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New York Yankees: Houdini to DL

Posted by on 15 May 2012, 6:15 pm

Talk about some bad luck as the New York Yankees have placed another on the ever-growing DL (disabled list).

David Robertson on April 24, 2011

David Robertson on April 24, 2011 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This time it is reliever/interim-closer David Robertson who has a strained left oblique and will be out for 15 days at least.

It is not surprising that the Yankees did not acknowledge that Robertson was hurt publicly until their backs were against the wall, as skipper Joe Girardi and GM Brian Cashman have a knack for not revealing anything in full.

I guess this explains why Yankee fans haven’t seen Robertson throw a pitch since last Friday, as he was nonchalantly unavailable.

After watching Rafael Soriano close the game beautifully last night in Baltimore, questions started swirling about why Robertson did not pitch.

Than Wallace Matthews at ESPN New York reported just after midnight that Robertson had felt a tug on his left side during his outing last Friday night vs. the Mariners.

Robertson said he was “not too concerned,” as he described the pain as “a little sore, but it wasn’t like one pitch and I felt like something rip or tear or anything like that.”

He was hoping it would disappear but unfortunately it did not and the MRI from earlier today revealed a strain.

This is a big blow for the Yankees, as Robertson is a key arm out of the bullpen and his absence will not go unnoticed.

Since the start of the 2012 season, the Yankees have been hit with the injury bug like you read about. If the DL list keeps growing at this rate, it will be more competitive than the real active roster.

My guess is Yankee fans are now thanking their lucky stars that owner Hal Steinbrenner forced Cashman to sign Soriano last off-season because otherwise the Yankees would be in a real hole right now. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Houdini to DL’ »

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New York Yankees: Garcia and Hughes nightmare continues

Posted by on 29 April 2012, 2:29 am

Following his last disastrous start, New York Yankees pitcher Freddy Garciahad another horrendous outing; as he gave up six earned runs

GARCIA - HUGHES

in less than two innings to the Detroit Tigers, who eventually won the second game of this three game set, 7-5.

Once again skipper Joe Girardi had to go to the bullpen in the second inning, just like he had to do three days earlier down in Texas when Phil Hughes couldn’t get the job done vs. the Rangers.

Following the Tigers win, the media asked Girardi, for the second time this week, what he was going to do about tonight’s starter, and he said, “I like to sleep on things before I really do a lot of stuff.”   

This is where I got confused because what exactly does Girardi need to sleep on?

All I keep wondering is what was Girardi thinking prior to this series?

When you think about it, no one is supposed to beat Justin Verlander as losing is to him is almost expected. So how do you feel good about starting Garcia in the second game with Verlander starting the first in a three game set?

Logically you would think the Yankees skipper is deciding how to replace both starters and dreaming of…whom to bring up from the minors? Giving David Phelps a go? And when exactly will Andy Pettitte be ready?

Enough time has been spent on Garcia and Hughes because reality is both need to go now, and there is no need to sleep on it unless you want nightmares.

Facts are Garcia is totally useless; and Hughes is as close to useless you can be. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Garcia and Hughes nightmare continues’ »

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New York Yankees: 2 possibilities to fix Hughes issue

Posted by on 28 April 2012, 3:37 am

Phil Hughes - crackling picture - 2010

With the news that prize acquisition Michael Pineda might never see the lights in Yankee Stadium from the pitcher’s mound, at least not this season, does leave the team in a bit of a pickle.

Less than a week ago, Pineda was still going to play a big part in the 2012 season.

Personally knowing that Pineda was coming, made enduring each Phil Hughes start somewhat tolerable, and I am sure many Yankee fans felt the same way.

Now that Pineda is out, fans will hang their hopes on veteran Andy Pettitte’s return but knowing the Yankees he will replace Freddy Garcia.

Like Hughes, Garcia has been terrible too but the Yankees seem willing to excuse Hughes because he won 18-games in 2010. I guess the fact that Garcia won 12 games and the team won 15 out of his 25 starts in 2011 doesn’t factor in at all; or that Garcia has experience.

Regardless, Hughes is a problem and will remain one until the Yankees wake-up and smell the coffee.

Hopefully skipper Joe Girardi and GM Brian Cashman will start believing that 2010 was Hughes’ exception before it is too late.

Now, the Yankees have other options but they will have to go out of their comfort zone to actually carry them out. Hey, you never know what can happen until you try right?

Here are two options that the Yankees already have, but this would entail sending Hughes to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre because he can convince the Yankees from down there of why he should still be in the rotation. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: 2 possibilities to fix Hughes issue’ »

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New York Yankees: You Hughes you lose

Posted by on 26 April 2012, 4:19 am

Who has had enough of Phil Hughes?

Photograph of Phil Hughes taken on April 29, 2...

Photograph of Phil Hughes taken on April 29, 2008 at Yankee Stadium. 04:50, 1 May 2008 . . Mandalatv . . 1,272×954 (691 KB) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hughes proved once again, vs. Rangers, to be a liability on the mound. But this doesn’t seem to faze skipper Joe Girardi as he told Mark Feinstein of the NY Daily News this after the game:Well, the New York Yankees certainly have not, which is a real concern.

 “We believe he can do it and I know he believes he can do it. But right now, sometimes the ball’s running back a little, he’s leaving the curveball up, the cutter’s sometimes not getting to where he wants to so it is frustrating. But you’ve got to keep working at it.”

And if you were wondering whether Hughes’ rotation spot was in jeopardy, Girardi clearly stated:

“Our plans are to send (Hughes) out there again. He’s got to keep working at it. We’ve got to try to find a way to get it right.”

Hughes is one lucky guy, as most teams with other options would definitely use them because it is not like things could get any worse.

