Yankees Refuse To Win - Fans Angered Everywhere

It's the type of late evening loss that is usually reserved for the New York football Giants on a Sunday, Monday, or occasional Thursday night. A prime time defeat to the Cowboys, Redskins, or an AFC team that has played the rude host. The type of game that keeps those of us on the east coast from falling asleep right away. The type of game that replays "what ifs" over and over in your head. The one that keeps you from tuning in to sports radio the next day and from reading recaps in the newspaper or on the internet.

Only this time it was the New York baseball Yankees (not the football Yankees that played from 1926-1928 in Yankee Stadium) that provided the dose of insomnia and bitterness. It was a 7-2 loss that turned into an 8-7 victory that turned back into a 9-8 loss to the Boston Red Sox in 10 innings. Though nothing was lost in the standings (Tampa Bay lost to the Los Angeles Angels so the Yankees remain 2.5 games back of the second wild card), it knocked another game of opportunity off of the schedule. Though Joba Chamberlain gave up the game winning hit to Shane Victorino after Jacoby Ellsbury reached on a one-out single and stole second, there was plenty of blame to go around.

It started with Ivan Nova, the American League pitcher of the month of August, who tossed his first complete game shutout last Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles. Thursday night he was removed after only four innings and 92 pitches. He gave up a pair of runs in the 3rd inning that Robinson Cano got back with a 2-run double in the home half of the inning, but an inning later Nova gave up a go ahead gopher ball to Will Middlebrooks.

Next up on the hit parade was Preston Claiborne, who gave up nothing but hits, runs and a walk. Claiborne was a revelation early in the season, but has struggled since the All-Star Break. He was greeted in the 5th by a Shane Victorino solo home run and moments later Mike Napoli singled  in a run (at least I believe it was Napoli; all of the bald headed, beard faced, white supremacist looking dudes on Boston look alike.) with a third coming in on a fielder's choice. Clairborne was officially charged with 3 ER in 0 IP.

Ryan Lavarnway tacked on an RBI single against Adam Warren for a 7-2 lead when God Bless America commenced in the middle of the 7th.

Jake Peavy breezed through the first six innings with just Cano's ribbies on his sales receipt. Above 100 pitches to start the 7th, Peavy walked Ichiro Suzuki and gave up a pinch-hit single to Vernon Wells. John Farrell went to his pen, but the inning's die had been cast.

Brett Gardner greeted lefty Matt Thornton with an RBI single. The Yankees felt they could run at will, a thought that would later come back to bite them, and sure enough Wells swiped third. (Though replays showed he might have been out.) A walk to Derek Jeter loaded the bases for the Yankees best hitter, Robinson Cano.

The Yankees second baseman pulled an outside pitch, but was fortunate that hopped high enough to avoid a rally killing double play. With the lead cut to 7-4, Farrell sent for right-hander Junichi Tazawa and put three infielders on the left side of the infield for Alfonso Soriano.  The move backfired when Tazawa threw a pitch towards the outside of the plate and Soriano slapped it through the vacant right side of the infield.

Curtis Granderson followed with a smash off of the base of the right field wall to trim the lead to one. Lyle Overbay, who had many big hits over the season, came through again with a single to right that plated Cano and Soriano for an 8-7 Yankees lead. David Robertson dominated the 8th inning and all seemed right with the world.

Mariano Rivera got in on David Ortiz's hands just enough to cause a line out to Overbay, who then scooped up Daniel Nava's weak grounder for the second out of the inning. Unfortunately, Rivera hung a pitch to Napoli, who stroked it to right for his second hit of the night. Recently acquired Quentin Berry pinch-ran and immediately took off for second. He had the base stolen easily, but to compound matters, Austin Romine's throw came up about 5-6 feet short of second and ricocheted off Jeter into left field. Berry raced to third and trotted home with the tying run when Rivera hung another pitch, this time to Stephen Drew, that resulted in an RBI single to right.

The Yankees could have turned the disappointment back into celebration had Soriano not gotten too cocky in the bottom of the 9th.  The veteran had already gotten a break in the inning when he drew a one-out walk and was picked off by left-hander Craig Breslow. Soriano reached second when the pitcher's throw was low to first and handcuffed Nava. With one out, a man in scoring position and Granderson and Alex Rodriguez coming up, the Yankees had a golden opportunity. That is until Soriano got overly aggressive.

With six stolen bases already in the books for the Yankees, Soriano looked to nab third and widened his lead off of second. It was so wide that Breslow easily picked Soriano off again and the Red Sox erased him after a short rundown.

So take your pick - Rivera, Chamberlain, Soriano, Nova, Claiborne,  Ichiro Suzuki (looked horrible at the plate all night), Romine..plenty of goat horns to hand out. It doesn't really matter, because it translated to another crucial loss for a team that at times looks like the worst in baseball.

Yankees Top Tina Fey and Paul Rudd and the White Sox

"Make another error and next time it'll be hot coffee."

Tuesday night's Yankees-White Sox game had all the makings of a disaster. Hiroki Kuroda was attempting to right his ship after three poor outings in a row and struck out the side in the first inning. The only problem was Alfonso Soriano had played a potential fly out into a double and Eduardo Nunez added to his error total at shortstop. Kuroda worked out of the jam with just one run allowed, but the Yankees already trailed after a half inning. More poor play by Soriano in left field and domination by White Sox starter Chris Sale put the Yankees in a 4-1 hole.

By that time the five human and one furry occupants of our household were watching Admission with Tina Fey and Paul Rudd. A cute movie that was no blockbuster, but enjoyable nonetheless. I had already lambasted Nunez repeatedly in debating his value with my brother. "His bat is not good enough to put up with his defense in the field."  A little later Nunez tried to prove me wrong.

