THE GROIN, THE WRIST & THE COMEBACKER

Unusual title, but let me get right to the point.  Nathan Eovaldi is nursing a minor groin injury.  Brett Gardner is still dealing with wrist pain from 4 months ago and Chasen Shreve took a comebacker today. That's always scary.

According to Lohud:

"...Here’s Girardi discussing Nathan Eovaldi‘s sore left groin: 'I’m not concerned about it...it’s more of just saying, you can (give it time) in spring training, do it. I’m not too concerned. Now, if he comes out and has a problem when he throws a bullpen, then I’ll (be concerned), but he’s done everything'...

 Indoor batting practice has been pushed back a day for Brett Gardner. He was supposed to hit inside tomorrow, but Girardi wants tomorrow to be a full day off for everyone... Gardner said he felt fine doing defensive drills today. 'One day is not going to make a difference,' Girardi said. 'It’s supposed to be an off day for everyone; I want it to be an off day.'

Chasen Shreve was hit in the back with a line drive in batting practice today. Aaron Hicks hit the ball."

Bottom line, Eovaldi will be fine.  I worry about Gardner a bit.  4 months and a lingering wrist injury bugs me.  As far as Shreve, Yankee personnel say he's OK.  Let's go with that.

Just some updates to keep you fed ladies and gentlemen.  Oh yeah and some news. First Spring training game comes Wednesday against the Tigers.  Luis Severino on the mound.  Baseball is finally here!

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THE MYSTERIOUS CHAPMAN DECISION DELAY

No one is actually clear about why this is taking so long, but it's been revealed that the decision in the Aroldis Chapman case could be delayed.

ESPN says: "Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has yet to issue his ruling on the domestic violence case involving New York Yankees reliever Aroldis Chapman.

But if Chapman appeals a potential suspension and the players' union files a grievance, union chief Tony Clark said Friday he wasn't sure whether Chapman's fate could be decided before Opening Day.

Chapman has already told reporters this spring that if Manfred suspends him for an offseason incident involving his girlfriend that resulted in no legal charges, he would appeal no matter what discipline is imposed. And one baseball official told ESPN this week he sees virtually "no way" a grievance could then be scheduled and ruled upon before the end of spring training."

And so, we wait and see what happens next. It's definitely interesting.  Just a small nugget, but something we as fans should definite think about.  Obviously losing Chapman for a bit would suck if it's during the season, but don't forget...we have Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances.  No matter what... we got this.

Anyway...Stay tuned.



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SEVERINO WILL HAVE TO EARN HIS SPOT

Look, to me, there are no surprises here. But stuff like this has to be reported... and yes, Yankee fans will get into a tizzy.  If you read Sweeny Murti, he brings in a good nugget:

"... Girardi named only Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, and Nathan Eovaldi as sure bets for the rotation...  CC Sabathia needs to earn that spot again despite his big salary. But Luis Severino? He could be the best pitcher on this staff.

Severino is 22 years old and with only 11 major league starts under his belt. Girardi is basically telling us he wants the kid to earn it. If for any reason Tanaka isn’t ready for opening day, I would think Severino is next man up. But I found it interesting that Girardi didn’t include him in the sure thing category."

Again, no big surprise to me here.  You have veterans on this staff making a lot of money, they need to have a spot to lose. The Sabathia stuff is interesting, but we kind of saw that coming.  And yes, for Severino, a 22 year old stud, he just needs to earn it and, let's be honest, he most likely will.  Ivan Nova is his direct competition at this point.

Meanwhile... Sabathia is proving the doubters wrong as I knew he would. I love what he put on his Facebook!

Another day at #NYYSpring. #ProvePeopleWrong #ppw
Posted by CC Sabathia on Sunday, February 28, 2016

Gotta love it.

Whatever the case... something to think about.  But don't panic... Severino will be there. I have a feeling Sabathia will be too.

