Game 29: Capping off the first month

April 30, 2008 by Joe Pawlikowski 72 Comments

So tonight we find out if the Yankees finish April above or below .500. Not that it matters a ton in the grand scheme of things. While every game counts as 1/162 of the season, we know that ground can be made up later. This is especially true this year, as no dominant team has emerged in the division yet, as the Red Sox were last year. Baltimore currently sits atop the standings, and that doesn’t figure to last much longer.

The Yankees once again turn to Andy Pettitte to go deep into the game. Though despite Hughes’s short start last night, the bullpen should be relatively fresh. Only three relievers were used last night — Ohlendorf, Hawkins, and Edwar — and the Yankees are stocking 13 pitchers for the time being.

I guess that could use some explanation. So Chris Britton is staying, as he replaces A-Rod on the roster. Chad Moeller is back as well, as he cleared waivers. Dan Graziano of the Star Ledger thinks that the other AL East teams did a poor job by “not claiming him just to mess with the Yankees.” Sorry, Dan, but I’m fairly certain that those teams don’t want to spend a 40-man roster spot just to keep a 33-year-old journeyman catcher out of the Yankees hands.

Chris Stewart was mercifully sent down to AAA. To make room for Moeller on the 40-man, Sean Henn was activated from the DL and then designated for assignment. You’d think they could have just activated Henn, thrown him on the 25-man in A-Rod’s spot, and designated Stewart. But I suppose the Yanks want to keep Stewart around in case of emergency. A team like the Giants has no reason not to claim Henn — other than the fact that he sucks, I suppose.

Your lineup:

1. Johnny Damon, LF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Bobby Abreu, RF
4. Hideki Matsui, DH
5. Jason Giambi, 1B
6. Melky Cabrera, CF
7. Robinson Cano, 2B
8. Jose Molina, C
9. Alberto Gonzalez, 3B

And on the mound, number forty-six, Andy Pettitte

http://www.myspace.com/j_panama Jamal G.

I have been playing GTA IV on the PS3 non-stop since I got it early this afternoon, only the power of the Yankees can draw me away for a few hours. :)
- BigBlueAL
  
  damn, i havent bought it yet, plan to do so this weekend. Gamespot gave it a perfect 10!!
stuart

Yeah Henn never could get things done…

I remember a game he blew in Detroit gave up a granny…

He came up with Cano and Wang a little over 3 yrs .ago
tony from the bronx

when does Giambi find the bench.The guy looks shot.He is a liabilty on the field and his offense does not make up for it.Duncan had a ggood game last nigt so why start the hot hand?JG has not played the hot hand.He seems to sit the guy that just had a good game .Is it me or is that what is hapenning?
- LiveFromNewYork
  
  I KNOW!!!! SIT THIS GUY!!!
A.D.

I like Gonzalez at 3rd and Melky in the 6 hole, also glad to have moeller back

…whats the chance they even use Britton?
mustang

I’m surprise that the Mets didn’t pick-up Moeller. That was the talk at my job. They need a catcher and they get the cherry on top of messing with the Yanks.
Thank you for the move information. It’s hard to keep up sometimes.
chris

a new nickname for hughes – how about the great white hype.

we, along with the yankees GM, were obviusly duped about this kid’s talent. he will never be a number 1 starter despite all the great things we heard/read about him. A two pitch pitcher who doesnt possess one dominant pitch.

perhaps he should audition for the 8th inning role. for one inning maybe he can be dominant and take over for Mo when the time comes so that the real franchise can be in the rotation where he belongs
- Yankee1010
  
  Are you serious? You’re ready to write him off? Thank God you’re not the GM.
- LiveFromNewYork
  
  You’re an idiot. The kid is 21 years old.
http://www.myspace.com/j_panama Jamal G.

Peter Abraham is really starting to get a little full of himself. I am starting to agree with the NoMass guys, great reporter but just horrid when it comes to analysis or interpretation.

“Meanwhile, A-Rod took the blame for getting injured again, saying he came back too soon. He hopes to be back in two weeks. But while A-Rod may have wanted to play, it’s up to the manager to put him in. Many managers wait until the player tells them they want to play, then they wait an extra day.”

Come on Abraham, you and all of your readers know that Joe Girardi took the word of the doctors and discussed it with Brian Cashman. To label him as the sole person with say in the matter is just indicative of really how much you are starting to personally dislike the guy.