After the credits rolled on the movie, I glanced at Yahoo baseball and was shocked to see Yankees 6 White Sox 4.  The Yankees get all the credit in the world for coming from behind to win another must win game. Robin Ventura should be sent a thank you card for his role in it - he pulled Sale after the star in the making threw 114 pitches. (The people that knocked Ventura need their heads examined - 114 pitches in this day and age is a huge amount.)

Derek Jeter got the ball rolling with a one-out single in the bottom of the 8th and Robinson Cano followed with a double. Ventura ended Sales' night and brought in Nate Jones to face Soriano. The second time around in pinstripes has been fruitful for Soriano, whose bat does make up for his defensive deficiencies. He laced a single back up the middle to cut the White Sox lead to 4-3 and moved to third when Alex Rodriguez followed with a single of his own.

Lefty Donnie Veal replaced Jones to face pinch-hitter Curtis Granderson, but the Grandyman lined a game tying single to center field. Veal struck out Mark Reynolds, but Nunez lined a double to left off right-hander Matt Lindstrom to put the Yankees on top for the first time, 6-4.  Mariano Rivera made quick work of the White Sox with a 12-pitch, 9th inning for his 40th save.

It was a tremendous win, but also a reminder that Nunez cannot, should not, be in the field with such huge importance on every game. With Jayson Nix out, the Yankees should have picked up a Miguel Cairo-type player to spell Jeter in the field and kept Nunez on the bench.

Notes

The time finally arrived - Phil Hughes has been plucked from the rotation and put in the bullpen. David Huff, who has a similar career path to Hughes will take his turn in the rotation against Boston on Saturday. Hughes was tremendous out of the pen for the Yankees in 2009 and the move could mean that Joba Chamberlain gets crazy glued to the bullpen bench in close games.

Girardi told the media that he will use the off-season to try to get Rivera to return next year. The odds are slim to none.  Rivera is a man of his word and the "retirement tour" that has taken place would seem disingenuous.

The Yankees first run came on a double steal. A hit and a pair of Chicago errors put Vernon Wells on third and Nunez on first. Nunez broke for second on Sales' delivery and catcher Josh Phegley fired towards second. Wells broke for home and scored when second baseman Gordon Beckham cut the ball off in front of the bag, but made a throw to the wrong side of home plate.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Nunez became the first non-Jeter shortstop since Randy Velarde (1995) to drive in the game winning run in the 8th inning or later.

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

MLB's Poor Umpiring Helps Yankees Blast Halos

The cry for instant replay is going to reach a crescendo sooner rather than later. With a 162 game regular season schedule we've witnessed many mistakes by the men in blue year in and year out. It's affected the biggest stage as well during the post-season.

While it may not cost a team a post-season series, it could help decide who reaches the post-season. The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels are two teams battling to stay above water, so when a call possibly costs them a game, you bet plenty of people stand up and take notice.

Last week in Chicago, home plate umpire Alan Porter erroneously called Brett Gardner out at the plate when he was clearly safe. The "erased" run helped cost the Yankees the game. Tuesday night's contest with the Angels saw the wrong call go in the Yankees favor. Chris Nelson, who spent a few weeks in a Yankees uniform this season, was on third base for Los Angeles with one out in the 6th inning and the Yankees clinging to a 4-3 lead.

Tommy Field lifted a fly ball to left that enabled Nelson to race home ahead of Alfonso Soriano's throw to tie the game at 4-4. Or did it? Catcher Austin Romine threw the ball to Jayson Nix at third and home plate umpire David Rackley called Nelson out. Needless to say Angels manager Mike Scioscia went ballistic. Replays showed that Nelson did not leave third base early - his foot was still on the base when the ball landed in Soriano's glove.

It was Rackley's responsibility to watch Nelson since the third base umpire, Brian Gorman, had to make sure the ball was caught. So standing 90 feet away Rackley determined that Nelson left before the ball was caught which allowed the Yankees to record a double play rather than make an appeal.

Instead of a tie game and lead off hitter J.B. Shuck coming to the plate with runners on first and second and two outs, the inning was over with the Yankees still in the lead. It enabled CC Sabathia to stay in the ball game and pick up his 10th win of the season. The Yankees also had their biggest offensive explosion in what seemed like a decade and held on for a 14-7 win.

Alfonso Soriano had his first big game back in pinstripes with a pair of home runs and a career high six RBI. Alex Rodriguez ripped a 2-run double to the base of the wall in left, Vernon Wells homered for the first time since May, and Eduard Nunez had four ribbies.

It was an odd game to say the least. Sabathia only allowed three hits, but walked six hitters. He also struck out seven so there was plenty of "no contact baseball" when he was in there. The double digit win total made Sabathia just the fifth pitcher since 1900 to win 10 or more games in their first 13 seasons. The others are Tom Seaver, Don Sutton, Eddie Plank, and Carl Hubbell.¹

The game was held up by rain for 26 minutes with two outs in the top of the 8th inning. When play resumed Dellin Betances struck out rookie Grant Green with a 97-mph fastball to end the inning. Unfortunately, Betances didn't have the same good fortune in the 9th inning when he was tagged for four runs after he struck out Chris Iannetta to start the frame. Joba Chamberlain came on to record the final two outs - a seven run lead may be the only time Joba is trusted now.

1 - Elias Sports Bureau

Look..in the Outfield....it's a Bird..No, it's a Plane..No, it's...the Grandyman

If Curtis Granderson steps to the plate tonight covered in bubble wrap could you really blame him?  The Grandyman will attempt to make his season re-debut with the Yankees tonight in the first of three games with the San Diego Padres.

Since there's no DH in the National League park it means that either Alfonso Soriano or Ichiro Suzuki will sit. The Padres are throwing right-hander Andrew Cashner, but that doesn't mean it's an automatic for Ichiro to be in the lineup. Which also means that either Soriano or Granderson could be playing an outfield position (RF) they are  not used to - likely Granderson.

