DEWAYNE WISE RE-SIGNS WITH THE WHITE SOX

A quick nugget just because DeWayne Wise was a New York Yankee for 10 minutes last year. You remember what happened next right?  The Yanks designated him for assignment, read HERE and eventually outrighted to Triple A.  Wise quickly refused outright and was released. He in turn became pissed and was quickly snatched by up by the Chicago White Sox. I actually didn't blame him for being mad. Truth be told the Yankees could have and should have utilized him better, and didn't. Hey, life goes on... we snatched up Ichiro Suzuki.

Anyway, the White Sox have decided to bring back Dewayne Wise to Chi-town, a 1 year deal worth about $700,000, read HERE.  Good for him.  He's an above average outfielder with an OK bat.

My fondest moment of Wise as a Yankee? When he pitched in a 14-7 loss against the White Sox last year, Read HERE. 

Good luck DeWayne...Wise choice resigning with the Chisox. Get it? Damn I'm hilarious.

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THE RAYS ARE CREEPING SO THE YANKS MUST WIN

The Yankees are playing OK.  Not excellent, not terrible, they're getting by.  But "getting by" doesn't cut it.  You know how I know? The Tampa Bay Rays are breathing down their neck.  Look, it's not enough to be in first place all season and then drop to second by the beginning of September.  All it means is you're not in first anymore.  Sure, the Wild Card can save a team, but I hate the wild card.  All it means to me is that you didn't make it to the first round and Major League Baseball is going to help you out alittle bit so they can make even more money.  It's silly.  That being said, the Wild Card has helped plenty of teams out in the past, and it makes for an exciting fall classic.

I am not a fan of Joe Maddon.  I think he's a good manager, but tries to be the cool dad way too often, read JOE MADDON'S "COOL DAD" ACT IS OLD.  I think he's arrogant. I think he thinks he's smarter than the umpires.  I think he reminds me of the Great Gazoo from the Flintstones.  A know-it-all.  But all that doesn't matter if the Rays take first place in the American League East and hold it.
What the Yankees have to do is simple.  They need to win.  They need to win a lot and often. Sound redundant? Not to me.  In other words, they need a streak.  A big one, 10 games, 12, whatever it takes.  Sure, the Yankees have put together a nice string, but there is no doubt the Rays are winning too.

Small ball is creeping into the Yankees plans and I love it. They've managed to combine home runs with men on base, as well as playing situational hitting and it almost seems that once Ichiro showed up, things started to happen.  Plus, Derek Jeter, the man the New York Sports media wrote off after his .270 average, has come up big and doesn't look 38 at all...he looks 28. I've always called for the Yankees to use the basics of baseball... and finally, they are (Read: YANKEE BASEBALL: THE BASICS OF HITTING.) One thing that's important with this scenario, they need to do it consistently.

Now let's think about the pitching for a moment. There's no question Ivan Nova is having some serious problems.  Last night was his 9th start where he struggled.  That's not only a cause for concern, it can easily turn into a tragedy for the Yankees starting rotation.  CC Sabathia is still on the DL, his second stint of the season, Phil Hughes has been inconsistent and Andy Pettitte is out for the season.  We were forced to use Freddy Garcia, who, dare I say has done his job well, and David Phelps who isn't quite stretched out yet. That's it! It's not like we have someone waiting in the wings, it is what it is. Now look at who the Tampa Bay Rays have. Their pitching has proven they can handle any lineup in baseball.  Again...here come the Rays, the Yankees need to step it up. 

Lately, the bullpen's been a problem too.  Bringing Joba Chamberlain back was a great thing, but did he come back too fast? Think about this for a second.  The bullpen was humming.  Guys like Cody Eppley and Clay Rapada were unknown to baseball fans...now they're stars.  Boone Logan, other than 2 nights ago has been pretty solid.  But I'm going to make a statement that is going to sound like Monday morning quarterbacking...but I've said it before so just hear me out; Sometimes bringing in new blood during a run full of "clicking" can break up momentum.  Did Joba break it up? Who the hell truly knows, but things are different with this bullpen lately.

