Game 36. Today’s lineup.

The Yanks are in first place by themselves entering today’s ballgame in KC. They are 22-13 and 1 game up. They are three games better than their Pythagorean record. OPS+ 102, ERA+ 112 (100 is average).

BA/HR/RBI  SB/Total attempts  OPS+  Comments  Team leader.

Gardner CF .259-3-14  5/8  99
Cano 2B .306-9-21  2/2  144
Wells LF .281-8-18  3/4  123
Hafner DH .270-6-18  1/1  149
Suzuki RF .272-2-8  5/6  89
Nix SS .253-1-6  1/1  77
Overbay 1B .263-6-20  0/0  113
Nelson 3B .200-0-2 0/0 39 as Yankee; Overall .231-0-6  0/0  50 (CO/NYY)
Stewart C .232-2-5  2/2  67

Kuroda RHP 4-2, 2.30 ERA+ 179

Yanks DL Nunez, bring up Alberto Gonzalez, move Teix to 60-day DL, meaning we won’t see him until June.

UPDATE: I almost forgot. Happy 88th to #8, the one and only Yogi Berra!

Teix may or may not be back in 2013

The Yanks are off today. Two weeks until Opening Day.

Meanwhile, more information on Mark Teixeira. He has a partially torn tendon sheath in his wrist. There is a 70-75% chance that it heals without surgery. The tendon is stable.

But here’s the thing. Should that sheath become fully torn, Teix would need surgery. Should the tendon become unstable, he’d need surgery.

If he needs surgery, he’s done for the year, and it could affect the rest of his career.

The Yanks, and Teixeira, are proceeding with extreme caution.

A mid-May return is optimistic. Who knows when he’ll be back?

Teixeira out 8-10 weeks.

Forget about the week to 10 days for Teixeira and that wrist.

Try 8-10 weeks. That puts him out as long as Granderson. Meaning a mid-May return. You hope the Yanks will be at .500 when they come back.

You wonder what the Opening Day lineup could look like. Heck, the way things are going, Ichiro could hit fifth or sixth. (He probably won’t, but see below).

But, and I think Buster Olney wrote this, 186 of the 245 HR the Yanks hit last year are now on the DL or playing elsewhere. Ouch.

Unless the Yanks make a deal, or put say, Juan Rivera at 1B, here is what an Opening Day lineup COULD look like vs. Jon Lester.

1) Gardner LF
2) Jeter DH
3) Cano 2B
4) Youkilis 1B (signed to fill in for A-Rod at 3B, he now may have to fill in for Teixeira at 1B)
5) Ichiro RF
6) Cervelli C
7) Nunez SS
8) Nix 3B
9) Mesa CF

That is, unless Juan Rivera or Matt Diaz make the team. But you get the picture. Where’s the power?

Ouch.

This is looking like a 4th place team. Hopefully not worse, but if ever the pitchers need to step up, boy do they have to now.

You hope Hughes is on track to be there on Opening Day.

What’s more. You really hope now that a starter doesn’t go down (knock on wood).

But Cano? If he feels naked, he should. If you were an opposing team’s pitcher, wouldn’t you now pitch around Cano every chance you get the first six weeks of the season?

S.T. Game 11. Yanks lose 2-0, Teix shut down.

Mark Teixeira was supposed to play 1b for the U.S. in the WBC. Supposed to.

Instead he goes back to the Yanks, and will be shut down for about 2 weeks due to a sprain in his forearm.

You have to be worried about the injuries. CC, Jeter and Mo are coming off them, while A-Rod, Hughes, Granderson and Teix have them.

…. and that’s not counting GM Brian Cashman.

In tonight’s game, the Yanks lost 2-0 to the Braves. David Phelps pitched well again, but lost. In 9 innings this spring, Phelps has given up just one run.

Tonight Phelps went 4, and gave up 1 r on 2 H. Joba pitched a scoreless inning.

Branden Pinder had a scoreless inning, Mark Montgomery gave up a run in 1/3 IP, and Francisco Rondon pitched an inning and 2/3, scoreless. Rondon, a lefty, has an outside shot at making the team. Shawn Kelley wrapped up with a scoreless inning.

The Yanks managed just five hits, two by the red-hot Gardner. Ichiro, who has had a good spring had one.

One continuing trouble spot is the errors by the prospects. Corban Joseph had two today, and J.R. Murphy one.

The loss drops the Yanks S.T. record to 3-8.

S.T. Game 9: Nova, Stewart, Gardner lead Yanks to 10-3 win.

Brett Gardner continued his hot spring with 2 hits and 2 SB, Ivan Nova had a sharp debut and Chris Stewart homered as the Yanks beat the Tigers 10-3 today in their spring training game. It snapped a 7-game spring training losing streak for the Yanks.

If Gardner takes what he’s done so far into the regular season, he’ll be a sparkplug. He’s hit in every game he’s played in so far. Ichiro was 0 for 3 today but he’s had a good spring so far too.

Prospects Tyler Austin was 1 for 1 with 2 rbi, Corban Joseph was 1 for 2 with 2 RBI, and Luke Murton had a hit and an RBI.

