Got some injury updates, courtesy of Chad Jennings. Pedro Feliciano has been shut down for a week with soreness in his throwing shoulder. He had been making light tosses off a mound as he rehabs from a torn shoulder capsule. Rafael Soriano is on his way back, throwing a bullpen yesterday and reporting no problems. He’ll throw another one tomorrow. Damaso Marte (remember him?) threw a bullpen today, though it’s unclear how long and with how much effort. Either way, good news for him and Soriano.
Soriano, Feliciano both throw off mound
Via Bryan Hoch, both Rafael Soriano and Pedro Feliciano threw off a mound in Tampa today. The former threw 32 pitches, the latter 30 soft tosses. I’m guessing that we’ll see Soriano throw a few more bullpens before facing batters in a simulated game, then he’ll head out on a rehab assignment. His rehab stint shouldn’t be all that long since he’s just a one inning reliever. Either way, Soriano’s not eligible to come off the disabled list until after the All-Star break, so he has time. Feliciano still was a long way to go.
Injury Updates: Jeter, Colon, Soriano, Prior
Time for your daily dose of injury news, courtesy of George King and Joe Auriemma …
- Derek Jeter ran the bases today for the first time since suffering his calf strain. He went from home to first (four times), first to second (three times), and first to third (once). “Running is probably the most important,” said the Cap’n. “It feels good. I’m sure we will pick it up in the next couple of days. It’s a step in the right direction.” Jeter also fielding about three dozen ground balls and took 50 or so swings in batting practice. There’s no set timetable for his return.
- Bartolo Colon did some sprints and agility drills following Monday’s 60-pitch simulated game, but the most interesting news from Tampa is that he practiced some bunting. Colon lines up to pitch the same day as Brian Gordon, and the bunting could mean that they’re ready to give Bartolo that start against the Mets in CitiField. He is on his way to New York for “evaluation.”
- Rafael Soriano is throwing long toss and so far everything feels good.
- Mark Prior threw a bullpen session, his second in four days. If he feels fine tomorrow, there’s a chance he’ll throw to live hitters in batting practice later this week.
Portending a Soriano return to the eighth
When the Yankees signed Rafafel Soriano in late January, they thought they were getting a lockdown late-inning reliever. As the closer for the 2010 AL East Champions, Soriano had posted a 1.73 ERA in 62.1 innings while recording 45 saves and notching 8.2 strikeouts per 9 innings to just 2.0 walks. As a one-time setup man-turned-closer who had thrived in the East, the Yankees figured he would fit easily into the 8th inning role.
Before he hit in the disabled list in May, the club couldn’t have been more wrong. Lest we forget, Soriano had appeared in 16 games for the Yanks and just once had he posted a 1-2-3 innings He has so far walked 11 — only three fewer than all of last year — while striking out just 10. His 5.40 ERA with a 5.92 xFIP and an ugly 1.73 WHIP tell the story as well, and he had been booed off the mound a few times before inflammation in his right elbow shelved him. Considering how poorly he had pitched, we shouldn’t expect the Yanks simply to hand him back the setup role, right? Wrong.
After the Yanks’ nightcap loss in Cincinnati yesterday, Joe Girardi spoke with reporters about his injured players. Soriano is only now beginning a throwing program, but that’s not stopping the Yankee skipper from giving him his job back. “My inclination is Soriano would still be our eighth-inning guy, we got to see how he feels and how he’s throwing the ball. But my inclination is Soriano,” Girardi said. “That’s what we brought him here to do.”
On the one hand, Girardi’s statement isn’t much. Soriano won’t be eligible to come off the DL until around July 13. Hopefully, by then, he’ll be throwing like vintage Soriano and not like the Yanks’ early-season Soriano. Plus, the Yankees need the bullpen depth. With Soriano, Pedro Feliciano, Joba Chamberlain and Damaso Marte on the shelf, the Yanks have $17 million worth of arms on the shelf while David Robertson, Cory Wade, Luis Ayala and Boone Logan will be tasked with getting key outs. Saying that Soriano will be a key cog in the bullpen when he returns is akin to proclaiming that the sun will rise in the East tomorrow.
