Boone Logan Does Not Suck

"Seriously, how bad is Boone Logan?" -Mike Axisa, June 21st, 2001.

Boone Logan has been the object of a great deal of scorn in Yankeeland this year. The nadir of Logan's year was probably on June 20th, when he hit the only batter he faced in Cincinnati and prompted the quote above from Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues. The next day, Axisa actually advocated replacing Logan on the roster. At the time, he had a valid point; Logan was giving up a slash line of .300/.383/.425 to LHB. Since then, however, things have been looking up for the much-maligned LOOGY.

After his dreadful albeit brief outing in Cincinnati, Logan has turned things around. In 13.2 innings, Logan has struck out 20 batters, walked only 3, and lowered his ERA from 3.94 to 3.03. For all of 2011, Logan has had a 9.40 K/9 and a 3.34 BB/9 in 29.2 innings. He has been especially effective against lefties, posting an 11.57 K/9 and a 2.89 BB/9 (18.2 IP).

The other thing to point out about Logan is that it should come as no surprise that he has been pitching as well as he has as the Yankees' only LOOGY. Logan has been doing it for his entire career. In 106 IP against LHB, Logan has piled up 10.10 K/9 and 3.48 BB/9; a more-than-respectable 2.90 K/BB.

Boone Logan is an easy target for a lot of fans. He typically only pitches to one or two batters every game, and could fail spectacularly, like when he hit Joey Votto on July 20th. But the fact of the matter is that he is an acceptable LOOGY who is inexpensive (signed for a 1-year/$1.2 million contract for '11) and is under team control for 2012, as well (he is arbitration-eligible, however). There are many reasons to like Boone Logan, and for those reasons he indeed does not suck.

Burnett Really Not An Enigma

Throughout most of A.J. Burnett's 2.5-year tenure with the Yankees, many individuals have expressed consternation and frustration with the flame-throwing righthander. When Burnett's impressive, if small, arsenal of an explosive fastball and nasty spike curveball are observed, it is expected that Burnett would pile up huge strikeout numbers and dominate the opposition. But unfortunately for the Yankees and Burnett, this has not quite been the case.

Burnett's performance with the Yankees has not exactly been commensurate to his de facto status as the Yanks' #2 starter (and has not justified his 5 year/$82.5 million contract). The Yankees expected something better than a 4.60 ERA and a K/BB ratio of 1.95 (7.8 K/9; 4.0 BB/9) in his short career in pinstripes. But if one were to peruse Burnett's career statistics, one would see that Burnett's performance as a Yankee is not appreciably different from his career numbers.

The funny thing about Burnett's 2011 is that it essentially approximates his career averages (and falls neatly between his '09 and '10 stats). His K/9 is just a touch lower than it is for his career, his BB/9 just a little bit higher, and his ground-ball rate is almost identical to his career mark. His spike in HR/9 is likely explained both by pitching half his games in the current incarnation of Yankee Stadium (notorious for inflated home-run rates) and his diminishing fastball velocity (averaging 92.6 MPH in 2011; averaged 94.2 in '09). So basically, Burnett is an older version of himself pitching in a park that allows more homers than usual.

The Yanks were wowed by Burnett's 2008 season, when he was a workhorse for the Blue Jays (221.1 IP) and struck out more than a batter per inning while having a fair walk rate of 3.50. But 2008 was his walk-year, and players have been proven to perform better in their contract years (see Baseball Between the Numbers, edited by Jonah Keri). In addition, Burnett's performance in '08 was far greater than in any other season of his career to that point. There's a good chance 2008 was an outlier.

When the Yanks guaranteed $82.5 million to Burnett, they were paying for his awe-inspiring 2008, but have received roughly the same performance Burnett gave throughout his career. It is obvious the Yankees can no longer expect Burnett to ever be the #2 pitcher he was ordained to be; he is simply a durable mid-rotation innings eater than will frustrate you from time to time. But the truth is that he never should have had those expectations thrust upon him. Burnett's abilities were overrated by the Yankees, and now they will have to literally pay the price until his contract expires.

YANKEES GREAT ROY WHITE TO SERVE AS AN OFFICIAL STARTER FOR DAMON RUNYON 5K AT YANKEE STADIUM

PRESS RELEASE

NEW YORK, June 9, 2011 - When thousands of avid runners, passionate baseball fans, cancer survivors, and supporters from across the country gather at the Damon Runyon 5K starting line on August 7 to support the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, they will get the signal to run from New York Yankees great Roy White, one of the race's official starters.

The only charitable run/walk that uses the legendary ballpark as its course, the third annual Damon Runyon 5K at Yankee Stadium will take place on Sunday, August 7, 2011. Participants will run or walk the Stadium's concourses, climb stairs between levels, appear on the video board, and follow in the footsteps of their favorite players by taking their own victory laps on the warning track that circles the field. The event is on track to reach a three-year total of $1 million raised to fund groundbreaking cancer research by the nation's most innovative young scientists.

White spent his entire 15 year career with the Yankees. As starting left fielder, he helped them to an American League pennant in 1976 and two World Series Championships in 1977 and 1978. He still ranks in the Yankees top ten in several categories, including games played, hits, at bats, stolen bases and walks. For his career, he batted .271 with 1803 hits, 160 homers and 233 stolen bases.

In addition to serving as an official starter for the race, White will be featured at a private reception for the Runyon's 5K leading early fundraisers on June 21 at Mickey Mantle's Restaurant in New York City. He will tell stories about his days with the Yankees, participate in a Q&A, sign autographs, be available for photos and watch the Yankees play the CIncinnati Reds in an interleague showdown.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the 1976 Yankees team that won their first American League pennant in 12 seasons before being swept by the Cincinnati Reds. The year was important in Yankee history as it marked their first pennant under late owner George Steinbrenner, who promised a swift return to the World Series when he bought the team in 1973.

The Foundation, established in 1946 and based in New York City, has a long history with the Yankees. Joe DiMaggio was on its Board of Directors. Damon Runyon himself was a New York writer who began his career as a baseball journalist, revolutionizing how the game was reported and often covering Yankee games.

Last year's event raised more than $400,000 and drew a capacity crowd of 4,000 participants from 29 states. Click to see videos and photos of the 2010 Runyon 5K. In addition to the New York Yankees' support, other event sponsors include the MetLife Foundation, White Rose, 24 Hour Fitness, the New York Daily News, SiriusXM Radio, and WNBC 4 New York.

Registration is still open for a free of $40 and a minimum fundraising requirement of $60. After July 7 the registration free will increase to $50. Family members and supporters will have the opportunity to view the vent from the Delta SKY360 Suite overlooking home plate.

Please come out and support this terrific cause.