Robbie Cano also added a hit and an RBI.

Nova threw two scoreless innings, David Aardsma gave up a run in his inning as did Clay Rapada. After Shawn Kelley’s scoreless inning, Mark Montgomery gave up a run in his inning of work. Matt Daley, Francisco Rondon and Jim Miller finished up, all with a scoreless inning of work.

Nova pounded the strike zone, throwing 22 of his 27 pitches for strikes.

The Lower Hudson Journal reports that the first cuts have been made:

· RHP Corey Black · RHP Matt Daley · RHP Nick Goody · RHP Shane Greene · RHP Bryan Mitchell · RHP Zach Nuding · RHP Mike O’Brien · RHP Ryan Pope · 1B Kyle Roller

 

Players are now leaving teams for the WBC, so the next few weeks could get funky.

S.T. Game 4. Ichiro 3 for 3 but Yanks lose 4-3.

The Yanks lost to the Phils 4-3, as Zach Nuding gave up three runs on two HR in the seventh. It drops the Yanks S.T. record to 1-3.

Ichiro Suzuki went 3 for 3. In the first, he singled, stole second and scored on a double by Mark Teixeira.

Starter Jose Ramirez (7-6, 3.19 at High A last year, righty, 23 years old) pitched two scoreless innings. David Robertson pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a walk. Joba then came in, a scoreless inning, one hit, 2 K. Juan Cedeno a scoreless inning.

The Phils tied the game with a run off Jim Miller in the sixth.

The Yanks went up 3-1 in the seventh when J.R. Murphy, who was 2 for 2 for the day, hit a 2-run HR. Murphy, 21, is a catcher who between High A/AA last year hit .248-9-44. He’ll probably begin this year at AA.

Nuding, a 22 y.o. righty, was 9-3, 3.51 between the Gulf Coast Rookie League and High A Tampa last year. He got a groundout, then Domonic Brown hit a HR off him. After another groundout, Cody Asche doubled and Tommy Joseph homered for the final margin. 3 R in his one inning of work.

Branden Pinder pitched a scoreless inning, striking out two.

The Yanks had a chance to tie it in the ninth. With two out, Murphy doubled and moved to third on a single by Walt Ibarra. Cito Culver flied out to end the game.

Youkilis a Yankee

This will be tough for me. I’ve always hated Kevin Youkilis.

Now I’ll admit that the guy’s a gamer. I have nothing against his hustle. It’s just his attitude, batting stance, and the fact that he spent most of his career to date as a Red Sock has made me despise him. He’s always been one of my most hated players.

So what is he now? A New York Yankee. You can just imagine how difficult it must be now to root FOR him.

But necessity makes strange bedfellows. With Chavez gone and A-Rod missing 1/2 of 2013 due to the hip surgery (and probably being more and more the DH type when he returns), there was a huge hole at 3B for the Yankees.

A hole that Youkilis is signed to fill.

Now if A-Rod CAN play some 3B when he returns, esp. against a lefty, he may be able to play 3B, and the Yanks could play Youk at 1B and give Teix a 1/2 day off by DH-ing him. Youkilis has one Gold Glove award, and is an excellent 1B.

But it is 3b that he’ll be playing until A-Rod comes back.

I guess I can’t call him F-Youk anymore. At least not in 2013. It’ll be interesting how he gets along now with Joba.

Youkilis is a .283 career hitter. His 162 g. average is .283-23-96, OPS+ 124. But the last two years are an average of 121 games a year, .246-18-70, OPS+ 111, in 121 games. He hasn’t played 145 or more games in a season since 2008. This past season was not a good one. .235-19-60, OPS+ 99.

Youkilis turns 34 in March. You hope for .245-17-70 from him.

He did finish 3rd in MVP voting in 2008 and 6th in 2009. He is a 3x All-Star.

With A-Rod out, I could see him batting 5th. With an Ichiro signing coming soon, should Jeter be ready on Opening Day, I can see

Jeter, Ichiro, Teix, Cano, Youk, Granderson as the top six. If Ibanez is re-signed, then him 7th. Cervelli could be 8th (as of now) and Gardner 9th.

R, L, S, L, R, L, L, R, L

But the ages would be 39 (in June), 39, 33, 30, 34, 32 ….

and if the #7 hitter turns out to be DH Raul Ibanez, well, he turns 41 next June.

The Yanks would still need a righty hitting OF (Andruw Jones is going to Japan). Scott Hairston could be an option.

We still don’t know if they will look to upgrade the C position.

All we know is this. With A-Rod being out 1/2 a year, and with Chavez leaving, the addition of Youkilis was a must (unless you wanted Nunez, Nix or an untested rookie like Mustelier, Adams or Joseph playing there).

Which means swallowing our tounges and rooting FOR the guy.

Slow time.

Well, there hasn’t been many posts lately for a number of reasons.

1) the season is over and we see what happens with trades/free agents.

2) Hurricane Sandy knocked my power off for 22 hours. I’m lucky. Many didn’t get power for many more days.

