February 2011
Late Meltdown Costs Yanks Victory In CC’s Spring Debut
GAME 3
TIGERS 6, YANKEES 2
Ryan Strieby stroked a two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning that broke a 2-2 tie as Detroit came from behind to down New York 6-2 on Monday in an exhibition game at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, FL.
Reliever Ryan Perry (1-0) pitched a scoreless seventh inning and got credit for the victory. Yankees left-hander Robert Fish (0-1) was fried for three hits and two runs and took the loss. Australian Chris Oxspring pitched a scoreless ninth to earn a save.
The Tigers remained a perfect 3-0 on the young spring. The Yankees fell to 1-2.
PINSTRIPE POSITIVES
- Jorge Vazquez is making a bid for the title Mr. March or Grapefruit League Most Valuable Player. He entered the game at third base in the sixth inning and slapped a single in the seventh and slammed a ringing double off the wall in the ninth. Vazquez,28, is a perfect 5-for-5 with two homers, a double, two singles and three RBIs.
- A 25-pound lighter CC Sabathia started for the Yankees and he pitched two scoreless innings. He gave up two hits, walked none and struck out two. Sabathia said he was pleased with his command on his fastball in his spring debut.
- Mark Teixeira had a single and double and the double drove in Derek Jeter in the fifth inning that opened the scoring for the Yankees. It’s early but Teixeira is batting .600 after three games. He is determined to get off to a better start when the season begins.
- Newly signed reserve outfielder Andruw Jones scored Teixeira with a single in the fifth inning to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead they held until the sixth inning.
- 20-year-old left-hander Manny Banuelos, the most-prized pitching prospect the Yankees have, threw a perfect inning in the fourth, striking out Jhonny Peralta and Brandon Inge looking at his knee-buckling curve. Banuelos is ticketed for Double-A Trenton this season.
- Former Cubs star Mark Prior pitched a 1-2-3 fifth inning, striking out one batter. Prior, 30, is a non-roster pitcher hoping to make the Yankees as a reliever. Prior has not pitched in the major leagues since 2006 due to severe shoulder problems.
NAGGING NEGATIVES
- A trio of pitchers not expected to make to make the Yankees roster gave up six runs over three innings and gave the Tigers a come-from-behind victory. Fish, Daniel Turpen and D.J. Mitchell combined to give up four singles, three doubles, a home run and three walks.
- Turpen was particularly bad. he gave up two hits and walked three in the sixth, surrendering the two runs that tied the score.
- For some reason, Robinson Cano decided to steal third base in the first inning with Teixeira on first and one out off Tigers starter Justin Verlander. It did not work out too well. Cano was picked off easily by the Tigers’ ace.
- Between that poor base-running and a failure to get big hits with runners in scoring position, the Yankees hurt their cause all day long. They were a miserable 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position and they left 13 runners on base.
BOMBER BANTER
Outfielder Greg Golson was struck on the batting helmet by a pitch from A.J. Burnett on Sunday and he was unable to work out on Monday. He is expected to resume workouts on Tuesday and he could play in a game again on Wednesday. . . . Catcher Russell Martin made his spring debut on Monday. Playing as the team’s DH, Martin was 0-for-1 with two walks. Martin said he only feels slight tightness in his surgically repaired right knee and he could catch in his first spring game on Thursday or Friday.
ON DECK
The Yankees will travel to McKechnie Field in Bradenton, FL, on Tuesday to play the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Yankees are scheduled to start right-hander Phil Hughes. The Pirates will start right-hander James McDonald. It will mark the spring debuts for both pitchers.
Game-time will be 1:05 p.m. EST and the game will not be telecast.
Super Nova Dazzles Phillies As Yankees Win In Romp
GAME 2
YANKEES 7, PHILLIES 3
Curtis Granderson and Jorge Vazquez both blasted homers and Ivan Nova began his quest for a rotation spot with two perfect innings as New York defeated Philadelphia 7-3 on Sunday in the Phillies’ spring home opener at Bright House Field in Clearwater, FL.
Sergio Mitre (1-0), who also is vying for a rotation spot, pitched a scoreless inning to get credit for the victory. Phillies right-hander Justin De Fratus (0-1) took the loss.
With the victory the Yankees evened the weekend home-and-home series with the Phillies and both teams are 1-1 this spring.
PINSTRIPE POSITIVES
- Nova, 24, looked sensational in his two innings of work. He threw only 21 pitches and 14 of them were strikes, he fanned two and he did not allow a ball to get out of the infield. Five of the six batters he faced were Phillies veterans Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, Ryan Howard and Placido Polanco. So to say that Nova made an early statement would be an understatement.
