Cashman Brings In Mediocrity in Capuano, Aims Higher

Capuano is the latest lefty to join the Yankees

Chris Capuano had solid years for the Milwaukee Brewers. Notice the past tense in that sentence. Capuano is the latest player in the new game show, "Throw it against the wall and see if it sticks." It's also known as the Brian Cashman "I'll take what I can get" show.

Cashman isn't done looking for pitching though. Reports have the Yankees in discussions for their former first round draft pick Ian Kennedy and Rockies' starter, Jorge De La Rosa.

The Yankees acquired Capuano from the Colorado for cash. The 35-year old left-hander was released on July 1 after he pitched poorly in relief for the Red Sox. The Rockies signed him to a minor league deal just three days later. Capuano was at his peak in his third and fourth full seasons (2005-06) in the Major Leagues. He won 18 games with a sub-4.00 ERA in '05 and followed it up a year later with a tough luck won/loss  record (11-12), despite a 4.03 ERA.

Not yet 30, Capuano appeared ready to make a name for himself, but underwent surgery on his non-throwing shoulder after a miserable 2007 season. The following spring he injured a ligament in his left elbow during Spring Training and had to undergo Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career. (He previously had the surgery in 2002.)

Capuano returned to the Majors and Milwaukee as a reliever/starter in 2010, before he joined the Mets as a free agent for the 2011 season. He was a decent back-end-of-the-rotation starter for the guys from Queens and topped 186 innings. His comeback was truly complete as a member of the Dodgersin 2011, when he put together solid ERA and WHIP numbers (3.72, 1.220), threw 198.1 innings, and led the NL with 33 starts A variety of injuries limited him to 20 starts in 2013 and his production dropped off as well.

ESPN's Jim Bowden reported on Thursday the Yankees were in discussions with the Padres for Kennedy's services, with prospects Eric Jagielo (3B) and Ian Clarkin (P) being mentioned as part of a deal. However, on Friday, Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish reported that the Yankees were not "aggressively pursuing" Kennedy. Earlier in the week, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman stated that the Pads would not trade Kennedy unless they were blown away by an offer.

It was also Bowden who reported the Yankees had talked to the Rockies about De La Rosa. A couple of weeks ago, Bowden's colleague Jayson Stark had written that the Rockies were looking for a young pitcher that could join the staff ASAP. The Yankees are not in possession of that type of player, nor are most teams.

After he beat the Nationals on Wednesday, De La Rosa's record stood at 11-6, 4.19 with a 1.284 WHIP in 116.1 innings pitched. The 33-year old left-hander has actually had better results at hitter-friendly Coor's Field than on the road. With some home cooking, De La Rosa's ERA (3.23) is more than two points lower than when he dons the Rockies' road uniform. He's also won seven of his nine decisions in Colorado.

Peavy, Rios, and Lee and Lots of Phone Calls

The Chicago White Sox have been miserable all year and are having a semi-annual clearance sale. Alex Rios, Jake Peavy, and Alexei Ramirez are among the sale items that have been marked down (or up). Rios and Peavy are among the most sought after veterans as Major League Baseball nears the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.(4 pm EDT)

Peavy was scratched from his scheduled start this evening and is the subject of trade talk between the White Sox and a number of teams. Boston, St. Louis, and Oakland are among those showing interest.

Rios is a conundrum, tagged early in his career as the next Dave Winfield, his career has been a roller coaster.  He made back to back American All-Star teams as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2006-2007, which lead to a seven year, $64MM contract. While his production dipped slightly in 2008, the 2009 season led the Blue Jays to cut salary.

Rios was putting together a decent season with 62 RBI and a .744 OPS in 108 games when the Blue Jays placed him on post-deadline waivers. The White Sox claimed him and the Blue Jays said you could have him. Suddenly, Toronto had a lot less payroll.

Rios meanwhile didn't adjust well to his new surroundings - a .530 OPS in 41 games. Thus began the rollercoaster for Rios' career. The 2010 season saw a resurgence with 21 HR, 88 RBI, 34 stolen bases and a .791 OPS. A year later though, back down came the coaster; a .613 OPS with just 13 HR and 44 RBI in 537 at-bats. 2012? You guessed it, 850 OPS, topped .300 in his batting avg., 25 HR, 91 RBI and a 15th place finish in the AL MVP voting. Rios still has one year left on his deal, but his OPS is about 100 points less than last season and his HR and RBI pace is down again. I would stay away from him unless you have to give up little in return. He's still guaranteed $12.5MM next year.

Teams in play - Pirates, Yankees (Rios willing to waive his no-trade per NY Post's Joel Sherman); Rangers appear to be out of it for now.

Cliff Lee seems to be in this position every year. In 2002, prior to the deadline he was part of a package (Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips, Lee Stevens) that sent Bartolo Colon from Cleveland to Montreal. The '09 deadline saw him and Ben Francisco shipped to Philly for four players. He was sent to the Seattle Mariners that winter and was up for grabs at the 2010 deadline. After it appeared he was going to the Yankees in a Jesus Montero led deal, the Mariners sent Lee to the Texas Rangers for highly touted prospect Justin Smoak and three others.

