Beauty comes with a price, doesn't it? On a day where it's 73 degrees in New York City...there had to be some news about the Yankees somewhere. Let's get to them.
-- Joba Chamberlain was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a tight oblique. He said he felt something when he was warming up to pitch on Tuesday and complained of soreness when he arrived at the stadium yesterday. Brian Cashman said that the strain is "mild" and Joba should be back to pitch in two weeks. There wasn't a move on the roster to replace Chamberlain but Cashman did say that he had three names in mind when it came to taking that roster spot: Mark Montgomery, Preston Claiborne and Sam Demel.
-- David Robertson spent his off-day at the doctors office after feeling discomfort near his knee/hamstring. The doctors did an MRI and the diagnosis is a "cranky hamstring". Robertson won't have to go on the DL; instead he is day-to-day.
-- Alex Rodriguez posted on Facebook that he had been cleared to do baseball activities and that he will head to Tampa on Monday in order to join Curtis Granderson rehabbing their way back to the team. Rodriguez is still expected to be back after the All-Star break, along with Derek Jeter.
Derek Jeter
-- Derek Jeter is still in the walking boot, but he's able to remove it to do exercises. He's expected to be back after the All-Star Break.
-- After doing tee and toss, Teixeira will stay with the Yankees until the end of the homestand, then head off to Florida to rehab with A-Rod and Granderson. Teixeira is expected to be back in June.
-- Michael Pineda is throwing to hitters down in Florida. He's reached 93-95 MPH on his fastball.
-- After being acquired by the Yankees late last night, he's officially been put on the 25-man roster and is activated for tomorrow. Corban Joseph was optioned to Triple-AAA to complete the roster move.
Curtis Granderson
-- Curtis Granderson is on the road back to the Yankees today. He took more at-bats in an extended Spring Training game. If all goes well, Granderson is slated to come back in about two weeks.
TWASP/KEN - This article is right up your alley as you have both talked a lot about Mickey Mantle. It's about the auctioning of one of the Mick's bats that was corked. I never really understood the benefit of a corked bat. Sure it makes the bat a little lighter but why not just use a lighter bat?
ReplyDeleteWhatever the reason or benefit, corked bats seem pretty prevalent through the years. From Pete Rose to Albert Belle to Sammy Sosa.....many have used corked bats. is it cheating? Technically it is, but is it a big deal?
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/corked_mickey_mantle_bat_hits_the_Zw0u7kLe93OdF6tEuPShqN
fishjam, I think using a corked bat is no different than taking performance inhancing drugs. Baseball is very selective when it comes to it's past hero's. Spitballs, amphetamines, and corked bats are just a few ways players got an edge in the past. Once the congress and media got on board the whole thing became a fiasco. Let's start checiking up on some of the Basketball and Football players, they are definitely on something, just look at their size and speed. Maybe it's time for another Mitchell report, the Sox a winning again. As far as I'm concerned the congress and media have ruined the image of baseball, while turning it's back when it comes to Football and Basketball. The ironic thing is steroids started in the Football weight rooms.
ReplyDeleteJack Morris is fired up, he thinks Buchholz is throwing spitballs! Sometimes baseball is it's worst enemy. From the video it looks like he is throwing some kind of loaded ball. I knew some guys who loaded up and they hided it in many places like their forearm, and back of their neck.
ReplyDeleteHi doug!
ReplyDeleteEveryone in sports tries to get an edge right? The spitball, nails in bats, greenies, corked bats, mudball, cutball, sharpened spikes, oversized gloves...we could go on and on.
Bottom line is; until it is in the rule book, it is not a rule, just because it is a rule now doesn't make it cheating when it was being used before.
Whitey Ford and Yogi use to cut and scuff the ball! Guys like Bob Gibson, Sal "The Barber" Maglie and Ryan Duren use to throw at or very close to the head/body of players to intimidate them...how long would they last with the rules of today?
What players did or didn't do, back in the day, can't be used to tarnish what they did as players.
There was a story about a Yankee player corking someones bat as a joke (Mickey?) when the hitter picked up the bat he knew something was wrong with it, so he threw it away and got another bat. Did Mickey ever use a corked bat in a game? Good question, never heard that he did, but then he may have!
Big win for Phil Hughes, he looks to be in top form right now.
ReplyDeleteI just heard the ultimate Outlier, there is a stat for hitting the ball the hardest in sabermetrics now. The 2 top hitters at 27% are Cabrera and Martinez of the Tigers. Cabrera is leading the league in hitting at .390 while Martinez is only hitting ,221. How's that for luck in baseball.
ReplyDeleteYou're right Doug. This is the best I've seen Phil pitch as a starter in his MLB career. His FB has been explosive and he's spotting it beautifully. He's also throwing 2 effective off-speed pitches which is big for him as it gives him options to use when he gets 2 strikes. He's often had trouble finishing hitters when he gets ahead but not lately as he's been using his high FB, Slider and Curve effectively for Ks....18 in his last 2 starts.
ReplyDeleteI agree Ken.....athletes will always search for an edge.I was at the dentist the other day and they had a book of baseball quotes. One was from Billy Martin and said something like "Cheating is a big part of baseball....that's why they have umpires". and "its only cheating if you get caught". I just tried to find the exact quotes and found this article on Billy Martin....check it out, pretty interesting.