- Granderson’s two-run homer to left-field off De Fratus with Brett Gardner aboard in the fourth inning opened the scoring for the Yankees. The opposite-field blast was aided by a 7 mile-per-hour breeze to left.
- Vazquez, 28, a 10-year veteran of the Mexican League, is also making a statement by blasting his second home run in the Yankees’ first two spring contests. After launching a 440-foot blast over the batter’s eye in center-field at Steinbrenner Field on Saturday, Vazquez launched his second spring home run to left off Phils closer Brad Lidge in the ninth inning. Vazquez originally was considered a longshot to make the team because he is listed behind Mark Teixeira, Jorge Posada, Nick Swisher and non-roster veteran Eric Chavez on the depth chart at first base.
- During a four-run explosion off Phillies right-hander Michael Schwimer, Swisher and Posada each contributed RBI doubles and 21-year-old catching prospect Jesus Montero added an RBI single.
- 22-year-old pitching sensation Dellin Betances also had Yankees veterans shaking their heads in disbelief. The rookie right-hander struck out the side and walked one batter in the fifth inning. The Phillies could not catch up with his high heater clocked as high as 97 mph.
NAGGING NEGATIVES
- Former Atlanta Braves reliever Buddy Carlyle was roughed up in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving up a two-run home run to Ben Francisco. Carlyle, 33, is longshot to make the team this spring.
- Francisco also spoiled 23-year-old right-hander Adam Warren’s spring debut. He stroked a RBI double off Warren in the seventh to make the score 6-1. Warren did not help his cause by walking two batters in his 1 1/3 inning of work.
- Chavez debuted as a first baseman on Sunday and he almost made an error on a grounder in the second inning and he was 0-for-3 at the plate. With Vazquez hitting a pair of bombs, Chavez, 33, suddenly has some added pressure on his development as a backup corner infielder.
BOMBER BANTER
The Yankees enjoyed another day of beautiful weather. The game-time temperature was 78 degrees and 10,767 fans enjoyed a sun-splashed afternoon of baseball. . . . The Yankees have lost non-roster infielder Ronnie Belliard for about a week with a right calf strain. Belliard, 35, injured himself during pregame warmups and was scratched from the starting lineup. Brandon Laird started in his place at third base. Belliard did not endear himself to the Yankee brass by showing up for camp overweight. . . . Pitcher Andrew Brackman , who has been sidelined with a sore groin, played catch on Sunday and will be re-evaluated on Monday. He is listed as day-to-day. . . . Manager Joe Girardi indicated that catcher Russell Martin, who is recovering from right surgery, will DH on Monday and is expected to catch later in the week.
ON DECK
The Yankees will travel to Lakeland, FL, to face the Detroit Tigers on Monday. A much more svelte CC Sabathia will make his first spring start for the Yankees. The starting infield of Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez is expected to make the trip and start.
The Tigers will counter with their ace, right-hander Justin Verlander, which will be a preview of the matchup on Opening Day at Yankee Stadium on March 31. Miguel Cabrera will make his debut at DH in a spring already marred by a DUI arrest.
Game-time is 1:05 p.m. and the game will not be telecast.
Bloop Single Sinks Yanks In Opener As ‘Boss’ Honored
GAME 1
PHILLIES 5, YANKEES 4
TAMPA - Reserve catcher Dane Sardinha’s two-run bloop single to left with the base loaded in the eighth inning gave Philadelphia a 5-4 victory over the New York Yankees in the 2011 spring training opener for both clubs on Saturday.
Brian Schlitter (1-0), who blew a 4-3 lead in the seventh inning, was credited with the victory. Eric Wordekemper (0-1) was tagged with the loss.
PINSTRIPE POSITIVES
- Joba Chamberlain was clearly the buzz after the game with his impressive one perfect inning of relief. The 25-year-old right-hander just needed 11 pitches (nine of them strikes) to retire the side in order in the third. He was clocked at 93 miles per hour.
- Francisco Cervelli drove in the Yankees’ first run of the spring with a two-out double off Phillies starter Cole Hamels in the second inning to score Robinson Cano.
- Mark Teixeira drove in the second run with a ringing line-drive triple off wall in left-center to score Eduardo Nunez in the fifth.
- Alex Rodriguez has two great at-bats but only had a double to right-center to show for it. His long blast to center in the first was caught at the wall by Ben Francisco.
- Backup first baseman Jorge Vazquez temporarily became the big hero of the day with a two-run blast over the batters’ eye in center in the seventh inning gave the Yankees a 4-3 lead. But the Yankees lost the lead the following inning.