There's one moment that actually sticks in my mind that may have or may not have triggered this weird pen vibe lately, or maybe, you tell me. Remember June 28th? Remember the night Clay Rapada and David Robertson lost that game? DRob got the loss and the big "controversy" was that DRob should have come into the game at the beginning of the inning and not in the middle of the inning when men were on base... read HERE. Look, my take has always been you come into a game when your needed to help your team.  You can second guess it after a loss all you want but it's still a loss. That's my take anyway. But look, no one can really pinpoint when a group of guys goes south.  I do know this though, the Yankees pen isn't consistent of late. Sure, June 28th is just another loss to many, but not to me. It sticks with me. Can they turn it around? Sure they can, but they need a rhythm... a clicking, kind of like the way Kerry Wood came in a few years back, believe me, it can be done.

Can the Yankees stay in first place? I believe so.  I love this team and  they've impressed me every step of the way despite dumb stories about Dewayne Wise refusing his demotion or Michael Pineda's DUI.  The Yanks seem to put stupid stuff aside and guys like Raul Ibanez, Eric Chavez, Ichiro and Jayson Nix have done some great things lately.  But it's not enough...we need 25 guys.  "25 Paul O'Neill's" as I've said before (HERE), especially now with the Rays breaking down their neck.

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IT'S ALL WHITE SOX IS CHI-TOWN. YANKEES LOOK FLAT

The New York Yankees entered the Tuesday night match-up against the Chicago White Sox with a multitude of concerns.  The Yankees' division lead, that was once 10 games, had shrunk to 4 games as the Tampa Bay Rays surged into contention.  Furthermore the Yankee bullpen entered Tuesday's game with an 0-2 record and an 8.03 ERA over the last five games.  If that was not enough, Yankee starter Ivan Nova had pitched poorly of late, and he entered the game leading the league in extra-base hits allowed.

Yankee fans were momentarily comforted by a Derek Jeter HR to lead off the game.  Nick Swisher followed with a single to center and later scored courtesy of a Curtis Granderson RBI fielder's choice.  The Yankees led 2-0 after a half inning.  Nova yielded a hit and a walk in the bottom of the first, but escaped otherwise unscathed to preserve the 2-0 lead.

 

After the first two Yankee batters scored, the New York offense disappeared.  Over the next five innings, the Yankees managed four singles, a walk, and zero runs.  Meanwhile, one of the Yankees' worst fears materialized.  Starting pitcher Ivan Nova was putrid.  The first four White Sox hits that he allowed completed the cycle.  Dewayne Wise singled in the first, Alex Rios tripled in the second, Paul Konerko hit a HR in the fourth, and Alexi Ramirez doubled in the fifth.  In that fifth inning Nova got even worse.  He allowed four runs on the Ramirez double, a walk, another Wise single, and a Kevin Youkilis grand slam HR!  The White Sox led 6-2.

The game was effectively over at that point.  Russell Martin did manage to hit his 14th HR in the seventh to cut the Chicago lead to 6-3.  Derek Lowe relieved Nova in the bottom of the seventh inning, but he immediately allowed two hits, including the third DeWayne Wise hit of the game.  Following a walk to Adam Dunn, the bases were full of Sox.  Lowe managed to retire Konerko via strike-out and Alex Rios via ground ball to Cano, and the Yankees "escaped" with the Chicago lead holding at 6-3 through seven.

 

The Yankees did nothing in the eighth inning.  Chicago managed to score a run in their half of the eighth on an AJ Pierzynski triple and a Gordon Beckham RBI single to right that gave the Sox a 7-3 lead.  Facing a four run deficit in the ninth, Yankee prospects were bleak at best.  New York had not won a game all year when trailing after eight innings.  The Yanks were true to form.  The game that Jeter began with a bang, ended on a whimper, a weak fly out by Jeter to right field.   

 

In 1921, a former major league player characterized the New York Yankees of that season as the "best worst team in either league."  With a minor modification and a literary license, that phrase could be adjusted slightly to describe the 2012 Yankees.  I would say the current squad is the "worst of the best teams in either league."  The 1921 Yankees did not win the World Championship.

The 2012 verdict remains in doubt, but the unhappy final tonight was Chicago 7 - New York 3, as the Yankees continued in the wrong direction.

--Frank Gentry, BYB Writer

Twitter: @yankeefrank23



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WISE BITES YANKS BACK. YANKEES LOSE 9-6

It was an emotional roller coaster of a game, with the lead going back and forth between the Yankees and the White Sox in the middle innings. However, the Yankee bullpen just could not keep the White Sox from scoring.

