WHY THE 2012 YANKEES WILL LOOK DIFFERENT: PART 1

Should he stay or should he go? That is the question. Here is one man’s bitter opinion:
Brian Cashman: 13 Playoff appearances, 11 Division winners, 6 AL Pennants, 4 World Titles in 14 years. Well, you can’t argue with success. Cash seems to do well under the New York pressure and even though the checkbook is huge it's often the cheaper, less publicized
moves that pay off. Cash stays as long as he’s willing to master the circus.

Joe Girardi: The Yanks are 384-264 with 1 World Title in Girardi’s 4 seasons at the helm. Joe has done a decent job but there are times where he seems to over-manage. He seems to rely more on his binder and less on the flow of the game; which is strange for a former catcher. Girardi has shown he can handle the New York media but I wonder who is handling the egos in the clubhouse. Maybe it's time for a change…Luis Ayala: 2-2, 2.09 ERA in 52 games. Ayala was wasn’t too bad. He’s serviceable out of the bullpen; a place where good pitching is hard to come by. My gut was to let him go, it seemed like runners were always scoring on him, but after analyzing the numbers he fared quite well
with runners in scoring position. I have little doubt but to bring him back.

AJ Burnett: 11-11, 5.15 ERA, 173 Ks in 33 games. Do I really need to say it? As inconsistent as he was this year, it was actually an improvement over 2010. He’s the victim of his own mind. He can throw good stuff when he wants. It's all mental for this guy. Maybe the pressure is too much. He’s signed through 2013 so it doesn’t matter that I’d dump him quicker than it takes to say AJ.
(Photo: Getty)
Joba Chamberlain: 2-0, 2.83 ERA in 27 games. He was just starting to get it together before he got hurt. Clearly the Joba rules messed this kid up. I say trade him while he still get some value. He’s probably only worth a few prospects, but maybe he could have the same success
as his buddy Ian Kennedy is having elsewhere.

Bartolo Colon: 8-10, 4.00 ERA, 135 Ks in 29 games. At 38, Bartolo pitched better than anyone would have expected, and I thank him for his service and everything he did for the Yanks this year, but if the last 2 months are any indication, I wonder if there’s any gas left in the tank or is it time to head off to the scrap yard.Pedro Feliciano: He lost the entire season to injury. He’s signed for 2012 with a team option for 2013. Right now there’s no guarantee he’ll throw next year either. Looks like Hal will be eating this $8 million.

Freddy Garcia: 12-8, 3.62 ERA, 96 Ks in 26 games. Another guy with zero expectations but delivered mightily. While he is less overpowering than he used to be, he knows how to pitch and still be effective. The Yanks would be crazy not to give him another chance. He was quite the bargain at $1.5 million. Maybe he gets a bump next year!

Phil Hughes: 5-5, 5.79 ERA, 47 Ks in 17 games. While 2011 was another year of highs, lows, and injury; Hughes may not be the starter the Yanks thought he’d be. But as he showed late in the season he might be a bullpen threat. Casey even wrote about it with WHY THE PEN IS WHERE HUGHES BELONGS. I say trade him while he still has some value or
keep him and leave him in the pen.

Boone Logan: 5-3, 3.46 ERA in 64 games. I’m sorry but to be the only lefty in the bullpen you need to be a little more dominating. He gave up more hits than innings pitched and lefties had an OPS of .789. That’s way too high for the only lefty in the bullpen. There’s got to
be something better out there.
Damaso Marte: Marte is 2-6 with a 6.02 ERA in the 4 years he’s been here. He continues to be hampered by the injury bug, there’s nothing that says he’ll ever get back and be effective. The team holds an option for 2012 which should be declined without question.

Sergio Mitre: 11.81 ERA in 4 games. Why did he come back? And what is Girardi’s love affair with this guy. I wouldn’t even trust him to pitch peanuts in the stands. Get rid of him...now.

Hector Noesi: 2-2, 4.47 ERA in 30 games. I see a lot of promise in this guy. Over the last 2 seasons he’s been quite effective at Trenton and Scranton. Even at the major league level he had glimpses of effectiveness. If given the chance he could turn out to be a great # 2
or #3 starter in the rotation.