- Reserve outfielder Justin Maxwell made the defensive play of the day with a diving shoestring catch of a line drive off the bat of Ross Gload in the seventh inning with two men on base, saving at least one run. Maxwell was acquired in a trade with the Nationals.
NAGGING NEGATIVES
- Starter Bartolo Colon did not look sharp in his spring debut. In two innings he gave up two hits, a walk and one run on 36 pitches. The 37-year-old former Cy Young Award winner did not have his sharp sinker today. However, Cervelli said he was encouraged because Colon was able to locate his fastball and keep the ball down. Colon is auditioning for a spot in the back end of the rotation as a non-roster invitee.
- David Phelps was the Yankees best minor league pitcher last season but he looked a bit rusty in his spring debut. He was nicked by three consecutive hits after two were out in the fifth inning. That allowed the Phillis to take a 3-1 lead.
- Wordekemper also looked shaky in his one inning of work. After allowing back-to-back hits to begin the eighth, the right-hander retired the next two batters. However, he walked Jeff Larish to load the bases and Sardinha hit a breaking pitch that echoed like a wet newspaper but the ball escaped the glove of a diving Colin Curtis and two runs scored.
- The Yankees had many chances to come back on the Phillies and win the game. What did not help was the team was 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and they left 10 runners on base.
BOMBER BANTER
The Yankees paid a poignant tribute to late principal owner George M. Steinbrenner before the game. A video tribute was followed by a laying of three roses at the interlocking NY behind home plate by Steinbrenner’s late wife Joan and his two daughters. The marching band from George M. Steinbrenner High School in Lutz, FL entertained the crowd before the ceremony and Steinbrenner’s granddaughter Haley Swindal performed the national anthem. During the anthem there was flyover of two F-18 Hornets from the Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, VA. The day marked the first spring game since the death of “The Boss” last July at age 80. Fans who entered the stadium at the home=plate entrance were greeted with a huge statute of Steinbrenner erected in his honor. . . . The opener was attended by 11,122 and was played under perfect weather conditions. It was 77 degrees and sunny with just a slight breeze at game-time. . . . The Yankees fielded their entire starting lineup for the game except for starting catcher Russell Martin, who is easing back into catching this spring because he is recovering from surgery on his right knee. Cervelli started in his place. Manager Joe Girardi said Martin should begin starting behind the plate next week, barring any setbacks. . . . Phillies manager Charlie Manuel held shortstop Jimmy Rollins out of the game Saturday because he missed two workouts attending a Motown tribute in Washington, D.C. Manuel previously announced second baseman Chase Utley would not play because of sore legs. Manuel said he is not concerned but Utley ducked questions about it on Saturday. Rollins will play against the Yankees on Sunday at Bright House Field but Utley will remain sidelined indefinitely.
ON DECK
The Phillies will return the favor to the Yankees and host them for their home spring opener on Sunday. The Yankees will start 24-year-old right-hander Ivan Nova, who is in the mix for the back-end rotation spot. Rookie catching prospect Jesus Montero will start at catcher. The Phillies will start right-hander Joe Blanton.
Game-time is schediled for 1:05 p.m. EST and the game will be broadcast by the YES Network. The MLB Network will broadcast the game nationally on tape-delay at 8 p.m.
Soriano’s Signing Gives Yankees Formidable Bullpen
As training camp opens in Tampa, FL, the New York Yankees are looking to return to their 2009 form. We will take a look at each position and see how they stack up for the 2011 season. Just how good are the Yankees? Let’s find out:
RELIEF PITCHING
Cliff Lee’s loss was essentially Rafael Soriano’s gain.
When Lee spurned the Yankees’ more lucrative offer to rejoin a Philadelphia Phillies team that had traded him a year before, Soriano ostensibly was signed to a free-agent contract with some of the money Lee turned his back upon.
Though general manager Brian Cashman was not part of the deal, it actually makes the Yankees’ bullpen one of the strongest in baseball heading into the 2011 season.
That is a good thing, too, because the starters have a bunch of question marks hanging over the heads after CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes.
The Soriano signing gives the Yankees a setup man who was one of the best closers in baseball in 2010. With the Tampa Bay Rays Soriano, 31, was 3-2 with a 1.73 ERA and he converted 45 of 48 save chances.
This in only his second year as full-time closer.
The cash-strapped Rays could not afford to keep him so Soriano sought a closer’s role elsewhere. But the Yankees lured him with a lot of cash and a contract provision that will allow him to leave for another team in 2012.
