Results tagged ‘ Melky Cabrera ’

Gardner, Jeter Clear Tables As Yankees Sink K.C.

GAME 119

YANKEES 7, ROYALS 4

The Yankees’ table-setters took things in their own hands on Monday and cleared the tables themselves.

Brett Gardner and Derek Jeter, who hit one and two in the order, combined for five hits and drove in five runs to lead New York to victory over Kansas City at Kauffman Stadium.

They also handed starter A.J. Burnett (9-9) his first victory in August with the Yankees in 13 starts and pulled the Yankees into a first-place tie with the Boston Red Sox in the American League East.

Gardner and Jeter had actually combined to give Burnett an early 2-0 lead in the second inning when they each smacked two-out RBI singles off Royals starter and loser Felipe Paulino (1-9).

However, the Royals struck back in the fifth inning off Burnett when they strung together three consecutive one-out singles. Former Yankee Melky Cabrera battled Burnett from 0-2 count into a full count before drawing a bases-loaded walk to bring in the first Kansas City run. Billy Butler then laced an opposite-field two-run single to give the Royals a 3-2 lead.

Burnett wiggled off the hook with the help of a hard-hit grounder off the bat of Eric Hosmer that Robinson Cano turned into an acrobatic inning-ending double play.

The Yankees then went back to work on Paulino.

With one out, Jorge Posada singled to left and Russell Martin followed with a single to right. Gardner then hit a high-hopper over Hosmer’s head at first that scored Posada to tie the game at 3-3. Jeter then followed by lacing triple into the gap in right-center that scored Martin and Gardner.

Paulino’s night was over. He gave up a season-high five runs on eight hits and a season-high five walks and fanned four in 5 1/3 innings.

Burnett, meanwhile, gave up three runs on 10 hits and one walk and struck out in 5 2/3 innings.

The Yankees tacked on a run in the seventh inning on a two-out pinch-hit RBI single by Andruw Jones that looked like a routine grounder but the ball hit second base and rolled into center to score Cano. They added another run in the eighth on a two-out RBI single by Mark Teixeira that scored Jeter from second base.

Meanwhile, the Yankees bullpen of Boone Logan, Rafael Soriano, David Robertson and Mariano Rivera preserved the Yankees’ lead the rest of the way, although Soriano surrendered the first run he has given since being activated from the disabled list in the seventh inning.

Rivera pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 31st save of the season and the 590th of his career.

The Yankees’ season record stands at 73-46. The Royals fell to 50-72.

PINSTRIPE POSITIVES

  • Jeter was 3-for-4 with two singles and a triple, a stolen base, a run scored and three RBIs. In his last nine games, Jeter is 12-for-36 (.333) with five runs scored and six RBIs. His three hits on Monday also raised his batting average to a season-high .283. Jeter is also hitting. 388 in August.
  • Gardner was on base in three of his five plate appearances with two singles, a run scored and two RBIs. He also nearly scored another run on a errant pitch but was tagged out at the plate on a dive by Royals catcher Salvadore Perez to end a bases loaded threat. Since Aug. 3, Gardner is 15-for-41 (.366) with a home run, three RBIs and nine runs scored. Gardner has an on-base perecentage of .418 in the month of August.
  • Rivera looked like himself again after being scored upon in his last three appearances. He was back to the same old nasty cutter-throwing right-hander who breaks bats and strikes out hitters looking. He needed only 13 pitches to dispatch the Royals for his 31st save. Rivera needs only 11 saves to tie and 12 saves to break the mark of 601 career saves by Trevor Hoffman, the current all-time saves leader.
  • Cano had two hits in the game and raised his season average to .305. But Cano’s biggest contribution to the Yankees was his defense. He ranged all over the outfield to catch two fly-ball outs, one extending into foul territory in right. He also was part of two key double plays that ended Royals’ threats. The second one in the fifth ended the inning when he ranged far to his left to stop Hosmer’s hard-hit ground ball. Cano spun 180 degrees while in the air and hit Jeter right at the chest with a perfect throw that resulted in a huge double play that ended K.C.’s three-run rally.

NAGGING NEGATIVES

  • By almost any measure, Burnett’s outing was not very good. He gave up thee consecutive singles in the second inning, two consecutive singles in the fourth and he hit a stretch in the fifth in which he gave up three hits, walked in a run and a two-run single. He walked only one batter but that was a huge one and he ended up giving up 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings. He was very lucky the Yankees’ defense kept him out of further trouble.
  • Eric Chavez did not have a very good night at all. He was 0-for-5, he did not get a ball out of the infield and he struck out three times. Chavez’ batting average dipped to .276 on the season.
  • Though he did walk twice, Curtis Granderson was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. Granderson has now struck out 128 times this season, which ties him with trade-mate Austin Jackson of Detroit for second in the American League behind Mark Reynolds of Baltimore with 140.

BOMBER BANTER

Alex Rodriguez will play for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday and Wednesday to complete his minor-league rehab and he hopes to be able to join the Yankees on Thursday in Minneapolis to begin a four-game series against the Minnesota Twins. Rodriguez is recovering from a July 11 surgery to repair a torn meniscus in right knee.  . . .  Freddy Garcia hopes to be able to throw a bullpen session on Tuesday but it is unclear if the veteran right-hander will be able to make his next scheduled start on Friday. Garcia had to be scratched from a start on Sunday, though that game was eventually rained out, because of a cut on a finger on right hand. The cut prevents Garcia from throwing his split-finger fastball.

ON DECK

The Yankees can grab a quick win of the three-game series with a victory against the Royals on Tuesday.

The Yankees will send to the mound rookie right-hander Ivan Nova (11-4, 3.85 ERA). Nova is 3-0 with a 2.61 ERA in his three starts since being recalled from Triple-A. He also has not lost in his last eight major-league starts. However, the Royals did beat him on May 12 in Yankee Stadium. He is 0-1 with a ERA of 12.00 against them.

The Royals are throwing a rookie of their own in left-hander Danny Duffy (3-6, 4.97 ERA). Duffy pitched seven effective innings in last Thursday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. It is only the third time Duffy has lasted seven innings in his 15 starts. He has never faced the Yankees.

Game-time will be 8:10 p.m. EDT and the game will be telecast by MY9.