Ivan Nova: 16-4, 3.70 ERA, 98 Ks in 28 games. What a future this kid will have if he keeps this up. He definitely stepped it up this year. He was a big reason why the Yanks won the division this year. Nova was 12-0 in 16 starts from June 10th on. It's clear this kid will be here
for years to come.
Mariano Rivera: 1-2, 1.91 ERA, 44 Saves. He’s 41 and still doing it with just one pitch. The greatest closer ever can stay as long as he wants.

David Robertson: 4-0, 1.08 ERA, 100 Ks in 70 games. How many times did he come in with a runner on 3rd and nobody out and got out of it without giving up a run? He is the bonafide setup guy to Mariano and the heir-apparent for the closer role.CC Sabathia: 19-8, 3.00 ERA, 230 Ks in 33 starts. CC is the ace of this staff and was a workhorse. Maybe he tired during the stretch which led to his less than stellar performance in the playoffs. He’s owed $92 mil over the next 4 years but can opt-out now. After the
A-Rod drama from a few years back, I fully believe CC is opting out. The big question is, then what? I’m thinking with few viable #1 starter options out there, the Yanks will pay and pay big for Sabathia to come back.

Rafael Soriano: 2-3, 4.12 ERA in 42 games. I never liked this signing. Soriano is selfish and does not seem to be happy in the setup role. Bruised egos are a clubhouse cancer. He’s signed through 2013, but has an opt-out clause and I sure hope he uses it.
(Photo: Getty)
Cory Wade: 6-1, 2.04 ERA in 40 games. Wade signed with the Yanks midway through the season after being released by the Rays AAA team. He joined the bullpen and was an instant success. Hopefully Girardi didn’t overuse him and his arm holds up next year and he can become a cornerstone of the Yanks pen.

More is coming... look for Part 2 soon.

-- Lem Allen, BYB Freelance Writer
bybcurmudgeon@gmail.com




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WHY BYB YANKEE NOTES ARE AWESOME

Lots of Yankee name dropping and lots of information coming out of Yankeeland, take a look:Mariano Rivera: The New York Times has a story about how Mariano Rivera saying he’d like to play center field at least 1 time before the end of his career. Sure after 600 saves, that’s the logical next step, but let’s be honest, even though I’m curious about how he’d do, why are we talking about this? We in sports are constantly talking about how we hate old guys in the outfield, right? Even when Johnny Damon was here, many thought he just couldn't hack centerfield, and he was younger than Mo and a trained outfielder. When the discussion came about about Derek Jeter eventually moving to the outfield (Read it HERE), sports writers were suggesting how silly it was. Outfield is about youth and speed out there. I will say this though, Mo is one of the most athletic pitchers out there and he’s got some speed in him. I bet if anyone was to do it, Mo could. Read about it HERE.

Francisco Cervelli: If you didn’t know, you know now; Cervelli was put on the 15 day DL because of concussion symptoms. Read about it HERE. The Yankees also have a lot of catchers right now, so what’s the rush, right? Between Russell Martin, Austin Romine, Jesus Montero and maybe Jorge Posada, we got home plate covered. According to Billy Eppler, a Yankee scout, this was done so there is a record of it. I can see it now, they’ll give Cervelli a clean bill of health…and he’ll fist pump.

Pedro Feliciano: With rotator cuff surgery just completed for Feliciano, you can kiss this lefty goodbye. I just read Dan Barbarisi’s piece HERE and it pretty much maps out the fact that Feliciano will never pitch as a New York Yankee. I was fun while it lasted. Actually, no it wasn’t, this was a silly signing because it was suggested he was hurt when he came to the Yankees. Pedro pitched a lot for the Mets and it’s clear, they killed this poor guy's career. Maybe one day he’ll get back out there, but not in New York, that’s for sure.

Ian Kennedy: Anyone notice one of our old babies is “All groweds up” as Vince Vaughn famously said in Swingers. Ian Kennedy is 19-4 with the Arizona Diamondbacks this year. Good for him. I never really cared for Kennedy because I probably bought into all the hype of Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes at the time. One things for sure though, Kennedy is surging and he’s the only one having a good season out of the three. It makes you think, that’s all. Read about Kennedy HERE.

