Yankees are going for the series win today with CC Sabathia on the mound! Here's your starting lineup!
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
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Yanks have injuries but not slowing down veterans
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.
Friday, April 26, 2013
No New Talks Between Yanks & Cano
Robinson Cano and his new agents, CAA and Jay-Z, have not had discussions with the Yankees and their management yet for a new contract. The Yankees have a policy where they refuse to discuss a contract extension before a player hit free agency but the Yankees seem willing to suspend this policy to keep Robbie before he hits free agency. The Yankees let big time stars like Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, and Mariano Rivera to name a few hit the free agent market due to this policy but it seems like times are changing in Yankeesland. Cano, if he hits free agency, will easily be the best free agent in the entire market and with big money teams like the Dodgers and the Angels lurking it scares the hell out of me to think that Robbie may test the waters. Robinson Cano will turn 31 years old in October and will likely command a $200 million contract this off season so I really hope the Yankees can get this done before the season is over.
Ivan Nova Has Pain In Pitching Elbow
Ivan Nova left tonight's game with the Toronto Blue Jays with pain in his pitching elbow and is heading to get an MRI as soon as tonight or tomorrow. Nova could not get out of the third inning tonight and did not seem to be hit by a ball or anything so this is not a good sign at all. Chien Ming Wang or Adam Warren will probably be called upon to make his next start if he cannot go which I cannot see him making it. This kind of screams Tommy John surgery to me but I am hoping for the best here. The year of the injury continues...
Eduardo Nunez Will Not Be A Super Two
The 2014 Super Two status for arbitration eligible players is being set, tentatively, at two years and 119 days of service in the big leagues. The projected date, which is subject to change, is going to leave Nunez a mere two days short of being a Super Two. The difference between arbitration and Super Two eligibility is a few hundred thousand in salary generally so the Yankees aren't exactly upset about this news I am sure.
Francisco Cervelli Out Six Weeks W/ Fractured Hand
And the year of the injury continues...
Francisco Cervelli is out at least six weeks with a fractured right after taking a ball to the back of his fingers. Francisco is going to require surgery and the Yankees will call up Austin Romine to take his spot on the roster. Romine has a .341/.400/.415 triple slash this season for the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Railriders so hopefully he will be the every day catcher for the Yankees and not weak hitting Chris Stewart. This is a shame because Cervelli was having a hell of a season and was one of the few bright spots from the right side of the plate and against left handed pitching. This is a damn shame.
Injury Update: Cervelli, Nova, Youkilis
Despite having a 6-4 win, the Yankees had multiple injury issues. Let's address them one by one as if it's one big sandwich.
-- Let's start with Francisco Cervelli. Cervelli was hit in the knuckles by a pitch from Ivan Nova in the first inning. Cervelli was taken for x-rays and the results weren't good. Cervelli has a broken hand that requires surgery, and he's expected to be sidelined for a minimum of 6 weeks. Having surgery means that the fracture wasn't a clean fracture and the doctors would have to open him up to see how bad the damage in his hand is. The surgery is scheduled for tomorrow. A huge blow for the Yankees and bad luck for Cervelli who was playing so well for the first couple of weeks.
-- Let's continue onto Ivan Nova. Two innings later, Ivan Nova was pulled out of the game by Joe Girardi and fans initially thought that he pulled a hamstring. It was revealed that he had pain in his elbow and was sent for an MRI. The results of the MRI weren't back by the time the Yankees finished the game, so we'd have to wait until tomorrow to see the results.
-- And Finally, we shall end it with Kevin Youkilis. Kevin Youkilis has been out of the lineup for almost a week (tomorrow makes seven days) and the Yankees were attempting to avoid the DL with him. However, if his back isn't well by tomorrow then the Yankees could possibly place him on the 15-day DL. Now, he wouldn't have to spend an extra fifteen days sidelined. The Yankees could retroactive his DL from the day he stopped playing.
The Yankees have been the walking wounded since the season began...and now they're going to have to walk wounded some more.
New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays 4/26
The New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays will have another rematch from last weekend when they face off tonight in the second game of their four game weekend series. The Yankees will send Ivan Nova to the mound to face off against Josh Johnson for the Blue Jays. The game will be televised at 7:05 pm ET on YES, MLB Network, and MLB.TV.
Buy all of your Yankees tickets here for tonight's game or any game this weekend.
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