 

When Swish Is Right, Yanks Have More Fight

We have reached the midpoint of the 2011 season for the New York Yankees. Despite the pundits dire predictions about their so-called “suspect” starting rotation, they have the second-best record in baseball and the best record in the American League. They finished the first half on a seven-game winning streak and they were 30-12 (.714) from May 17 to July 2, the best record in baseball. Now it is time to hand out our annual report cards for the players who built that record. 

RIGHT-FIELD – NICK SWISHER (.248 BA, 10 HRs, 44 RBIs)

When the Yankees traded backup infielder Wilson Betemit for Nick Swisher in 2009, it turned out to beone of the best trades Brian Cashman has made. Swisher was coming off a career worst season of 24 home runs, 69 RBIs and a dreadful .219 average.

The funny thing is Swisher was acquired to play first base because all the outfield spots were taken by Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera and Xavier Nady. Then the Yankees unexpectedly received an enexpected gift when Mark Teixeira expressed an interest in signing with the Yankees. That left Swisher as a spare part.

But fortune has always shined a light on the upbeat Swisher. Nady tore an elbow ligament in April and Swisher became the Yankees’ full-time right-fielder. All he did was hit .249 with 29 home runs and 82 RBIs and help lead the Yankees to their 27th world title.

In 2010, Swisher vowed to raise his average and tinkered with his swing with hitting coach Kevin Long. The effort paid dividends when Swisher hit .288 with 29 home runs and 89 RBIs last season. Swisher even got married in the off-season to actress Joanna Garcia. So things in 2011 were looking up for the 30-year-old veteran.

But, a funny thing happened on the way to Swisher’s continued success. He took an unexpected detour.

Swusher slumped in spring training. Swisher slumped in April. Swisher even slumped in May. The usually ebullient outfielder was having a hard time staying positive when things were going so bad. Pitchers were using him and designated hitter Jorge Posada to escape jams and succeeding.

The failures piled up and it took its toll.

On May 25, Swisher was hitting .204 with two home runs and 18 RBIs.

But Swisher started hitting that last week of May and he has not stopped. After hitting a woeful .200 in May, Swisher hit .326 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs in June. At the midpoint he is hitting .249 with 10 home runs and 44 RBIs. After two months of darkness, Swisher is seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

The odd thing was Swisher was hitting exceptionally well right-handed (.333) and was not hitting as well left-handed (.215). But that is changing and Swisher has raised his average to around his career average of .252. The question is will Swisher raise his average back to his 2010 mark of .288 or will it stay closer to his career mark?

His power is down even though he is still getting on base and driving in runs like he always has. He is on pace for 88 RBis once again.

Swisher’s value is immense because he is a power threat who bats behind Robinson Cano. If Swisher hits well, Cano should flourish. If Swisher slumps, it’s a pretty good bet that Cano will not see as many good pitches to hit. So getting Swisher going in the right direction is very important to this team.

Swisher becomes a good barometer on how successful the Yankees will be in the second half.

With Alex Rodriguez out of the lineup for four to six weeks, Swisher becomes even more important as a power and production source in the middle of the lineup. Pitchers are no longer looking at him as an escape hatch out of danger. Swisher made a lot of pitchers pay for that strategy in June.

Swisher’s contributions with the bat are even more important when you realize that he contributes nothing on the bases and he is just about average in the field.

Swisher’s lack of foot speed limits his range in right-field. But it is hard to call Swisher a bad outfielder. He has not committed an error and he has seven outfield assists. He also has made some pretty difficult catches going back on balls and has adapted well to the Yankees’ decision to play the outfielders more shallow this season.

Still, Swisher is the outfielder manager Joe Girardi will replace when the Yankees are winning in the late innings because his lack of speed limits his range to his right. But Swisher is better than you would think as a fielder because of his effort and he has an exceptional arm. Those seven assists show that.

Swisher gets a solid C for his first half. He is going to have to continue to raise his average and hit for a more power in the second half. If he could hit right-handers better he will likely be able to do just that.

The odd thing is Swisher has always been a fast starter with the Yankees. This is the first season in which he has struggled so much in the early part of the season. But maybe that will mean that this season he will be fast finisher. The Yankees certainly hope that is the case. Swisher is just that much of a key to the offense.

His patience at the plate is excellent, He is on pace to draw 100 walks for the first time since he did it with Oakland in 2004. That patience allows Swisher to see more pitches than most hitters. It also gives him a chance to hit pitchers’ mistakes.

As long as Swisher can avoid injuries, he should have a resurgent second half and he likely will end up with about the same numbers he usually puts up with the Yankees.

OTHERS

The Yankees primarily have used only two other outfielders this season: Andruw Jones and Chris Dickerson.

Jones is hitting a woeful .210 with four home runs and 12 RBIs in 81 at-bats. He has started 21 games in the outfield, most of those in left-field to sit Brett Gardner against tough left-handers. But Jones has not produced like he did last season with the White Sox, where he 19 home runs in 278 at-bats.

In addition, Jones is a far cry from his 10 Gold Gloves with the Braves. Jones is overweight and it has significantly slowed him down in the outfield. He still can make the plays look easy. But he also is a few steps slow to some balls that drop in front of him or that sail over his head. If the Yankees need to upgrade one spot on the bench this might be it.

Dickerson was called up a few times after he recovered from a late spring injury and he has been solid.

He is hitting .263 in only 19 at-bats. His main value is as a defensive replacement for Swisher in the late innings. Dickerson is an excellent fielder and a very good athlete with a decent arm in right. He also can play left and center in a pinch.

Dickerson also can serve as a pinch-runner off the bench and he is a pretty good bunter.

The Yankees can also call upon infield reserves Eduardo Nunez and Ramiro Pena in the outfield. Though both are good athletes, they are more suited as infielders. They likely will not see a lot of action in the outfield unless in an emergency situation.

The Yankees have some former major leaguers at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. They are Greg Golson and Justin Maxwell.

Golson has been up with the Yankees before. His calling card is his excellent speed and he has a cannon for an arm. He can also play all three outfield spots. But the Yankees have opted for Dickerson though Golson is hitting .295 with five home runs and 25 RBis in the minors.

Maxwell played last season for the Nationals and he is hitting .260 with 16 home runs and 35 RBIs. Maxwell is a talented athlete but he also strikes out too much (72 in 177 at-bats).

