; we know that Alex Rodriguez will require days off or days in the DH slot.

The best that we can hope for with Ibanez is that he maintains his home run and RBI production. He no longer possesses a dangerous outfield arm, and he's not fast on the basepaths. Last year with the Phillies, he batted in 84 runners on 20 homers and 131 hits. Thirty-one of those hits were doubles. So the offensive production is definitely there.

And so, Yankees, I'm pleading with you: do what you have to do and go get Chavez!

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

Spring Training Has Finally Sprung!

Well, not officially. Games don't begin until March, but pitchers and catchers reported for camp this morning, and I'm just as giddy as Alex Rodriguez:

Adam Hunger/Reuters

Once players begin reporting to camp, the days seem to move a lot faster, and before you know it, our boys in pinstripes are hitting the field to play their first game.

I was following some interesting tweets from Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork this morning. Here are two that caught my attention:

Cashman spoke, said Pineda not No. 2, Mo will be late to camp and loves the wild card.Check the blog today for details.
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) February 19, 2012

Just landed in Tampa. On my plane, none than Brian Cashman. Said Damon called him yesterday about DH job. Told him he is not first choice.
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) February 19, 2012

Since the Michael Pineda trade went down, a lot of noise throughout the blogosphere has been of the possibility that he might be the no. 2 starter behind CC Sabathia. Well, Cashman confirmed what my belief has been, and that is that Ivan Nova will most likely be following CC in that rotation. He's earned it by proving he's a big-game pitcher that doesn't fall under the bright lights of Yankee Stadium.

And I think it's safe to say that Johnny Damon's time in pinstripes officially ended forever after the 2009 season. It doesn't make much sense to me why Cashman would prefer Raul Ibanez over Damon; in all the categories that count for a DH (RBIs, HRs, SLG and OPS), both players are neck and neck. But what you'd get from Damon is more speed on the bases and a player that has been there before, and was beloved in the Yankees clubhouse. My personal opinion on the DH situation is that the Yankees already have a DH in Andruw Jones. But if they want to spend money that they claim they don't have, then Damon would definitely have been my choice here.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper

No, No Guerrero

A few hours ago, ESPN's Buster Olney posted this tweet:

Vladimir Guerrero has made it known to the Yankees that he wants their DH spot. IMO, Raul Ibanez still the frontrunner to sign w/NYY as DH.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) February 13, 2012

Via wikipedia.org

It's typical for players to reach out to teams like this, especially now, when Spring Training is just around the corner, and they have yet to sign a deal. Knowing that the Yankees are in need of a reputable DH that can provide power and play everyday, it makes sense that Guerrerro, of all the hitters left in the DH pool, would make himself available.

He's wise to the Yankees' reputation of signing stars; there is no question that Guerrerro is a future and possible first-ballot Hall of Famer, the stats speak for themselves. He's also wise to the fact that the Yankees offer the best situation for him to play and get back to the postseason, since many of the true contending teams in the AL (Red Sox, Tigers, Angels, Blue Jays, etc.) are in no immediate need for a designated hitter.

But Guerrerro's offering comes a bit too late in his career. He is coming off of a season where his power numbers dropped significantly enough from the year before. In 2010 with the Rangers, Guerrero's slash line read .300/.345/496 with 29 home runs and 115 RBIs. With the Orioles last year, those numbers dropped to .290/.317/.416, with only 13 homers and 63 RBIs. Guerrero also seems to have lost some speed on his bat. The graph below is a measurement of Guerrero's ISO or Isolated Power.

Via fangraphs.com

US Presswire

The drop from '10 to '11 is an indication of the decline in his bat speed. Power is what makes Guerrero marketable. He has nothing else to offer that the Yankees could possibly be looking for. He has no speed on the bases, and no longer possesses the powerful arm that made him such a threat as a right-fielder. As the DH spot will see many players from the Yankees lineup throughout the season, it makes more sense for the Yankees to have a DH that can be a reliable platoon player. From the pool of Yankee possibilities, Johnny Damon, Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones are not as far removed from playing the outfield as Guerrero is, and possess more speed on the base paths.  They are better options to relieve the Yankee starting outfielders when necessary.

Adam Hunger/Reuters

Olney seems sure that Ibanez will be the winner of the Yankees DH sweepstakes. Ibanez didn't have a great season with the Phillies last year either, but was able to post 20 home runs and 84 RBIs, which is exactly what the Yankees need. As a lefty, Yankee Stadium is an ideal ballpark for Ibanez who should make great use of the short porch in right field. The same could be said for Damon, who has been there and done that.

Who do you think should be the Yankees DH? Add your comment below.

Follow Rasheeda Cooper on twitter: @ra_cooper