Archive for Polls
Fan Confidence Poll: June 17th, 2013
Posted by: | CommentsRecord Last Week: 1-5 (18 RS, 30 RA)
Season Record: 38-31 (270 RS, 266 RA, 35-34 pythag. record), 3.0 games back in AL East
Opponents This Week: Mon. OFF, vs. Dodgers (two games, Tues. and Weds.), vs. Rays (four games, Thurs. to Sun..)
Top stories from last week:
- The Yankees were off on Monday before opening a three-game series against the Athletics. Oakland bested CC Sabathia in the series opener before pounding Phil Hughes in the second game. The series ended with an embarrassing 18-inning loss to wrap up the sweep.
- Three games in Anaheim followed the sweep in Oakland, and the Yankees dropped the opener for their fourth straight loss on Friday. A fifth straight loss following the next day, but New York got off the skid and held on for a much-needed win yesterday.
- Injury Updates: Mark Teixeira (wrist) received a cortisone shot and is day-to-day with inflammation. Derek Jeter (ankle) has been cleared to resume baseball activities. Alex Rodriguez (hip) has resumed running the bases. Kevin Youkilis (back) has been placed on the 15-day DL. Frankie Cervelli (hand) has started playing catch. Michael Pineda (shoulder) threw 74 pitches in his latest rehab start. First rounder Eric Jagielo (hamstring) will miss a few weeks.
- The Yankees shook up the roster a bit on Friday, calling up outfielder Thomas Neal and right-hander Chris Bootcheck. Adam Warren was sent down following the marathon loss. Eduardo Nunez was placed on the 60-day DL and Cesar Cabral was outrighted to Double-A, meaning he cleared waivers and is officially Yankees property. The Rule 5 Draft rules no longer apply.
- Among the top ten round picks to sign this week were Jagielo ($1.84M), third rounder Mike O’Neill ($501k), fourth rounder Tyler Wade ($371k), fifth rounder David Palladino ($371k), sixth rounder John Murphy ($20k), and eighth rounder Brandon Thomas ($75k).
- The Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks showed informal interest in acquiring A-Rod over the winter. The Yankees made two offers to free agent catcher David Ross over the winter, but they did not pursue Yasiel Puig. They also “already have interest” in Marlins right-hander Ricky Nolasco.
- For the second straight year, Robinson Cano will serve as the captain of the AL squad for the Homerun Derby.
- Orlando Hernandez will make his Old Timers’ Day debut this coming weekend.
Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.
Fan Confidence Poll: June 10th, 2013
Posted by: | CommentsRecord Last Week: 6-1 (29 RS, 18 RA)
Season Record: 37-26 (252 RS, 236 RA, 34-29 pythag. record), 1.5 games back in AL East
Opponents This Week: Mon. OFF, @ Athletics (three games, Tues. to Thurs.), @ Angels (three games, Fri. to Sun..)
Top stories from last week:
- The week started with three games against the Indians, and Mark Teixeira‘s grand slam gave them a much-needed win in the opener. They took the second game thanks to a big inning, then CC Sabathia threw a complete-game to finish off the sweep.
- The Yankees traveled to the West Coast next, taking the series opener against the Mariners on Thursday. They couldn’t hit Jeremy Bonderman in the second game, but Andy Pettitte led them to a win the next day. Chris Stewart‘s ninth inning hit gave the Bombers three wins in four games at Seattle.
- Injury News: Michael Pineda (shoulder) hit 95 mph during his first minor league rehab start on Sunday. Kevin Youkilis (back) is day-to-day. Eduardo Nunez (ribcage) has begun doing rotational work. Both Vidal Nuno (groin) and Brennan Boesch (shoulder) were placed on the Triple-A DL.
- Chien-Ming Wang opted out of his minor league contract and signed with the Blue Jays. The Yankees are included in Cliff Lee-s no-trade list. They released Ben Francisco, Clay Rapada, and Cody Eppley.
- The Yankees used their three first round draft picks on Notre Dame 3B Eric Jagielo, Fresno State OF Aaron Judge, and California HS LHP Ian Clarkin.
- Anthony Bosch tried to extort Alex Rodriguez before agreeing to cooperate with MLB and their Biogenesis investigation. A-Rod is one of 20 players the league is looking to suspend.
Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.