Either way number 14 is ecstatic to be back with this bretheren after a broken forearm and broken finger put him on the DL for lengthy stays. Granderson's absence contribued to the Yankees lack of production and could also hurt his contract demands when he becomes a free agent after the season.

I recall earlier this year when some Yankees fans didn't want Granderson to return from the DL. "He's one dimensional" was the mantra after Granderson hit for power in 2012, but not much else. I'm amazed that anyone can predict that Granderson won't return to his 2011 form when he carried the ball club for much of the season. (Granderson's .828 OPS with runners in scoring position last year has also gotten lost in the shuffle of his career worst 195 strikeouts.)

Granderson's return will also mean that Joe Girardi can mix and match his left-handed and right-handed batters in the lineup and provide more protection for Robinson Cano. Granderson has played just eight Major League games this year - still more than Derek Jeter - and was 7-28 (.250) with a home run that provided his lone RBI. He played his first game of the season on May 14 after his forearm was broken by a J.A. Happ pitch in the first Spring Training game. Tonight he'll have his name in the lineup for the first time since May 24 when a Cesar Ramos pitch did in his finger.

Here's to no more injuries and hopefully the kind of production from Granderson that will make all Yankees fans happy to have him back.

Soriano is Back, Back in a New York Groove

You can clap for yourself when you win the game.

Alfonso Soriano said he felt like he was back home and the Yankees fans greeted him that way when he came to bat in the 2nd inning of Friday night's series opener with the Tampa Bay Rays. Unfortunately, he went 0-5 with an RBI ground out as the Yankees and CC Sabathia got pummeled by the Tampa Bay Rays 10-6. Things were no better on Saturday when the Yankees got shut out on two hits by rookie Chris Archer.

But on Sunday those little town blues melted away. It was like old times in the Bronx. Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, and even Hideki Matsui were wearing pinstripes. Jeter, playing in just his second game of the season, swung at the first pitch he saw from Rays starter Matt Moore and deposited it in the first row in right-center field for a solo home run. Soriano went 4-5 on the day, with the final hit a single up the middle that scored Brett Gardner in the bottom of the 9th to win it, 6-5.

Soriano arrived despite the protestations of GM Brian Cashman, who was against dealing a young pitcher (Corey Black) for the 37-year old. Soriano had begun to establish a legacy in the Bronx when he was dealt for Alex Rodriguez prior to the 2004 season.  Had it not been for a rare meltdown by Mariano Rivera in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, Soriano would have had a toehold in Yankees history forever.

It was Soriano's 7th inning home run off of Curt Schilling that gave the Yankees a 2-1, but the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied against Rivera to win the World Series.  Soriano also had the game winning single in the 12th inning of Game 5 after Scott Brosius had tied the game with a home run in the 9th.

Sunday's series finale with the Rays was a battle- twice Phil Hughes, the home run pitching machine, had Wil Myers go deep off of him to blow leads. Soriano was there to save the day though. He belted a 2-run home run in the 3rd inning( yes, Yankees right-handed hitters actually hit home runs), singled twice, earned a Gatorade shower from Brett Gardner for his 9th inning heroics.

One of the first to greet Soriano was his old double play partner Jeter. According to @YestoResearch (YES' Jeff Quagliata) it was the first time since July 17, 2003 that pair homered in the same game together as teammates.

Even though Soriano was never a Yankee in the new Yankee Stadium, he said Friday that he felt he was home again and YS was his home. Slated to wear #22, he even got Vernon Wells to give him #12 in an undisclosed transaction. Wells will wear 22 from now on.

Ichiro Suzuki also had four hits in the game to become the 6th player in MLB history with at least 50 4-hit games.

The Kid is Hot Tonight

..Whoa so hot tonight, but where will he be tomorrow? - Loverboy

Comings and going in the Yankees clubhouse is nothing out of the ordinary these days. Given the chance to play, some have played well for short or long stretches, some have been up and down from the minors like a yo-yo, and some are just getting their chance to make their mark. Such is the case with Zoilo Almonte.

Making his first Major League start after two pinch-hit appearances, Almonte had three hits, including his first Major League home run to spark the Yankees to a 6-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. He also got a big cheer from the crowd when his throw from left field to home plate smacked into the catcher Austin Romine's mitt like a 95-mph fastball and froze a  Rays base runner at third base in the process.

Almonte is just the latest player given a shot to contribute to a struggling lineup. The recently turned 24-year old had impressed Joe Girardi in the last two Spring Trainings, so it was no surprise that he was recalled earlier in the week and given a chance to contribute.

The native of the Dominican Republic hit 21 HR, drove in 70 runs, stole 15 bases, and had an .808 OPS at Double-A Trenton last year. This season, his first at the Triple-A, his batting average is up (.297) from last year, but his power numbers have dipped. However, his 30 walks and 47 strikeouts in 293 plate appearances are respectable.

Almonte wasn't alone in snapping the Yankees two game losing streak. David Phelps fought his way through five-plus innings to improve to 5-4 and Boone Logan, Shawn Kelley, David Robertson, and Mariano Rivera shut the Rays down the rest of the way.  Jayson Nix was the only player in the starting lineup without ast least one hit.

Yankees Play Two to Lose One and the Pattern Continues: Time For a Shake Up Part I

It took 18 innings and overs 5 1/2 hrs, but the Yankees completed an embarrassing three game sweep at the hands of the Oakland A's Thursday, 3-2. Now, don't get me wrong, losing to the A's is not embarrassing. in itself. They're a good ball club and are red hot, winners of 9 of 12 and 41-27 overall.

The inconsistency of the Yankees performance is what is troubling. We all knew that eventually the talent level on the roster would catch up to the standings.  It's been a topsy turvy season due to all the injuries, the reliance on players that aren't used to playing every day, are past their prime, or are injury prone or any combination of the aforementioned.

