Andy Pettitte comes out of retirement

Words can't describe how happy I am right now. Some info on the deal is it is a minor league deal worth $2.5  million.

The suprises of spring training

Well this the last week the Yankees will be down in Tampa training until 2012. On of my favorite things is how the storylines are resolved and the unexpected, becomes a reality.

First example, Gustavo Molina as the back up catcher.
 A few weeks back on Talkin Baseball: The Hot Corner I joked the Molina would make the team over Jesus Montero or Austin Romine. Well each day it looks more and more like a solid possability. Molina has had a nice spring, while Montero has struggled and would not get the chance to play everyday in the bigs. Romine missed time, and many feel he is also not ready. I would have said Jorge Posada, but he has yet to catch a single inning in spring training and I doubt he will for the remaining few days. So that leaves it to Molina.

I actually like the Molina idea since, he will just play once a week if that, and when Cervelli comes back they can cut Cervelli they can either send down Molina or Cervelli.

Bartolo Colon, Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia all make the team, with the last two being the fourth and fifth starters.
Yes two of them would have to make the team as the starting pitchers at the back of the rotation, unless the Yanks were going to go with four man rotation. But Sergio Mitre was sadly cut as the long man, and that opened up the role for big Bartolo.

I never expected Colon to be on the roster once opening day hit, I also had my doubts about Nova (I was assuming the Yanks would make a trade) but they both will be pitching in the bigs to start 2011.

Eric Chavez does not get hurt! And makes the team

Whats more shocking that he didnt get hurt or that he made the team? I would say that he was healthy enough, cause I had a feeling Girardi would add him to the roster if he played well, and he has done just that hitting close to .400 this spring.

A sweet relaxing spring training

Could always talk more about Jeter's house!

Steroid issues, managing changes, drama filled books,A-Rod, fat toads, new high priced free agents, reminiscing about playoff chokes and more A-Rod drama. That is what has made up the Yankees spring training the past few seasons.

But this years its oddly dull. A-Rod has had himself a good spring training with no issues, Girardi is the manager and will be for a while and the fat toads are long gone. The story lines are basic, baseball stuff something those who have followed the bombers are not use to. While everyone is wanting to watch the Phillies rotation or the Cardinals deal with Albert Pujols and the injury to Adam Wainwright, you could even argue the Yankees aren't even the team that many want to look at during spring training, that would belong to the Red Sox.

But of course their are story lines to the spring, but even those are basic baseball story lines that you can find in any other camp. The biggest is who is the fourth and fifth starter and that is a legit issue, but all the candidates have pitched well so far. The next biggest storyline could be will all the players stay healthy, another issue that comes up on the other 29 clubs.

Of course on March 31st when CC Sabathia throws the first pitch of the season, the baseball world will once again have an eye on the bombers, but until then it will remain a stress free spring in Tampa. But you wont hear anyone on the Yankees complain.

Curtis Granderson more important in 2011 then you think.

Much has been made about the Yankees issues this spring, who is going to round out the rotation? What will the bench look like? Will father time stay on the side of Derek Jeter, A-Rod and Mariano Rivera? But one of the most over looked questions has been which Curtis Granderson will show up?

Curtis Granderson began his Yankees career with a blast, literally. In his first at bat as a Yankees, Granderson hit a home run at Fenway Park. That was Grandersons bright spot for the first two months, the newly acquired Yankee struggled mightily hitting just .225 before getting hurt, missing a month of the season. Once he came back he wasn't the same player the Yankees traded for. He was hitting just .239 as late as August 11th with just 11 home runs. At that time he went to Kevin Long for help, he changed up his stance and finished the year hitting 13 home runs from August 13th on, and hit .278 in the month of September.

With the issues the Yankees have with the pitching, they are going to have to out hit teams, during many of their games. They will need the Granderson that arrived after August 11th, and many fans are expecting that Graderson, but if he does not show up the Yankees could be in for alot of trouble. As each of the star starting players get older, the Yankees need players like Granderson to step up. Brian Cashman would love to see the soon to be 30 year old outfielder turn it up a notch, after all he traded away Ian Kennedy and Austin Jackson to get him, and both young players that had break out seasons for other teams.