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THOSE SPRING INSTRUCTORS ARE A PROSPECT'S DREAM COME TRUE

I was never a pro prospect. I was scouted by several colleges, mostly D-3, and played for a couple years but I didn't hit enough to be a real solid college ball player. I had a fantastic high school coach was taught by some great baseball people over my years. I even coach with several great coaches now and learn on a daily basis. But what I would give to spend an hour, a day, a week or an entire spring with the Yankees and their coaches and instructors.

 

 

Every year the Yankees bring in special instructors to help the youngsters, and veterans for that matter, prepare for the grueling season and help the Yankees get a return on investment. I see stories and pictures and videos of former stars coming in to help and if I were a prospect, I'd be in awe and would soak up every ounce of content thrown at me.

The entire core four has helped out with spring training over the past few years with Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter making appearances. Jeter even has a special get together called The Captains Camp where he talks to and instructs young players on how to be get to the Major Leagues and how to stay there. It doesn't get much better than that!

 

 

Ron Guidry is in camp this year and was photographed recently working with fellow lefty Jacob Lindgren. Guidry, who some think should be a Hall of Famer after compiling a 170-91 record with a 3.21 from 1975-1988, brings a wealth of experience to the table, not only as a pitcher but also as a guy who spent his entire career with the Yankees. Any developing pitcher should do their damndest to shadow him while he is in camp.

 

 

Even El Duque was seen in the bullpen recently, supposedly observing, but I would assume he had some feedback for some of the youngsters. Vets, such as Carlos Beltran, also act as instructors and mentors to some, in particular Aaron Judge, who the vet asked to have his locker next to. The list of people helping out goes on and on.

As a young prospect trying to work your way up the organizational chain, a young veteran or even a vet who may be winding down his career, listening to these former stars would be a huge bonus to everyday instruction. Not only is getting to the Bigs is a tall task, so is staying there and adapting to yourself as you get older. A player will not be as quick and able to naturally do what they did at 25 when he is 35. Adjustments and regimens become more important, in my opinion, at that point.

 

 

Up and coming stars like Jorge Mateo, Aaron Judge, Luis Severino, James Kaprielian and others need to take the next six or so weeks to soak up info and learn how they can get their game to the next level and how they can help the Bombers win their next title.

While I'm no longer looking to play the game I love, I do want to continue to improve as a coach and a person. So if anyone has the hook up to get me into Spring Training at Steinbrenner Field, let me know. I'll buy the first round afterward. But for the young men in the clubhouse, the quality of instruction could not be better.

Let's hope the results follow suit.

 

 

 --Dan Lucia
BYB Senior Writer
Twitter: @DManLucia




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ALEX RODRIGUEZ IS BLURRING THE LINES

We have written about mentorship, rookies, veterans and hopes and dreams for the Yankees this spring.  To add to this repertoire of stories from the fields of spring training is this connection between Alex Rodriguez, a player facing 41-years-old this season, nearing the end of his career in baseball and Alex Rodriguez who battled his own fears and insecurities along with his allegations of steroid use.  Now, when you see A-Rod on the field, you see a different man.  Between the foul lines, is a man who is settling in as Alex Rodriguez, the veteran elder player who is mentoring the young players, focusing on results and having a great time. Rodriguez has done the impossible,  blurring the lines between his old and new self.

"Three years ago, the venom was toxic whenever A-Rod stepped onto a field — home or away — as he battled Major League Baseball, the Yankees and his own union. After serving his suspension in 2014, the embattled slugger returned to a sea of uncertainty last spring, and while most fans at Steinbrenner Field showed their support, there was a vocal minority still upset with Rodriguez over his scorched earth shenanigans only a year earlier. Thursday, it was a lovefest as A-Rod returned for his 12th season in pinstripes, hoping to help guide the Yankees to their 28th championship," reported the Daily News on Friday.

This spring, instead of worrying about all of the controversy and whether or not he could produce in 2015, now A-Rod is focused on having enough energy to carry his team through the end of the season.  A-Rod admits that he kind of got sluggish in August and he needs to be able to have enough in the tank to withstand a long 162-game season.  "One of the things I’ve adjusted going into 2016 is to kind of pace myself a little bit more and use spring training as a ramping (up) instead of coming here ready to go day one, which I did last year," stated Rodriguez.