(In Photo: Dewayne Wise, right)
The game started out promising. Gavin Floyd had a rough outing, as the Yankee hitters got to him early. He allowed three runs in the first two innings as the Yankees were patient at the plate and played small ball. In the first, Derek Jeter singled, Nick Swisher singled, and Mark Teixeira singled in Jeter for the first run. After a Curtis Granderson walk, Eric Chavez hit into a fielder's choice to score the second run. They picked it up again in the second, with a Swisher single, a Robinson Cano single, a Teixeira walk, and a Granderson single brought Swisher. By the time he got pulled in the third, the Yankees had a 3-0 lead and Floyd faced 16 batters, retiring only six of them. Of the other 10 hitters, five got a single, 4 walked, and one was hit by a pitch.

The White Sox were not to be outdone, however. Starter Freddy Garcia looked brilliant for the first four innings. He struck out seven by that point, giving up only two hits and two walks while holding the Sox scoreless. But the wheels came off in the fifth, as Garcia just lost it.  He struck out Alexei Ramirez to lead off the inning, but that was the last batter he would retire.

After giving up a 2-run home run to former Yankee Dewayne Wise, Garcia gave up a single to Kevin Youkilis and walks to Adam Dunn and  Paul Konerko before finally being pulled for Cody Eppley. Eppley retired the only batter he faced - Alex Rios - but Youkilis scored on the play. Clay Rapada came in for one batter - A.J. Pierzynski - who singled in Dunn. Joba Chamberlain came in and gave up a single to Dayan Viciedo that scored Rios, and finally retired Alexei Ramirez to end the inning. The White Sox took a 5-3 lead, with all five runs charged to Garcia.

The Yankees came right back in the 6th, as Derek Jeter hit his 11th home run of the season over the left field wall, and the Yankees were within one. After a Nick Swisher walk and a pair of wild pitches from pitcher Hector Santiago, Mark Teixeira hit a bloop single to tie the game at 5. Then, with two outs and men on first and second, Casey McGehee put them ahead 6-5 with an RBI single that scored Robinson Cano.

Joba Chamberlain's struggles continued in the bottom of the sixth, as Gordon Beckham led off with a game-tying home run to make it 6-6. After striking out Dewayne Wise, he hit Youkilis in the back. I will let you decide if that was a good thing or not. Nevertheless, he was promptly pulled for Boone Logan, who struck out Adam Dunn and got Paul Konerko to ground out to end a potential rally.

Logan stuck around for the 7th inning, and gave up a go-ahead 2-run home run to Alexei Ramirez. The White Sox kept pouring it on, as Adam Dunn extended the lead to 9-6 with a homer in the eighth.

 Honorable mentions:

• The Captain, Derek Jeter, had a 4-hit night. This takes his season total to 167, which leads the majors. He also tied Eddie Murray on the all-time hit list with 3255. Wasn't his career in decline??? Ha!!
• Nick Swisher reached base four times, scoring twice.

• Mark Teixeira also had two hits and a walk, driving in 2 runs.
• Ichiro Suzuki got a base hit for the 22nd time in his 24 starts since joining the Yankees. Clearly, this trade is paying dividends.

Playing another division leader is always a good test to see how we might fare in October. This game was no exception. Where we gave up runs we also scored right back, showing that fighting spirit. However, the pitching really failed us tonight. Starters will occasionally have a bad night, and Freddy certainly had one, but more troubling is that every single pitcher out of the bullpen surrendered runs tonight. If I were tuning up for the playoffs, this would be my biggest area of concern. Nevertheless, tomorrow is another day and another game.

Final Score: White Sox 9, Yankees 6

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon



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DEWAYNE WISE & HIS DFA REFUSAL

Looks like there is more developing news in Yankeeland regarding the Ichiro trade. It’s been a week since the Yankees made the move that brought Ichiro to New York, and with that move, Dewayne Wise was designated for assignment to AAA, or so we thought. It’s a common move that usually doesn’t get much more than a quick update….but maybe not this time. Wait until you hear this...

Look, when you add a guy to the roster, someone has to be cut…and it sucks, but in this case it had to be Wise. Is it unfair? You can argue it is, Wise had some key plays for us. He hit some home runs and he did have some good defensive moments but he was the one that the Yankees chose to send back down.

Now the move has been made and Wise refused his new assignment, and yesterday news of his reaction made it to Twitter. In case you missed that, read it HERE. Bottom line, right now Wise is a free agent, read HERE. According to Mark Feinsand, the Yankees have until Wednesday to trade him or release him.