Lee returned to Philly again as a free agent in 2010 for five years guaranteed (over $100MM) and an option for a sixth year.  It was one of the many recent mistakes GM Reuben Amaro Jr. made that boosted Philly's payroll significantly. Amaro tonight stated that there is "very little chance" that Lee gets dealt" and chances are "remote" that Michael Young does.

The rest of the field:

Ian Kennedy - Angels are going hard after him, willing to deal Howie Kendrick (Ken Rosenthal)

Marc Rzepczynski- A deal is in place that would send the lefty to the Indians (Derrick Goold, St. Louis-Post Dispatch)

Oliver Perez - Yeah, that guy. Multiple teams are said to be interested in adding Perez to their bullpen. (Jon Morosi)

Bud Norris - Astros are getting calls on Norris who would be a middle to back end of the rotation starter.

You Can't Spell Immaturity Without the I in Ian Kennedy

Most likely by now you either saw the Arizona Diamondbacks-Los Angeles Dodgers game live Tuesday night, watched the "lowlights" or read about everything that is not what baseball is supposed to be about. When all is said and done Diamondbacks pitcher Ian Kennedy should be hit, no pun intended, with a lengthy suspension and a hefty fine.

Things started out when Zack Greine hit the Dbacks' Cody Ross, which probably looked innocent enough to most observers. However, Greinke has a reputation for well placed pitches that connect with body tissue and broke his collarbone earlier this year when San Diego's Carlos Quentin bull rushed the mound. Hitting Ross also backfired when the next hitter, Jason Kubel, hit a 2-run home run.

Arizona's Kennedy must have been one of those who though Greinke's pitch had a purpose, since he took thingst one step further and went head hunting at rookie standout Yasiel Puig. The ball hit Puig's shoulder and ricocheted off his nose. Luckily the Cuban native was only shaken up, but the benches emptied due to the location of the pitch. Things could have been let go there, but you can't blame Greinke when he retaliated.

His teammate didn't get hit below the waist, his career and life was put in jeopardy in a matter of seconds by Kennedy's irresponsibility. Greinke responded with a fastball in the back of catcher Miguel Montero. That is where it should have stayed, but Kennedy, who was immensely immature when he was in the Yankees organization, nailed Greinke up high when the Dodgers pitcher came to bat in the 7th inning.

In doing so, Kennedy set off an even nastier bench clearer that had managers and coaches pushing and shoving, and squaring off.  (Dodgers manager Don Mattingly shoved down Diamondbacks coach Alan Trammell; perhaps that was really retaliation for all the times Trammell's late innings hits helped the Tigers beat the Yankees back in the day.) Mattingly and fellow manager Kirk Gibson all had to be separated.  Dodgers hitting coach Mark McGwire was ejected after a shouting match with Gibson.

Jimmy Dugan aka Tom Hanks said, "There's no crying in baseball.", but a better saying is there is no room for stupidity in baseball. What Kennedy did Tuesday night was the ultimate in stupidity. There is no place in baseball for pitches thrown from the shoulders up.

Those of you who are Yankees fans remember when Kennedy pitched for the Bronx Bombers organization from the time he was drafted in 2006 into 2009 when he made his final Major League start for the pinstripes.  No loss was ever his fault. His pitchers were good ones, somehow the other team just hit them. His fielders let him down, the team didn't score, etc. Kennedy needed a change of scenery and attitude. It appears he only got one.

Two years later he was a 21-game winner and finished fourth in the NL Cy Young voting for the Diamondbacks. However, his numbers weren't as good in 2012 and have been much worse this season. (5.49 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, -0.8 WAR) You can bet Kennedy must be frustrated by the season he is having, but his behavior in LA Tuesday night is no excuse. Forget the somewhat standard eight game suspension and double it...at least.

And the worst may still be to come if Kennedy faces the Dodgers again this season.

Curtis Granderson Crushes Pitcher's Souls

There are certain players whose abilities you truly don't appreciate until you get to see them on a regular basis. Yankees centerfielder Curtis Granderson is one such player. And that's not to say that he wasn't already a good/great player before he got to New York. He had a 30 home run season; he had become one of just a handful of players to have a season that included at least 20 home runs, stolen, bases, doubles, and triples, and he had been an All-Star. But there were still holes in his game.

Granderson couldn't hit left-handed pitching. It wasn't that he didn't try, he just didn't have success. (As opposed to say the way Wilt Chamberlain shot free throws.) His first year in New York in 2010 wasn't a very good one. There were signs of success- he would finish the year with 24 home runs and 67 RBI - but until he worked with Kevin Long during the dog days of Summer, Granderson was having a very pedestrian season. But boy have things changed since then.

The Yankees would be nowhere without him this season. On a team that has not hit consistently this season, Granderson has been the rock (though Freddy Garcia actually looks like "The Rock"). Last night, for example, he jump-started a laugher against the Oakland A's with a 2-run home run off of left-hander Brett Anderson. That's right, a left-hander, the hurler whose delivery baffled Granderson for several seasons.

Granderson used to release the bat with his bottom hand as he swung through. Long changed that so that Granderson continues to drive the bat through the ball as contact is made. He had him stay back on the ball longer. As Long has said, "This wasn't just about hitting left-handers."

