Via Scott Miller -

The failing health of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, 79, is no secret.

But the depth of how rapidly Steinbrenner is deteriorating was dramatically on display following Game 2 of the World Series in Yankee Stadium. You just couldn’t physically see it.

That’s because the Blue Curtain dropped quickly and sharply following Game 2, with the Yankees — or, to be more precise, a coterie of New York policemen and security guards working at their behest — essentially placed on lockdown a main tunnel running outside of the clubhouses as the club moved Steinbrenner out of Yankee Stadium.

Not only do the Yankees not want anybody to speak with Steinbrenner, they’re protecting his privacy so fiercely that they won’t allow most people to even get a glimpse of him anymore.

Mechanized gates dropped suddenly from the ceiling to confine some officials to certain areas of the corridor — including some surprised major league baseball officials who were not told beforehand and were suddenly trapped — and keep them away from the vehicles transporting Steinbrenner. Temporary curtains were quickly set up as well to block views.

Security guards not only shut down the press elevator carrying media members downstairs to the interview areas until after Steinbrenner had departed, they also locked the doors downstairs, trapping several dozen media members in the stairwell.

One security guard shooing people out of the area, according to one official who was there at the time, said that they were “cleansing the hallway.”

The Yankees also have gone so far as to tell major league baseball officials that they do not want Steinbrenner shown on television, according to one industry source.

As of now, Steinbrenner is not expected to return to Yankee Stadium if the World Series moves back there for Games 6 and, possibly, 7. Before attending Games 1 and 2, he had not been to the new Yankee Stadium since the home opener.

It’s so sad to see the Yankees play the John Gill routine with Big Stein. At this point, it seems like the better idea is to just leave the man at home to rest, etc.

Since September 7th, the Yankees have played 22 games – including the contest of September 30th. In these 22 games, New York has scored 111 runs – which is an average of 5.05 runs per game. And, that’s a nice rate.

However, there are three games during this 22-game span which make this R/G rate seem better than it should be…and they are:

September 7, 2009 – where the Yankees scored 11 runs in the second game of a double-header…pounding Andy Sonnanstine, who had nothing in that game.

September 13, 2009 – where the Yankees scored 13 runs…feasting off the soft-under-belly of the O’s bullpen, plating 8 runs in the 8th inning.

September 19, 2009 – where the Yankees scored 10 runs…beating up on a 25-year old rookie starter by the name of “Douglas Wildes Fister.”

When you remove these three “gimmie” games from the picture, it means the Yankees have averaged 4.05 R/G in those other 19 contests. Oh, and, by the way, the American League average for runs scored per game is 4.82 R/G – which means the superior Yankees offense, since September 7th, sans three lay-up laughers, has been below league average in terms of scoring runs (on a R/G basis).

Or, in other words, for just about the entire last month of the season, outside of three games, the Yankees batters are plating runs like they are the Kansas City Royals or Seattle Mariners – the bottom two team in the A.L. this year, to date, in terms of their R/G ratio. (The Royals R/G mark is 4.2 and the M’s are at 3.9 R/G.)

If this carries into October, it could be bad news for the good citizens of Yankeeland in the post-season.

Via Tyler Kepner:

Dave Robertson, the Yankees’ bullpen strikeout specialist, said he was not worried about the tightness in his right elbow. But the Yankees have shut him down indefinitely, and he has an appointment Thursday with Dr. James Andrews, probably in Pensacola, Fla.

“The stiffness has not went away in the last 10 days or two weeks,” Manager Joe Girardi said. “It’s a concern of mine, because he’s been a huge part of our bullpen, and his ability to get a strikeout is important. He’s been as good as anyone in baseball, really, at doing that.”

“I feel confident it’s not going to be anything,” Robertson said. “I feel like I’m going to come back. It’s just a little rest.”

Robertson has not pitched on consecutive days since Aug. 11 and 12. He said he had felt discomfort for about two weeks, mostly after he pitched. He had a magnetic resonance imaging test Monday but said he did not know what it showed.

“No idea, really,” he said. “I’ll just go to Dr. Andrews and get his opinion. That’s really all I can do.”

Robertson, 24, has worked his way into a more prominent role as the season has gone on, appearing more often when the Yankees have a lead. Girardi said he was still hopeful that Robertson could return.

“I don’t want to write him off,” Girardi said. “He’s down until he sees Dr. Andrews and we figure out what we need to do. Whether he’s here or not, guys are still going to feel pressure. One thing it does is it gives you less weapons. We don’t necessarily have as much flexibility as we did.”

Maybe the Yankees should have something like the Robertson Rules in place, to prevent this? Yes, I’m kidding – sorta/kinda.

Yesterday, I mentioned how well things are going for the Yankees in the last ten weeks or so. In fact, since June 24th, when Brian Cashman went to visit the team in Atlanta, the Yankees have gone 43-16 – which is an incredible winning percentage of .729.

