Any word on what’s wrong with Mo?

Other teams have older players- why is it that our seem to get hurt s much more often?  And the timing: Molina goes down a day after Posada.  Now Mo just as our bullpen needs him most and Joba finally looked dominant as a strater (ex the first inning).

1 thirdbaseman
2 catchers
1 starting pitcher
1 starting outfielder
2 relief pitchers

A 2.5 game underperformance over just 13 games is pretty Veras-y.

How about a 2.4 game underperformance over 5 games?  Practically Heredian.

DaPuj:

1 Maybe Greatest Player Ever
1 HOF C
1 Great backup C
1 2 time 20gm winner (almost)
1 2008 NL All-Star
1 Greatest Closer Ever
1 Emerging Dominant Setup Man

1 thirdbaseman

Actually, 2 third baseman if you want to be picky.  Ransom wasn’t doing much, but having Pena on the bench *would* allow you to use Ransom as a defensive sub (if they ever got ahead).

Any word on what’s wrong with Mo?

Just posted this in the last thread.  I caught some of the post-game last night, and Mo said his shoulder hasn’t regained 100% of it’s strength yet.  There’s nothing wrong with it, just isn’t as strong as it should be.  He feels confident it will get there soon.  I think this both explains his velocity AND also why Girardi may not want to pitch him 2 innings right now.

I was actually talking about Bruney and Marte as the two RP.  Only people actually on the DL.

Good point Mike.  Although I was trying to limit the list to actual baseball players.

The question is, do they have that in them?

Right now - no. They’ll be using a catcher who’ll likely be below replacement level, and have zero reliable arms in the bullpen. If they are over 0.500 on June 1st, I’ll be (pleasantly) surprised.

Pete Abe just had a good point (even a blind squirrel…)

Berroa is probably done with the Yankees.  The only catcher on the 40 man right now that isn’t on the DL is Cervelli.  So they need to add either Cash or Stewart.  Berroa has definitely been passed by Pena on the depth chart, so he is probably going to be DFA’d.

Another option is to put someone on the 60 day DL.  Nady may make sense depending on the exact timeframe (if he’s not going to be back by late-May), or Molina if they feel Cervelli/Stewart/Cash can be basically what Molina is, and Posada will be back about the same time as Molina anyway.

Only other option that may make some happy is to jettison Veras.  My bet is on Berroa.

why is it that our seem to get hurt s much more often?

“Seem” is the operative term here, I think.  You notice it more when it’s the team you follow most closely.  You also notice it more when the replacements stink up the joint.

Just one example, OTTOMH: last year’s Red Sox had Schilling’s career end, plus Lowell and Ortiz miss time and lose effectiveness due to injury.  But they made the playoffs anyway, so it gets glossed over.

Look around the DL and you’ll see plenty of guys like Valdimir Guerrero,  Tony Clark, Cliff Floyd, Troy Glaus, Tom Glavine, Brian Schneider, Nomar Garciaparra, etc.  So older players do get hurt, even if they aren’t Yankees.  But with the exception of Vlad, none of those guys are real centerpieces on their teams, so we don’t pay as much attention.

Look around the DL and you’ll see plenty of guys like Valdimir Guerrero, Tony Clark, Cliff Floyd, Troy Glaus, Tom Glavine, Brian Schneider, Nomar Garciaparra, etc.  So older players do get hurt, even if they aren’t Yankees.  But with the exception of Vlad, none of those guys are real centerpieces on their teams, so we don’t pay as much attention.

Yeah, and this is why, in an environment without greenies, younger teams are better poised to last the distance. 162 game regular season is a gruelling schedule, and without those pick-me-ups these days, older teams are at a disadvantage.

I think this will play a much more critical role in coming years. Teams would need to get younger.

Berroa is probably done with the Yankees.  The only catcher on the 40 man right now that isn’t on the DL is Cervelli.

So you’re saying that Berroa can’t be the backup catcher?  He’s certainly capable of hitting like a backup catcher.

Seriously, though, wasn’t Berroa likely to be DFA even without the need to add a catcher?  They weren’t going to carry two backup IF with the current state of the bullpen.  I suppose they might have sent Pena down so he could play everyday for a while, but that only would have postponed the inevitable for a couple of weeks at most.

I think this both explains his velocity AND also why Girardi may not want to pitch him 2 innings right now.

I asked it there two, and recognizing we don’t have perfect information, or might not have the professional knowledge, then why go back to back games with Mo?  And isn’t two innings less taxing than back to back?

