Step Back From The Ledge, Folks!

I'm not the least bit surprised to see so many Yankees fans overreact to the news about Aaron Judge's injury.

Before I get into why there's little to no reason to be worried, I want to say that losing Judge for a month or so stinks. Aaron is one of the best players in baseball. And yes, I said "players", not just "hitters". While I shouldn't have to go into why Judge is one of the best batters in the game, I feel the need to point out that he's also one of the best right fielders too. Among all qualified right fielders in Major League Baseball, Judge is #1 in Defensive Runs Saved. As for UZR/150, Aaron ranks 2nd behind Mookie Betts, and well ahead of the third place Max Kepler.

So don't confuse what I'm about to say, and make it into a "Bryan doesn't think the Yankees need Aaron Judge" type of things.

Aaron clearly makes this team better and is perhaps the biggest reason the Yankees made it to within one game of the World Series last year, and may very well get them all the way this season. But losing him for the next month is not a season killer what-so-ever.

Here are the teams the Yankees will face in the next month...

Kansas City - 3 times
Baltimore - 6 times
Boston - 4 times
Chicago White Sox- 4 times
Texas - 4 times
New York Mets - Once
Tampa - 3 times
Miami - 2 times

Now, let's look at each team individually...

Kansas City
The Yankees have not only outscored the Royals 27-11, Kansas City has the worst offense in the entire league with just 367 runs scored (the Yankees have scored 524)

Baltimore
The Yankees have outscored the Orioles 60-42, and Manny Machado was responsible for 10 of those 42 runs. Baltimore was already the second worst offense in runs scored, and they just traded away their biggest (and arguably only) weapon.

Boston
This is the only stretch of games in which I have any level of worry. I don't think losing this series would be the worst thing to happen (as long as they aren't swept), as they could still make up the 4.5 games they are currently behind, but the Red Sox are the only team the Yankees will face over the next month to have outscored them (53-49). But note that Gray has been better as of late, and he gave up a combined 12 runs in just 5.1 innings against them in two starts this season. Gray's not the only starter that's been hit hard, as Tanaka gave up six runs in five innings, and Severino gave up five runs in 5 innings. I don't know about you, but I firmly believe Gray, Tanaka, and Severino can and will do better.

Chicago White Sox
The Yankees have yet to face the southsiders, but I'm hardly concerned about the Yankees' four games against them coming up in the next month. The Bombers have scored 112 more runs than the White Sox this season.

Texas
The Rangers are not a bad offensive team, and in their three games against each other, the Yankees have only outscored them 24-23. But when I see poor starts from Sabathia (seven runs in 4.1 innings) and German (six runs in 3.2 innings), along with a couple bad relief performances from Shreve (two runs in .1 innings) and Robertson (a run in .2 innings), I'm actually not worried at all.

New York Mets
When you look at the fact the Yankees have only outscored the Mets 20-19 in their five games, there may be reason for concern. But keep in mind that three of the runs the Mets have scored came in that horrible relief appearance from Chapman. Furthermore, the Mets scored four runs against German in just 3.2 innings.

Tampa Bay
In three games the Yanks have outscored the Rays 51-36. Yeah... I think the Yankees will be okay without Judge's offense.

Toronto
In three games the Yankees have outscored the Blue Jays 51-36, and there's a good chance the Toronto offense will be worse as the Jays may be selling some of their bats before the trade deadline.

Miami
And finally, there's the Marlins, who have actually hit the Yankees fairly well, as you can see by their 10 runs against us in just two games. But when I see that seven of those ten runs came in just five innings against Tanaka, and two more were against Cessa in just one inning, my level of concern drops very low.


So, like I said, there's very little reason to be concerned and absolutely no reason for Brian Cashman to make a knee-jerk reaction and trade prospects of any value for another bat. If the Yankees lose at all, and not just in the next month, the blame is much more likely to fall on the pitching staff. Which makes the acquisitions of Zach Britton and JA Happ that much bigger than what it already was.

My Reaction To Jordan Montgomery Getting TJS

It was recently announced that this Thursday Jordan Montgomery would undergo Tommy John surgery. While losing Monty for the rest of this season isn't going to hurt the Yankees shot at the World Series, the loss of Jordan Montgomery is far from insignificant. 

In 35 starts for the Yankees, between last season and this one, Monty has thrown to a solid 3.84 ERA. Yet his value to the rotation has been greatly overlooked.

