It's a Wrap - Yankees Sign Reynolds

The ball is ticketed for the catcher's mitt or the left field fence.

According to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman the Yankees have signed the all or nothing Mark Reynolds to share first base with Lyle Overbay, fill in some for Alex Rodriguez at third base (Reynolds is an awful third baseman), do some DH'ing, hit some home runs and strike out a lot.¹

Reynolds burst on to the scene in 2008 with the Arizona Diamondbacks when he hit 28 home runs and struck out 204 times. He topped both the totals the following season when he banged out 44 home runs and struck out a ridiculous 223 times.

More of the same followed after he was dealt to Baltimore prior to the 2011 season. Reynold's OPS made up for his strikeout totals during the 2007-2012 stretch, but he went downhill this season with the Cleveland Indians.

A .215/.307/.373 slash line meant Reynolds was not going to finish out the one year free agent contract he signed with the Tribe this past off-season. He was even worse since the beginning of June, posting a paltry .484 OPS. The Yankees hope that he can help against left-handers, since the right-handed hitter had a .745 OPS against them.

Yes, this is the move of a desperate Brian Cashman, just as most of the Yankees moves have been this year.

No corresponding 25- or 40-man roster move has been made yet though it's likely that either Luis Cruiz (sprained right knee), Travis Hafner (strained right rotator cuff), or Zoilo Almonte (sprained left ankle) could be moved from the 15- to the 60-day disabled list.

A bigger question is where does Reynolds fit on the 25-man roster. Jayson Nix is a hard nosed, scrappy player, but his .591 OPS makes him expendable. Otherwise the Yankees would have to reduce their pitching staff from 13 to 12, probably at the expense of Preston Claiborne or David Huff, who was just recalled earlier on Thursday.





1 - CBSSports.com

DJ to the DL

One game was all Derek Jeter could muster before he made a return to the 15-day disabled list on Friday. The Yankees' captain missed the first 91 games of the season due to a broken ankle and then strained his right quadricep in his first game back with the team.

When queried about his availability for this weekend's series in Boston, Jeter didn't give his patented answer of "I'll be in the lineup". Instead he said that he would have to wait and see how things were after the All-Star break. That was all you needed to know that Jeter's leg was not responding the way he wanted and needed it to.

Utility man Brent Lillibridge was called up from Scranton to take Jeter's place on the 25-man roster. No move has been made as of yet on the 40-man roster, which is maxed out at the moment. In all likelihood, either Alberto Gonzalez or Luis Cruz will be designated for assignment. My guess would be Gonzalez.

Jeter's return came against the Royals in a sparsely attended afternoon game in the Bronx a week ago Thursday. Jeter was originally supposed to return that Friday for a three game series with the Twins, but injuries to Brett Gardner and Travis Hafner made it necessary for him to return a day early. As the DH he went 1-4 in the game with an RBI and a run scored, but felt something tighten after his third at-bat. Gardner pinch-hit for him when his turn came up again in the order.

Lillibridge is a former Red Sox, who has shown some pop in his bat in the past (13 home runs in 2011), but he owns a career .609 OPS. He was acquired from the Chicago Cubs on June 21 for a player to be named later or cash. The 29-year old produced 7 HR and 15 RBI in 23 games for Scranton along with a .341 batting average and a .709 OPS. He also swiped five bases in seven attempts.  Yankees will remember him for the two spectacular 9th inning game-saving catches he made while a member of the White Sox.

Bob Sheppard's Voice to Ring Out Again: The Return of Derek Jeter

Jeter will be all smiles today...unless you ask him about his ankle.

Thursday, July 11, 2013, a holiday, festive day...weather permitting. It's the day that Derek Jeter returns to the Yankees lineup in a day time contest with the Kansas City Royals.

The Yankees captain has not manned his position in Yankee Stadium since he broke his left ankle in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against Detroit last October. He had hoped to be ready for Opening Day this year, but had a setback and then a new fracture was found on the ankle.

Jeter spent the past week rehabbing with the Triple-A Scranton Railriders and appeared to be moving free and easy in the field and when running.

Outside of the cup of coffee he got in 1995, Jeter has never played less than 119 regular season games in any season. The prior low total occurred in 2003 when Toronto Blue Jays catcher Ken Huckaby landed hard on his left shoulder and dislocated it.  Hopefully Jeter's ankle injury soon becomes a distant memory like his shoulder injury.

Expect Alberto Gonzalez (most likely) or Luis Cruz to be DFA'ed to make room for Jeter on the roster.

Here's to the Captain, Bob Sheppard, and some normalcy in Yankeeland.


UPDATE - Jeter will be the DH in his first game back. Totally off on the roster off. Travis Ishakawa, who played one game, struck out twice, and got booed, was designated for assignment. I gather another move will be made within a few days to add a pitcher or outfielder/first baseman to the roster once Jeter shows everything is cool.