When more names and more info is available on anything Yankees, we'll give it to you. Keep it here on Bleeding Yankee Blue.

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THE MARTE & FELICIANO COMEDY HOUR

This amazes and it should you too. Not that I really thought it was possible that Pedro Feliciano or Damaso Marte would return this season, but I had a glimmer of hope, but I just may need to give it up. Read about it HERE.

I recently wrote THE EXTRA LEFTY THE YANKEES NEVER HAD and in it, I described how there were several opportunities out there to gather a lefty and we even had one for a moment in Aaron Laffey and then he disappeared after 1 appearance in pinstripes. Sad, I even remember a feature in which he was interviewed saying how it was a dream come true. Read it HERE.

That being said, I also wrote about how Feliciano and Marte were going to pitch in a Gulf League game on their road back. One problem. Both experienced soreness. Trust me; these characters will not be back this season. It’s the school of Carl Pavano. I’m not saying they’re faking it, I’m saying the signings are ridiculous.

So what’s next? Luckily, we have a few options. Manny Banuelos is in the minors and while young, he’s a definite option. Cashman has stated that he doesn’t want to bring the kid up, but there’s nothing wrong with having an extra lefty in the pen, especially if we are making a run for the playoffs.

There is also that thing called a waivers deadline. Cashman is already doing it, and by doing it, I mean scoping out which lefty pitchers are out there that teams placed on waivers. Believe me, if there is an option, Cashman will do it, but I know he won’t force it. Why? Because he already forced it with Feliciano and Marte and he’s paying for it.

Look, the Yankees are winning, that is a good thing, but we’re stumbling through some days and all I’m saying is, a little extra help can’t hurt, that’s all.

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THE EXTRA LEFTY THE YANKEES NEVER HAD

Boone Logan is the Yankees lefty specialist. He’s the lone lefty in the Yankees pen who has good days and bad days, mostly bad, but lately decent. That being said, one things for sure in my opinion, Logan can’t do it alone. There are some times where the Yankees could really use another lefty out of the bullpen, yet, things don’t seem to be working out and I’m not sure why.

The lefties the Yankees hoped to be there with the team have amounted to nothing. Let me rephrase that. Damaso Marte, who is expected to pitch in the Gulf Coast League today had an amazing playoff run in 2009. That’s right... 2009! He's been hurt more than he's played. Pedro Feliciano was signed to give us some extra lefty support, but he’s been out with injury too and hopefully this Thursday he’ll also join Marte, that's the word from ESPN at least. Read HERE. Who knows if we’ll see them this season, I doubt it.

It’s not like there weren’t lefties available at the deadline, it’s not like we don’t have lefties in the farm system, they’re around. In fact, for some strange reason, the Yankees never even gave JC Romero a shot when they signed him to a minor league deal. He was later released and signed immediately with the Rockies. The Yankees picked up Aaron Laffey. He came in, pitched in 1 game and was designated for assignment. Hmm. What’s going on here?

Then comes this report suggesting the Brian Cashman doesn’t want to bring up Manny Banuelos this season...read HERE, another lefty who I believe is worth giving a shot. Yes, I understand Cashman’s mentality here, but let’s just see what the kid has, right?

There was talk of Sean Burnett from the Nationals, but that ship has sailed as well. John Grabow from the Cubs? No... nothing.

Now, if fairness, the Yankees bullpen is clearly the best in baseball and they are shutting down the competition. Is that Cashman’s thinking? Is Cashman thinking that because we’re so good out of the pen right now, the need for an extra lefty in the pen to help Boone Logan is not needed? What do you think? Do you think that Boone Logan should be the only lefty out of the bullpen for New York? Should we bring up Manny Banuelos to help? Should have held onto JC Romero? Aaron Laffey? Vote in our poll, I’d love to get your thoughts on this, because, as you can see… I’m confused.

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I'M DROPPING YANKEE NAMES LIKE IT'S HOT

Pedro Feliciano: Pedro is experiencing soreness and will be shut down for a week. I’m not liking this signing more and more. It’s not Feliciano’s fault, it’s life. This poor guy can’t get a break, yet, we could really use him to either help Boone Logan or replace him. Lefties are good in bullpens when they're effective. They serve 1 purpose, to get the lefty hitter out, that’s it. Having Feliciano back would be a help, I’m just not sure it’s going to happen.

