This blog has been starving for an update on ex-Yankees, and I thought there would be no better time than today to revive this blog’s old periodic feature.
Why today? Well, that’s easy. Haven’t you seen the Nationals box score from last night?! If you were too lazy to click through that link, I’ll just go ahead and tell you that old friend Chien-Ming Wang picked up his first win since beating the Mets on June 28, 2009, while wearing pinstripes. Wang had a no-hitter through five innings, lost it in the sixth, but left without allowing a run. Although it may hurt some of you to see him back to his winning ways, I feel really good for him. It’s been a long journey for him, and I guess he needed a fresh start.
Another reason to bring back the ex-Yankees feature today is due to some news out of Braves camp. Atlanta called up pitching prospect Arodys Vizcaino, who went from the Yankees to the Braves in the Javier Vazquez deal in the 2009 offseason.
Without further ado, below are updates on some more old friends.
August 10, 2011
Ex-Yankees update: Chien-Ming Wang, Arodys Vizcaino, tons more
November 10, 2010
Posada told he’ll DH. Who’s your catcher?
My guess is the Opening Day starter won’t be Jesus Montero. Why do I say that? Because there’s only been one player with no major league experience to start in the field for the Yankees on Opening Day in the Derek Jeter era. I’ll give you a second to think.
…
OK, here’s a hint: his first name rhymes with Reid Gorecki’s last name.
Hideki Matsui. And he had nine years of Japanese baseball under his belt.
The five homegrown starters in last year’s Opening Day lineup were Derek Jeter, Nick Johnson, Robinson Cano, Jorge Posada and Brett Gardner. All of whom debuted midseason after they were groomed into their respective positions by veterans (Tony Fernandez, Tino Martinez, Tony Womack, Joe Girardi and Johnny Damon, respectively). I expect nothing different from the Yankees with how they handle the beast named Montero.
If Posada is now just an emergency catcher at best, I expect the Yankees to pick up a cheap free agent catcher like John Buck (mentioned by LoHud). Here’s this year’s entire free agent list to browse for catchers, but the Yankees could also look for trade options.
November 1, 2010
Berkman and Wood fit for Yankees in 2011
The Yankees last week declined 2011 options on Lance Berkman, Kerry Wood and Nick Johnson. It’s almost certain Johnson won’t be back in pinstripes next year, but I believe Berkman and Wood fit right into next year’s puzzle.
Just to clarify, the Yanks declined their options because of their overpriced contracts.
Berkman's option was for $15 million, Wood's for $11 million and Johnson's for $5.5 million.
On Soon-to-Be 35-Year-Old Berkman:
Although Berkman is bound for Houston again, I think Berkman at a discount would fit nicely with the Yankees in 2011. He’s definitely in line for a serious pay cut, as his six-year, $85 million deal just expired and his numbers are in great decline.
Unfortunately, it’s a “two-way street,” as my pal said. Berkman probably wants to go back home to Houston. Perhaps Andy Pettitte’s decision to return or not will impact Berkman’s. We’ll see how this all plays out, but I think the best-case scenario is he’s back in pinstripes on a one-year, $5 million deal with a club option.
On 33-Year-Old Wood:
Do I really have to explain? He allowed two earned in 26 innings for the Yankees in the second half. He earned a new contract. As far as I’m concerned, he’s first in line to take Mariano Rivera’s place if the unthinkable happens (or if he gets injured).
July 31, 2010
Berkman to hit 2nd in Yankees lineup
Lance Berkman was the first to tell the world he’ll be hitting second in the Yankees lineup in an interview on MLB Network. I originally expected him to hit sixth, keeping Nick Swisher in the No. 2 spot that he’s found comfort in, but I guess Joe Girardi has a little more respect for Berkman, 34, than I do.
Here’s the new-look lineup; Berkman essentially takes Nick Johnson’s spot and Jorge Posada takes a full day off.
Derek Jeter SS
Lance Berkman DH
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Curtis Granderson CF
Francisco Cervelli C
Brett Gardner LF
Do you agree with Girardi moving down the hot Swisher to make room for Berkman?
July 30, 2010
Lance Berkman likely to dawn pinstripes
Multiple reports swelled in around 4 p.m. today indicating the Yankees will net Astros switch-hitting first baseman/DH Lance Berkman before tomorrow’s trade deadline.
The deal isn’t final yet; money is still being discussed. The Yankees will be sending non-prospect minor leaguers in return, according to Ken Davidoff. I’d assume that means no Jesus Montero or Andrew Brackman.
The 34-year-old is definitely past his prime, but he’s still got a little life left in his bat. Here are his career stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.