Brian Gordon to make Yankees debut today

What a crazy journey it must have been for Brian Gordon. From going to a struggling outfielder, to a struggling pitcher, to a Major Leaguer, to a minor league reliever, to the starting pitcher for the New York Yankees.

The story about how Gordon became a Yankees is pretty interesting. Gordon had a provision in his contract that gave him an opt out for his deal for June 15 - if he was not in the majors by then (with the Phillies), he could be offered to join any other team's Major League club. According Brian Cashman's interview with Brian Heyman, Cashman, Gene Michael, and Larry Rothschild looked at video of Gordon. He was described as a control pitcher along the likes of "Darrell Rasner" and "Aaron Small."

To make room on the roster, the Yankees demoted Lance Pendleton and flat-out released Amauri Sanit.

Yankees Add Wade

Before last night's game, the Yankees signed and added Cory Wade to the Major League roster, and sent down RP Kevin Whelan.

Wade, a former Dodger, had just opted out of his contract with the Tampa Rays' Triple-A affiliate, where he had put up a 1.23 ERA on the year, striking out 34 in 36.2 innings.

He made his Yankees debut last night, picking up a scoreless inning.

To make room for Wade on the 40-man roster, they transferred Rafael Soriano to the 60-Day DL.

Yankees Hit 5 Homers En Route to Victory

(38-28) YANKEES DEFEAT (36-33) TEXAS RANGERS 12-4 AT YANKEE STADIUM

IVAN NOVA VS. DEREK HOLLAND

This game seemed like it would be a close one in the first few innings, with the lead going back and forth, resulting in a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the forth. However, from there, the Yankees offense took off. They took the lead for good in the bottom of the 5th off of RBI singles by both Andruw Jones and Francisco Cervelli.

Then the home run bats came out again. Ramiro Pena, in his first start of the season, crushed a no-doubter to rightfield in the bottom of the 6th for his first homerun, which Mark Teixeira would follow up on with a two-run homerun, his second of the game. Cano would later add one for himself in the 8th.

Ivan Nova struggled tonight, getting behind most of the hitters. He left the game with two outs in the 6th, giving the ball to Luis Ayala, with two runs on in a two-run game. Ayala gave up a walk, then a single up the middle on which Curtis Granderson threw Yorvit Torrealba out at home-plate on.

Yankees Bats Explode Against Indians in 9-1 Victory

(36-27) YANKEES DEFEAT (34-29) CLEVELAND INDIANS 9-1 AT YANKEE STADIUM

FREDDY GARCIA VS. JOSH TOMLIN

The Yankees bats exploded against Josh Tomlin and the Cleveland Indians in Sunday afternoon's game. The Yankees collected eighteen hits behind a nice bounce-back performance from Freddy Garcia.

Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, and Nick Swisher each picked up two hits, Alex Rodriguez and Brett Gardner both picked up three, and the man, Curtis Granderson, collected four hits for the Yankees today.

On the other side of the spectrum, Russell Martin looked absolutely lost at the plate today, hitting into two double-plays, a strike out, and seven men left-on-base. He is now down to .232.

Freddy Garcia (5-5, 3.60) bounced back from his second shortest outing of his career, going 6.2 innings of 1-run baseball, supported by scoreless appearances from Boone Logan (.1 inning), Luis Ayala (1) and Kevin Whelan (1).

3,000 WATCH: Jeter collected two hits, bringing him to 2,993 for his career. He has four more games in this homestand if he wants it to happen in Yankee stadium.

Colon Out with Strained Hammy

In the 7th inning of Saturday night's game, the hamstring of Bartolo Colon collapsed under great pressure, while Colon ran to cover first base. Colon was in the middle of the 7th inning of yet another gem, having allowed only two runs to the Indians at that point.

MRI's came up "pretty good" according to Colon, and he personally expects to be back after only 15 days on DL, which would be fantastic.

As expected, Colon was indeed placed on the DL after the game. Called up to take a spot on the roster was pitcher Hector Noesi, who was sent down just a few days ago.

The Yankees need Colon if they are going to make it this season without a major acquisition. They better make sure that he's 100% when they reactivate him.

Sanit to DL: The Yankees also placed RP Amaury Sanit on the 15-day DL with a elbow inflammation. Sanit has a 12.86 ERA as a mop-up reliever for the Yankees. OF Chris Dickerson has been called up to take his place on the roster.

Whelan Called Up

Before tonight's game against the Indians the Yankees made a small addition to the bullpen, by calling up RP Kevin Whelan.

Whelan, who has never pitched in the Majors, has had great success this season, pitching to the tune of a 1.67 ERA with Scranton as their closer.

To make room for Whelan on the roster, the Yankees demoted OF Chris Dickerson.

Yankees Re-Shuffle Bullpen: Noesi, Joba, Marquez, Sanit

Prior to last night's game, the Yankees reshuffled the bullpen a bit, adding some fresh and healthy arms to the pen.

Firstly, rookie Hector Noesi was sent back down to Triple-A after throwing six solid innings in relief on Tuesday night, after Freddy Garcia's short outing. This was simply a case of a team taking advantage of a player having options and getting a fresh arm.

Amaury Sanit, the Cuban defector, was called up in order to get a fresh arm in the pen. Additionally, the Yankees claimed P Jeff Marquez off of waivers from the Chicago White Sox, and placed him on the active roster.

Additionally, Joba Chamberlain was placed on the DL and will be getting shoulder surgery...more on that soon.

Swisher's Approach from the Left Side

Nick Swisher was a huge part of the Yankees' 2009 and 2010 campaigns, pairing average defense in right field with huge numbers at the plate (.270/.365/.505 in '09 and '10 combined). This year has been a far different story, however. Swisher's defense has remained adequate, but his boomstick has disappeared. Few people expected Swisher to match last year's career year numbers, but nobody expected this drop-off, to the tune of .215/.338/.331.

Two things about Swisher's 2011 numbers stick out; his batting average is flirting with the Mendoza line, and his power has disappeared. Swisher's low batting average in '11 (.215) is even lower than his career average (.250). This could be explained by Swisher's low BABiP; his .252 BABiP is well south of his career BABiP of .284. He might be hitting it right at the fielders.

Swisher's power numbers are tougher to explain. His slugging percentage (.331) and isolated slugging percentage (.116) are impotent compared to his career numbers (.462; .212). Swisher only has 4 home-runs through 210 plate appearances this year; he hit exactly 29 in each of the last two years.

Perhaps we can clear things up a bit by checking out his platoon splits. As a RHB, Swisher's line actually isn't terrible: .308/.400/.462 (.265/.399/.439 career). As a lefty, however, Swisher has been dreadful (and pulled off the neat trick of having a OBP higher than his SLG): .175/.310/.275 (.246/.339/.472 career).