Below is a chart which shows the Yankees record, by opponent, during this run – with the opponent’s overall winning percentage (to date) at the far right:

Team		W	L	Opp W%*
Blue Jays	7	2	.457
Red Sox		6	1	.581
A's		5	2	.442
Mariners	5	2	.523
Tigers		3	0	.531
Orioles		3	0	.408
Twins		3	0	.496
Mets		3	0	.446
White Sox	3	3	.492
Braves		2	0	.527
Rays		2	1	.547
Rangers		1	2	.563
Angels		0	3	.594
		43	16	    

*Through August 29th

As you can see, the Yankees, in putting together this run, have beaten up on some sub-.500 teams. As mentioned here before, New York has gotten somewhat fat playing against the Blue Jays, A’s, Orioles, Twins and Mets during this streak – going 21-4 against those weak teams (as the above chart shows).

In fact, I just noticed this morning, looking at the standings over at Baseball-Reference.com, that the Yankees are 33-30 this season, to date, when playing a team with a winning percentage =>.500 and they are 48-18, to date, when playing a team with a winning percentage <.500 (this year).

Now, I know that many like to say, in response to this type of inspection, that "You're supposed to beat the tar out of the weak teams and break even against the tough ones - that's how you end up finishing in first place." And, I get that - I really do get it...

...but, I'm thinking ahead to the post-season, for the Yankees. And, there will be no Blue Jays, A's, Orioles, Twins or Mets for the Yankees to play in October. Most likely, New York will have to deal with Detroit or Texas in the ALDS and then face someone like the Angels, Red Sox or Rays in the ALCS (should the Yankees advance past the ALDS for the first time since 2004). And, that’s a horse of another color, no? Do the Yankees have what it takes to beat a good team in the post-season? What do you think?

John Harper and Bob Klapisch have the story. And, George King touched upon it the other day too.

A simple game of self-respect…
You flick a switch, and, the world goes off.
Nobody jumps as you expect…
I would have thought you would have had enough, by, now.

Hey, A.J., and, ‘Sado…O.K. Com’on guys…can we stop the Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe routine and just all get on the same page?

Via TSN on July 7, 2009 -

The New York Yankees are moving right-hander Alfredo Aceves from the bullpen for a spot start on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins.

Aceves will fill in for Chien-Ming Wang, who is on the disabled list with a shoulder injury. Manager Joe Girardi made the announcement before the Yankees opened a three-game series against the Twins on Tuesday. He said he also considered Sergio Mitre, but ultimately settled on Aceves because he “was the most stretched out right now.”

Aceves is 5-1 with a 2.03 ERA in 21 appearances this season, helping solidify the Yankees bullpen. He made four starts for the Yankees last season, one reason why Girardi said he felt comfortable with the move this time around.

“He’s a four-pitch guy. He’s done it before,” Girardi said. “We were comfortable going to him.”

Aceves will likely be limited to about 65 pitches, Girardi said.

Well, Aceves did start that game on July 9th and threw 65 pitches. But, he only went 3.3 IP in the contest – allowing 4 hits, a walk, and three earned runs. Afterwards, he returned to the bullpen – next appearing in a game 9 days later.

But, in his first four games, pitching in relief, after that start, from July 18th through July 25th, Aceves threw just 3.3 IP – allowing 4 hits, a walk, and three earned runs.

Then, four days later, it was announced that Alfredo Aceves had “fatigue” in his right shoulder. And, since that time, he’s pitched in seven games for the Yankees, going 16.6 IP – allowing 18 hits, 3 walks, and 14 earned runs.

In total, since that spot start in Minnesota, Alfredo Aceves has pitched in 11 games, all out of the pen, throwing 20 IP, allowing 22 hits, 4 walks, and 17 earned runs. (Hey, on the bright side, he’s not walking many, right?)

Clearly, since making that start against the Twins, due to the injury to Chien-Ming Wang, Alfredo Aceves has been toast. Why the Yankees keep running him out there, now, is beyond me?

Since July 8th, Phil Coke has pitched in 18 games for the Yankees – throwing 13.6 IP and facing 61 batters. In the process, he’s allowed 22 base runners. His ERA during this time is 9.22 and the opposing team’s BA/OBA/SLG line is .315/.377/.519 (against him).

Are you nervous about Coke? Based on these numbers, maybe we should be?

Coke is the only lefty in the Yankees bullpen. And, they’re going to need a lefty to get some big outs – especially in the post-season. Can Coke be the guy to get this done? Or, should the Yankees try and get another lefty for the pen before September 1st?

For those who don’t get the title of this one…it’s: Dolor en la rodilla de Godzilla…

Via the Sports Network:

New York Yankees designated hitter/outfielder Hideki Matsui had his swollen left knee drained Sunday and will be out indefinitely.

The team is hopeful that he will return to the lineup this week after missing the last two games with the injury. Matsui has battled knee injuries throughout the season.