The results have been remarkable. From August 31 until the end of last season, Granderson hit nearly half (10) of his 24 home runs. In his last 82 games, from that final day in August through Tuesday night, "the Grandyman" has hit 26 home runs and driven in 67 RBI in 83 games. Those are basically the same numbers he produced in 136 games last year. And today is only June 1. One more statistic to note- Granderson is hitting .323 against left-handers and .268 versus righties.

Once seemingly clueless against southpaws, you couldn't blame Granderson if he laughed in the face of those anti-righties today. Entering Tuesday night's play, Granderson was hitting .298/.355/.789...do the quick math...that's a 1.144 OPS! (His overall OPS is 190-200 points higher than each of the prior two seasons.) He now has more than half his home runs (9) against left-handed pitching. In addition to Anderson, he has homered off the likes of David Price, and Jon Lester.

Granderson can also thank manager Joe Girardi's lineup for a boost in production. His numbers were good when he batted lower in the order, but since he was moved to the number two spot in front of Mark Teixeira, Granderson has been on a tear. In 34 games he has amassed 12 home runs, 29 RBI, six doubles, three triples, and 40 hits overall.

On a team that has treated runners in scoring position like a disease, Granderson has hit .280 and with a man on third and less than two outs, he's hit an un-Godly .750. The centerfielder's game hasn't just been good in hitter's parks too, he's destroyed pitcher friendly Safeco in Seattle and Overstock.com in Oakland.

To further demonstrate just how good Granderson has been, consider Jose Bautista, the Blue Jays right fielder. Major League baseball media and fans have marveled at the home run display that has been put on north of the border in the last year plus. From August 14 to now, Bautista has hit 38 home runs...Curtis Granderson has hit 31. It's unusual for a player in a small market to get more attention than a player in baseball's biggest market, but that's what happens when you (Bautista) crack the 50 home run mark in a single season.

Granderson has yet to embrace his power stroke - "I've never been that kind of a guy" is his answer when queried about being tagged as a home run hitter. Bautista told the Washington Post he feels otherwise. “He’s a power hitter,” said Bautista, during a Blue Jays-Yankees series in the Bronx. “He might as well embrace it.”

While Granderson may not embrace his Ruthian status, the Yankees fans have certainly embraced him, though it took some time. Acquired in a three way deal that sent Phil Coke and Austin Jackson to Detroit, and Ian Kennedy to Arizona (the Tigers also received Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth from the Diamondbacks), Granderson slumped, was injured, and wasn't feeling the love from his new hometown fans. The attitude in the Bronx has done a complete 180 degree turn and it's not surprising.

Besides being a great athlete/baseball player, Granderson is one of the most thoughtful, well spoken players on the team. I had the chance to ask him a few questions in the Yankees' clubhouse prior to the September 1st game last year. He treated me as though I could have been from one of the major New York papers or national media outlets instead of the relative neophyte I am. His Grand Kids Foundation has done tremendous work with youth in both the Detroit and New York areas. He's the type of player that relishes being a role model and it shows.

Opposing pitchers just wish he were kinder to them.

The BaseballDigest.com 2011 MLB Preview: The Arizona Diamondbacks | Baseball Digest

The BaseballDigest.com 2011 MLB Preview: The Arizona Diamondbacks | Baseball Digest

When a team finishes in last place in its division for two straight years and averages just 67.5 wins during that time, there is no place to go but up. Such is the case with the 2011 Arizona Diamondbacks.

Starting Rotation

Long gone are the days of Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson. The Diamondbacks’ rotation is leaning heavily on youth, with 29 yr-old Joe Saunders as the lone veteran assured a spot. Saunders was acquired from the Angels as part of a package that sent Dan Haren to Los Angeles. Saunders went 34-14 in 2008-2009, but he’s coming off a season in which he lost 17 games and gave up nearly 4.5 runs per game.

Ian Kennedy finally translated some of his success in the minor leagues to the majors, finishing with a 3.80 ERA. His command still needs work though, since he led the league in wild pitches and walked better than three batters per nine innings.

Daniel Hudson was one of the most highly touted pitchers in the Chicago White Sox farm system, and for that reason Arizona demanded his inclusion in a deal for Edwin Jackson. The right-hander was dominant after the deal, going 7-1, 1.69 in 11 starts, and averaging better than seven strikeouts per nine innings.

There are no guarantees for the last two spots in the rotation. One of the candidates is Barry Enright, who virtually came out of nowhere in his rookie season last year to win six of his first eight decisions. Even though he lost his last five starts, he still finished with a 3.91 ERA. Enright doesn’t blow away hitters, so command of the zone is essential for his success.

Armando Galarraga and Zach Duke will also vie for the last two spots. Galarraga was acquired from Detroit following a season in which he lost a perfect game to an erroneous call by 1st base ump Jim Joyce. That was the thing to happen for Galarraga last year, as he has been unable to match his rookie success (13-7, 3.73) of 2008. Duke was dealt to the Diamondbacks by the Pittsburgh Pirates after five straight sub-.500 seasons. Despite a promising 4.06 ERA, he lost 16 games in ’09, and when he gave up nearly six runs per game in ’10, Pittsburgh decided he needed a chance of scenery.

Bullpen

J.J. Putz emerged as a top closer when he saved 76 games in 2006-2007, but a number of injuries derailed his next two seasons. Healthy again, Putz bounced back with the White Sox in ’10 as one of the premier set up men in the game. After signing with AZ as a free agent in December, Putz will get the chance to close once again.

