It’s Tuesday morning and the good news is that the Yankees have been relatively healthy for the past few– you know what? I should know better. Every time I do that something catastrophic happens.

Strike that previous statement.

Michael Pineda threw a 35-pitch bullpen session this morning and came out of it alive. Another pitcher coming back from injury is Phil Hughes and he threw a bullpen session yesterday and also came out alive.

CC Sabathia is scheduled to throw a bullpen session today and will throw in his first live game on Friday.

Boone Logan threw a bullpen session this weekend with no issues. He had a balky elbow.

Man, the Yankees really do have a lot of injuries. It’s a little crazy.

Ivan Nova is making the start on the road for the Yankees this afternoon. The weather is a little iffy down in central Florida today but reports are saying that the Yankees and Rays should be able to get the game in.

Here’s today’s lineup:

Eduardo Nunez SS
Jayson Nix 3B
Travis Hafner DH
Juan Rivera 1B
Francisco Cervelli C
Melky Mesa CF
Thomas Neal LF
Zoilo Almonte RF
Corban Joseph 2B

That’s a “the Yankees are playing on the road in the Spring” type of a lineup.

Have a good day, everyone.

Day two of Yankee camp started with Francisco Cervelli answering questions about his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal.

Cervelli said someone told him about the clinic and he also said he left without buying anything.

“When I got my foot injured in 2011, I checked with doctors and somebody recommended me Biogenesis,” Cervelli said. “I went there for maybe suggestions, and that’s it. I walked away without nothing in my hands. I just went there, talked and that’s it.”

He wouldn’t say who recommended the place but insisted it wasn’t a fellow player or one of his agents. Cervelli answered a bunch of questions from the writers gathered in Tampa and he stated:

“I will be here just doing what I know, having fun…I know my situation right now, no distraction. I just came here to play baseball.“

Mariano Rivera arrived this morning – he was allowed an extra day and didn’t have to report yesterday. According to the writers, Mo made small talk but didn’t discuss his knee or his future. He is scheduled to throw a bullpen session today along with Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes, and Hiroki Kuroda.

The other pitchers throwing today are: David Aardsma, Tom Kahnle, Jim Miller, Zach Nuding, Clay Rapada, Juan Cedeno, Vidal Nuno, Ryan Pope, Matt Tracy.

And because I know everyone loves this sort of news, David Robertson’s Spring Training locker has been moved. From the Lohud Yankees blog (with my favorite part bolded for emphasis):

Dave Robertson has been moved to the locker right next to Rivera (that’s where Rafael Soriano was the last two years). It was suggested that Robertson moving down the line to be so close to Rivera is an indication that he’s the heir to closer’s role. Robertson said he it was simply an indication that he’s going to be picked on this spring.

Just as I was about to publish this post, some big news came across the wires…

Big uniform news: I’m told by @YankeesPR that David Phelps has reclaimed his old No. 41, while Michael Pineda has taken back his old No. 35.

That comes courtesy of a tweet from Mark Feinsand of the Daily News.

Carry on and Happy Wednesday!

How about that?

The Yankees have put together a nice run as of late.  They’ve climbed out of the AL East basement and share first place in the division, as of this moment.  This year has had its share of major setbacks for the Yankees, but here they are.  Injuries have taken a bite out of the team and the lack of hitting with RISP is mind-boggling, but I’m a glass half full kind of guy, so I like to take notice that this team gets on base often.  That problem can’t last all year, could it?  If only we could have Nova’s hot bat in the lineup every night.

Kidding.

And there’s this: Pineda, Joba, Gardner, Robertson, Rivera.  These are huge pieces of the puzzle who have missed significant time, but other players are stepping up.  Raul Ibanez is batting .255 with 9 home runs and 30 RBI.  Who saw that coming?  Not me.  Andy “50 Shades of Grey” Pettitte is tying up batters, posting 40 K’s in 41.2 IP. (See what I did there?)  That’s a strikeout almost every inning.  Oh, and both of them have 34 years of MLB experience combined.   Pretty damn impressive.

