Pedro Feliciano Throws Another Scoreless Inning In Rehab

Pedro Feliciano's 30 day rehab window is quickly coming to a close this weekend and Pedro Feliciano is still sitting at 84 mph. He is getting batters out but the velocity is still a little scary, although after not pitching for two years and a major shoulder surgery it may never come back. Pedro did seem to tweak something in his foot when covering first base for the final out in the inning but it does not seem like it will be a serious issue.

Congrats To David & Andrea Aardsma

According to David Aardsma's twitter he surprised his wife with a trip to their home in Phoenix and Andrea Aardsma's water broke. I do not know if it is going to be a boy or a girl but David says that the baby should be here any time now. Here is to a great labor and great birth with no complications! Congratulations to David and Andrea Aardsma!

Yankees @ Rays 9/4/12

UPDATE:

Robinson Cano's hip looked fine on that 29th home run of the season...

Yankees down 3-2 on an Evan Longoria home run. Orioles up 3-0.. #ScoreboardWatching

Yankees down 5-2

First place is on the line and this is as close as a must win as we are going to get in early September. The Yankees AL East lead is down to 1 game and we are sending Freddy Garcia to the mound. Cano will probably miss the game today and we do not know what we will get from Alex Rodriguez or Curtis Granderson. To sum it all up if there is not panic within the Yankees clubhouse then maybe there should be. The Rays will send Alex Cobb to the mound to put the Yankees away. The game will be televised at 7:05 pm on ESPN.

Casey McGehee is back with the Yankees and Ichiro is sitting tonight so two good signs.

Lineups

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Nick Swisher 1B
Robinson Cano DH
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Raul Ibanez LF
Jayson Nix 2B
Chris Dickerson RF
Chris Stewart C

Go Yankees!!

This Day In Yankees History : 9/4/12

On recommendations from then Commissioner Fay Vincent the Statistical Accuracy Committee removed the distinction between games played and season records in 1991, thus eliminating the asterisk by Roger Maris' 61 home run season. Babe Ruth was pushed to #2 on the season high home run list with 60 home runs.

In 1993 Jim Abbott threw a no hitter for the New York Yankees against the Cleveland Indians. Would be an impressive feat regardless but when you consider that Abbott was born without a right hand you can really put how impressive this is into perspective.

In the magical season of 1998 the Yankees won their 100th game of the season, the earliest a team won their 100th game in Major League history. That Yankees team would go on to win 114 games and a World Series Championship.

David Aardsma Bombed In 2nd Rehab Game

David Aardsma pitched in his second minor league rehab game yesterday, this time for the Staten Island Yankees, and it did not exactly go as planned. David allowed more runs, four(three of them earned), then he got outs, two (including a strike out), in his 2/3 of an inning pitched.  David threw 27 pitches total and hit as high as 89 mph in the outing. You want to see David come out and destroy minor league hitters but as long as he comes out of it healthy that is all that you can ask for. We just all need to scale back our expectations a little of him being this years bullpen savior.

Add Robinson Cano To The List of The Walking Wounded

We all were watching when Robinson Cano let that ground ball past him and allowed the eventual game winning run to score for the Rays. We were all also watching when Cano was seen grimacing afterwards in obvious pain. Cano has been diagnosed with a mild hip strain after that play and is day to day. He iced it down after the game and will get treatment tomorrow before the Yankees decide if he will play or not.

If he can play and not be a total liability or risk hurting himself more seriously I really think he has to play right now. We have Alex Rodriguez back and Curtis Granderson should be back tomorrow before Mark Teixeira arrives on Thursday so the team is starting to take shape and we cannot afford to lose Cano for ANY period of time.

Derek Jeter Appreciation Post

As we all know Yankees short stop Derek Jeter is chasing Red's Pete Rose for the all time hit list in major league history. Baseball has it's share of black eyes right now, especially at the top of the record books. Barry Bonds holds the all time home run record in history but has the whole steroid allegations at his back which could keep him out of the Hall of Fame. Pete Rose has the all time hit record but was banned from baseball for sports betting and will probably also never see the Hall. Derek Jeter has the opportunity to make people forget about one of the two major league black eyes.