Most of the better Yankee outfield prospects are at the Double-A level and below. Melky Mesa at Double-A Trenton is hitting a disappointing .219 but the Yankees still think highly of his ability as an athlete and they believe he will hit for consistent power  in the major leagues. Mesa is just 24 years old.

FIRST HALF GRADES

Swisher C

Jones D

Dickerson I (Incomplete)

OVERALL POSITION GRADE: C-

Gardner’s 1st Half OK But Needs More Slash, Dash

We have reached the midpoint of the 2011 season for the New York Yankees. Despite the pundits dire predictions about their so-called “suspect” starting rotation, they have the second-best record in baseball and the best record in the American League. They finished the first half on a seven-game winning streak and they were 30-12 (.714) from May 17 to July 2, the best record in baseball. Now it is time to hand out our annual report cards for the players who built that record. 

LEFT-FIELD  – BRETT GARDNER (.267 BA, 4 HRS, 18 RBIs)

As Aprils go, Brett Gardner’s was so bad he was on the verge of being platooned. In addition, Gardner was getting thrown out on the bases like he was a 35-year-old coming off knee surgery.

In order for Brett Gardner to be Brett Gardner he had to get on base and steal them in bunches. In April, he was doing neither.

But after hitting .194 through April and getting caught stealing three times and stealing just four bases, Gardner finally found his groove in May. He hit .301 in May and an even hotter .317 in June. The two hot months pushed his season batting average to .274 at the start of July.

He also reached the halfway point with 23 steals and 10 caught stealing, which means he was stealing bags at a much better percentage.

One thing is painfully obvious about the 27-year-old outfielder. The fact that Gardner is blessed with blazing speed is tempered a bit with the realization that Gardner’s abilities to use them are still a work in progress.

Gardner is not a “gap hitter” who can power balls in the alleys for easy doubles and triples. He also is not an accomplished bunter who can put pressure on a defense by either threatening the bunt or slapping it past a drawn-in infielder. He also, if you can believe this, is not a skilled reader of pitchers’ pickoff moves and moves to the plate.

That is why you see Gardner struggling to get good wood on hard stuff. That is why you see Gardner hit weak grounders and popups. That is why you see Gardner foul or popup bunts. Finally, that is why you see Gardner get picked off by pitchers and thrown out easily by some catchers.

The instincts are not there and the learning process has been slow.

But Gardner remains important to the Yankees because not every game can be won via a three-run home run or bases-loaded doubles. There are games in which when the offense is hard to come by, Gardner can get on, steal and score on a groundout or sacrifice fly. That is why Gardner is so important and why the Yankees have been so patient with his progress.

Gardner is manager Joe Girardi’s stamp on the Yankees. All of the other Yankee starters won their positions before Girardi became manager or were acquired through signings or trades by Brian Cashman, But Gardner came up through the Yankee minor-league system and replaced the lineage of Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon and forced the trade of Melky Cabrera and Austin Jackson. Gardner was the last outfielder standing and he has been a favorite of Girardi ever since.

He won the left-field job in 2010 and did well until a wrist injury short-circuited his season. He hit .270 and he stole 47 bases in 56 attempts last season. But the wrist injury cost him a little over a month of season and limited his ability to drive the ball. Off-season wrist surgery was expected to help Gardner get some punch back in his swing.

He does seem to have some of it back but Gardner is largely a punch and slap hitter at this stage. He does have four home runs but there is doubt he will ever consistently hit double digits in home runs, short right-field porch at Yankee Stadium or not. So Gardner’s game is to get on base. His on-base percentage is .349, which is good but is below his .383 mark of last season.

One reason is that pitchers try to overpower Gardner with hard stuff up in the strike zone. He struck out 101 times last season and he is on a similar pace this season. Teams have also moved their infielders in to cut down on the time they need to get Gardner at first. Gardner has not adjusted by hitting the ball hard enough to get it past them.

So before we see what Gardner will truly become as offensive force, we need to see more line drives and hard-hit balls through the infield. We also need to see better bunting. We also need to see better instincts on the bases. That is the one area that vexes most Yankee fans.

Gardner is on first and he needs to get into scoring position. But he waits, he waits and he waits some more. Then he is part of a double play or, when he does go, he gets thrown out and Yankee fans just scratch their heads wondering what is wrong this guy.

Rickey Henderson was the greatest base stealer of all time. But you would be surprised to know he was never considered the fastest runner in baseball. He was maybe among the top 10. But the true skill Henderson had was his ability to read pitchers and the attitude he was not going to get thrown out. He got into pitcher’s heads and frustrated them. Gardner has not reached that level of attitude and skill. When and if he does, the Yankees will have something because Gardner still can disrupt games with his feet and his ability to turn doubles into triples and singles into doubles.

Oddly enough, Gardner’s best work is the most overlooked part of his game. Gardner has become the best fielding outfielder the Yankees have and his defense in the first half was very, very close to Gold Glove quality defense. He has committed only one error and he has three outfield assists.

Teams have now decided not to chance scoring runners from second on balls hit directly at him because he is so quick to release the ball and his so accurate with his throws.

Gardner is also able to cover lots of ground in left-field and catch balls other outfielders would be fielding off the wall. The Yankees also decided to play the outfielders more shallow this season, trusting that Gardner and Curtis Granderson were fast enough to cover balls hit over their head.

In Gardner’s case, it has worked perfectly. Gardner has been able to cover weak pops and sinking liners in front of him and liners and fly balls over his head with equal skill.

The other good thing about Gardner, is that he is equally able to play center-field and that flexibility is very important with a veteran team like the Yankees. Gardner’s ability to play good defense is a far cry from the days of Matsui and Damon, where teams took liberties running on them and a lot of balls that could have been caught dropped. Gardner has certainly stopped that.

Looking towards the second half, Gardner must try to pull his average up, get on base a bit more and improve on his bunting and running the bases. If he can do that, stay healthy and continue to play great defense the Yankees will have something special. Because Gardner is a work in progress, a little patience with him is required to be fair.

I will give Gardner a C+ for his first half. The slow start, the caught stealing stats and somewhat erratic bunting have all taken his grade down some. But he has something to prove in the second half and there is no doubt the tools are there. Gardner just needs to put it all together to become a complete player.

OTHERS

I will deal with the other outfielders and prospects for the Yankees when I publish my assessment of Nick Swisher in right-field.