Fan Confidence Poll: June 3rd, 2013
Posted by: | CommentsRecord Last Week: 1-6 (12 RS, 31 RA)
Season Record: 31-25 (223 RS, 218 RA, 29-27 pythag. record), 3.0 games back in AL East
Opponents This Week: vs. Indians (three games, Mon. to Weds.), @ Mariners (four games, Thurs. to Sun..)
Top stories from last week:
- The week opened with four games against the Mets, the first two at CitiField and the next two at Yankee Stadium. David Robertson blew a late least in the series opening loss, then Mariano Rivera did the same on Tuesday’s walk-off loss. The Yankees got blown out on Wednesday before the Amazin’s finished off the sweep on Thursday.
- The Red Sox came to town for a three-game weekend series, and CC Sabathia returned to form in the series opening win. Phil Hughes got pounded in the second game before Boston walked away with a rain-shorted win yesterday.
- Injury News: Michael Pineda (shoulder) had to be shut down for a few days with a cracked fingernail. Mark Teixeira (wrist), Kevin Youkilis (back), and Joba Chamberlain (oblique) were all activated off the DL, and Andy Pettitte (trap) is expected to come off the DL and start today.
- Chien-Ming Wang did not opt-out of his contract at Friday’s deadline because no other team made him a big league contract offer. The Yankees will continue to mine the scrap heap for a shortstop as Derek Jeter recovers from his ankle fracture. They also inquired about Mike Zagurski.
- Vidal Nuno and Ivan Nova were sent to Triple-A to clear roster spots while David Huff was designated for assignment. Francisco Rondon and Huff were both outrighted to Triple-A.
- Gary Sanchez ranked 16th on Keith Law’s midseason top 25 prospects list. There will not be an international draft in 2014, and in fact the owners and players’ union will hold off talks until the current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in 2016.
Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.
Fan Confidence Poll: May 27th, 2013
Posted by: | CommentsRecord Last Week: 3-3 (27 RS, 28 RA)
Season Record: 30-19 (211 RS, 187 RA, 25-18 pythag. record), percentage points up in AL East
Opponents This Week: @ Mets (two games, Mon. and Tues.), vs. Mets (two games, Weds. and Thurs.), vs. Red Sox (three games, Fri. to Sun.)
Top stories from last week:
- The week began with three games in Baltimore, and the Yankees took the opener in extra innings. They suffered a walk-off loss on Tuesday and then dropped the rubber game on Wednesday.
- Following Thursday’s off-day, the Yankees headed to Tampa for a three-game weekend series against the Rays. They pounded their division rivals in Friday’s win, then made a dramatic comeback for Saturday’s win. CC Sabathia got rocked in the finale.
- Injury Updates: Curtis Granderson (pinky) was placed on the DL with a fracture after being hit by a pitch. The team won’t have an exact timetable for his return until he sees a specialist today. Mark Teixeira (wrist) will join Double-A Trenton for a rehab assignment on Wednesday. Michael Pineda (shoulder) is close to beginning a minor league rehab assignment. Andy Pettitte (trap) threw a bullpen session and will pitch in a simulated game on Tuesday. Eduardo Nunez (ribcage) suffered a setback and will be shut down for a few days. Both Hiroki Kuroda (calf) and David Phelps (forearm) are day-to-day after being hit by line drives.
- Ben Francisco was (finally) designated for assignment. Ivan Nova was activated off the DL and Dellin Betances was sent down to Triple-A Scranton. The Yankees claimed left-hander David Huff off waivers from the Indians and designated Francisco Rondon for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster. Albert Gonzalez cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A.
- The Yankees teamed up with Manchester City to purchase an MLS expansion team. The Bombers own roughly one-quarter of the team, which will begin play in 2015 and could play a year in Yankee Stadium.
- The Yankees are among the teams with interest in Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka. He is expected to be posted this coming winter.
Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.
Fan Confidence Poll: May 20th, 2013
Posted by: | CommentsRecord Last Week: 4-3 (27 RS, 21 RA)
Season Record: 27-16 (184 RS, 159 RA, 25-18 pythag. record), 0.5 games up in AL East
Opponents This Week: @ Orioles (three games, Mon. to Weds.), Thurs. OFF @ Rays (three games, Fri. to Sun.)
Top stories from last week:
- The week opened with a doubleheader against the Indians, and the teams split the two games even though the Yankees allowed one run total on the day.
- Following the two games in Cleveland, the Yankees returned home for three games against the Mariners. A late comeback led to a win over Felix Hernandez on Tuesday, but Phil Hughes got rocked in the following day’s loss. Seattle completed the series win on Thursday.