I'm not saying he should be considered the team's ace, and was on his way to starting the Wild Card game or Game 1 of the ALDS. Actually, I don't think he would have started a postseason game at all. Severino, whoever they trade for, and Tanaka would likely be the starters then. But way more often than not, when Jordan started the team had a chance to win. And you can't ask for more than that from your #4 or #5 starter. 

Actually, there are plenty of teams that are lucky to get one win out of five starts from their 4th and 5th starters.

I don't want to say I'm concerned about the team's chances to win it all this season due losing Montgomery. The aforementioned Severino and Tanaka, along with Gray, Sabathia, and German should be able to keep leading the Yankees to plenty of victories. Not to mention an addition to that rotation via trade. But if you are waving this off as nothing, possibly comparing it to the team not having Jacoby Ellsbury around, you haven't been paying attention.

There Is Such A Thing As Too Much Talent

This is the image that pops into my head when I think of Brian Cashman looking at his organizational roster.

Over the years, when it comes to teams seemingly having too many good players, you've likely heard the phrase "it'll work itself out" over and over again. And the majority of the time that phrase rings true. However, we're seeing one of the rare times when having too many good players is causing headaches.

Five days ago, when Greg Bird made his return to the team, Ronald Torreyes was optioned to AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. That move was followed by a bit of outrage, which is totally understandable. Toe is a beloved member of the Yankees, as he's not only been a good to great contributor to the team for the past two plus seasons, fans and teammates love him for his attitude on and off the field. But a roster crunch made the move necessary.

Now, as Adam Warren is about ready to make his return from injury, the Yankees are left with another difficult roster decision.

So I decided to take a look at the roster and try to see what should happen. Honestly, it was a lot tougher than I thought.

I'll start with the guys that will stay in the Majors...

Pitchers
Dellin Betances
Aroldis Chapman
Chad Green
Tommy Kahnle
David Robertson
CC Sabathia
Luis Severino
Chasen Shreve
Masahiro Tanaka

Catchers
Gary Sanchez
Austin Romine

Infielders
Miguel Andujar
Greg Bird
Didi Gregorius
Gleyber Torres

Outfielders
Brett Gardner
Aaron Judge
Giancarlo Stanton

That's 18 players, leaving just seven spots remaining.

Now let's look at players that may not be shoe-ins to stay in the Majors, but certainly deserve a spot on the active roster...

Domingo German - After his incredible starting debut Sunday followed that up with a bad game, a horrible game, and a "meh" game. But if you ignore the stats you'll see that German has earned a longer look. After giving up a three-run homer the other day, he settled down and look good. That's a nice trait for a pitcher to have. Secondly, he has swing-and-miss stuff... another good trait for a pitcher to have. Finally, I'd like to see him pitch on regular rest more often. German was actually off for nine days before that awful start against the Rangers last week.

AJ Cole - It's only been 11 innings, but he's given up just one run, struck out 12, and walked six during that time. Cole's not this good, but he's not only earned his spot in the bullpen, he can't be sent to the minors without passing through waivers first due to being out of options.

Sonny Gray - I'm starting to think his rotation spot could be in jeopardy, especially if he can't turn things around before Montgomery returns, but he'd go to the bullpen way before getting DFA'd (due to service time he can't be sent to the minors without passing through waivers, and then accepting a minor league assignment, first).

Jonathan Holder - Like Cole he hasn't pitched a ton this season, but since April 21st (15.2 innings) Holder has not allowed an earned run, while striking out 16 and walking just two. Jonathan's not only earned a longer look, he's become one of the team's better relievers.

Brandon Drury - His numbers in the Majors, with Arizona and New York, are hardly mouth-watering, but keep in mind that he put up those stats while suffering from headaches (real ones, not the ones I've been talking about) and blurred vision. I want to see what he can do while 100%, the Yankees probably want to see that, and you should too.

Ronald Torreyes - While I didn't like it, I understood the decision to option Torreyes to AAA. Ronald is great in the utility role, but the fact of the matter is the Yankees have better players available to them. I would absolutely welcome him back to the MLB roster, but I don't see where.

Neil Walker - From Opening Day up until April 30th it looked like Neil was not the steal we all thought he was. Even at just $4 million it looked like the Yankees overpaid for him, as he was batting .165/.212/.190. But since May 1st he's hit .300/.407/.500 and not only earned his spot on the active roster, but made a case to play every day.