The Dbacks’ bullpen was one of the worst in baseball last season, but a couple of Orioles acquired in the Mark Reynolds deal should help turn things around. David Hernandez was originally a struggling starter in the O’s organization before a move to the bullpen gave him a chance to strut his stuff. The 6’9″ Kam Mickolio has impressed the Diamondbacks so far this spring.

Juan Gutierrez didn’t win a game last year and had an ERA over 5.00, but he saved 15 games and struck out batters at a high rate. He’s the early favorite to be Arizona’s eight inning guy. “I think this is a big year for him,” catcher Miguel Montero told the Arizona Republic. “He knows himself better. He knows the league better. I know the hitters know him, but he’s nasty, man. Mariano (Rivera) throws a cutter and everybody knows it’s coming, and they still can’t hit it. (Gutierrez) has got (good) stuff.”

Sam Demel, Esmerling Vasquez, Aaron Heilman (who may also get a chance to vie for the starting rotation), Mike Hampton, and Micah Owings are among those battling for the final three spots in the pen.

Infield

1st Base – Is a three player battle to replace Adam LaRoche who signed with the Washington Nationals as a free agent. Veteran Russel Branyan, and youngsters Juan Miranda and Brandon Allen are vying for the position. Branyan is an established slugger/whiff artist while Miranda never got enough at-bats in the Major Leagues with the Yankees to establish himself. Allen’s numbers in Triple-A have been solid (.993 OPS, 25 HR , 86 RBI) , but he only has 54 games worth of experience in the majors. The biggest problem is all three hitters are left-handed. Right-handed hitting outfielder Xavier Nady may see some time at 1st base as well.

2nd Base – In his fifth season in the bigs, Kelly Johnson had a bustout season, setting career highs in HR (26), RBI (71), Runs Scored (93) and OPS (.895). The Diamondbacks are counting on similar production this year.

Shortstop - Stephen Drew has been a model of consistency at the shortstop position. A .272-15-62 season is the type of production Drew can be expected to produce. The soon-to-be 28-yr old has shown the same consistency on defense. Last season he made a career-low 10 errors. His double play partner Johnson had this to say about him last season, “I realize it’s also about range and about when you make the plays and what kind of plays you’re making and the stuff you have to see,. But I’ve seen it. I’ve seen him make diving plays, sliding plays, very good plays. I know he’d like to be hitting better, but he still helps this team every day with his defense.”

3rd Base – Melvin Mora (39) will probably get the bulk of the playing time, though switch-hitter Geoff Blum (38 in Apr.) could see a number of at-bats against right-handers. The two won’t be able to replace the home run or RBI production of Mark Reynolds, but more than anything they will be looked at to provide veteran leadership and hold down the fort until one of the Diamondbacks prospects (Matt Davidson or Bobby Borchering) is ready to play in the bigs.

Outfield – Left field should be a platoon situation for manager Kirk Gibson. Xavier Nady will face left-handers if he’s healthy- his twice surgically-repaired right elbow will slow his progress during spring training, so it may mean more at-bats for a Gerardo Parra. In center, the Diamondbacks would like to see Chris Young cut down on his strikeouts and improve his batting average, but the outfielder can be counted on for 20-25 home runs and 85-90 RBI, which could very well lead the team. Right fielder Justin Upton was so highly touted out of high school that he was taken by Arizona with the very first pick of the 2005 amateur draft. A first-time All-Star in 2009, his numbers dropped off a bit last year. The Diamondbacks are counting on him as one of the keys to the future (though there have been trade rumors centering on him as well).

Catcher – Miguel Montero has some good pop in his bat (16 HR in 2009), but played in just 85 games last year due to a knee injury. AZ will be looking for him to pick up where he left off two years ago.

George Vass takes a look at the surprising 1999 Arizona Diamondbacks. The team was just in in its second year of existence and just two years away from a World Series title. Click here to read all about it.

Bench – Henry Blanco will back up Montero at catcher, while Parra will back up all three outfield spots. Infielder Tony Abreu will be the utility infielder with the ability to play all three infield positions. Branyan should fill another bench spot while Cole Gillespie has a good shot at the fifth outfield spot. Journeyman Wily Mo Pena is a long shot to make the team.

Manager Kirk Gibson is in his first full season as skipper of the Diamondbacks. He replaced A.J. Hinch after 79 games last season and is the third Diamondbacks manager in three years. The squad was 34-49 under Gibson, but it was a team that was just beginning its transition to a complete rebuilding phase.

Management hopes that Gibson brings the same leadership and fiery tenacity that he had as a ball player to the role of manager. He has a two-year contract as the team gets set to play with a very veteran team this season in preparation for the movement to youth in 2012. Whether Gibson gets the chance to be a teacher remains to be seen.

Front Office – GM Kevin Towers also has a two-year deal, though he has vesting options for future years. He’s in a tough position – on the one hand he has a team with no expectations of success, but he must pick and chooose his parts to get the team competitive again. Towers won’t add any payroll, and he’ll certainly look to move some of the veterans for youth/less experienced players at the deadline. He could also push the button on a Justin Upton deal if he were to get a suitable package in return.