Seriously, though, wasn’t Berroa likely to be DFA even without the need to add a catcher? 

We had this conversation about a week ago.  I had thought at the time you were on the side of keep Berroa on the roster and send Pena down.  Could be wrong.  Regardless, I think it *was* an open question before, but is a moot point now.  Pena has outplayed Berroa (certainly on defense) and there isn’t another obvious candidate to remove from the 40.  I think everyone else on the 40 and not currently on the ML team (or DL) is a 27 or younger pitcher who still has some upside, if only as a trade-chip.

And isn’t two innings less taxing than back to back?

I answered on the other thread too but we’ll move the conversation here.  Honestly, I don’t know for sure either.  Seems to me pitching 20 pitches (for example) one day and then 20 more the next day is less stress on the arm than 40 pitches in one day.

It probably varies some from person to person, and situation to situation.  I’d assume the Yankees medical staff worked this out with Girardi and Mo that based on his particular situation, it is the best course of action.

MC hits the nail on the head: you pay more attention to your own old guys.  If you look around the league, other teams’ old guys are getting hurt too.  I’d hazard to say that this old-guy-gets-hurt phenomena might be a little worse for the Yanks because some of their best (and even better players) are older than you’d optimally want.

But, they are good and if they can get back on the field together, then yes, they could probably put together a nice little hot streak that will put them back on track.

Besides, old people hate the cold (that’s why they all retire to Fla.) so these early-season games really take their toll on the older players.  Once the heat comes around and their joints and aches and pains go away, the Yanks will start to roll.

I had thought at the time you were on the side of keep Berroa on the roster and send Pena down.

Yeah, that’s what I was thinking at the time, but like I said, only to get Pena a few weeks worth of playing every day while they figure out how many days off and/or at DH Rodriguez is going to need.  So again, seems to me that Berroa’s a dead man walking either way.  It’s just a question of how long a walk he takes.

I think everyone else on the 40 and not currently on the ML team (or DL) is a 27 or younger pitcher who still has some upside, if only as a trade-chip.

Sanchez cleared waivers and came back into the organization on a minor league deal.  Any other candidates for that path, or is every other pitcher on the 40-man likely to be claimed?

based on the way things have been going, is there really any doubt Mo would have just given up 3 broken bat bloop singles in the 10th if he were allowed to pitch another inning on Wednesday?

Sanchez cleared waivers and came back into the organization on a minor league deal.  Any other candidates for that path, or is every other pitcher on the 40-man likely to be claimed?

Hacker should probably not sign a long term lease anywhere.  ditto Steven Jackson.

Besides, old people hate the cold (that’s why they all retire to Fla.)...

As I get older, I hate the heat just as much as I hate the cold.  Unfortunately, it’s no longer looking like the 401(k) is going to support winters in Hatteras and summers in Vermont.

Hacker should probably not sign a long term lease anywhere.  ditto Steven Jackson.

Are those guys really less valuable than Calggett, for example?

As I get older, I hate the heat just as much as I hate the cold.

I’m the opposite, or I guess “normal.”  I can’t stand cold weather and am the only one in my house who abhors snow.  I don’t think I’d ski anymore if they paid me.

I could live in Corolla all year, if not for the packed tourist season.  Now I’m thinking of the Georgia coast.  Better golf, fewer tourists.

Hacker is organizational filler - at best.  Steven Jackson is slowly working his way into that category.

If Cashman could get a serviceable MLB piece for both, heck either, I’d be mighty impressed.

Oh, so now you folks want to talk about the 40 man roster.

Oh, so now you folks want to talk about the 40 man roster

lol.

the problem is that Posada and Molina have forced the issue.  it is absolutely hilarious in a laugh-to-not-cry kindof way that Molina had to go on the DL. 

there isn’t really a worse possible injury in terms of the 40 man roster implications than Jose Molina.  now you are forced to cut ties with someone you might not want to just to add a player that is guaranteed to be horrible. 

amazing.

SG,

This is probably a considerably more complicated exercise, but given the state of the current roster, and what we know about the knowable future (Nady, Wang, Posada, Molina), strength of schedule, how is this team expected to perform between now and end of May (i.e., not the rest of the season)? Maybe a diamond mind simulation of playing the schedule until end of May 1000 times or so is feasible?

This is probably a more meaningful exercise now that some of the uncertainty that was in the pre-season has been resolved, and this is not going too far into the season.