- The Blue Jays came to town for a three-game weekend set, and Hiroki Kuroda dominated in the series-opening win. Robinson Cano hit a pair of homers in Saturday’s win before yesterday’s game was rained out. No makeup date has been announced and the Yankees juggled their rotation.
- Injury News: Curtis Granderson (forearm) was activated off the DL. Andy Pettitte (trap) has been placed on the DL with a strain. Chris Stewart (groin) is day-to-day. Eduardo Nunez (ribcage) is expected to start hitting in the batting cage in a few days. Joba Chamberlain (oblique) will head to Tampa to continue his rehab. Travis Hafner (shoulder) received a cortisone shot and missed a few games with tendinitis, but he has since returned to the lineup. Cesar Cabral (elbow) officially started a minor league rehab assignment. Prospect Gabe Encinas (elbow) has been placed on the DL.
- The Yankees added two new infielders this week, calling up David Adams and acquiring Reid Brignac from the Rockies. Chris Nelson and Alberto Gonzalez were both designated for assignment to clear room on the roster. Nelson was claimed off waivers by the Angels. Both Brett Marshall and Dellin Betances were recalled for bullpen depth at various points during the week.
- Hal Steinbrenner confirmed the team has had contract talks with Robinson Cano’s new representatives. Talks about new contracts for Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman have yet to begin, however.
- Both the NHL and the Yankees officially announced two hockey games will be played at Yankee Stadium next January.
- The Yankees are the “most likely landing spot” for Dominican outfielder prospect Leonardo Molina.
Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.
Phil Hughes and his looming contract
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(Jamie Squire/Getty)
We’re not even half way through the 2013 season — seems like a perfect opportunity to discuss Phil Hughes‘ looming contract situation! The once-heralded prospect from California reached The Show back in 2007. Six-hundred and seventy-five innings (and several injuries) later, he’s amassed a career 4.40 ERA (4.25 FIP), which equates to a cumulative 10.1 WAR according to FanGraphs. In terms of peripheral stats over the course of his career, he’s struck out 7.62 per nine, walked 2.82 per nine, and surrendered 1.27 homeruns per nine. With that said, he’s only 26 year’s old and seems to be heading in the right direction (though his last start wasn’t wonderful). This season, he’s pitched to a 4.43 ERA which is actually just a touch over his 4.15 FIP. His strikeout and walk rates have been better than his career norms so far, and with any luck, his HR/9 rate will end up closer to his career norm than the inflated rate we witnessed all last season.
So here’s the rub. The Yankees have the option of proposing a qualifying offer to him after this season. Should they go that route, Hughes would remain in pinstripes for another season at a salary in the neighborhood of roughly $13-15M. This would delay his free agency for another year should he accept the offer (and would presumably qualify the Yankees for a supplemental first round draft pick if he chooses to take services elsewhere). Subsequently, if Hughes reached free agency in 2015, he’d be potentially competing for another contract against guys like Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Masterson, or Max Scherzer among others — obviously, the list of potential free agents can and probably will change rather drastically as teams attempt to retain their players between now and then (complete 2015 list here).
The Yankees could forgo the qualifying offer altogether after this season and let Phil simply test the free agent market — which would probably be in Phil’s best interest financially. 2014 brings a mediocre group of free agents that includes notable names such as Tim Lincecum, Matt Garza, Roy Halladay, Dan Haren, Jon Lester (who has a $13M club option), Colby Lewis, Shaun Marcum, and Josh Johnson. Lincecum and Halladay seem to have lost a lot of their star power (due to declining ability and injuries), and I’d be surprised to see Lester’s option does not get picked up. I’d also be surprised to not see Johnson, Garza, and maybe even Shields get traded (and extended) before then, which would all of a sudden makes that list a lot less interesting. Depending who else is available on the market will heavily influence Hughes’ perceived value.
Or, the Yankees could take an alternate and perhaps more desirable path, and buy out Hughes’ 2014 season in addition to a few more with an extension. Technically, the Yankees could also try to trade Phil before this decision has to be made, but seeing as though they’ll likely not be sellers by the deadline, I just don’t see this happening, nor do I think they would get a ton in return anyway. On the one hand, the Yankees face a perilous rotation situation next season. Pretending Michael Pineda is healthy and effective (and that alone may prove to be an excercise in absurdity), that leaves the Yankees with … well, it leaves them with CC Sabathia and Pineda. After that, it’s some combination of David Phelps, Ivan Nova, and not much else. I’d love to believe Manny Banuelos could be in the mix, but that’s probably waaay to optimistic given his rehab timetable and overall progress. Maybe Hopefully Andy Pettitte and/or Hiroki Kuroda are coaxed into another year in pinstripes, but that is not a garauntee by any means given their age and vocalized interest in retirement.