Clint Frazier - Frazier is probably the main cause of headache for Brian Cashman. Not because of how bad he is... quite the opposite, in fact. The man is absolutely crushing in AAA, batting .341/.414/.636 with five home runs, five doubles, and three triples in just 22 games. He's even stole four bases. He's either going to return to the Yankees and help guide them into the postseason and beyond, or be the key piece in a trade for a starter that will guide them into the postseason and beyond.

Aaron Hicks - I'm not sold on him being a starter, at least not for the Yankees, but if you look beyond a pedestrian batting average this season (.232) he's a solid player. He'll get on base at a decent clip, doesn't strike out much, makes contact often, and is a top ten defensive centerfielder in all of MLB.

Okay, at this point we're up to 27 players worthy of a spot on the active roster. That leaves a couple of tough choices to make. But don't go racking your brains to make cuts yet, there's more...

Tyler Austin - There was a time when it looked like Tyler may be the team's answer at first base, ahead of the oft-injured Greg Bird, but that time has passed. Since May 1st Tyler has hit .130/.163/.326. I don't believe he's done, but his roster spot on the Yankees should be given to someone else.

Jacoby Ellsbury - I'd rather Jacoby stay on the disabled list all season long, because he will return this season, and he will push somebody a lot more deserving off the active roster. I doubt he gets much playing time, but as long as he's on this team he will be in Yankee pinstripes.

That's 29 players for 25 spots. Honestly, with Austin likely to miss the cut, you can say 28 players for 25 spots. But I'm not done yet...

Jordan Montgomery - Monty's still a ways away from returning (he just started playing catch this week), but when he does he'll go right back into the rotation. And deservedly so. Jordan isn't going to "wow" anyone, but his ERA+ of 117 over 182.2 MLB innings shows there shouldn't be any doubt what his role is and should be.

Adam Warren - Boone has said Adam could be back this weekend. Warren was awesome last season, putting up a 2.35 ERA and an ERA+ of 193. In fact, the only time he hasn't been really good was during his short time with the Chicago Cubs in 2016. So even with a great bullpen as is, Adam will be welcomed back with open arms.

And there you have it. That's 30 players (I'll go ahead and subtract Tyler Austin for you) for 25 spots. So what should the Yankees do from here?

For starters, I believe that instead of carrying 13 pitchers and 12 batters, it should be the other way around. I think that extra bat would come into play more often than that extra arm would. Mind you, I won't say having 13 pitchers is a bad move, as our starters don't often pitch deep into games, but 12 pitcher should still get the job done. Besides, as you'll see in a bit, it may be necessary to keep 13 pitchers anyway.

Starting Pitchers
Luis Severino
Masahiro Tanaka
CC Sabathia
Jordan Montgomery
Sonny Gray

Relievers
Aroldis Chapman
David Robertson
Chad Green
Dellin Betances
Adam Warren
Tommy Kahnle
Chasen Shreve

I really think Cole and Holder have earned MLB roster spots, but the sad truth is there's just no room for them. What's worse is the whole "out of options" thing for Cole. The only reason I would support keeping 13 pitchers is so Cole wouldn't be lost for nearly nothing (he'd have to be designated for assignment, and then Cashman would likely work out a trade and get little in return).

Domingo German may be a regular starter for the Yankees next season, but for right now he's the odd man out (when Montgomery returns, of course). Like Cole and Holder, when rosters expand he'll not only be back in the Majors, but he'll be a nice contributor.

Position Players
C - Gary Sanchez
1B - Greg Bird
2B - Gleyber Torres
SS  - Didi Gregorius
3B - Miguel Andujar
LF - Brett Gardner
CF - Aaron Hicks
RF - Aaron Judge
DH - Giancarlo Stanton

Bench - Austin Romine, Brandon Drury, Neil Walker, Jacoby Ellsbury*

*Since Ellsbury's stay on the disabled list could go on for a while, I wanted to note that I'd keep AJ Cole around due to him being out of options. Then, hopefully by the trade deadline, Cole could be included in a trade or someone else from the bullpen would be dealt to make room for AJ to stay there.

If it wasn't for the fact that, like I said, Jacoby Ellsbury will be on the MLB roster when he returns this season, I'd really like having Ronald Torreyes in that last bench spot. Stanton could play either corner outfield position if needed, while Boone could put Hicks or Gardner in centerfield, if necessary. Toe will be back when rosters expand, and like Cole, Holder, and German, will make a contribution to the postseason run.