Though that does look good for the Yankees down the road, 2011 promises to be much better with Soriano holding down the eighth inning and legend Mariano Rivera taking the ball in the ninth.
It is by far the best back end of the bullpen duo the Yankees have had since the days of Rivera and John Wetteland in 1996 before Rivera took over as the full-time closer in 1997.
Rivera, now at age 41, has managed to silence those who thought he was on the decline in 2010. He was 3-3 with a 1.80 ERA and converted 33 of 38 save opportunities. The sub-2.00 ERA was Rivera’s seventh such season in the past eight years.
But, to be honest, the Yankees were concerned about Rivera’s spells of numbness in his side last season, He also pitched with a balky knee at times. Nothing serious, but they are things that do worry a team when their closer is over 40.
So Soriano not only brings a very good setup man to the team. He also can be a nice substitute when Rivera is ailing or needs rest. That is luxury manager Joe Girardi loves to have going into the season.
The rest of the Yankee bullpen looks just as solid.
Though lefty specialist Damaso Marte, 36, is expected to miss most — if not all — of the 2011 season recovering from shoulder surgery, the Yankees have a holdover and free agent to replace him.
The Yankees signed former Met Pedro Feliciano, 34, to become the lefty specialist this season. Feliciano was 3-6 with a 3.30 ERA last season. In the past three seasons, Feliciano has made more appearances than any pitcher baseball with 344. The next closest pitcher, Matt Guerrier of the Twins, had 42 less.
Feliciano is a master at retiring right-hand hitters. They batted .211 off him last season. So Feliciano will come in every other day to face tough lefties like David Ortiz, Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez of the Red Sox.
Lefty holdover Boone Logan, 26, turned a huge corner in his development into a major-league reliever last season. Logan was 2-0 with a 2.93 ERA in 51 appearances. The big change was Logan walked only 20 batters in 40 innings.
That number could come down some more but Logan showed an ability to pitch tough as the team’s only left-hander this season. This season he likely will be used to pitch more complete innings and could be used for multiple innings in middle relief.
David Robertson, 25, had another great season if you throw out his very horrible April and early May. Robertson was 0-1 with a 14.21 ERA on May 5. But he rebounded and became a reliable pitcher the rest of the season.
He finished with a 4-5 record and 3.82 ERA. Once again, he struck out more batters than innings pitched (71 Ks in 61 1/3 innings). Robertson will likely see a lot of action in the sixth and seventh innings.
It is hard to believe how far down in the pecking order that Joba Chamberlain has fallen. From kid phenom setup man in 2007 to promising starter in 2008 to a flop of a starter in 2009 to a flop as a reliever in 2010.
Chamberlain, 25, was 3-4 with a 4.40 ERA and he was so inconsistent that the Yankees were forced to acquire Kerry Wood from the Indians to set up Rivera.
His velocity is not gone completely. It is just not what it was before he suffered a shoulder injury late in the 2009 season. More importantly, Chamberlain has not had the same command on what was a deadly slider.
Chamberlain actually enters a perfect scenario for him to rebound in 2011. There will be no pressure on him as a setup man and new pitching coach Larry Rothschild has a clean slate from which to start repairing the big right-hander.
There is no need for the Yankees to give up on him at this age but Chamberlain could easily be packaged in a trade for a starter at some point this season.
There is only one spot left in the bullpen and it likely will go to a pitcher who can both start and pitch long relief. That could be Sergio Mitre, who is in competition for the fifth starter job.
Mitre, 30, pitched poorly in three starts in 2010 but excelled as a long reliever. He was 0-3 with a 3.33 ERA. He also posted an excellent Walks and Hits to Innings Pitched (WHIP) ratio of 1.09. He gave up only 43 hits and 16 walks in 54 innings.
If veteran non-roster right-hander Freddy Garcia, 34, shows he can pitch like he did in recording a 12-6 record with the White Sox in 2010, the Yankees would be content on starting Garcia and using Mitre as a spot starter and long reliever in 2011.
The only other reliever on the 40-man roster who pitched for the Yankees in 2010 is Romulo Sanchez and he pitched in just two games. He did pitch well in those two games and the Yankees like his power arm.
Among the non-roster invitees are a pair of former major-leaguers. One is 33-year-old Luis Ayala, who has not pitched in the major leagues since 2009. However, the Yankees were impressed with his work this winter in Mexico.
He had 14 saves and 1.99 ERA this winter, which earned him a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. The right-hander was a standout relief pitcher for the Montreal Expos and the Washington Nationals from 2003-2007.