Manager Joe Girardi said that Matsui could appear in the lineup as early as Tuesday, when the Yankees will play the middle game of a three-game set against Oakland.

The Yankees are 64-40, so far, this season, when Matsui has appeared in a game for them and 10-4 when he’s not in the line-up. What does this mean? Really, it means that Godzilla has only missed 14 games this season – which is amazing when you consider all those games in N.L. parks during interleague when he could not D.H. and his bum knee. Truly, Hideki has been a warrior this season. It will be interesting to see how many of the Yankees 44 games remaining this season that he will miss…let’s just hope it’s not too many.

Via Bill Madden -

[Mariano Rivera] was unavailable to pitch yesterday after waking up and feeling the effects of his shaky 18-pitch save the night before.

According to Joe Girardi, Rivera’s shoulder was “cranky,” but there was nothing concerning about it. Of course not. What else would we expect Girardi to say? At least Rivera did confirm his shoulder was sore, while echoing Girardi in saying it’s not unusual. He did not, however, volunteer any information as to why he was staying back in New York last night and not accompanying the team on its “Black and Blue Airlines” cross-country flight to Seattle after the game. This, too, the Yankees immediately downplayed as being a “personal” thing not “physical.”

I dunno…I have a bad feeling about this…

What about you? Are you worried about Rivera and what his absence would mean to the Yankees, this season, if he’s out for a while?

Via Anthony DiComo:

When the Yankees boarded their flight to Seattle late Wednesday afternoon, they took with them a slew of injured players and no easy answers.

Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, both hit by pitches, are questionable for Thursday’s series opener against the Mariners — Rodriguez more uncertain than Jeter. Catcher Jorge Posada, who took a foul ball off his right hand and a series of other pitches off his body during Wednesday’s 4-3 win over the Blue Jays, is also unsure whether he will play. And closer Mariano Rivera, who woke up Wednesday with a sore right shoulder, is similarly in question.

Just like that, the Yankees went from being remarkably healthy to quite incomplete, and they cannot be sure of the status of their wounded players until they wake up Thursday.

Jose Molina, Jerry Hairston Jr., and Ramiro Pena, com’on down….!

Have you seen the 2009 numbers for the Yankees first round picks from the drafts of 2007 and 2008?

New York took Andrew Brackman with their first pick in the ‘07 Draft and they took Jeremy Bleich with their second first round pick in the ‘08 Draft. (The Yankees took Gerrit Cole with their first overall pick in 2008 but did not sign him.)

Here are the stats for Brackman, so far this season at Low-A Ball Charleston, and, the stats for Bleich, to date, since he’s been called up to Double-A Trenton:

Year	  Age  Tm          W  L	ERA  G	IP   H	BB  SO	WHIP	BB/9  SO/9
Brackman  23   Charleston  1 11	6.65 20	86.2 89	65  79	1.777	6.8    8.2
Bleich 	  22   Trenton     2  4	5.36  7	40.1 39	22  32	1.512	4.9    7.1

Based on these ugly numbers, it doesn’t look like anyone will be coming up with any fan-boy nicknames or cute T-Shirt slogans for these two prize draft picks too soon, does it?

I was just looking at John Sickels top prospects list, for the Yankees, at the start of this season. Here’s the pitchers on that list:

Dellin Betances, RHP
Zach McAllister, RHP
Mark Melancon, RHP
Jairo Heredia, RHP
Andrew Brackman, RHP
Phil Coke, LHP
Alfredo Aceves, RHP
Wilkins de la Rosa, LHP
Humberto Sanchez, RHP
Jon Albaladejo, RHP
David Robertson, RHP
Arodys Vizcaino, RHP
Christian Garcia, RHP
George Kontos, RHP
Kanekoa Texeira, RHP
Eric Hacker, RHP
Manuel Banuelos, LHP
Jeremy Bleich, LHP
Mike Dunn, LHP
Alan Horne, RHP
Brett Marshall, RHP
D.J. Mitchell, RHP
David Phelps, RHP
Ryan Pope, RHP
Matt Richardson, RHP
Pat Venditte, RHP-LHP
Kevin Whelan, RHP

When I see this group, I see more guys who have struggled this season and/or who have been seriously injuried than I see guys who are on the verge of doing something great at the big league level. Would you agree with that? And, if so, what does that say about the young, and reportedly up-and-coming, pitching in the Yankees pipeline?

Via Pete Abe -

Here’s an update on Chien-Ming Wang: When he got the second MRI on Tuesday, it revealed a possible rotator-cuff tear. The question is whether it’s a new injury or scar tissue from the operation he had back in 2000.

Because Dr. James Andrews did that surgery, he will examine Wang on Tuesday and figure it all out. If Wang does have a new tear, he’ll be out the rest of this season and part of 2010.

Lisfranc? My foot! Here comes your demerit, Mr. Cashman.

Via Pete Abe’s Blog -

Brett Gardner is on the disabled list with a broken left thumb. He did it sliding into second base yesterday when he broke up a double play in the first inning. Amazingly, he stayed in the rest of the game, had an RBI triple and made two great catches in the eighth inning.