Granderson in Pinstripes Afterall

The deal appeared dead last night, but a three way deal has been completed today that brings Curtis Granderson to the Yankees. In getting the 6-yr veteran, the Yankees gave up prized prospect Austin Jackson (Detroit) and pitchers Ian Kennedy (Arizona) and Phil Coke (Detroit).

The Tigers received pitchers Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth (son of the ESPN bozo) from the Diamondbacks, who get hard throwing right-hander Edwin Jackson in addition to Kennedy.

I didn't initially like the idea of giving up Jackson in this deal, but the more I've thought about it, the more I like this. Jackson making it big is not a given by any means (I could care less about Kennedy or Coke). In Granderson, the Yankees get a bonafide center fielder, one who has gold glove ability on defense, can hit for power (avg 25 HR the last 3 seasons, 30 last year alone), and adds speed (20 steals). He's also said to be a good guy in the clubhouse, which is important with the possible departure of Johnny Damon.

Granderson comes cheaply too- he's under contract thru 2012 (with an option for 2013) at just over #$6 million per year.

Granderson's two shortcomings are his inability to hit left-handed pitching and a penchant for striking out (141 times in 2 of the last 3 years). The Yankees hope hitting instructor Kevin Long can make a difference in those two departments.

Jackson has hit at every level, but has yet to display much power in the minor leagues. It's possible that was one of the contributing factors in the Yankees' decision to move him.

Granderson Talk Highlights Day 1

There may be nothing more to it than pure speculation or the Yankees, Tigers, and Diamondbacks may have actually had some meaningful discussions on a possible three team trade. No matter, the outcome was the same. No deal.

The Yankees have shown interest in Tigers' center fielder Curtis Granderson since Mark Teixeira recorded the final putout in the World Series. The Yankees would have had to part with plenty of talent though in order to land Granderson and that's why the deal made no sense.

Top prospect Austin Jackson and left-handers Phil Coke and Mike Dunn would have been shipped to Detroit, while right-hander Ian Kennedy was sent to Arizona. The Diamondbacks would have sent Max Scherzer to the Tigers, receiving fellow right-hander Edwin Jackson in return. But by the end of the evening, the talks had stalled, maybe permanently.

It's just as well that they did. There's no point in dealing Jackson for a fellow center fielder, even he's as good as Granderson. Notice I said (very) good, not great. Granderson has plenty going for his game, but that doesn't mean Jackson might not turn out to be better. If Jackson is to be dealt it should be for a higher rated position player or a top notch starter (i.e. Roy Halladay).

Brian Cashman told the Bergen Record's Pete Caldera that pitching is still the Yankees top priority this off-season. That includes looking to re-sign Andy Pettitte, reportedly for around $10 million.

Short time Yankee Ivan Rodriguez agreed to a 2-yr, $6 million deal with the Washington Nationals. The future Hall of Fame catcher didn't find a taker last season until the Astros scooped him up in mid-March.

The Cardinals inked righty Brad Penny to a 1-yr, $7 million contract. Penny, who spent this past season with the Red Sox and Giants, could earn an additional $2 million in incentives. By signing Penny, it's also thought the Cards will not bring back John Smoltz.

American Idle himself, Carl Pavano has agreed to arbitration and will stay with the Minnesota Twins. Pavano had a resurgence last year with the Indians before being dealt at the deadline to Minny.

The Tigers re-signed shortstop Adam Everett to a 1-yr, $1.5 mill deal.

No suprise in Houston where Astros' closer Jose Valverde turned down arbitration in search of a much bigger deal. The Braves were surprised though that Rafael Soriano took them up on arbitration. Meanwhile lefty Mike Gonzalez said no thanks.

Halo at Ya Boy

Yankees Earn Their Wings

Filed Under: Yankees

Tags: a.j. burnett • Chone Figgins • Ian Kennedy • LA Angels • mariano rivera • Mark Teixeira • NY Yankees • Robinson Cano • Scott Kazmir • Yankees 9/23 recap • Yankees vs. Angels

Written for Baseball Digest Online

Perhaps the Yankees had a five year plan. It seems that what most successful businesses do. Or perhaps there’s another explanation as to why it took the Yankees five years to win a series in Anaheim. The culmination of the Yankees’ “business plan” came to fruition with a 3-2 Yankees win over the LA Angels Wednesday that was their first series win in So Cal since May, 2004. It wasn’t easy though. With Phil Hughes and Al Aceves unavailable, Joe Girardi had to throw everything against the wall to see what would stick before Mariano Rivera came on for his 42nd save.

The Yankees also had to be encouraged by the second straight good start by A.J. Burnett. Though he lasted just 5 2/3 innings in 95 degree heat, Burnett struck out 11 and limited the Angels lineup to two runs. He ran out of gas in the 6th, allowing an RBI double to Gary Matthews Jr., followed by a walk to Mike Napoli. Girardi sent for Damaso Marte to flip Chone Figgins around to the right side. The dangerous switch-hitter already had three hits, but Marte retired him on a fly to right to preserve the lead.

After that it was all mix and match and keeping one’s fingers crossed. The biggest surprise, to the pitcher himself, was when Girardi called on Ian Kennedy in the 8th. It was Kennedy’s first major league appearance this season after missing most of the year due to surgery for an aneurysm in his shoulder. It wasn’t pretty, butIPK got the job done. He loaded the bases loaded with a pair of walks and a hit batter, but got Erick Aybar on a fly to Melky Cabrera in left to set things up for Rivera.