FIRST HALF GRADE

Gardner C+

OVERALL POSITION GRADE: C+


A-Rod’s Clutch Single, Garcia’s Pitching Frustrates Royals

GAME 33
YANKEES 3, ROYALS 1
The last time Alex Rodriguez drove in a run with a hit was in his third at-bat against the Chicago White Sox on April 28 at Yankee Stadium.
On Tuesday night, some 38 at-bats later, Rodriguez delivered a two-out, two-run single in the fifth inning that broke a 1-1 tie and gave New York a victory over Kansas City in the Bronx.
With the bases loaded and a 2-2 count, Rodriguez drove a Kyle Davies (1-5) fastball up the middle into center-field to score Brett Gardner and Derek Jeter with the tie-breaking runs and make a winner out of Freddy Garcia (2-2).
Garcia pitched six-plus innings, scattering seven hits and walking two batters and striking out three. The Royals’ only run off Garcia came on a leadoff home run by former Yankee Melky Cabrera in the fourth inning.
Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his 13th save in 15 chances this season.
With the victory the Yankees improved their season record to 20-13 and they pulled out to a half-game lead over the idle Tampa Bay Rays for first place in the American League East.  The Royals dropped to 18-17.
PINSTRIPE POSITIVES
  • Rodriguez has been struggling at the plate, particularly with runners in scoring position. He is batting .214 on the season in those situations. He had played nine games without an RBI until Sunday’s game with the Texas. He has just three RBIs this month. So the Yankees are hoping his hit tonight will get him jump-started again.
  • Jeter gave the Yankees an early 1-0 lead in the third inning with a two-out single to score Gardner, who had tripled earlier. Jeter was 2-for-4 with a run scored, a stolen base and an RBI in the game. He has raised his batting average to .283. Are there any fans out there who still think Jeter should be benched or retire because he is too old to play?
  • Garcia rebounded from a pair of shaky outings to pitch a brilliant six-plus innings. Garcia changed speeds and used the corners to keep the Royals off balance. Garcia lowered his season ERA to 2.61. Not bad for a 34-year-old free-agent No. 5 starter.
  • Nick Swisher saved Garcia with a spectacular catch in the fifth inning. With Royals base-runners at first and second and two out, Chris Getz hit a line drive to Swisher’s left. Swisher dove and caught the ball just before it was about to hit the turf. It would have scored two runs if it dropped and rolled past Swisher.
NAGGING NEGATIVES
  • Jorge Posada was 0-for-3 and his average has now dropped to .147. Despite hitting six home runs in April, Posada is struggling at the plate. He hit two easy fly balls and struck out swinging on Tuesday. 
  • Curtis Granderson, who has been the hottest of all Yankee hitters of late, ran into a buzzsaw on Tuesday. He was 0-for-4 and struck out three times. Granderson is still having a great season with 11 home runs, 23 RBIs and a .274 average.
  • Russell Martin is also in a bit of a slide at the plate. He was 0-for-3 with a strikeout and his average has fallen to a season-low .255. On April 23, he was hitting .333. Since then he is 8-for-40 (.200). He has not homered since he hit two on April 23 against the Orioles.
BOMBER BANTER
Former Rays closer and very expensive free-agent set-up man Rafael Soriano complained of a sore right elbow and will have an MRI and examination on Wednesday with Dr. Chris Ahmad. Soriano hopes it is just minor discomfort and he will be a available to pitch in a few days.   . . .  Right-hander Phil Hughes said he feels good after receiving a cortisone injection in his right shoulder and he hopes to be activated from the disabled list in mid-June. Hughes has been on the disabled list since April 16 with what has been termed a “dead arm.”  . . .  Last season left-hander Boone Logan limited lefty batters to a .190 average (15-for-79). This season lefty hitters are hitting Logan at a .364 clip (8-for-22). The Yankees are not concerned yet but they want Logan to start getting lefties out more consistently.  . . .  Cabrera’s return to Yankee Stadium in a Royals’ uniform only drew a smattering of applause in his first at-bat. 
ON DECK
The Yankees will look to win the three-game series with the Royals on Wednesday.
Right-hander A.J. Burnett (4-2, 3.71 ERA) will pitch for the Yankees. In his last game Burnett gave up five runs (two earned) on just three hits in seven innings against the Tigers on Thursday. Burnett was undone by his own error and a costly throwing error by shortstop Eduardo Nunez. He is 3-3 with a 2.68 ERA against Kansas City lifetime.
The Royals had to place left-hander Bruce Chen on the DL and they called up right-hander Vin Mazzaro to take his place. He will be making his 2011 debut on Wednesday. He is 0-2 with a 9.69 ERA against the Yankees in his career.
Game-time will be at 7:05 p.m. EDT and the game will be telecast by the YES Network.

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.
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.

