The Cash Man has made improving the farm system his pet project over the past few years, and he continued his quest to revamp the whole operation at the draft yesterday. In the past, when the Yanks were more famous for making moves like signing washed up juicers (I'm looking at you, Kevin Brown... looking at you with fire in my eyes), I had a hard time caring much about the kids they drafted, since it was unlikely we'd ever see them in a Yankees uniform. Now that Cash has successfully prevented Big Stein and the Steinbrothers to resist trading any live body under the age of 23, though, I am happily very interested in the process.

Yesterday was day 1 of the draft, and the Yanks wasted no time stocking up on young pitchers. Of their top 10 picks, 5 were pitchers, and 3 of those 5 are high schoolers. Their first-round pick (28th overall), Gerrit Cole, is a 17-year-old RHP from Orange, California, who can hit 95+ with his fastball and also has a good slider and changeup; selection numero dos was a LHP junior from Stanford who rocked a 1.09 ERA in 33 innings this year. They also picked up a couple infielders and a high school catcher, a particularly wise move considering the quickly-advancing age of Jorgie Porgie and lack of a viable long-term backup.

Having seen the Yanks sign draft-picks like Joba, Hughes, and I-Ken and actually hang on to them long enough to put them out on the field in Yankee Stadium certainly makes the draft more exciting (and gives the drafted dudes some hope that they might actually play for the team that drafted them one day), and I'm very tempted to get excited whilst I peruse the information about these draftees. The problem, though, is that the progress of baseball prospects is incredibly difficult to predict - more so than any other American sport (note: I added that "American" in there because I realized I don't know how cricket and curling prospects project). A player that looks like the next Doc Gooden can easily end up being a Paul Wilson; Khalil Greene's $3 million would-be successor might just be your run-of-the-mill Matt Bush.

Bottom line? Let's be optimistic, but hold off on your Cole tattoo for the time being.

In addition to my usual Yankees Chick posts, I have also begun writing regularly for AOL's FanHouse blog on all things AL East. I will post the beginnings of those articles here on YC, and then you'll have to click the link to jump on over to FH to read the rest... stick with me here, amigos!
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The Yankees gave Ian Kennedy the boot a little over a week ago, sending him to AAA to let him take a break from the pressures of New York (and to give themselves a break from his apparent inability to get batters out), but he's been working hard to prove he doesn't belong in Scranton -- he wants back in New York as soon as possible. After just two appearances with Scranton he can declare mission accomplished (the exact opposite of Bush's definition of the phrase): he'll be starting the game against the Rays on Thursday.

Continue Reading "Stupid" Yanks Bringing I-Ken Back

Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes have put the Yanks (not to mention us fans) through a lot of heartaches and headaches this year, leading many to question all those scouting reports that made them out to be can't-miss stars. Hughes recused himself by fracturing a rib, thus avoiding both the ever-increasing pressure and/or embarrassing and confidence-shattering move to the bullpen or AAA. The latter turned out to be I-Ken's fate after a miserable season start.

Being demoted is surely a blow to one's self-esteem, but in this case it might be just what Kennedy needs to BOOST his confidence. He made his first start with Scranton today, and he didn't waste any time showing the Yanks that he's still got the talent we all saw last year. In his Scranton debut today he went 7.1 innings, gave up just one hit (he had a no-hitter going through 5 2/3), struck out eight and didn't walk a soul (although he did hit a dude) and threw 90 pitches. Rather than sinking into a depression or beating himself up about being sent down, IPK is using his time wisely to show the Yanks that he can and will turn things around when he is recalled.

Continue Reading There's Still Hope: I-Ken Starts His AAA Trip Off With a Bang

After struggling mightily throughout April, the Yanks have made the difficult choice to remove Kennedy from the roster and send him down to AAA Scranton to get some more practice and (hopefully) figure out why the hell he couldn't hack it with the Yanks. With the way he's been pitching, it really shouldn't come as much of a surprise:

Games Started: 5
Innings Pitched: 23.7
Hits Allowed: 28
ER: 22
ERA: 8.37
Walks: 20
Strikeouts: 16
WHIP: 2.028

While a temporary send-down doesn't shock me, I-Ken himself wasn't expecting it, saying "I was kind of surprised." With all due respect to my dear IPK, allow me to inquire: Did you really not consider the possibility that you weren't pitching well enough to stay on the team? If I were a 23-year-old MLB pitcher (and I almost was - I was drafted [first round, obv] but opted to pursue an illustrious career in baseball blogging instead) the knowledge that I could be sent back to the minors if I didn't perform would always be on my mind.

