Lots of stuff has happened this past week.

The major bit of news was losing Curtis Granderson to a broken forearm five pitches into his Spring. Of course what followed was lots of speculation about who will take over while Granderson is recovering – he’s supposed to be out at least the first month of the season.

Then we have the Yankees struggling to win Spring Training game which isn’t really news because it’s only Spring Training and the regulars haven’t played that much. They’re currently riding a seven-game losing streak (THE HORROR!)

Joba Chamberlain decided he wanted to stir up more controversy by saying he’d rather be a starter. Naturally, the press and angry fans had a field day with this. It was loads of fun for everyone involved.

Let’s see, what else? Oh right, Joe Girardi decided he also wanted to cause a stir by saying Phil Hughes may not be ready for the start of the season. You know what else? He may be ready.

Mariano Rivera and CC Sabathia are well on their way back from their surgeries. Sabathia’s elbow is responding well to pitching sessions and Rivera’s knee is responding well to both pitching sessions and fielding drills. Another guy coming back from surgery, Derek Jeter, has started running and he’s still on track to be in participating in Spring Training games by March 10.

The first full week of Spring Training – full as in the whole team was in camp – is nearly over and what have we learned?

Well, for one thing, we learned that the Yankees are open to switching the defensive alignment of the outfield by placing Curtis Granderson in left field and allowing Brett Gardner to patrol center field. This is all in the beginning stages and it may not even come to fruition but the fact that the Yankees are open to this idea makes me happy. I believe the stronger outfield would have Gardner in center.

Another thing we learned is that Ichiro Suzuki is pretty funny. From him showing up on the first day of training camp in a glittery Yankee cap – at least according to the beat writers who couldn’t take pictures in the clubhouse so there actually isn’t any proof that this hat exists. I guess we’ll have to take their word for it – to his quote in which he subtly made fun of the New York sports media for focusing on Derek Jeter’s weight which, surprise surprise, turned into a non issue to him tipping his cap or, in this case, helmet after he blasted a batting practice home run off fellow countryman Hiroki Kuroda. I like Ichiro. He can stay.

Next up, we have Mariano Rivera who seems to be healthy and ready to pitch in 2013. He threw his first live batting practice and said he felt good. He said that he was more worried about how his knee would respond to fielding practice than he was about pitching. You and me both, Mo. Let’s hope everything stays copacetic.

Jorge Posada returned to Tampa as a guest instructor this week. He already shot down the comeback idea. According to Posada there will be no repeat of what happened with Andy Pettitte last season although some Yankee fans wouldn’t mind it considering the team doesn’t actually have a starting catcher as of this moment.

Phil Hughes hurt his back earlier in the week and was diagnosed with a bulging disc. The Yankees conservatively estimated he’d be out two weeks. Hughes started getting ready for the season two weeks earlier than usual so these next weeks off, according to him, will put him right on schedule. Or something.  Frankly, I’m concerned because this is the third season in a row that Hughes has had a back issue. His 2012 ended when he left Game Three of the American League Championship Series with a back problem.

What else happened in Tampa?

• Joba Chamberlain grew this thing on his face. 
• New Yankee Kevin Youkilis arrived and hugged it out with Joba.
• Alex Rodriguez issued a statement about his rehab and the New York Daily News which seems to be obsessed with Alex, reported that he ate at the same seafood restaurant three nights in a row this week. He ordered oysters. No word on if this is all a part of his rehab.

As I was sitting here, staring at my laptop screen and trying to write a piece about the Kevin Youkilis-Paul O’Neill comparisons I keep reading about, a tweet popped up in my Twitter timeline that made me pause.

The tweet had a picture of Joba Chamberlain and his new mustached. Here’s a link to that picture.

Joba, really?

Youkilis had mentioned Joba’s new mustache and we all saw hints of it during interviews on his first day at training camp but I really wasn’t prepared for this. I really hope he lost a bet.

I apologize in advance for the not-so-clever Ivan Nova cliche but it must be said. Nova was super today. In his first outing since August 21, Nova pitched into the seventh inning surrendering only two earned runs – one was a Luke Scott single given up by Joba Chamberlain – and four hits while striking out eight Rays and only walking two.

Nova was on a pitch limit and when he surrendered a single to Jeff Keppinger to open the seventh inning he was taken out after having thrown 85 – 53 for strikes.

Offensively for the Yankees, Curtis Granderson and Eduardo Nunez went back-to-back in the second inning off Rays starter James Shields. Granderson’s two-run shot was his 39th of the season and Nunez’s solo shot was his first of the year.

In the bottom of the fifth, Derek Jeter hit an RBI single to put the Yankees up 4-0. The Rays got one back in the top of the sixth when Evan Longoria took Nova deep cutting the lead to 4-1.

