It’s kind of hard to believe, but the Yankees will leave Tampa today and finish up their spring training games elsewhere before heading up to New York for Opening Day. And what a weird spring training it’s been for them – eventful, to say the least.
So much happened in such a short time….
Jeter played in his first games since his ankle surgery and ended up on the DL.
Mo returned after his surgery only to announce his retirement after the season.
A-Rod was essentially banished from camp while he rehabs his hip.
Granderson got injured.
Tex got injured.
Hughes got injured.
Cervelli emerged as the best catcher in camp.
Youkilis found his groove at the plate.
Hafner did not.
Nova pitched well.
Joba and Robertson pitched well.
Pettitte and CC showed up healthy but haven’t been sharp yet.
Nunez got the job at short in Jeter’s absence and has made fewer errors.
Ronnier Musty impressed the organization.
New hires included Rivera, Wells, Overbay and Francisco.
What did I miss?
It’s kind of crazy that the Yanks will break camp without really knowing who their first baseman is. Ditto their right fielder. But it’ll be baseball, and I know we’re all happy about that.
P.S. Check it out! I’m in the latest issue of Time Out New York, in defense of our boys.
P.P.S. So Juan Rivera was released and Lyle Overbay is our new first baseman. All righty then. And Boone Logan got hurt today. I guess I have to add him to the above list.
No, I don’t mean Granderson hit a homer yesterday. As everyone knows by now, he was up in his first plate appearance and was struck on an inside pitch on the forearm and later learned he had fractured it. It’s beyond tough luck for him and the Yanks. Not only does he produce all those homers and play a very credible outfield, but he’s a great guy who’s in his contract year and I wish I could rewind the moment and play it over again. His replacements (Rivera, Diaz, etc.) don’t thrill me. Still, he’s only out until May – hopefully – and it is what it is, as they say.
It was fun watching the first televised game of the season, as I cooked for my Oscar night guests. Baseball is definitely back, injuries and all.
It’s kind of amazing, isn’t it? Baseball season comes to a screeching halt in the fall and the Yankees-less winter feels like it’ll never end, and then suddenly it’s spring training in Tampa. Pitchers and catchers report on Tuesday and there will be others trickling in too.
I wish I could feel more hopeful about the 2013 Yankees. We have some truly great players that other teams can only dream about. We also have promising farmhands who could make a difference this year. And we have our usual cast of new guys who are past their prime but hoping a change of scenery will give their careers a boost. Not a bad collection by any means.
Still, I’m wondering where the power will come from. I’m wondering who’ll be our righty outfielder. I’m wondering who’ll be our catcher. I’m wondering what our rotation will look like. I’m wondering if Mo will have the stamina to close for the entire season (I don’t worry about his ability as a closer; I never worry about that). I’m wondering if all the jokes about how old the team is will prove to be true. (See Tyler Kepner’s reference to the early-bird special in today’s NYT.) I’m wondering who’ll be the backup infielder since Cashman has said Nunez will stick to shortstop. I’m wondering if Girardi will be managing for the last time in pinstripes. I’m wondering when the next steroids revelation will appear and whether there will be any suspensions.
All that being said, hope springs eternal and maybe the Yankees will surprise me. I always remind myself that no team is perfect and that the teams everybody anoints to win it all hardly ever do. So who knows.
The good news is we’ll have baseball again. I’m busy with lots of projects these days, so I may not post on this blog as often as I’ve done in the past. We’ll see. In the meantime, I’m anticipating the first look at our guys in their nice clean uniforms and will probably let out a girly squeal when that happens.
It must be weird for Jeet to be in Tampa without his best bud. He and JoPo not only came up in the farm system together. They ate every meal together, went for coffee together, hung out. When I was on the road for the “She-Fan” book in ’07, I used to see them all the time. They were nearly inseparable.
So it was only natural that the writers would ask The Captain at today’s press conference how it felt to be Posada-less. Via Lohud:
“It’s awkward. I think that’s the better way to put it, just because you’re so used to seeing someone. With Andy, he was the dumb one of the group that left and went to Houston for a few years. We sorta got used to him not being here. Jorge, probably it hasn’t hit me yet. In spring training, pitchers and catchers are on a different schedule anyway, so you really don’t see people too often. That’ll be a tough one, because as everyone knows, we were together all the time. But yeah, it is kinda weird when you’re used to playing with someone. I’ve played with these guys since I’ve been 18 years old. When they’re not there, it’s kinda awkward. But you’ve got to move on. You have no choice.”
I loved his quip about Pettitte. The “dumb one.” LOL. What’s he going to say next season when Mo’s gone too?
I know, I know. I’m getting way ahead of myself.
Meanwhile, with the position players in camp today (most of them), it feels like baseball for real. Yay.