Watching IPK and Hughsie struggle throughout the start of the season has been frustrating to say the least... and by "frustrating" I mean "gut-wrenchingly painful" or "embarrassing" or perhaps even "punch-a-wall-maddening." So painful was it that I was actually somewhat relieved when Hughes booked a room at the DL Resort and even more relieved at the news that I-Ken is getting a break of his own. I'm still convinced that those two possess a good amount of talent and I so badly want them to succeed (if for no other reason than to assuage our depression that we didn't try harder to trade them for Santana), so I truly hope that reprieve from the pressure (and booing) of the big leagues will be just what the doctor ordered for both of them.

The real bad news here is that with both of them out of the rotation the Yanks have but one option to fill the spot vacated by I-Ken (Rasner replaced Hughes - successfully, I might add): none other than Kei "Oh, You Got Dice-K? We'll Get Our Own Japanese Import, JERKS! We'll Show You!" Igawa. Lo siento, amigos... y tengo miedo.

... it takes three days for anyone to clue me in on something as fabulous as this:




This boy died of a broken heart, because baseball sucks now because of stats geeks no one likes.

Pure. Golden. Magic.

In addition to my usual Yankees Chick posts, I have also begun writing regularly for AOL's FanHouse blog. I will post the beginnings of those articles here on YC, and then you'll have to click the link to jump on over to FH to read the rest... stick with me here, amigos!
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Brian Cashman has had to deal with threats of being fired several times now -- what with all of the playoff busts -- but now that Big George Steinbrenner has surrendered much of his control to his sons, the firing talk has simmered down and extension talk has taken its place. Hank Steinbrenner, who has proven himself to be much more level-headed than his father when it comes to matters like hiring and firing (not to mention trades), has confirmed that he is open to discussions about a contract extension for The Cash Man.

Continue reading Hank Wants More Cash(Man)

Seven years is a long stretch for spoiled Yankees fans (oxymoron). That is, as you are surely all too aware, the number of years that have passed since the Yankees last won themselves a beautiful bling-alicious World Series ring, years made all the more painful by the fact that those seven teams didn't simply fail to win a championship but crushed our souls by making it to the playoffs and then blowing it. Big time.

Take a moment to yourself and do a little gentle sobbing. I'll wait.

Ready? Moving on now:

The Yanks have been the divisional favorite for the majority of the past 10+ years, with the Red Sox serving as the default underdogs- I say "default" because there have been years in which the Bosox team was just as good as the Yanks', but the Yanks were looked at as the perennial champs. The teams have been talented, but being favored obviously didn't do too much (or anything) to boost the team's chances of winning. Personally, I'm convinced that 'twas the cockiness of those old-folk-infested teams that damned them- but that's a topic for another day. On the other hand, being tagged as second-place finishers has worked well for the Sox. They have pulled off some obnoxious comebacks (more gentle sobbing) and actually thrived in the same period that the Yanks have continued to falter.

This year, most statisticians, analysts, and many writers are pegging the Sox as division champions and Spring Training hasn't even started rolling yet. It would be a tad far-fetched to think of the Yankees as underdogs, but in effect, they are- in relation to the Red Sox anyway.

Their "underdog" status actually goes along well with the mojo of the Yankes this year. They've got a bevy of youngsters, a hip young manager (Girardino better act hip now, and prove me right. Put on those True Religion jeans, Joe [that was a transparent subliminal message to any YC reader that works for TR that I like but cannot afford their fine products]) and now a challenge: beat the Red Sox the hard way- from the underdog position.

I'm anticipating a huge year for the team. Feelin' positive, lovin' the youngsters, appreciating the veterans, jazzed about A-Rod, and happy with the Steinbrothers' decision to go with Girardi as hip young manager. They may not be "the favorite" for 2008, but I'd watch my back if I were a Red Sock. Sox. Whatever.

In addition to my usual Yankees Chick posts, I have also begun writing a bit for AOL's FanHouse blog. I will post the beginnings of those articles here on YC, and then you'll have to click the link to jump on over to FH to read the rest... stick with me here, amigos!
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"Under The Gun" takes a look at one player from each team who will bear all the pressure for the upcoming '08 season.

