New York Yankees @ Philadelphia Phillies 2/26

The New York Yankees continue their Grapefruit League schedule today while playing the Philadelphia Phillies this afternoon in their fourth Spring Training game of the young season. The Yankees will send young pitcher Jose A. Ramirez to the mound as he was recently added to the 40 man roster this season. The game will be televised at 1:00 pm ET on MLB Network.

Teixeira, Ichiro, Murphy provide offense as Yanks fall to Phillies 4-3

Spring Training is Spring Training so the Yankees losing three in a row shouldn't be that alarming, especially since the Yankees placed all their minor leaguers in during the 6th inning. However, if you're a fan, you'd like to see more than one win come from the Yankees so the Yankees are going to have to try and go back to the drawing board to figure out what they have to do to win tomorrow. But instead of talking about how the Yankees lost, let's take a look at some positives from today's game.

Mark Teixeira: Teixeira provided the Yankees with an early lead in the ball game, hitting an RBI double that scored Ichiro Suzuki. Teixeira was 1-for-3 on the day, but we'll take the RBI.

Ichiro Suzuki: It looks as if Ichiro and Brett Gardner are having their own little competition. After Gardner had a three-hit day yesterday, Ichiro answered back with a three-hit day of his own. He also showed hustle and was a thrill to watch as he ran around the bases. Typical Ichiro.

David Robertson: David Robertson made his Spring debut today and proved that he still had it, pitching a scoreless inning although he gave up a walk. I would say Robertson is in mid-season form if he can have constant 1-2-3 innings.

Joba Chamberlain: Joba Chamberlain (along with his unpopular mustache) made his Spring debut as well, also working a scoreless inning although he gave up the first hit for the Phillies to Ryan Howard. Still, it was a good outing. He also made sure to ruffle some feathers when he said that he believes he could be a starter again.

J.R Murphy: J.R Murphy came into the game during the 7th inning, but he made a lasting impression during the end of the game when he hit a towering 2-run HR to give the Yankees at the time a 3-1 lead. He then doubled in the 9th while the Yankees were trailing 4-3 yet he just missed his second HR of the game.

HONORABLE MENTION

Eduardo Nunez: Nunez went 0-for-3 today, I know--but at first he gave some fans a warm and hearty laugh when his helmet fell off after showing some hustle to first base. The warm and hearty laughter soon turned into annoyance after his helmet fell off another two times, making us wonder if Nunez might want to consider getting a new helmet size.

WHAT'S NEXT: 

-- Tomorrow the Yankees will play the Baltimore Orioles at GMS Field at 1:05 p.m. only on YES Network.

Spring Training 2/26/13 Lineup

Eduardo Nunez SS
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Travis Hafner DH
Matt Diaz LF
Melky Mesa CF
Bobby Wilson C
Addison Maruszak 3B

RHP Jose Ramirez

Start Time: 1:05 p.m
T.V: MLB.TV (Philadelphia Phillies T.V) 

UPDATE:

Youkilis scratched from Yankees lineup (left oblique). Will be reevaluated in a couple of days, Girardi said.

— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) February 26, 2013

 

Morning Bits: Granderson, Damon, Granderson's replacement

Good morning all let's get right to the links....

-- Tyler Kepner of The New York Times with Granderson out the Yankees are going to be short on the long ball.

-- Damon has made his pitch to the Yankees writes Andrew Marchand of ESPN NY.

-- Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports that the replacement for Granderson will likely be in house.

Meet A Prospect : Austin Romine

Austin Allen Romine was born on November 22nd, 1988 in Lake Forest, California where he went to high school at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, CA. With a 6'0 220 lb frame behind the plate you can see why the New York Yankees drafted Austin in the second round of the 2007 MLB First Year Players Draft out of High School. With Major League blood running through his veins, his father Kevin Romine played for the Boston Red Sox for six seasons and his brother Kevin Romine is currently playing for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Austin has a bright future ahead of him and is on the cusp of making the Major Leagues with the big league club Yankees.

Austin would make his professional debut in the 2007 season with the Gulf Coast Yankees putting up a triple slash of .500/.667/1.000 in one game. Austin would not be long for the GCL as he would start the 2008 season with the Charleston Riverdogs putting up a triple slash of .300/.344/.437 while hitting 10 home runs and knocking in 49 RBIs. Heading into the 2009 season Austin was named the 4th best prospect in the entire Yankees system while spending his time with the Tampa Yankees putting up a triple slash of .276/.322/.441 while hitting 13 home runs and knocking in 72 RBIs. Austin would be named the Florida State League Player of the Year in this 2009 season. Austin started the 2010 season in Trenton with the Thunder while putting up a triple slash of.268/.324/.402 while hitting 10 home runs and knocking in 69 RBIs while being named the Yankees second best prospect only behind fellow battery mate Jesus Montero. Austin would be a participant in the All-Star Futures game as well in 2010. Austin would split time in 2011 between Trenton and the AAA Scranton team putting up a combined triple slash of .279/.343/.368 while hitting 6 home runs and knocking in 48 RBIs. Austin would see a back injury keep him from only playing in a combined 31 games between the Gulf Coast Yankees, the Tampa Yankees, and the Scranton Yankees putting up a combined triple slash of .243/.333/.408 but proved down the stretch he was healthy.