Hacker should probably not sign a long term lease anywhere.  ditto Steven Jackson.

They just turned Steven Jackson into a starter again.  Current debate on Chad Jenning’s blog is whether it is permanent, if they are stretching him out to be another long-reliever, or temporary until IPK is back.  No one - including Jackson - seems to know.

I think if they were put on waivers tomorrow both would be claimed.  Teams like Pittsburgh, Washington, etc. could use minimum-wage, young(ish) pitchers who have some upside; even if that upside is “5th starter” or “back of the bullpen”.  I think Cashman would *like* to be able to use these guys around the trade-deadline, either as part of a package or replacements for someone currently on the 25 who may go.  Of course, if anyone else goes down in the next couple of weeks, he may not have that luxury.

now you are forced to cut ties with someone you might not want to…

Why the sudden affection for Angel Berroa?

Not to interrupt this fine debate on which replacement-level player needs to go in the near future…Pete Abe apparently has read the ARod book.  Check out his column.  But I find these to comments stick…

Near the beginning of the post:

The professor one day spoke about the difference between writing a story for a newspaper and a column. A story, he explained, contained only what you could prove. A column was what you thought.

and then near the end:

Given the completeness of the February story in Sports Illustrated, I expected more in the book, certainly more detail. But the book does not meet the standards of the magazine. It is, in essence, a 246-page column.

That’s basically the impression I had from stuff that was leaked.  She started out doing an op-ed piece and it grew to book length.  Sounds even worse than the Torre book (I’m struggling to get through it; lack of interest).

Speaking of journalism, what has ESPN done with Peter Gammons?  Or is he just sitting at his desk mumbling “not a steroid” over and over?

http://stations.espn.go.com/stations/1050espnradio/video

That is the worst bit of PR masquerading as journalism I’ve ever seen.

Why the sudden affection for Angel Berroa?

i think they need more than one spot, no?

Berroa for Cash.  A-Rod comes up, i guess a reliever goes down. 

bench is now Cervelli, Gardner, Pena, and ??

i guess they could just call up Miranda, but i would consider adding someone like Shelley Duncan or John Rodriguez.  or, i would call up Miranda AND Rodriguez and send Gardner down. 

then again, i’m not that comfortable with Damon backing up CF.

Yeah, the catcher spot is a tough call. Basically it means Posada, Molina, Cervelli, and another minor leaguer, and the Yankees would be attempting to probably add a more veteran catcher, right? So that still means 4-5 of the 40 spot to a catcher.

I guess the positive, if the minor league guys stick, is that maybe the Yankees have something good already in house.

If Berroa is bye bye, Clagget, Jackson, and Hacker will stay on the 40 man?

They say Molina’s injury might be something that’ll keep him out for a little while, so maybe 60 day.

And what is Nady’s progress, retro 60 day it?

Do any of the Clagget, Jackson, and Hacker project to anything other than at best 5th starter but more likely bullpen mop or emergency starter?

If ESPN were a university, Gammons would be a tenured professor way past his prime, the type that university officials are hoping will retire soon.  Give him the title of Emeritus and show him the door.  Everybody wins, or at least saves face.

I honestly think Gammons lost what little baseball acumen he had when he fell ill a while back.  ESPN probably fears a PR backlash if they show him the door and are probably biding their time until Gammons calls it a career.

The only one more annoying than Gammons is Vitale.  And Berman.  Wait, the whole lot is annoying.  No wonder I don’t watch SportsCenter or the NFL pregame show anymore.

bench is now Cervelli, Gardner, Pena, and ??

Bench before Molina got hurt was Cervelli, Gardner, Berroa and nobody.  Carrying an extra position player just means optioning a pitcher.  It doesn’t necessarily require another 40-man roster move.  But anyway, given the current state of the pitching staff, I just don’t see them going back to twelve pitchers any time soon.

A-Rod comes up, i guess a reliever goes down.

Now with Mo’s situation kinda confirmed or at least requiring caution, I wonder if a reliever will go down. I still think rather bring a bat. I like your suggestion of sending down Gardner and replacing him with Miranda (Swish or Damon can be the emergency guy until Gardner can return). Not sure how they’ll open a 40 slot for Duncan or Rodriguez.

Arod comes up will probably be cancelled by Molina DL on the active roster.

I’m guessing Arod is going to see some time at DH and they will use a LIDR frequently- I’d rather keep Pena than see Berroa’s glove out there.