He also took a shot at Girardi when it came to Phil Hughes’ immediate future. He stated that Girardi got real testy when the questions kept coming about whether or not the pitcher would be starting this coming Saturday. This was after Girardi told the reporters that a decision had not been made as of yet and Hughes is in the rotation right now but internal discussions are taking place. I understand where Abraham is coming from because this is a big story and he did make a good point of how Saturday’s starting pitcher would have to throw a bullpen tomorrow so there is no way the Yankees don’t know, and I would agree with him. However when he said “How could he not have anticipated that question?” it struck me as an unnecessary shot because it’s not like he did not anticipate the question, it’s just that he told you guys that Hughes is in the rotation and internal discussions are ongoing, obviously making it clear that he is not going to delve any further into the matter. So when the reporters keep asking him the same question in different variations, how do you expect him not to get a little testy?
- http://www.myspace.com/j_panama Jamal G.
  
  Here Abraham goes again,
  
  “Not sure why they just didn’t put Bruney on the 60-day DL. Then again, if the vaunted “internal discussions” mean that Rasner is coming, they’ll need another spot.”
  
  I mean seriously guy, come the fuck on.
- http://www.myspace.com/j_panama Jamal G.
  
  BTW, there was a lot of truth to that nyyfans.com article, when you look for the shots at Joe Girardi and are aware that he does it, it just becomes so obvious it’s nearly embarrassing to read.
- KW
  
  Gotta agree with this, Pete Abe’s commentary is really starting to annoy the crapola out of me. The constant sniping is sophomoric at best and poor journalism at worst. We all know it’s a blog, but when the blogger also writes for the paper and is an accredited press member, you’ve gotta retain professionalism. He shouldn’t let his personal feelings get in the way of his reporting or writing – otherwise he’s no better than the nitwits at the post and news or ESPN.
  
  It’s like a disgruntled employee making jabs on a blog about his boss – it’s just not professional. I’ve definitely stopped reading the blog cuz there are plenty of other worthy blogs like this one that can provide the updates and has good arguments and good writing.
  - LiveFromNewYork
    
    What’s ticking me off is that Pete’s not zeroing on Girardi’s real problems:
    
    1. Changing the lineup every night.
    2. Sitting hot guys
    3. Leaving a struggling pitcher without adequate support
    4. Not sitting Giambi
    
    The whole injury thing is a tough tough call. 1-4 is a lot easier. If you keep harping on things that are tough to figure out, they tune you out.
    - http://www.myspace.com/j_panama Jamal G.
      
      With the injuries and early ineffectiveness of Johnny Damon, Jason Giambi and Robinson Cano, how could you expect him to put out a regular lineup? And for the record, he did get on Girardi on that and everybody got on Abraham because of that due to the reasons I just listed.
      
      I would never get on a manager for sitting a player for one or two games because that is a completely touch and feel type decision. The manager is in the clubhouse, he sees thing during BP and practices and practically during the game that we don’t.
      
      #3, I really don’t understand what you mean.
      
      Jason Giambi is getting on-base a pretty damn good clip considering his BA. He does lead the team in HRs. He has been hitting some hits, I believe Michale Kay said he was 6 for his last 19, that’s a .315 clip.
      - LiveFromNewYork
        
        3 was about last night. Melky’s been hot and he’s 24 years old. There was no reason for him to sit last night. Damon totally f’d up in center field. There was NO reason to sit Melky last night. That was RIDICULOUS. Molina should have been behind the plate.
        
        Matsui was hot and he sat him because he was facing left handers. This is not little league.
        
        He changes it TOO MUCH. It’s not like he’s sitting the cold guys, he’s sitting the hot guys.
        
        I have been a big Girardi supporter. I get most of his moves but the team needs to learn to play together and they can’t do it when he’s changing it up every night for no apparent reason.
http://www.riveraveblues.com Joseph P.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/sports/baseball/01pins.html?_r=2&ref=sports&oref=slogin&oref=login

Hope it’s not true, but it wouldn’t surprise me, nor would I oppose it.

However, it would mark the second time in a freakin’ year that I was supposed to go see Hughes pitch on a Sunday, but got Rasner instead.
- http://www.myspace.com/j_panama Jamal G.
  
  If only some of the fans and these mediots could get this through their head…
  
  “I made a long-term decision, and I’m thinking long-term on it,” Cashman said. “Anything that happens in the short term isn’t going to change my opinion on that evaluation.”
LiveFromNewYork

God Giambi sucks.
Number 27

sorry not related, but:

just noticed mlbtraderumors article about padres looking for a young centerfielder….

any trades you would make for melky? (putting damon back in left and matsui back in left for the rest of season, or calling up gardner). Who would you make the trade for?

any realistic possibilities?
- http://www.myspace.com/j_panama Jamal G.
  