The starting pitching, once a strength, has struggled outside of Hiroki Kuroda. Kuroda was on the hill in Thursday's finale with the A's and completely dominated the Oakland lineup over eight innings. He allowed two hits and two earned runs and had nothing to show for it in the box score.  The Yankees offense  sputtered as it did the entire three game series in Oakland.

Two runs in 18 innings Thursday and eight total runs in the series' 36 innings; that was the entire Yankees output in the series. Robinson Cano's 16th home run of the season accounted for all of the Yankees runs in the finale and that occurred in the 1st inning. The rest of the day was one wasted opportunity after another or no opportunities at all.

The Yankees finished with 10 hits on the day with 80% of the production from Cano (3), Ichiro Suzuki (3), and Brett Gardner (2).  The pen did a fantastic job to keep the game even, particularly Adam Warren, who tossed six scoreless innings. The A's finally pulled things out with a run off of Preston Claiborne and an ineffective Mariano Rivera. Remarkably the team remained just three games behind first place Boston in the AL East and just two games back in the loss column.

That's why the Yankees need to shake things up before things get worse, especially when it comes to the replacement players that were brought in.

The culprits: Let's start with Vernon Wells. The Yankees primary left fielder started out like a house afire - a .911 OPS in the month of April with six home runs and 13 RBI. Since then Wells is 27-146 (.185) and just 4-42 in the month of June. Wells' main accomplishment has been to stay healthy, which is no small feat for him.

Kevin Youkilis seemed like a good stop gap measure with no Alex Rodriguez around, but after an adequate .769 OPS in 17 games, he missed all but one game in May due to a bad back and is 5-37 (.135) in June.

Travis Hafner appeared to be completely rejuvenated in April - a 1.104 OPS with six home runs and 17 RBI in 22 games. MVP type numbers, but "Pronk" is 16-102 (.157) since then with four home runs and 12 RBI.

Lyle Overbay's playing time has been cut down considerably since the return of Mark Teixeira, but up until then Overbay played well over his head and produced a number of clutch moments for the team. Less play means less effectiveness and on top of that Overbay is trying to learn a new position (RF). He's had just six hits in his last 31 at-bats. (.194)

The Yankees hoped that the return of Teixeira would infuse more offense, but so far he is still looking to get his groove back. Tex is 8-49 since he returned from the DL, and thought he has managed seven walks, three home runs, and 12 RBI in 13 games, a .367 slugging percentage is nothing to brag about.

I have already speculated that Ichiro Suzuki's days in the Bronx could be numbered. A .644 OPS in April was followed by a .631 OPS in May. About halfway through June and there's no sign of things getting better, evidenced by Ichiro's .634 OPS. A .293 average for the month is an improvement, but all 12 of his hits are singles and he's attempted to steal a base just (successfully) once.

The Yankees announced on Friday that David Adams was sent down to Triple-A to play regularly. Adams did a nice job at first as one of the fill-ins for Youkilis, but owned a .587 OPS when he departed. The Yankees called up outfielder Thomas Neal, a 25-year old with 23 Major League at-bats (With Cleveland). Neal signed prior to the season as a minor league free agent and had a robust .339 average for the Scranton RailRiders. Add on a .426 on-base percentage and a .446 slugging pct. (12 doubles, 2 HR) and you can see why the Yankees feel his right-handed bat might help against left-handed pitching.

Catcher Francisco Cervelli will likely be back before the All-Star break, though no one knows if he'll hit like before he was hurt. Curtis Granderson has an outside chance of being back before the break, but is likely to be back afterwards. Derek Jeter just got the clearance to resume baseball activities and Alex Rodriguez, well, there's no real idea when and if "Mr. Makes His Own Trouble" will suit up in a Major League uniform again.

In the meantime, the Yankees may have to dip back into Scranton for players like Ronnier Mustelier or Zoilo Almonte to jump start the offense.

Stay tuned for Part II: Time for the Yankees to Cut Hughes and Joba Loose

Adams Coming to the Rasta, Mon

No, David Adams isn't Jamaican, but I am tired.  Per a tweet Trenton Thunder beat writer Josh Norris (@jnorris427), Mr. Adams is headed to the Bronx today, the first day he was eligible to be recalled from the minor leaguers.

The Yankees front office has always like the second baseman's bat and they moved him over to third base to  have a better chance of helping the big ball club.

Adams was designated for assignment this spring to make room for Vernon Wells on the 40-man roster and then he was re-signed to a minor league deal. MLB stipulations state that in such cases the player may not be recalled until May 15.

Today is May 15 so Adams is on his way. Now a 40-man roster space needs to be opened up for him. It's likely that either Chris Nelson or newly reacquired Alberto Gonzalez will be designated for assignment. Nelson is more likely to get the boot since Gonzalez is the only player other than Jayson Nix right now that can play shortstop and a Nelson plays the same positions as Adams.

Adams was quickly making his way through the farm system until he badly broke his ankle in 2010. Through 27 games at Triple-A Scranton this year, Adams has an .897 OPS with 3 HR and 12 RBI.

To learn more on Adams, click here to read the interview I did with him in 2009.

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.

Curtis Granderson is within reach of playing his first Major League game of the season. The Grandyman has been out since the first game of Spring Training after a pitch from J.A. Happ broke Granderson's right forearm.

Granderson took swings in extended Spring Training before he reported to Triple-A Scranton to get in game shape. As of Monday morning, Granderson was 7-17 (.412) in the four games he played for the Railriders with a home run and three RBI.  It's possible Granderson could join the team at the start of the six game homestand that begins with Seattle on Tuesday. Brennan Boesch was sent to the minor leagues before the second game of Monday's doubleheader with the Cleveland Indians so the Yankees will need another
outfielder soon.

Oddly (to me) Yankees fans seem to be split over whether they want Granderson back or not. I can't understand how you would not want him back. There's no question that outside of the respectable .811 OPS he put up and the career high 43 home run he hit in 2012, Granderson had a bad season at the plate. He hit hit a career low .232 and struck out a career high 195 times. Before coming to New York, Granderson had a reputation for not being able to hit left-handers. Last year he struggled against righties and lefties.