After Nova was removed in the seventh – following the Keppinger single – Boone Logan replaced Nova and Ben Francisco bunted into a force out, Keppinger was out at second but Francisco made it to first. The next batter, Ryan Roberts, hit a double, advancing Francisco to third. Girardi replaced Logan with Joba Chamberlain, while Joe Maddon countered with Sam Fuld pinch hitting for Chris Gimenez.

That move worked out for the Yankees when Fuld grounded out to Chamberlain. The Yankees weren’t out of the woods yet and Luke Scott made them pay when he singled on a 1-2 pitch from Chamberlain, scoring both Francisco and Roberts, cutting the lead to 4-3.

Chamberlain got the next batter, Desmond Jennings to strike out on three pitches.

In the top of the 8th, David Robertson replaced Chamberlain and retired the Rays 1-2-3. In the bottom half of the inning, the Yankees scored an insurance run, thanks to the heroics of both Robinson Cano and Alex Rodriguez. Actually, we can add a third person to the equation, B.J. Upton who had trouble tracking down Cano’s ball and it turned into a double. Rodriguez followed with an RBI single, putting the Yankees up 5-3.

Rafael Soriano made things slightly interesting in the ninth. It felt like I was watching John Wetteland circa 1996. Things started off fine when he got Keppinger to pop out to Nunez. Francisco followed that up with a single and Ryan Roberts flied out to Granderson for the second out. Just one more out to go.

Maddon pinch hit Stephen Vogt for Jose Lobaton and he walked. So with two on, two outs and the go-ahead run at the plate, Soriano settled down and got Elliot Johnson swinging the end the game.

The crowd, both at the Stadium and watching on TV exhaled, Soriano untucked and the Yankees high fived, celebrating their 82nd victory of the year.

(Syndicated from The Yankee Analysts)

I apologize for how late this “recap” is. I didn’t actually see the game, I was keeping track of it on my phone with my MLB At Bat 12 app. (Thank goodness for that thing.) Where I was today didn’t have the YES Network and I was stuck watching the Jets/Bills game.

Anyway, I was pleased to see the Yankees respond to last night’s ridiculousness with an explosive showing by the offense. The loss of Mark Teixeira, yet again, could be a huge deal down the stretch and other guys will need to step up.

Speaking of stepping up, how about Alex Rodriguez coming back and – horrible pun warning – getting right back into the swing of things? He now has a 13-game hitting streak and though he only finished the day 1-3, he hit the single that started the four-run fourth inning for the Yankees.

Another guy who seems to step up each and everyday and who has been unbelievable this season is Derek Jeter. He finished the 2-4 with three RBI. He’s batting .324 on the season.

Curtis Granderson didn’t start the game but he finished 3-3 with five RBI. He hit a home run on the first pitch he saw in the game from Jake Arrieta who had relieved Zach Britton. It was Granderson’s 35th of the season and he also had a single and double.

Poor Nick Swisher is in the midst of a pretty terrible slump. He was able to work a walk and get on base but he is having the worst luck at the plate. When he makes contact he’s hitting the ball well. I have a feeling he’ll turn it around.

Let’s talk about the pitchers – more specifically the bullpen who were incredible. (Not to take anything away from Freddy Garcia who while not dominant, wasn’t totally awful – 3.1IP, 3H, 3R, 1BB and 1K) Joba Chamberlain, who earned the win, and Cory Wade were both resplendent today. Chamberlain threw 1.2IP of hitless ball while striking out four Orioles. Wade pitched two full innings, also didn’t give up a hit and struck out three Orioles. In fact the only bullpen pitcher who gave up a hit was Boone Logan. He was the only member of the bullpen who got into any sort of trouble but he worked his way out of it.

The Orioles finished with only four hits on the day and miracle of all miracles, didn’t hit a home run!

The Yankees have a well deserved day off tomorrow before heading, excuse me, shipping up to Boston to take on the Red Sox.

If you read this blog or follow me on Twitter, you’ll know that I am not a big fan of ESPN. And it’s sad because the reason I chose to attend SUNY Oswego all those years ago was because both Linda Cohn and Steve Levy of ESPN graduated from its Communications department.

But that was the 1990′s when ESPN was in its heyday, when they could do no wrong, before they turned into an entertainment first, sports later network.

Now it’s people like Tim Tebow, Lebron James and – heaven help us if he’s in the news again – Brett Favre dominating the airwaves all the time.

Just like other mediums and other TV programming, it’s all about the biggest names, not the biggest news.

So it’s no surprise that ESPN’s websites would offer much of the same.

ESPN New York is a site that offers content about all New York sports teams. In fact, the coverage on ESPN New York is actually better than what’s shown on TV for every New York team except the New York Yankees.