With a lineup that was missing Alex Rodriguez (rest), Jorge Posada (foul ball off his foot), and Nick Swisher (foul ball off his knee), the Yankees knew they would have to scratch and claw for runs. Mark Teixeira stroked a one out double off Scott Kazmir in the 4th and tried to score two batters later when Shelley Duncan ripped a single to left off the glove of Figgins at third. Despite the fact Teixeira had started to head back to 2nd base, 3rd base coach Rob Thomson waved Teixeira home, hoping to break the scoreless tie. Unfortunately for Thomson, Juan Rivera made a perfect throw to nail Teixeira at the plate.

Hideki Matsui, who had drawn a walk, and Duncan both into scoring position on the play. That’s when the guy you would least expect to deliver in the clutch, did just that. Robinson Cano came into the game barely hitting over .200 with runners in scoring position, but ripped a single to right to plate both runners. WhenNapoli couldn’t handle the throw home, Cano moved to 2nd base. The play would prove important when Melky Cabrera followed with a double to easily score his buddy for a 3-0 Yankees lead.

So perhaps the Yankees finally have some confidence in the home of the Halos. What they definitely have is a six game lead over Boston in the AL East and a six game homestand ahead with the Sox and Kansas City Royals.

Game Notes

The Yankees have Thursday off before starting that 3-game set with the Red Sox. Joe Girardi has shuffled his starting rotation, moving CC Sabathia to Saturday to give him an extra day’s rest. Joba Chamberlain will go Friday night against Jon Lester.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, A.J. Burnett is just the third Yankee pitcher to record double digit strikeouts in less than six innings. Chamberlain did it earlier this season (12 K’s) and David Cone performed the feat in 1998 (11 K’s).

Jerry Hairston Jr. left the game with a wrist injury when he checked his swing in the 7th inning. Hairston hurt a popping sound and will go for tests today.

IPK Takes the Next Step

Ian Kennedy, rehabbing from shoulder surgery, took the next step in his rehab by throwing his first mound session today.

IPK threw 25 pitches and felt fine afterwards. He'll go at it again on Friday.

Source: WCBS

Down on the Farm - Scranton

Due to a hectic schedule, we haven't been able to give as much attention to the Yankees farm system as we had earlier this season. Hopefully, we can make up for that in the coming weeks.

Scranton

A big rehab start for Chien-Ming Wang last night. He threw 82 pitches against the Charlotte Knights in a six inning stint. Wang had his sinker working nicely as he limited the Knights to 3 hits, walked 3 and struck out 6.

"He's definitely heading in the right direction," (Brian) Cashman said. "He had great mound presence and showed some great tempo. I thought his slider was terrific. Obviously he did a great job."

Former teammate Andy Phillips almost ruined Wang's night when he hit him in the leg with a comebacker, but Wang was all right afterwards.

Hitters

Top prospect Austin Jackson continues to have a fine year. He hasn't shown home run power, but all other parts of his offensive game are clicking. His splitsof .361/.426/.444 have been helped by 5 doubles, 2 triples, and 11 walks. Jackson has also stolen 7 bases without being caught. Jackson will need to cut down on his strikeouts, as he has been rung up 29 times in 108 at-bats.

Juan Miranda has tailed off after his red hot start and is batting .283. But Miranda has shown significant improvement batting against left-handers (.278), which is his biggest roadblock to the majors. (Obviously Mark Teixeira is his biggest roadblock with the Yankees.)

Pitching

Ian Kennedy underwent successful surgery yesterday to correct the aneurysm that was discovered in his right shoulder. He won't begin throwing until a minimum 6-8 weeks.

Anthony Claggett didn't let a rough major league appearance affect his pitching for Scranton. The 24-yr old has allowed just one earned run in his last 9.2 innings.

George Kontos has had a couple of rough outings since his promotion from Trenton. Kontos has struck out 11 hitters in 10.2 innings, but has allowed six earned runs.

Ian Kennedy has Numbness in Fingers

Just spotted this on Mike Silva's Baseball Digest - Ian Kennedy left his Monday start for Scranton due to numbness in his fingers. Scranton beat writer Chad Jennings reported late last night that there was no concrete medical findings as of yet.

Any Yankees fan over the age of 12 will of course recall David Cone going through this in 1996. That turned out to be an aneurysm. We're in no way saying that's the case here. But clearly there is a circulatory issue. It's not uncommon for pitchers who throw split finger fastballs to experience numbness. Jeff Robinson of the '80s Detroit Tigers comes to mind.

Hopefully this turns out to be nothing. We'll keep you posted.

Scranton wins 2nd straight in 11

It took 11 innings, but the Scranton Yankees won their second straight game to start the season, 2-1 over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. John Rodriguez led off the eleventh with a double and two batters later scored on Shelley Duncan's single.

The Yankees tied the game in the seventh inning when Juan Miranda, who drove in 5 runs in the opener, doubled and later scored on an Angel Berroa single.