One column to pay attention to is his OBP. Despite a major decline in BA, his OBP has remained quite high. Daily news reporter Jesse Spector compared Berkman to a switch-hitting Nick Johnson. Hard to disagree with that.
As far as I’m concerned, he fits perfectly into the lineup at the DH and can spell Mark Teixeira when necessary. I like the move, just as long as the Yankees don’t give away any minor leaguers whom I really like.
July 19, 2010
Olney confirms Heyman’s report from 2 months ago: Bench and bullpen are priorities for Yankees at trade deadline
Buster Olney tweeted some “news” this morning about the Yankees’ plans for the trade deadline. But he really just reiterated what Jon Heyman said back on May 28. The Yankees’ focus at the deadline will be upgrading the bench and the bullpen — in that order — and not starting pitching.
This isn’t surprising, folks, and isn’t news. Olney’s main point in his tweets was the Yankees will not go after a starter even in the wake of Andy Pettitte’s injury.
What IS news is my opinion on the Yankees’ deadline priorities. I am now fully on board with the top focus being the bench opposed to the bullpen. Why the sudden change?
David Robertson.
Although his ERA is still hovering around 5.00, he’s been one of the most consistent relievers this season and has looked great in recent weeks.
D-Rob has helped restore the bullpen’s pizazz and has added the necessary pressure on Joba Chamberlain to help him pitch out of his funk.
The Yankees have a ton of pitchers internally they could call up, and relievers acquired at the deadline haven’t been so reliable in the past: Jeff Nelson & Octavio Dotel, to name a couple.
Meanwhile, the Yankees’ bench is incredibly weak with the absence of Nick Johnson and minor league hitters ready for the majors are few and far between.
June 9, 2010
GAKIII: Cliff Lee and Lance Berkman possible trade targets for Yankees
The Mariners are heavily scouting the Yankees organization for when they shop starter Cliff Lee this trade deadline and the Yankees are scouting Astros slugger Lance Berkman, George A. King III of the New York Post reports.
“[The Mariners] want one of the catchers and (Eduardo) Nunez,” a person familiar with Seattle’s thought process if they deal with the Yankees.
OK, that’s not even a Seattle official King is citing. Still, if it’s true that would be a pretty reasonable asking price as long as Lee agreed to an extension with the Yankees.
The only problem with that is the Yankees don’t have a gaping hole in their rotation right now. The only starter who isn’t pitching well of late is their supposed ace, CC Sabathia. When the season’s over, going after Lee seems like a no-brainer with Andy Pettitte and Javier Vazquez’s expiring contracts. Now, I don’t see where he fits with the Yankees.
UPDATE: A Yankees official has confirmed the team is not going after Lee this trade deadline, Mark Feinsand reports. (This is a lot more reliable reporting than GAKIII’s.)
As for Berkman, I really don’t see that deal working out either. For one, Berkman is seen as the Astros’ franchise player. I have a problem with breaking that 12-year bond, and I’m pretty sure Houston fans share my view. Secondly, Berkman’s numbers are on the decline and he’s overpaid. Not exactly an ideal trade target.
The Yankees needs outlined by Jon Heyman late last month make a lot more sense to me than King’s. The top needs are bullpen help and a bat to replace Nick Johnson.
June 4, 2010
Heyman: Yankees not confident for a Nick Johnson return this season
Jon Heyman tweets the Yankees are not confident for Nick Johnson being able to return this season. Heyman says Royals outfielder David DeJesus would be a good fit, and it’s hard to disagree with that.
DeJesus, the left-handed hitting 30-year-old is hitting to the tune of .304/.383/.466 for the Royals this season, and, like Heath Bell, is in his contract year. DeJesus has been used primarily as a right fielder this year, but he has shown in the past he can play anywhere in the outfield.
I think it would be a great move for the Yankees to acquire DeJesus just for the depth he would add. He’s a proven hitter, he’s versatile and he’s making $4.7 million this year with a $6 million club option for next year and a $500,000 buyout.
Should the Yankees target Heath Bell this trade deadline?
The Yankees have already expressed their plans this trading season. One, to replace Nick Johnson, might already be complete with Jorge Posada’s altered role. The other, bullpen help, hasn’t been touched as far as we know.
ESPN’s Jayson Stark informs us Padres are still shopping closer Heath Bell. Bell is having another stellar season in 2010, posting a 1.13 ERA with 14 saves. Not a bad follow-up performance so far after leading the NL in saves last year.
Bell is also cheap ($4 million) and is on a one-year deal. Plus, the Yankees would be compensated with a high draft pick if Bell signs with another team and the Yanks offer him arbitration.