For the first time in many, MANY years -- really, folks, I'm talking about a LOT of years here -- the Yankees have changed their philosophy from "out with the new, in with the old" to a much more effective "send these old folks out to pasture and bring the young 'uns in from the barn". Besides having a great ring to it, that ideology makes the team a lot of fun to watch.

The downside to it is the pressure that falls on those aforementioned youngsters.


Continue Reading Under the Gun: Phil Hughes

I'm a big fan of following the children of the corn farm. I enjoy watching the youngsters rise through the ranks, and now that the Yankees actually have a fertile ranch it's very satisfying to be able to do a bit of gloating - no more having to make excuses for Big Stein's asinine squandering away of the kids and having to change the topic of conversation as quickly as possible. Earlier in the month I discussed a list created by the good folks at Baseball America ranking the 10 ten prospects in the Yankees system, which is interesting, but we hardcore Yanks fans are already familiar with the boys from our own system. Baseball Prospectus has ranked the overall top 100 prospects from all of the farm systems, which is much more useful when it comes to evaluating how each prospect stacks up against his peers, and of course puts a little extra swagger in the steps of the teams who have a lot of players featured on the list.

The list is chock full of highly-touted players, from the Sox's Clay Bucholz (he comes in at #2) to our dear Jobamania (who is ranked #4, after Reds outfielder Jay Bruce, Bucholz, and a 3rd baseman from the Rays named Evan Longoria [when I first read that name I thought "Eva Longoria is a baseball player AND a Desperate Housewife?! What an industrious woman!"] - a lower ranking than I personally believe he deserves). The list featured 5 Yankees (click their names to see their minor league stats!):

1. Jobamania (RHP) - #4
2. I-Ken (RHP) - #34
3. Austin Jackson (OF) - #47
4. Jose Tabata (OF) - #48
5. Allan Horne (RHP) - #67

As I said, we Yanks fans already know at least a bit about these dudes and are hopeful for their future contributions to the team, but it's nice to see that they are considered so skilled when compared to all the other prospects.

The Red Sox have 7 players on the list - 3 pitchers, 2 infielders, and 2 outfielders - and the Mets have... 1.

I've said it here before, folks, and I'm going to say it again: the Mets are the new OLD Yankees.

The Yankees' farm system used to be considered a relative nonentity or simply a breeding ground for trade bait to be used to obtain crotchety old dudes, but ever since our dear Cash Man made the ol' farm his obsession of choice it's been chock-full of youngsters that have actually been useful to the team!

Each year after the draft some sort of "expert folks" put together a list of the top 100 prospects throughout the league based on their minor league performance (if they have any experience yet) and scouting reports, and while there is no such comprehensive list for 2008 just yet (the draft - and henceforth the list - is still several months off), some reports on individual teams' own top youngsters have been put together by Baseball America. For those of y'all that follow the goings-on in farm-ville this list is probably neither news nor surprising, but let's examine it anyway. While we're perusing, recall that only folks with either fewer than 50 IP or 130 at-bats are considered "prospects", which is why Joba can be on here but Hughsie cannot.

1. Jobamania - RHP
2. Austin Jackson - OF
3. Jose Tabata - OF
4. I-Ken - RHP
5. Allan Horne - RHP
6. Jesus Montero - C
7. Jeff Marquez - RHP
8. Brett Gardner - OF
9. Ross Ohlendorf - RHP
10. Andrew Brackman - RHP

This list looks very impressive, and while we obviously can't count on all prospects to actually succeed in the big time, we've already seen that Joba and I-Ken have seriously got the goods, and Tabata has been touted as a winner for quite some time. It's too bad there apparently isn't a lefty worthy of being on that list, because it seems to me that everyone is always scrambling to find a halfway decent lefty. As for that surplus of RHP's, I have a feeling that even though the Cash Man is attached to his farm, the fact that there are righties aplenty will prove to be a big boon to the team when they're looking to make a trade and need to throw in an extra arm or two.

I like this list and all, but I am really looking forward to the nice big list where all the prospects are ranked against each other - that provides much more insight into who will be valued as trade bait, which teams have a stockpile of good youngsters, etc. By that time Joba or I-Ken might not be eligible to be on considered prospects anymore, but if they are I would think that they would both be in the top 10; I'm not so sure where the others will fall but I would be surprised if most of them were not ranked in the top 100 of the league. I'll be waiting...