ReplyDeletehttp://sports.espn.go.com/espn/cheat/news/story?id=2967031
fishjam...
ReplyDeleteThank you for the link on Billy Martin!
I never met Billy personally but, he was my kind of guy...except for the cheating part! I always tried to be like he was, "let the guys with ego and star power have center stage at all times...the win, was the only thing that ever counted".
In my line of work, back a few years, that was the only thing...there was no second place!
What Billy said is and always has been true, that's why they update the rule book all the time!?!
“Cheating is a big part of baseball….that’s why they have umpires”. and “its only cheating if you get caught”.
Thanks again!
Question for any and everyone:
ReplyDeleteAnyone remember how Jeter got to be the starting SS for the Yankees?
Will history repeat itself?
Hi Ken. I know what you are going for.... that Jeter got his job because Tony Fernandez got hurt. But that wasn't the whole story..Jeter was one of the best prospects in all of baseball and wasn't going to be held back. Fernandez was only signed as a stop-gap until Jete was ready. Its true that he was initially called up when Fernandez and Pat Kelly both went on the DL at the same time in 95', but it was just a temporary call-up (13 games) as he went back down when Fernandez & Kelly were healthy.
ReplyDeleteThen in the offseason between 95 and 96, Joe Torre announced that Jeter would be his starting SS, a bold proclamation at the time since Torre had never even met Jeter, let alone see him play, and Fernandez was still under contract. But Stick Michael, Bob Watson and others knew it was Jeter's time.
Then in ST, Fernandez, who had been moved to 2B, got hurt again....this time for the season and the Yanks began to worry that they had no veteran backup in case the 21-yr-old Jeter pissed his pants. Steinbrenner approved trading Mariano Rivera (yes, Mo) to Seattle for journeyman SS Felix Fermin as insurance. Luckily Stick talked George out of it or perhaps the Yankee dynasty never would have happened. Can you imagine no Mariano and no Jeter (for 96 at least). But who knows how Jeter's career would have been different if they traded for Fermin.
fishjam...
ReplyDeleteNo way was I slighting Jeter, he was the future at SS, without a doubt. Other than two or three others, he was the best of the rest. History shows, Jeter was put at SS because of injuries to other players...remember, the story of Wally Pip. That is what I was getting at, the same may happen to him...come on, get real fans! Other than catcher and pitcher, SS is one of the more demanding jobs on the team. Can Jeter handle it on 1 and 3/4 of an ankle...as Yankee fans, we all hope so! Hope only gets the sun in your eyes, this is one time the sun doesn't bother me much!
Ken....I know you weren't slighting Jeter. It's just been a bit of a pet peeve of mine that many people think Jeter got the job because of an injury. Not that I think it disparages Jeter in any way because who cares how someone gets his job. Just that I've seen several sportswriters write that Jeter got the job because Fernandez got hurt and it isn't accurate. Fernandez had a lousy 1995 for the yanks hitting .245 with a .668 OPS and Jeter was the #4 prospect in MLB who had hit .344 and .317 the last 2 yrs in AA & AAA. Yes, Tony Fernandez was hurt in ST that year but it was already Jeter's job as Fernandez was moved to 2B. Torre announced 3 months before ST on December 13, 2005 that Jeter was his SS.......here is the NY Times article by Jack Curry:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/13/sports/baseball-torre-is-sure-of-only-one-thing-jeter-is-his-shortstop.html
But you are right on the money about one thing.....Nunez has a golden opportunity to stake a claim to SS and force the Yankees hand because Jeter can't play SS forever, especially if the ankle limits mobility. Although one thing I've learned is never bet against Mariano or Jeter.
fishjam...
ReplyDeleteI think most know I don't care for Jeter at all, on the field he is a good leader and has the talent and instincts of a great ball player.
My problem with him is, the rest of "HIM"...the real Jeter, not the one you are so adroitly lead to believe is he! The one, all would see if they bothered to read more than headlines.
As SS for the Yankees he has done damn good over the years.
Thats where we differ ken. i think Jeter is a great guy off the field. Regardless of what the headlines say, I don't form my opinion by what the tabloids say. I go by what I see and observe with my own eyes & ears and this is what i like about Jeter:
ReplyDelete1) He always plays hard and plays the game with dignity & respect
2) he's a classy guy who is respected and revered by his opposition and teammates
3) he's a close-knit family guy who's Mom, Dad and sister can be seen at almost every game. Despite all the millions, his family looks like the family next door in jeans and casual clothes at the games. Jeter still talks to his Mom & Dad every day
4) playing under the biggest spotlight in sports, he never gets into trouble despite the fact that he's dated some of the hottest women on Earth
5) as a half-white, half-black guy he has NEVER played the racial card in any way
6) I've never heard or read him say a bad word about anyone in his nearly 20 years in the NY spotlight
fishjam...
ReplyDeleteI think most of the fans misunderstand what I have been saying.
Jeter was the best SS for the Yankees and has carried himself with dignity and all that you said etc. Jeter was brought up on the right side of the tracks, not so with A-Rod...both live their lives as they were taught growing up.
I don't hate Jeter as some think I do, as a ballplayer he is among the better SS in the league.
It is pure personal, nothing more...I have had to put up with Jeter types all my life. In sports or my work, I tried to make sure they got the headlines and credit, that way, I didn't have to put up with them for long!