» Continue reading “Yankee Fans Deserve Better Than ESPN New York”

According to Eric Boland of Newsday:

“Joba flew in from Tampa today … will throw bullpen Friday & plan is rehab app Sunday, likely in Trenton”

“The other option for Joba Sunday, besides Trenton, which is home, would be Triple-A Scranton, which is at Pawtucket. Id still bet on Trenton”

Is this real life??

Remember the reports of doom and gloom in March when Joba’s freak trampoline accident first happened? And now, barring any unforeseen obstacles, he could be back with the Yankees in August.

Truly amazing and a much needed shot in the arm for the bullpen. Some of those guys need a rest.

Good afternoon Yankee fans!

I know last night’s game was frustrating but there is some good news from Florida. It looks like Joba Chamberlain may be back with the Yankees this month. Yes, this month. As in July 2012. I know, it’s crazy to think about but it’s true.

Via George King of the New York Post:

Chamberlain, whose 30-day rehab assignment expires Aug. 8, made his fourth outing Friday night in Bradenton, Fla.

In two innings for Single-A Tampa, he gave up a run, two hits, fanned one and walked one.

According to Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild, Chamberlain’s fastball was clocked in the mid-90s.

The plan is for Chamberlain to throw a bullpen session Monday. The next test will have Chamberlain throw in back-to-back games. If he comes through that exercise with no problems, he could come off the disabled list before the end of July.

Chamberlain hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since last June, when he underwent Tommy John surgery. During spring training, he underwent right ankle surgery after a trampoline accident.

Adam Kilgore tweeted that the Yankees may now be interested in Rick Ankiel. With Nick Swisher injuring himself during last night’s 3-2 loss in Oakland, the Yankees may have to look outside of the organization in case the injury is worse than expected.

A scouting report from Mike Axisa of River Avenue Blues:

Ankiel, 33, posted a 76 wRC+ in 171 plate appearances for the Nationals this season. He can still hold his own against righties (95 wRC+ since 2010) but not lefties (44), so he’s a platoon guy only. Ankiel can play the two corner outfield spots fine and fake center on occasion, plus he has that rocket arm. The Yankees would assume the remainder of his $1.25M salary by claiming him off waivers. I’m not much of a fan but the Yankees could do worse if Swisher needs his first DL stint since 2005. · (3) ·

Over at The Yankee Analysts Steve Sciacco wonders if there is a deal for the Yankees to make at the trade deadline.

That guy Andy Pettitte began throwing but is still a long ways off from in game action. The Yankees are still looking at a September 1st return date.

So Joba Chamberlain was excited as I was last night after Raul Ibanez’s tie-breaking grand slam against the Blue Jays. I just hope for his sake he didn’t jump up and down like I did. (I’m still in agony and paying for it this morning.)

He was also excited about pitching this morning. To be fair, all Yankee fans are excited about Joba’s progress. Getting him back in the bullpen this year will be a big boost for the team and it will cap off an amazing comeback story. And we all love those, don’t we?

If you’re like me and slept late, you woke up to some good news from Florida. Joba Chamberlain made a rehab start and his final line was: 1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K.

And he hit 97 mph on the gun.

Does anyone else want to do cartwheels right now? I’m afraid to get too excited because setbacks are possible but this is just unbelievable to me. When Chamberlain’s ankle injury first came to light back in March, it was hard to imagine seeing him pitch again and now he could be back in the Bronx as early as next month.

And then there’s Mo: This morning there was a report saying that a 2012 return could be possible for Mariano Rivera. I know, I know, calm down.

Dr. Keith Pyne recently told the New York Post that the 42-year-old is “working his butt off” and “itching to get back.”

Though the decision will belong to the Yankees, Rivera and renowned surgeon Dr. David Altchek, Pyne said the one-month delay before surgery may have actually helped the timetable for baseball’s saves leader.

“This is a very detailed guy and he did everything right (pre-surgery),” Pyne told the Post. “He strengthened, he got range of motion. He was very functional before surgery. I don’t want to put a percentage on it, but he reduced recovery time by a lot.”

And then the letdown:

Pyne gushed over the hard-working Rivera, who he called “special” and “in the top 10 percent of athletes I have worked with.”

“He’s got everything it takes to accomplish that,” Pyne said of Rivera returning in 2012. “If I was putting money on it, I would put my money on Mo.”

The doctor did admit to the paper, “Right now, he’s shut down until next year.”

Emphasis on “right now.” The five-time World Series champion may have a fighting chance to make his mark this October after all.

Why do you have to tease us like this?

Could you imagine if Rivera was back in the Bronx pitching in the playoffs? I think I may cry.