A-Rod is gone (though not forgotten...although I'd like to forget about him), and in his wake he left the Yankees not only with a good chunk of freed-up salary dollars but a gaping hole in that #5 spot in the defensive inventory. The good news is that there are some peeps available via trade or free agency: Miguel the T, Miguel the C, Joe Crede, et al, but the even better news is that the Cash Man is steadfast in his desire to refrain from trading his beloved youngsters. Of course we are indeed in desperate need of a third baseman (I really don't think Wilson Better Mint is going to cut it, and I think everyone knows that) and will most likely end up having to trade someone for a replacement at some point, the very fact that the Cash Man is so committed to finishing what he started - building up a farm, breaking down Big Stein's legacy of old-dude-buying - is a delicious idea I want to savor for as long as I can. It is a strange and wonderful thought for a Yankees fan, to be able to watch kids get drafted and then eagerly anticipate their arrival in the big leagues and actually get to enjoy seeing their talents benefit the YANKS rather than some other team.

Stranger still is the sight of other teams falling into exactly the same habits that the Big Stein-run Yanks used to utilize while the Yanks go the farm route; teams like the Mets who have left themselves with just a few prized prospects and run after every big name on the market (Beltran, Glavine, now even A-Rod), or the Sox, who traded kids like Hanley Ramirez, Josh Bard and Anibal "No-Hitter at Age 22" Sanchez to get veterans and are speculated to even trade their remaining youngster Buchholz this year for another old guy. It's a crazy time indeed. Sure, we haven't won a ring in a few years. But 7 or 8 years to rebuild a dynasty is time well-spent if you ask me...

The chance for the Yanks to win anything as a team is dunzo, but at least a few of the players can enjoy some personal distinctions as consolation. There are plenty of awards to go around to celebrate individual successes, and while they are surely not as satisfying as a blingalicious World Series ring (or the cash that comes along with it... or the prestige, whatever) I suppose earning recognition for a year's worth of hard work and good playing feels better than a hot poker (or gnat) in the eye. MVP, Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers, Roberto Clemente Award, DHL Delivery Man award (which I think is a pretty crappy award, really, because DHL sucks and always gets things to me like 3 days slower than FedEx; even USPS would be better) and the like won't be announced until after the World Series, but a couple accolades have already been doled out to much-deserving Yanks.

The Yanks' favorite newlywed and late-season savior Ian Kennedy was named Minor League Starter of the Year (even though he did not pitch the complete year in the minors) for his performance throughout the ranks of the Ye Olde Yankees Farme: a 12-3 record with a 1.91 ERA. We fans and the team itself are already huge I-Ken fans, of course, thanks to that aforementioned talent and the fabulous way he managed to bring that expertise up to the Yanks without buckling under the pressure or getting intimidated by sluggers nearly twice his age. A+ and gold star to him.

The second award that's already been given out is one for dear A-Rod, a dude that is sure to amass quite a few awards this year - MVP, Silver Slugger, Holder Of My Heart. This week he was named the AL recipient of the "Oscar Charleston Legacy Award", AKA "An Award the Yankees Chick Hadn't Heard Of Until Today", which is given to a player that was most valuable in helping his team to the post-season. Call him a post-season choker all you want - and I'm sure you will - but I cannot think of a single player that did more to propel his team to October. I've said it before and I'm going to say it again right now: without A-Rod's great year and 9th-inning theatrics the team wouldn't have even had a chance to unsuccessfully swat away a million gnats. Or whatever.

So congrats to I-Ken and A-Rod. Enjoy your little trophies or whatever the hell you get for those awards. It's just too bad its not a fancy championship title you could share with the rest of the team.

It's been a good year to be a pitcher in the Yankees farm system. Unlike years past when kids would end up rotting away in the minors awaiting a call-up (or a frustrating trade for some old dude), the Yankees many pitching woes and the unfortunate injury plague Pavano passed along to the rest of the staff have made a succession of promotions necessary. Pitchers who just joined the system a year or two ago have already been given a shot at the big league level, and while I'm sure the pressure and expectations can be a bitch, I'd imagine that getting the opportunity to pitch for the Yankees just a couple years after you finished pitching for your high school team would be something of a dream come true. Three of the Yanks most highly-anticipated pitching prospects were called up this year (among others of course, but let's forget about the whole Chase Wright debacle for the time being; thinking about that poor kid's shattered confidence is too much for my sentimental heart to bear), and the folks that scouted and signed these boys should be very proud of themselves indeed. Let's all take a moment to acknowledge the achievements of our youth, and, more importantly, to gloat about the fact that unlike some teams, we actually managed to hang on to our top prospects.