Granderson is a guy that's easy to root for - he's a stand up guy with the press, a great ambassador for the game and for the team, a great role model for kids, his teammates like him, and oh yeah, he's a talented ball player. Fans point to his lack of production in the post-season - he's had only eight hits in his last 50 post-season at-bats and was a horrid 3-30 last year when the Yankees as a team did not hit - but Granderson is one of the guys (like Teixeira, like Nick Swisher) that gets you to the post-season.

Some people have forgotten about the MVP-type season Granderson had in the 2011 after hard work and adjustments made with hitting coach Kevin Long sent him to the second All-Star game of his then eight year career. Granderson's power was just as good as in 2012 when he hit 41 home runs, but the Illinois native also had 26 doubles, 10 triples, 25 stolen bases, 85 walks, a .916 OPS and led the AL with 136 runs scored and 119 driven in.

Granderson, like Teixeira, appears to have become pull happy in new Yankee Stadium. (Partial blame has to fall on Long in my opinion.) Granderson was unable to counteract the adjustments (different pitching approach, right side shifts) made by the opposition last year. His swing had too much of an uppercut and it appeared he attempted to hit one over the short porch in right field every time up.

With the new salary limits put in place by the front office, it's likely the Yankees will let Granderson walk after this season. The 32-year old is in the final year of the six year, $43.25 contract he originally signed while a member of the Detroit Tigers (The Yankees picked up his $15MM option for 2013.). Brett Gardner has taken over in centerfield and it appears he'll stay there when Granderson returns from the DL.

The Yankees also expect youngsters Mason Williams, Melky Mesa, Zoilo Almonte, and Slade Heathcott to make an impact in the Major Leagues soon .

Some fans though want Granderson gone before the end of the year and that's something I don't understand at all.

It's amazing how having a winning record and (surprisingly) being in sole possession of first place (entering Monday's play) in mid-May can change your attitude/mind on things. Fans who complained about the acquisition of Vernon Wells, Travis Hafner, etc., suddenly don't want to mess with the mix. Based on their track record, can you trust that Wells and Hafner will continue to produce and continue to be healthy? Kevin Youkilis is already out indefinitely with a back issue. Ichiro Suzuki has struggled at the plate so far. Would you rather have Boesch and/or Ben Francisco on your team than Curtis Granderson?

Most importantly, the team is winning because of the pitching and clutch hitting. If the hitters go into a slump, the team can still win with pitching. The present Yankees lineup is not one that can overcome poor pitching. So even though he has struggled in the post-season, do you really want to diminish an offense that is not an 'A' list lineup?

I don't think so.

Pettitte Gets Back on Track; Yankees Alone in 1st

Andy Pettitte was just plain horrible in back to back starts against the Houston Astros and Oakland A's that preceded Saturday night's contest with Kansas City. 10 earned runs, 14 hits, and five walks allowed in just 9.1 innings pitched. Needless to say the Yankees lost both games, though Pettitte only figured in the decision against the Astros.

It was a worrisome pair of outings, particularly after Pettitte had a start pushed back to balky back. But have no fear, good ol' Andy is here. Pettitte was back on track in Kansas City last night with seven efficient innings and his 4th win in a 3-2 victory over the Royals.

Pettitte needed a good start, especially after his son Josh recently pitched his second high school no-hitter of the year. 68 of Pettitte's 100 pitches were for strikes, which helped him to seven strikeouts and just one walk. He was staked to a 1-0 lead, but when Billy Butler blasted a solo home run in the 4th inning, Pettitte was in a 2-1 hole. Glove in front of his face, eyes glaring at catcher Chris Stewart's mitt, Pettitte wasn't about to allow any more runs. With his cutter in tact, Pettitte allowed just two more Royals to reach base.

Meanwhile the Yankees were up against James Shields, one of the better right-handers in baseball...except when it comes to the Yankees. With a man aboard in the 5th inning, Shields served up a pitch on a silver platter to Vernon Wells, who smacked it out for his 8th home run of the year.  That's all Pettitte and the pen needed.

David Robertson struck out the side in the 8th inning on 12 pitches and Mariano Rivera picked up his 14th save in as many tries after he allowed a two-out double to Salvador Perez in the 9th.

You can bet Joe Girardi breathed a sigh of relief after he saw his old battery mate Pettitte pitch like his old self.

Notes

Jayson Nix has always had home run pop in his bat, but never had much to show when it came to batting average and OPS. The Royals must think he's Ty Cobb though - in the two games, Nix has four hits, a pair of walks, and was hit by a pitch in nine plate appearances.

Pettitte has won his last 10 starts vs. the Royals.

Warren Warrants Attention

Warren's performance in 2013 has given him something to smile about.

I'll be the first to admit I did not see what all the hype was about when Adam Warren pitched for the Yankees at the end of last season and in Spring Training this year. He was shelled by whatever teams he faced. And Yankees top pitching prospects haven't exactly panned out lately or moved along as quickly as we were told they would. (In fairness, it's much harder to predict a pitcher's progress than a hitter's progress.)

On a team beset by injuries and doing whatever it takes to win, Warren has stepped up. Thursday afternoon in Colorado he picked up his first Major League win after a long rain delay deprived starter CC Sabathia from continuing in the game.

Warren has never been ranked in Baseball America's top 100 prospects or MLB's top 50 prospects, but the Yankees organization has been very high on him since his performances at Single-A Tampa (2.22 ERA, 1.099 WHIP) and Double-A Trenton (3.15, 1.196) in 2010. A fourth round selection out of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 2009, Warren got a call to the bigs last year and made one forgettable start in Major League debut.