The fact that the Yankees now have to throw a catcher into everyday action that hasn’t worked with this pitching staff really hurts.  I’m not sure how long Molina will be out (will it be longer than Posada?), but his injury was such a blow so soon after Posada went to the DL.

So, just to complete the mental picture,

Matsui DH is a bench of Cervelli, Gardner, Pena; very infrequently Cervilli, Gardner, and Alex
Alex DH is a bench of Cervelli, Gardner, Matsui.

Occasionally, Gardner will start, so the bench then will be Cervelli, Pena/Alex, Damon/Swisher/Melky.
Or, Pena will start in SS or 2B, then the bench will be… oh, never mind, too much trouble.

Have no fear Jonathan, Alex is back and can call pitches for the catcher.

Have no fear Jonathan, Alex is back and can call pitches for the catcher.

How much would a ban on potty mouth restrain this type of wit?  Why take the risk?

well played indeed.

then again, i’m not that comfortable with Damon backing up CF.

If that’s the case and the Yankees are willing/able to open another spot on the 40-man, Todd Linden?  He’s crushing AAA pitching right now and looking at his MiL stats he’s generally hit quite well (wOBA pretty much always above .380).  His ML record is unimpressive, but he’s got some pop and looks like he’s a + fielder in the corners and at least better than Damon or Swisher in CF.

I still think if Gardner gets a chance (and no, he doesn’t deserve it right now based on how he and Melky have played) he’ll get up around his pre-season predictions.  But if you want him playing every day in AAA Linden wouldn’t be the worst choice.

i just think with A-Rod back, Pena can do most of what Gardner can do right now on the offensive side (bunt, pinch run, strike out, etc).  and with an automatic out at catcher, they really need to pinch hit in every close game for the catcher.

Shelley Duncan or Miranda could be that player.  or both, as some sort of super AAAA platoon.

Do any of the Clagget, Jackson, and Hacker project to anything other than at best 5th starter but more likely bullpen mop or emergency starter?

I *was* going to do the full scouting report, but eh.  In short, Hacker suddenly became a “prospect” last year and has some supporters.  Supposedly throwing 95 last year but when I saw him he was 88-89 this year.  Jackson was a starter-turned-reliever who didn’t excel UNTIL he was promoted to AAA.  He started a double-header yesterday (pitched well) and has been told he’s in the rotation for now, but no one (including him) seems to know if it is until IPK gets back, or if it is permanent.  Clagget is a reliever who started to do well last year and so far in AAA done well.

None of these guys are young, but none are old (Hacker 26, Jackson 27, Clagget 25 in July).  I think they are useful either as trade-chips - ML ready pitchers who are young and cheap that teams like Pitt and Wash like and allow the Yankees to keep younger/better prospects - or replacements for guys on the ML roster who may be traded.  I also think all would be claimed if exposed to waivers.

Shelley Duncan’s value as a pinch hitter for the next two weeks is not worth DFAing a pitcher, even if the pitcher is named Claggett, Jackson or Hacker.  Miranda is already on the 40-man roster, so I could sort of see that move, except for the bullpen burnout issue.

Also forgot to mention that Duncan and Miranda obviously cannot play CF.

Shelley Duncan or Miranda could be that player.  or both, as some sort of super AAAA platoon.

Sure, I can see Gardner going down for a while and maybe getting some confidence back, and then go from there if there is an opportunity.  You need some extra offense now, and to date he hasn’t shown he has it.

As you said, what spot do you want to fill?  If you want a backup CF, your choices are probably Linden or Jackson (Jackson isn’t ready, quite).  If you just want the bat, should they be able to play OF too?  If so Miranda is out, and you need Duncan or J Rodriguez (Duncan is currently out though not on the DL with shoulder soreness).  You could have Miranda *and* an OF, but then you definitely need to move someone on the 40. 

I think they should send down a pitcher.  Starters still aren’t getting deep into games, but they are generally getting past the 5th now, and Aceves is there for the rare occasion they don’t.  Then maybe move Nady or Molina to the 60-day.

George King is reporting that Kevin Cash is in Baltimore, although no official roster moves have yet been made.

“Jackson isn’t ready, quite”

What are the criteria?

What are the criteria?

I don’t know what Mike’s criteria are, and I won’t presume to speak for him.  I will happily, however, presume to speak for all 30 major league baseball organizations: it seems that the criteria are almost entirely subjective, except in that handful of cases where the readiness is obvious to even the most casual observer.  So it seems we often are left to settle for, in essence, “Jackson isn’t quite ready because Jackson isn’t quite ready.”