Brett Tomko picked up the win while J.B. Cox notched his first save. Ian Kennedy was outstanding in his first start of the season, allowing 1 run on 4 hits in six innings. He struck out 11 and didn't walk a batter. Tomko and David Robertson each struck 3 batters in 2 innings to give Yankees pitching 17 K's on the evening.

Prospect Watch
Austin Jackson was 2-5 with 3 K's.

Yankees Make More Cuts

Ian Kennedy didn't have the best spring, but he did end his time in major league camp on a good note Sunday, allowing an unearned run in three innings. Kennedy was reassigned to Scranton today as the Yankees cut down the number of players in the big league camp.

Pitcher Christian Garcia, on the road back from Tommy John surgery, was reassigned to Trenton. Infielder Kevin Russo, pitcher Mark Melancon, and catchers Jesus Montero and Austin Romine were sent to the minor league camp.

Joba Looks to Take Control

The Yankees play the Reds tonight in Tampa tonight at 7:15. The game will be televised on YES. Joba Chamberlain gets the start for the Yankees and he'll be looking to bounce back from his last start when he couldn't find the strike zone.

It was a rough game yesterday for Ian Kennedy, who gave up 5 runs in 2.2 innings pitched as the Yankees lost to the Blue Jays 6-2. More importantly though, Andy Pettitte faced seven hitters and felt good afterwards. Box Score

Brett Gardner continued his big spring as he battles for the center field job. Gardner hit his third home run of the spring and also added a single. Gardner only has nine home runs in his entire minor league career and none in the majors.

Mark Teixeira also enjoyed a 2-hit game and is hitting .500 this spring.

Mariano Rivera threw 30 pitches in the bullpen and expects to pitch in a game next week.

The Daily Yankeeland - 3/8

With today's announcement of Alex Rodriguez's surgery, the Kansas City Star decided to start a rumor about the Yankees inquiring into the availability of the Royals' Mark Teahen. The paper didn't cite any sources, and the rumor was quickly dismissed by Yankees GM Brian Cashman. Teahen came up as a third baseman, and has experience at both corner positions and the outfield.

Bernie Williams thinks having some time off will be a blessing in disguise for A-Rod.

The Star Ledger's Mark Carig has a piece on the joint quest of Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy to forget the 2008 season and start anew.

The Post's Joel Sherman says the Yankees can survive and thrive without A-Rod.

The Yankees continue to try to sell their premium seats.

Former Yankees Graeme Lloyd and Pat Kelly are coaches on the Australian team in the World Baseball Classic.

Braves Edge Yankees 3-2

Without Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, and Robinson Cano in the lineup, runs are hard to come by. With no Hideki Matsui, Jorge Posada, or Mark Teixeira, your chances are slim to none of winning baseball games. That was the case today when the Yankees were limited to 5 hits in a 3-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves in Orlando, Florida.

Casey Kotchman's 2-run double off of Ian Kennedy in the first inning put the Braves ahead for good. Rookie pitcher/Japanese import Kenshin Kawakami picked up the win and has not allowed an earned run in two spring appearances.

Pitcher Dan Giese reached on a single and later scored on Johnny Damon's single in the fifth, and Xavier Nady led off the sixth with a triple and scored on Juan Miranda's ground out.

Giese allowed one run in three innings of work as he battles for the long man spot in the pen.

Kids Give it Away

Yankees fall to Twins, 5-4, as Bullpen Falters

Ian Kennedy looked good, but a group of young pitchers- Eric Hacker, Andrew Brackman, George Kontos, and Wilkins De la Rosa - couldn't hold the Yankees 3-0 lead. The Twins snapped a 3-3 tie with a pair of runs in the 8th and staved off a Yankees rally in the 9th, for a 5-4 victory. It was the Yankees first loss of Spring Training.

The Yankees banged out 14 hits, but after scoring a pair of runs in the first inning, and adding another in the second on a Justin Leone home run, they didn't score another run until the 9th, and that was with the help of an error.

Hacker, who had a tremendous year split between Tampa and Trenton in '08, struggled through 2 innings, allowing the Twins first run in the fourth inning. Anthony Claggett came on to get Hacker out of further trouble and added a scoreless 5th inning as well.

But then things went south. Brackman allowed a solo home run to Jason Kubel in the sixth, to cut the lead to 3-2. The Twins then tied the game with a run on three hits in the seventh against Kontos, who struck out 2, to tie the game.

Minnesota went ahead in the eighth with a pair of runs off of De la Rosa, who allowed 2 hits and 2 walks in two-thirds of an inning. Steven Jackson came on to get the final out.

* * *

With a 2 1/2 hr ride each way, the Yankees left most of their regulars home.

Jorge Posada, who had a home run and double yesterday, added two singles in today's game.

