River Avenue Blues

Update: Dodgers and Red Sox complete blockbuster trade

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Saturday: It’s a done deal. The Sox are sending Beckett, Gonzalez, Crawford, and Punto to the Dodgers for James Loney and four prospects — RHP Allen Webster, RHP Rubby De La Rosa, IF Ivan DeJesus, and OF/1B Jerry Sands. Boston is paying just $12M of the $270M+ they’re dumping. Pretty crazy. I’ll have some more analysis on how this indirectly impacts the Yankees sometime this weekend.

Friday: Via Gordon Edes, the Dodgers and Red Sox are working on a blockbuster trade that would send Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, and Nick Punto to Los Angeles. Both Beckett and Gonzalez were claimed off trade waivers by the Dodgers earlier today while Crawford and Punto cleared earlier this month. For what it’s worth, Edes says the two sides are “closing in” on a deal.

First of all: holy crap. Second of all: why couldn’t it be Pedro Ciriaco instead of Punto? Third of all: Boston clearing that much money would be bad for the Yankees, at least in the sense that the Sawx could theoretically spend the savings elsewhere to improve the team. That’s much easier said than done, of course. Either way, this would be some kind of trade, potentially the largest of my lifetime considering the caliber of players and the size of the contracts involved.

Yanks hold on for much-needed win over Tribe

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Source: FanGraphs

For a few innings, this one looked like a repeat of the first two games of the White Sox series. The Yankees scored early and had Indians’ starter Corey Kluber on the ropes — the bases were loaded in both the first and second innings — but failed to tack on and the game remained close right until the bitter end. Thankfully the Indians are not as good as the ChiSox. Let’s recap…

  • Back in Action: CC Sabathia missed a touch more than two weeks with elbow stiffness, but he showed no ill-effect with 7.1 dominant innings against his former team. I was curious to see how he would use his breaking ball, particularly how often he’d use it after the elbow problem, but he used it like he normally would and struck out nine. Facing a left-handed heavy lineup surely helped, but Sabathia looked really good. As good as he’s looked all year, I thought. Welcome back, big guy.
  • One-Man Army: The Yankees scored just three runs, and all three crossed the plate thanks to Nick Swisher. He and leadoff man Derek Jeter teamed up for back-to-back doubles in the first for the first run, then he cranked a two-run homer in the seventh to break a one-all tie. Swisher also hit a deep fly ball in the ninth, and he might have had a three-homer night in the Bronx given how deep the double, homer, and fly ball were hit to right. Dude’s been on fire of late, and he really carried the club on Friday.
  • Unnecessarily Interesting: Rafael Soriano has been brilliant as Mariano Rivera’s fill-in this season, but he made things mighty interesting in the ninth. Two singles and a wild pitch put the tying run in scoring position with no outs, and soon enough the bases were loaded. Soriano wiggled his way out of the jam with a strikeout (Matt LaPorta), a weak pop-up (Ezequiel Carrera), and a grounder to first (Jack Hannahan). It wasn’t quite as awesome as his escape job in Detroit a few weeks ago, but this was darn good. I just hope we see fewer appearances like this going forward.
  • Leftovers: Jeter took a Kluber fastball to the helmet in the second and he was pretty angry about it, maybe angrier than I’ve ever seen him. He remained in the game — never even left his feet — and there is no indication that he was hurt at all … Sabathia retaliated by throwing behind Asdrubal Cabrera in the fourth, literally one pitch before surrendered a solo homer … Robinson Cano (GIDP) and Mark Teixeira (strikeout looking) had some particularly putrid at-bats early in the game with one out and the bases loaded and men on second and third, respectively … Eric Chavez’s hot streak is officially over, he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts after a weak showing in Chicago … Jeter and Swisher went a combined 5-for-8 while the rest of the lineup went 4-for-27.