  I don’t know how realistic it is but I would start with Mike Antonelli (2B) Matt Latos (RHP). Latos sits 92-93 but can top out at 97, throws a Curveball, Knuckle Curveball and a Changeup. He stands 6′-5″ at 210lbs but reports are that he had bouts of immaturity and his mechanics are somewhat raw. Antonelli is an infielder with gap power that could turn into a couple HRs here and there. Last year in A+ and AA he had a vital line of .307/.404/.491 with 21 HRs.
  
  I’m certain that Kevin Towers would probably laugh Cashman out of the room if he asked for BOTH of these guys but those are the two I like a lot.
Brian

Yeah, it seems like he’s eager to rail on Girardi right now for even such seemingly nice attributes as Girardi being “optimistic,” which is used as code for “untruthful.” Maybe reporters are starting to smell blood in that Girardi is probably frustrated with the .500 mark et al, so they aren’t cutting him much slack and seem a bit eager to “nail down what the Girardi Era is all about” thus far. Now, as a story, I think we all are getting ancy, and I suppose that includes the guys who manage and the guys who journalize it as well. In that sense, we can just choose not to pay attention to the griping.
- Brian
  
  that was in response to jamal’s post
KW

On an unrelated note, how good has andy been? Can you imagine how it would have been had he retired, we would be in some deep shit right now. He’s been very solid while under the radar
- http://www.myspace.com/j_panama Jamal G.
  
  Thoughts wre that Andy Pettitte’s return were a factor in the Johan Santana non-deal. At first I believed this to be true but after I kept putting more thought into it I relaized that the rotation depth would have been left so thin after Santana and Chien-Ming Wang at the top.
  - A.D.
    
    Apparently it was big Hank Stein didn’t want to pay much more so it was pettite or santana, if they had done the deal wed be looking at mussina, wang, santana, maybe joba, and prey for rain
http://www.myspace.com/j_panama Jamal G.

This is not basketball, football or soccer. There is no need for the guys to learn how to play together offensively.

My point with the resting guys is that we have no way of knowing if Melky Cabrera was a bit sluggish, if he seemed a bit winded. Hideki Matsui was indeed hot, so as Ben noted, why would you want to throw him in there against back-to-back LHP including C.C. Sabathia in which he has yet to record a hit in 9 ABs.

Joe Girardi is sitting guys so much because of this horrendous fucking schedule. The Yankees are going to end up playing 33 games in 34 days, that warrants a manager giving guys rests here and there when he does not want to. You can not disregard the schedule if you’re going to bring this up as a knock on Girardi. Really think about that, the Yankees will play their first 33 games in 33 fucking days. Including a stretch of 18 of 20 games on the road.
- LiveFromNewYork
  
  I’m not sure you know that for sure. Giambi is broken down and he’s playing every day. Melky is 24 years old. He doesn’t need a break.
Rich

They get down by >2 runs and the offense can’t make up the deficit.
Kyle D.

Steve Phillips is on ESPN doing color for the Brewers-Cubs game talking about how some other GM should call up Hank Steinbrenner (going around Brian Cashman) and offer some middle relief for Phillip Hughes. His idea is that Hank wants Joba in the rotation and he could force him in there b y getting Hughes out of the way. Yeah. The Yanks are going to move 21 year old Phillip Hughes for a middle reliever when they wouldn’t even include him in a deal for Johan Santana. It’s amazing Phillips doesn’t have a job anymore, no?

Sorry to highjack the thread. It was just absurd and I had to mention it.
- http://www.myspace.com/j_panama Jamal G.
  
  “Steve Phillips is on ESPN doing color for the Brewers-Cubs game talking about how some other GM should call up Hank Steinbrenner (going around Brian Cashman) and offer some middle relief for Phillip Hughes.”
  
  “Steve Phillips is on ESPN doing color for the Brewers-Cubs game talking about how some other GM should call up Hank Steinbrenner (going around Brian Cashman) and offer some middle relief for Phillip Hughes.”
  
  “Steve Phillips is on ESPN doing color for the Brewers-Cubs game talking about how some other GM should call up Hank Steinbrenner (going around Brian Cashman) and offer some middle relief for Phillip Hughes.”
  