(Elsa/Getty)
On one hand, having Hughes in the mix would certainly make the rotation a bit more digestable on paper, plus it’s comforting to know what weaknesses you have in a player rather than finding out down the road what baggage someone else brings. On the other hand, there are the talks about an austerity budget which poses a definite financial dilemma, and might be the biggest contributing factor as to why the Yankees may pass on Hughes (along with others) altogether. To be absolutely clear, I hope the Yankees elect to bring Hughes back – not because he has become the wunderkind that was advertised throughout the minors, but because I think he’s a younger alternative to many of the options out there, and honestly just about as effective at this point. To Hughes’ credit, he has also shown occasional capacity to be more than just a back-of-the-rotation type of arm. Also, I don’t necessarily envision the Yankees acquiring another headline-caliber pitcher — the Sabathias of the world are hard to come by after all, but who knows.
So let’s say for a moment that the Yankees roll the dice on Phil and offer him an extension. What might that contract look like? When asked this very question during Thursday’s RAB Live Chat, I whimsically answered five years, $50M. In retrospect, that price seems a bit conservative – though the number of years seems realistic enough. Really, that’s the price I would want the Yankees to pay, although I would definitely not complain with a four year, $52M agreement similar to Edwin Jackson’s. In actuality, I’d be surprised if it didn’t cost more though. Perhaps five years, $60M seems more plausible. At that rate, Hughes would still have some legitimate wealth, and wouldn’t completely break the bank for the Yankees (not to mention the contract would still include his peak years). For what it’s worth, we’ve also seen guys like Jered Weaver sacrifice a few dollars to stick around with a team he’s comfortable with, and maybe Hughes would do the same for the Yankees (though that’s not necessarily the norm nor would I expect it).
Interestingly enough, Baseball-Reference’s comparitive list of pitchers’ performance most similar by age includes Kyle Kendrick and John Lackey. Kendrick isn’t really useful for contract comparisons as he’s basically going through the same process himself. Lackey could make for an interesting discussion though. If Hughes performs very well for the remainder of the season (especially if the pitchers market becomes increasingly scarce), an inflated contract could become more likely. In his final year with the Angels, Lackey was making $10M. Boston rewarded him with a five-year, $82M salary. This is also similar to the deal that Anibal Sanchez received from the Tigers (though his included a club option). Both of these contracts are probably “best case” scenarios for Phil — but they are still within the realm of plausible. After all, how many times have we seen a team overpay a guy for whatever reason. Also, other organizations may not worry as much about his fly ball tendancies if their stadium is more pitcher friendly.
Conversely, if Hughes has a really disappointing season from here on out, he could end up with an offer closer to Rickey Nolasco, say, a three-year, $36M pact — or, a few years to re-prove himself at a standard rate. Given the premium placed on pitching, the fact that teams have money to spend and Hughes’ favorable age, I’d bet he lands a contract closer to Lackey before I’d bet on one similar to Nolasco — though my guess is he’ll fall somewhere in between, ultimately ending up slightly above Edwin’s arrangement. In any event, the Yankees have some tough decisions to make. Whatever they ultimately do, I’m sure it’ll be scrutinized heavily. In the meantime, what would you do?
Fan Confidence Poll: May 13th, 2013
Posted by: | CommentsRecord Last Week: 5-1 (24 RS, 15 RA)
Season Record: 23-13 (157 RS, 138 RA, 20-16 pythag. record), 1.0 games up in AL East
Opponents This Week: @ Indians (doubleheader, Mon.), vs. Mariners (three games, Tues. to Thurs.), vs. Blue Jays (three games, Fri. to Sun.)
Top stories from last week:
- Following Monday’s off-day, the Yankees opened a three-game interleague series with the Rockies in Colorado. Hiroki Kuroda made one bad pitch in Tuesday loss, but Brennan Boesch‘s late-inning hit gave the team a win the next day. New York took the finale following a lengthy mid-game rain delay.
- The Yankees went to Kansas City for a three-game weekend series next, and they put a hurtin’ on the Royals in the series opening win. They hung on for another win on Saturday, then completed the sweep yesterday.