Ronnie Lott and Carlos May jokes aside, this is a bummer for Gardner, the Yanks, and their fans. Hopefully Brett will heal fast and well. However, that said, a thumb injury for a hitter is terrible – and you have to make sure it’s 100% before you come back to ensure you don’t risk re-injuring it. This could be a while…

Via Bryan Hoch:

Chien-Ming Wang is concerned that his 2009 season may be over, having sought a second opinion as he continues to feel discomfort in his right shoulder, and now Dr. James Andrews will get his chance to take a look.

Wang visited on Wednesday with Dr. David Altchek at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York after suffering a setback earlier in the week while playing catch, and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman met with team physician Dr. Chris Ahmad on Thursday to discuss Wang’s situation.

After reviewing Altchek’s findings, the Yankees are set to next confer with Andrews before discussing Wang’s status further. But at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, the 29-year-old Wang said that he is worried that surgery may be necessary.

“I don’t know,” Wang said. “The shoulder, the day I played catch, it still feels the same.”

Wang played catch on the field at Yankee Stadium on Monday, his first on-field activity since being placed on the disabled list July 5, but he had to cut the session short after feeling tenderness in his right biceps.

Back on April 24th, about Wang, his shoulder, and the Yankees, I wrote:

Just about this time last year, Chien-Ming Wang wanted to sign a long-term contract with the Yankees – as Robinson Cano did – but the Yankees weren’t interested. And, at the same time, stories started coming up about Wang having a torn rotator cuff that was never repaired.

Thinking about this now, it makes me wonder: Did the Yankees see this coming with Wang – with “this” being him losing his velocity/stuff on the mound?

If true, do the Yankees deserve a gold star for not signing him long term last year? Or, should they get a demerit for counting on him to be a big part of their rotation this year?

Now, hearing the latest on Wang, I’m starting to think Cashman and his crew should start getting fitted for that big ol’ demerit…right…about…now…

Tyler Kepner writes about the question.

Holy “Juan Gonzalez, Dean Palmer, Jose Canseco, Ron Gant, Ken Caminiti, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Jason Giambi and Travis Hafner” Batman! Do we dare even ask the question? Well, since it’s been asked, what do you think? Will A-Rod be a star again?

Back on June 2nd, after the Yankees won that day, I wrote:

Actually, we’re seeing a lot of life and unity in the Yankees dugout these days – and a game like today, with the Teixeira thing, will only add to it. Yes, I know, it’s easy to have fun when you’re playing at a clip where you’re winning 16 of 20 games – and you’re in first place. But, maybe, just maybe, these Yankees are gellin’ like a felon right now and this 2009 squad just might have that cohesiveness and attitude which could make this team one to be remembered as special…when it’s all said and done? You know, like the 2004 Red Sox, 1998 Yankees, 1991 Twins, 1988 Dodgers, 1986 Mets, 1984 Tigers, 1979 Pirates, 1975-76 Reds, 1968 Tigers and the like…

But, then again, maybe New York will go on to lose 7 of their next 12 games and then, all of a sudden, some warts and doubts begin to surface for this team?

Well, the Yankees did not “go on to lose 7 of their next 12 games,” but, they did go on to lose 6 of their next 12 games. (And, if not for gifts from Willy Aybar and Luis Castillo, they would have lost 8 of those 12 games!) Further, New York has now lost 5 of their last 6 games (since going 6-6 in those 12 games).

So, is it safe to say that the “warts and doubts” have begun to surface for this team? What do you think?

Via Marc Carig:

Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long keeps an array of stats and charts. One of them tracks “reaches,” or how many times a hitter extends his hands from his body to reach for a ball. It’s obviously a bad habit, one that can rob a hitter of power, among other debilitating side effects.

Since June 5, by Long’s count, Rodriguez has reached on about 85 percent of his swings. In those 12 games, Rodriguez is hitting just .125 (5-for-40) with two homers and four RBIs. In that same span, his batting average plummeted from .253 to his current .212.

Coincidence? Maybe not.

“I was shocked at the number,” Long said of the slugger’s reach percentage. “I didn’t think it was that many.”

Rodriguez said the habit has thrown his contact point off, and the numbers seem to indicate that the slugger is indeed reaching. Rodriguez is making contact with 58.2 percent of the pitches he’s offers at that are considered outside of the strike zone. That’s his highest rate since 2002, the first year that such data became available.

“We’ve got to get it compact, we’ve got to get it tight, we’ve got to get it explosive,” Long said of Rodriguez’s swing.

Bad habit?

When I saw this report from Carig this morning, the immediate thing I thought of was that scouting report (via Jayson Stark) which I shared here on May 14th. In it, the scout said:

“But [A-Rod's] biggest problem, I think, is at the plate. He can’t get to the low, outside fastball or the slider away. He normally takes those balls the other way, but he can’t get there. And as word gets around the league, he may have more holes than he’s ever had.”