What are the criteria?

Usually, I think people look for a low strikeout rate, and ability to hit for power. Jackson as of now, doesn’t seem to have either, but it is still a short season.

He is striking out in 28.2% of his at bats, and is yet to hit a HR, with ISOp of 0.079. His BABIP also seems at unsustainable 0.484. So, his start is a bit flukish, and he has a 0.843 OPS fueled largely by his .348 BA.

To me, these data would suggest he needs more time in AAA.

[50] I don’t so much care about what the 30 orgs think.  The only reason I see not to bring AJax up to be backup CF is he should be playing daily.

Shelley Duncan’s value as a pinch hitter for the next two weeks is not worth DFAing a pitcher, even if the pitcher is named Claggett, Jackson or Hacker.

you are probably right. 

but i think someone like John Rodriguez or Todd Linden might be a better use of Gardner’s roster spot for longer than the next 2 weeks anyway.

Gardner is probably better served playing in AAA and working to restore the “changes” to his swing that immediately vanished on the last day of spring training.

Remember when the Red Sox were 2-6 and then went on an 11 game winning streak?  Yeah, one hot streak sure does a lot for your record.  They are 5-5 since that streak.

The Yankees have a streak like that in them.  2.6 games behind pace is nothing.

“2.6 games behind pace is nothing.”

Dunno, they’re in part behind pace because of injuries which will continue to be a drag.  This team is not going to be as good as we had hoped for quite a while if then.

The Yankees have a streak like that in them.

Yes, but probably not until they can actually play the team that projected to win 95+ games in the first place.

i think someone like John Rodriguez or Todd Linden might be a better use of Gardner’s roster spot for longer than the next 2 weeks anyway

But again, it’s not just Gardner’s spot on the active roster that we’re talking about.  So at the risk of repeating myself: is John Rodriguez or Todd Linden worth DFAing a pitcher, even if the pitcher is named Claggett, Jackson or Hacker?  I don’t know, which I guess means that they’re a clear step up from Shelley Duncan.

What are the criteria?

Usually, I think people look for a low strikeout rate, and ability to hit for power. Jackson as of now, doesn’t seem to have either, but it is still a short season.

Something along those lines, and the fact he’s only been playing AAA for a month.  If he was DOMINATING AAA - kind of like Montero has been doing in Tampa - yeah I could see bringing him up.  But I think we would want to see him sustain his numbers - and K a little less with some power - for a little while longer.  And also as you said, you want him playing every day as he develops.

Gardner is probably better served playing in AAA and working to restore the “changes” to his swing that immediately vanished on the last day of spring training.

Not entirely fair.  I think the first couple of weeks he was hitting the ball solidly and had his OPS over .700 at one point.  But he seems to have lost something since then, and unlike Tex he isn’t walking enough or hitting the occasional HR to counteract that.  If the Yanks were 20-7 and everyone was healthy you could let him work on his swing in the majors, but…

Yeah, one hot streak sure does a lot for your record.  They are 5-5 since that streak.

Definitely.  Whether that streak can start tonight or in June when the team is (relatively) healthy I don’t know.  But even if they are .500 after 50 games, an 11-win streak and they are suddenly 36-25, which is a fine record.

So at the risk of repeating myself: is John Rodriguez or Todd Linden worth DFAing a pitcher, even if the pitcher is named Claggett, Jackson or Hacker? 

FWIW, I think this becomes an option if they feel Nady is more than a couple of weeks away (they can put him on the 60-day then), or if Molina will be out longer than Posada (he can go on the 60-day) since Cash or Cervelli shouldn’t be much of a downgrade.

If Nady is back in a couple of weeks he takes Gardner’s spot on the roster (all else equal), and I don’t know if promoting anyone is worthwhile for 2 weeks right now.  Especially as even yesterday offense wasn’t the problem.

This is probably a considerably more complicated exercise, but given the state of the current roster, and what we know about the knowable future (Nady, Wang, Posada, Molina), strength of schedule, how is this team expected to perform between now and end of May (i.e., not the rest of the season)? Maybe a diamond mind simulation of playing the schedule until end of May 1000 times or so is feasible?