What happened to Swish's power from the left side? Well, let's compare Swish's spray chart from last year to this year. (Spray charts are from Texas Leaguers)

Nick Swisher- LHB, 2010

That's a beautiful spray chart. The vast majority of Swisher's hits in 2010 from the left side are pulled. Swisher gets a lot of pull power. According to HitTracker, 12 of Swisher's 29 homers in 2010 were hit to right field. In addition, Swisher also hits a lot of ground-balls to the right side of the infield. How is he doing this year?

Nick Swisher- LHB, 2011

Swisher's approach seems to have deviated. He's still hitting a boatload of grounders to the right side, but his pull power seems to have completely dried up. He is also hitting a lot of balls to the opposite field. Unfortunately, these opposite field balls are turning into outs.

Nick Swisher is obviously unlucky as a LHB. This year, his BABiP as a lefty is an impossibly low .213. Eventually, some hits will begin to fall in for Swish. But it is undeniable that his spray chart for this year is much different from last year's results. He appears to have eschewed pulling the ball for an approach to take the ball the other way. Unfortunately, it's not working, and it's taking a toll on his offensive value.

Cervelli Almost Ready for Return

According to Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger (source), Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli should be back from his foot injury sometime during the Yankees' next homestand. The Yankees return to the Bronx on Monday, so Gustavo Molina's time in the Bronx may be limited.

Molina, the current back-up catcher, has played in only one game for the Yankees during his time with the team. The large, borderline obscene number of off-days and rainouts that the Yankees have had have allowed them to rest Russell Martin plenty, allowing them to not even need to use Molina.

Cervelli, 25, has been rehabbing with the Tampa Yankees and is currently 2-7.

RAINNNNNN

Tonight's scheduled game versus the Baltimore Orioles was rained out once again, the third rained out game of the season already.

CC Sabathia, the scheduled starter for last night's game, will instead pitch tonight against the Orioles. He will be followed by Freddy Garcia and Ivan Nova.

The Yankees made a small move before the game as well: they demoted P Hector Noesi to Triple-A and purchased the contract of RP Buddy Carlyle. Carlyle, who spent all of 2010 in Japan, has pitched five games for the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate. The move was done so Noesi, a starter by trade who has yet to make his Major League debut, could pitch regularly in the minors. Carlyle is nothing special and should not be used in anything other than middle relief.

In order to make room for Carlyle on the 40-man roster, the Yankees DFA'd LHP Jose Ortegano, who was claimed off waivers from the Braves this offseason.

Sabathia's Massive Platoon Split

During today's Opening Day telecast, Ken Singleton complimented CC Sabathia on his good change-up. This comment piqued my interest, so I checked out Fangraphs' pitch values. According to Fangraphs, his change-ups were worth 1.45 runs per 100 pitches in 2010. In 2009, his change-up was worth 3.54 runs per 100 pitches, good for third in the majors (minimum of 100 IP).

With Sabathia's strong change-up, we would expect him to have a small, if any, platoon split. To my surprise, however, I saw a rather substantial platoon split. Last year, Sabathia torched left-handed hitters to the tune of a 10.87 K/9; good for a 2.67 FIP. Against RHB, he records a K/9 of merely 6.52 (3.78 FIP). His BB/9 was stable to both lefties and righties (2.45 v. LHB, 2.90 v. RHB). This stat line has been true for his entire career; in '09, when he possessed the third-best change-up in the game, Sabathia only struck out 7.02 RHB per 9 innings (while K'ing 9.94 LHB per 9). His career line shows that this is not a fluke:

Still curious, I checked out how often CC offered his vaunted change-up to right-handed hitters. In both '09 and '10, Sabathia threw change-ups to RHB around 22% of the time. What was really puzzling to me, though, was that Sabathia threw sliders around 13% of the time to righties. This is odd because sliders have a huge platoon split. Change-ups, however, are more effective against batters of the opposite handedness since it runs down and away from them.

Wouldn't it be a good idea if CC subbed out some of those sliders for some more of those Bugs Bunny change-ups against righties? I don't mean to mess with success, and it's not as if Sabathia is a slouch against RHB, but Sabathia has the weapon to do better against righties; why not utilize it?

Minor Moves: Millwood, Pendleton, Sanchez

Nothing major being announced here, but the Yankees added two more players to their system, and lost one.

SP Kevin Millwood signed a minor league deal with the Yankees. The terms of the deal would allow him to opt out by the end of April if he is not on the Major League roster.

Furthermore, pitcher Lance Pendleton was returned to the Yankees from the Astros via the Rule V Draft.

Finally, Romulo Sanchez's rights were sold to a Japanese team, but not much is known about this deal yet. Sanchez was out-of-options and was not going to make the team, so with his permission, a Japanese team acquired his rights in exchanged for cash most likely.

Yankees Claim Braves Pitcher

The Yankees added some more pitching depth to the minors by claiming pitcher Jose Ortegano off of waivers from the Atlanta Braves.

Ortegano, a 23-year-old lefty, started 20 games for the Braves' Triple-A affiliate last season, suffering to a 6.20 ERA. He also did not fair much better in his seven starts with their High-A affiliate. Basically, Ortegano had a miserable season in 2010.

Ortegano seems like a decent reclaimation project. He had a solid 2009 season between High-A and Double-A, with a career K/9 of 7.56 and BB/9 of 2.66.

According to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre blog, his fastball (as a starter) is 90-92 MPH, he has an okay curveball, and his change-up in his outpitch.

Yankees Looking to Gustavo?

With Francisco Cervelli's injury, and Jesus Montero and Austin Romine having underwhelming springs, the Yankees have been stating openly that they are looking at Gustavo Molina for the back-up catcher job.

Molina caught Freddy Garcia in his minor league game on Thursday, and manager Joe Girardi has openly stated that Molina is in the mix for the back-up catchers job and the Yankees want to get a better look at him. (Source)

I personally think that they should have been giving Molina a look a while ago. Simply put, Montero and Romine would benefit more from playing full-time in the minors rather than limited duty in the majors. Furthermore, Molina's playing time would be extremely limited anyway. With all the days off that the Yankees have in March/April, I would be surprised if Molina had more than one start. Simply put, it would not matter if they had a below replacement level player in that job for a month or so.

Updates from Spring Training

Montero to Make Roster?
All signs seem to support this idea. With Francisco Cervelli out until at least early April with a broken foot, they are going to need another back-up catcher on the roster. The only options are Jesus Montero, Austin Romine, and Gustavo Molina. Romine is simply not advanced enough to hit on the Major League level, and the Yankees have only given Gustavo Molina ten at-bats, in which he is 1-10. It seems like they will give Montero a cup-of-coffee at least towards the beginning of the season, and have him on the Opening Day roster.

Montero, who is only 5-27 this Spring Training, would be making his Major League debut.