The Yankees also invited Andrew Sisco, 28, to spring training. The 6-foot-10 right-hander was a coming star with the Kansas City Royals in 2005 but elbow problems have short-circuited his career. He has not pitched in the major leagues since 2007.
Ayala and Sisco enter camp as longshots.
One other interresting name in the mix is Mark Prior. The former Cubs phenom is now 30 and he has not pitched in the majors since 2006.
The former No. 1 pick was 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA in 2003 and seemed headed to stardom but arm miseries have shelved him ever since. But Prior is hoping to make it back to the majors as a reliever. He hopes to prove to the Yankees his is finally healthy.
The Yankees are willing to see what he has at this point. He will be watched closely.
But the real truth is there are very few spots available on the Yankees’ staff and the bullpen looks stacked, barring injury.
There are not many teams in baseball that can boast two pitchers who combined to save 78 games in 86 chances with sub-2.00 ERAs. That means the Yankees hope to cover up a shaky rotation with a very good bullpen capable of shutting down teams from the seventh inning on.
With a good offense the Yankees could just make that a workable strategy in 2011.
So the Yankees’ opponents must be forewarned: If you want to beat the Yankees in 2011, you better score early or you won’t score much at all.
Yankees’ Move Of Posada To DH A Bold Masterstroke
As training camp opens in Tampa, FL, the New York Yankees are looking to return to their 2009 form. We will take a look at each position and see how they stack up for the 2011 season. Just how good are the Yankees? Let’s find out:
DESIGNATED HITTER
In all the Debbie Downer moments surrounding Cliff Lee’s decision to wear Phillies pinstripes instead of the Yankees, the decision to sign free agent Russell Martin to take over the full-time catching duties was a stroke of genius.
That gave the Yankees the luxury to make Jorge Posada a full-time DH. To say his placement in this position is a vast improvement from last season is an understatement.
Last season, general manager Brian Cashman eschewed budget-busting free-agent signings to bring in old friend Nick Johnson as the team’s full-time DH. At 31, Johnson had a reputation of being a good hitter with a great batting eye and a high on-base percentage.
That made him perfect fit for the No. 2 spot in the batting order, where he could advance runners and get on base for Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano. It would have worked if only the one negative in Johnson’s game did not rear its ugly head — early.
On May 7, after only 24 games, the oft-hurt Johnson went down with what would become a season-ending wrist injury. He hit .167 with two home runs and eight RBIs. If it is any consolation, and it isn’t, Johnson did have a .388 on-base percentage because he drew 24 walks.
The rest of the season the Yankees used Marcus Thames, Lance Berkman and a collection of regulars like Posada who required days off in the field to fill the DH spot.
But it hardly was the same as 2009 with Hideki Matsui hitting 28 home runs, driving in 90 runs and hitting .274. The Yankees got considerably less than that from their DH in 2010 and it showed.
The Yankees can’t undo the decision to let Matsui go but they can make the position stronger by using Posada there.
Posada never will be accused of being in the league of Ivan Rodriguez or Johnny Bench as a defensive catcher. He also was never great at throwing out runners after shoulder surgery after the 2008 season.
But Posada has always been able to hit. Now the Yankees are asking him to do just that and they hope they get what Posada averaged in his last three healthy seasons: 20 home runs, 85 RBIs and a .275 average.
Those totals are very close to those that Matsui posted in 2009 and the Yankees would be happy if the 39-year-old veteran can provide that for them this season.
Because of the Yankees rich history in catchers, Posada is often overshadowed by greats like Yogi Berra, Bill Dickey and Thurman Munson. But 2010 will mark the first season since 2000 when Posada took over as the full-time catcher after sharing it for two seasons before with a fellow named Joe Girardi.
Posada became synonymous with Yankee success. He was part of the “Core Four” along with Andy Pettitte, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. With Pettitte’s retirement it now becomes the “Spree Three” and Posada will be working under the final year of his four-year contract.
Posada’s 2010 season was a painful one. He went down in mid-May with a calf injury that placed him on the disabled list. When he returned he then had to endure a season of nagging injuries to his finger and foot from foul tips.
He hit an awful .248 but he did contribute 18 home runs and 57 RBis in 120 games. He made 78 starts behind the plate and committed eight errors. But what really hurt was the fact he committed eight passed balls and caught only 13 out of 85 base-stealers (15%).
With teams like the Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Angels determined to turn games into track meets, Posada and his lax starting pitchers gave up the most steals in baseball. So turning Posada into a full-time DH at this stage of his career seems to make sense.
Martin won the National League Gold Glove award in 2007. In his career, he has fielded at a .990 clip and he has thrown out 156 base-stealers in 496 attempts (31%). The Angels and Rays may think better of running wild on Martin in 2011.