So, is the issue of Alex’s slump just a “bad habit,” or, more so, is it a matter of the league realizing that Rodriguez “can’t get to the low, outside fastball or the slider away” and that’s all they’re giving him – and that’s why he’s reaching so much now?

Today, Peter Abraham wrote:

Chien-Ming Wang has pitched horrifically this season. Brutally, terribly, awfully. Let’s get that right out of the way.

But he was 46-15 with a 3.74 ERA before he hurt his foot last June and has never given the Yankees one ounce of trouble. He shows up, does his job and has been a model teammate.

This is all true. And, to be candid, in a comment elsewhere on this blog today, I shared that I never saw “this” coming for Wang this season.

But, then again, after his 1991 and 1992 seasons, in April of 1993, did anyone see “it” coming for then 23-year old Steve Avery?

More recently, after his 2005, 2006, and 2007 seasons, in April of last year, did anyone see “it” coming for then 30-year old Aaron Harang?

After his 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 seasons, in April of 2006, did anyone see “it” coming for then 27-year old Mark Buehrle?

After his 1992, 1993 and 1994 seasons, in April of 1995, did anyone see “it” coming for then 29-year old Ken Hill?

After his 2001, 2002 and 2003 seasons, in April of 2004, did anyone see “it” coming for then 29-year old Matt Morris?

After his 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988 seasons, in April of 1989, did anyone see “it” coming for then 27-year old Danny Jackson?

After his 2001, 2002 and 2003 seasons, in April of 2004, did anyone see it coming for then 25-year old Joel Pineiro?

After his 1997 and 1998 seasons, in April of 1999, did anyone see it coming for then 26-year old Justin Thompson?

If you’re being honest, the answers to all these questions is probably “no.” (And, for the record, these are just some recent cases where a pitcher has hit the skids where it seemed like that could not happen to him, at that point. There are many, many, more that can be cited.)

Now, this is NOT to say that Worm Killer Wang will have a terrible 2009. And, even if he does, this is NOT to imply that his career is over.

But, this does suggest that, sometimes, for no reason that you could see coming, a pitcher, who appears to be a solid and proven commodity at the big league level, can have a season where it is ALL DOWNHILL for him – and out of the blue – at an age where it doesn’t seem probable (to happen).

Why? Hey, as these cases prove, it’s happened in the past and it can happen again…at any time, to anyone.

A scout’s opinion on A-Rod, so far this season, via Jayson Stark -

Once again, the great scouting minds out there tell us what they’re seeing:

…On Alex Rodriguez: “His defense has been terrible. He doesn’t look like he could move off a dime. He’s a dead-stand-up stationary third baseman right now. But his biggest problem, I think, is at the plate. He can’t get to the low, outside fastball or the slider away. He normally takes those balls the other way, but he can’t get there. And as word gets around the league, he may have more holes than he’s ever had.”

…he may have more holes than he’s ever had…

Well, Alex always has been a bit of a playa, no?

Joking aside, scouts have been wrong in the past, right? So, we’ll just have to wait and see…

But, it will be interesting to look back at this, say, at the end of June and determine just how well this scout is at his job…and how Alex is performing at that time.

What is it about Jose Molina once he gets pressed into full-time duty? This is two years in a row where he’s gone down, no?

Maybe now that A-Rod is back, the Yankees can build a pitch-back like device out of Alex’s collection of Kiana Tom Flex Appeal DVDs and set that up behind the plate and go without a catcher until Posada or Molina comes back to action? That would be better than Kevin Cash or Chris Stewart…no?

Via Mark Feinsand -

The Yankees’ lineup took a bit hit Tuesday when catcher Jorge Posada was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a Grade 2 strain of his right hamstring.

Posada suffered the injury Monday night while sliding in the sixth inning. He left the game in the eighth for a pinch-hitter. Francisco Cervelli was recalled from Double-A Trenton to replace Posada on the active roster. He will wear No. 29.

The Yankees have not announced a timetable for Posada’s return.

I would not be shocked if Posada is out until the beginning of July.

Think about it. Say he needs four weeks to heal. (It seems like a lot, but, hammy’s are tricky. You need it to heal, 100%, because, if you don’t, it’s easy to aggravate.) That brings you to June 2nd. After healing – meaning no activity – then he’ll need time to rehab and get his timing down, etc. That should be at least two weeks (if not more). Let’s say it’s three weeks. That brings you to June 23rd. Then, of course, you have the Yankees factor of not wanting to rush a guy…so, add another week. That brings you to June 30th.

Two months without Posada with Jose Molina replacing him? Defensively, that’s no problem. Offensively, that’s a big problem. If you’re playing Molina on a regular basis, and you’re the Yankees, then you have to ensure that you’re getting offensive production from your center fielder and right fielder – along with Damon, A-Rod, Jeter, Cano, Teixeira, and Matsui continuing to play at expected levels. Otherwise, you’re giving away too many outs in a game – like what happened with Molina, Cano and Cabrera creating a black hole in the offense.

