The Kids Are Hot Tonight: Nuno, Warren Earn Split

When you've got Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson, and Kevin Youkilis missing from your everyday lineup, people need to step up their game. It's not just the seasoned veterans, but the youngsters as well. Pitchers Vidal Nuno and Adam Warren did just that Monday afternoon to lead the Yankees to a 7-0 win and a split of a "true" doubleheader with Cleveland Indians.

Another youngster, David Phelps, was outstanding in Game 1,but lost 1-0 to Justin Masteron. A Jason Kipnis first inning home run was the only damage done to the Yankees pitching. Nuno and Warren topped that performance by combining on a shutout that gave Nuno his first Major League win and Warren his first Major League save.

Nuno was outstanding in Spring Training and there was talk that he could make the team as a lefty reliever out of the bullpen. Having not pitched above Double-A, the Yankees felt it was better to have Nuno start every fifth day at Triple-A Scranton. Last month I spoke with Scranton RailRiders beat writer Donnie Collins who had this to say about Nuno: "He started tonight. I think he's a starter. Doesn't have great reliever splits."

Nuno threw 14.2 innings in the exhibition season and allowed just one earned run, 12 hits and four walks, while he struck out 13. He had made four starts for Scranton this season and was equally good. 23.1 innings pitched,  four earned runs, 13 hits, two walks, and 26 strikeouts. That translated to a 1.54 ERA, a league batting average of .157 against him, and a 0.64 WHIP.

The California native threw five innings in frigid Cleveland today and left with a 1-0 lead. He allowed three hits, three walks, and struck out three. Warren came on in the 6th and continued his impressive first month-plus in the big leagues. In a post last week I talked about how he has turned a lot of heads, including my own, after being so solid in the wake of a horrible Spring Training and a poor showing when he got called up for a cup of coffee last year.

Warren's allowed three runs in 18.2 innings, 14 hits, six walks, and has struck out 15. Today's outing lowered his ERA to 1.45 and his WHIP to 1.07. It was his third appearance of three innings or more innings as he continues to give the bullpen a break.

Nuno and Warren had to be spot on due to the Yankees lack of offense. After being shut out in the opener the Yankees managed to score just a single run (on Vernon Wells' RBI ground out) through the first six innings. Then the kiddie corps got it going again in the 7th inning. Corban Joseph, called up only because teams can add a 26th player for a doubleheader, reached on a lead off double. It was Joseph's first Major League hit. Austin Romine followed with a double of his own off start Trevor Bauer to pick up his first Major League RBI. You catching the theme here?

Jayson Nix, Wells, and Lyle Overbay each contributed RBI hits against to break things open against the Indians pen.

It was an especially big win after the Yankees had their four game winning streak snapped in the first game and with the prospect of having to face Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday.

Notes

Wells is 10-26 (.385) over his last seven games with 3 HR and 9 RBI.

Yankees Juggling Roster Like a Street Performer

Brett Marshall now in "The Show"

Monday's doubleheader  with the Cleveland Indians created some roster changes for the Yankees. Second baseman Corban Joseph was recalled with the "26 man" rule - you can add a 26th player to your roster if there's a doubleheader, but the player must get sent back to the minors afterwards.

Since it's an additional player and Joseph was already on the 40-man roster, no corresponding move needed to be made. Joseph played first base to give Lyle Overbay a rest and did a nice job defensively. He started at second base in the second game with Robinson Cano getting a partial game off as DH.

To help the bullpen out, Brett Marshall was called up to be a potential long man for Game 2. The Yankees sent outfielder Brennan Boesch down to Scranton. Of his 96 career minor league appearances Marshall has pitched in relief just twice. The 23-year old was 2-2, 4.60 in six starts this season, his first, at Triple-A Scranton.

Boesch was picked up in Spring Training after he was released by the Detroit Tigers. A good power hitter, Boesch will wildly inconsistent while he played in the Motor City. Boesch had just 41 plate appearances in 19 games and produced just two home runs, five RBI, one double, and one triple. He started just 10 games this season, including the first game of the doubleheader, and produced a .680 OPS.

It's possible that Curtis Granderson, who has swung the bat well in Scranton, could be recalled from his rehab stint (from the broken arm he suffered in Spring Training) to take Boesch's place.

David Phelps pitched his heart out in Monday's opener, a Jason Kipnis home run the only run he allowed in 6.2 innings pitched. The Yankees couldn't muster anything against Indians starter Justin Masterson and were shutout for the third time in May, 1-0. The prior two losses were both 2-0 scores to Oakland and Colorado.

Vidal Nuno made his first Major League start in the Game 2 against Trevor Bauer.