Damaso Marte: He has no timetable to return. Seriously? We’re paying this guy? He’s getting pointers from Pavano. Look, I know his injury is legit, I'm joking, I just believe how long this guy has been out compared to how long he's pitched. I'd love him back soon, that's all.

Kanekoa Texeira: Remember him? The Yankees signed him to a minor league deal a few months back, well, they released him, good luck Kanekoa.

Rafael Soriano: RaSo's on track to be back with the Yankees soon. Reports are he has thrown a bullpen session and could be back by the Toronto series following the All-Star Break. I have an opinion on this guy. While I liked him in the bullpen role, right now the scotched taped bullpen Cashman has assembled is kicking ass. Plus, David Robertson is a God right now, so how does RaSo come back to the set up role and take the spot that DRob earned? You know what I mean? The other concern is attitude. I don’t want someone like Soriano coming back into the bullpen like he owns the joint even though he hasn’t been there in a while. Bad attitudes are a disease to any team. I worry about that. If RaSo can come back just wanting to contribute and doesn’t throw around his lousy attitude, we’ll be fine, but that’s what’s got to happen.

Aaron Dott: This signing happened back near the end of June, but I wanted to bring it to your attention because the kid seems kind of special. The Yankees signed Aaron Dott, a lefty pitcher from the Joilet Slammers of the Frontier League. 4 games in Charleston so far, Dott has 5 innings pitched with 9 strikeouts and 1 walk. Not too shabby.

More to follow...look for it.

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WHY I HAVE YANKEE UPDATES

Just a few things you should know about coming out of Yankeeland:

Brian Gordon: If you didn't know by now, Brian Gordon was sent down to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to clear roster space for Bartolo Colon. Read about it HERE. This move I was sure was going to be Hector Noesi, but I was wrong, and I'm fine being wrong. I'll be curious to see if Gordon makes he way back up. I liked the kid. I like Noesi too, but personally, I almost feel like Cashman's auditioning him for trade bait for the July 31st deadline. Whatever the case, I wanted to let you know, that's where Gordon is right now.
Carlos Silva: The Yankees have decided to release Carlos Silva from his minor league deal and now he is free. Read about it HERE. I guess things didn't work out, or, the Yankees are feeling good about themselves with what they have in the rotation and what other help they have from the kids, as well as a veteran like Gordon or Mark Prior who will be fully healthy soon. Here's Silva's minor league line from Scranton: 2-1 3.52 ERA, 4 G, 23 innings. He gave up 21 hits and 9 runs, struck out 13, walked 4.
Pedro Feliciano: Pedro is working back from injury and he threw off a mound in Tampa. Reports are he threw 30 pitches. Read it HERE. I've said it all year, having that lefty specialist, or in our case, 2 of them, would be a nice problem. Not sure if we'll see Pedro this year, but I hope so.

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WHY WE NEED A LEFTY SPECIALIST ASAP

Despite these two ugly losses make no mistake, I still believe the fight for the AL East crown will once again come down to Yankees and Red Sox. I know the Rays are lingering and Blue Jay are improved but you know it will be NY and Boston in a dogfight. So I think its time we once again discuss WTH are we doing with Boone Logan as our only lefty out of the bullpen? I am not going to drag Logan thru the mud in this piece. I am sure the guy is trying, he just cannot get it done. And now who knows how long we lose Joba who was doing a decent job coming in to get some tough lefties out. I am now really, really concerned about not having another lefty specialist.

Its been months now since Pedro Feliciano went down. We need someone other than Boone Logan and I think that time is now! I know its easier said than done but, we‘re the Yankees dammit! Let‘s make this happen ASAP! We just cannot try and survive and continue to take our chances with Logan being the only lefty expected to get out the likes of Ortiz, Gonzalez and Crawford. I know lefty specialists do not grow on trees but surely Cashman has to have his eye on this problem. And before it costs us a big game or two during the pennant chase 'Cash needs to make this happen ASAP.



So, you ask, what do you recommend Mikey?! I’m glad you asked! And this is something I think 'Cash and the Yankees can do almost immediately; okay, here me out…

What better place to start than in our home farm system. Our farm system is where legends are made!

