Sunday, June 9, 2013

Brennan Boesch Added To AAA DL


Brennan Boesch left the game for the AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre Railriders way back on June 5th with some discomfort in his shoulder. Boesch says he had been playing with it for some time and headed to get an MRI by the team. I have not read anywhere what the MRI itself said but it could not be good news as Boesch, along with teammate Vidal Nuno, has been added to the AAA disabled list. Boesch described it as just tightness and just a nuisance and not a problem but the issue kept getting worse and he finally spoke up to team officials and is now on the DL. With him and Nuno down the Yankees took a severe hit in the 25 man roster depth department.

Potentially The Yankees Top 10 Prospect List For 2013


Let's just assume that the Yankees sign all three of their first round picks Eric Jagielo, Aaron Judge, and Ian Clarkin. Where would they rank in our current prospects list? Here is my stab at the matter.

1. Rafael DePaula
2. Gary Sanchez
3. Tyler Austin
4. Slade Heathcott
5. Aaron Judge
6. Mason Williams
7. Eric Jagielo
8. Jose Ramirez
9. Ian Clarkin
10. JR Murphy

I know I will be killed for leaving off Manny Banuelos as I know that Baseball America also takes into account their most recent year but I'm not Baseball America. Manny would be ranked 12th on my list right behind Jose Campos in case you were wondering. That is my list, what is yours?

Game Thread NYY @ SEA 6/9


The Yankees and the Mariners finish their four game series this afternoon with the Yankees looking to take three out of four games against the M's. The game will be televised on YES and on MLB TV. David Phelps for the Yankees is facing off against Mr. Mariner King Felix Hernandez. Hopefully the Yankees can wait him out, keep it close, and get to that Mariners bullpen. 

Here is the Yankees lineup

Brett Gardner CF
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Travis Hafner DH
Vernon Wells LF
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Jayson Nix 3B
Reid Brignac SS
Chris Stewart C


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Michael Pineda Solid In First Rehab Start


Michael Pineda made his first rehab start since his major shoulder surgery last spring training and went an impressive 4.1 IP allowing two hits and an unearned run in 68 pitches. This start officially starts his 30 day rehab window and the Yankees want him to be around 90-100 pitches by the time this window ends.


Yankees Draft Trio Of Former Yanks Family


The Yankees, in my personal prospect hugging opinion, did quite well for themselves in this years MLB First Year Players Draft drafting legit first round talent and likely stealing a few key guys in the later rounds. The Yankees used those later rounds to draft a trio of former Yankees players family members.

In the third round the Yankees drafted Michael O'Neill, nephew of former player and YES broadcast announcer Paul O'Neill, with the 103rd overall pick. O'Neill seems almost certain to sign with the Yankees so water coolers beware because another O'Neill is on the way.

The Yankees used their 26th pick to draft Cal Quantrill, the son of former Yankees pitcher Paul Quantrill, with the 794th pick overall. Quantrill is committed to Stanford but the lure of pitching for the Yankees may bring the 6'2" right hander to New York.

With their 37th round pick the Yankees took Andy Pettitte's son Josh Pettitte. Josh has two no hitters already this season but is expected to go to college unfortunately to iron out his weaknesses. The right hander will more than likely go to Baylor and work on his velocity and his secondary pitches. Plus his dad wants him to go to college so it is more than likely going to happen.

Will any of these guys make it to the majors? Who knows, it is still enjoyable to see recognizable names in a draft littered with guys we have never heard of and probably never will again. I personally look forward to buying those cheap Yankees tickets and seeing these guys down in the minors if they sign.

Nuno Joins The Ranks Of The Walking Yankee Wounded


Vidal Nuno can join the plethora of Yankees players that are currently on the disabled list after he tweaked a groin injury in his start on Saturday. Nuno is a very important piece of the Yankees pitching depth picture right now, even more so with the opt out and release of Chien Ming Wang. Nuno is not on the disabled list yet but it is very likely that he will go there even if for precautionary reasons.

Kevin Youkilis Having More Issues With His Back


Kevin Youkilis has been scratched from this afternoons game with the Seattle Mariners after his back stiffened up in yesterdays win. Youk was sliding back into first base when the back stiffened up and will sit out today and the off day and hopes to be back Tuesday against the Oakland Athletics. Jayson Nix will start at third base today for the injured Youkilis. Hopefully this is just a day off situation and not a couple months on the DL again because Youk's power right handed bat really helps and balances the Yankees lineup.