As Yankees fans, let’s hope that Melky Cabrera and Nick Swisher keep being productive – especially with ‘Sado out for the next two months.

Two weeks ago, I wrote:

Presently, everyone in Yankeeland is in love with Nick Swisher – and this includes the Yankees, their fans, the Yankees beat writers and just about every Yankees blogger to be found. And, why not? Swisher is batting extremely well now, he’s playing multiple positions – including pitching! – and is providing lots of good quotes and sound bites, etc.

However, it should be noted that last season, while playing for the Chicago White Sox, Swisher got off to a great start as well. In his team’s first 12 games in 2008, Nick started in 11 of them. During that time, he collected 50 Plate Appearances and fashioned the following BA/OBA/SLG line: .289/.460/.474 – yes, that’s an On Base Average of four-sixty!

But, then, Swisher hit the skids in Chicago. After those first dozen games, it was all downhill for Nick. In his team’s next 20 games in 2008, Swisher started in 20 of them. During that time, he collected 89 Plate Appearances and fashioned the following BA/OBA/SLG line: .147/.270./213 – which is down-right ugly.

So, what happens if Nick Swisher, in a week or so, goes just as cold for the Yankees this season as he did for the White Sox in 2008? Will everyone in Yankeeland love as much then and they do now?

Related, let’s take a look at Swisher’s season for the Yankees, to date:

First 10 games of the season: 37 PA and BA/OBA/SLG line of .406/.486/1.000 and 6 K’s
Last 9 games of the season: 42 PA and BA/OBA/SLG line of .171/.310/.257 and 13 K’s

Looks like ol’ Saint Nick is following his pattern from last year, huh? The Yankees better hope that Xavier Nady gets better and fast – they’re going to need someone to play right field, in place of Swisher, in a hurry.

Per Pete Abe:

Nothing official yet, but the word is that Xavier Nady will need surgery and miss the season.

Looks like Nick Swisher is the new Yankees right fielder and Melky Cabrera may get more At Bats off the bench than once planned. We’ll know in the next month or two if this is really bad news for the Yankees – or not.

My game-plan was to comment on this two days ago. But, then, the whole Friday the 13th thing happened. In any event, better late than never…first, some insight on Joba Chamberlain via a recent Bob Klapisch article -

For now, it appears the Joba-Must-Start army has prevailed, and his No. 4 spot in the rotation is safe. Chamberlain delivered three scoreless innings against Cincinnati on Tuesday night, quieting the murmurs about his velocity and mechanics.

But is Joba’s mini-crisis really over? Of the 29 pitches he threw, Reds’ hitters swung and missed just once – and made contact every time they sized up Chamberlain’s famed four-seam fastball.

Yes, Joba hit 96 mph once, but in doing so nearly threw the ball over Jose Molina’s head. Joba made it to 95 one other time, otherwise there were plenty of fastballs that slogged along at 91 mph.

Obviously, it’s still early in spring training. Chamberlain has plenty of time to build arm strength. But he’s not the pitcher he was in 2008; even while blanking the Reds, something seemed amiss.

“I didn’t see the same explosiveness out of his hand, and I’m factoring in that it’s March,” said one talent evaluator. Remember, this is the same reliever-turned-starter who was injured not once, but twice last year, including the final week of the season.

Clearly, Chamberlain isn’t the horse the Yankees projected while he was crushing the competition in the minor leagues. Joba might have the unbreakable mentality of a latter-day Goose Gossage, but he’s fragile. His violent delivery ends with a stiff front leg — a recipe for long-term trouble that’s already reared its head. It’s a mechanical flaw Chamberlain will spend the rest of his career trying to fix.

I had a chance to see a little bit of that Chamberlain start against the Reds. Now, I’m a big believer that you cannot dig your heels into early Spring Training performances. So, when Joba was getting some outs on liners early in that game, I did not get too concerned – just as I didn’t get too excited when the Reds got a broken-bat blop hit or when Chamberlain got some guys looking. It’s all about getting the work in, at this stage, of the exhibition games…after all.

However, I will say this: I thought that Joba Chamberlain looked a little heavy when I saw him on the mound. Don’t get me wrong…we’re not talking “CC Sabathia or David Wells heavy” here. More so, if I had to guess, I would offer that Chamberlain looked about 10 to 15 pounds heftier than he appeared in 2008. If I had to label it, in terms of conditioning, Joba reminded me of a “Brian Bruney circa 2007″ – by no means fat – but, someone who you could call a “Husky Hurler” and not be stretching it, at all.

Further, let me be clear, when it comes to maintaining a healthy body weight, many times it doesn’t matter to baseball pitchers. Roger Clemens, Curt Schillling, and Carlos Zambrano are recent pitchers who have done well being somewhat beefy. However, sometimes, carrying an exta dozen pounds or so doesn’t help a baseball player. Also, remember, Joba had to lose 50 pounds after high school – because the weight impacted his pitching effectiveness.