Even in his earlier start against the Twins, Hughes was mediocre at best. He did manage to pitch five whole innings, and get a W courtesy of the Yankee bats scoring seven runs.

In case you forgot, here is what Hughes has done in his four starts this season (stats are courtesy of mlb.com):

All stats courtesy of mlb.com.

Does anybody know how many more games Hughes has to screw up for the Yankees to take him out of the starting rotation? Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: You Hughes you lose’ »

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Yankees are out of Phil Hughes excuses

Posted by on 15 April 2012, 4:35 am

New York Yankees pitcher Phil Hughes made his second start yesterday afternoon against Los Angeles Angels, and ex-Ranger CJ Wilson.

And Hughes preformed exactly how I thought he would, terribly.

Phil Hughes in 2007

Phil Hughes in 2007 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have received endless criticism from LLP readers about my harsh stance on Hughes not having the stuff to be a starter; and that his 2010 season was a fluke.

Yes, Hughes went 18-8 in 2010 but in 14 of the wins the Yankees scored six or more runs, which was the most run support in baseball. Hughes pitched 176 innings and gave up 25 home-runs, which is not typical for an 18-game winner who made 31 starts.

Hughes was voted to the All-Star team in 2010 as his wins record turned a decent first-half into something it was not. And ever since Hughes pitched in that All-Star game he has not gotten back to being even close to decent again.

The real Hughes was on display in yesterday’s loss; and he couldn’t complete four innings, allowed six runs to score but managed to strike out five Halos in another pathetic outing.

And I hate to gloat…. but I told you so.

Everyone is so focused on how Hughes looks on the radar gun; and yesterday was no different as there were references to his velocity returning to the low to mid 90’s again, but in the grand scheme of things does it really matter?

No it doesn’t because the fact is Hughes cannot finish off hitters because they figure him out, like they did in the second half of 2010, like the Angels did yesterday and like the Rays did a week ago; and that my friend loses games.

Just watching Albert Pujols down 0-2 in his second at-bat, you could tell that he had figured Hughes out; and third pitch he hit a double.

The reality is Hughes is good for about two innings, as he proved successfully during the regular 2009 season coming out of the bullpen.

The question is how many more chances are Cashman and Girardi going to give Hughes when there are other viable options that would give the Yankees a better chance to win? Continue reading ‘Yankees are out of Phil Hughes excuses’ »

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New York Yankees: My never read theory about Michael Pineda

Posted by on 1 April 2012, 3:56 pm
Michael Pineda

Michael Pineda (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I wrote this post almost two weeks ago and never published it because when I read it to a friend and my father they both said I was being oversensitive about my theory of what could happen to Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda.

So, I wimped out.

And now look what happened…last time I don’t listen to my gut because I totally regret it now.

So here it is the theory I did NOT publish, just a day late and a dollar short.

Everyone in Yankee Universe remembers the disasters of 2008.

Not making the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons was not exactly the ideal sendoff for the historic old Stadium that the franchise had called home since 1923 but that is not what I am talking about.

I am referring to the Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain fiasco.

In 2008 the ‘Big 3’ was deemed the “future of the franchise” and the New York media had a field day with them, especially Chamberlain after throwing the infamous “bug game” in the 2007 ALDS in Cleveland.

The problem came when dealing with the pressure and relentless attention paid by the New York media vultures. The press hounded these kids and made everything that much harder, as there was no room to fail.

If you don’t think that the media wasn’t one of the major culprits that hindered the trios development you are crazy.

Yes, everyone is well aware of the media that comes with playing in New York but it should have been more controlled by the Yankees front office, or some veteran players could have stepped in.

Regardless, what happened to Hughes, Kennedy and Chamberlain seems to be getting repeated with the Yankees new young pitcher Michael Pineda.

It is only the second week of Spring Training and Pineda has already stated a few times that he is very uncomfortable with the 20 or more media that surround his locker.

The 23-year old hails from the Dominican Republic; English is his second language and like most who are bi-lingual, it doesn’t flow out as easily. Add that to the fact the Pineda is already shy by nature and you have a recipe for trouble.

I get that the media hounds come out in droves for anything and everything Yankees related, but there has to be a better solution to protect guys like Pineda; at least for Spring Training so they can get adjusted.

There is no fine line drawn between reasonable and merciless regarding young, imports like Pineda. Having five reporters is reasonable, but having 30 is not and considering the detrimental effects that added anxiety can have on someone’s psyche it has to be fixed.  Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: My never read theory about Michael Pineda’ »

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The New York Yankees infatuation with Phil Hughes

Posted by on 29 March 2012, 12:26 pm

Two days ago, Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News claimed that New York Yankees pitcher Phil Hughes has captured a spot in the rotation and I have pondered over this ever since.

Phil Hughes pitching on April 18, 2008 against...

Phil Hughes pitching on April 18, 2008 against the Baltimore Orioles (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

At the start of Spring Training the impression was that CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda were the only two with confirmed spots in the starting rotation and the rest were up for grabs between Ivan Nova, Phil Hughes, Freddy Garcia and Michael Pineda.

Right from the start it felt like a rigged competition.

It just seemed that the Yankees were determined to give Phil Hughes a starting spot as long as he pitched somewhat decently.

GM Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi cannot seem to shake the 18 games he won in 2010, which I could understand more if 14 of Hughes wins were not in games when the bats scored 6+ runs. And he only pitched a total of 176 innings and that is very low for a pitcher who made 31 starts and went 18-8.

And some reason, I still don’t trust Hughes as a starter as the only time I truly felt confident watching him on the mound was when he pitched in relief in 2009.

The main question I have is if this real competition is based on Spring Training stats, because if it is than Hughes securing a spot is not really justified. Continue reading ‘The New York Yankees infatuation with Phil Hughes’ »

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