My opinion on this subject - bad idea. Even if it's giving Montero some experience in the Majors, it likely would not be enough that it would be worth all the missed at-bats he would be missing in Triple-A; not to mention this could cause unnecessary service time issues.

Just give Gustavo Molina the spot. He's barely going to play anyway - if he was on the roster for a month I would be surprised if he got 20 at-bats, especially with all the off-days. Either that or just bring in someone - such as Chad Moeller (for this third tour of duty) that has experience with the Yankees pitchers.

Rule V Picks
The Yankees, quite dissatisfied for the production of their Rule V picks Daniel Turpen and Robert Fish, waived them both.

Turpen, who was claimed off the Rule V Draft from the Red Sox, was sent back to them successfully.

Fish, who was claimed in the Rule V Draft from the Marlins, was claimed off of waivers by the Royals, who will see what Fish can offer them.

Furthermore, George Kontos, who was claimed in the Draft by the San Diego Padres from the Yankees, was successfully returned to the Yankees. He will begin the season as a middle reliever for either Trenton or Scranton.

Lance Pendleton, who was claimed by the Houston Astros, is still on their active roster at the moment.

Curtis Injured Shoulder
Back-up outfield candidate Colin Curtis's chance of making the Yankees roster is now down to zero. The outfielder separated his right shoulder while making a catch last Sunday. He will be rehabbing for a month and likely will not be ready for the beginning of the minor league season.

Cotts, Maxwell, Noesi

The Yankees already made their first move of the Spring, just days after pitchers and catchers reported: RP Neal Cotts has been released. According to the Star Ledger, he hasn't been over his number injury issues yet, so they gave him the boot already.

Furthermore, Hector Noesi has not been able to report yet due to visa issues. He's a legitimate contention for a rotation spot so he better get here soon.

Moves Since Last Update

The Yankees have added a plethora of minor league free agents since the last update, many of them injury-plagued veterans looking for a final chance...let's take a look at them:

Luis Ayala: The relief pitcher signed a minor league deal. Ayala, only 32, didn't pitch in the majors in 2010 and bounced around various minor league teams. His last solid season was 2007, finishing off a great run with the Expos/Nationals.

Bartolo Colon: The big starting pitcher will fight for a rotation spot in Spring Training. He last pitched in the majors in 2009 after an injury plagued season with the White Sox.

Freddy Garcia: Garcia, a favorite to win a rotation spot, put together a 4.64 ERA with the White Sox last season.

Warner Madrigal: The reliever has a 6.10 ERA in the Majors in his career.

Ronnie Belliard: The infielder had a .216 BA and .622 OPS with the Dodgers last night.

Eric Chavez: The oft-injured infielder had a .610 OPS with the A's last year in 123 at-bats.

Jordan Parraz was DFA'd and not claimed, so he is still with the Yankees. RP Brian Schlitter was DFA'd but was not as lucky - he was claimed off of waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Andruw Jones to Sign

The Yankees, according to various sources, are nearing a one-year deal with free agent outfielder Andruw Jones.

Jones, now 33, has basically been reduced to a part-time player, and Yankees fans can basically refer to him as 2011's Marcus Thames.

Jones will be the back-up outfielder, and get some starts against lefties - probably giving Jorge Posada a decent amount of rest. Jones has killed lefties over his career, and is still very good against them even as his effectiveness has decreased.

UPDATE (6:48PM, Jan. 20):

According to Jon Heyman, the Yankees and Andruw Jones have agreed to terms: 1-year/$2 million dollars with potential incentives worth up to an extra $1.2 million.

The Yankees, who have a full 40-man roster, will have to remove someone from the 40-man roster in order to complete this. My guess is Reegie Corona.

Rafael Soriano: The Best Scenario From This

The Yankees in-fact did sign Rafael Soriano. The Yankees in fact did sign Rafael Soriano - and to more money than I thought: a three-year/$35 million dollar deal that allows him to opt out after every season. Reports are saying that this was not Cashman's decision at all - the Steinbrenner's overruled him due to the question marks in the rotation and the bullpen.

So it happened - nothing can be done at this moment so I might as well hope for the best. As far as I see it, there is one way they can get the maximum value out of this deal: let Joba Chamberlain fight for a rotation spot in Spring Training.

Joba, still only 25 years old, is clearly not as bad as the press is trying to portray him. Last season, he did make considerable improvements, albeit as a reliever as opposed to a starter. His K/9 went from a 7.6 to a 9.7, his BB/9 went from 4.3 to 2.8, and his WHIP went from 1.544 to 1.298. And we all remember he absolutely did have his moments as a starter in 2008 and 2009.

What's the harm in this? Give him a chance in Spring Training - if Nova or Mitre are clearly superior candidates, then throw him back in the bullpen.

A side note: on my last post I did say I was very against this move. However, this does make the Yankees bullpen simply fantastic at the moment though - a core of Feliciano, Logan, and Robertson leading up to Soriano and Rivera? Probably one of the best in baseball.

So in conclusion, since the Yankees' bullpen is pretty fantastic without Chamberlain, they might as well give him a chance to start.

Steve Says No to Soriano; Cashman Says Yes

I have been spurred to come out of my hiatus to post by the surprising signing by the Yankees of Rafael Soriano. According to Jon Heyman, the Yankees have come to terms with Soriano for a 3 year, $35 million contract. This is surprising because as of last week, Buster Olney tweeted that the Yankees were not interested in Soriano, and Yankees' GM Brian Cashman also

Steve did a pretty good job of underlying the problems with Soriano. I would just like to emphasize the cost of losing that 1st round draft pick. As of right now, the Yanks were scheduled to have the 31st pick in this year's amateur draft. According to Victor Wang, that pick's surplus value would have been worth roughly $2.5 million. So not only will the Yankees be forking over an Average Annual Salary of over $12 million to Rafael Soriano to pitch the eighth inning, they'll also be losing out on that $2.5 million from the draft pick. In addition, as Steve stated, this year's draft is very deep, so the Yanks might be missing out on a prospect that normally would not fall to them in most years.

In addition, the Yankees will be paying Soriano $12 million in 2011 to pitch in the eighth inning. That is a serious overpay, and not terribly necessary considering the Yankees' bullpen is very strong, with David Robertson, Joba Chamberlain, and Boone Logan forming the bridge to Mariano Rivera. Granted, the Yanks can and will always overpay for their free agents, but I would rather they pay for an area of need (like a starting pitcher or a outfielder that can handle LHP) instead of an area they actually are strong in.

Rafael SoriaNo

When it comes to bad ideas, the idea of the Yankees signing Rafael Soriano should be near the top of the list. There is literally no justification in the Yankees signing Rafael Soriano to a multi-year deal worth well over $10 million dollars, all while losing a 1st Round Draft Pick.

Brian Cashman has literally come out and insist that the Yankees will not surrender their 1st Round Pick, but still, various sources are saying that the Yankees are still talking to Soriano and his agent.