Philly Hughes: 2-3, 43IP, 5.65 ERA. Our most prized and tauted farm hand suffered a very ill-timed injury (thanks to the ol' Pavano Plague, I'm sure) and has been a little shaky ever since, but he's still managed to strike out 40 in 43 innings. He'll get into his groove, and we'll be seeing him for years to come, I have no doubt.

Joba Chamberlain: 0-0, 11.1 IP, 0.00 ERA. Michael Kay's favorite Native American has made quite a splash since joining the team. He jammed through the farm system as fast as the Yankees Chick trying to evade a drunken Red Sawx fan, and with good reason: he is SO F*CKING GOOD. His WHIP is a superhuman 0.794, and his control is great - just 4 walks and no wild pitches. I cannot wait to get this guy into the rotation next year.

Ian Kennedy: 1-0, 7.0 IP, 1.29 ERA. Seven innings is really not enough time to judge someone, but I think it is fair to say that his debut went even better than expected. He gave up 5 hits but only 1 earned run, and struck out 6. Ian should make sure to check his brakes before he drives anywhere, though, because Moose may have had to resort to sabotage after seeing the way his replacement pitched.

Obviously we have to focus on this year right now and getting to the play-offs (sidenote: in case you've been away from TV/newspaper/Internet/humans, let me assure you that things are definitely looking up in that respect!), but I must say that a rotation featuring these three plus Wang and Pettitte would be a sight to behold. Wouldn't it be grand to have a starting rotation we could rely on? I'll keep dreaming until it is a reality...

The YCD (Yankees Chick Dad, obv [who incidentally happens to be Boomer's doppleganger in both appearance and afflictions!]) has been out on Mussina for years now, dubbing him "Pussina" and predicting a loss each and every time his turn in the rotation comes about, and after this past month I think we can all concur that the Moose has officially moved into the dunzo category. During his last 3 starts he gave up 19 earned runs in a laughable 9 2/3 innings, getting himself yanked in the 2nd inning last week and the 3rd on Sunday - an impressive feat in its own right - and now Torre and the Cash Man have finally decided to stop the bleeding with a good old fashioned call-up tourniquet. Moose's next start will be handed over to last year's first round draft pick Ian Kennedy, a 22-year-old USC alumnus who has blazed his way through the Yanks farm Chamberlain-style. He's been tearing up the minors, holding opposing batters to a ridiculous .182 average in 146 1/3 cummulative minor league innings, rockin a 1.29 ERA in 11 games with Class A Tampa, 2.59 in 9 starts with AA Trenton, and 2.08 in 6 starts down in Scranton.

With just 30 games to go and a trickier schedule to navigate than that of the Sawx (luckily, the Mariners will be having a similarly rough September playing the Angels and Tigers), I'm glad Torre and the Cash Man are realizing that forfeiting one of every five games by letting Moose play could very well be the difference between an October of baseball or one of golf. The option for Moose to pitch again after this start is skipped is still open as he remains on the active roster and Torre has not said definitively one way or the other, but I would imagine that decision would be based on Kennedy's performance on Saturday. As a newly faithful convert to the YCD's "Pussina" theory and a fan of the farm, I'm crossing my fingers that his debut will be akin to King Joba's or Price Philip's... and nothing like poor Chase Wright's.

Unless you have taken up residence in a remote Unabomer-esque cave far beyond the reach of glorious TV signals (AKA the Yankees Chick's lifeblood), surely you are aware of the Yankees recent rise to top of the AL Wildcard race and within striking distance of the Boston "Just Call Us The New Yankees!" Red Sox. The team has been scoring runs like it's going out of style (which better not be the case) and the pitching staff has done a swell job keeping their collective ERA well under 5.00, and aside from the waste of space known as Kyle Farnsworthless every member of the team has contributed to the 2nd-half turnaround. As hard as all the boys have worked over the past couple months, I think it's plain to see that the team would be nowhere if not for the Yanks' own homegrown youngsters like Cano, Melky, Wang, Hughes, and Chamberlain.