I can probably try to do something like that but I won’t be able to look at it until next week.  Looking at the 22 remaining May games, you have these series:

Yankees at Orioles, 3 games, log5 W-L:1.8-1.2
Yankees at Blue Jays, 3 games, log5 W-L:1.7-1.3
Twins at Yankees, 4 games, log5 W-L:2.6-1.4
Orioles at Yankees, 3 games, log5 W-L:2.0-1.0
Phillies at Yankees, 3 games, log5 W-L:1.8-1.2
Yankees at Rangers, 3 games, log5 W-L:1.8-1.2
Yankees at Indians, 3 games, log5 W-L:1.5-1.5
YTD, 28 games, log5 W-L:13.0-15.0
Remaining, 22 games, log5 W-L:13.2-8.8
Expected Record, 50 games, log5 W-L:26.2-23.8

I didn’t adjust for team strength, figuring losing Posada gets balanced by A-Rod’s return.  Wang’s out, but Hughes’s projections are pretty similar to his so there’s not much of a difference there, especially over 3-4 starts. 

Anyhoo, this says the Yankees should go 13.2 - 8.8 over the rest of the month, which would put them at 26-24 on June 1.

which would put them at 26-24 on June 1.

As I said above, I’ll be pleasantly surprised if that happens, given the uncertainty surrounding every member of the bullpen right now.

OTOH, the last four losses were to what many of the preseason pundits called the two best teams in the AL. So maybe things aren’t as dire as I think.

“Jackson isn’t quite ready because Jackson isn’t quite ready.”

Yeah, I don’t see Jackson ready to play regularly in the majors, so in that sense he’s not ready to not see regular action and continue developing. If there was a spot for him, I rather there not be a spot for him cuz that means another burst of injuries, he could do his struggling to fit in at the major league level. But Melky is here saving the day, and as long as Swisher worries less about hopping into the stands to high five people, the OF, Gardner working things out in the minors instead of defensive replacement-ing and stinking up the offense is probably okay. And worse case, Matsui can be the emergency guy for a game and a half.

I’ve been harping on the need for a pinch hitter and well, Miranda is not ideal cuz the Yankees are most missing a right handed bat. But he can contribute for the short term with Posada out, and till the Nady picture clears up.

Mike, you weren’t super impress with Hacker from what I remember of your last minors update. But I can see how none of these folks are worth giving up on for 2 weeks of Linden, Duncan, or Rodriguez.

But I don’t think it serves the Yankees victory hope well generally to keep 8 arms in the pen, forgo a credible bat on the bench, and to wait for whoever is on the DL to return. Even if it’s for a week. And I think the offense is the problem.

Hey there, all you blog reading not so fat chicks. How you doin?

this becomes an option if they feel Nady is more than a couple of weeks away

Last I heard, he’s supposed to start swinging a bat in about a week.  60-day DL retroactive to 4/15 means June 15 for his earliest return.  Doesn’t seem like all that smart a move unless he’s more than a month away, so I just don’t see them doing it unless he has a set-back.  And of course, with their luck, the setback won’t happen until the day before they were planning to activate him.

Miranda can also spell Teix for a bit too, now that Alex is back. I don’t know if a day off here and there will do Teix’s wrist much good, but if his wrist isn’t getting any better, getting it better should be a priority.

I don’t think it serves the Yankees victory hope well generally to keep 8 arms in the pen, forgo a credible bat on the bench

Yeah, I was hoping that having a rotation of five guys who could all be counted on to go deep into games would mean that they could get away with a shorter bullpen and therefore benefit from a longer bench.  The best-laid plans…

which would put them at 26-24 on June 1.

OTOH, the last four losses were to what many of the preseason pundits called the two best teams in the AL. So maybe things aren’t as dire as I think.

I’m gonna hate life if it’s not better than that. Spending most of May with the Yankees teetering around .500 is misery. I understand injuries, opponents, stats and all that jazz, but an early push would be nice.

Melancon was demoted to make room for Cash. Is Albaladejo still in front of him?

Melancon down Cash up.  Guess we just need Veras and Abla… too much to spare

But I don’t think it serves the Yankees victory hope well generally to keep 8 arms in the pen, forgo a credible bat on the bench, and to wait for whoever is on the DL to return. Even if it’s for a week. And I think the offense is the problem.

Melancon got sent down.  so that leaves 7 arms in the bullpen.

Cash is up for Molina. 

Berroa will be released for A-Rod, i assume.

that leaves one open spot.  i assume it will be Miranda.

re: Melancon, it seemed to me like the Yankees have always had a very specific plan for how and when he would be brought up.  i am thinking they REALLY did not want to call him up when they had to, and now they are going to put him back on his previous schedule.  don’t know what that means, but i’m guessing he’ll be back in about a month.