So the theory goes that Posada, not burdened as a catcher, will be able to avoid a lot of the nagging injuries that sidelined him last year. Of course, Posada could still get hurt hitting or running the bases. But the Yankees think they have lessened the odds.
With Francisco Cervelli around to provide backup duties for Martin, Posada will likely catch very little this season, barring injury to Martin or Cervelli. The Yankees even have a 21-year-old star catcher in the making Jesus Montero around to call up from Triple-A, if needed.
So Posada’s days of catching. if not over, will be limited this season. That is a good thing.
The Yankees also have 33-year-old outfielder Andruw Jones to use at DH this season. Jones could be used to face tough left-handers on days when Posada may need a rest. But Jones also would take over as full-time DH if Posada is injured.
Jones hits for power and he had 19 home runs and drove in 48 runs in only 278 at-bats with the White Sox last season. He also owns 10 Gold Gloves and he still play either corner outfield spot.
Posada himself is also going to play some in the field this season besides at catcher. He is slated to be the backup at first base for Teixeira. Posada will not play anywhere close to the Gold Glove-quality defense Teixeira does but as a former second baseman in the minors, Posada handles the position better than you would think.
He has not made an error at first base since the year 2000. Of course, he has played in only 28 games at first and 14 of those he started.
Look to see Posada at first a lot this spring working on his skills.
The Yankees also will look to use the DH spot to give rest to Rodriguez, Teixeira and Jeter. It may only amount to a handful of games but Girardi is determined these veterans receive occasional days off to keep them fresh for the stretch drive.
Posada has always said he never liked to pinch-hit or DH because he felt he was not good at it. But now that the Yankees have asked their veteran catcher to put his mitt aside, he has embraced it and he is looking forward to the challenge.
Posada knows he is filling a valuable spot and he very well could succeed in his new role in 2011. He hopes it is a season with some champagne and his sixth World Series ring included.
Yankees Really Like Blend Of Talent In 2011 Outfield
As training camp opens in Tampa, FL, the New York Yankees are looking to return to their 2009 form. We will take a look at each position and see how they stack up for the 2011 season. Just how good are the Yankees? Let’s find out:
OUTFIELD
What a difference a year makes. Last season the Yankees basically jettisoned their 2009 championship outfield by trading Melky Cabrera and star prospect Austin Jackson and allowed Johnny Damon and DH Hideki Matsui walk as free agents.
They acquired Curtis Granderson and installed Brett Gardner in leftfield to go with holdover right-fielder Nick Swisher. The results in 2010 were a mixed bag but substantially better than what would have happened if the Yankees stood on a pat hand.
Swisher re-invented himself by adjusting his swing to make more contact. The results were very evident. He raised his average from .249 to .288 and hit 29 home runs and drove in 89 runs.
For a player Brian Cashman picked off the Chicago White Sox scrap heap for reserve Wilson Betemit, Swisher, 30, has turned into the unsung hero of this team for the past two seasons. His power, his ability to switch-hit and his exuberance in the field make him a valuable cog in the Yankees’ attack.
His fielding may leave a lot to be desired. He is not exactly ballet in motion but he does catch what comes what comes his way and he has a strong arm. He made only four errors last season but, more importantly, he registered 10 outfield assists.
Manager Joe Girardi is likely to have a plenty of opportunities to remove Swisher late in games for a defensive replacement. But more on that later.
The Yankees essentially acquired Granderson for Jackson and left-hander Phil Coke. His first season in the Bronx was not one to write home about.
Though Granderson is a great individual who won praise for his charitable pursuits, his play in 2010 was not real good overall. He got off to a good start with the bat, slumped and then injured a groin muscle and missed a month.
Upon his return, Granderson continued to struggle and he looked hopeless against left-handers. But hitting coach Kevin Long took him aside and reworked his swing and a new Curtis Granderson emerged.
From Sept. 1 through the end of the season, Granderson hit .263 with nine home runs and 25 RBIs. He also began to hit left-handers with his quicker and more powerful stroke. So Granderson’s 2010 totals of 24 home runs, 67 RBIs and a .248 average look pathetic but there is hope his new swing will carry through the 2011 season.
Granderson, 29, also would like to be more aggressive on the bases. He stole only 12 bases in 2010. He has stolen as many as 26 in his career.
Where Granderson struggles the most is on defense. He simply lacks good first-reaction instincts on fly balls. He has the speed to outrun his mistakes but Granderson will misread a ball or two in the outfield.