So let’s talk about Manny Banuelos. So much hype around this young man and deservedly so.

Here is what he has done so far this season with Yankees Double-A team, Trenton Thunder:



*In 11 starts this years he is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA.

*In 50/2 innings he has given up 47 hits and struck out 45.

Certainly not dominating numbers but solid. But check these out…

*In 14.1 innings against lefties he has 15 K’s and an 0.63 ERA!



He can really bring it against the left handed and right handed hitters. I actually got to see him a couple weeks ago and he absolutely made lefties and righties look silly. I know its Double-A ball, but I had this image in my head of AL batters just waving at his breaking ball in the very near future!



There is no question that his future is bright. I guess the question becomes, when? When does his future become the present? I say now! Sure the goal is to have this kid become a dominant left handed starter for the Yankees but why couldn’t it begin in the Majors as a left handed specialist? Let him throw his every 5 days as needed on the side in simulated games if needed and maybe by September we have him in the rotation? I know I am probably in the minority with this choice to bring him up now as a lefty specialist but I am just tired of all the silly rules we have for young pitchers. It almost seems like the more we baby these young pitchers the worse they turn out.

I love the Nolan Ryan mentality that he is bringing to the Rangers. Nolan has just gone old school with his pitchers. They are pitchers, let them pitch! Last time I checked none of their arms fell off!



Okay so not that you are all pissed at me for trying to “ruin” Manny Banuelos”, feel free to leave comments or yell at me on twitter!









--Mikey Blue, BYB Senior Writer

Twitter @MikeyBlu23





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PROSPECT ROUNDUP: MANNY BANUELOS

(Photo: Mike Dill/MiLB.com)

Manny Banuelos is coming. There are high hopes for this kid and no one is more excited than me. Manny’s currently has 46.2 innings pitched this year in 10 starts, and has thus far has allowed a grand total of 11 earned runs. He has 42 strikeouts, only 26 walks, and has allowed 38 hits. This is exactly the kind of start we want to see from the new Golden boy.

(Photo: Mike Dill)

Some would say he’s still at least a year off, but with the issues our bullpen lefties have had, I’d have to disagree. Pedro Feliciano might be out the whole season, Damaso Marte is not likely to be all that effective after his long stint on the DL, and even if Boone Logan, the lone lefty does a great job like he did last year, Girardi likes to have two lefties in the bullpen, and that makes sense. I would not be surprised to see Manny get called up to AAA in only a few months, then be put in our bullpen as a lefty specialist and available for a spot start if needed, even in the post-season. It’d be the perfect way to let him get his feet wet in the big leagues. I’m not suggesting we keep him there though. If he is very effective and performs well again in Spring Training next year, I say put him in the rotation. If not, send him back to AAA to continue working. It’s a win, win all around for this kid and for us.

--Grant Cederquist, BYB Staff Writer

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WHY I'D TAKE A CHANCE ON OKAJIMA

Right now, the Yankees have 1 lefthander in the entire bullpen in Boone Logan. This is a guy that did a good job for us last year, but this year, he's struggled, although in fairness, Logan's been straightening out a bit as of late. Still, having more than 1 lefty specialist in the pen is always a good idea.

With Damaso Marte on the shelf and Pedro Feliciano slowly working he way back, (both by the way, I really don't see coming back until September or never), we need another lefty. Well, Hideki Okajima was designated for assignment by the evil Red Sox and he happens to be a lefty, right? Do you see where I'm going with this? The full story is HERE.

Over his career with the Red Sox, Hideki has these numbers, 17-8, 3.11 ERA, 215 SO. Not too bad for a guy the Sox signed to be friends with Dice-K. Okajima has held his own though and good for him. Yes, it's true, I'm suggesting that it would be a goood pickup if Hideki went to the Yanks? Why? Because adding a lefty would mean 2 lefty specialists in the Yankees pen. That's something that we could use in those late situations.