I’m not looking to play Chicken Little on this one. More so, I’m just raising the tiniest of yellow caution flags here. And, I suggesting that it’s something worth keeping on our radar, as Yankees fans. Let’s wait and see – and, of course, hope for the best.

Via Marc Carig -

Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano and reliever Damaso Marte returned to camp from the World Baseball Classic on Friday, bringing with them injuries that may sideline them for a few days. Team doctors will examine both players on Saturday.

Cano said he felt some stiffness behind his right shoulder, which he said began bothering him even before he left Yankees camp for the WBC, though he said the team didn’t know. He played through the condition for his native Dominican Republic, finishing with three hits in a team-high 13 at-bats over three games, though the Dominicans failed to get past the first round.

“It never went away,” said Cano, who thought the stiffness in his right shoulder would subside with stretching.

Marte said he felt tightness in his left pectoral muscles while lifting weights on Tuesday morning. Later in the day, Marte pitched one inning with a two strikeouts in the Dominican Republic’s tournament-ending loss to the Netherlands.

“Hopefully it’s not much,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “Hopefully both of them bounce back quickly. But it’s not how you want them coming back.”

Hearing this, something tells me that Cano and Marte will never have to worry about what to wear to a Mensa meeting…

The Yankees will be in last place on May 7th of this season? Really?

Yup. I think it can happen – and here’s why:

1. The Yankees have some “slow” starters on their team. For example:

• In his career, to date, Mark Teixeira has the following BA/OBA/SLG line – herein “slash line” – during the months of March/April: .256 /.346/ .442 (in 564 PA).
• In his career, to date, CC Sabathia has an ERA of 4.51 during the months of March and April (over 34 starts and 201.6 IP).
• Robinson Cano, in his career, to date, has the following slash line during March/April: .237/.283/.328 (in 294 PA).
• Damaso Marte, in his career, to date, has an ERA of 4.02 during March/April (in 79 games and 65 IP).
• Johnny Damon, in his career, to date, has the following slash line during March/April: .273/.346/.410 (in 1,310 PA).
• Chien-Ming Wang, in his career, to date, has an ERA of 4.08 during March/April (over 14 starts and 88.3 IP).
• Hideki Matsui, in his career, to date, has the following slash line during March/April: .268/.363/.416 (in 567 PA).

2. As I have mentioned before, the first 30 games of the Yankees schedule this season is tough – and, even at full strength, New York should probably be only expected to play just about .500 ball over this period.

3. Lastly, the Yankees will be without A-Rod! from Opening Day until at least May 7th. And, we know that Alex Rodriguez has been a run producer for the Yankees in the past. Sure, yes…there may be debate over the game conditions under which they are derived, but, the numbers are always there for Alex.

O.K., maybe the headline on this one is a tad sensationalistic? Perhaps the last place projection is being overly pessimistic?

I could yield to those claims – after all, even if things go poorly for the Yankees over their first 30 games, the Baltimore Orioles are still in the A.L. East. And, the O’s have been a weak team for 8 years running now. It may be very hard for New York to play worse than Baltimore at the start of this season.

In any event, with Alex Rodriguez now out for the start of the season, when you add that to New York’s schedule over their first 30 games, and factor in those players on the Yankees who usually get off to slow starts…well…things may not be all puppy dogs and cupcakes in Yankeeland when the calendar shows the date of May 7, 2009. I’m just sayin’…

Via Pete Abe -

ESPN Deportes, which swings and misses at times, is reporting Alex Rodriguez needs surgery and will miss 10 weeks. No comment yet from the Yankees.

If this is true, somebody screwed up. If he had this hip issue last year and it went untreated, that’s doesn’t make much sense.

If true, this means Alex is out until the middle of May – and would then probably need at least two weeks of minor league rehab to get his swing down…so, this could mean it’s “See ya in June” for Rodriguez.

Update, 12 noon ET, 3/5/09:

My first two thoughts, if this is true:

1. How much trouble can A-Rod get into when he has 3 months of free time during the baseball season?
2. Could this be a way to hide when the Selena Roberts book comes out in April?

My next thought:

Do you just play Jumpin’ Cody Ransom at third for two months until A-Rod is back, or, do you something totally crazy and ask Teixeira to play third for two months and then play Swisher at first? Or, maybe you try and convert Nady to third for a couple of months and then play Swisher in right?

Update, 2:25 pm ET, 3/5/09:

From J-Hey (who always is connected to Scottie Boras) -

Alex Rodriguez likely needs surgery on his right hip and is expected to miss six to eight weeks, SI.com has confirmed.

Rodriguez’s agent, Scott Boras, said his client will be evaluated by Dr. Marc Philippon in Vail, Colo., on Thursday.