Us Yankees fans have grown accustomed to watching Big Stein pay a big price for instant gratification over the years, and as a result of his megalomania I tend to restrain myself from getting too attached to any of the rookies that pass through the ranks. The past couple years, though, have been something of an anomaly, with the Steinster dangling one foot in the grave and defaulting some of his power to the Cash Man, and we have been lucky enough to actually hold on to the best and brightest of our dear children. Cano saved the day in 2005 by relieving the team of the burden known as Tony Womack (I'm sorry for bringing up those memories, lovelies), and his Dominican soul brother Melky made his first appearance that year as well, but we didn't really get a good handle on just how important these two were going to be until last season. Offensively they've been solid contributers, obviously, but both of them also possess a little thang called "defense", a skill long ignored by the likes of Johnny Demon and Jason "Just Call Me The Lunge-Master" Giambi but vital nonetheless. The Wangster proved himself similarly, coming up in the 2005 season but really shining last year - if you recall, he lost out in the Cy Young voting to Mr. Johan Santana. As for our latest (and perhaps greatest!) Yank-ettes, Hughes and Chamberlain, these phenoms have had a very limited time with which to impress us, but their respective much-anticipated debuts have been nothing if not utterly fantastic. In just 4 starts, Philly has struck out 22 batters while walking just 4! And Joba "If Michael Kay Reminds Us One More Time That I Am A Native American I Will Strangle Him With My Reservation-Born Hands" Chamberlain has been even more impressive, striking out 8 and walking only 2 while giving up zero runs in 5 innings (and oh yeah, did I mention he's a Native American?).

Big Stein and the Cash Man have had a plethora of opportunities to send these boys (not to mention Ian Kennedy, who is absolutely tearing up the minors this year) packing to many begging teams, but even in the face of what seemed like a disastrous season they chose to hold on to their assets and let the rest of the league squabble over veterans. Now that the team has shown that they are legitimate playoff contenders, thanks in large part to the aforementioned youngsters, we can only hope that the front office is 100% convinced and confident that they must hold on to these boys no matter how much begging the "Other 29" may do.

Last night marked a monumental occassion in baseball history as Balco B became the biggest douche to ever make the Yankees Chick tear up (don't even try to tell me you weren't getting a little misty-eyed when Barry choked up while mentioning his Pop), but rather than waste precious time and bandwidth rehashing a controversial milestone that I suspect most of us are already deathly ill of thanks to ESPN's non-stop playback and commentary, I feel it is imperative that we redirect our focus back to the Yankees. More so than any other time this year, they are right up in the thick of the post-season race - just a half game out of the wildcard and a not insurmountable 5 behind the Red Sox in the AL East. Big Stein and the Cash Man are keenly aware of the ground left to make up and the relatively short amount of time with which to work, and they are doing their best to craft the best possible 25-man roster out of all of their available resources. They've taken a number of steps to maximize the potential contributions of both the lineup and the pitching roster, and while it would be a lie of monstrous proportions to proclaim that anything truly ingenious has taken place in the way of roster moves, each change that has been made of late has made an impact. Philly Hughes' much-anticipated return from DL-ville upgraded the status of the starting rotation from an alarming "if one more of you morons gets injured the entire city of New York will simultaneously erupt into a violent rage" to a slightly more tolerable "well as long as you keep your collective ERA under 5 we will still cheer for you" (and as a sidebar, allow me to note that although he admittedly looked a tad shaky on Saturday, Hughes' credibilty among both the Yanks and the fans remains intact). Karstens was also activated from the DL and rejoined the team this time as a reliever, and last night Joba "How Fast Did You Rise Through The Farm System? Haha, Not As Fast As I" Chamberlain made his successful debut to the delight of Yanks fans and his teammates. Finally, Jason "Don't Bother Calling Me Giambino Anymore" Giambi returned to the lineup plantar fascia-free on Tuesday, and thankfully in a purely offensive capacity - Torre has no plans of allowing Jason anywhere near a first base glove anytime soon, thankfully. To make room on the roster for these boys, Mike Myers and Miguel Cairo were DFA, and Brian Bruney and fan favorite Kei Igawa (by "fan favorite" I of course mean "horrible, horrible signing by all accounts") have been busted back down to the farm.