Pitching in front of his home crowd, Warren got hammered by the Chicago White Sox to the tune of six earned runs and eight hits, including two home runs, in just 2.1 innings pitched. He got saddled in what turned out to be a 14-7 loss. Some pitchers never bounce back from that and others never get a chance to return to the Major Leagues (it was Warren's only Major League appearance in 2012.)

Warren's ascent to the Majors this year could not have been predicted after he allowed 16 earned runs, 24 hits and 10 walks in 17.2 innings pitched in Spring Training. In fact I thought he would be designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for last minute additions like Vernon Wells and Lyle Overbay. But Warren headed north with the big ball club as the long man out of the pen, and he has made the most of his opportunity.

In Thursday's game with the Rockies, Warren entered the 5th inning after a nearly two hour rain delay with the task of holding a 2-1 lead until the Yankees could get to set up man David Robertson and closer Mariano Rivera. He needed just seven pitches, only one a fastball, to set the side down in order. The 6th inning was a little trickier; it took Warren more pitches just to retire the lead off hitter Adam Ottavino.

Warren needed just two pitches, a 79-mph curveball and a 92-mph cutter to get Eric Young Jr. to ground out for the second out of the inning. Things got tougher after that when Warren had to face Dexter Fowler and Troy Tulowitzki. Relying on his 90-92-mph fastball, Warren walked both hitters and was sent to the showers by manager Joe Girardi. Boone Logan stranded the runners and the Yankees went on for a 3-1 victory, the first win of Warren's Major League career.

Though it may have "only" been five outs, Warren did what the Yankees needed him to do, much like he has all year. In six appearances, Warren has limited the opposition to three runs (1.84 ERA) and 12 hits in 14.2 innings pitched. He still needs to work on his control, the six walks he has issued is three or four too many, but the 25-year old has done what has been asked of him. Keep your team in the game or mop up and save the bullpen for another day is his unwritten mission statement.

No games exemplified Warren's contribution more than the 5.1 innings of one run ball he tossed against Boston in the second game of the season (a 7-4 Yankees loss), three scoreless innings in the team's 2-0 loss to the A's last Friday, and yesterday's "get some outs" assignment. Though he may never make it as a starter in the league, Warren has certainly found his niche.

Notes

CC Sabathia was pitching beautifully - one run and one hit allowed in four innings pitched until the skies opened up for a one hour and 59 minute rain delay. It was one of Sabathia's most efficient performances this season - only 51 pitches thrown, 37 of them for strikes.

Robinson Cano picked up his 1,500th hit in the game on an infield single and later hit his 9th home run to give the Yankees an insurance run. Trainer Steve Donahue marked the milestone baseball and then, at Girardi's behest, marked up another ball with an undisclosed inscription on it. Cano got a good laugh from whatever was written as Girardi, Donahue, and his teammates looked on.

Sometimes You Can't Go to the Wells Once Too Often

"Brooks" Wells

Vernon Wells was a one man wrecking crew in the Yankees 3-2 win over the Colorado Rockies last night. Wells homered, singled twice, stole a base, and scored what proved to be the winning run. All of that might not have mattered if Wells hadn't grabbed an infielder's glove and manned the hot corner in the bottom of the 9th inning.

The game was tied at two apiece in the top of the 9th after Wells and the Rockies' Todd Helton hit 2-run home runs earlier in the game. Wells led off the inning with his third hit of the game and then stole second base.

With everyone thinking bunt, closer Rafael Betancourt walked Lyle Overbay. The bunt was on for sure after that and Ichiro Suzuki complied with a perfect sacrifice bunt.  Jayson Nix was intentionally walked to set up a force at any base and led to a big decision by Joe Girardi.

With Chris Nelson due up, the Yankees manager sent up Travis Hafner to pinch hit, despite the fact that the Yankees were out of available infielders. (Eduardo Nunez was still unable to play due to strained rib cage.) Hafner struck out for the second out of the inning, which left things up to Brennan Boesch, who stepped in for pitcher David Robertson.

Boesch hit a ball in the whole between shortstop and third base that third baseman Nolan Arenado made a diving stop on. But Arenado's throw to first base was late and Wells crossed home plate to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead. The Yankees might have gotten more, but Nix was caught off of second bag and tagged for the final out of the inning.

"The ball will find you" is a long time, proven cliche that came to fruition in last night's game. Wells never played anywhere other then the three outfields spots in his 15 years in the big leagues and 549 minor league games.  With Mariano Rivera on the mound for the save, Carlos Gonzalez hit a one-out chopper to Wells' left side.  The third baseman deftly moved to his glove side, snared the ball out of the air, and made a perfect throw to first base. (Anyone else have horrible visions of Gary Sheffield filling in at his old position for the 2004 Yankees?) Michael Cuddyer reached on a single and stole second base, but Rivera retired catcher Wil Rosario on a fly out to earn the Yankees a 'W'. You can bet Wells was breathing a little easier after that.

Notes

Rivera was honored by the Rockies prior to the game in an on-field ceremony and also met with some of their employees earlier in the day. The only other time Rivera pitched in Colorado was a 1995 exhibition game.

David Phelps did a great job of saving the bullpen, which was short-handed, with seven gritty innings. he looked like he wouldn't make it past the 6th, but hung tough.

Ivan Nova could be activated to face the Cleveland Indians in one of Monday's twinbill with the Tribe.

Curtis Granderson has reported to Triple-A Scranton to continue his rehab from a broken forearm. There's a possibility he could be activated next week, by which time Girardi has to decide whether to put him in center or move him to left field and leave Gardner in the middle.

Girardi's lineup on Wednesday was Tony LaRussa style - he hit Phelps in the 8th spot and catcher Austin Romine 9th.

2013 Yankees Position Players Report Card; The First Month

Written prior to Tuesday night's game.