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**WEBSITE CHANGE** I just added a “Trade Rumors” link at the top of the site. Like it or not, there will be a lot of rumblings of trades in the next two months. I will do my best to decipher which ones are rumors and which are realistic.
June 1, 2010
Granderson & Swisher should hit second
From Joel Sherman:
Granderson gives a power-speed component more reminiscent of Johnny Damon in that slot; and the lineup worked splendidly last year with Damon hitting second.
Against lefties, Girardi can start Nick Swisher in the No. 2 hole. He offers power and, while not a base stealer, he is not a base clogger like Johnson. His switch-hitting bat also would help thwart late-game matchups.
I absolutely agree with this. Sherman also suggested Johnson's high OBP is mitigated by his slowness. He's right.
Another note with the lineup: Brett Gardner needs to hit ninth - all the time. He isn't a good enough hitter to be at the top of the order yet, but his speed needs to be as close to the top as possible. The closest place is ninth.
His speed is extremely valuable. He ranks 11th in the majors with 36 runs scored. There's no reason he can't keep that pace hitting ninth and allowing the big boppers to drive him home.
May 29, 2010
Yankees notes: Heyman tweets Yankees’ trade deadline plans, much more
This batch of Yankees notes has updates on the the Yankees’ plans for the trade deadline, Curtis Granderson’s return, Jorge Posada’s injury, Nick Swisher’s personal life, the Yankees upcoming schedule and a few impressive individual performances.
- Jon Heyman, the guy you want to follow on Twitter for trade rumors, tweeted the Yankees plans this summer. They’re looking for two things, he says. A bat to replace for Nick Johnson and a reliever.
I certainly agree with acquiring a new reliever, one that actually lasts full seasons on the same team, perhaps. But replacing Johnson is a different story. He’s expected back by early July, so are the Yankees planning on acquiring this new bat in June? Or are they planning to deal Johnson in exchange for a bat at the deadline?
As far as I’m concerned, it’s a little early to thinking about trade rumors. I couldn’t even tell you who the key guys on the market are. I’m not sure if anyone could!
- Curtis Granderson made his return to the Yankees last night, which I was on hand to see. Randy Winn was designated for assignment to make room for Grandy. With a typical lineup, this leaves these players on the bench:
Juan Miranda/Marcus Thames, Kevin Russo, Ramiro Pena and Chad Moeller.
- Jorge Posada played catch yesterday and could be hitting off a tee soon, Joe Girardi said, according to Chad Jennings. It sounds to me like the Yankees starting catcher could be back in a week and a half (solely my speculation).
- Nick Swisher is engaged. The lucky lady? An actress on a show I’ve never heard of “Privileged.” Her name is Joanna Garcia. Check out the link for a picture of the couple holding their puppy.
- The Yankees upcoming schedule looks prettay good, as Kevin Rozell of Zell’s Pinstripe Blog points out. After three more games with the Indians, the Yanks face the Orioles twice, the Blue Jays and the Astros. Throw in an off day in the middle and at the end to put the cherry on top.
- Robinson Cano stepped into the cleanup spot for the first time in his career last night, and he delivered. (Alex Rodriguez was given a full day off because he was due for a day off, Jennings said. Francisco Cervelli got one too). Cano is clearly the team’s MVP up to this point, and is making a case for league MVP — a race I’ll be following as long as the Yankees have a candidate for the honor.
- Phil Hughes collected his sixth win last night. Between him and Andy Pettitte, the dynamic duo combine for a 12-2 record with a 2.66 ERA and 93 strikeouts this year. Very impressive.
Lots of good news here for the Yanks. Be sure to check out my plans for maintaining this blog over the summer and this post I made highlighting the craziness that the Yankees have dealt with so far in the 2010 season. Trust me, it’s a fun post.
May 24, 2010
Poll Results: Granderson missed most
When both were injured in a seven-day span, they were expected to return by early June. That estimate has changed.
Granderson should be back by the end of this week and Johnson was transferred to the 60-day DL and won’t return until July at the earliest.
Some fans wonder where Granderson will find himself in the lineup when he returns. Will it be in the two spot, or back to the bottom of the order? I think it depends on how the team fares this week against the Twins.
If Brett Gardner starts racking up those infield hits and stolen bases again like he did in April, he shouldn’t be going anywhere. But if he continues to stumble below a .300 BA, we might see Granderson take over.
Next poll: Which catcher has a long future ahead with the Yankees?