As I mentioned before, since July 1st the Yankees have managed to cut the Red Sox's (grammar?) lead from 10.5 games down to 5, and they have gone from being 8.5 games out in the wildcard hunt to just half a game out as of today. I know that a lot of folks - BoSox fans in particular - wrote this team off long ago, but I think the Yanks recent performance has made many people rethink their opinion of this 2007 team. An especially irate Sox fan (aren't they all?) commented/shrieked on my last post about his/her utter lack of fear of the Yanks, but I truly do find it hard to believe that fans of Boston, Cleveland, Seattle and Detroit aren't getting nervous about the resurgance of the Yanks in the playoff mix.

That said... feel free to commence the hating in the comments section.

We're living in troubled times, my friends. The Yankees have made a return trip to Loserville during this pathetic road trip, and as usual, the losses have incited another rash of the dreaded emergency trade talk. While we all hate to see our beloved team struggle like a turtle on its back (see fig. 1 above), sometimes there's nothing we can do but sit back and let the poor little thing try to right itself. Granted, if I saw an actual turtle on its back I can assure you that I would run like the wind to get the appropriate turtle-flipping apparatus (I'm referring to one of those 200-year-old, 400lb Darwin turtles; contrary to what my video blogs may lead you to believe, I do not have the muscles of a roided up slugger and therefore would most likely require some sort of turtle-flipping machine to put one of those huge suckers back on its belly), but the notion of making an 11th hour trade to try to salvage the season seems as futile as me demanding that the YES Network put me up in the booth with Ken and Paul.

The latest folks to be brought up as potential trade bait in the wide world of internet rumors (AKA “stuff people make up”) are various members of the White Sox (another team that has taken up residence in Loserville), namely Dye, Buerhle, Konerko, and Contreras. The White Sox have been playing poorly all season and have apparently wisely decided to give up entirely and trade off all their players to stockpile young prospects that will be more useful to the team’s future. I commend them for taking this approach and recognizing that they will not be making the 2007 post-season and instead using the opportunity to trade for prospects at a time when many teams will sell their farm to acquire a veteran. Any of the aforementioned White Sox could be a boon to the Yankees – another pitcher would do wonders for the team, and a first baseman would be quite a delight – but the White Sox know that they are in a seller’s market and will not surrender any player for anything short of the very best prospects. If the Yankees were to make an attempt to acquire any one of them, it is very unlikely that the Sox would accept any deal that did not involve Phillip Hughes and Ian Kennedy (the Yanks’ 2005 first round draft pick), in addition to other farmhands. I’ve mentioned my distaste for last-ditch-effort trades in the past, and a trade like this would most definitely fit right in on my hate list.

Selling off the farm would be the worst possible move the Yanks could make at this point. If the Yankees don't make the post-season this year, it will certainly not be because they didn’t get one of these White Sox; their failure can be blamed on a number of faults but one player cannot make or break the team. Losing the farm that Cashman has taken the last several years to painstakingly build up to something more than a barren wasteland, on the other hand, would have a major impact on the future of the club. The Yankees have made this mistake in the past (many, many, many times…) and I would not be surprised if Big Stein suddenly woke up from his coma (he has been quiet lately, so I assume he must be physically incapable of speech) and demanded that a trade be made immediately. The prospect of a Yankee-free post-season will not be tolerated by Steinbrenner regardless of the cost. I can only hope that Cashman can explain the science behind the "future" and "big picture" concepts to Stein before its too late.

A-Rod had a truly splendid April, with 14 homers, 34 RBI (9 more than Francoeur, who was in 2nd place), .355 average and the best slugging percentage (.882) of any player with 5+ at-bats. Sure, his handiwork did not push the Yankees' record over to that lovely winning side of the spectrum, but at least he started the season to some cheers rather than boos. (Also, Gibson has a custom A-Rod guitar [right]. No, I don't get it either.)

Doug Mientkicantspellhisname has hit 2 homers and knocked in 5 runs! Sure, his average is just .154 and the Yanks would likely be better off letting Phelps and Giambi manage first base and using the roster spot for another pitcher, but who doesn't get a nice warm feeling in their heart when an offensively-challenged player gets to round the bases?

We got to see what Phil Hughes has to offer the Yanks much sooner than anyone had anticipated (or desired, if we're being honest here). Sure, his call-up came under truly dire circumstances and the incredible pressure he is likely feeling can't be helping his performance (see left), but the very fact that the Yankees have a cache of viable players in the farm system is encouraging for our future.

The "Torre will/should be fired" stories being perpetuated by the media have forced Big Stein to defend old Joe for once. Sure, Stein had essentially no other option than to defend his team and staff when faced with such scrutiny, but i'm confident the support boosted Torre's spirits by a good 0.5%.