He made only two errors in the field last season and contributed five outfield assists. But the Yankees would like him to continue to work on his first step and make better reads on fly balls this season.
The Yankees rolled the dice by allowing Gardner to win the left-field spot in 2010 and the Yankees were happy with what they got overall. Gardner established he could get on base often enough to unglue a few pitchers with his blazing speed.
Gardner hit .277 with five home runs and 47 RBis. But, his true value was that he scored 97 runs primarily batting at the bottom of the order and he stole 47 bases. All this despite having been hampered by a recurring wrist injury that required surgery this offseason.
The Yankees hope the wrist surgery will allow Gardner to hit with more authority into the gaps of the outfield. Gardner also needs to work on his bunting. Blessed with such great speed it is a crime that Gardner has been slow in learning to how to bunt effectively.
Gardner, 27, also has a much too much of a safety-first approach on the bases that keeps him planted at first reading pitchers too deep into counts. The Yankees want him going more often and earlier in pitch counts in 2011.
There is no such safety-first mentality in the field. Gardner is, by far, the best defensive outfielder the Yankees have and he is close to Gold Glove status.
Comfortable in left and in center, Gardner made only one error last season and contributed an amazing 12 outfield assists. With Damon out in left Yankee fans forgot that outfielders could actually throw runners out on the bases. That mentality changed with Gardner.
Gardner’s superior defense in left is a plus to what is an excellent fielding team overall.
Last season the Yankees reserve outfielders left a lot to be desired defensively. Though Marcus Thames was signed mostly as a DH, when pressed into service it was a lot like the U.S. Navy. Every fly ball was an adventure.
Austin Kearns was not much better. He actually got struck in the head with a ball in Baltimore late last season.
The 2011 backup outfielders carry a much stronger reputation led by former 10-time Gold Glove winner Andruw Jones. Jones, 33, may not have the jets to play center like he did in his salad days, but he still can play the outfield with skill.
Jones will likely be a backup at the corner outfield spots and likely will be the late-inning replacement for Swisher in right field in games the Yankees are leading.
Jones can also mash at the plate. He hit 19 home runs and drove in 48 runs in 278 at-bats with the White Sox last season. A right-hand batter, Jones hit eight home runs and drove in 23 runs against right-handers last season.
He can hit right-handers for power but his batting average against right-handers was a meager .219. Perhaps Kevin Long can help there, too.
The Yankees also have two holdovers from last season competing for a roster spot. One is speedster Greg Golson, who hit .261 in only 23 at-bats in 2010 but probably made the highlight reel play of the season in right-field.
It was Golson, 25, who threw out Carl Crawford at third base to end a one-run game against the Tampa Bay Rays last season.
Golson’s strengths are his speed, his defense and his great right arm. Girardi loves to use him late as a pinch-runner or as defensive replacement.
Colin Curtis played a bit last season but he only hit .186 in 59 at-bats. Curtis is a plus defensive outfielder but he lacks the speed of Golson. At age 26, Curtis also is running out of time to impress the Yankees.
He will need a solid spring to stick. But Golson has a big edge on him.
The Yankees also will get time this spring to look at Justin Maxwell, who was acquired in a trade with the Washington Nationals.
Maxwell stirred up a lot of air in Washington, D.C. last season, literally. He struck out 43 times in 104 at-bats with the Nats. He ended up hitting .144 with three home runs and 12 RBIs.
He is 27 and, like Curtis, is running out of time to stick with a parent club.
The Yankees also have supersub Kevin Russo in camp. Russo, primarily an infielder throughout his minor-league career, is trying to make the switch to outfield to become a ja
ck-of-all-trades reserve.
ck-of-all-trades reserve.
Russo hit just .184 last season with the Yankees.
The Yankees also have the what they hope is the second but the better of two outfielders named Melky. Melky Mesa, 24, was the Florida State League Most Valuable Player in 2010 and he was an All-Star with the Tampa Yankees.
But it appears Jones and Golson have the inside track on the two reserve spots this spring, unless there is somebody who steps up this spring.
The Yankees do go into 2010 with a nice balance in their outfield between the power of Granderson and Swisher (53 home runs) and the speed of Granderson and Gardner (59 stolen bases) and the fielding prowess of Gardner and Jones.
It is a nice mix of talent and should be a strength of the 2011 Yankees.
Jeter Puts 2010 Aside To Focus On Comeback In 2011
As training camp opens in Tampa, FL, the New York Yankees are looking to return to their 2009 form. We will take a look at each position and see how they stack up for the 2011 season. Just how good are the Yankees? Let’s find out:
SHORTSTOP
It is a good thing that Derek Jeter has two loving parents and his actress girlfriend Minka Kelly. Just about everything else in his life in 2010 and leading into the 2011 season turned sour.