“I can’t say much because of the HIPAA Rules,” said Boras, who was in Glendale for the Dodgers’ press conference with newly signed Manny Ramirez. “I have spoken to Alex. He is there visiting [Philippon] and he is going to see him today.

“Obviously, [Alex is] concerned. He was playing well. It has obviously been a difficult two days for him.”

Rodriguez’s brother, Joe Dunand, told LasMayores.com (MLB.com’s Spanish-language Web site) that Rodriguez will have the operation performed on Monday. Dunand also said his understanding is that the recovery time for such a surgery is 10 weeks.

By the way, some job by the Yankees on this one, huh? Talk about not getting out in front of this one in terms of managing the news…Geez.

Update, 3:20 pm ET, 3/5/09: Reportedly, Brian Cashman will be meeting with the media to discuss this…in about a minute or two…

Update, 4:20 pm ET, 3/5/09: Via Pete Abe -

Yankees GM Brian Cashman just said Alex Rodriguez has a torn hip labrum and cyst.

They’re trying rest and rehab. The cyst was drained. The hope is he’ll keep playing.

He’s out of the WBC.

The cyst was large and the hope was having it drained will lessen the stiffness Rodriguez felt.

They’re going to cut down on his time in spring training in the hopes he can get through the season.

This is a similar injury to what Mike Lowell had. Cashman refused to say what degree the tear was.

Cashman just said A-Rod will need the surgery at some point. The tear won’t just heal.

They’re hoping he can get through the season then have it.

Via the Times -

Yankees catcher Jorge Posada said the new soreness in his surgically repaired right shoulder was nothing to worry about.

But there was enough concern within the Yankees’ medical staff for Manager Joe Girardi to scratch Posada from the lineup for Saturday’s exhibition game against the Minnesota Twins at Steinbrenner Field and rest him until further notice.

“I guess it’s good that it’s now than later,” Posada said. “Take two or three days, just get the strength back.”

Girardi described Posada’s shoulder as “a little, little, little sore.”

“Minuscule weakness,” he added. “He wanted to play. We said: ‘You’re not playing. It’s too early in the process.’ He’s on the watch list. We want to get that little irritation out of there.”

Accounts of the injury differed slightly between the manager and the player. Girardi said Posada woke up Saturday morning with a little soreness. Posada said he hurt it Thursday in the on-deck circle while stretching before his first at-bat in his first exhibition game.

“I wasn’t thinking,” Posada said. “I grabbed a bat and go back all the way, and I wasn’t supposed to do that. I felt it in the shoulder. I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to do it. I kept playing, and there was nothing wrong.”

Posada has thrown on the side without pain and said it did not hurt to swing or hit in games. But he said he came to the ballpark on Saturday and reported the problem to the Yankees’ head trainer, Gene Monahan, who brought in Dr. Christopher Ahmad for further examination.

“I said, ‘Geno, my shoulder is sore,’ ” Posada said. “He said, ‘Usually sore?’ and I said, ‘Just a little bit more.’ ”

Posada said he would not have X-rays or a magnetic resonance imaging test. Girardi said Posada was still on schedule to catch for the first time on March 15 here against Minnesota.

“I could play with it,” Posada said of the soreness. “It doesn’t hurt me to throw and it doesn’t hurt me to hit. Just the shoulder is sore.”

At this point, I think you can throw out everything being said about this news – both good and bad. If this situation is still an issue two weeks from now, then the Yankees may just have a big problem on their hands. However, for now, it’s wait and see – and check back on March 15th and examine where Posada is at that time.

Via Anthony DiComo:

The Yankees announced on Wednesday that all of [Hideki] Matsui’s Spring Training action will come as a designated hitter, and that he won’t play much left field during the season, either.

Coming off knee surgery for the second successive winter, Matsui entered camp saying that his goal was to rehab his knees back to full strength. And for Matsui to achieve that, the Yankees decided he would be better served as a DH, without the rigors of regular outfield play.

“We just feel it’s not in our best interest to push it there in that situation,” manager Joe Girardi said. “For him to hit, he has to have his legs underneath him.”

It’s not really my decision, as far as how I’m used in the lineup,” Matsui said through an interpreter. “I’m going to continue to make sure I prepare for the game. I’ll make sure I prepare to play defense as well. But as far as the decisions are concerned, that’s beyond my control.”

Regardless, Matsui said that he agrees completely with the decision, but he won’t completely abandon his defensive preparations. Despite his age and injury history — he’s had two knee surgeries and a major wrist injury over the past three seasons — Matsui said that he envisions playing the outfield again in the future.

“As long as I do the things I need to do, take care of the knees and make sure I be diligent in my preparations,” Matsui said, “then I believe that I will be able to continue playing in the outfield.”

How did Hideki Matsui go from being Cal Ripken Jr. into being Tony Oliva in what seems like the blink of an eye? Regardless of his role, I hope that Godzilla has a big season in the Bronx this year. It would be good for the Yankees – and a nice send-off for a good guy in what most likely will be his last season in Yankeeland.