May 22, 2010
Granderson to start minor league rehab, could return next week
Curtis Granderson worked out with the Yankees before last night’s game and is meeting up with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on its road trip to play five games in six days, according to the Journal News. If all goes well, Granderson could be back in the Yankee lineup before the end of the month.
This is great news for the Yankees, as the weakened offense is certainly feeling the effects of losing Granderson, Nick Johnson, Jorge Posada and Nick Swisher full-time.
Johnson was transferred to the 60-day DL and Posada went on the 15-day DL to make room for Chad Moeller and Kevin Russo. Russo, the star on offense in last night’s game, will probably start in left again tonight if Marcus Thames isn’t ready to return from a sprained ankle.
Swisher has played the last two games, hitting left-handed, and is 2-for-8 with two runs scored.
Granderson’s return would give the Yankees seven Opening Day starters in their lineup and also would be a big help to the struggling outfield defense. Steve S. from The Yankee U wonders if he’ll be moved to left field upon his return. Like Steve, I wouldn’t mind it if he moved. As Steve said, Granderson has said publicly he wouldn’t mind it either. Does he really mean that? Who knows. I think with his professionalism he would be fine.
May 18, 2010
Nick Johnson’s value unappreciated
What we all feared would happen happened yesterday. News broke that Nick Johnson will undergo surgery on his right wrist today, keeping him out of the lineup until July at the earliest.
As I’m writing this, the vote in my latest poll stands at Curtis Granderson 19, Johnson 2, for who will be missed more. People are forgetting Johnson was a valuable asset to this team because of his on-base percentage.
Yes, he was hitting .167 and didn’t have too many clutch hits, but he still made a huge impact on the game because he set the table for the producers and worked the heck out of opposing pitchers.
Granderson is leading this vote by such a wide margin because he hit two homers against the right team, made a few great catches and has a very likable personality. In terms of impact, this vote should be a lot closer.
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Do the Yankees have any other choice but to keep Brett Gardner and Nick Swisher as the replacements in the lineup? It doesn’t look like it unless Brian Cashman makes a move.
May 15, 2010
Chan Ho Park to return Sunday, Nick Johnson TBD
Chan Ho Park hasn’t pitched for the Yankees since April 13, out with a hamstring, but was with the Yankees today and is expected to be available on Sunday. Hopefully diarrhea won’t play a factor in his availability.
Nick Johnson’s return to the team is in question (via LoHud). In sum: he’ll be out either three weeks or as many as six weeks — and it’s a 50-50 bet.
After going on the DL in Boston, he got a cortisone shot and the Yankees are waiting to see if that solves the problem in his wrist. Brian Cashman said that the shot does the trick roughly 50 percent of the time.
“We’re hoping that works,” Cashman said. “But if it doesn’t, we’ll have to take other avenues.”
Those other avenues are pretty limited to some sort of surgery. If the shot has done the trick, Johnson could be back in three weeks or so. If he has to have surgery, it will be another four to six weeks from the time of the procedure before he can pick up a bat. The Yankees should know within the next 10 days whether surgery is necessary.
May 10, 2010
Yankees-Tigers series preview, Nova promoted
The Yankees enter their first four-game series of the year a half-game behind the Rays for the division lead. Playing at Detroit, the Yankees will see a few old friends dressed up as Tigers, namely, outfielders Johnny Damon, Austin Jackson (league-leader in hitting) and reliever Phil Coke.
The Tigers are 9-3 at Comerica Park and are opening a nine-game homestand tonight. Monday and Wednesday’s affairs will be aired nationally on ESPN.
The Yankees have to be feeling good, winning six of their last seven despite losing Nick Johnson and Curtis Granderson to the DL. Winning is easy when you have five guys hitting over .360.
The only thing bothersome is Andy Pettitte missing this week’s start after leaving Wednesday’s game after 77 pitches.
The latest news out of Yankee camp is the promotion of Ivan Nova to the big leagues. He replaces Romulo Sanchez, who through 3 2/3 brilliant shutout innings last night against the Red Sox. As The Post reports, Nova will be a long reliever.
Pitching Matchups:
| Date: | Yankees starters | Tigers starters |
| Mon., 7:05 p.m. | Sergio Mitre (0-0, 2.79) | Dontrelle Willis (1-1, 3.99) |
| Tues., 7:05 p.m. | J. Vazquez (1-3, 9.78) | Rick Porcello (2-3, 7.50) |
| Wed., 7:05 p.m. | Phil Hughes (4-0, 1.69) | J. Bonderman (1-1, 7.14) |
| Thurs., 1:05 p.m. | CC Sabathia (4-1, 3.04) | J. Verlander (3-2, 4.50) |
Players to Watch:
Yankees: Javier Vazquez. Tuesday’s start may be the last straw. One more wretched start and I predict he’ll be placed on the disabled list. As Brian Cashman said, don’t expect a brilliant showing Tuesday night, but just putting the Yankees in a position to win. It’ll be imperative the Yankees get him some early run support off Rick Porcello.
