Injury Bug Hitting Yanks Hard

Lately it seems like the Yankees can’t even go a game without someone getting injured. Building injuries like this can really hurt a team, but let’s hope the team pulls through them. Let’s take a look at each injured player.

Chan Ho Park

Park strained his right hamstring on April 15th and has been on the 15-day DL since then. Fortunately, it looks like he may not be there much longer. According to Chad Jennings, Park through 45 pitches in a bullpen session yesterday and is scheduled to do the same tomorrow. This is big step in his recovery, and if all goes well with Park I would expect him back in a week or so.

Curtis Granderson

Granderson was placed on the 15-day DL on May 1st with a grade 2 strain of his left groin. I’ll turn it over to Will Carroll of “Under The Knife” to describe Granderson’s injury…

The Yankees will be without Granderson for about a month with a Grade II groin strain. That’s a reasonable time frame no matter which way you go with the estimate. On one side, you could be optimistic and say that Granderson’s conditioning and strength will help him get back in two to four weeks. On the other hand, caution and some normal setbacks could push it to four to six weeks. There’s not really much more here to clarify; Granderson has a simple groin strain. Until he begins to jog or run, probably mid-month, we won’t know anything new.

I could see Granderson being out for quite a while because he is a player who really relies on his legs and the Yankees won’t want to rush him back and risk a much worse injury.

Jorge Posada

Posada has been staying on the bench lately with mild calf strain. According to Chad Jennings, Posada said yesterday that he expects to play today. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Yankees give some extra time to recover.

Mariano Rivera

Rivera has sat out since April 30th with stiffness in his left side, but he appears to be ready to return to action. He was available last night out of the bullpen, although he didn’t see any action. He did however throw in the bullpen during the game, so it seems as if he is not really an issue anymore.

Andy Pettitte

Pettitte last pitched May 5th before he had to prematurely leave that game with stiffness and mild inflammation in his left arm around his elbow. Whenever you hear news like this about a pitcher you have to be worried. Fortunately, the Yankees have so far deemed Pettitte healthy enough not to put him on the DL. Pettitte is scheduled to miss his next start and for now Sergio Mitre will take his spot in the rotation. Hopefully Mitre will only have to make one start and then Pettitte will go back into the rotation.

Nick Johnson

Johnson left last night’s game with a sore right wrist and is headed for the DL. Johnson is scheduled to undergo tests today in New York, and we will hopefully know more after then. Johnson’s right wrist is the same wrist that he injured in 2008 and kept him out for most of the season. Hopefully this isn’t as serious.

Robinson Cano

Cano was hit by a pitch from Josh Beckett on his left knee. Cano left the game shortly after with a bruise on his knee but is not scheduled for any further testing. Don’t expect Cano to play today, but for now it doesn’t look like he’ll be out for an extended period of time.

Roster Moves

With injuries usually come roster moves, and we should be seeing some moves today. While I can’t say for sure what the Yankees will do, I think they will call up Kevin Russo to be the backup infielder with Ramiro Pena as the starting second baseman for now. If the Yankees want to play it safe in the outfield they could recall Greg Golson who was sent down before yesterday’s game. While players usually have to wait 10 days in the minors before they can be called up again, with Nick Johnson going on the DL the Yankees can bring Golson right back up if they wish. If they decide to the call up Golson then he would take Johnson’s roster spot, and they could send Boone Logan or David Robertson down and use that spot to call up Kevin Russo.

"Call Doctor Robert, we need his help."

Update

Kevin Russo has indeed been called up. Robinson Cano is back in the lineup today as the DH according to Chad Jennings. Jennings also reports that Nick Johnson has a torn tendon in his wrist, I’m no doctor, but I’d expect him to be out for a few months if this is the case.

2nd Update

Looking back at Jennings’ post, it appears he has changed Nick Johnson’s torn tendon, to Nick Johnson’s inflamed tendon. That’s good news.

Taking the rubber game

Late yesterday afternoon, Robinson Cano hit a walk off single in the 11th to finish off a series with the Blue Jays, and to finish off the series win.