And that leaves me to talk about Clint Frazier. In a vacuum Frazier would be the starting left fielder, pushing Gardner to center, and Hicks to the bench. In fact, that's what I originally had down, but then I decided to change things.

In terms of trade value, is it better to let Frazier continue to mash in AAA or possibly get exposed in MLB? After all, in his 146 MLB plate appearances, Clint has only managed a batting line of .235/.281/.456. Mind you, he's still only 23 and has massive potential, but if he were called up today and struggled, that could hurt his trade value.

So I'm going to let him keep killing it in AAA. If he somehow remains with the team past the trade deadline, or after a big trade is done with, then it'll be time to call him up.

It's hard leaving so much talent in AAA, but the insane amount of depth the Yankees have is one of the biggest reasons I believe this team has an outstanding shot at winning the whole damn thing this season. And that depth is going to help create, either directly or indirectly, a dynasty that brings New York more titles in the future.

Jordan Montgomery To Miss 6-8 Weeks

Just now Aaron Boone, while on the Mike Francesa show "Mike's On", confirmed that Jordan Montgomery could be out up to two months due to a flexor strain. Jordan won't even be able to throw a ball for two or three weeks.

Earlier it sounded like Jordan would only miss a start or two, and therefore I had zero worry about just letting Domingo German start in his place. Now, I don't want to say I'm worried, but instead of a couple of starts for German we're now looking at around ten.

I'm sure German will start on Sunday, and no matter how he looks then will get one more later next week. But if he doesn't pitch well in either start there's a good chance the Yankees will look elsewhere.

So what else is there?

First of all, don't expect a trade for a big-time starter, or any starter, to happen soon. A big trade for a starter may go down eventually (assuming Gumby returns strong, and everyone else stays healthy, who would you remove from the rotation for a new guy?), but that would happen closer to the trade deadline.

If Domingo German isn't the answer while Montgomery is recovering, the Yankees will fill that role from within. But as for who that will be I have no idea.

Luis Cessa suffered an oblique strain a couple of weeks ago, and based on early estimates he could be ready to return in a week or two. But oblique injuries are tricky, and Luis may not be ready to start again for a while.

Before the season began if you told me the Yankees would be in this position I'd say that Chance Adams could be the answer. Unfortunately, here we sit on May 2nd, and Chance's ERA after five starts in AAA sits at 5.11. His strikeout rate is better than last season, but his hit and home run rates are significantly worse.

There's an outside chance that either Dillon Tate or Justus Sheffield could be ready to join the big club soon, but I'm not at all keen on that idea. Their development is more important than a handful of starts this season. The fact of the matter is, the Yankees offense should be good enough to overcome some "so-so" starts while Monty is on the disabled list. They shouldn't have to rush a good prospect due to lack of good starting options.

At this point the best thing for the Yankees would be for Domingo to build off of his strong four innings last night, and put the team in a position to win when he starts. It would also help if Sonny Gray can build off of his last start and give the team some quality starts.

All in all, I'm happy that Montgomery isn't looking at Tommy John surgery.

Matt Holliday and What Is the Epstein-Barr Virus?

The New York Yankees designated hitter Matt Holliday has been out of the Yankees lineup since late June due to an illness that completed sapped the right-hander of his energy. In its wake were body aches and general fatigue and for what felt like the longest time neither the Yankees or Holliday had any idea what was going on. Finally Holliday and the team have some piece of mind at least knowing what is ailing Holliday, it is the Epstein-Barr virus. What is the Epstein-Barr Virus?

According to WebMD the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) is “Epstein-Barr is the virus that causes mononucleosis. You might know this disease better by its nickname, "mono." It's also called the "kissing disease" because of one way you can spread it to someone else. Even though Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) isn't a household name, you've probably been infected without knowing it. Lots of people carry the virus but don't get sick.”

So basically it seems as if Matt Holliday has mono. The Yankees will have to monitor the way he feels as he will feel fatigue for possibly months after having the virus but the good news is that the virus is treatable. The virus is beatable. Holliday will be fine and that’s great news for the Yankees because New York needs Holliday back now more than ever. At the time of Holliday being placed on the disabled list the right-handed DH was hitting .262 with 15 home runs, 47 RBI and had a .877 OPS in 68 games. Holliday was eligible to come off the disabled list yesterday and may join the team as soon as this weekend, although I would think the Yankees would be cautious and give him the All-Star break to rest and recover just to be sure.