MLB.com has the box score and video highlights, FanGraphs some additional stats, and ESPN the updated standings. The Athletics managed to hold on and beat the Rays, so Tampa is now four back in the loss column. The magic number to clinch the AL East crown is down to 34. The Yankees and Indians will do it again on Saturday, a dreaded weekend night game. Hiroki Kuroda gets the ball against Justin Masterson.

Trenton wins behind dominant O’Brien

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First, notes…

  • RHP Dellin Betances was in the Not So Hot section of this week’s Prospect Hot Sheet. He was placed on the DL yesterday with shoulder tendinitis, likely ending his oh so ugly season.
  • OF Zoilo Almonte was named to the end-of-season Double-A Eastern League All-Star Team, essentially a recognition that he was one of the three best outfielders in the circuit this summer.
  • Apparently I guessed correctly yesterday and 1B Greg Bird will be promoted to Short Season Staten Island once the Rookie Level GCL Yanks season ends tomorrow.
  • UTIL Ronnie Mustelier was activated off the Triple-A DL. IF Doug Bernier was placed on the (phantom?) DL to clear a roster spot.

Second, bullet points…

  • Triple-A Empire State (win): LF Chris Dickerson had a huge game, picking up four hits including a double. 2B Corban Joseph doubled twice and also homered, plus SS Eduardo Nunez (single, double) and DH Ronnie Mustelier (two singles)each had two hits as well. RHP John Maine allowed two unearned runs in six innings before RHP Ryota Igarashi made things interesting in the ninth. He nailed it down though.
  • Double-A Trenton (win): Whole lotta offense in the 12-hit attack, including two knocks apiece from C J.R. Murphy (single, double), 3B David Adams (single, double), and RF Rob Segedin (single, double). 1B Luke Murton had three hits and was a homer short of the cycle. RHP Mikey O’Brien was fantastic, allowing just one hit and zero runs across 6.2 innings. He whiffed five and walked three. RHP Graham Stoneburner cleaned things up with the 2.1 inning save, striking out zero and allowing a run.
  • High-A Tampa Game One (win): Big day on offense featured multiple hits from LF Ramon Flores (single, homer), RF Tyler Austin (single, double), C Gary Sanchez (double, triple), 3B Zach Wilson (single, double), and DH Kelvin DeLeon (two singles). CF Slade Heathcott singled and walked. LHP Pedro Feliciano made his latest rehab appearance, and RHP Jose Ramirez followed up by allowing two unearned runs in five innings. Kiley McDaniel was in attendance and said Ramirez was sitting 96-97 and touching 100. Yippee. This was the completion of a game that was suspended due to rain earlier this week, which is why LHP Nik Turley only threw one inning. He pitched the other day, not today.
  • High-A Tampa Game Two (loss): CF Ramon Flores had two more hits (both singles) and DH Slade Heathcott chipped in a single and a double. RF Tyler Austin doubled for his only hit. LHP Nik Turley did start this game, allowing four runs in 6.2 innings. He struck out five, walked two, and surrendered two dingers.
  • Low-A Charleston (win): RF Rob Refsnyder, CF Ben Gamel, and 1B Saxon Butler all doubled while 2B Ali Castillo went deep. The recently promoted RHP Cesar Vargas allowed two runs in 4.2 innings in his River Dogs debut. RHP John Brebbia threw two perfect frames in relief, RHP Pedro Guerra one.
  • Short Season Staten Island (win): 3B Matt Duran’s grand slam highlighted the game, though DH Exicardo Cayones had a pair of knocks as well. CF Ravel Santana singled and got hit by a pitch. LHP Tim Flight started and threw three scoreless, but LHP Dietrich Enns did the heavy lifting with four one-run innings in relief. I suppose it’s worth noting that RHP Craig Hansen pitched for the other team in this game. Yes, that Craig Hansen.
  • Rookie GCL Yanks (win): Not a whole lot happened on offense, just extra-base hits by SS Austin Aune (triple), DH Ericson Leonora (double), and 1B Jorge Alcantara (homer). RHP Cory Arbiso (1.1 IP) and RHP Zach Arneson (1 IP) allowed one run in their latest rehab outings while LHP Rony Bautista cleaning things up late by retiring all five men he faced.