While much of the hype this spring will be about the rotation, Jeter and A-Rod, the unsung story should be about Granderson, and what to expect from him in 2011.

Kevin "the clown" Millwood turns down minor league deal

Millwood looking hefty, with him
CC and Colon the Yankees
could hold a biggest loser contest.

Kevin Millwood was 4-16 last season, had an ERA of over 5 and yet turned down the Yankees minor league deal. The deal similar to the one Freddy Garcia signed, that would include up to $3 million in bonuses.

Why in the world Millwood would turn down this type of deal, I have no clue. Every teams pitchers and catchers have reported, yet Millwood still is holding out for a guarranteed deal. Sure Millwood is an innings eater, and earlier this spring I was hoping the Yanks would give he a shot, but not in a guarranteed way. Millwood over the last few seasons has had an ERA over 5 in four of the past five seasons,and in the past two seasons he had given up 56 homers, a number that wouldnt be going down at Yankee Stadium

Millwood should have just taken the minor league deal, with the state of the Yankees pitching he could have easily won the spot over fat boy Bartolo, Sergio Mitre and Freddy Garcia.

Pedro Paterson?

Over the winter the bombers brought in ex-Met Pedro Feliciano. At the time I was annoyed with the move, no need to spend so much ($8 million over 2 years) on a LOOGY (lefty one out guy) plus the Yanks already had Boone Logan. Too bad I wasn't a supported of Governor Paterson, since Pedro and Paterson look so similar, take a look for your self.



Govenor Paterson




Pedro Feliciano



Did Joba eat the hut? Does the weight matter?

Every year spring training rolls around, and you hear about a player that came into camp slimmed down like CC Sabathia, or overweight. This year Joba Chamberlain has been the one to come into camp hefty.

But should weight even matter? It seems to be a hot topic throughout the media when a skinnier CC showed up on day one  and now with Joba gaining weight it seems to be another day of talking about weight, but does the weight of a pitcher really effect the way they pitch? I mean Sabathia said he weighed 315 last year and he still won 19 games and was a CY Young award candidate. David Wells won 239 career games and threw a perfect game, all that while weighing close to 250 pounds.

But at the same time those are just two recent players that had success due to the weight. Sabathia wanted to lose the weight after having surgery on his knee. Bartolo Colon, who is in Yankee camp trying to win a job had numerous back problems over the past seasons due to his hefty stature.

Of course with a pitcher as young as Joba (Just 25) you should expect for the player to gain some weight. But it is alarming that a player who is fighting for a job on the team to come in out of shape. It shows he's still young and irresponsible, both things the Yankees wish would change.

Joba no longer has a major role on this team, in part because he has struggled on the field, and part cause the Yankees have switched his role too many times. Brian Cashman has said numerous times Joba will not be a starter but it could be best that Chamberlain starts at AAA Scranton this season and gets stretched out to start again. Joba as a starter would be easier to trade and more helpful for the Yanks a team that is low on starters.

The winter doldrums are over!

Today Yankee pitchers and catchers report to spring training, symbolizing that winter is over and the warm weather aint far away.

                    So while some players are excited to start a new season

                                                         Others arent

Things to watch for in Spring Training

Hughes,CC and Burnett

Ah the green grass, the crack of the bat and the fresh breeze of a new season starting. No that is not happening in New York yet, but rather in Tampa, Florida where the Yankees pitchers and catchers report tomorrow. With a new season, it brings new questions and things to look for..

The battle for the back end of the rotation: The sky began falling once the Phillies swooped in and signed Cliff Lee, and then completely fell just last week when Andy Pettitte announced his retirement. The pitching rotation starts out strong with workhorse CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and AJ Burnett. But that is followed by a pair of question marks. The main candidates include Freddy Garcia, Bartolo Colon, Ivan Nova, and Sergio Mitre along with many rookie long shots.
My prediction before a single pitch is thrown is that the last two starters are Freddy Garcia and Ivan Nova.

Montero, Cervelli and Posada

Who's behind the plate? In Gran Torino Clint Eastwood often muttered "Get off my lawn", one of these days I'm expecting Jorge Posada to tell the young catchers to get out from behind his plate. The proud catcher has been told that he will be DHing this season although he insists that he could still catch if he wanted to. The Yanks have top prospect Jesus Montero lined up for the job but are afraid to rush him, Cashman signed Russel Martin this off season and has said on numerous occasions that he will be the starter, and you cant forget about Francisco Cervelli.