Get well soon Matt and get your butt back on the field. We need you!

If Tanaka Wants to Pitch in WBC for Japan, Yankees Should Say ….

The World Baseball Classic returns in 2017 disrupting spring training camps across the league while playing for bragging rights for your country and nothing more. Don’t get me wrong, I like the World Baseball Classic but the United States didn’t do themselves any favors when they decided to set it up. Most of the world plays baseball year round yet by the time the WBC comes around most of the players from the United States are just now getting loose, getting their work in and getting their timing down. Until and unless that changes the US will never win a WBC, period, but that’s not what this post is about. This is about the Japanese team in the upcoming WBC and one certain Yankees pitcher who may or may not want to represent his homeland in the competition. Masahiro Tanaka, should the Yankees let him pitch in what essentially is an exhibition set of games?

In a word, no. Want two words? Hell no. The New York Yankees do not need a Mark Teixeira type incident again, remember Teixeira hurt his wrist and basically missed the entire season in 2013 while prepping for the WBC, and the Yankees cannot afford a loss of a pitcher. Especially Tanaka. Now if Tanaka hadn’t suffered from a partially torn ligament in his throwing elbow, which granted has not given him any trouble since, and hadn’t been on the disabled list every year since for some arm-related injury including his forearm strain that ended his season prematurely in 2016 then I would be willing to give him a shot but I just can’t. I can’t bring myself to see him go down in the WBC pitching for a team that isn’t the Yankees. I can’t.

Tanaka heads into the 2017 season with a huge decision regarding his future. Tanaka has an opt-out clause in his contract for after the 2017 season and if he is going to accept the opt-out or decline to use it I’d rather that decision made from his work on a Major League pitching mound, not because he let it go or went too far too early for Team Japan. Call me selfish if you want but the Yankees are paying him $22 million to pitch in the Bronx, not sit at home in Japan injured.

I’m not sure if the Yankees truly even have a say in the matter, especially for a big-named pitcher like Tanaka, but if they do they have to say no in my opinion. If they don’t they need to at least make it seem like skipping the WBC is Tanaka’s idea and keep him out of the game by any means necessary. It’s just not worth the risk if you ask me. Just say no, Tanaka.

Most Popular Article of the Week: Yankees Could Release CC Sabathia This Offseason?

The New York Yankees are doing something that a lot of other teams do, they aren’t letting contracts dictate playing time and their space on the 40 man roster. This is a sight for sore eyes if you ask me, especially when you consider the youth infusion that we see currently on the squad. It would truly irk me as a fan to see someone like Adam Warren or Luis Severino not getting their fair shake in the Bronx while someone like CC Sabathia, who I respect the hell out of but the back of his baseball card doesn’t show him as being one of the best five or six starting rotation options right now, struggles and keeps the team down. With that said I’m not sure how reliable the Latin Post is but they have an article, SEEN HERE, which made me turn my head. The article showcases a scenario where the New York Yankees actually cut or designate CC for assignment this winter and get him off the roster all together.


CC is a fiery clubhouse leader and veteran but his 9-14 record and 4.85 ERA over the past two seasons may not be enough to justify keeping him on the roster, especially with all his injuries that keep on piling up. Sabathia is owed $25 million for each of the 2016 and 2017 seasons, assuming he does not spend too much time or end the season on the disabled list with a left shoulder injury, before finally coming off the books before the 2018 season. With the likelihood of putting Sabathia into the bullpen about as likely as the Yankees signing a David Price or Johnny Cueto this winter Sabathia may be stuck between a rock, a hard place and unemployment.


The Yankees youth movement is well underway with Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Pineda, Masahiro Tanaka, Luis Severino and Adam Warren all under 28-years old with Severino entering just his age 21 season. Sabathia does not fit into this movement. That doesn’t mean he’s going to be cut, designated for assignment or even traded. That’s all up to Hal Steinbrenner I guess.

Yankees Could Release CC Sabathia This Offseason?