On the other hand, though, why? David Robertson — and Joba before him — has proven himself more than capable of holding down the eighth. While Robertson’s wild tendencies and his 5.9 walk rate are alarming, that he strikes out so many batters allows him some leeway with the bases on balls. In the intangibles department, he throws with confidence and hasn’t allowed himself to be fazed by high-leverage jams. At least with Robertson, the Yanks have a pitcher who has excelled in that role while Soriano, this year at least, hasn’t show them much.
Of course, the ideal solution would be the one first proposed earlier this winter when the Yanks signed Soriano. I had originally wanted the high-priced reliever to serve as a fireman, but Joe Girardi seems to prefer labels. Soriano was The Eighth Inning Guy before, and he will be when he gets back. The better use for either Soriano, if he’s throwing well, or Robertson, if he continues to do what he does best, would be as a fireman. Use these guys as the situation and not the inning dictates. After all, it’s more important to get to the 7th or 8th with the three-run lead intact than it is to watch a lesser reliever surrender a big hit while the better arms wait for their assigned inning. The Yanks’ bullpen — so far a strength — could be even stronger.
Ultimately, as much as Soriano hasn’t been as advertised this year, the Yanks and their fans should be rooting for him to return healthy and effective. The bullpen needs depth badly right now. That said, I’m not so keen on the idea of simply sticking him into the setup role right away, but that does seem to be the way Girardi manages.
Soriano’s latest throwing session went well
Via Chad Jennings, Rafael Soriano played catch yesterday and “the reports were good,” according to Joe Girardi. Last week’s session didn’t go so well and the right-hander had to be sent for more treatment, so this qualifies as progress. Soriano is in Tampa after spending a significant amount of time with a physical therapist for his inflamed elbow ligament, but he isn’t eligible to come off the disabled list until after the All-Star break. So either way, he’s a month away at the very least.
Injury Updates: Jeter, Chavez, Soriano, Colon
Updated (12:35 p.m.): Got some injury updates, courtesy of Ben Shpigel and George King…
- Derek Jeter is in Tampa and has started “functional exercises.” He’s scheduled to resume baseball activities later this week, and Joe Girardi told reporters that the team hopes to have him when he’s eligible to come off the disabled list next Wednesday. It’s unclear if he’ll play in a minor league rehab game (or two) before then.
- Eric Chavez took batting practice on the field and also fielded some ground balls in Tampa yesterday. His running is still limited to a treadmill though. He’s not eligible to come off the disabled list until July 5th.
- Rafael Soriano has reported to Tampa after spending “considerable time” with a physical therapist in New York. Last we heard, he hadn’t been cleared to begin a throwing program, but the hope was that he’d be able to this week. Just going to Tampa is a good sign, though he isn’t eligible to come off the disabled list until after the All-Star break.
- Bartolo Colon
has not yet been cleared to start a throwing program, Joe Girardi said to reporters yesterday. If Colon is to come back from his injured hamstring after the 15-day minimum, he will have to start throwing today or tomorrow. With this delay, he will likely miss some extra time.Scratch that. According to the AP (via Bryan Hoch, Colon started a throwing program today. He should be back near or at the minimum 15 days if his hamstring holds up OK.
Rafael Soriano ‘not quite there’ in his rehab
Via Brian Heyman, Rafael Soriano played catch on Tuesday but has not yet been cleared to continue a throwing program. “He’s close, but he’s not quite there,” said Joe Girardi in his pregame press conference, adding that the righty will continue to get treatment and try throwing again next week. Joba Chamberlain’s injury has suddenly made Soriano very important, though it sounds like the chances of him returning before the All-Star break are dwindling.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- …
- 15
- Next Page »