I can probably try to do something like that but I won’t be able to look at it until next week.  Looking at the 22 remaining May games, you have these series:

Anyhoo, this says the Yankees should go 13.2 - 8.8 over the rest of the month, which would put them at 26-24 on June 1.

Thanks, SG.

It seems from your post up top that this is treating talent level as 10 percent of season to date, and 90 percent of talent from pre-season simulations, which may explain why Yankees are expected to win series against Baltimore (probably defensible) and Toronto (probably not defensible). I think the need for adjustment is due more to the fact that the roster is impacted by injuries, and the 90 percent weighting of pre-season may be unwarranted (i.e., even if players play to their potential, with the reduced bench, injuries to Posada, Marte, Bruney, Wang, Nady etc. considerably weakens it from its pre-season version).

I thought the only saving grace was Yankees playing a bunch of games at home, but that hasn’t worked out very well either to this date. In fact, in this homestand, they just went 2-5.

Hopefully you can get to the revised diamond mind in the next week or so.

Melancon got sent down.

Berroa will be released for A-Rod, i assume.

Maybe I’m being too much of a stickler about this, or maybe I’m missing something, but Cash can’t just come up for Molina, unless Molina got put on the 60-day DL, and sending Melancon down isn’t necessary unless Molina is still active.  Nobody has to be released for A-Rod, since he’s just coming off the 15-day DL.  If Berroa is released, it’s to open a spot on the 40-man for Cash.

Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui DH
Swisher RF
Cano 2B
Cabrera CF
Cervelli C

Maybe I’m being too much of a stickler about this, or maybe I’m missing something,

what you are “missing”, is that i wasn’t clear at all.

i should have ordered it like this:

“Berroa will be released, then Cash added.

Molina DL’ed, A-Rod activated.

since Melancon was sent down, i’m assuming Miranda will come up.”

Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B 
Rodriguez 3B 
Matsui DH 
Swisher RF 
Cano 2B 
Cabrera CF 
Cervelli C 

A-Rod’s return makes the lineup so much more palatable.  If Posada were healthy, I’d be reasonably optimistic that the Yanks would take the series.

Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui DH
Swisher RF
Cano 2B
Cabrera CF
Cervelli C

If the top 7 do what they are projected to do, and #8 continues his flukiness for a few more weeks, it won’t matter much if #9 hits like a pitcher.

Unfortunately it looks like ‘08 Robbie may have returned. If he brings ‘08 Melky with him , the bottom third will give away three innings a game.

Yes, it makes more sense that way.  However, it is being reported that Cash’s contract was purchased without any move to clear a 40-man roster spot for him.  It is also being reported that Melancon was optioned to make room for Rodriguez.  If you’re right about Berroa DFA, then they could bring up Miranda (or perhaps another reliever instead).  But if they DFA a surplus arm, then they don’t open a spot on the active roster.

Of course, carrying a bench of Brett Gardner and two utility infielders makes about as much sense as the way these roster moves are being reported.

re: Melancon, it seemed to me like the Yankees have always had a very specific plan for how and when he would be brought up.  i am thinking they REALLY did not want to call him up when they had to, and now they are going to put him back on his previous schedule.  don’t know what that means, but i’m guessing he’ll be back in about a month.

Anyone care to share what this plan might be? Not that I’m doubting, but I just didn’t see the point of his coming up (or Robertson) if they weren’t really going to be used. Or why they couldn’t continue to follow through with the plan while he was in the majors, if it was when and how much to pitch?

I guess Melancon value can be protected in the minors, while most of the people in the pen, have to be showcased on the major league level if anything is going to happen with them.

Would it make any sense TEMPORARILY to bat Tex in the 2 hole and Damon in the 3?

A-Rod’s return makes the lineup so much more palatable.  If Posada were healthy, I’d be reasonably optimistic that the Yanks would take the series.

You know, for all the concerns about hitting, they are 4th. in the AL and fifth in all of baseball in terms of runs scored.

Now if they could pitch that would be another story. They are dead last in the number of runs allowed this year.

So, the focus should be on CC Sabathia and company.

Yeah, the pitchers have a cumulative -3.5 WPA while the hitters have a cumulative +2.5 WPA (Wang was “only” -1.25 of that WPA for the pitchers).

The hurlers need to step it up.

Mike, you weren’t super impress with Hacker from what I remember of your last minors update.