The New York Yankees are doing something that a lot of other teams do, they aren’t letting contracts dictate playing time and their space on the 40 man roster. This is a sight for sore eyes if you ask me, especially when you consider the youth infusion that we see currently on the squad. It would truly irk me as a fan to see someone like Adam Warren or Luis Severino not getting their fair shake in the Bronx while someone like CC Sabathia, who I respect the hell out of but the back of his baseball card doesn’t show him as being one of the best five or six starting rotation options right now, struggles and keeps the team down. With that said I’m not sure how reliable the Latin Post is but they have an article, SEEN HERE, which made me turn my head. The article showcases a scenario where the New York Yankees actually cut or designate CC for assignment this winter and get him off the roster all together.

CC is a fiery clubhouse leader and veteran but his 9-14 record and 4.85 ERA over the past two seasons may not be enough to justify keeping him on the roster, especially with all his injuries that keep on piling up. Sabathia is owed $25 million for each of the 2016 and 2017 seasons, assuming he does not spend too much time or end the season on the disabled list with a left shoulder injury, before finally coming off the books before the 2018 season. With the likelihood of putting Sabathia into the bullpen about as likely as the Yankees signing a David Price or Johnny Cueto this winter Sabathia may be stuck between a rock, a hard place and unemployment.

The Yankees youth movement is well underway with Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Pineda, Masahiro Tanaka, Luis Severino and Adam Warren all under 28-years old with Severino entering just his age 21 season. Sabathia does not fit into this movement. That doesn’t mean he’s going to be cut, designated for assignment or even traded. That’s all up to Hal Steinbrenner I guess. 

Life After Nathan

After having read about the injury to Nathan Eovaldi, I was doing what I always do and trying to find the silver lining. After all, perhaps the Yankees can simply score enough runs to overcome the drop from Eovaldi to his replacement?

I started by taking a look at what Eovaldi has done recently. Was he really that good? Well, ever since his atrocious start against the Miami Marlins on June 20th, Nathan has an ERA of 3.43 and a triple-slash against of .244/.310/.297.

Yeah...

So what if he was the Yankees best starter, by far (his fWAR in the past 30 days is 1.0, which is 0.6 wins higher than second best Masahiro Tanaka and Luis Severino) over the past 30 days? The Yankees have managed to win plenty of games without ace-like performances from their starters, thanks to a great bullpen and/or good hitting. So they can weather this storm? Right?

While Nathan's elbow takes a couple of weeks off, his replacement will be the returning CC Sabathia.

Yes, even the babies of Yankees fans are crying about this bit of news.

It's true that Sabathia was better over his last four starts before landing on the DL. However, I wouldn't get too excited if I were you. Sure, CC's ERA in those four games was a pretty good 3.80. Unfortunately, opposing hitters were still able to put up a batting line of .269/.367/.372. A couple of timely hits and that ERA of Sabathia's in those four games would be a wee bit higher.

And if you don't buy into small sample sizes, and you shouldn't, I'm afraid to tell you that during the same time Nathan Eovaldi put up that 3.43 ERA and .244/.310/.297 triple-slash against, Mr. Sabathia had an ERA of 5.20 and triple-slash against of .288/.358/.470.

So even though I'm normally optimistic about the Yankees, in this case it's pretty darn hard. See, I won't so much be hoping that CC Sabathia can replicate what Eovaldi has done for the team. No. I'm going to be hoping that the Toronto Blue Jays come crashing down to Earth, instead of having a winning percentage of .758 like they've had since August 1st.

"Please, Lord."

Weekly Check In: Slade Heathcott

Slade Heathcott was not one of the original September call ups as he battles a nagging quad injury. Heathcott has played as recently as Sunday with the injury so this doesn't seem to be a season threatening injury thankfully it looks more like a move to have a warm body at Triple-A as the Scranton RailRiders head into the playoffs. When the Triple-A playoffs end Heathcott, again if healthy which is never a guarantee with him unfortunately, will likely be headed back up to the Bronx so we may as well check in on him while we still can.

Heathcott spent time on the disabled list again this season but finally reached the Major League level after tearing up the Triple-A level. Heathcott is a speed and defense first outfielder with limited power and batting average but he plays with his heart and leaves it all out on the field and sometimes that's enough.

Year	Lev	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2015	AAA	58	248	22	58	6	1	20	6	16	53	.252	.300	.317	.617

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Twitter Poll: Yankees Rushing Pineda?

Twitter Poll: are the Yankees rushing Michael Pineda back to the team too early? May use your answer in a blog post tomorrow. Go!