Tigers: Miguel Cabrera. He’s the hottest player on either team, hitting .478 so far in May. He’s the league-leader in RBIs (33) and he’s always had success against the Bronx Bombers.
Prediction:
A realistic pace of wins has to set in soon. There’s no way the Yankees are going to win the 113 games they’re projected to win at this rate. With Sergio Mitre and Vazquez starting in the series, I expect a split.
Poll Results: Granderson’s loss won’t stop Yankees from taking first place from Rays
With Curtis Granderson out for at least the month of May, Brett Gardner became the everyday center fielder and left field became a platoon of Randy Winn and Marcus Thames.
Granderson was hitting .225/.311/.375 before getting injured. Gardner has stayed hot in May, and Thames and Winn have combined for .241/.353/.344.
However, now Nick Johnson is most likely out for May too. It looks like the Yankees will continue to use this as a time for giving veterans half days off and Ramiro Pena and Francisco Cervelli work at the major league level.
New Poll: Do you respect Dallas Braden after his perfect game?
May 8, 2010
School’s out, Yanks roll, injury bug spreads
Finally, my sophomore year at Quinnipiac came to an end today. When I learned Mark Teixeira became the only Yankee to hit three homers against the Red Sox other than Lou Gehrig, I knew it was time to celebrate. The Yankees won big again, 14-3, but another player got bit by the injury bug: Alfredo Aceves.
Ace will only be out 2-3 days according to Marc Carig, but it’s the principle of the thing. The Yankees have had a ton of injuries in the last few days after nearly making it through April unscathed.
Thankfully, the more important player of yesterday’s two injuries played today. As the designated hitter, Robinson Cano went 1-for-5 and scored twice after getting hit on the left knee yesterday.
Nick Johnson, on the other hand, is out several weeks and was placed on the 15-day disabled list. Utility player Kevin Russo took his spot on the roster.
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Expect posts on Derek Jeter, Phil Hughes and the rest of the rotation tomorrow leading up to Sunday Night Baseball. lenNY’s Yankees is back to full strength for the summer!
May 7, 2010
Cano, Johnson leave early with injuries in blowout
One of the core four is still healthy, but it seems the Sports Illustrated cover curse has spread to the rest of the Yankees. Robinson Cano and Nick Johnson exited early in the Yankees’ romp of the Red Sox (currently leading 9-2 in the sixth).
Cano was hit in the left knee by Josh Beckett in the sixth inning, in which the Yankees rallied for six runs to chase Beckett. Cano stayed in the game initially, but after two pitches to the next batter he took himself out of the game.
Johnson was pinch-hit for in the fifth by Marcus Thames unexpectedly. It was later announced Johnson left with a sore right wrist. He must’ve hurt it on a swing, because he wasn’t playing the field.
No recap tonight: I have to do one final project for my sophomore year that determines whether I pass or fail the course. You can follow the gamecast here.
May 5, 2010
Yanks complete sweep of Orioles
Coming off a sweep of the Red Sox, the Orioles came to The Bronx looking to do the same to the Yankees. Instead, the Yankees were the ones holding the brooms.
The Yankees (19-8) held on to beat the O’s (7-21) 7-5 today behind Nick Johnson’s perfect day at the plate.
Quick ‘Cap:
Johnson went 3-for-3 with a solo homer in the first and two walks to lead the Yanks. Andy Pettitte threw five innings of one-run ball and was inexplicably taken out of the game (check back for updates).
UPDATE: Pettitte’s getting an MRI on his throwing arm. Joe Girardi being cautious with the 37-year-old.
Sergio Mitre, Damaso Marte and David Robertson bridged the gap to the ninth with a 7-3 lead. Robertson, still in, allowed back-to-back homers and was pulled for Boone Logan. Logan walked his only batter and Alfredo Aceves (the last reliever available) got Ty Wigginton to fly out. Orioles-Yankees box score.
Thoughts:
Johnson and Mark Teixeira are both still hitting in the .170s. Both are hitting .333 or better in May, so I expect them to stay hot the rest of the month.
Line of the Day:
Johnson: 3-for-3, HR, 2 R, 2 BB.
Up Next:
Off day Thursday then off to Fenway Park for the weekend. I’ll post a series preview as usual.