My prediction is that Yankee fans will have to wait to see Jesus Montero later in the season, Russell Martin will gain the starting job with Cervelli as his back up.

Eric Chavez in better
and healthier days.

Who's benched: Normally being benched is a bad thing, but in spring training the chance to win a job as a bench player is the goal of many young players and aging veterans. Last season the bombers had Ramiro Pena, Austin Kearns and Marcus Thames as the main stays coming off the bench. The only one of those returning is Ramiro Pena and his job is no longer secure. Former World Series villain Andruw Jones was signed to a guaranteed deal so one spot on the bench is already filled. To fill the infield spot include Pena, Eduardo Nunez, Eric Chavez and Ronnie Belliard. The first two are more defense oriented and can play multiple infield spots while Chavez and Bellaird are the more famous players, but are known for their bat and aren't as versatile. If the Yanks wanna carry two outfielders instead of two infielders then Greg Golsen and Justin Maxwell could earn a job, but both are long shots.

My prediction is that Ramiro Pena and Ronnie Belliard join Andruw Jones as the main bench guys. I would love to see Eric Chavez get a shot, but the injury risk is too large.

The invited: I have called this off season "The year of the minor league deal" since Brian Cashman was handing these out like it was Halloween. Each season teams invite minor league and major league players players to spring training on a non guaranteed contract. Once in spring training the players battle for any available jobs, the losers of those competitions are either released or sent to the minor leagues. Some noticeable names on the list are former big leaguers Mark Prior, Neal Cotts, and Luis Ayala. Will any of them make the team? Yeah, except that team is the Scranton Yankees.

Spring Training where art thou

13 More days till the Yanks report
to Tampa.

Ugh another snowstorm is coming to the New York area, while down in sunny Tampa its 70 degrees and beautiful. With a winter this harsh, it makes me long for the start of spring training when hope for spring and the start of a long baseball season is not far away.
The worst weeks are coming up, with 13 days until the start of pitchers and catchers, the sports world will take a hit after Super Bowl Sunday. For those days following until, spring training action begins, I consider it the most boring time of the year, only basketball and hockey and going on neither with any large relevance. Spring training can't come soon enough...

Do or die once again... Hughes and Yanks look to stay alive one more night

Phil Hughes will be making the biggest start of his career with the Yankees still in a 3-2 hole. Hughes was knocked around in game one and is in desperate need to regain his form this time out. The Rangers will send Colby Lewis to the mound, hoping to crush the Yankees hope of becoming a part of history.

Since game two was last Saturday, both starters have had plenty of time to rest up. Hughes this year is 6-1 3.75 ERA when he gets five days rest, the Yankees would like to see this Hughes not the one who was beat up in game two. But it isn't all about rest, in game two Hughes was not locating his fastball, and threw way to many cutters. After watching the Rangers for the past few games, it is obvious that most of their hitters can handle a fastball, even ones as effective as Hughes. Hughes is going to need to throw his breaking pitches tonight to be effective, especially to Josh Hamilton who has killed the Yankees this series by hitting fastballs. But on top of what pitches to throw Hughes needs to have better command of his pitches. He may have walked just three batters in his first start in the series, but too many of his pitches were left in the middle of the plate. You cant do that against a team like Texas. I also would not be against Hughes throwing a bit up and in to Hamilton or any of the Rangers hitters, it just seems like they have become so comfortable up at the plate.

Colby Lewis dominated the Yankees the first time around, but it always seemed like the Yankees would get a few guys on and then not get the big hit. Well that could be the story of their entire season, they haven't hit with RISP. But prior to game two, only a handful of bombers had ever seen Lewis, and that was back when he was with the Rangers years ago. Now Lewis is a better pitcher then back in early 2000's, that with a combination that the Yankees always struggle against pitchers they have not seen before. But this time around the Yankees have seen Lewis once, his stuff didn't impress me and as long as the Yankee hitters take a few pitches a wait for a mistake they could force a game seven.

If the Yankees fall behind tonight in a close game tonight expect any of the pitchers to be available, because if they lose, their wont be a tomorrow until spring training 2011.