Walking Wounded

Yesterday’s game was a really tough game in which a few Yankee players got knocked up pretty bad. Jeter was hit by a pitch on his foot, and he would later leave the game, but X-Rays were negative. Jorge Posada took the luxury of trying to block 4 wild pitches, being crossed up on a fastball (he thought it was a curveball), and having a ball fouled off his bare hand. Alex Rodriguez also is part of the Walking Wounded club, he got hit by a pitch on his elbow but the ball missed his elbow pad and hit him flush. He would stay in the game, but that was only because the Yankees had no bench players left. Fortuantly, X-Rays were negative on A-Rod’s elbow.

First Impression

Chad Guadin made his Yankee debut yesterday, and it was a good one. He went 2 scoreless innings, and picked up the win. It looks like the Yankees plan to have Gaudin start on Sunday, and push Joba back a few days.

Game 72: Yankees at Braves

Let’s start off the post with tonight’s starting lineup for the New York Yankees via PeteAbe:

SS Derek Sanderson Jeter

LF Johhny David Damon

1B Mark Charles Teixeira

3B Alex Emmanuel Rodriguez

C Jorge Rafael Posada

RF Nick Thompson Swisher

CF Brett M. Gardner

2B Bryan Cody Ransom

LHP Andrew Eugene Pettitte

Do you like the full names? I’m not a fan of “Eugene.”

Cano a late a scratch

Robinson was in the lineup but right around 4:00 he was scratched from the lineup. No word on why. I will have updates as the come along

Melky sitting for the 2nd consecutive day?

This seems kind of strange to me, and if I read or see anything about it I will post updates.

The price of Jose Veras

Yesterday, the Yankees sent Jose Veras packing to Cleveland. Today via Tyler Kepner we find out that the Yankees received over 20,000 in return. Doesn’t seem like much to me, but hey it’s not as bad as what the Yankees paid the White Sox this off season to acquire Chris Stewart, Brian Cashman sent the White Sox 1$. I love Cashman’s quote: “Some people get cute and send 100 pennies, I don’t have time for cute.” Yeah I guess he was too busy signing CC, Mark, and A.J.

Hughes gets a tattoo

Yesterday was Phil Hughes’ birthday. His birthday present to himself was a tattoo of the Bible verse Philippians 4:13, according to Tyler Kepner. He got the tattoo from Nick Swisher’s tattoo artist in Atlanta, oh and Nick also got a tattoo. I don’t really recommend tattoos because almost everybody seems to regret them, but at least both Phil and Nick got the tattoos on the inside of their upper left arms where they shouldn’t be seen.

Update 4:36
Cano’s left wrist is wrapped up in tape. He should play tomorrow.

Update 6:00
Melky and Matsui have the flu. That’s why Melky hasn’t been playing.

Yankees win 15-0

It was a fun day in the Bronx. The Yankees roughed up Johan Santana for 9 earned runs, the most he has ever given up in his career. That pretty much tells the story, but I want to sum up the game with some pictures, and then the boxcore. It’s nice to win one with a blowout for once, especially against arguably the best pitcher in baseball (I personally think it’s Halladay).

Johan walks off the field in disgrace after giving up 9 earned runs and not being able to get an out in the 4th inning.

Swisher congratulates Hideki after a two run home run.

Roby Cano had a big day.

AJ went 7 strong innings giving up no runs. He loaded the bases in the third with no outs, but cam back and struck out the next 2 hitters, then got a lineout, escaping the inning unscathed. If he turns he season around I will point to this game.

Joba chases his son Karter after the game. Cute!

	Final		1		2		3		4		5		6		7		8		9		R		H		E
	NY Mets	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
	NY Yankees	0	4	0	9	0	0	2	0	X	15	17	1

WP: A.J. Burnett (5-3) LP: J. Santana (8-4) HR: NYY – R. Cano (11), H. Matsui (10) The Red Sox lost too so the Yankees are now only 2 games out of first. Final 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Boston 0 4 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 6 11 2 Philadelphia 1 0 0 0 4 0 6 0 X 11 14 2 WP: C. Park (3-1) LP: J. Beckett (7-3)