I understand Wise is upset and I understand him wanting to walk and play pro somewhere else….but that’s when you have to suck it up and put everything into perspective. Wise showed up to Spring Training as a Non-roster invitee….meaning, nothing was guaranteed to him. He showed up, worked out and did what was needed to make the AAA team and he was OK with that then. After Brett Gardner went down early in the season he was called up and he got to play. Now that the Yankees have made a move that benefits the team, now he does not want to go back down to AAA. I guess he feels like he earned the spot.  Well, I have a problem with this and obviously he does too...he bolted.

No worries...you did good while you were here DeWayne, the best of luck to you.

--Jeana Bellezza ,BYB Writer and Editor

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ESPN'S "DEBBIE DOWNER" POST ON ICHIRO

(pictured, Suzuki gets ready for his first at bat as a New York Yankee last night in Seattle)

Leave it to ESPN and Buster Olney to rain on the Yankees parade. Not even 24 hours after they acquired Ichiro Suzuki from the Mariners for D.J. Mitchell, Danny Farquhar and an undisclosed amount of cash, Olney is already on his "What if Ichiro doesn't hit?" rant.

Look, Buster's allowed to write whatever he wants to, Lord knows he does all the time anyway, but my point is, give Ichiro 20 to 30 at bats before writing that crap. We don't even have a big enough batch in pinstripes to dip from to make that leap. Plus, a new team brings new energy and I'm banking on a change in Ichiro in his last 60 plus at bats this year.  Sure, Ichiro could suck, but Ichiro also may not and it's my opinion, on a big trade day like yesterday, you really need to let it settle for 24 hours before jumping down the Yankees throats. It's silly.

This is the best part of Olney's piece. He writes: "Others ahead of him (Ichiro)  in his OPS neighborhood this year are Jeff Francoeur, Rickie Weeks and Drew Stubbs. DeWayne Wise, designated by assignment by the Yankees to make room for Ichiro, had a .778 OPS in 53 plate appearances with New York -- significantly higher than Suzuki's OPS in each of his last three full seasons."

(pictured, "Debbie Downer" character from Saturday Night Live)

Let me say something that makes all that irrelevant... If Ichiro Suzuki falls in your lap, you got for it. The Yankees went for it.  That's the problem with these types of pieces... All the stats in the world don't matter especially if Ichiro delivers. As a Yankee fan, you have to believe. I do. Look, Olney does write that Ichiro could be fine being surrounded by better players in the Bronx, but ends his piece charged, writing that the move:  "also has the chance to become something of an embarrassment."

Let's not write about embarrassments Buster, seriously.

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CAN IBANEZ & JONES KEEP IT GOING?

"When they call your name, be ready." 

-- Andruw Jones to Pete Caldera

Our title is actually a great question and one that no one is asking...except for Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record.  Everyone else is talking about upgrades, or their lack of athletic ability on the field...us included!  Caldera took the high road. His thinking is, they're on the Yankees, they've really turned it on as of late, but can they actually keep it up? Kudos Pete, you always get the nugget that the rest of us miss.

In a piece titled Potent Pinstripe Platoon, read HERE, Caldera takes the positive route. While BYB is always "concerned" about things, Caldera eases my worry and there are some great quotes from Ibanez, Jones and even DeWayne Wise, all guys in the mix since the the injury to Brett Gardner.

Raul Ibanez says of his age at this point in the season, “Especially the older you get, you don’t train the same. You actually step up your training...I don’t understand how to not do something all-out. Most players don’t.” I freaking love Ibanez.

Andruw Jones, who my son reminds me is always smiling when he approaches the batter's box, looks damn comfortable and happy right now.  Jones says “We’ve got a lot of guys on that bench that can go out and get the job done...”

When Caldera asked Wise about being in New York, Wise said “I think for me it was an easy decision as far as signing over here... At my age, you want to go somewhere, you’re wanted and these guys have tried to get me for three years now — [general manager Brian] Cashman told me that last month.”

And think about this;  Did you know that Andruw Jones and Raul Ibanez combined have 24 home runs, 66 RBIs in 373 at bats entering last night's game? Ladies and Gentlemen... I didn't even realize that, but I'll take it, believe me.

Look, it's true, there's no doubt the trade deadline is coming and with Nick Swisher now hurt and Brett Gardner out for the rest of the season (most likely), we've all piled on.  It was nothing against guys like Jones, Ibanez and Wise, but we're Yankee fans, we are always looking for an upgrade.  But as Pete Caldera points out,  the guys we have are good, they're hungry and they may be all we need.