As far as his ability to produce again this season, Rodriguez is committed to giving it his all.  "I’m madly in love with the game of baseball," he said, and he is driven to push himself as far as his body will let him.  For the Yankees, this is the kind of attitude needed from him and his team in order for all of them to stay in it until the end.  For now, it is about spring training and setting goals and it appears that Rodriguez is ready to take on the new challenges he faces this season, leaving the old ones behind him.

-Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Senior Staff Writer
BYB Hot Stove Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof




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YASIEL PUIG WANTS A HELICOPTER

Yasiel Puig may be a five-tool player, but that doesn’t mean he always has the best judgment.

The Dodgers outfielder—who was benched last year for his chronic tardiness—now wants to purchase a helicopter to get to Dodger Stadium on time. 

The Los Angeles Times follows up with Alex Vega, a Miami garage owner who specializes in custom cars and who considers Puig a loyal client. "His plan is to buy one," Vega told the Times.

Interesting side note: Vega is also responsible for whatever the hell Yoenis Cespedes was driving to Spring Training earlier this week.

.@ynscspds knows how to make an exit. #SpringTraining pic.twitter.com/WHFAPiCz2s

— MLB (@MLB) February 23, 2016

There’s just one small snag of course—Dodger Stadium doesn’t have a landing pad and flying aircraft near stadiums is against FAA regulations. 

Thanx to this awesome guys for flying us around video credit to: @aircampilot_ @vamp_la w/ @copterpilot & @robin.at.tam #lastory

A video posted by @yasielpuig (@yasielpuig) on Feb 16, 2016 at 6:13pm PST

If you follow Puig on Instagram, you might not be shocked by the Cuban sensation’s sudden interesting in choppers (and his affinity for video games). He spent some of his offseason taking helicopter tours around Los Angeles. But really, you can’t find any other way to get to the stadium on time? 

Of course at this point, Puig’s pie-in-the-sky dream of flying to Dodger Stadium is now a comedy routine with him and front office staff, but his maturity on the field is a serious concern for the club and fans. This helicopter request only adds to the examples of Puig not being mentally focused for his on-field duties.

Puig is still waiting for a decision from Commissioner Rob Manfred for his alleged involvement in a dust up at a Miami bar last November where he pushed his sister and the outfielder is looking to rebound from a disappointing season that mostly saw him on the injured list. 

But Puig’s return to the Dodgers clubhouse this Spring is giving some hope—he’s physically in top shape—the Dodgers wanted him to lose some of the bulk, which he did—and he’s starting to work more with his former translator who could be a positive influence on his behavior. Now Puig is young and he should enjoy his star status, but really, can we not spend money on a helicopter and just focus on having a successful season? 

   
--Alexis Garcia, BYB's "Eye on MLB" Columnist &
Los Angeles Dodger fan
Twitter:  @heylexyg




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'CASTRO & THAT THIRD BASE IDEA'... STARRING AROD

Small nugget from Chad Jennings and LoHud and something we have touched upon here at BYB.  Read MORE OPTIONS AT THIRD BASE from yesterday.  Jennings writes:

"Alex Rodriguez might not need a glove this spring, but he could still have an impact on the Yankees’ infield defense.

With Starlin Castro getting used to second base and about to get his feet wet at third, Rodriguez could be a source of information about transitioning to the hot corner, especially for a young guy who’s used to playing shortstop.

'I mean, there are so many things (to learn),' Rodriguez said. 'The angles are completely different. There are so many plays that you don’t have at short: there’s bunting, cut off and relays, and obviously you don’t get to see what’s going on with the catcher. You’re just reacting. Shortstop helps you out a little bit, but it’s not the same.'”

You gotta love an veteran like Alex Rodriguez helping the youngsters.  Look, Starlin Castro was signed as a second baseman and yes, we do have Rob Refsnyder and Dustin Ackley and the Yankees are gonna try and figure out a way to get them some playing time at second too.  Plus, you gotta assume Chase Headley needs alittle rest at third once in a while because he wasn't too wonderful defensively.  This backup idea at 3rd featuring Castro is a good idea.

