Phil Franchise gets the call

With starting pitcher Chien-Ming Wang expected to miss his next start, it looks as if Phil Hughes will get a first chance at redemption.
Hughes started eight games in 2008, going 0-4 with a 6.62 ERA and 23 strikeouts before being shut down for most of the season. Hughes has a strike out to walk ratio of 19:3 in 19.1 innings for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season.

Yankees Release Humberto Sanchez

The Yankees have released right-handed pitcher Humberto Sanchez. With the move, the Yankees bring right-hander Mark Melancon up to the 40-man roster.
After being traded to the Yankees in 2006 in the deal that sent Gary Sheffield to the Detroit Tigers, Sanchez just couldn't stay health having Tommy John surgery in 2007. He pitched only two innings for the Yankees in 2008 and allowed one run.

Yanks lose in Joba's good outing

In his first game of the season, Joba Chamberlain went six innings, allowing three runs (only one of which was earned) on four hits and one walk, while striking out five. However, following his exit from the game, the bullpen, which had not allowed a hit in its previous ten innings, allowed three runs. One run came was allowed by Jose Veras while two more were allowed by youngster Phil Coke.
On the other side of the ball, Nick Swisher (double) and Robinson Cano (single) continued their hot streaks, each going one for four. Swisher had a run scored while Cano knocked in a run. Xavier Nady (double) also brought a runner home. Cody Ransom continued to prove that the Yankees should have brought in an outside player to man third base in Alex Rodriguez's absent, going zero for two with a walk, he is one for twenty on the season. Brett Gardner (single, stolen base), Hideki Matsui (double), and Jose Molina (single) each had one hit in the game.





Although my computer is still down, I am going to attemp to keep up with the site from this point on. It may be difficult, as I have to work many nights throughout the week, but I am hoping to make posts a few times a week.

Apology

I would like to apologize for my lack of posts as of late. My computer has recently been infected with numerous viruses and I have few resources outside of this. I will try to keep you updated about the Yankees' Spring Training results and any major news, but I am uncertain how often I will be able to do so.

Thank you for understanding and I will be back online as soon as possible.

Poll results are in

The poll results are in. Here's what we've got:

If Alex Rodriguez breaks Barry Bonds' all-time home run record, who would you consider the all-time home run king?

In a not-so-stunning victory, Hank Aaron has been named your all-time home run king. However, Alex Rodriguez received just three votes less than Aaron, while Barry Bonds received zero votes.

I am somewhat confused on these results. Did A-Rod receive so many votes because this is a Yankees' blog? Because he came out and admitted his use? Because the duration of Bonds' usage is unknown?

If any of you who voted for Rodriguez would like to explain your justification behind your vote, please do so in the comments. I would like the hear what everyone has to say.

Jeter, Team USA defeat Yanks

In his first career game opposing the New York Yankees, Derek Jeter lead Team USA to 6-5 win over his MLB team with two RBIs. Meanwhile, Brett Gardner continued to proved that he is more than worthy of the title of Opening Day center fielder, going 3-3 with a double, a stolen base, and a run scored. Phil Hughes threw 2 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits in the third inning. Hughes hit Curtis Granderson on a 0-1 pitch, as he has recently been instructed to throw inside on this count, and struck out two batters. Phil Coke threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings, while Eric Hacker allowed four runs in the sixth inning, walking two batters and hitting another before being pulled out without recording an out.

Derek Jeter was named the captain of Team USA, thus making him Captain America.

Yanks lose in high scoring game

The Yankees lost by a score of 11-13 today to the Cincinnati Reds. The Yankees had an 11-8 lead going into the top of the seventh inning. However, youngster Christian Garcia allowed four runs in the seventh inning to allow the Reds to take the lead. Throughout the game, Alfredo Aceves allowed three runs, Damaso Marte allowed two runs, and Jon Albaladejo, J.B. Cox, Brian Bruney, and Mark Melancon each allowed one run.

Although the game resulted in a loss, some positive aspects came out of it. At the plate, the Yankees combined for 19 hits (five more than the Reds). Alex Rodriguez had two doubles, Robinson Cano and Kevin Cash each had one, Cano also homered, Derek Jeter had three singles, and Brett Gardner, who has been on a tear during his competition for the starting center field position, had a double and a home run. Should Gardner keep it up, he may have a starting job somewhere in the outfield even after prospect Austin Jackson is ready for the big leagues.

The Yankees are 2-3 during Spring Training, but have yet to pitch any big name players or play all of their regular season starters in a game.

Matsui Making the Most of It

Hideki Matsui is patiently, and often privately, putting in the hours needed to get into game shape again. He is systematically rehabbing his latest injury to his knee. In his final season of his second contact with the Yankees, Hideki has just begun jogging to get the knee back in shape. No longer able to cover the outfield as he once could, his knees have relegated him to a designated hitter’s role. He had surgery on his right knee following the 2007 season, and then on his left at the end of last season. He put off that surgery until September 22^nd last year so he could play in the last game at Yankee Stadium.

Signed by the Yankees after the 2002 season, Matsui had played the previous 10 years in the Japanese League. During that time he played for Tokyo, which had an artificial turf surface on their field. Hideki believes those years of pounding on his knees there contributed to his knee problems now. Counting those seasons in Japan, he played in 1,768 games before his first injury in New York on May 11, 2006, when he broke his wrist. The subsequent knee injuries have reduced his playing time to just over 50% of Yankees games since that 2006 injury. At 34-years-old, Hideki is anxious to play this season. It’s a good baseball bet that he will see significant playing time this year.

In his 6 seasons in New York Matsui has compiled a .295 batting average and a .371 on base percentage. During that time he has scored 474 runs and has had 507 RBIs and 112 home runs. Even with his knee injury last season he still appeared in 93 games and had 99 hits, a .294 BA and a .370 OBP. The guy is tough, he loves the game, and he comes every day ready to play. Manager Joe Girardi could wish all his players had the same attitude and toughness.

General Manager Brian Cashman left open the possibility of Matsui doing more than merely being a designated hitter this season. “If he does wind up in the outfield, we won’t see it in the first part of the season; that’s not our expectation. It has nothing to do with the number of outfielders we have. We’re just trying to keep him healthy,” Cashman said. All true Yankee fans would welcome Hideki’s return to the outfield.

Bob Bagley… baseball betting analyst

Yanks go down 5-4

The Yankees lost to the Minnesota Twins by a score of 5-4 today. The Yankees had the lead by a score of 3-0 with the help of a Brett Gardner single and stolen base, a Nick Swisher single, an Alexi Casilla error, and a Justin Leone home run. Also, Ian Kennedy pitched 2 innings, allowing one hit, no runs, one walk, while striking out three. Gardner also had a double, but was stranded. Jorge Posada singled and was two for three on the night. Juan Miranda doubled.

Eric Hacker allowed two walks, three hits and one run before Anthony Claggett came in to save him in the fourth inning. Claggett ended the inning without allowing another hit. Andrew Brackman allowed a home run to Twins' outfielder Jason Kubel in the sixth inning. George Kontos blew the save in the seventh, allowing one run, and Wilkin De La Rosa took the loss, allowing two runs in two-thirds of an inning.