New York Yankees @ Seattle Mariners 6/9


The New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners will finish up their four game series today when the Yankees travel to Safeco Field this afternoon. The Yankees will send David Phelps to the mound coming off the best start of his major league career, which was coincidentally coming off the worst start of his career, looking to replicate the pitching performance. The Mariners will face off against Felix Hernandez who generally kills the Yankees. Have you ever noticed that the Yankees NEVER miss King Felix when they play the Mariners? The Yankees and the Mariners could play a one game series and it would line up to have King Felix pitch against us. Oh well at least the baseball gods have a sense of humor I guess. The game will be televised at 4:05 pm ET on YES and on MLB TV.

Former Yankees Update David Aardsma


Former Yankees pitcher David Aardsma has finally made it back to the major league after being called up to join the New York Mets bullpen this morning. Aardsma saved 69 games between 2009 and 2010 for the Seattle Mariners and looks to add an experienced arm to a faltering Mets bullpen. When Aardsma makes his first appearance for the Mets it will only be his second appearance in the majors since his June 2011 Tommy John elbow surgery.

Wrapping Up The MLB First Year Player Draft

I posted a couple of articles going over the Yankees draft picks on Days 1 and 2, which you can read here and here. I thought about doing a similar write-up about the picks on Day 3, but seeing as how it's pretty much all fringe prospects, organizational types, and a few long-shots, it's not worth it. For proof, only 8 of the final 30 picks were in Baseball America's top 500 draft prospects.

Chalk it up to me being lazy if you want, though.

If you'd like to read about who they picked, you can see them at Baseball America.

Game 63 Lineup: Yankees @ Mariners

It's the series finale between the Yankees and the Mariners before a Yankees day-off tomorrow! Here's your lineup!

Brett Gardner CF
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Travis Hafner DH
Vernon Wells LF
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Jayson Nix 3B
Reid Brignac SS
Chris Stewart C

David Phelps RHP

Morning Bits

Good morning everyone!

Andy Pettitte notched his 250th career win yesterday as the Yankees defeated the Mariners 3-1.

Mariano Rivera picked up his 22nd save of the season.

The top of the Yankees order did almost all of the hitting yesterday.   Brett Gardner, Justin Nix, Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, and Vernon Wells accounted for 9 of the 10 Yankees hits and all 3 of the RBI's yesterday. 

Today's game will be the final meeting between the Yankees and Mariners in the 2013 season.  David Phelps(4-3, 4.15 ERA) will face King Felix Hernandez (7-4, 2.58 ERA).

If it seems like the Yankees always catch King Felix when they face Seattle, that's because they do.

This will be the 16th time that Hernandez has faced the Yankees Since starting his MLB career in 2005.  Hernandez faced the Yankees one time each season from 2005-2009.  Hernandez faced the Yankees 3 times in each season between 2010-2012.  This will be the second  start Hernandez makes against the Yankees in 2013,  making it the 11th start he will have made against the Yankees since just 2010.

Today's game starts at 4:10 ET and will be televised by YES.

Now on to day's news links:

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News has this article about Andy Pettitte's son being drafted on the same day his father notched his 250th career win.

Peter Karasotis writes about Michael Pineda's season debut being delayed yet again, this time by rain.

Scooby Axson of SI.com has this about Yankees first-round draft pick Ian Clarkin's apology for his comments on draft day as well as the possibility Clarkin could choose to honor his commitment to University of San Diego instead of signing with the Yankees.

Have a great day everyone!

Cody Eppley Released From AAA Team

First off I want to apologize for the lack of posting lately as I have been back in New York for a funeral. I have a lot of catching up to do and it starts here.

Cody Eppley has been granted his unconditional release from the New York Yankees. Cody has been down with the AAA affiliate the Scranton Wilkes Barre Railriders before his release. Cody was already a 40 man roster axe as well as a 25 man roster casualty this season and will likely use this opportunity to nab a big league job. Good luck to Cody and we hope he bounces back soon.

This Day In Yankees History 6/9


On this day in 2005 Alex Rodriguez became only the 40th, and by far the youngest, player ever to reach 400 home runs in his career. A Rod would hit two in this game in a victory for the Yankees over the Milwaukee Brewers and Jorge De La Rosa.