3) I’ve been busy. 48 hours of work this past week and 48 next. 40 Thanksgiving week and I’m not working on the holiday. 50 hour weeks the two weeks after T-Giving.

So we await on the major awards from MLB. So far, Cano and Teix got the GG, Cano and Jeter SS awards.

I don’t know what the Yanks will do yet with their free agents. They did give some qualifying offers (rejected) to Kuroda, Swish and Soriano. I expect Swish and Soriano to be gone. Kuroda is a question mark.

Martin is a free agent. I wouldn’t mind a 2-yr. deal for him, but remember, he only hit .211 last year (with 21 HR). Romine needs a full year at AAA, something his back injury prevented him from last year. So 2013 AAA, maybe 2014 back up Martin. If so, who is the backup? If Stewart, then best to trade Cervelli and see what you can get for him. Sanchez is on the come, so you don’t even know if Romine is the future. Sanchez is a few years away.

SS/3B is a problem. Jeter is 39 next June, and coming off a broken ankle. He had just 9 sb this year, his range is in question and now a broken ankle. I’d love to see Nunez figure more in the lineup for the 35-40 SB potential he brings, but where to put his horrendous defense? And A-Rod looks like a fading star. 38 next July. Do you really want a left side of the infield that has a 39 year old SS and 38 year old 3B? Guess what. You are stuck with it.

Do you bring back Kuroda and Pettitte? One will be 38 next year, the other 41 next June. Then there is Mo. He threw 25 pitches off a mound for a commercial. Good sign, but he will be 43 in a few weeks. Ibanez is on the block. 41 next year. Jones 35. Chavez 35. Who comes back?

This team MUST get younger.

Meanwhile, Toronto mgr. Farrell goes to Boston. Toronto is looking. One-time A’s SS Walt Weiss is now the Rockies’ mgr. Mark McGwire leaves St. Louis to become the Dodgers’ new hitting coach.

The Mets and Jason Bay reach an amicable divorce. That didn’t work out.

College Football: Darrell Royal died at age 88. He won 3 national titles for Texas in the 1960′s (although, as a PSU grad, I’ll dispute that 1969 one).

Lee MacPhail, who was the Yanks’ GM in the late 1960′s/early 1970′s, died at the age of 95. His dad (Larry) owned the Yanks for a brief time (1945-1947). Lee later became the A.L. President and it was he who made the Pine tar ruling.

The Yanks are thinking of flip-flopping Granderson and Gardner, moving the Grandy Man to LF. If they bring Ichiro (39) back for RF, they’ll have a speedy and good defensive OF, but having Ichiro AND Gardner cuts into your power.

If Torii Hunter really wants $20 mil over 2 years, count the Yanks out. He is 37 so it wouldn’t fit the “getting younger” plan.

I worry about next year. Too much age.

As for 6-4 PSU, I’m happy with the job Bill O’Brien has done. It’ll get much harder after this year. I see an offense that has come out of the stone age. Under very difficult circumstances, he has done a good job.

A strange year. My faves are Rivera and Polamalu (Steelers fan) and between the two, I don’t get to see them on the field what with injuries. I’m happy the Steelers are 5-3. They should beat KC tomorrow night, they should reach the playoffs.

But anyone doubting the Texans needs to be aware of them. Houston is for real.

Gold Gloves to Teixeira, Cano

Mark Teixeira (his fifth) and Robbie Cano (his second) were the Yankees to win 2012 Gold Glove awards. Here is the complete list. Three Orioles won the award.

AL:
C Wieters, Orioles
1B Teixeira Yankees
2B Cano Yankees
SS Hardy Orioles
3B Beltre Rangers
LF Gordon Royals
CF Jones Orioles
RF Reddick A’s
P Hellickson Rays/Peavy White Sox (TIE)

NL:
C Y. Molina Cardinals
1B LaRoche Nationals
2B Barney Cubs
SS Rollins Phillies
3B Headley Padres
LF C. Gonzalez Rockies
CF McCutchen Pirates
RF Heyward Braves
P Buehrle  Marlins

Yanks advance to the ALCS. No rest, Game 1 tonight.

The Yankees defeated Baltimore 3-1 last night in Game Five of the ALDS, and get no rest after that do-or-die game because Game One of the ALCS begins tonight. Andy Pettitte will start for the Yankees at home against the Tigers, who knocked the Yanks out of the playoffs last year.

As for last night, CC went all the way, taking a one-hit shutout into the eighth. He gave up a run in the 8th but got out of a bases loaded, one out jam. He wound up with a line of 1 run and 4 hits in his 9 innings. The first run of the game scored in the fifth when Teixeira singled, shocked the world by stealing second, and scored on a single by the Yankees’ ALDS savior, Ibanez. Ichiro doubled in Jeter in the sixth, and Granderson, who came into the game with an ALDS line of 1 for 16, hit a solo HR in the seventh.

A-Rod was benched for this game. Chavez started at third.

The Yanks have made a roster move for the ALCS. Eppley comes on, Nunez is off.

For Joe Girardi, it has been a rough week, for he lost his father a week ago.