Cashman’s 2011 Moves Need To Be Better Than 2010

ORLANDO, FL – Brian Cashman is truly the New York Yankees’ version of the Teflon Man.
The team’s general manager since 1998, Cashman has outlasted any general manager in the George Steinbrenner era and he is in pretty cozy with the current Hank Steinbrenner regime.
His job is like that of circus performing plate spinner. Trying to keep negotiations going on many fronts at the same time. Sometimes, like in 2009, Cashman gets lucky. After signing CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett to improve the pitching staff, Mark Teixeira’s wife suggested to her husband that he contact the Yankees if he really wanted to play for them.
That free agent haul spurred Cashman and the Yankees to their 27th world championship.
But then there are years like 2010. 
Cashman’s first big winter move was the acquisition of outfielder Curtis Granderson in a three-way trade with Detroit and Arizona that cost the Yankees starting pitcher Ian Kennedy, young outfielder Austin Jackson and left-handed reliever Phil Coke.
Granderson, 29, was dreadful out of the gate, got injured, stunk so more and rescued his season late by getting some tips from hitting coach Kevin Long. Granderson hit .249 in 2009, which spurred the Tigers to want to trade him. For the Yankees in 2010, Granderson hit .247.
The Yankees just hope the Granderson they saw in September (He hit .278 with nine home runs and 23 RBIs) is the real Granderson because they are stuck with him contractually for three more years.
In the meantime, Jackson nearly won the American League Rookie of the Year award. He hit .293 with four home runs and 41 RBIs and stole 27 bases as the team’s leadoff hitter. At age 23, Jackson has a very high upside.
Coke, 28, was 7-5 with a 3.76 ERA. But that does not tell the whole story. The Tigers were so pleased with Coke’s work out of the bullpen they are considering making him a starter next season. The Yankees big loss was Coke’s work out of the bullpen in 2009. They missed not having him in 2010.
Kennedy, 25, was 9-10 with an excellent 3.80 ERA with an offensively challenged Arizona Diamondbacks club. True, he might be one of those dreaded “National League pitchers.” But could he have been any worse than Javier Vazquez?
That brings us to Cashman’s other 2010 trade. He shipped Melky Cabrera and young left-hander Michael Dunn to the Atlanta Braves in return for Vazquez and lefty reliever Boone Logan. 
Vazquez was coming off a 15-10 season with the Braves. He finished fourth in the NL Cy Young Award voting. But Cashman made two big mistakes here.
No. 1: Cashman brought back the pitcher most associated with the disastrous 2004 ALCS series with the Boston Red Sox. Vazquez surrendered the grand slam home run to Johnny Damon and Yankee fans did not let him forget it.
No. 2: Cashman forgot that pitchers’ success in the National League does not translate to the American League. Vazquez was 10-10 with a 5.32 ERA and pitched less than 200 innings for only the second time since 1999. Both of those seasons Vazquez toiled for the Yankees.
To be fair to Cashman, he had no way of knowing that Vazquez would just lose his velocity on his fastball. But that is not unusual for a 34-year-old pitcher. Vazquez will not be back with the Yankees in 2010. For his sake, we hope he ends up on a team with a huge ballpark in the National League.
Cabrera was a disappointment in Atlanta. He hit .255 with four home runs and 42 RBIs. The Braves released him on Oct. 18. Meanwhile, Dunn was 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA in 25 appearances with the Braves. Dunn was just packaged in a trade for Dan Uggla of the Florida Marlins. At age 25, he has a bright future as a left-handed reliever.
Cashman was just lucky that Logan did not pitch like he did in Atlanta. Logan was 2-0 with a 2.93 ERA in 51 games with the Yankees. So basically the Dunn for Logan deal was a wash. Since Cabrera was released and Vazquez has pitched his way out of New York this is a deal that really helped neither club.
To really assess Cashman you have to look at his free-agent signings. Instead of the high-priced talent he sought in 2009, Cashman looked instead for some good picks among the low-hanging fruit.
To replace the eventual departures of Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon, Eric Hinske and Jerry Hariston Jr., Cashman first signed oft-injured former Yankee Nick Johnson as a potential full-time DH.
Bad move.
Johnson didn’t even make it through the first week of spring training unscathed. He wore cleats to batting practice and they got stuck in the artificial surface around the batting cage and he wrenched his back.
Cashman should have seen that as a sign of what was to come. Johnson, 32, played in just 24 games before suffering yet another wrist injury that required surgery and shelved him for another season. Goodbye, Nick — again!
Cashman also signed veteran outfielder Randy Winn to compete with Brett Gardner for the left-field job Damon owned. Winn struggled all through spring training and he ended up being released after 61 at-bats in which he hit .213. 
Instead of a veteran utility infielder like Hairston, Cashman elected to stick with 25-year-old farmhand Ramiro Pena. Pena played good defense and he had some clutch RBIs among his 18 he drove in But he hit only .227.
Hairston hit .244 with 10 home runs and 50 RBis for a good Padres team. Meanwhile, Hinske hit .258 with 11 home runs and 58 RBis with the Braves, helping them to a wild-card spot.
So a fair assessment of Cashman’s 2010 winter moves was very, very poor. Instead of strengthening the Yankees in 2010, he made them weaker. Though he was eventually astute in allowing Damon and Matsui to walk as free agents, none of his off-season moves really made a major impact on the Yankees except for one.
His last addition to the team was to sign free-agent Marcus Thames as reserve outfielder and part-time DH. Though Thames struggled in spring training and he missed a month with a ankle injury, he provided power off the bench against left-handers. Thames hit .288 with 12 home runs and 33 RBIs.
Many of his home runs came in a stretch in August where Alex Rodriguez was injured and Thames provided the punch the Yankees needed until Rodriguez returned.
The only salvation to Cashman’s 2010 season besides Thames was his trade deadline moves to acquire reliever Kerry Wood, DH Lance Berkman and outfielder Austin Kearns. Wood was sensational as a setup man for Mariano Rivera.
Berkman, after he recovered from an ankle injury, actually provided clutch hitting down the stretch and in the playoffs.
Kearns, however, was a bust. In 102 at-bats with the Yankees, Kearns struck out 38 times. That means
he struck out just over one out of every three at-bats in pinstripes. He is free-agent this winter and he will not be re-signed by the Yankees.
So how does Cashman keep his job?
He signs Cliff Lee, gets Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera back into the fold and convince Andy Pettitte to pitch one more season. He also will likely add some arms the rotation and bullpen and pick up a few spare parts for the bench.
Cashman has proven that you are only as good as your last move. The good news is most Yankee fans have forgotten the dreadful moves he made last winter. They don’t seem to blame him for the loss in the ALCS to the Rangers.
That is Cashman’s true gift. A real Teflon Man.

Granderson Must Start Showing Improvement In 2nd Half

It is the halfway point of the season for the New York Yankees and you all know what that means. That’s right, it’s time to had out grades for the first term. Some of our Yankees were scholars and some need some remedial work. But with the best record in baseball the Yankees already have a great grade as a team. The funny thing is that they have not really pushed themselves and there is still potential to be even better in the second half. Let’s start evaluating the positions and players.