- Injury News: Alex Rodriguez (hip) has resumed baseball activities. Frankie Cervelli (hand) is still five weeks away from doing anything baseball-related. Curtis Granderson (forearm) has started playing in minor league rehab games with Triple-A Scranton. Ivan Nova (triceps) made a minor league rehab start in Extended Spring Training, but he felt something in his side yesterday and has been shut down. Joba Chamberlain (oblique) will make a minor league rehab appearance on Tuesday. Eduardo Nunez (ribcage) was placed on the DL. Robinson Cano (foot) is fine after x-rays showed no break following a foul tip. David Robertson (hamstring) has since returned to action. Last year’s first rounder Ty Hensley (hip) is expected to miss the season following surgery.
- Infielder Alberto Gonzalez was acquired from the Cubs and subsequently called up when Nunez hit the DL. They Yankees are planning to call up David Adams on Wednesday, the first day he is eligible to join the big league team.
- Dellin Betances has been permanently shifted to the bullpen. A slew of minor leaguers were released, including Gil Velazquez, Cody Johnson, Ryan Pope, Juan Cedeno, and Shaeffer Hall.
Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.
Fan Confidence Poll: March 6th, 2013
Posted by: | CommentsRecord Last Week: 3-3 (21 RS, 26 RA)
Season Record: 18-12 (133 RS, 123 RA, 16-14 pythag. record), 1.5 games back in AL East
Opponents This Week: Mon. OFF, @ Rockies (three games, Tues. to Thurs.), @ Royals (three games, Fri. to Sun.)
Top stories from last week:
- The week opened with a three-game set against the Astros, who came to the Bronx and blew the Yankees out in the first game on Monday. The team had to grind for a win on Tuesday, then they held on to take the series finale the next day.
- Following Thursday’s off-day, the Yankees were shutout by the Athletics in the opener of their three-game series. Phil Hughes dominated in Saturday’s win, but a late-inning homer sent them to a loss yesterday.
- Injury News: Alex Rodriguez (hip) has been cleared to begin baseball activities. Michael Pineda (shoulder) is throwing in the mid-90s during Extended Spring Training games. Curtis Granderson (forearm) has started playing in Extended Spring Training games. Mark Teixeira (wrist) has started taking batting practice. Kevin Youkilis (back) and Joba Chamberlain (oblique) were placed on the DL while David Robertson (hamstring) and Eduardo Nunez (rib cage) are day-to-day. Ivan Nova (triceps) feels no pain and has started playing catch. Jose Campos confirmed he missed most of last year with a small fracture in his elbow.
- The Yankees are looking for a right-handed bat. They acquired infielder Chris Nelson from the Rockies in a minor trade, but he doesn’t satisfy their needs against left-handed pitchers. Nelson replace Corban Joseph on the roster, who was optioned back to Triple-A after being called up when Youkilis was placed on the DL.
- Cody Eppley was designated for assignment to clear room on the roster for Preston Claiborne, who was called up to take Joba’s spot on the roster. Eppley has since been outrighted to Triple-A.
- Chien-Ming Wang did not exercise the first opt-out clause in his contract. He has four more opt-out dates coming.
- Robinson Cano confirmed his new agents have yet to talk to the Yankees about a new contract.
Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.
Poll: Which injured player do the Yankees miss the most?
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(Elsa/Getty)
No team has been more beset by injuries this year than the Yankees. They’ve used the DL ten times already, the most in the big leagues. Some injuries are more serious than others, and some absences are more noticeable than others. Still, ten players on the DL one month into the season is a little extreme.
With a lineup that is averaging just four runs per game since the blowout Indians series (team 106 wRC+ overall), it’s clear the offense doesn’t pack as much punch as it once did. The Yankees can’t hit lefties at all — .225/.300/.365 (78 wRC+) as a team — and the injuries are a major reason why. The pitching staff has been pretty awesome (4.22 runs per game, 3.64 FIP), and that’s why the club owns the second best record in baseball at 17-10.
Some of those injured players are getting closer to a return, and a month gives us a good enough to look to determine which guy the Yankees have missed the most. With all due to respect to Kevin Youkilis, Ivan Nova, and Frankie Cervelli, this is limited to players who started the season on the DL and would have unquestionably made the 25-man roster if healthy. That means no Michael Pineda and Cesar Cabral, basically, and it leaves us with four prominent position players.