Austin was a September call up in the 2011 season and appeared in nine games while getting 20 plate appearances. He would only hit for a .158 batting average, .200 on base percentage, and a .158 slugging percentage with one walk, five strike outs, and only three singles to show for his time in the show. Austin was invited to Spring Training in 2012 and was looking to challenge the likes of Francisco Cervelli for the back up catcher job before a back injury would severely set back his production. Austin has a lot of catching up to do, no pun intended, in his development but took a great step towards proving his health when he attended this years Arizona Fall League. Austin will start the season in AAA with the Scranton Rail Riders but look for him to be up at some point this season behind the plate in the Bronx.

ETA : Late 2013 

Two Yankees Make Baseball Prospectus Top 101 List

Two  very familiar New York Yankees faces have cracked Baseball Prospectus' Top 101 prospects list in Gary Sanchez and Mason Williams. Gary Sanchez ranked in at BP's list at #47 and Mason Williams ranked in at #51. I find it shocking that Slade Heathcott or Tyler Austin did not make the list as they made every other list that was released this month but what can you do.

New York Yankees Spring Training Notes 2/25

Johnny Damon has told the Yankees that he is interested in filling their newly acquired left field hole but the Yankees do not seem interested whatsoever. Johnny last played on the Yankees during the 2009 World Series run.

Both Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi have shot down the idea of putting Eduardo Nunez in left field to replace the injured Curtis Granderson. So much for that idea and forcing his bat into the lineup.

Mariano Rivera faced hitters for the second time since his ACL surgery last season and everything looked crisp and went well. CC Sabathia also faced hitters this morning and even threw sliders and came away feeling good.

New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles 2/25

The Yankees continue their Grapefruit League schedule this Spring Training with an afternoon game at the AL East rival Baltimore Orioles squad. The Yankees will send young soft tossing lefty and recent 40 man addition Vidal Nuno to the mound to face off against the Fighting Showalters. The game will be televised at 1:00 pm ET on MLB Network although it will be on a delay.

Gardner gets work in while Yanks fall to Orioles 5-1

The travel roster for today's Yankees/Orioles game seemed a bit off. Only one locked in Opening Day starter made the trip while the rest of the travel roster included non-roster invitees, minor leaguers and players off the 40-man roster. The Orioles played a lot of their regulars, overpowering the young minor leaguers while the Yankees dropped their second straight Spring Training game 5-1 in Sarasota.

There wasn't much offense for the Yankees but today's game seemed more about getting work in for  Brett Gardner. The Yankees had seven hits. Gardner had three of them. Jayson Nix, who is expected to make the team in a bench role had two hits. Not a lot of offense for the Yankees today but one of the hits that Brett Gardner did cause a bit of concern.

While Yankees fans and staff enjoy Gardner's grittiness, Gardner dove into first base to confirm a lead-off infield single. The single was good. The issue? Gardner dove into first base one day after Curtis Granderson broke his forearm. Gardner quickly erased his small error, perfecting a bunt single and hitting a line drive into left center field.

The lone run for the Yankees came in the 9th inning after young Corban Joseph prolonged the inning with a single, then stealing second which was a risky move since there were two outs in the inning.

What's Next:

-- The Yankees will play the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater, tomorrow at 1:05pm. Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, Ichiro Suzuki, Kevin Youkilis, Joba Chamberlain and David Robertson are expected to make the 20 minute bus trip. The game will air on MLB.TV and I was also told it would air on MLB Network.

Cervelli Out Of Options

"Like magnets, I have no idea how minor league options work."

Contrary to earlier reports, Brian Cashman has told Jack Curry that Francisco Cervelli does not have an option remaining. So that pretty much confirms that Cervie will either be the starting or backup catcher for the Yankees when the regular season opens.

With Curtis Granderson missing about a month of the regular season, due to the broken arm he suffered yesterday, I'm a bit more concerned about Cervelli's lack of hitting (career .271/.339/.353). It would be different if the Yankees had an adequate replacement for Grandy's power, but they really don't. Perhaps a kid like Zoilo Almonte will step up huge, but I'm not holding my breath.

On that note, I'm not for trading for Alfonso Soriano. If the Yankees find a trade for a strong/young outfielder, who can make it so losing Granderson after this season is no big deal, then great. But Soriano is definitely not that guy.