No one is comparing the current New York Yankees squad to the 1998 team that won 114 regular season games, but clearly they are not the '62 Mets either. Despite injuries to a number of their regulars, the Yankees finished the first 25 games of the season with a 15-10 record. It left them three games behind the surprising Boston Red Sox in the AL East and atop the AL wild card race. 

Doom and gloom was the theme during Spring Training. Alex Rodriguez was already out until at least July with hip surgery, and was under the scrutiny of the Commissioner's office for allegedly being tied to an anti-aging clinic in Florida that was a front for selling performance enhancing drugs (PED). Derek Jeter had a setback as he tested out the ankle he broke during last year's playoffs, and then a new fracture developed after the team went north. 

Curtis Granderson broke his forearm in the first Spring Training game when the Blue Jay's J.A. Happ hit him with a pitch. Mark Teixeira injured a tendon in his wrist while getting ready to represent the US in the World Baseball Classic. Phil Hughes dealt with a bulging disc and was shut down. On and on it went. Throw in the departures of Nick Swisher and Russell Martin via free agency and a powerful ball club suddenly looked old and weak. 

General Manager Brian Cashman, who broke his leg sky diving, shuttled in players to fill in the holes. Minor leaguers, former Yankees, beat up veterans, come one come all, Uncle Brian wants you! 

Cashman had enough heads up notice about A-Rod to sign former Red Sox enemy Kevin Youkilis to a free agent deal. He signed free agent Travis Hafner as a power bat for the left-side of a DH platoon. He swung a deal for Vernon Wells after the Los Angeles Angels picked up the bulk of Wells' hefty contract. Not satisfied with outfielder Juan Rivera or veteran Dan Johnson as a solution for first base, Cashman brought in Lyle Overbay just days before Spring Training ended. 

The outfield was bolstered with the signings of Ben Francisco and Brennan Boesch after they had been released by their current teams. The acquisitions of Wells and Hafner, in particular, were met with skepticism by Yankees fans and ridiculed by some in the media. There are many games left in the season, but no one is snickering now. 

The Yankees newcomers have been a large part of the Yankees' April success as has the starting rotation and bullpen. To no one's surprise another key has been the production of Robinson Cano, who started out the season poorly and then caught fire. 

The Head of the Class 

Travis Hafner: "Pronk" slugged 127 home runs and drove in 434 runs¹ from 2004-2007 while a member of the Cleveland Indians. Then his body fell apart and before you knew it, Hafner was a 36-year old has been. For the moment anyway, Hafner has found the Fountain of Youth in the Bronx. His six home runs in 62 at-bats are already half the total he hit in his final season with Cleveland last year. 

Hafner leads the Yankees in on-base (.413) and slugging percentage (.661), which also means he leads the league in the combo, aka OPS (1.075). This past Saturday the Yankees were in a 3-0 hole to the Toronto Blue Jays until Hafner tied it up with one swing. Then with the game tied at four apiece, Hafner hit one off the wall in the 7th inning for a game winning triple. The only concern was would he make it to third base without pulling, breaking, or spraining anything. 

Vernon Wells: The former Blue Jay was once atop the league as well- a stud five tool player whose stellar performance from 2002-2007 reeled in a seven year, $126MM deal from the Canadian franchise. The big money in the deal didn't kick in until 2010, by which time Wells was broken and bent. Toronto finally found a taker in the Los Angeles Angels and shipped him there prior to the 2011 season. 

Two straight sub-.700 OPS seasons on the left coast made Wells' services no longer wanted in California. One problem though - he was still owed $42MM. With the regular season less than a week away, the Angels sent Wells and $29MM to the Yankees for a couple of lower level minor leaguers. 

Being in pinstripes rejuvenated Wells' psyche; playing left field every day, Wells is among the team leaders with a .304/.374/.557 slash line. After hitting 11 home runs in 77 games with LA, Wells has already hit six with his new club and has been solid in the outfield. 

Robinson Cano: The only thing that surprised anyone about Cano was his 3-23 (.130), no RBI start to the season. It's no coincidence the Yankees went 2-4 in those six games. Since then, Cano has been tearing the cover off the baseball. He has 30 hits in his last 79 at-bats (.380) with 7 HRs, 8 doubles, 17 RBI, and 15 runs scored. Overall, Cano's now hitting .324 and sports a .986 OPS. 

Defensively, he's been as good as the second Gold Glove Award he won last year. He's handled 102 chances to date without an error. He's also not been distracted by allegations that an acquaintance of his was involved with the same clinic in Florida that A-Rod has been tied to. With their captain sidelined, Cano has stepped up on and off the field. 

Does Nice Work, but There's Room for Improvement 

Brett Gardner: After an April 16 win against Arizona, Gardner's batting average sat at a paltry .240 with an uninspiring .321 OBP. It was not what Gardner nor Joe Girardi had imagined when the Yankees skipper made the center fielder his every day leadoff hitter. Even worse, Gardner did not have a single stolen base. 

Since then Gardner is 14-49 (.286) with a .352 OBP (just about his career average), but has just one stolen base in three attempts. Yankees fans have seen this lack of aggressiveness before from Gardner and it can't go on. The Yankees lineup needs him to revert back to his 2010-2011 form when he had back-to-back seasons of 40+ steals. It also has a direct affect on Cano, who has been in the #2 spot in the order at times and can't afford to put himself in a hole taking pitches for a base stealer that won't run. 

Gardner has shown some surprising pop with three home runs, has 12 RBI and 13 runs scored, and has been rock solid in center field. Now he needs to get moving on the base paths. 

A For Effort 
Lyle Overbay: The Yankees first baseman is a perfect example of why you can't judge a player by strictly looking at his numbers. (Sorry SABRmetricians.) Overbay's numbers are pedestrian - .241/.268/.418 - but Overbay has come through in the clutch in some big spots this season. In the Yankees first win of the season, a psychological must after losing two straight to Boston to start the year, Overbay put the Yankees on board first with a 2-run single, en route to a 4-2 win. 