Firstly, what incentive does Soriano have to come to New York? If I am Soriano, I am commanded at least $7 million/year, for at least 3-years, to close. The Yankees would only offer him a set-up spot, and the closer role is taken by Rivera for at least two more years. If the Yankees gave him his money, that would be $26 million dollars spent on the 2011 payroll on three relievers; that is not the big issue - teams have spent money on relievers before, it's just that Soriano is not the guy that the Yankees should be investing this money in.

One of these reasons is Soriano's injury history. He missed most of 2004 and 2005 due to Tommy John Surgery, and a majority of 2008 with another elbow surgery. That's a warning sign right there. Soriano has yet to go through his nine-year getting through 2+ years of relief work without having to miss a year with elbow surgery.

Another reason - the history of signing relief pitchers. Obviously Soriano is a different player than the others signed in recent years, but odds are not in his favor based on the success of past deals with relievers.

Finally, the 1st Round Pick. Various minor league experts have stated that this will be one of the deepest drafts in a long time. The Yankees should do what they can to take advantage of their financial advantage here. As of now they will have all of their draft picks, in addition to the supplemental pick after the first round for losing Javy Vazquez. In addition to their obvious financial advantage when it comes to the draft, they have a payroll $20-$30 million dollar lower than in 2010 - money which they can just invest into the draft to really take advantage of one of the best classes in a while.

And really, I think the Yankees' relief corps will be just fine. They still have the greatest closer in Major League history who is still showing no signs of decline, and a combination of David Robertson, Boone Logan, Pedro Feliciano, and Joba Chamberlain, along with guys that seem like they could be useful in Romulo Sanchez. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if they threw a guy like Brackman into the bullpen temporarily if need-be.

Say No to Soriano.

Pettitte, Schlitter

According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, Andy Pettitte still has not made a decision about whether or not he will return to the Yankees in 2011.

Recent reports state that the Yankees are willing to offer Pettitte $12-$13 million dollars to return to the Yankees. But considering the state of the rotation and Pettitte's great 2010 season, it would not surprise me to see Pettitte request up to $16 million.

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The Yankees claimed RHP Brian Schlitter off of waivers from the Chicago Cubs yesterday.

Schlitter, 25, pitched seven times for the Cubs last year, spending the majority of the year in the minors. In 45.2 IP, he had a 3.15 ERA in the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate.

How 'bout Some Competition for Catcher?

Back-up catcher, that is. Russell Martin vs. Jesus Montero is a good enough competition for starter.

As of now, Francisco Cervelli is the only competitor for back-up catcher. Cervelli seems like he can do a fine job in a small role - he had a .694 OPS over 266 at-bats last season. However, he was basically useless for half of the season - he put up a nice April and May, but hit in the high .100's-low .200's from June to August, followed by a great September. In conclusion, he's okay, but it couldn't hurt the Yankees to see if there are any alternatives that could be had for cheap.

If you look at the free agents, there is no one useful. Bengie Molina seems like he is going to retire, and would want some sort of guaranteed deal in order to come out of retirement. Josh Bard only put together a .634 OPS with the Mariners last year in 112 at-bats last year, hasn't been good since 2007, and is 32-years old.

So, any other options out there? Well, the Rangers just DFA'd catcher Max Ramirez today. Ramirez once a highly regarded prospect, is still only 26-years old. In 2008 with the Rangers' Double-A affiliate, in 243 at-bats, Ramirez hit .354 with 17 homers and a 1.096 OPS. He however has yet to reproduce these numbers in the bigs, hitting .217 with a .700 OPS in 115 at-bats. He may be worth claiming and bringing into Spring Training - the Yankees have two open 40-man roster spots and an easily expandable one in Reegie Corona.

Anyone else out there worth looking at?

Blast From the Past

In the barren, baseball-less season of winter (winter leagues in Mexico and the Dominican excepted), the only semblance of a game fans can get are "classic" games televised as filler on the team-owned cable channels. Most of these games are interesting in some way: sometimes, they are thrilling extra-inning affairs, or are big playoff games, or are regular-season games that had some kind of importance. The Yankee game that YES aired on Thursday was the Yankees' 1996 home opener, which took place on April 9th of that year. This game really had some personal significance for me because I didn't really start watching and really understanding baseball until '96. Also, it was almost like a blast from the past to see some of these grizzled vets looking very young (except for Paul O'Neill; he appeared to be fairly grizzled in '96). Also, I thought it would be appropriate to post about this game on this wintry, snow-filled day.

I had several observations about the game in general:

*Michael Kay (YES only used the radio audio) kept on saying that Pettitte had been throwing change-ups; it was fairly obvious that he was throwing curveballs, but I could be wrong. At least Michael Kay hasn't changed very much since 1996.

*It was (somewhat famously) snowing for the duration of this game, and the moment the Yankees took the lead (and probably even before) Kay and John Sterling (yes, they were the radio team back then) were hoping very strongly on the broadcast that the umpires would call the game.

*One part of the game elicited a chuckle from me when Kay discussed Pettitte's pick-off move and how he had "established" it in his previous start. So there was a time when Andy Pettitte's pick-off abilities were not feared....

*Johnny Damon is on the Royals, in his pre-caveman days. He's actually clean-shaven and well-kept.

*The Royals first-baseman, Bob Hamelin, just did not look like a baseball player (although he's much more of a ball-player than I'll ever be). He was rather, um, round, and looked a little ridiculous with these glasses. Hamelin actually won the Rookie of the Year for the AL in the strike-shortened '94 season with a .282/.388/.599 slash-line in 374 Plate Appearances. He never hit enough for a first-baseman, though: his career OPS+ of 109 wasn't that great for a first-baseman who was obviously defensively challenged.

*Steve Howe actually pitched for 1.2 innings in relief of Pettitte and Bob Wickman. I didn't evenknow that Howe was on the Yanks' 25-man roster at any point in '96, let alone for enough time to log more than 17 innings. He was very effective when inserted into the game; he struck out two and stranded the runners he inherited. Unfortunately, the rest of his season was not quite as successful; his 5/6 K/BB ratio probably left something to be desired, and the Yanks cut him in June of that year. '96 was the last year of Howe's tumultuous Major-League career.

*Joe Torre's line-up on that day was rather curiously constructed; actually, it was sort of predictable. Young Derek Jeter was slotted in the nine-hole, while Trusted Veteran Joe Girardi, who up to that point had a .315 career OBP, was in the #2 position in the line-up.

*Ah, good 'ole Gerald Williams. It's a miracle that the Yanks gave Williams 258 PAs in '96, most of which was spent in the corner outfield positions. His .319 OBP did not exactly light the world on fire.