No, but as I noted then it was only one start.  He only threw the FB 88-89 when I was there, but I’m pretty sure he was reported throwing 95 in AA.  I think he’ll line up for me to see him on Thursday next week.

Doesn’t seem like all that smart a move unless he’s more than a month away

Yeah, that’s like 5 weeks.  I was thinking it would be more like 3, but I suppose I could have easily checked the dates.

Or why they couldn’t continue to follow through with the plan while he was in the majors, if it was when and how much to pitch?

I think he was brought up because of a numbers game.  They were going through relievers at such a rate they were running out of options for needing extra guys.  The starters have been going deeper since then, so they probably don’t need as many arms.  Melancon also has been only so-so.  They got him a taste, and hopefully they’ve imparted to him what he may need to work on.  He’ll be back this year, and if he’s not I think it is because the bullpen is doing so well.

The hurlers need to step it up.

Veras yeah!

The hurlers need to step it up.

Cutting down on the walks would be nice.

Would it make any sense TEMPORARILY to bat Tex in the 2 hole and Damon in the 3?

So Damon can leadoff more?

The hurlers need to step it up.

I guess toying with the offense is easier because having bats or jiggling the lineup may produce results, as oppose to waiting for the pitchers (and hitters) to get hot.

Awful, awful news via Pete Abe:

“Terrible news for Ian Kennedy. He has an aneurysm and will have surgery in New York on Tuesday. The same surgeon that worked on David Cone, Dr. George Todd, will do the surgery.”

“Awful, awful news”

What are the implications of this?  Career, life-threatening?  Fixable and forgettable?

Haha, did anyone read PeteAbe’s account of the exchange between Jeter and A-Rod? Jeter is the best.

No idea as of yet, but if it’s like Coney’s was, it could end well for everyone…

He just updated with this:

“A little more on Ian Kennedy. The aneurysm is under his armpit and it’s what was causing the numbness in his fingers. He’ll be operated on at Roosevelt Hospital on Tuesday. No idea yet on the timetable. But Cone came back fairly quickly.”

‘Alex is an unusual dude. He’s standing there talking to Sweeny Murti and I when Jeter walked by. “You gotta help me out there, Jeet,” he says. “I’m going to be nervous. Very nervous.”

“What?” Jeter said with a quizzical look.

“Nervous,” Alex said. “I’m going to need your help.”

“You’re kidding me, right?” Jeter said.

I have no idea whether A-Rod was kidding or not. It was hard to tell. I hope he was. Jeter looked at him like he was crazy.’

Not sure what’s best-like about the above.

Also that Steven Jackson was DFA’d. I guess IPK’s surgery isn’t serious enough to put him on the 60-day?

Jackson DFA’d.

Berroa is being retained to do what, exactly? I guess play a bit of second base.

Because it sounds like the kind of thing A-Rod would say in front of reporters and nowhere else. And Jeter was just like wtf are you talking about?

I don’t get why A-Rod would say he’s nervous only in front of reporters, or why the team captain wouldn’t try to play the situation to make his 3b look non-crazy.

You both are assuming that Peter Abraham described the situation accurately. I think it’s extremely possible that he perceived and wrote things so that Alex would appear strange and that Jeter would be agreeing with him on the whole “Alex is a weirdo” thing.

Alex just got back to the team and he’s already screwing with the team chemistry!

I’m gonna go ahead and make an A-Rod prediction for tonight: 3-4. HR, 2B, 1B, BB

Anyone else want to take a guess?

I agree Yankz. PA seems anti-Arod any chance he gets.

I want the lead on tomorrow’s Yankees story to be “A-Rod retuns to power Yankees past Orioles” not “A-Rod returns to steriod questions.”  How many RBIs does that take?  Would 6 do it?  Does the pitching have to collapse to leave room for him to get enough RBIs while still keeping the game close?

I’m gonna go ahead and make an A-Rod prediction for tonight: 3-4. HR, 2B, 1B, BB

So is the one out he makes a strikeout with the tying run on third in the ninth?

“You both are assuming that Peter Abraham described the situation accurately.”

No, I’m actually somewhat skeptical that his account is accurate, but even if it is, I don’t get the takeaway.  Maybe it’s an instance of A-Rod being weird, maybe it’s him spinning off something from the other conversation and being sincere but running into Jeter being a jerk, maybe there’s an inside joke and a misunderstanding, ...

I’m gonna go ahead and make an A-Rod prediction for tonight: 3-4. HR, 2B, 1B, BB

I honestly had the exact same mental image for his line getting into the elevator an hour ago.