OUTFIELD

Brett Gardner
Curtis Granderson
Nick Swisher

With the departures of Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera and top minor-league prospect Austin Jackson, this was supposed to be a weak spot for the Yankees.
But two unforeseen things occurred: (1) Gardner developed into a good every-day player and (2) Swisher, with the help of hitting coach Kevin Long, raised his batting average without sacrificing his power.
Those two things made this outfield much better than advertised. It also perhaps masked the disappointment of losing Granderson for a month with a groin injury and the fact that Granderson has not produced consistently since his return from the disabled list.
Gardner has been the biggest surprise. In 2009 he won the center-field job in spring training only to lose it to Melky Cabrera three weeks into the season. Gardner hung on as a fourth outfielder and pinch-runner but missed a month with a broken thumb late in the season.
With a .270 average, three home runs, 23 RBIs and a team-leading 26 steals, it was hard to know what Gardner would do as a full-time outfielder. It was made harder by the fact that Gardner did not have a great spring.
But at the halfway point, Gardner has made manager Joe Girardi’s faith in him pay off. After 81 games, Gardner was hitting .319 with five home runs, 29 RBIs, 25 stolen bases and 56 runs scored. He also has played excellent defense in both left-field and in center-field. He is, by far, the Yankees best defensive outfielder.
Looking to the second half, Gardner only needs to improve on making better contact, He has struck out 50 times and a player with speed has to make contact. He also could actually improve as a base-stealer. He can disrupt a game just be getting on base but there are times he is reluctant to go or challenge certain pitchers. He needs to fear no one to instill fear in other teams.
Even with those issues, Gardner deserves an A- for a first-half grade. You could make a case for him making the All-Star team. He is just a few notches below Ichiro in the impact he has on a game.
Swisher’s impact is on a different level. In 2009, Swisher was all about power from low in the batting order. He hit 29 home runs and drove in 82 runs and hit .249. When Xavier Nady went down, Swisher became a full-time outfielder and the Yankees rewarded him by handing him the position in 2010.
But Swisher was unhappy with his 2010 postseason. Despite the fact the Yankees won their 27th world championship, Swisher was not happy he hit .128 with a one home run and two RBIs in 14 games. He struck out 15 times in 47 at-bats.
Swisher did two things. First, he took up boxing to improve his conditioning and improve his hand-eye coordination. Second, he worked with Long on being “quieter” at the plate. The less bat movement, he hoped, would translate into better production.
The first-half results prove that it is working for Swisher. After 81 games, Swisher was hitting .293 with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs. Swisher is also hitting mostly in the No. 2 spot between Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira and he has been getting on base and scoring more runs.
Swisher will never be considered a Gold Glove defender in right-field but he has made only two errors this season and leads the team in outfield assists with six. 
Swisher was able to improve so much that he even was nominated by the American League for the 34th spot on the roster and won the fan vote over Kevin Youkilis of the Boston Red Sox.
So you would have to give Swisher a first-half grade of A- also. He still could cut down on his strikeouts some. But when a career .250 hitter is hitting close to .300 without a drop in power, you have to reward that player for working hard to improve.
Improve is a great word to describe what Curtis Granderson needs to do as the Yankees start the second half. Granderson has been a major disappointment this season.
Yes, he missed a month with a groin injury. That certainly did not help. But Granderson has not hit well and he still is not fielding smoothly in center-field. Perhaps the Yankees are seeing why the Detroit Tigers were so anxious to deal him this winter.
Though Granderson hit 30 home runs and drove in 71 runs, primarily as the Tigers’ leadoff hitter. His average slipped to .249 and the Tigers were concerned about his penchant for striking out and his inability to hit left-handers. The Tigers also did not like his routes to balls in the outfield.
The Yankees acquired him knowing all of this. But the Yankees felt his athleticism and power would be big plusses and he would be hitting lower in the order with the Yankees. 
At the midway point, the Yankees are seeing the same things the Tigers saw: He is hitting .226 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs. He also has struck out 51 times in 225 at-bats. He is hitting below .200 against left-handers again. On the bases he has seven steals. In the field, he can outrun his mistakes in judgment but he is still not reacting well and some catchable balls have dropped.
It is hard to say at age 29 that Granderson is still a project. Perhaps the Tigers were right in assessing him as a “finished product” with little upside. So the Yankees do have a decision to make on Granderson.
If he comes on an displays more of his form from 2007 when he hit .302 or 2008 when he hit .280, the Yankees would be satisfied. But if he hits below the .249 mark he hit 2009, the Yankees might be stuck with an outfielder with a big salary and no one looking to take him of their hands.
The fact that Austin Jackson was part of the deal to obtain Granderson does not make it look like one of general manager Brain Cashman’s smarter deals. But there is time for Granderson to redeem himself.
For now he gets an I for incomplete for the first half since he missed a month with injury. If we were grading on the games he did play, Granderson would get  D. 
The Yankees currently have Marcus Thames and Colin Curtis as reserve outfielders. Thames is actually much better as a right-hand DH. He is not a very good defensive outfielder. Curtis is an excellent defensive outfielder with an ability to
play the corner spots and he has been a good line-drive hitter in the minors.
The Yankees tried veteran switch-hitter Randy Winn early in the season but they released him after he struggled to hit consistently playing off the bench for the first time in his career. Rookie Chad Huffman also got a look but was sent back to Triple-A in favor of Curtis.
Infield reserves Kevin Russo and Ramiro Pena can play here in a pinch but they do not hit enough to justify keeping them in the outfield as long-term solutions.
OVERALL POSITION GRADE: B-

If Granderson can rebound this would be an excellent group. Gardner and Swisher have improved and they make this position less of a weakness than it looked when the season began.
There is a nice combination of power and speed amongst the three. One drawback is that unlike last season, the absence of Damon and Cabrera makes the depth at this position pretty shaky. 
Curtis has not established himself and Thames has no business playing the outfield at this stage of his career. The Yankees possibly could use a veteran outfielder who is able to play all three positions and who can hit consistently and contribute.
We hear rumors the Yankees are looking to add a utility player before the July 31st deadline. It is obvious the Yankees need another outfielder who can start if any of the starters are injured.

Cano’s Monster 2010 Season Has MVP Written All Over It

It is the halfway point of the season for the New York Yankees and you all know what that means. That’s right, it’s time to had out grades for the first term. Some of our Yankees were scholars and some need some remedial work. But with the best record in baseball the Yankees already have a great grade as a team. The funny thing is that they have not really pushed themselves and there is still potential to be even better in the second half. Let’s start evaluating the positions and players.