It is a lot of fun to just ride on this time machine of a game. Jeter, Pettitte, and Damon looked like babies. Pettitte actually pitched very well in this game: 6.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 6 K, 2 BB. It was foreshadowing for his career. Damon was also giving peeks of his ability in the game: he reached base three times and scored two of Kansas City's three runs, although he was picked off once (by Pettitte, of course). Naturally, the Yankees took out the Royals by the score of 7-3 and were on their way to their first World Series victory since 1978.

Yankees Offseason Review (Thus Far)

Well the Yankees sure have had quite an interesting offseason thus far. Unfortunately, the big news is regarding who the Yankees have not signed. Well, let's take a look at all of the transactions that the Yankees have made thus far.

Added to 40-Man Roster

Dellin Betances: Highly rated prospect. Probably a Top 100. Should start year at Trenton.
Ryan Pope: Mediocre numbers. Better when moved to relief. Scranton.
Brandon Laird: Powerful 22 year old 1B/3B/OF. 22 homers in 400 at-bats in Trenton.
Melky Mesa: Seen as a 5-tool player. 23 years old with a .813 OPS in Tampa.

6-Year Free Agents and Releases

Jason Hirsh: Rebounded nicely from his poor last few seasons (3.90 ERA in 122 IP). Probably will go elsewhere where he can legit spot at a roster spot.
Ronny Marte*: 24 year old who spent the year in Charleston and Tampa. No big deal.
Jon Ortiz: Lot of strikeouts and few walks. 24 year old spent the year in Tampa (2.47 ERA). Already signed with Oakland.
Zack Segovia: 4.19 ERA in Scranton. Already signed with Milwaukee.
John Van Benschoten: Rehabbed at various minor league levels.
Wilkin de la Rosa: Taken off 40 man roster and let go. Once a decent lefty prospect, but his poor season dropped his spot in the organization. Signed with the Dodgers.
Jose Quintana*: 5 games in Charleston
Ronny Calderon: Never played in the states.
Jose Gil: Catching depth - re-signed with the Yankees.
Robbie Hammock: Catching depth.
P.J. Pilittere: Catching depth.
Rene Rivera: Catching depth.
Brian Baisley: Retired last year.
Myron Leslie*: 28 year old that did nothing in Tampa
Marcos Vechionacci: Had a nice season and is only 23, but opted to go to Japan.
Eric Bruntlett: Back-up infield depth.
Justin Christian: Former Yankee. Incredible speed. I would like to see him brought back.
Edwar Gonzalez: 27 year old that didn't hit in Scranton.
Reid Gorecki: 29 year old that didn't hit in Scranton
Rudy Guillen: Hasn't played since 2007.
Kai Liu: Never played
Jonathan Albaladejo: Let go so he could go to Japan. Yankees received cash.
Justo Arias: Played 14 games in the GCL
Harold Garce: Played 12 games in the GCL
Charyln Garcia: Played 7 games in the GCL
Matt Jernstad: 24-year old played 14 games with Staten Island
Juan Marcano: Played 9 games in the low minors
Erick Tapia: Played 9 games in the GCL
Trent Lockwood: 24-year old 1B; .680 OPS in Tampa
Luis Parache: .653 OPS in the low minors
Ronald Morillo: Never played in the states
* = Re-signed

Non-Tenders

Alfredo Aceves: They non-tendered him after missing most of 2009 with back problems and breaking his clavicle this offseason. I really didn't, and still don't agree with this move. They have the room of the 40-man roster, so if I were the Yankees I would offer him a Major League deal, and a chance to win a starting spot in spring training.
Dustin Moseley: Mop-up/spot starter that was easily replaceable. Signed a Major League deal with the Padres.

Minor League Signings

Re-signed Ronny Marte, Jose Quintana, and Myron Leslie from above.
Doug Bernier: .626 OPS in AAA; will likely be a backup in Scranton
Buddy Carlyle: 33-year old who spent last year in Japan; 5.62 career ERA
Neal Cotts: 30-year old lefty; missed all of last year; 4.64 career ERA
Gustavo Molina: no-hit catcher; likely will back-up at Scranton; 5-41 in the Majors
Andy Sisco: tall 27/28 year old lefty reliever who strikes out and walks a ton; 4.32 ERA in AAA last year with SF
Brian Anderson: former outfielder, converting to pitcher
Mark Prior: pitched in 1 professional game since 2006
Daniel Martinez: spent last 4 years in Dominican and Venezuela; no control; 22 years old
Jose Vizcaino: signed after impressive DSL performance; 543 career games - 4.33 ERA; was with Yankees in 2007; did not pitch in 2010; still only 33 years old
Leonel Vinas: 19-year Dominican native living on Long Island; see article here
Steve Evarts: 23-year old former Braves first round pick from Italy; hasn't pitched since 2008; trying to come back from injuries; was arrested 4 times...

Major League Signings

Derek Jeter: Hank talks. Agent talks. Jeter wants six-years. Yankees laughs. Signs. The terms of the deal is confusing, but he basically signed a 3-year deal for about $15 million per season, with a cheap option for the 4th year.
Mariano Rivera: Signed a 2-year/$30 million deal with no problem.
Pedro Feliciano: 34-year old who led the lead in appearances the past 3 years. Will be a LOOGY for the most part, but could possibly get a bigger role (that may depend on other factors such as Boone Logan); 2-year/$8 million dollar deal.
Sergio Mitre: quietly had a 3.33 ERA in 54 innings; re-signed to a 1-year/$900K deal, with a potential to earn $200K more
Russell Martin: After being non-tendered by the Dodgers, signed to a 1-year/$4 million dollar deal. I thought that this was a great signing. He will allow Montero more time to develop in Triple-A - if Martin does well, the Yankees own his rights for 2012 and could trade him for a nice haul if he returns to his previous levels.

Trades

Traded IF Matt Cusick and RP Andy Shive to the Indians to complete the Kerry Wood deal.
Cusick hit .243 between Double-A and Triple-A. Shive had a 4.56 ERA in the low minors.

Traded 1B Juan Miranda to the Diamondbacks for SP Scottie Allen.
Miranda had no room on the Yankees; Allen is a 19-year old starter who pitched a A-ball
Acquired OF Cody Johnson from the Braves in exchange for cash considerations.
Johnson is a 22-year old with a lot of power and little contact.

Waiver Claims

Jordan Parraz: Doesn't seem like he'll be more than emergency outfield depth. As a 25-year old hit .266/.350/.410 with 11 homeruns with Kansas City's Triple-A affiliate.

Rule V Draft

Selected LHP Robert Fish from the Angels and RHP Daniel Turpen from the Red Sox.
Fish is a lefty reliever with a K-rate over 9, but that was almost his ERA in Double-A last year. Turpen had mediocre numbers (ERA in the 4's) with the Giants and Red Sox' Double-A affiliate last year.
Had RHP George Kontos selected by the Padres and RHP Lance Pendleton selected by the Astros.
Kontos, 25, was coming back from an injury and rehabbing most of the year, but played 17 games with Trenton. Pendleton, 26, had a 3.43 ERA as a starter with Trenton and then had a 4.24 ERA after being promoted to Scranton.