First of all, Jeter’s 2010 was easily his worst statistically. He scored a team-high 111 runs but he hit only 10 home runs, drove in 67 runs and batted an anemic (for him) .270. At age 36 Jeter is fielding questions about whether he is getting too old.
Jeter did win his fifth Gold Glove award but the busy-body world of sabermetricians quickly vilified his selection, citing the fact that he had the range of the Rock of Gibraltar. The fact is Jeter committed only six errors in 553 chances.
So whether Jeter’s range is limited or not, players are asked to record outs on the plays they can make. I would think Jeter’s low error total shows he makes the plays he can. But the controversy was another off-season headache.
It would get worse.
Jeter’s illustrious and rich 10-year contract with the Yankees expired and, technically, Jeter was no longer a Yankee this winter. Jeter hoped the negotiations would go quickly, quietly and happily.
None of those three happened.
First, Hank Steinbrenner fired off an opening salvo basically previewing the battle by saying he hoped the talks would not get messy. Then the Yankees offered their captain and what Vin Scully would say is “The Prince Valiant of the Yankees” a pay cut.
They also were not too keen on giving their shortstop a lengthy contract either.
Jeter’s agent, Casey Close, called the contract offer and posturing “baffling.”
Yankees general manager Brain Cashman fired back that the Yankees had made Jeter a wealthy man and he should be thankful for it. He also said the contract offer the Yankees were providing was “fair.”
Messy, indeed.
Knowing Jeter did not want to play anywhere else and knowing he would not look elsewhere, the Yankees basically chose to treat their star player rather rudely. Jeter did decide to accept a four-year deal with much less annual coin from the realm.
But the bigger issue was the hurt it inflicted on Jeter and he was not shy about making that hurt very public as his signing ceremony. I haven’t seen so many nervous smiles and tight lips this side of a Lindsay Lohan agent press conference.
Recently Cashman doubted publicly that Jeter could play the four years left on his contract at shortstop. He said a move to center-field may be necessary.
Awkward to say the least.
But now that Jeter has signed and he has a bad season and contentious off-season over with, the question is will Jeter be able to return to the norms of his career: 110 runs, 15 home runs, 67 RBIs, 24 stolen bases and a .314 average.
To that end, Jeter came to camp early to work on his swing with hitting coach Kevin Long. Jeter refuses to talk about the past and is focused on bringing the Yankees back to the World Series to win their 28th championship and his sixth ring.
Anything less in 2011 will be a failure like 2010 was.
Needing only 74 hits to reach 3,000 in his career, Jeter has a lot riding on this season. He also carries the desire to shut up his detractors, even some in the Yankees’ front office. That can be a powerful motivating tool for a dedicated athlete like Jeter.
To Jeter’s credit, he started 150 games at shortstop last season and he played in 157 games for the Yankees last season. The Yankees will likely need to rest him more in 2011. But with Jorge Posada scheduled to the be the full-time DH, Jeter may not get chances to rest as the DH this season.
Ramiro Pena was Jeter’s primary backup in 2010. Though Pena carries an excellent glove and is a solid defender, his bat went south on him last season.
In his nine starts at shortstop, Pena, 25, made only one error but he hit a meager .227. The Yankees would like to see better offense from him this spring.
The Yankees also have a very athletic and very fast natural shortstop in Eduardo Nunez in camp. Nunez, 23, shows a lot of promise with his bat and and his legs. He hit .280 in only 50 at-bats last season and stole five bases in five attempts.
He has great range at short and he has excellent instincts in the field, but he is not as polished in the field as Pena. Both could possibly make the team as infield reserves, but it also is possible that Pena could lose his backup role to Nunez.
It will be one of the key battles in this camp.
The Yankees also have 30-year-old Doug Bernier in camp. But he is a longshot to make the team this spring.
With Jeter signed to a four-year deal, it is unlikely that the Yankees will need a shortstop anytime soon. However, Nunez has the potential to be an excellent shortstop for some team, if not the Yankees.
The critics of Jeter would like to see Nunez take over the position at some point and Jeter moved to the outfield or become the DH in 2012. That is all possible. But for now Jeter is the shortstop of the present and the Yankees’ 2011 chances of winning a world title come down to Jeter being able to bounce back this season.
Don’t ever count Jeter out on that. He is just a season removed from finishing third in the voting for American League’s Most Valuable Player. It also is not too smart to count out a future first-ballot Hall of Famer.
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