February 27, 2009

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
NY Yankees	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1		4	14	0
Minnesota	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	2	X		5	11	2

NY Yankees	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Gardner, CF	2	1	2	0	1	0	0	.429
Jackson, A, CF	2	1	1	0	0	1	1	.500
Ransom, 2B	3	1	1	1	0	1	2	.167
Pena, 2B	2	0	1	0	0	1	0	.250
Swisher, 1B	3	0	2	0	0	0	1	.500
Miranda, 1B	2	0	1	0	0	0	2	.400
Posada, DH	3	0	2	0	0	0	2	.800
1-Rodriguez, J, PR-DH	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	.333
Nady, RF	3	0	0	1	0	0	4	.200
Linden, RF	2	0	0	0	0	1	4	.200
Cabrera, M, LF	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	.000
Russo, LF	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Berroa, SS	2	0	1	0	1	0	0	.667
Nunez, E, SS	2	0	1	0	0	0	3	.333
Leone, 3B	3	1	1	1	0	0	3	.250
Bernier, 3B	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1.000
Cervelli, C	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	.250
Romine, C	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000
Totals	39	4	14	3	4	4	27
1-Ran for Posada in the 5th.
BATTING 2B: Gardner (1, Baker), Miranda (1, Delaney). HR: Leone (1, 2nd inning off Baker, 0 on, 1 out). TB: Gardner 3; Jackson, A; Ransom; Pena; Swisher 2; Miranda 2; Posada 2; Berroa; Nunez, E; Leone 4; Cervelli. RBI: Ransom (1), Nady (1), Leone (1). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cabrera, M; Ransom; Leone 2; Swisher; Jackson, A; Linden; Nunez, E 2. Team LOB: 12. BASERUNNING SB: Gardner 2 (2, 2nd base off Duensing/Redmond, 2nd base off Baker/Redmond). CS: Rodriguez, J (1, 2nd base by Mulvey/Ramos), Nunez, E (1, 2nd base by Julianel/Ramos). FIELDING DP: 2 (Leone-Ransom-Swisher, Pena-Berroa-Miranda).

NY Yankees	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Kennedy	2.0	1	0	0	1	3	0	0.00
Hacker (H, 1)	1.0	3	1	1	2	0	0	9.00
Claggett (H, 1)	2.0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0.00
Brackman (H, 1)	1.0	1	1	1	0	0	1	9.00
Kontos (BS, 1)	1.0	3	1	1	0	2	0	9.00
De La Rosa (L, 0-1)	0.2	2	2	2	2	1	0	27.00
Jackson, S	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.00

Minnesota	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Gomez, CF	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	.000
Martin, CF	2	0	2	1	0	0	0	.714
Casilla, 2B	2	0	0	0	1	0	1	.250
Tolbert, 2B-RF	2	0	1	1	0	0	2	.167
Crede, DH	2	0	0	0	1	1	2	.000
a-Hughes, PH-DH	1	0	0	0	0	1	2	.333
Morneau, 1B	2	0	1	0	0	0	1	.500
1-Peterson, PR-1B	2	1	0	0	0	1	2	.250
Cuddyer, RF	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	.250
2-Winfree, PR-RF	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	.400
3-Plouffe, PR-SS	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Young, LF	2	0	2	1	0	0	0	.750
Kubel, LF	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	.333
Pridie, LF	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	.333
Redmond, C	2	0	0	0	0	1	3	.250
Ramos, C	1	1	0	0	1	0	0	.000
Harris, 3B	2	0	0	0	0	1	3	.400
Valencia, 3B	2	1	2	1	0	0	0	1.000
Punto, SS	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	.000
Macri, SS-2B	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	.000
Totals	32	5	11	5	5	7	20
a-Struck out for Crede in the 7th. 1-Ran for Morneau in the 4th. 2-Ran for Cuddyer in the 4th. 3-Ran for Winfree in the 8th.
BATTING 2B: Morneau (2, Hacker). HR: Kubel (1, 6th inning off Brackman, 0 on, 2 out). TB: Martin 2; Tolbert; Morneau 2; Cuddyer; Winfree; Young 2; Kubel 4; Valencia 2. RBI: Young (1), Kubel (1), Tolbert (1), Valencia (1), Martin (2). 2-out RBI: Kubel. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Harris; Punto; Peterson; Tolbert 2. SF: Martin. GIDP: Crede; Casilla. Team LOB: 9. BASERUNNING SB: Young (1, 2nd base off Kennedy/Cervelli). FIELDING E: Casilla (1, throw), Valencia (1, fielding). Outfield assists: Gomez (Berroa at 2nd base).

Minnesota IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Baker 2.0 6 3 3 0 0 1 13.50 Duensing 2.0 2 0 0 2 1 0 0.00 Mulvey 2.0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 Delaney 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 Julianel (W, 1-0) 1.0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0.00 Gosling (S, 1) 1.0 2 1 0 1 1 0 0.00

Hacker pitched to 3 batters in the 4th. WP: Kennedy, Mulvey. Groundouts-flyouts: Kennedy 1-2, Hacker 3-0, Claggett 2-3, Brackman 0-3, Kontos 0-1, De La Rosa 0-1, Jackson, S 0-1, Baker 3-2, Duensing 3-2, Mulvey 1-3, Delaney 0-2, Julianel 1-1, Gosling 1-1. Batters faced: Kennedy 8, Hacker 7, Claggett 6, Brackman 4, Kontos 6, De La Rosa 6, Jackson, S 1, Baker 11, Duensing 10, Mulvey 7, Delaney 4, Julianel 4, Gosling 7. Inherited runners-scored: Claggett 2-0, Jackson, S 2-0. Umpires: HP: Randy Marsh. 1B: Tim Tschida. 2B: Brian O'Nora. 3B: Marvin Hudson. Weather: 78 degrees, sunny. Wind: 12 mph, R to L. T: 3:11. Att: 7,998.