SECOND BASE

Robinson Cano

The common wisdom this winter was that trading Melky Cabrera would adversely impact Robinson Cano this season. Cabrera, after all, was Cano’s best buddy on the team.
When manager Joe Girardi selected Cano to bat fifth to replace free agent Hideki Matsui the baseball pundits were critcal because of Cano’s abysmal .202 average with runners in scoring position in 2009.
Well, Cano said nothing and has let his bat to his talking for him. The sound from his bat this season is rich in the sweet tones of success.
What more could Cano do for the Yankees in the first half of the season: a .343 batting average, one point behind the major-league leader Justin Morneau, a team-leading 16 home runs (10 of them off left-handers) and 55 RBIs, second to Alex Rodriguez for the team lead.
For a second baseman to be on a pace for 32 home runs and 110 RBIs and a possible batting title is rare in Yankee lore. Not since miscast second baseman Alfonso Soriano hit 39 home runs and drove in 102 runs and batted .300 in 2002 have the Yankees had such a potent bat at that position.
However, unlike the error-prone Soriano, Cano flashes superior range, has a great arm and turns the double play with the smoothness of melting butter on a baked potato. Cano has committed only one error in 426 total chances and seems to destined to collect his first Gold Glove in 2010 if he keeps up his terrific fielding.
So, at age 27, it is safe to say that Cano has finally arrived as an impact player for the Yankees. With Mark Teixeira struggling to find his stroke and Alex Rodriguez down — until just recently — in the power numbers, it is safe to say that Robby Cano has carried the Yankees to the best record in baseball through the first half.
There is talk of a potential Most Valuable Player award for Cano this season. All Cano would have to do is to continue to produce at the pace he has set this season. That is not much of a stretch either because Cano is historically a slow starter who heats up as the season goes along.
If that trend continues for Cano the sky is the limit. Cano hit .400 in April, .336 in May and .333 in June. His second half holds so much promise that even his teammates are in awe of the season he is having. 
The one knock on Cano is that he never is patient enough to take walks. But this season Cano has 25 walks and his career high in walks came in 2007 when he drew 39. Cano seems to be finally learning that letting pitchers’ pitches go and waiting for his pitch will produce better results. Chalk that success up to Cano’s hard work with hitting coach Kevin Long.
Consider also that Cano has started all but one game at second base this season and it perfectly illustrates how valuable he has been to a Yankee team that has gone through stretches of inconsistency at the plate.
There is no other grade to give Cano for his half at second than an A+. What can you criticize about Cano? OK, well he is not the fastest player on the bases. He has two steals and he has been caught twice.
But, other than that, there os not much to say. Despite the lack of blazing speed, Cano is still an excellent base runner. He leads the team in runs scored with 59.
The Yankees have two options to back up Cano: Ramiro Pena and Kevin Russo. Neither of them will hit as well as Cano but Pena is an excellent defender at second. Russo is adequate in the field but a better hitter than Pena. But neither will see much time at the position, barring injury.
Down on the farm the Yankees have two players at Triple-A who could play second base: Reegie Corona and Eduardo Nunez. Nunez, 23, is a better shortstop but the Yankees love his bat. Nunez is hitting .303 with 17 stolen bases at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. There is a possibility that Nunez might be called up in the second half.
Corona, also 23, is hitting just .236 with 11 steals at Scranton. He would seem to be further away from making the roster this season. He and Nunez must also cut down on their errors.
OVERALL POSITION GRADE: A+

Cano was voted as the starting second baseman for the American League in the All-Star Game and it was well deserved. He now seems headed to a Silver Slugger Award and a Gold Glove at second base. 
Should Cano win the MVP he would be the first second baseman to ever win an MVP and a Gold Glove at second base in the same season. Considering players like Joe Morgan, Ryne Sandberg and Roberto Alomar never did it, Cano would be in a league of his own among second baseman.
The scary thing is Cano could get even better. I know A.L. pitchers do not want to contemplate that. But it is within the realm of possibility.
Simply put: Robinson Cano is the best second baseman in baseball today.

Braves Pound Sabathia, Yankees For 9-6 Victory

Transmission of this report was delayed by technical difficulties.


GAME 25
BRAVES 9, YANKEES (SS) 6

LAKE BUENA VISTA – Reserve infielder Omar Infante laced a pinch-hit double to right to score Brent Clevlen in the eighth inning to break a 6-6 tie as the Atlanta Braves defeated a New York Yankees split squad 9-6 on Tuesday at Champions Field.
Reliever Takashi Saito (2-0) pitched a perfect eighth inning to earn the victory. Billy Wagner pitched the ninth to earn his second save of the spring. Zack Segovia (1-1) took the loss.
The Yankees spring record fell to 11-14. The Braves are now 16-9-1.
YANKEE POSITIVES

  • Jorge Posada had a great day with the bat. In the first inning he singled and scored on a Robinson Cano double. In the seventh inning he victimized former teammate Scott Proctor with a two-run home run that tied the game at 6. Posada is batting a robust .394 on the spring.
  • Cano, not to be outdone, had a single along with that RBI double to raise his spring batting average to .354.
  • Nick Swisher collected his first home run of the spring, a solo shot he hit to the opposite field in the second inning.
  • Curtis Granderson and Juan Miranda had back-to-back RBI hits in the sixth inning off relief pitcher Cory Gearrin. Granderson singled in Posada and Granderson drove in Miranda with a double.
  • Brett Gardner stole his sceond base of the spring in the seventh inning off Proctor. He later scored on Posada’s home run.
  • Cano caught a wind-blown pop-up off the bat of catcher Clint Sammons in the second inning and neatly fired to Miranda at first base to double off outfielder Matt Diaz.
THE NEGATIVES

  • No one will say anything publicly but privately the Yankees are concerned about CC Sabathia after he was blasted for eight hits, a walk and five earned runs in 4 2/3 innings by the Braves. Sabathia spring ERA ended up at 7.23 and that does not count the seven runs he gave up to some Philadelphia Phillies minor leaguers in “B” game in his last start. The Yankees are hoping it is just “spring training rust” and not pointing to other potential mechanical or physical problems.
  • Minor-league third baseman was the only non-pitcher and starter in the lineup who did not get a hit in the game. He did not get a ball out of the infield, was 0-for-4 and even hit into a double play in the fourth inning. Though he is buried way behind Alex Rodriguez at third base, Laird is hitting .276 this spring and shows great promise in the field.
  • Segovia pitched a perfect seventh inning and threw only 12 pitches. But in the eighth he walked two consecutive batters after one out before giving up consecutive RBI hits to Infante and Matt Young. After striking out a batter for the second out, Segovia then surrendered a single to reserve infielder Joe Thurston that turned a 6-6 tie into a 9-6 Braves’ lead.
DIAMOND NOTES