His RBI triple put the Yankees ahead for good in the second game of their recent four game sweep of the Blue Jays and he had the game winning two run home run the next day off 2012 NL Cy Young Award winner, R.A. Dickey. But it's Overbay's defense at first base that has been the key to his play. With Teixeira out, the Yankees needed someone to grab Kevin Youkilis and Eduardo Nunez's stray throws as well as field their own position cleanly. Overbay has done that and more. 

Out on Sick Leave 

Kevin Youkilis: When the Yankees signed Youkilis to fill in for Rodriguez at third base and to occasionally spell Mark Teixeira at first, they knew they were bringing in another player whose best days appeared to be behind him. Youkilis rebounded a bit for the Chicago White Sox after the Boston Red Sox dealt him away at last year's trade deadline, but there were still doubts if his body could ever hold up again through a 162 game season. 

Unfortunately for Youkilis and the Yankees, the answer appears to be no. Youkilis got off to a tremendous start - a nine game hitting streak to start the season (.424 avg) and a gaudy 1.227 OPS - but then his back started to ache. After that terrific start, the beardless, aching Youkilis went into a 3-31 slide at the plate. 

He sat out a week and returned against the Blue Jays this past Saturday, but was sent for an MRI afterwards. The results landed him on the disabled list for at least two weeks. 

Francisco Cervelli: The Yankees enthusiastic catcher has seen his share of bad breaks, both figuratively and literally. After he caught 126 games over two seasons, Cervelli thought for sure he was the backup to starter Russell Martin for the 2012 season. Then at the last minute the Yankees acquired Chris Stewart and Cervelli was relegated to the minor leagues for the season. After he got through the anger and disappointment, Cervelli settled in and came to camp this season prepared to win a spot. 

It didn't hurt that the Yankees let Martin walk and prospect Austin Romine missed all but 14 games last year with a bad back. Girardi said the playing time between Cervelli and Stewart would work itself out and it did just that. Cervelli stepped to the forefront with solid defensive play, his work with the pitchers, and even with his bat. 

His .877 OPS was by far the best of his career. He had already slugged three home runs, driven in eight runs, and was 3-8 with runners in scoring position. (All three hits were with two outs.) Then this past Friday night, Toronto's Rajai Davis fouled a ball off of Cervelli's exposed hand. A break occurred and surgery followed that will knock Cervelli out of action for six weeks. The Yankees will now hope Romine can step up (barring another move) to back up Stewart. 

A Hard Worker, Could Hit More 
Jayson Nix: The Yankees utility man has already played second base, shortstop, and third base this season. Nix will now be concentrating on third base with Youkilis sidelined for at least two weeks with a bad back. 

He's been solid for the Yankees in the field, which is the biggest thing you want from your utility man, and has shown double digit power in the past when he has gotten enough playing time. 

It's Time to Do a Book Report for Extra Credit

Ichiro Suzuki: The veteran hit machine and free agent to be struggled mightily in Seattle last season, and appeared to be done. But after a deal to the Yankees, Ichiro ended the season with a torrid final month. It was so good, the Yankees decided to bring him back with a cheap deal, ostensibly to platoon in right field. Mainly due to injuries, Ichiro has been the everyday right fielder, but has contributed very little. 

The .322 lifetime hitter (which was the same average he had as a Yankee last year), hit just .200 through his first 16 games, before he started to show some signs of life. (He had three hits in April's finale against Houston.) 

Eduardo Nunez; The Yankees have always loved Nunez's potential, but his inability to play consistently good defense has hampered his progress. It was decided that Nunez would play shortstop only this season, so he could concentrate on improving his defense. So far it has worked- Nunez has shown tremendous range to his left and right, and is throwing a much more accurate ball to first base. Now his bat has to get moving. 

It took three hits in the month's final game to get Nunez about the .200 mark. His tremendous speed gives the Yankees an added dimension, but only if he can get on base to use it. (Tuesday night he stretched two hits into doubles by running hard out of the batter's box.) Nunez has 30-40 steal potential should his offensive game come together. 

Headed For Detention

Ben Francisco: The veteran outfielder may not be headed for the principal's office, but he may get designated for assignment if his bat doesn't improve. Just 3-29 on the season, the right-handed hitting Francisco has started to lose at-bats to left-handed hitters when southpaws are on the mound. He could be the first to go when Curtis Granderson returns. 

Brennan Boesch: The 6'4" left-handed hitter was wildly inconsistent during his time with the Detroit Tigers. He looked like Babe Ruth for a stretch of time and then like a baby batting against grown men at other times. With the free agent signing of Torii Hunter, Boesch became expendable and the Yankees grabbed him off of waivers. 

Boesch is just 7-35, but does have two home runs, a double and a triple. 

How Did You Get in This Class Anyhow?

Chris Stewart: The Yankees acquired Stewart at the last moment last season, which relegated Cervelli to the minors. Now with Cervelli hurt, Stewart will get the bulk of the playing time behind home plate. He came to the Yankees with a stellar defensive reputation and not much of a bat. Neither aspect of Stewart's game stood out last year. 

Stewart's eight passed balls and four errors didn't make his (career high) .611 OPS look any better. To his credit, he did throw out 23% of would-be base stealers, which was just below the league average. Somehow, Stewart ended this April with a .294 average and a .711 OPS. He's had one error and a couple of passed ball so far, but has thrown out five of nine potential base thieves. 

What's Ahead in the Next Marking Period

Curtis Granderson: The Yankees center fielder is "probably pretty close to returning"² according to Girardi. The earliest would likely be mid-May since the "Grandy man" will need to play in some rehab games. 

Corban Joseph: The second baseman was recalled from the minors when Youkilis went on the DL, primarily because he was already on the 40-man roster. 

Austin Romine: He figures to catch twice a week backing up Stewart- likely Phil Hughes or Andy Pettitte and David Phelps/Ivan Nova.