Derek Jeter has been the poster child , not only for the Yankees but, for all of Major League Baseball. He never argues, never gets into trouble, always plays hard, and has a smile on his face. He runs out every ground ball, is respectful to every person whether it be a rookie to an umpire, and simply just does everything right. He has held the Yankees together since 1995 with his clutch hits and his fist pumps on the way to five World Championships.

The only thing, in my opinion, that can keep Jeter from getting to Rose and passing him is himself. Does Jeter want to play that long? Does Jeter have anything left to actually play for and motivate him into his mid 40's? If I know Jeter like I think I do then I think removing the black eye around the all time hits record will be motivation enough for Jeter.. and I would not expect anything less.

Thank You Derek Jeter for a great career and we will be behind you as you take down Pete Rose!

Andruw Jones Should Be Replaced By Chris Dickerson

If you ask anyone that knows me they will tell you that I am not one to really mince words or beat around the bush so let us get right down to it. Andruw Jones sucks and is really showing his age while we have a huge upgrade waiting in the wings that is not being utilized in Chris Dickerson.

About Sums Up His Season In One Picture..

Andruw Jones was signed this season to bat against left handed pitchers in a platoon position and be a 4th outfielder, none of this stuff he has actually done this season. Andruw Jones has batted a robust .205 against left handed pitching this season, as opposed to .197 against right handed pitching, and somehow has a lower OBP, SLG, and OPS against left handed pitching then right handed pitching. This is no longer a slump or a bad week this is an aging veteran that cannot even be platooned anymore and is a nightmare in the outfield and on the bases.

"My Binder Still Says NO"

Chris Dickerson, and yes I know that these are minor league numbers but that is not his fault so bear with me here, has absolutely obliterated anything and everything that he has seen this season. Chris Dickerson is left handed but actually has a higher batting average, .328 against LHP and .312 against RHP, and a higher OBP in about half the at bats. He also has speed and that youthful energy that the Yankees are really lacking these days. It was apparent when he hit a two run home run in yesterdays game to give the Yankees the lead and then robbed a home run keeping the Yankees in the game for the time being.

"See Ya Andruw!!"

Leave Andruw Jones off the post season roster, hell if we even get there, and put Dickerson on the roster. I do not want to see Andruw out of absolute necessity or in garbage time again this season and do not want to see him on this team ever again. I am tired of aging veterans who just are not getting things done and it is time for another youth movement and it starts with Chris Dickerson. Leave your binder behind Girardi and actually get something done that needs to be done.

Yankees @ Rays 9/3/12

Alex Rodriguez is back ladies and gentleman and will be our DH today. Granderson is ok to come back but they want to give him the DH spot on the turf and that goes to ARod so he will be out again today. Let's see if the "A Rod effect" holds water.

Yankees down 1-0 after 2 IP

Eric Chavez RBI Sac fly and Raul Ibanez triple ties the game at 2-2!!!

Russell Martin infield single off the pitcher scores Ibanez to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead

We're tied at 3 after 5 IP

Yankees lose 4-3

The Yankees AL East lead is shrinking by the day so let's not beat around the bush, we need to win and we need to win NOW. CC Sabathia is on the mound so this is as close to a must win as you are going to get for the Yankees here on labor day but he will be facing off against big game James Shields as we begin a three game series with the Tampa Bay Rays. The game will be televised on MLB Network at 1:05 pm ET and on the YES Network. Happy Labor Day everyone!!

Lineups

Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Alex Rodriguez DH
Eric Chavez 3B
Raul Ibanez LF
Russell Martin C
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Chris Dickerson CF

Go Yankees!!

Alex Rodriguez Appreciation Post

Heeee's Baaaaaaack!! Alex Rodriguez will come off the 15 day DL today and make his return to the Yankees lineup as the DH in Tampa against the Rays. The Yankees are a .500 team without Alex Rodriguez and a much better team with him in the middle of that lineup, producing or not. Alex gives us a right handed power threat in the middle of the lineup that was seriously lacking in the weeks that we have missed him. He has kept in shape using various exercise programs, throwing footballs, and running to keep his legs in shape. All we have to worry about now is when Alex can get his timing back.  He struggled to even make contact on the ball in the minor leagues but either way Alex is back and I hope he brought the winning with him!