The biggest concern with Castro is that many are worried about how the guy will handle the New York media and learn a new position at the same time.  For a 25 year old, the pressure could be enormous and we as the Yankees have no idea if he can handle it.  The Beers and Balls Show mentioned that. No idea if that will be the case, it's speculation, but it is definitely something to think about.

Whatever it is, this is what Spring Training is for.  Nice nugget Jennings.



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MORE OPTIONS AT THIRD BASE

We saw this coming for some time, but now it's getting more obvious. In recent days, the Yankees began asking Starlin Castro to start taking grounders at third. It comes within days of the news that the Yankees are also considering Rob Refsnyder for third, It should come as no surprise, given how disappointing Chase Headley was last year with all the errors he racked up. He was third in the American League in errors. But it makes the point to anyone who cares to notice that the Yankees are ready to make changes quickly, and no one is safe from scrutiny.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote that the Yankees had options at third base, specifically mentioning that Rob Refsnyder being a viable option for second makes Castro available at third (read THE YANKEES INFIELD IS WIDE OPEN). Based on how they used Refsnyder so far, I can understand why one loyal reader commented: "If they were so high on Refsnyder then why did they go with Drew last year and then go out and get Castro over the winter?"

The simple answer to that question is that they had misguided faith that Stephen Drew would deliver. It seems pretty obvious that they are intent on not making the same mistake again with Headley's defense. The backup plan is set.

The only problem with the backup plan is that neither of those two - Castro or Refsnyder - has a history of good fielding. Refsnyder's 2015 fielding percentage at second base in AAA was .967. That's not great. The major league average last year for second basemen was .985. Castro's  fielding percentage at second last year was .986, but remember that he only played 38 games there. His normal position is at shortstop. The last time he played second before last year was in 2008 in the Arizona Fall League. By his own admission, he is still learning second base, and now he has to learn third base. And before you ask, he played just 43 innings at third at  sub-A level minor league levels, and not since 2008. We should not expect Graig Nettles caliber fielding.

All this leads me to believe that the Yankees really need Headley to step up. I was quite happy when they signed him, thinking he'd be a defensive asset and a clutch hitter. He needs to get back to the Gold Glove fielding he did before last year. Otherwise, as I said earlier, he is not above scrutiny and he is replaceable. Bottom line...the Yankees have two options as backup plans and they will be used if Headley can't deliver.

--Ike Dimitriadis, 
BYB Senior Staff Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon






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A GLIMPSE OF YANKEE SPRING TRAINING: PART 6

 More Yankee photos from Spring Training.  Are we having fun yet?

Here's Alex Rodriguez greeting Michael Pineda in Tampa the other day.  You gotta love when the boys start getting together.  Look for Pineda to surprise people this year.

Here's our buddy Starlin Castro in Yankee apparel and it gives me chills.  It was very sad for me to see a guy like Brendan Ryan go... but I am very happy to have Castro. 

Here's a shot of Pineda and Brian McCann staring at the Yankee sign.  The conversation went something like this:

McCann: What does that say?
Pineda: It says Yankees Brian... it says Yankees.

We got a nice bullpen from Andrew Miller the other day.  He's grinding it out and you gotta love the attitude.  It's not about the role, it's about winning as a team. Applaud that.

If you haven't had a chance to read the others, be sure to check out:

PART 1
PART 2
PART 3
PART 4 
PART 5

More soon.

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THE 2016 YANKEES HAVE MORE VERSATILITY!

Many Yankees fans have expressed their dismay over the last 12 months over a myriad of different dilemmas; Overpaid vets, not enough pitching, Girardi's overuse of Stephen Drew and Brendan Ryan and obviously the play of certain individuals on the team. Chase Headley has been at the forefront of many of these conversations due to his poor season in the field in 2015 and his underwhelming performance at the plate. While the concerns are valid, the 2016 team should have some more versatility and some bounce back years from several players.

Chase Headley, for one, should and must have a better season in 2016. Hold the rolling of the eyes, let me get to my point! He nearly doubled his career high in errors in 2015 with 23 (13 being the most going in to last season). He seemed to have a case of the yips and balls would just get away from him when he threw. That happens to the best of ballplayers. I see him having a rebound year at third for the Bombers.