— Greedy Pinstripes (@GreedyStripes) August 12, 2015

Michael Pineda was placed on the 15 day disabled list back on July 30^th with a forearm strain and was expected to miss at least a month with the injury. Just a week later with the Yankees lead in the American League East Division all but evaporated the team’s stance on Pineda’s forearm strain and the amount of time he may be out has seemingly changed. Pineda is already throwing off a mound and has even thrown a bullpen session with the possibility of a rehab assignment start as soon as this weekend or next week. Doesn’t it seem a little odd that the Yankees, who are notorious for babying their pitchers, would change their tune so quickly and doesn’t it seem like the team is rushing Pineda back for a playoff run? What say you? Enter a Twitter Poll!

@GreedyStripes yes and it's horrible! He's been made of glass as it is! He should be given proper time to heal.

— Michael P. (@MichaelPawluk) August 12, 2015

@GreedyStripes sure seems that way. they said he wasn't coming back until Sept, next thing you know, he throwing bullpen sessions

— $amantha (@SamanthaJelly) August 12, 2015

@SamanthaJelly @GreedyStripes He's throwing bullpens to keep his arm fresh. Cashman has stated he will no pitch in a game til September

— John Cioli (@JohnC112461) August 12, 2015

@GreedyStripes he seems to be right on schedule. Took 10 or so days off (normal for a strain) and is slowly building up.

— Pitch Mechanics 101 (@PitchMechanics) August 12, 2015

@GreedyStripes Not rushing but easing foot off brake. Just 76 IP in '14 & sitting @ 118 IP now. If race was over he'd be shut down.#CalcRisk

— nyyankeefanforever (@nyyankeefanfore) August 12, 2015

I may be a fool but I trust the team of Yankees doctors and decision makers. I know the team is seemingly going all out to make the postseason in 2015 but I truly don’t believe they would make one playoff trip worth more than the career of Pineda. If he’s throwing 100% pain-free and issue free then I have no issue bringing him back at the end of August rather than the beginning of September, two weeks won’t make or break Pineda if he’s pain free. It could make or break the Yankees though…

To be involved in our next Twitter Poll head over to the app and give us a follow @GreedyStripes. Be on the lookout for our next Twitter Poll question, we will not use your responses without telling you first!

Ellsbury & Miller Return Tonight!

  

"We're back, baby!"

Tonight, the Yankees will welcome back two important members to the team.

After missing 43 games with a freak knee injury, Jacoby Ellsbury will make his return to the Yankees lineup. While the team has actually scored more runs per game without Jacoby (4.80 vs. 4.38), the offense certainly will be stronger with their leadoff hitter.

While Dellin Betances has filled in admirably as the team's closer, Andrew Miller will also return from the disabled list after suffering a strained forearm muscle. The bullpen has done pretty well in Miller's absence, but just like the offense will get stronger with Ellsbury back, the Yankee bullpen just got a whole lot stronger.

Unfortunately, these two returns mean that two men will return to the minor leagues. 

Ramon Flores, who started off pretty well but fell hard back to Earth, was optioned. Joining him will be Nick Rumbelow (sorry Daniel), who has done well in his short stint, but with Adam Warren joining the bullpen he doesn't really have a roll.

TGP Daily Poll: Tanaka Returns to Form

Masahiro Tanaka looked great in his first couple starts off the disabled list before looking extremely human in his last three starts. Tanaka returns to that dominant form with at least 6 IP and 2 ER or less on Friday against the Rays.

Vote in our prediction poll on Knoda.com

Jacoby Ellsbury Not Ready To Begin Rehab

According to Joe Girardi, Jacoby Ellsbury is "not where he needs to be", and therefore will not stay in Florida in order to start his rehab. Although Girardi still believes Ellsbury will return before the All Star break.

It certainly stinks not to have Jacoby around, as he's a big assett to the offense and defense, but I'd rather the team be careful with him so he's 100% for the second half of the season. After all, the Yankees have won a few games without him, and are still well within the AL East title hunt.

Weekly Check In: Greg Bird

Greg Bird is finally back on the field for the Trenton Thunder and has finally been activated off the disabled list after missing the better part of a month with an injury. In this slot we have been filling in with El Gary Sanchez but this morning the Bird, which is the word in case you were wondering, is back on the blog.