  No matter how many times I read that my mind just can not comprehend it. Is this literally the dumbest man in sports? Is he really that fucking stupid? My mind literally can not understand what my eyes just read. This has to be a gig, he must be saying stupid shit to get himself and ESPN attention, there is no way anybody is that stupid.
  - Rich
    
    Phillips is so stupid that he doesn’t realize how transparent his resentment of the Yankees is to everyone but him.
JT

So the Yankees have placed Hughes on the 15day DL. What does this mean for Hughes? Free time to work on straightening his mechanics?
avi404

Phil Hughes on 15-day DL. Kay just said so. WoW.
Dan

Kay just broke it, Hughes is headed to the 15-Day DL with a strained oblique muscle. It would explain why he’s had trouble following through with his pitches, and giving him less than average control with his fastball. Now we get to see D-Ras in action, hopefully his dominant AAA numbers will translate into the bigs.
JT

I don’t buy that excuse. He isn’t injured. They just want to see what Rasner’s got.
- http://www.myspace.com/j_panama Jamal G.
  
  They know what Rasner has and this is can not be a complete phantom injury. The Yankees can not just create an injury and place someone on the DL, there has to be corroborating medical evidence that has to be approved by MLB to make it official. Granted, said evidence does not have to be anything that substantive but the Yankees can not just create an injury.
nefarious jackson

wow.
Adam

I hate to play devil’s advocate, but with the problems he’s had in terms of location and with his velocity, AND knowing how teams like to hide pitcher injuries (especially ones with the hype of a Phil Hughes) it wouldn’t surprise me if Hughes’ arm was barking right now.

Just saying.
cjc

this team sucks
http://www.myspace.com/j_panama Jamal G.

Again, people are going to focus on that HR but Kyle Farnsowrth coming in has allowed 1 ER in six or seven straight appearances.
mustang

HERE COMES THE SPIN. LOL
LiveFromNewYork

If we could produce some runs we might be in actual ballgames.
nefarious jackson

right now yanks are BAD & boring
joba

hughes isnt injured. its just an excuse to dl him and get him some extra bullpen sessions in.
- LiveFromNewYork
  
  It’s a good move. Don’t crush the kid’s spirit by sending him down but get him out of the harsh limelight.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Joseph P.
  
  Man, you know everything. Got any hot stock tips?
Ivan

Man the media is railing on Hughes yikes.
- LiveFromNewYork
  
  about going on the DL? who is saying what?
Ivan

Plus, I don’t think hughes is injured either, maybe it will do him good to clear his mind and just fix what he gotta fix.
- LiveFromNewYork
  
  agree.
JT

I’ve never seen a team make shitty pitchers look so good….
- JT
  
  I cant believe we let Bonderman make it into the 8th inning… This guy averages 7 walks/9!!!!
http://www.riveraveblues.com Joseph P.

Hello? Britton? You there?
doty

yankees will you every excuse in the book to protect hughes! mind boggling
Chris

Hearing about Hughes going on the DL reminded me of this prediction from about 2 weeks ago. Seems pretty close so far…

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2008/4/25/460628/not-a-rookie-phil-hughes

There are 2 possibilities with this:
1. This is just a made up injury to allow him to focus on his mechanics and get some minor league rehab starts without the stigma of being demoted.

2. He really has a strained oblique that was causing his mechanics issues and his wildness (or the bad mechanics caused the oblique strain).

Either way, he needs time to focus on his mechanics, and this should give it to him.
Brett

Speaking of fake injuries, in the 8th inning tonight for a brief moment they flashed up on the scoreboard: “Warming up in the bullpen, Carl Pavano”
A.D.

Well i’m a little skeptical on the injury, if it is true “great” and he can right the ship, if not he’ll work it out and right the ship
GoYankees

Phil can use some time off, and he is getting it. It doesn’t matter what the spin is. PeteAbe should be used to it by now. We are.
David

Hughes will always suck and the Giants will never win a Super Bowl with Eli Manning at QB.
A.D.

How bout bringing McCutchen instead of Rasner, make it a bit more exciting
- http://www.myspace.com/j_panama Jamal G.
  
  Just because Danny McCutch has better stuff does not mean he’s currently the better pitcher between he and Darrel Rasner.
  
  I suspect they are not in the business of making “exciting” transactions. :P
  - A.D.
    
    Yeah I know, just throwing out a thought, they did bring Chase Wright up out of AA last year to see what he could do
    - A.D.
      
      On top of that, everyone knows what Rasner can do, there’s essentially no upside, McCutch there’s lots of upside, and he was a college pitcher, so generally less kid gloves than the h.s. guys
      
      …I know it won’t happen, but would be nice if it did
Bob Michaels

Robinson Cano should be benched
Bob Michaels

why can`t Giambi push a ball to the left side at least once a game.
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