At the plate he did pretty much what he has done his entire career. He slashed .259/.324/.369 with 11 home runs and 62 RBI. With the exception of his monster 2012 where he batted .286 with 31 home runs and 115 RBI, his 2015 season is about what he offers. 13 home runs is the second highest total he has had in the Big Leagues. We Yankees fans have to accept that. Anything about .265, 12 home runs and 65 RBI is a good year for Headley. We need his defense to be top notch. That's priority number one.

When asked recently, Headley admitted that the team was tired when they played Houston in the Wild Card round in October. Granted every team is spent after seven months of baseball, the Yankees, and their lack of youth probably were a bit more. This year the Yankees have Starlin Castro, Dustin Ackley and Rob Refsnyder, both of whom should break camp with the team in my opinion as of now, which injects a little more youth and a little more versatility and athleticism. Guys like Ref could help spell some of the starters more often to keep them fresh down the stretch.

It's been said that Castro will be the everyday second baseman, but played primarily shortstop with Chicago. He acts as the backup to Sir Didi as well. Refsnyder can spell Castro (as well as Ackley) at times and perhaps even get some work this spring at third. With Mark Teixeira's age and glass-like frail body, Ackley will have to see some time at first as well as well as be a fifth outfielder, behind Aaron Hicks, for Joe Girardi. Hopefully regular rest and maintenance can keep the players on the field and off the DL.

The Yankees will likely have to look into acquiring a backup third baseman as the spring winds down and have even discussed giving Refsnyder a shot over at the hot corner. There hasn't been any chatter of any minor leaguers being ready to contribute at the position so Cashman will likely keep his eyes and ears open until Opening Day. There is a laundry list of players who may not have a roll with their current team so a late cut or a trade before the final 25-man rosters are announced is definitely not out of the question.

An old baseball adage is; 'If you hit, you'll find yourself in the lineup.' With several different players capable of filling different rolls and playing multiple positions, Girardi should have the flexibility to keep the hot stick in the lineup. Although the Yankees were among the league leaders in runs scored, they were streaky as hell. They need more consistent production. Sometimes competition can bring the best out of people.

While I still see this Yankees team, and probably 2017's team as well, as stepping stone teams as contracts expire and the youth develop, the versatility and rest that could come with it should help the Yankees stay more competitive in August and September this season. They cannot afford to have Stephen Drew's and Brendan Ryan's in the lineup several days a week and provide next to no offense...

That can't happen.

 --Dan Lucia
BYB Senior Writer
Twitter: @DManLucia

 



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ORIGINS OF 'MONKEY UNDERPANTS' REVEALED!

Well look... you didn't want us to keep you hanging... did you?

The other day we put out a piece titled BYB, WRITER'S BLOCK & MONKEY UNDERPANTS.
There was silly dialog between BYB writer's Jeana Bellezza and Erica Morales and writer's block, something that pretty much happens to every writer at some point.  It sucks, especially if you're on deadline... something that BYB writers typical are on. Here's that dialog again:

Jeana: "Writer's Block.....Why can't I say what I really want to say? So much for trying to get ahead tonight."

Erica: "You too? I've got two pieces to write by tomorrow night and NADA!  MONKEY MONKEY UNDERPANTS!"

Jeana: "UGH. I am trying to get this done early so I can not be scrambling...why can't things just go the way I want them to for ONCE? MONKEY MONKEY UNDERPANTS!"

Well, thanks to Jeana, now we know where "Monkey Underpants" comes from. Here it is:

Wow! OK then.

So yeah... that happened.  And that's your closure.  Now I did receive an email.

The email came from a female BYB reader who was offended by the picture I chose of a woman's butt wearing Monkey underpants and she said she was alittle offended by it.   Hmm...

Hey Julie...

This better?

Enjoy your Friday everyone.

25% OFF Sitewide at SteinerSports.com with code ALMOSTSPRING. Ends 2/28 midnight.

 
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