So the fans I’ve talked to this year, who panicked and jumped overboard, patience would have been key.  Cat pictures are on the decline around here and that’s a great sign.  The Yankees are going through the NL East like a freight train and the schedule for the rest of June looks favorable.  Winning is a good look in the Bronx and the Yankees wear it the best.  Can they keep it up?  Maybe. Maybe not.  But my money is on them continuing the trend.

Before last night’s game in Texas, the Yankees and their fans found out that Michael Pineda tore his labrum and will be out until at least 2013. If that wasn’t bad enough, Phil Hughes went out, lasted only 2.2 innings and gave up four runs on five hits en route to a 7-3 loss.

That performance was the last thing the Yankees needed from Hughes. It was also the last thing Hughes needed for himself. The Yankees really need him to step up and pitch like he’s shown he’s capable of in the past. He’s now on the wrong side of 25 and fans are losing their patience – if they haven’t completely lost it already.

With last night’s loss, the Yankees finished their road trip 3-2 which isn’t terrible but they followed up their good showing in Boston and their great first game against the Rangers with losses in the final two games and who will they have waiting for them on Friday night at the Stadium? Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers. Not fun.

» Continue reading “About Last Night: Two Losses And Lots Of Unhappy Yankee Fans”

Hi guys (and James),

It’s Stace. I know today’s news on Michael Pineda, his labrum tear and impending surgery is not good, at all, but I really think some of you should calm down. (You too James.)

Was Pineda’s decreased velocity a cause for concern? Possibly but even without his 97 m.p.h. fastball, he was still getting batters out in his Spring Training outings. Did this tear happen before he was traded to the Yankees? Absolutely not.

Brian Cashman did not trade for an injured pitcher. The Yankees believe that Pineda’s tear occurred in his extended rehab start. So let’s get rid of that thought, okay? Seattle did not give the Yankees damaged goods.

“In no way do I believe, or do the New York Yankees believe, that the Seattle Mariners had any knowledge of any issues here with Michael Pineda prior to the trade or anything of that nature. He was a fully healthy player we acquired. We had full access to his medicals, which were clean.

“We had the opportunity to do a full physical exam, which we did, which came out clean. Michael has never had a shoulder issue nor has he complained of one with the Mariners, nor has he ever had any tests on the shoulder with the Mariners. This is just an unfortunate circumstance that can happen. It happened.”

Another thing people need to realize is the trade that the Yankees made on January 13 of this year which sent Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi to Seattle for Michael Pineda and Jose Campos was not going to be won in 2012 no matter what happened – even if Jesus Montero ends up hitting 50 home runs this season. The trade is more about the long term.

More importantly, a trade is not won or lost on April 25 and if you think that, you’re being silly.

Is this development bad? Of course it is. Pineda’s recovery from the surgery is expected to take a year. It’s not optimal but it’s also not the end of the world. (Okay, James?)

And one more thing. I know many of you were disappointed when the Yankees traded away Jesus Montero. I know that he was like a God to some of you but he’s gone. Get over it already. Nothing you say will bring him or reverse the trade. What’s done is done.

So let’s all send positive thoughts and vibes to Michael Pineda, hope that his recovery goes well and that when he comes back – hopefully in 2013 – he will be an important part of the Yankees starting rotation.

Chins up kids. (And James.) Like I said before, it may be bad news but it’s not the end of the world.

Your friend (and sister),
Stacey

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Per Erik Boland of Newsday: “Pineda injury is an anterior labral tear in right shoulder.”

I’m going to irrationally blame this injury on the writers who were obsessing over Pineda’s velocity all Spring.

Congratulations guys! Well done!

UPDATE: Brian Cashman announced it will be a full year of recovery time for Pineda. Well, that sucks…

It’s only been one game.

But everything is falling apart! CC Sabathia looked bad and Mariano Rivera blew the game!!

It’s only been one game.

But there are so many question marks! What about the rotation??

It’s only been one game.

But what will happen when Andy Pettitte comes back?!

It’s only been one game.

And what about Pineda? What if he’s out longer than that expected?

It’s only been one game.

Mark Teixeira popped up yesterday. He’s terrible!

It’s only been one game.

Curtis Granderson can’t get past the shift! He’s going suck this year!