Should the Yankees buy some Lotto Tickets?

With the failure of the Yankees to ink hot free agent target Cliff Lee and the probability increasingly likely that Andy Pettitte will retire, the Yankees are only will likely have to pursue alternative avenues to fill out their starting rotation; After C.C. Sabathia, Phil Hughes, and A.J. Burnett, questions abound in the rotation. What could the Yankees do to try to off-set this lack of pitching depth?

The first option would be to slot Ivan Nova into the rotation as the #5 starter. Brian Cashman has stated that the Yanks are considering Nova as a candidate for the starting rotation. While Nova did not exactly embarrass himself in his 42 IP stint in the majors last year, his 4.49 xFIP was not exactly overwhelming. Having said that, a 4.49 xFIP is not awful coming from a fifth starter. But 42 innings is not enough to evaluate a pitcher; Nova is far from a known quantity.

After Nova, the Yankees' major-league-ready starting pitching depth lacks something to be desired; the likes of Kei Igawa are not a legitimate option for the 25-man roster, and the rest of the Yanks' minor-league starters (Andrew Brackman, Dellin Betances, Manny Banuelos) are far from the majors at this point in time. Joba Chamberlain, in the abstract, could be an option, butCashman essentially ruled Joba out as a starter, Joba's status as a reliever was again reaffirmed after Lee was not acquired. After Cliff Lee, the free agent market for starters falls off dramatically; Carl Pavano is probably the best remaining free agent signing, and it is unlikely that the Yanks will make a trade for a starter.

So what should the Yankees do? I advocate using the money that would have been spent on Pettitte/Lee on potential "lottery tickets," or pitchers that are coming out of 2010 injured and would come at a low, incentive-laden single-year deal. The Boston Red Sox attempted to utilize this strategy in the 2008-2009 off-season when they signed Brad Penny and John Smoltz to one-year fliers. This would be an easy way to add some depth to the pitching side while not making a multi-year commitment on a questionable commodity.

Ideally, the Yanks would target a player like Jeff Francis, whose current value is very low, but has succeeded in the past at the offensively charged Coors Field. While managing to avoid being homer-prone at Colorado (career: 1.11 HR/9, 43.2% groundball rate), Francis has good control (2.93 BB/9 career, 1.90 in 2010) and has tolerable strikeout rates (6.15 K/9 career, 5.78 in 2010). The issue with Francis is that he had dreaded shoulder surgery in and missed all of 2009, and only pitched 104.1 innings in 2010. But his fastball is as fast as it has been in four years and his peripherals were not terrible in 2010. He probably would not make for a bad 5th starter.

Another possible fit for the Yankees is the aforementioned Penny. Penny was downed in May by a back sprain; to that point he had posted decent peripherals in the admittedly low sample size of 55.2 IP: 5.66 K/9 and 1.46 BB/9. Penny's career K/BB ratio (2.20) also inspires some confidence. If Penny is healthy, the Yanks just might catch lightning in a bottle and get a solid performer in the rotation.

Granted, it is not the greatest idea in the world to invest money in oft-injured pitchers, but the return on investment could potentially be very great (high risk/high reward: Economics 101). While the Red Sox attempted to implement this strategy in 08-09 and failed to see very much from either Penny or Smoltz, it should be noted that the Red Sox were just increasing depth; they, like the Yankees, had young starters like Clay Buchholz waiting in the wings. One of Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances, and Andrew Brackman could develop by mid-year, thus rendering the depth signings as trade bait. It would be ridiculous to suggest that the Yankees bank on getting 200 innings from Penny or Francis, but it doesn't hurt to have options, especially in the starting rotation. You never can have too much pitching, after all.

Yankees Add Various Minor Leagues

The Yankees added a bunch of minor leaguers via trade and minor league signings: Cody Johnson, Neal Cotts, Rafael DePaula, Neal Cotts, and Daniel Martinez.

Firstly, the Yankees picked up OF Cody Johnson in a trade with the Braves in exchange for cash considerations. Johnson has a lot of power but also strikes out a ton. He spent time with the Braves and Rangers' systems, and shouldn't be more than filler.

Rafael DePaula was a big signing in the International Free Agent market. The 19 year old right handed pitcher from the Dominican Republic was signed for $700,000 and reportedly hit 97 MPH.

Neal Cotts is a familiar name. The seven-year major league vet missed all of last season with an injury. He has a career 4.64 ERA and could fight for a bullpen spot out of spring training.

Finally, the Yankees signed P Dan Martinez. All I could find out about him was that he was a 20-year that walks a lot of people.

Yankees Add 3 to 40-Man Roster

In order t0 protect them from the Rule V Draft, the Yankees protected three prospects - SP Dellin Betances, RP Ryan Pope, and 3B/OF Brandon Laird to the 40 man roster.

Dellin Betances, 22, had a breakout season as he recovered from ligament enhancement surgery. With Single-A Tampa, in 71 innings he recovered 88 strikeouts while walking only 19, and allowing only 43 hits. This was followed by a late season promotion where he recorded 20 strikeouts in Double-A over 14.1 innings.

Ryan Pope, 24, moved to the bullpen during the 2010 and had solid success, with encouraging peripherals. Despite a mediocre 4.20 ERA, he recorded 85 strikeouts over 95.1 innings. Expect him to begin the season in Scranton.

Brandon Laird, 23, had a breakout season of his own. In only 409 at-bats, he crushed 23 homers along with a .291 batting average and .351 OBP in Double-A Trenton. He struggled during his month-plus in Scranton (.621 OPS), but there is a lot to like here. He will be moving to the outfield from third base the upcoming season.

Juan Miranda to the D'Backs

A little while back Brian Cashman hinted that a minor move would be made, and a minor move has indeed been made. The Yankees have traded Cuban 1B Juan Miranda to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for minor league pitcher Scottie Allen.

Miranda, 27 (at least), has had 46 at-bats with the Yankees over the last 3 seasons after signing a 4-year deal after exiling from Cuba. He had no role with the Yankees so he is fortunate to be getting an opportunity with the Diamondbacks.

In exchange for Miranda, the Yankees picked up Scottie Allen, a 19-year old that was selected in the 11th round of the 2009 draft.

The following is the BaseballAmerica scouting report on Allen (via WasWatching):

Scottie Allen, RHP
Age: 19
Born: July 3, 1991 in Lyman, Calif.
Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 170. Bats: R. Throws: R.
School: Lyman HS, Longwood, Fla.
Career Transactions: Selected by Diamondbacks in 11th round of 2009 draft; signed June 19, 2009 ($125,000 signing bonus).