Yes, it's true, I know what your thinking. Okajima has struggled this year which is why the Sox released him. He is 1-0, 4.32 ERA, 6 SO, but let's get "Yoda" Rothschild in the mix and get this guy right. I believe it would be a good change of scenery for Okajima, plus Rothschild is a God, he can fix anything. I would say we have the tools to fix him and make him a valuable part of our pen.
(photo: Getty)
Plus, wouldn't it nice to put him in against the evil Red Sox next Series and beat them. Very satisfying to say the least. He, Boone Logan in a mix and match situation to shut down the righty hitters. I actually believe having another lefty specialist in there will help Boone thrive a bit as well. They can work with each other speaking the language of baseball.

Look, all I'm saying is anything is possible. I say, take a chance on Okajima... How about you?

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WHY I'M CRANKY ABOUT PITCHING

Waking up after the Yankee loss always sets me off. I'm never happy for the first 2 hours after I wake up, usually because it was the last thing I thought about when I went to bed. Couple that with a lot of pitching question marks and I may feel like this all day, unless the Yankees win today.

I'm not sure why this happens to me, my mind is constantly trying to puzzle together pitching ideas like I'm supposed to get a call from Brian Cashman at any moment and I need to be ready.(photo: The Star-Ledger)
The Yanks need to do some rejiggering. They need to think about lefty specialists, Phil Hughes dead arm issue and if pitchers like Bartolo Colon, while he deserves a shot at starting a game, will he be able to sustain a full season, or will he break down by June. Yes, Colon has been a life saver relieving Phil Hughes all three times Hughes had issues. Right now, if I were to take a BYB poll, the majority of you would say give Colon a shot. But what happens next? Say Colon is the starter and say Colon can't get past the 3rd? Now, Colon can't relieve Colon if Colon doesn't have a solid start. See what I mean? Who's the next long man "Colon"? Millwood? Garcia? Silva? Robertson? Noesi? I'm just asking, because that's going to happen once in a while.


Now, I have to say,Lance Pendleton impressed me last night, and while I rarely suggest going to the youngsters in that kind of role, I think the idea that it's April and we needed to rest some of the guys in the bullpen helped ease my concern. Handing the ball to Pendleton was a good move. He stopped the bleeding and the Yanks nearly came back in what I described as a sloppy game.



(photo: Daily News)
Also, there's Feliciano. I didn't want to get involved in the Pedro Feliciano conversation because it's just way too annoying to me. Cashman blames the Mets for Feliciano's "abuse" and Pedro says he was injured with the Yanks. I say, "The guys injured, let's get a lefty." You say: "There aren't many lefty specialists out there." I say: "Do you really want to trust Boone Logan in that role?" You get silent.

There really isn't a choice. Cashman needs to find someone and if he can't we're stuck with what we got. He needs to at least look around and see what he can find. That's what Cash is supposed to do.

And that brings me back Phil Hughes. Me, personally, I don't think we have to act like this is the end of our young phenom. Everyone else, for instance, like Bob Klapisch has done it again writing this doom and gloom headline:


Phil Hughes is someone the Yankees have wanted in their rotation for years. He was compared to Roger Clemens for a while. He is someone who they love and want to see blossom and last year, they took the training wheels off and he won 18 games. He is clearly the Yankees "Golden Boy". I don't think they're about to give up on him that's why they acted so quickly this season. I, once again, hate the way the sports writers are portraying this "dead arm" issue like it's the end of the youngster's career. He can and will get fixed. The Yankees have taken baby steps with Hughes for years and they have a lot invested in the lad. They will continue to guide him, as long as it takes. So to the Hughes fans out there, don't listen to negative sports writers who act like they have it all figured out. It's simple logic and anyone can see the Yanks continued interest in the kids well being, to put it simply, helping Hughes helps them.

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WHY TODAY SUCKED

I worked all day and the last thing I wanted to read after a hard day is the Yankees have fallen apart.

• My potential candidate for leading off my Yanks, Brett Gardner, left the game with a calf/shin injury. Read that HERE.
• The lefties in my bullpen, Feliciano and Boone Logan are hurt. HERE.
• Russell Martin committed 2 throwing errors in the 6-5 loss to the Blue Jays.
• The pitcher that I've lately embraced, AJ Burnett, was wild and got hit in the buttocks with a liner. Oh, he also contributed to that loss today. HERE.
  

Seriously? Just punch me in the face. Do it. It's the equivalent to those bullet points above. That's just miserable.