All the injuries and poor pitching have made dear Carl Pavano quite the desired gentleman. Never before have Yanks fans so eagerly anticipated his return to good health or so valued the short time he has been alive enough to pitch. Sure, pretty much anyone starts to look good when the alternatives are a 12-year-old with no experience or 2 innings of Farnsworthless, but my "Pavano must LIVE" campaign must be working!



See, folks? The state of affairs is really not all that bad. With any luck, the off-day was spent boosting morale and strategizing and the Yanks will be raring to go when they get to the Texas for tomorrow's game against the Rangers. Hughes might fare better away from the expectations of the fans at home, and the probable pitcher for the Rangers is Kameron Loe, who has a 1-3 record and 7.62 ERA in 4 games that he's pitched against the Yanks. My fingers are crossed for a turn of the tide....

Tonight's game brings us one of the most highly anticipated debuts in recent Yanks history, the last one probably being none other than shortstop/deity Derek Jeter. Phil's promotion to the Yanks has caused quite a stir amongst the fans and the media and all eyes will be on him tonight, scrutinizing his every pitch and waiting to see how he reacts to the immense pressure (and expectations galore) he'll surely be feeling.

Even though he's only 20, he has already proven himself to be a rare talent, and I don't think there is a question of whether he is physically capable of being successful with the Yanks. My concern is not the number of Jays he'll strike out tonight, but how he will react when one inevitably gets a big hit off him or if he gets himself into a tight spot with the bases loaded. Will the knowledge that the Yankees have lost the last 5 games on account of their pitching make him fearful that he won't be able to get them a win either? Worse yet, will the expectations from the crowd at Yankee Stadium overwhelm him? In my opinion, I can envision tonight's game going either direction:

• Proving that the "mature" description he has received is indeed true, Phil pitches 7 solid innings. When he gives up a hit or two, he remains calm and gets himself out of trouble. The Yanks win the game, and Phil uses a fake ID (since he is only 20...not that I condone such obviously illegal behavior) and goes out on the town with the rest of the team to celebrate.

OR

• He starts out well, striking out a few and receives a ton of cheers. Then Sal Fasano smacks a homer off him in the 3rd and the humiliation overtakes his confidence, leading him to serve up 4 additional homers and thus beating Chase Wright's record from last weekend. After the embarrassing loss (of the game and his confidence), Phil uses that fake ID to purchase some malt liquor and drowns his sorrows back in his hotel room.

As usual, the Yankees Chick is remaining cautiously optimistic at this point. It is unfortunate that our pitching staff has been reduced to a pile of injured rubble, but it will be fun to get a sneak peak at Phil at this early stage. Let's cross our fingers that A-Rod belts a homer tonight to give the Yanks an early lead and take the pressure on Hughes down a notch. Or two... A-Rod can handle that!

Thanks to the rare and apparently very contagious injury bug that has been spreading throughout the Yankees' clubhouse like the plague and has caused a rash of unfortunately-timed simultaneous injuries, tonight's game against Cleveland will feature a debut from 24-year-old Chase Wright. I'd venture to guess that most of us have not heard much about this lad since Prince Phil Hughes gets all the press (and the ladies' hearts), so here are his vital stats:

Age: 24
Throws: Left
Bats (hahahahaha): Left
Experience: 5 years in the Yankees farm system, from Gulf Coast to AA.
Career Highlights: Led the GCL with 39 walks in 2002; allowed just 2 homers in 81 innings during the 2003 season; had had arthroscopic surgery performed in August of '04 (not so much a "highlight", but finding info on him was tricky); led the Class-A Charleston team and ranked 4th among all Yankees minor leaguers with 110 strikeouts in 2005; and went 12-3 with a 1.88 ERA in 37 games (14 starts) for Class-A Tampa and was named Florida State League "Pitcher of the Year" in 2006.
2007: In his two starts at Trenton so far this year, he went 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA, 1 walk and 19 strikeouts in 14 innings pitched.

Any pitcher's first start is bound to be stressful (for them and for us watching!), and a short-notice call-up for a youngster has the potential to create nervousness that could rival that felt by an acrophobiac (me) being forced to go up a ski lift in a blizzard (again, me). I'll be keeping a close eye on Chase and a tight grasp on my optimism, but at the very least the lad ought to be able to stick it out long enough to give the bullpen a rest.

I hope.