Saturday, April 27, 2013
Ivan Nova Diagnosed With Triceps Inflammation
Iva Nova's MRI results are in and they are better than expected as he was diagnosed with triceps inflammation and not a more serious elbow injury like originally thought. Nova will require a 15 day disabled list trip but I think a lot of us were fearing Tommy John surgery after he left the game suddenly in the 3rd inning of yesterdays game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Vidal Nuno has been called up to take his spot on the roster and Derek Jeter has been moved to the 60 day DL to make room on the 40 man roster. David Phelps will make Nova's next start and Nuno will take Phelps slot in the bullpen. This is about the best case scenario for Nova so let's hope he misses three starts and can come back healthy.
Game Thread NYY vs. TOR 4/27
The walking wounded Yankees continue their series with the Toronto Blue Jays looking to clinch a series win this afternoon at Yankees Stadium. The Yankees will send CC Sabathia to the mound to face off against JA Happ. Feel free to use this thread to talk during the game or follow us on twitter @GreedyStripes to tweet with us there.
Here is the Yankees lineup:
Jayson Nix 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Vernon Wells LF
Kevin Youkilis 1B
Travis Hafner DH
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Eduardo Nunez SS
Chris Stewart C
New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays 4/27
The team formerly known as the Yankees are playing their third game in a four game weekend series with the Toronto Blue Jays. What's left of the Yankees roster will send their ace and workhorse CC Sabathia to the mound to face off with the man that broke Curtis Granderson's right forearm in Aaron Laffey. The game will be televised on YES and MLB.TV at 4:05 pm ET.
Vidal Nuno Called Up From AAA
The MRI results must be in and they must not be good for Ivan Nova because the Yankees called up left handed starter Vidal Nuno from AAA. A 40 man roster move will need to be made but the Yankees can add Derek Jeter to the 60 day DL easily so no worries there. I just hope its not Tommy John surgery for Ivan Nova and just some triceps stiffness or tendinitis or something. Nuno is pitching to a 1.54 ERA in 23 IP while striking out 26 batters down in Scranton. Nuno is stretched out and was scheduled to make his next start today conveniently so he is ready to eat a ton of innings if necessary.
Game 25 Lineup: Blue Jays vs. Yankees
Brett Gardner CF
Jayson Nix 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Vernon Wells LF
Kevin Youkilis 1B
Travis Hafner DH
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Eduardo Nunez SS
Chris Stewart C
LHP CC Sabathia
Yanks have injuries but not slowing down veterans
The Yankees have lost a lot of familiar names: Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Curtis Granderson, Alex Rodriguez, Francisco Cervelli, Ivan Nova and possibly Kevin Youkilis. With a lineup that won't feature most of these names for a while, you would think the Yankees would lie down and take the beating, not fight at all and prove every non-believer right. The Yankees have done the opposite. Going into today's game, the Yankees are 13-9, 12-5 since April 7. In a team that's bruised and beat up, there's a shining light, where veterans stepped up and are producing for the Yanks.
No one expected Travis Hafner to be such a big catalyst in the Yankees lineup vs. right handed pitching. And no one would have thought that Vernon Wells would come out of the gate swinging. Well, that's the case for the Yankees. The veterans are taking over the lineup for the Yanks, and they intend on milking out every opportunity possible to prove their worth to the ball-club. Here are some Yankees that surprised us so far in the season, making their cause known to the team.
Brett Gardner: If you told me on April 1st that Brett Gardner was going to have 3 HR's and have the second most RBI's (12) on the team behind Robinson Cano, I'd say you were a dreamer. I'd call you crazy as well, but mostly a dreamer. Well, Brett Gardner has been opening some eyes, proving that he deserves to be in the lineup vs. left handed pitching as well as right handed pitching. Out of Gardner's 3 HR's this season, two are of significant importance: Gardner hit them vs. left handed pitching. Before his first HR, the last time Gardner hit a HR vs. left handed pitching was on July 3, 2010 vs. Ricky Romero of the Blue Jays. Gardner has been showing strength, and although he's paid to run and steal bases, we'll excuse him for not stealing bases as of yet since he's doing a great job in bringing runners in scoring position to the plate.
Robinson Cano: Robinson Cano had an odd start to his 2013 campaign. He was struggling just like Brett Gardner and just like Ichiro Suzuki. However like Gardner, Cano quickly turned it around and started providing offense for the team. With no Curtis Granderson, no Mark Teixeira and no Derek Jeter, there is a loss in home runs for the Yankees meaning that Cano has to carry the team on his back every single game. After a putrid first week, Cano has done just that. He's carried the team on his back. Does 7 HR's and 17 RBI's prove my point? It should.
Travis Hafner: Pronk has become a pleasant surprise to the Yankees, showing his power and is dubbed the "2013 version of Raul Ibanez". Pronk is easily one of my favorite acquisitions, since he comes up in the clutch in the playing time he's had. He has 5 HR's, (one of them was so dramatic, it won the game). He also made Cleveland Indians fans remember why they loved him so much...although he hit home runs AGAINST his former team, leaving the fans unhappy. Anyway, Pronk is a player that I wish could hit vs. left handed pitching...but I'll take him as he is. He's been a great player so far and we hope he stays healthy.
Vernon Wells: Who would have thought that out of all people, Vernon Wells would be the player he was before he signed the gigantic contract that caused him to get traded to two different teams? Vernon Wells is second for team batting average, home runs and is third in RBI's. It might have helped that the Yankees faced the Blue Jays twice, once on their recent road-trip and on their current home-stand. Vernon Wells has no trouble showing the Blue Jays fans what they were missing, and the Yankees love it.
This Day In Yankees History 4/27
On this day in 1947 the Yankees held Babe Ruth day to honor the ailing legend one last time at Yankees Stadium. The Washington Senators would win the game 1-0 in a pitchers duel.
On this day in 1982 the Yankees Stadium crowd welcomed back Reggie Jackson who was playing for the California Angels. The Yankees crowd was not happy about losing Mr October to free agency and even chanted "Steinbrenner sucks" during the game. The Yankees would lose a rain shortened game 3-1 and Reggie Jackson hit a home run.