When the Red Sox landed themselves the rights to negotiate with Daisuke Matsuzaka, they had to pay over $50 million to the Seibu Lions. In today’s Times, David Waldstein traveled to Saitama, Japan, to check out how the team spent the money. The answer? More bathrooms with electronically warmed toilet seats. The team also used some of the money to resurface their playing field, install a video scoreboard and add more concession stands and seating to the Seibu Dome. The bathrooms, though, are apparently quite an honor.
Ajax’s clutch double gives SWB late inning win
George Kontos has been promoted to Triple-A Scranton, but it’s still unclear when he’ll make his first start. Chad Jennings also spoke to Nardi Contreras about some of the Yanks’ injured minor league pitchers. Check it out.
Oh, and here’s your chance to own Mark Melancon’s first professional jersey.
Triple-A Scranton (11-7 win over Norfolk)
Doug Bernier: 2 for 4, 3 R, 1 3B, 3 RBI, 1 K, 1 HBP – had been in a 3 for 28 (.107) skid coming into the game
John Rodriguez & Shelley Duncan: both 1 for 5, 1 K – J-Rod doubled & drove in a pair of runs … Shelley swiped a bag and scored a run
Todd Linden: 4 for 5, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 1 SB – broke the game open with a 3 run double in the bottom of the 8th … he also threw a runner out at the plate from RF … hit streak is up to 18 games
Juan Miranda: 0 for 4, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Austin Jackson: 3 for 4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 SB – gave the team the lead in the bottom of the 7th with an RBI double … he also threw a runner out at third from CF
Chris Malec: 1 for 4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K
Chris Stewart: 0 for 1, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 HBP – one my favorite lines of the year
Luis Nunez: 2 for 4, 2 R, 1 K
Eric Hacker: 6 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HB, 9-5 GB/FB – 58 of 101 pitches were strikes (57.4%)
Eric Wordekemper: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 1-2 GB/FB – 18 of 26 pitches were strikes (69.2%) … blew the lead in the top of the 7th when he served up a 2 run jimmy jack
Brett Tomko: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 0-2 GB/FB – 20 of 32 pitches were strikes (62.5%)
Nady to have experimental procedure on elbow
Via PeteAbe, Xavier Nady will have an experimental procedure performed on his elbow in an effort to hasten his return from injury. It’s the same procedure Takashi Saito underwent last year, and is designed to repair the partial torn ligament by injecting platelet-rich plasma directly into the elbow. Ben pondered the validity of the procedure last month, pointing out that it’s not too far removed from injecting human growth hormone. Whatever you think, hopefully it helps Nady come back soon, Mo knows they could use the extra depth.
Feel free to use this as your open thread. The ChiSox and Rangers play later on tonight.
Wang, Yanks blame foot for ineffectiveness
While Chien-Ming Wang is on the disabled list with a hip injury, the Yankees and their erstwhile sinker-ball specialist are blaming Wang’s foot injury for his early-season woes. Yesterday, Wang threw 52 pitches — 33 for strikes — over four scoreless innings. He reached 93 on the gun, according to reports, and seemed sharp.
After the game, Wang and Billy Connors talked with reporters about his injury. The two blamed “stiffness” in Wang’s right foot for his mechanical problems.
To me, that explanation makes perfect sense. Wang has to generate a lot of power through his legs by anchoring himself with his right foot and then driving forward on it as well. By laying off his leg, Wang had been rushing his delivery and putting more pressure on his torso and hips.
For now, Wang has been undergoing an intensive training regime for his foot. He’s running barefoot and doing a lot of pool work to strengthen his legs and core. He’s also working on his confidence after his three disastrous starts in April. “You have to work the head, too,” Connors said to reporters.
Right now, I wouldn’t expect Wang back any time soon. The Yankees are comfortable using Phil Hughes in the rotation. He will be pitching the game tomorrow night against the Red Sox, weather permitting, and the Yankees would prefer to have Wang healthy and effective. I still don’t know though why the Yankees didn’t notice this problem in Spring Training. Wang had an ERA just a shade over 4.10 in the Grapefruit League and seemed on track. Maybe the residual soreness caught up with him, but no matter the cause, he’s working his way back slowly.
Coke: Lack of mental prep at root of bullpen issues
It’s no secret that the Yankees’ bullpen has been downright awful in the early going, and part of that was due to the state of flux caused by Chien-Ming Wang’s suckiness. Phil Coke, speaking to Marc Carig of The Star Ledger, says that the lack of defined roles have hurt the bullpen’s ineffectiveness. Here’s some telling quotes:
“Even though [the bullpen atmosphere is] loose, you can see it in people’s eyes,” lefty Phil Coke said. “As soon as that phone rings, it goes dead silent.”
…
“We’re getting used in such a different fashion every time we step on the field,” said Coke, who admits that in several instances this season, he and his colleagues may have been caught mentally unprepared. “We’ve got to be ready to go from the first inning.”
…
“I feel my role is in the seventh inning, and I’ve got to come in in the second because we have no one else, then I’ve done nothing for my team except hurt my team right out of the chute because of my mental preparation,” Coke said. “As a bullpen guy, you’ve got to be willing to do what you’ve got to do.”
Everyone likes to have defined roles at their job, and Major League pitchers are no different. However there comes a point when that isn’t an excuse anymore, and you have to be prepared to do whatever the team needs. Coke’s admission that he and some of the other relievers have been caught mentally unprepared is part one of the problem, part two is correcting that. None of the current non-Mo relief corps have earned a defined role at this point, and right now everyone is … wait for it … pitching for their job! What a novel idea.
Stop taking it for granted, just do what you’re asked and be ready for anything.
Game 25: A rainout
Update 2:10 p.m.: Today’s game between the Angels and the Yankees has been postponed due to rain. The teams have yet to announce a make-up date. We’ll have content all afternoon. So do stick around.
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Right now, my parents are somewhere in the bowels of Yankee Stadium, waiting this one out. The rest of us are just sitting here watching Law & Order the Tino Martinez Yankeeography on the YES Network. The two teams will wait this one out for a while though because the Angels don’t come back to New York this summer.
If this one ever gets started, Phil Hughes will take on Joe Saunders.
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Matsui DH
Posada C
Cano 2B
Cabrera RF
Berroa 3B
Gardner CF
Hughes (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Marte placed on DL with a sore shoulder
Well that explains it. The Yanks have placed lefty reliever Damaso Marte on the DL with a bum shoulder, according to PeteAbe’s 10:23 & 10:59am updates. Marte came back from the WBC with a sore shoulder, but he says this latest ailment occurred when the team was in Boston. No word yet on how long he’ll be out; Anthony Claggett has been called up to take his spot on the roster.