Bird has been active a little over a week now and here is what his Trenton Thunder teammates have been missing at first base and in the middle of that lineup:

Year	Lev	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2015	AA	28	123	15	25	10	3	15	1	15	17	.240	.358	.423	.781

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Masahiro Tanaka Makes Rehab Start In AAA

Masahiro Tanaka made a rehab start for the Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders this evening. He was scheduled to throw either three innings or 45 pitches, but Tanaka was able to get through three scoreless innings in just 41 pitches. Masahiro gave up only two hits, while striking out two, and walking none.

With his fastball sitting around 91mph, TanaKa also mixed in all of his pitches while not showing any ill effects in either his forearm or elbow.

"I felt pretty good out there. I was able to use all my pitches. I felt pretty good. … Not necessarily different than how I usually go into a game. I was looking to obviously pitch all my pitches with force, and I was able to do that tonight." - Tanaka

While I had read that Tanaka may only need the one rehab start, it looks like he'll get at least one more before returning to the Yankees.

David Phelps Feels "Fine" After Simulated Game

David Phelps threw 31 pitches in a simulated game this afternoon, and afterwards said he felt fine.

Unlike Tanaka, Phelps will probably not start any more games this season, as the team doesn't have enough time to stretch him out. However, he could see time as a high leverage reliever, basically taking over the role currently held by Adam Warren.

I can't help but think that this could be an audition for a bullpen role for 2015, as the Yankees have plenty of options for the starting rotation. On top of Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia, Michael Pineda, Ivan Nova, and Shane Greene, the team could bring back Brandon McCarthy or Chris Capuano, not to mention big-name free agents like Jon Lester, Max Scherzer, and James Shields.

While I want the Yankees to re-sign David Robertson, keeping Dellin Betances in the set-up role for a killer 1-2 punch, Phelps could be a fall-back option as the new set-up man while Betances takes over the closer role.

Masahiro Tanaka Feels Good, Carlos Beltan Feels Bad

Some day the Yankees will get some good news without bad news coming with it.

About the same time we learned that Masahiro Tanaka came through his 35-pitch session without any problems, we also learned that Carlos Beltran was scratched from tonight's lineup after feeling a twinge in his elbow after a swing last night.

It's looking more and more like that 3 year/$45 million contract the Yankees signed Carlos Beltran to is going to be a problem. I wouldn't be surprised to see them pull an Alfonso Soriano and let him receive a paycheck for nothing.

Brian McCann Added To 7 Day DL, Austin Romine Called Up

Yankees announce Austin Romine called up from Triple A, placed McCann on seven-day concussion DL
— Erik Boland (@eboland11) August 9, 2014

Brian McCann has been added to the 7 day concussion disabled list and the Yankees have called up Austin Romine. This is a bit of a head scratcher as we all expected the call up to be John  Ryan Murphy. Maybe Joe Girardi will have further explanation on this later on. Stay tuned.

Bryan Mitchell, Come On Down

It is definitely a small world and I don’t believe in coincidences, I’ve said that a few times on this blog before, and it’s definitely not a coincidence that the Yankees decided to hold on to Bryan Mitchell at the trading deadline. The Seattle Mariners were prepared to trade second overall pick Dustin Ackley to New York for the Triple-A right hander but the Yankees declined. Instead the Yankees traded catcher Peter O’Brien to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Martin Prado and the rest is history. David Phelps left Sunday night’s game with elbow inflammation and he had reportedly been dealing with the inflammation for three starts or so before leaving the game. Coincidence? Probably not, the Yankees knew they may need Mitchell sooner or later.

Mitchell may be in line to join the revolving door that has been the Yankees pitching staff this season as David Phelps is being placed on the 15 day DL. It is worth mentioning that Phelps pitched two stellar stars with the aforementioned inflammation and had a great start going in Texas in the start against Yu Darvish before losing his grip halfway through the game. The Yankees sent Phelps for an MRI and an evaluation and the ulnar collateral ligament is intact so there is always that bit of good news. Phelps will be out at least a month with the injury, two weeks of rest and two weeks of rehab, and the Yankees have yet to announce a starter for this Friday. Why not Mitchell?

The Yankees are hoping this is a quick two week rest and two week rehab program but if this goes how any of the other injuries we have had this season I am not holding my breath. The Yankees season may be over anyway as Phelps has been one of the Yankees best starters this season since Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia, and Michael Pineda have gone down. I’m not trying to be pessimistic and honestly I am generally an optimistic kind of guy but I also deal in realism and this hurts the Yankees chances realistically.

Stay tuned…