Curtis Granderson
The Yankees lost their top power hitter five pitches into his Grapefruit League season, when an errant J.A. Happ pitch broke Granderson’s forearm and put him on the DL for more than two months. Curtis played in his first Extended Spring Training game just yesterday, getting two at-bats before it started raining. The Yankees have hit an MLB-best 38 homers this season, so they haven’t been the powerless punch and judy offense so many (including me) expected. Still, losing a legitimate 40-homer hitter is a blow to any team.
Derek Jeter
October ankle surgery turned into an April setback, which will force the Cap’n to the sidelines until the All-Star break. Jeter hit .316/.362/.429 (117 wRC+) last season and that’s close to impossible to replace at the shortstop position – the team’s shortstops are currently hitting .214/.289/.264 (52 wRC+) – but the Yankees especially miss his right-handed bat against lefty pitchers. He hit .364/.399/.542 (157 wRC+) against southpaws in 2012, and boy would that fit nicely atop the lineup these days.
Alex Rodriguez
The Bombers knew about A-Rod‘s hip injury in December, so they were able to secure a more than capable replacement in Youkilis. That said, the old and broken down version of A-Rod produced more in 2012 (.272/.353/.430, 114 wRC+) than the totally awesome and rejuvenated version of Youkilis in 2013 (.266/.347/.422, 108 wRC+). The difference is especially noticeable against lefties, where A-Rod massively outproduced his third base replacement (152 vs. -40 wRC+). Rodriguez’s right-handed bat would fit perfectly into the middle of the lineup, especially against southpaws.
Mark Teixeira
Teixeira hurt his wrist in mid-May while with preparing for the World Baseball Classic with Team USA, so the Yankees didn’t have much time to find a replacement. Lyle Overbay has been decent overall (98 wRC+) and much more than that against righties (.322/.375/.610, 163 wRC+), but he’s also been useless against lefties (-63 wRC+). Despite his decline, Teixeira was very productive last year (.251/.332/.475, 116 wRC+), especially against lefties (.269/.333/.531, 129 wRC+). Once again, that ability to mash southpaws is something the Yankees miss in a big way right now.
* * *
Four players who, in recent years, occupied the top four spots in the lineup. All are missed in their own way, but some are definitely missed more than others.
Fan Confidence Poll: April 29th, 2013
Posted by: | CommentsRecord Last Week: 5-2 (24 RS, 24 RA)
Season Record: 15-9 (112 RS, 97 RA, 14-10 pythag. record), 2.5 games back in AL East
Opponents This Week: vs. Astros (three games, Mon. to Weds.), Thurs. OFF, vs. Athletics (three games, Fri. to Sun.)
Top stories from last week:
- The week opened with three games against the Rays in Tampa, and the Yankees dropped the opener because they couldn’t hit Matt Moore. Ichiro Suzuki got the big hit in Tuesday’s win, but they couldn’t do anything offensively in the series finale loss.
- The division rival Blue Jays then came to the Bronx for a four-game weekend set. Robinson Cano gave the Yankees a win with a go-ahead homer in the series opener, then they came back for another win on Friday. Travis Hafner carried the Yankees to their third straight win on Saturday before Lyle Overbay helped the team complete the rare four-game series sweep yesterday.
- Injury News: Frankie Cervelli (hand) will miss at least six weeks after suffering a fracture on a foul tip. Michael Pineda (shoulder) pitched in a simulated game and reportedly hit the low-90s. Ivan Nova (triceps) was placed on the 15-day DL with inflammation. Curtis Granderson (forearm) has started taking full swings. Mark Teixeira (wrist) is still limited to dry swings. Kevin Youkilis (back) returned to the lineup for one game but has since been sidelined with more stiffness. He will go for an MRI today. Triple-A outfielder Thomas Neal (hamstring) was placed on the DL. Minor league righty Nick Goody (elbow) had Tommy John surgery.
- Left-hander Vidal Nuno was called up from Triple-A to replace Nova while Austin Romine took Cervelli’s spot. Derek Jeter was placed on the 60-day DL to clear a 40-man roster spot for Nuno.
- There were further indications the Yankees may scrap the plan to get under the $189M luxury tax threshold in 2014 and beyond. The team did not offer Jose Valverde a contract this offseason.
- MLB is reportedly investigating Cano for some loose connections to Biogenesis. Top outfield prospect Mason Williams was arrested on a misdemeanor DUI charge.
- Eduardo Nunez is expected to fall just short of the Super Two cutoff after the season.
Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.