It’s only been one game.

But the Yankees lost to the Rays and now they’re in last place!!

It’s only been one game.

Joe Girardi intentionally walked someone in the first inning!

Well, okay, you got me there but again, it’s only been one game.

Mariano Rivera looks old! He’s not the old Mariano, he’s just old Mariano!

It’s only been one game.

But, but…

IT’S ONLY BEEN ONE GAME!

The New York Yankees lost one game. And guess what? It is not the end of the world. So can everyone – media and fans included – calm down, take a breath or fifty and just relax?

Yesterday was the first of 162 games. And I’m sorry, but people cannot react like they did yesterday to every loss. It’s absolutely ridiculous.

It’s as if certain Yankee fans forgot how baseball season actually is. They forgot how long it is, they forgot that just because a team loses on Opening Day, it doesn’t mean a thing. The Yankees lost the 2009 Opener and they won the World Series. Even last year’s Cardinals lost their opener and they won the World Series.

The whole “It’s marathon not a sprint” quote applies to baseball season. Everyone knows it but losses like yesterday’s will turn even some of the more levelheaded fans into sniveling numskulls.

The worst thing about this is the scheduling because now Yankee fans have all day to let this mood fester until tonight’s start time of 7:10 p.m. Well, my advice to them is to avoid sports TV, radio and the newspapers.

And if you’re one of those people who are still really bothered by last night’s loss, go out, enjoy the day and then come back in time for tonight’s game to start. You’ll feel a lot better, I promise.

*Drum roll*

The New York Yankees starting rotation is…

CC Sabathia
Hiroki Kuroda
Phil Hughes
Ivan Nova
Freddy Garcia

Of course, Michael Pineda’s injury made this decision a lot easier for the Yankees’ coaching staff but it’s nice to finally have a set rotation.

Countdown to Opening Day: Six days!

Well, I hope everyone who was obsessed with Michael Pineda’s lack of velocity is happy now. After hearing people harp on it all Spring, Pineda felt it was necessary to go out on the mound last night with an already sore shoulder to prove to everyone that he can throw faster. Instead, his velocity was hovering around 91-92 m.p.h., occasionally hitting 94 which is where he’s been all Spring and now he’s heading to the MRI machine later today.

From MLB.com:

Pineda said he told the Yankees about the soreness after he was lifted from the game. He said that he had tried to throw harder on Friday and also may have been flying open with his left shoulder in his delivery, causing his fastball to run.

“I don’t know. I tried to pitch my game,” Pineda said. “I tried to throw harder today. I don’t know what was my velocity. I tried a couple of times.”

So who is to blame?

Is it the media for their obsession with Pineda’s velocity? Is it the Yankees coaching staff? Or is it Pineda himself?

Personally, I think there is plenty to go around and that everyone has a cog in the blame machine but I also think certain members of the media have played a big role in this fiasco.

Let’s hope the injury isn’t serious, that it’s just soreness and that the real Michael Pineda, as Eminem would say, stands up soon.

“I think I’m the same Michael Pineda,” he said. “I’ll make my adjustments and that’s it. I’m pitching, you know? I’m not worried about that. I’m the same Michael Pineda from last year.”

Update: Pineda has tendonitis in his right shoulder. Phew! He will be placed on the 15 day DL and Freddy Garcia will pitch the fifth game of the season.

The big news tonight isn’t Michael Pineda’s less than stellar outing. It’s the fact that he admitted afterwards that his shoulder was sore. You’re probably thinking, well, it’s probably just normal wear and tear. Nope. Pineda felt the soreness before he out to pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies tonight.

Better yet, he didn’t tell anyone how he was feeling.

Hmm, could he have been feeling pressure and felt like he needed to prove himself? And what happened? In order to try and impress his bosses and quiet the doubters, Pineda went out, pitched with a sore shoulder and his performance took a hit.

Oh goody.

From what the beat writers have been saying in their quick blog posts, Pineda looked deflated while addressing the media.

I cannot wait for the “PINEDA CAN’T HANDLE NEW YORK!!!” articles that will be coming out tomorrow.

God help us all.