A-Rod Florida Bound For the Next Step

A-Rod is the true Johnny Drama

Alex Rodriguez took another step towards returning to the active roster in July when he arrived in Florida for  the start of "baseball activities". There are no details as of yet as far as what the baseball activities will include. Hopefully nothing illegal.

The Yankees controversial third baseman has been out all year after he underwent left hip surgery in January. A-Rod had been rehabbing the injury in New York and though he was not introduced to the fans, sat in the Yankees dugout on Opening Day.

A-Rod will have to continue to rehab his image as well after he was implicated as a customer of a Florida based anti-aging clinic that was a front for the sale of steroids. Major League Baseball is still investigating who may have been involved.

Nunez hurting again

The MRI on Eduardo Nunez's rib cage came back negative, but the Yankees shortstop said he "can't move". With an off day Monday prior to a three game series in Colorado, the Yankees have time to decide whether or not to bring another position player up from the minor leagues.

Should Nunez not be able to make a go of it, Jayson Nix would start at shortstop and former Rockies infielder Chris Nelson would get the start at third base. If Nunez is to be DL'ed, the Yankees could recall Corban Joseph, who got the nod when Kevin Youkilis first went on the DL or 33-year old veteran shortstop Gil Velazquez. In his first season in the organization, Velazquez is hitting just .197 for Scranton, but has seen regular playing time at shortstop. His recall would force a move on the 40-man roster as well. (David Adams cannot be recalled until May 15.)

The Yankees could also look for another veteran infielder as they did with Nelson. (This could be even more important the longer Derek Jeter is out of the lineup.) Nunez has missed time  in two separate incidents this season after he was hit by a pitch.

Yuke to the DL, Joseph to the Bench

"First my beard, and now this."

As was anticipated, Kevin Youkilis was placed on the 15-day disabled list before Tuesday night's game. Youkilis was in the lineup on Saturday after a week off, but his back continued to bother him.

The Yankees starting third baseman will be out until at least May 13 because the DL could only be back dated to Sunday since Youkilis played on Saturday. During tonight's telecast, YES' Michael Kay relayed a comment by Joe Girardi regarding Youkilis' status.

"Next time I'll ask him six straight times if he feels okay." 

Brian Cashman added that "everyone screwed up in allowing him (Youkilis) to play."

Taking his place on the roster will be second baseman Corban Joseph. I felt David Adams, despite not being on the 40-man roster, would be more of a fit since he was moved from second to third base, and is a good hitter.  Joseph was already on the 40-man and swung a hot batter over the last 10 games (three home runs, .964 OPS), to earn the call.

Jayson Nix will get the bulk of playing time at third base while Youkilis recovers.

With the 140th pick - Corban Joseph

The Yankees went back to the high school ranks to select SS Corban Joseph, the 140th pick overall, in the 3rd round. The 6'0", 168 pounder is a product of Franklin High School in Tennessee. Joseph had committed to the University of Kentucky, but he told Tennessean.com that he will likely go pro.

I've always wanted to play professional ball," said Joseph, who hit .510 with 15 home runs and was The Tennessean's Midstate Player of the Year. "I'm pretty sure I will go."

"I want my swing to look good," said Joseph, The Tennessean 2008 baseball player of the year.

"I can tell when my swing is off. I can look at it on video and tell what I did."And more important — he can correct it."Corban is a pure and natural talent at swinging the bat," Franklin assistant coach Kurt Jones said. "He has the potential to be a great hitter in the major leagues. The reason why is every pitch he makes an adjustment."High school kids don't normally do that."They also don't normally spend hours looking at video clips from multiple angles, dissecting every part of a swing. And they don't call up an assistant like Jones throughout the season for extra batting practice.

With the 140th pick - Corban Joseph

The Yankees went back to the high school ranks to select SS Corban Joseph, the 140th pick overall, in the 3rd round. The 6'0", 168 pounder is a product of Franklin High School in Tennessee. Joseph had committed to the University of Kentucky, but he told Tennessean.com that he will likely go pro.

I've always wanted to play professional ball," said Joseph, who hit .510 with 15 home runs and was The Tennessean's Midstate Player of the Year. "I'm pretty sure I will go."

"I want my swing to look good," said Joseph, The Tennessean 2008 baseball player of the year.

"I can tell when my swing is off. I can look at it on video and tell what I did."And more important — he can correct it."Corban is a pure and natural talent at swinging the bat," Franklin assistant coach Kurt Jones said. "He has the potential to be a great hitter in the major leagues. The reason why is every pitch he makes an adjustment."High school kids don't normally do that."They also don't normally spend hours looking at video clips from multiple angles, dissecting every part of a swing. And they don't call up an assistant like Jones throughout the season for extra batting practice.