Last night’s post was titled “Off-Day Weirdness.” This one, because of tonight’s postponement of Yankees-O’s at Camden Yards, is just pure fun – something to take our minds off the damp and dreary weather in Baltimore.
I don’t know about you, but I laughed all the way through this vid. Seriously laughed.
I know. That’s John Sterling’s favorite line. But as I was reading about the latest developments in Yankeeville, I couldn’t help utter the same words myself.
By the time I wake up tomorrow morning, Girardi will have already announced his roster for breaking camp, or so I assume. Judging by the buzz among the beat writers, it sounds like:
Nova is our #4 pitcher.
Garcia slots in at #5.
Colon goes to the pen in long relief.
Nunez gets the reserve job instead of Pena.
Gustavo Molina is the backup catcher, not Jesus Montero.
Could anybody have predicted the above? Well, except for Nova? Seriously, didn’t Ramiro Pena have the infield job locked up before Nunez beat him out? Wasn’t Montero the second coming of Joe Mauer while Molina was the so-so, non-Molina-brother catcher? Wasn’t Garcia supposed to be a long shot to make the rotation? And how about Eric Chavez? I remember writing on this very blog that I was excited about him coming off the bench, and lots of people said, “Forget it. He’s always injured. He won’t give you anything.”And yet look at the spring training he’s had, including his first ST homer in tonight’s game. Yes, I like Jorge Vazquez and I hope we’ll see him in the Bronx one of these days, but Chavez has such a good glove.
It’s all coming together. I’m still not crazy about Andruw Jones and I honestly don’t know what his contribution will be, but things could look a lot different in another month or two.
Meanwhile, the rehearsals are winding down and the show is about to start….Any day now.
Colon was really good tonight against the Rays, wasn’t he? No more jokes about his girth.
(Courtesy: thesplatflats.com)
OK, maybe just that one.
I was impressed with the way he set down a talented Rays lineup, except for the homer to Shoppach. Will he be able to keep going for more than six innings if he wins the job though? We really do need someone who can eat innings, as opposed to burgers. But tonight has to give him an edge over Garcia, I would think.
Mostly, this game made me wish we could just fast forward through the rest of spring training and get to Opening Day. Others have expressed the same wish, and I was content to just roll along. But once I saw us go up against one of our division rivals in a night setting, it felt more….for real. I don’t know about the players, but I’m ready. Play ball.
Rafael Soriano told the Yankees that he didn’t want to pitch against an American League East team in spring training, so he was scratched from tonight’s game and will pitch at the minor league complex tomorrow.
The above little gem was courtesy of LoHud and it sort of put a damper on my euphoria about Ivan Nova and the Yankees beating up on the O’s 10-0 in the kind of game I love (a blowout). I was so impressed with Nova, enjoyed seeing the regular lineup play most of the game and, of course, was thrilled to have Mo come in to pitch the seventh.
I expected to see Soriano too and was surprised when I didn’t. Now I know the reason for his absence. He’s certainly not the first guy to want to avoid his division rivals during spring training.
Francona scratched Buchholz the other night when the Yankees were in Fort Myers to play the Red Sox; supposedly the manager didn’t want his pitcher facing the Yankees any more often than necessary. I remember saying, “How silly is that? The Yankees have seen Buchholz a thousand times and will see him a thousand more.”
I also remember when Curt Schilling refused to face any AL East teams in spring training the year he came to the Red Sox from the Diamondbacks. In that case, I just said, “It’s Schilling. He’s a diva. What else is new?”
But Soriano? He faced AL East teams every six seconds when he was with the Rays. What’s the big deal all of a sudden? It’s stuff like this that pisses me off. If you’ve got good stuff, you’ll fool hitters no matter how many times they’ve seen you. Am I wrong?
I’m not just talking about spring training. I mean like ever. In the history of life. Because I honestly don’t remember a victory over the worst team in the majors. I realize today’s game was meaningless and the point was to give A.J. another opportunity to practice his new delivery. But it just feels like we can’t squash the gnats Nats and it’s a little disconcerting.
#2) Why is it a given that Eric Chavez will win a roster spot over Jorge Vazquez?
Yes, I know Chavez is a former Gold Glover and the far more experienced player. But Vazquez has gotten hit after hit (not to mention homer after homer) and I think he should get a shot at the job. A bona fide shot. Girardi keeps saying stuff like, “He’s giving us a lot to think about,” meaning Vazquez. But what he’s really saying is, “He’s going to the minors and we’ll call him up if Chavez gets hurt or doesn’t perform.” Am I right?
#3) Could Mo please pitch sometime soon?
I’ve read that his spring debut will be any day now. But until I actually see him on the mound with my own eyes, all will not be right with the world.