Manager Joe Girardi got his wish to see “switch-pitcher” Pat Venditte pitch in a game this spring. Venditte got Sabathia off the hoof from further damage in the fifth inning by retiring Yunel Escobar in the fifth pitching left-handed.Venditte was touched for a run in the sixth as the Braves loaded the bases and Young hit a sacrifice fly to score pinch-runner Mitch Jones. Venditte, who is a 20th-round Yankee draft selection shows a lot of promise as the majors’ only ambidextrous pitcher.  He is more than a novelty. He has the ability to be a pretty good reliever . . . The game drew a standing-room only crowd of 11,112 to Champions Field in Lake Buena Vista, FL, which is part of Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex.  . . . The “Disney Magic” touches are on display here in this fan friendly paradise. Thi
s is the only complex in Florida that has a separate line for fans without bags so you do not have to wait for bag and purse searches to get into the park. Disney employees also cheerfully hand out the days’ starting lineups with a free scorebook page with the batters’ up-to-date spring statistics. Employees also hand out napkins to fans at the condiment stations. They also boast a sixth-inning beer special by sending out vendors selling old-time brands like Miller and Old Milwaukee in 16-ounce cans for $3 apiece. Steinbrenner Field, not that it is in lacking as a first-class facility, should take a page from the Disney customer service playbook.  . . . Our old friend Melky Cabrera started for the Braves in right-field and had a double and infield single in the game. He began the day hitting .263 this spring.  . . . Girardi actually won an argument with umpires in the fifth inning. Troy Glaus, who had a lead-off double in the fourth inning off Sabatha, took Sabathia back to the wall in left-centerfield that was called a home run by second-base umpire Chad Fairchild. However, the ball actually landed on the top of the padding of the wall and Granderson caught it as it bounded back into play. So the umpires conferred and ruled it a double instead.

Gardner Ready For Another Fight This Spring



As the exhibition season opens March 3 against the Pirates, the New York Yankees will have few spots available on the 25-man roster but there will be a number of important battles for jobs. There is a big battle for the No. 5 spot in the rotation, a contest for a starting outfield spot (left or center), some fights for bullpen spots and a real donnybrook for bench spots. Let’s look at them and handicap how they might go this spring.

BATTLE NO. 2 – STARTING OUTFIELDER

The candidates are 26-year-old Brett Gardner and 35-year-old Randy Winn.

This battle, you will notice, is not specifically listed as left field. The reason is that if Brett Gardner wins the job outright, he could very well be the starting center fielder with Curtis Granderson moving to left.
Though Granderson has great speed his former employers, the Detroit Tigers, were not real happy with the routes he took on fly balls last season. They felt he should have reached a lot more balls than he did.
Granderson also was not impressive at the plate last season. Though he did hit 30 home runs and drive in 71 runs, he hit a miserable .249 and struck out 141 times. He also hit a dreadful .183 against left-handers.
Granderson may have answered some of the reason for those awful numbers with his decision to wear contact lenses this season to improve his eyesight. Though Granderson will not blame the numbers on his eyesight, he told the New York Daily News that he will give them a try this spring.
But the real battle for a starting job is between Gardner, the unproven youngster, and Winn, the steady veteran.
Gardner is coming off a disappointing 2009 campaign where he had emerged as the starting center fielder with the Yankees after hitting .379 in the spring. His starting role was short-lived  because he got off to a slow start with the bat in April.
Manager Joe Girardi reinserted Melky Cabrera as the starter in center and he held the job the rest of season. Gardner received spot starts and was used off the bench until he broke his thumb sliding into second base in a game against Oakland on July 25.
Gardner did not return until Sept. 7 and he received only 48 at-bats the rest of the season. On the positive side, Gardner did hit .270 and led the Yankees in stolen bases with 26. But Gardner did struggle against pitchers who tried to overpower him inside and he seemed to not be as daring on the bases as he could have been late in the season.
But with Johnny Damon gone via free agency and Cabrera dealt to the Braves in the Javier Vazquez trade, Gardner finds himself given another opportunity to take over as a starter in the outfield.
The question is can Gardner drive the ball more and get on base enough for him to take advantage of his great speed There is no doubt that when Gardner is on base he draws the attention of pitchers and catchers. Hitting ninth Gardner could also set the table nicely for the top of the lineup.
Gardner is relishing the opportunity given to him this spring.
Winn, who was signed as free agent to a one-year, $1.2 million contract, has been a starting outfielder since the 2001 season when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays. Last season with the Giants, Winn played in 149 games and struggled with a .262 average only two home runs and 51 RBIs, though he did steal 16 bases.
The veteran switch-hitter is a career .286 hitter who has averaged 14 home runs and 75 RBIs the previous seven seasons. Winn also hit a miserable .158 against left-handers last season. So Winn will have to improve that number and prove to Girardi that 2009 was an aberration and not the beginning of the end of a pretty solid career as a starter.
If Winn should take the starting job from Gardner, Winn would patrol left field and Granderson would remain in center field.
It is hard to comprehend what the Yankees are thinking at this time, but it would stand to reason that they would be rooting hard for Gardner to win the job with Winn available as a spare outfielder capable of playing of playing all three outfield spots.
Winn would be a fallback position if Gardner fails to improve enough to justify a starting role. Winn could also perhaps find himself in a platoon role with Gardner, however, Gardner actually hit left-handers better than he did right-handers (.291 vs. .261). So Winn also could platoon with Granderson if Granderson does not improve against left-handers.
But the Yankees have very thinly disguised what their true intentions may be with the long-term plans for left field: 
  • Gardner at 26 is getting one last chance to prove what he can do.
  • Winn has been signed to only a one-year deal
  • Damon was allowed to sign elsewhere for monetary reasons
  • Cabrera was traded in the Vazquez deal
  • Austin Jackson, the team’s best outfield prospect, was included the Granderson trade
Add this all up and it appears that the Yankees are eyeing 28-year-old Carl Crawford of the Tampa Bay Rays, who can become a free agent after the 2010 season. Having a left-fielder who is a career .295 hitter, is capable of stealing 60 bases and plays a sparkling defense may be too much for the Yankees to resist.
But for now the battle this spring is between Gardner and Winn, with Gardner having a big edge leading into the start of the exhibition season. 
Nest season, if Crawford is signed, there will be no contest at all.
NEXT: BATTLE 3 – The Battle for the Bullpen



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