Allen throws four pitches, three of which grade as average at times, but lacks the one dominating offering to put batters away. He sinks his fastball at 87-91 mph and occasionally breaks out a swing-and-miss slider in the high 70s or a changeup in the same range. His curveball is less refined, but he’s around the zone with it and all his pitches. Wiry strong, Allen has a quick arm, but he tends to tire visibly by the fourth inning. Still, he’s worth taking a flier on because he’s a teenager who already shows a feel for pitching.

Cashman: Posada Virtually Done as Catcher

For the first time since 1999, it looks like Jorge Posada will not be the opening day catcher for the Yankees.

Various sources are reporting that Brian Cashman and the Yankees have informed long-time Yankee Jorge Posada that his days as a regular catcher are basically over, at least with the Yankees.

The Yankees will be giving catching prospect Jesus Montero a legitimate shot to win the starting catcher job in Spring Training, as well as having Francisco Cervelli and Austin Romine get a look as well. Furthermore, I would not be surprised to see them bring in some sort of veteran on a minor league deal or a cheap Major League deal as some sort of back-up option. Say a guy like Rod Barajas or perhaps a reclamation case such as Gerald Laird, who may have incentive to come here, seeing as his little brother Brandon will probably be reach the Majors with the Yankees this year, assuming nothing goes wrong.

This news should be very encouraging to Yankee fans - it shows that they are going with their brains rather than their hearts. They understand a guy like Posada's history with the Yankees, but at the same time they realize he is significantly hurting the team as catcher, and they have a young, cost-effective option ready. This also implies that they are going to make someone like Derek Jeter happy with his contract, but not do something crazy that hurts the team - they are using sound business and statistical sense here.

Furthermore, Posada recently underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee (coincidentally the same exact surgery that I will be undergoing in a little over a month.)

In conclusion, this is clearly the right move to make. Without having to go through the wear-and-tear of being a catcher, Posada's offensive production will likely increase (his OPS dropped to .811, although he did hit 18 homeruns in only 383 at-bats, and his ability to walk is still basically at career norms.) Hopefully Jesus impresses during Spring Training, and this will be touted as a blessing next season.

Source

40 Man Roster Additions and Subtractions: Mesa, Ring, Gaudin

The Yankees did a few roster-spot saving moves in order to prepare themselves for free agency and the Rule V Draft.

First of all, as of now, every Yankees that was eligible to be a free agent is no longer on the 40 man roster - this means Kerry Wood, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Javier Vazquez, Lance Berkman, Nick Johnson, Austin Kearns, Derek Jeter, Chad Moeller, and Marcus Thames.

Furthermore, they outrighted two players off of the roster - Royce Ring and Chad Gaudin, allowing them both to become free agents.

Finally, they added one player to the 40 man roster in order to protect from being a minor league free agent. They added 23-year-old outfielder Melky Mesa to the roster. Mesa hit .260/.338/.475 with 19 homeruns and 49 total extra base hits in 446 at-bats last year with Single-A Tampa. He would have been a six-year minor league free agent had he not been added to the roster.

Girardi Re-Ups for 3 Years

In the least surprising managerial move of the offseason, the Yankees re-signed manager Joe Girardi to a 3-year deal worth $9 million dollars.

I know many people were upset with his performance this postseason, but this is the right decision. Girardi has been known to trust match-ups a lot and that is what he did in the playoffs - and unfortunately he got burnt by that a few times.

But in the end this is my opinion - all human managers suck. If a team wanted the ideal leader they would use a computer to make the decisions for them. But as long as they do not hurt the team too much and he is competent in their interactions with the players and coach, they are fine.

So in conclusion, my reaction to them re-signing Girardi - "Whatever."

Dave Eiland Firing: A Not-So-Difficult Mystery to Solve

As you surely know, the Yankees fired pitching coach Dave Eiland after their ALCS loss to the Texas Rangers.

Brian Cashman has basically refused to comment on the matter, but the clues that the Yankees have left behind lead to a not-so-happy reason for the departure.

Dave Eiland missed almost an entire month early on in the season for undisclosed personal reasons. This right away seemed to be a clear sign that something is amiss. Then there are various rumors around the blogosphere that basically say the obvious - Dave Eiland missed time because he was in rehab.

All the signs point to this, all thought I am in no way saying that this is a fact. This is purely speculation. There has not been any official statement in any way stating this.

The Yankees have however been looking for replacements for him for the next season. Various sources say they have been considering at least Gil Patterson, Mike Harkey, and Scott Aldred for the job.

Lee is Great, but Sky Yet to Fall

On Twitter Sunday night, Benjamin Kabak of River Ave. Blues made a very valid point about the tough task the Yankees face with Cliff Lee potentially pitching against them in two of the five remaining ALCS games scheduled. I think it is very fair to be concerned about Cliff Lee and his mastery of pitching, but I feel that the discussion about that point has unnecessarily risen to a decibel level that rivals that of cries that the sky is falling. It is imperative to recall that there are several things that the Yankees have going for them against Cliff Lee that should (somewhat) dampen the concerns of Yankee fans.

Firstly, let us not forget that in the 2010 regular season, the Yankees were tops in the American League in wOBA at .347. They also led the AL in OBP (.350) and were third in SLG (.436). The Yankee line-up is stacked with professional hitters; it is not impotent by any stretch of the imagination and has the ability to hold its own against even a world-class pitcher like Lee. (As a side note, it should be noted that, while the southpaw Lee enjoys similar success against both lefties and righties, the Yankees' line-up is mostly RH or switch-hitting, and that of their three regular LHB, only Curtis Granderson posts a poor platoon split. So there's that.)

Secondly, people should take solace in the fact that Cliff Lee actually is not a robot. He is as vulnerable to being sup-bar as every other major-league player. It is not outside the realm of possibility that Lee does not pitch well in this series. If the Giants' middle-of-the-road offense (.318 wOBA, 9th in the National League) managed to put some chinks into Roy Halladay's armor, the Yanks could certainly manage something against Lee.

Last, but certainly not least, anything can happen in the playoffs. It is often said that the playoffs are a crapshoot; teams are at the mercy of luck in five and seven-game contests. Anything can happen in a series, from Francisco Cervelli getting a big hit to a future Hall of Famer like Alex Rodriguez going 1 for 16. So it shouldn't be a surprise if Lee falters; anything can happen in the sample size of one or two games.

The intention of this article is not to understate the ability of Cliff Lee; he is an amazing pitcher whom the Rangers were savvy enough to trade for this summer. With that said, he is not invincible, and the Yankees have, bar none, the best offense in baseball. Yes, having to potentially face Lee twice over the next five games is unfortunate, but it definitely does not spell the end for the Yanks.