Spring training is for gearing up for the big show, weeding out the amateurs and building up your endurance. Yes, you play, but you can't get hurt. Look, I'm not saying prance around the bases and use wiffle balls, I'm just saying be careful.
Luckily for us, Russell Martin just had a bad day and as for AJ, well, while he was smacked in the buttocks by a Juan Rivera liner, he stayed in the game, but it could have been serious. I would assume Brett's day to day with his shin injury, but man, we can't mess with that guy's legs, we need him! And to be honest, I'm in love with Gardy's grit so what can I expect, if you play hard, sometimes you get hurt. I guess I can't really be mad just frustrated.The lefty injury situation in the bullpen concerns me. We need these relievers healthy. Pedro Feliciano has soreness in his triceps and hasn't pitched as of late. Boone Logan has back spasms, he's day to day. Bottom line, we have no lefty relievers at this moment. Now, while it's not the end of the world, it's nice to have at least one of these guys healthy. Opening Day is coming. Back spasms can go away. I worry about Pedro's soreness though. What can that mean to have that soreness and will that injury heal properly? Is it just spring pains? I wonder.

I was high on my Yanks yesterday, I was happy. Today, well, I felt like someone whacked me with a line drive in my buttocks. (Why after all these years is that word still hilarious to me.)

Let's hope tomorrow brings a new, happy time in Yankeeland, maybe some positive news. After all, it's almost Opening Day for the greatest sport in the world as we move toward our quest for 28.

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WHY THERE'S A STEADY BRIDGE TO MO TOWN

Probably the main strength of the Yankees this season is their bullpen. We all know what Mariano Rivera brings to the table, but it's the other guys leading up to him that make this bullpen special. This bullpen is probably as good as the ones in the mid to late '90's and early 2000's with the likes of Jeff Nelson, Mike Stanton, Graeme Lloyd, Ramiro Mendoza, among others.

In the off season, the Yankees signed two relievers from the free agent market. Both of those guys came from current rivals to the Yankees. First, the Yankees signed lefty reliever Pedro Feliciano formerly, from the New York Mets. Feliciano has essentially a rubber arm, by setting the Major league record three consecutive seasons in appearances. The current record stands at 92 games. If used correctly, Feliciano can be a key asset. And the other free agent signing from the Yankees came weeks later, as they signed former Tampa Bay Ray Rafael Soriano. Soriano led the league in saves with 45, and in the process, he earned his first career AL All Star selection. Obviously with Mariano Rivera being in the fold for at least the next two seasons, Soriano will be the teams primary setup man. And what duo that will be in the 8th and 9th innings.
(Photo: Getty Images)
Also, the Yankees will be bringing back several relievers from last year's bullpen core. One of the returning players is David Robertson. Once again, like 2009, Robertson had an outstanding strikeout/nine innings with a 10.4 rate. In 2009, Robertson had a 13 K/9 rate. He'll probably be the main guy to turn to in the 7th inning, although that role could be shared by a number of guys.

Another arm returning is that of Joba Chamberlain. Although Chamberlain may not pitch until next week due to a left oblique strain, look for him to carry his second half performance, in which he had a 2.88 ERA in the second half, and a 4.63 strikeout/walk ratio. Chamberlain may not be the main guy in the seventh inning, but if David Robertson struggles early in the year, which he has the last two years, look for the 25 year old hurler to move up in the pecking order.

The final arm returning next season that will help build the bridge to Rivera is lefty reliever Boone Logan. When Logan was called up in the first half of last year he was was brought in to get more than a batter or two out at a time. But in the second half Logan was used more a situational lefty, and he really flourished. In 34 second half games, the lefty Logan allowed just 14 hits, while striking out 25 in 21.2 innings. He posted a stellar 2.08 ERA in that period.

On paper, the Yankees clearly have their best 'pen since the dynasty a decade plus ago. And, you can make a very valid argument that the Yankees have the two best relievers in the majors in their bullpen, in Mariano Rivera and Rafael Soriano. Both made the AL All Star team. Both had an ERA more than a hair under two, and both have great track records in the American League East.

The bullpen is clearly the strength of this club, and the bridge is as strong as it has been in a long time. The Yanks will definitely be taking the bridge to Mo town this year... for sure.



--Jesse Schindler BYB Guest Writer



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