Via SNY’s Geico SportsNite yesterday, coverage of Mariano Rivera’s 500th career save. Here’s the clip:

Via SNY’s Geico SportsNite yesterday, Joe Girardi and David Cone talk about the season so far. Here’s the clip:

Do you agree with what they’re saying?

Gary Apple, Eamon McAnaney and Mark Malusis, on SNY’s Geico SportsNite yesterday, debate the topic. Here’s the clip:

Worried about the rain today? Don’t fret it. I’m sure the baseball gods are lobbying with the weather gods right now – explaining that it’s a big night in New York City where the two local pro-teams and their fans are looking to kick the tires on their new ballparks. And, in the end, the weather dudes will cut the baseball gang some slack and clear the skies by game-time. In the interim, via SNY’s Geico SportsNite yesterday, here’s some video to enjoy from what was going down at the new Yankee Stadium yesterday:

Brian Cashman, via SNY’s Geico SportsNite yesterday, shared that the Yankees will taking the “conservative route” with A-Rod -meaning “rest, treatment and exercise.” Here’s the clip:

But, now, Peter Abraham has shared the following:

We just spoke to Joe Girardi for quite a while about A-Rod.

Things have changed since yesterday. The Yankees said then that the plan was for Alex to try and play and have surgery after the season. Now both Hal Steinbrenner and Girardi have talked about Alex needing to make a decision about having surgery.

Alex underwent more tests today and supposedly planned to throw and even hit in a cage out in Colorado. Then he will take a day or two to decide what to do, in consultation with the Yankees.

The sense I get from talking to people both in Tampa and elsewhere is that Alex will be having the surgery and it would be as soon as Monday. The Yankees are fearful of his trying to play and then having to come out of the lineup.

By having the surgery now, the team has a month to prepare for life without Alex and his rehab clock starts ticking. Essentially, March is a free month of rehab.

Last night, I wrote:

…I think the Yankees plan is a stall tactic. The Yankees may have told Alex to stick his surgery plans in his pocket for a few days, or more, as they use this move to buy some time, circle their wagons, and figure out what they’re going to do this season – because they know that A-Rod wants to have this surgery. And, he wants to have it now.

That theory is starting to look more and more like it’s going to become a reality…

Sweeny Murti, on SNY’s Geico SportsNite yesterday, reports from Spring Training. Here’s the clip:

Joba’s really calling CC “Big Slim”? Oh, my…

Ron Darling, on SNY’s Geico SportsNite yesterday, offers thoughts on Alex Rodriguez and using PEDs. Here’s the clip:

David Cone, John Flaherty and Al Leiter all have their positive qualities, but, man, Darling is soooo good at what he does. This is one department where the Mets have the Yankees beat.

Gary Apple and Sweeny Murti, on SNY’s Geico SportsNite, discussed the fallout last night. In case you missed it, here’s the video:

Via SNY’s Geico SportsNite yesterday, video from the big presser at the Stadium. Here’s the clip:

Sweeny Murti, on SNY’s Geico SportsNite yesterday, reports from the big press conference at the Stadium. Here’s the clip:

Sweeny Murti, on SNY’s Geico SportsNite yesterday, reports on all things Sabathia when it comes to the Yankees. Here’s the clip:

Marc Malusis and Jonas Schwartz, on SNY’s Geico SportsNite, discuss the question. Here’s the video:

Something tells me that we’ll be hearing about this “100+ career wins over .500″ thing a lot…with good reason as it’s an excellent point when it comes to Mussina’s Cooperstown chances.

Seth Everett and Lori Rubinson, on SNY’s Geico SportsNite, discuss the questions. Here’s the video:

The A-Rod debate got me thinking. We know that the Yankees, to date, are 8-43 this season when they are trailing in a game after four innings. And, we know that A-Rod has only driven in three runs, all season, after the 7th inning of a ballgame. Think those two stats are connected?

For the record, the Rays are 16-37 this season when trailing after four innings. And, the Angels are 15-34. So, while the Yankees look bad here – they’re really about 7 to 8 wins away from being good in this split. But, how much of that 7 to 8 win gap is because of their clean-up hitter not cleaning up in the late innings?

Marc Malusis and Jonas Schwartz, on SNY’s Geico SportsNite, discuss the questions. Here’s the video:

What do you think?

Sweeny Murti, on SNY’s Geico SportsNite yesterday evening, reports on Joba Chamberlain’s first outing as a starter – along with video reaction from Joe Girardi and Joba (himself). Here’s the clip:

There’s some great stats in this report regarding Chamberlain’s pitch selection and velocity. But, more importantly, twenty years from now, Joba will look back at this video and say “What was I thinking when I decided to wear that T-shirt?”

Charlie Minn and Jonas Schwartz suggest, on SNY’s Geico SportsNite yesterday, that the Yankees bullpen (with the loss to the O’s on Monday) has been exposed. Here’s the video:

Let’s check the stats on this one – via the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia:

Pitcher		RSAA	BR/9 IP	  IP
Mariano Rivera	9	 4.50	20.0
Edwar Ramirez	7	 9.95	12.2
Joba Chamberlain	5	10.07	22.1
Brian Bruney	4	11.12	11.1
Jon. Albaladejo	1	13.83	13.2
Chris Britton	1	 9.64	 4.2
Jose Veras	0	 8.10	10.0
Kyle Farnsworth	0	13.50	22.0
Billy Traber	0	18.00	 8.0
Ross Ohlendorf	-3	14.82	27.1
LaTroy Hawkins	-4	11.79	23.2

Yes, outside of Mo, Joba and Ramirez, the Yankees bullpen has not been pretty this season. And, yes, you cannot trust Farnsworth, Hawkins or Ohlendorf. Veras and (when he returns) Albaladejo? Who knows?

You can make a case that, unless Alan Horne, Mark Melancon, J.B. Cox, or Daniel McCutchen makes a splash, and soon, in the Yankees pen, New York will have issues holding games close (when they don’t have the lead) – with pitchers other than Rivera and Ramirez.

Marc Malusis and Jonas Schwartz, on SNY’s Geico SportsNite, debate the Yankees call to migrate Joba Chamberlain to the starting rotation.

Schwartz may be forgetting about when the Yankees did this before…in 1995. And, it worked.

Andy Pettitte was a starter in the minors. At the start of the 1995 big league season, Pettitte worked out of the Yankees pen for their first 16 games. Then, in the Yankees 26th game of that season, Andy was inserted into the starting rotation. Pettitte was 23-years old that season – just a year older than Joba Chamberlain is now.

It worked out pretty good for Pettitte and the Yankees. No reason why it can’t happen again now.

Marc Malusis and Jonas Schwartz suggest, on SNY’s Geico SportsNite, that you still can’t trust Mike Mussina in a big game and that Joba Chamberlain needs to re-think his on the field celebrations. Here’s the video:

I concur on the Joba item. As far as Mussina…well…if the big game is against Boston, yeah, sure, I would agree. But, if the big game is against a line-up of young and aggressive batters, then, maybe, that’s a spot where Moose’s new M.O. would be a good match-up. So, for me, it’s really a contingency thing on Mussina.

WFAN’s Marc Malusis and Lori Rubinson has some interesting takes on the Phil Hughes situation on SNY’s Geico SportsNite. Click here to see the video.