The Kids Are All Right

No, not the lesbian meets the sperm donor movie. No, not the Who's classic song (Happy 67th birthday to Roger Daltrey today). I'm talking New York Yankees prospects.

Remember when all those highly touted kids were in the low minors? Well now they will be in Trenton, Scranton, and the Bronx. So far this spring training the youngsters have been shining.

Weekend Update (No, not SNL)

The Yankees split a home and home series with the Phillies over the weekend, winning on the road with a number of the youngin's. First Saturday though...a 5-4 loss to the Phillies that followed another ceremony honoring George Steinbrenner at the field named in his honor. Jorge Vazquez made the loudest noise of the kids hitting a long 2-run home run to dead center. It actually went over the black batter's eye in centerfield and was not wind aided in any way.

Hector Noesi, one of the guys who has an outside shot at the #4 or #5 spot, threw two scoreless innings on just eight pitches. And all eight pitches were strikes. Catcher Austin Romine was 1-2 and Eduardo Nunez, battling for the utility spot, was 1-3 with a run scored and a stolen base.

Though he's been in the league for a few years Joba Chamberlain is still a young guy and he impressed in his season debut. Much has been made about his increase weight which Chamberlain said is muscle. That being said GM Brian Cashman was upset about the added weight. However, in seeing Chamberlain for the firs time on Sat., he definitely did not look fat. He looked thicker through his core and it seemed to back up his explanation of added muscle. More importantly, Chamberlain threw a solid inning and even hit 94 mph on the radar gun.

On Sunday Ivan Nova made his first bid for the rotation a good one. 10 pitches, two innings, two strikouts, and six up and six down. Dellin Betances threw a no contact inning in relief - one walk and struck out the side. Adam Warren allowed a run in an inning, but threw decently.

Offensively, Vazquez went deep for the second straight day- this time going deep against Brad Lidge. Jesus Montero did a nice job behind the plate and was 1-3 with an RBI single.

Monday

The Yankees came up short to the Tigers on Monday in a 6-2 loss, but after two encouraging innings from CC Sabathia, Manny Banuelos was the third pitcher used and tossed a scoreless inning.

No kid, but Mark Prior in his comeback attempt threw one scoreless inning as well.

NYDN's John Harper with a nice feature on Betances and Montero working their way to the bigs.