Game 125: A New Day

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(Jason Miller/Getty Images)

The Yankees were just swept in three games by the White Sox and have been playing some uninspired baseball in the second half, but today is a new day. The Bombers are in Cleveland to face the pitiful Indians, and they get their ace CC Sabathia back off the disabled list. If there was ever a day to get off the schneid and back to tearing up the league, today’s the day. Here’s the starting nine…

SS Derek Jeter
RF Nick Swisher
2B Robinson Cano
1B Mark Teixeira
CF Curtis Granderson
3B Eric Chavez
C  Russell Martin
DH Raul Ibanez
LF Ichiro Suzuki

LHP CC Sabathia

Tonight’s game is scheduled to start a little after 7pm ET and can be seen on My9. Enjoy.

Roster Note: As you’ve surely deduced, the Yankees have activated Sabathia off the disabled list. He was on the shelf for the minimum 15 days due to elbow stiffness. Sabathia takes the roster and rotation spot vacated by Ivan Nova, who was placed on the DL with rotator cuff inflammation yesterday. No other moves were needed.

Feliciano allows a run in latest minor league rehab outing

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In his fifth minor league rehab outing overall and first with High-A Tampa, left-hander Pedro Feliciano allowed a run on four hits in one inning of work this afternoon. All four hits were singles and three of the four came off the bat of right-handed hitters. Not terribly surprising.

Feliciano, who turns 36 tomorrow, made his first four rehab appearances on three days’ rest with the Rookie Level GCL Yankees. This appearance came with one day of rest and with the promotion up to the tougher league. He was originally scheduled to pitch for High-A Tampa this past Tuesday, but the game was rained out and he instead pitched for the GCL club on Wednesday. Feliciano remains on target to join the big league bullpen in September, but he still has a number of hurdles to clear.

Chavez hopes to manage after playing days are over

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Last night we learned that Derek Jeter has no interest in returning to the dugout as a manager once his playing career is over, but the feeling is not shared by his teammates. Dan Barbarisi wrote today about Eric Chavez, who admits to wanting to stay in baseball as a coach and eventually manager once he retires as a player. “One way or the other, I want to stay in the game,” he said. “In the last four years I’ve had to learn so much, that I feel there’s a lot I want to pass on.”

Chavez, 34, first got the itch to coach back with the Athletics in 2010, when he was injured and spent most of his time helping the club’s younger players. He’s begun was Barbarisi calls an “active study” this year, observing the coaching staff and studying the game from the dugout more intently than most players. Chavez has stayed healthy this summer and is having a monster season (132 wRC+) as a part-time player, but he admitted to considering retirement in each of the last two offseasons. Barbarisi’s one of the best and I think it’s safe to say Chavez is a fan favorite, so make sure you check it out.

The RAB Radio Show: August 24th, 2012

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The Yanks hit a rough patch in Chicago this week. Not good for the standings, but good for podcast fodder.

  • Mike and I review the frustrations of the Chicago series, with a bit on Phil Hughes’s good start and changes he’s made.
  • Then we move onto the Nova injury. Of course it’s bad when pitchers get injured, but for the Yanks it brings some extra complications. We run down the scenarios and mention a few possible, but long shot, solutions.
  • And we’re looking forward to the next week, when the Yankees play two bottom-feeding teams at a time when they could use a few wins.

Podcast run time 45:00

Here’s how you can listen to podcast:

[audio:http://riveraveblues.com/podcasts/TheRABRadioShow082412.mp3]

Intro music: “Die Hard” courtesy of reader Alex Kresovich. Thanks to Tyler Wilkinson for the graphic.