By the way, read our interview with Pete Caldera here (NO ONE DOES THE YANKEES BETTER THAN PETE CALDERA.)  He's one of the guys I've been reading for years and you should too...you may learn something.

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A'S STAY COMFORTABLE IN OAKLAND AS YANKEES LOSE AGAIN

At game time, the 70 degree, cool, clear air in Oakland Coliseum finished the job on the already cooling Yankee offense. The Yankee hitters turned completely anemic! Blame it on the transition from the heat and humidity of New York to the cool, clear air of northern California. Blame on the Oakland pitching, or blame it on Yankee ineptitude! Whatever the cause, the Yankees could not generate any offense last night.

No New York batter reached base via a walk in the first two games of this series, and as you know, both were Yankee losses. Curtis Granderson finally broke that string and worked a walk in the top of the sixth, but he was the last Yankee to reach base until a lead off single by Alex Rodriguez in the ninth inning. More on that in a minute.  The walk saved the Yankees the ignominy of going three straight games without earning a walk for the first time since 1991.

Nick Swisher's hip-flexor strain/quad injury forced DeWayne Wise into right last night.  His offensive performance was similar to Cano's ineptitude.  Wise's three at bats produced two weak unassisted ground outs to first and a strikeout leading off the eight inning.  The Yankees did produce a lone run in the fourth inning.  ARod led off the inning with an infield single and subsequently scored on an RBI single to center by Eric Chavez. The Chavez hit followed ground outs by Cano and Teixeira that had moved Rodriguez to third.

 Phil Hughes, pitched adequately.  He struck out six, allowed four hits and two walks in 7.2 innings of work.  The problem was he allowed two monster home runs.  One to Yoenis Cespedes in the the fourth inning and another to Brandon Inge in the eighth.

(In Photo: Brandon Inge)
In typical fashion, Hughes missed location a few times and two pitches thrown middle-middle were hit hard, high, and far. In fairness, Cespedes is a red-hot hitter. He is now 18 for 31 since the All-Star Game, a .581 average, so he has torched a few pitchers other than Hughes. Likewise Oakland is a hot team at 13-2 for the month of July. Boone Logan recorded the final out for the Yankees in the eighth on a pick off play.  He actually picked off A's base runner Coco Crisp twice, but on the first play the Yankees badly botched the run down, and Crisp was able to safely return to first.

(In Photo: Sean Doolittle)
As for that single by Rodriguez in the ninth, Oakland reliever Sean Doolittle struck out Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira, and pinch hitter Andruw Jones in succession to end the game, earn his first career save, and secure the third consecutive one-run win, 2-1, over New York for the surging A's. With the strikeout of Cano in the ninth, Doolittle also stopped the second baseman's 23 game hitting streak.  Cano went 0 for 4 on the night, and frankly looked pathetic in the process. Weak ground outs to second and first followed by two strikeouts ended the longest hitting streak in MLB this year and the longest such streak in Cano's career.

The third straight Yankee loss to Oakland has this seven game west coast road trip headed for disaster.  The Yankees have lost three games off their AL East Division lead already on this trip, and the suddenly struggling offense, combined with the injuries to Brett Gardner and Swisher, offers little hope for immediate relief. Bottom line, the Yankees need to turn it around...fast.

This 2-1 loss to Oakland makes it crystal clear... the Oakland A's are very comfortable playing home and were able to keep the Yankees just out of reach 3 days in a row with great pitching.

They held the Yankees down and they just couldn't get over the hump. Meanwhile, it's left Yankeeland quite uncomfortable...we need a win today boys...let's do it!

--Frank Gentry, BYB Writer




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ICHIRO TO THE YANKS IS MY PIPE DREAM

I wouldn’t have expected Jay Buhner to speak out of turn about the Seattle Mariners recently, but his passion for the Mariners and his want to turn the franchise around is evident.  Buhner apparently is willing to let Ichiro Suzuki walk and would “vomit” if the Mariners were to sign him to say a 3 year, $35 million deal after this season.  He was on the “Brock and Salk show” talking about that, (Read HERE.)  His main reason?  The Mariners need to stop “spending all the money on one guy.”   He then quickly said “no offense, no offense” which to me is hilarious.  He just threw the Mariners franchise player under the bus and then tried to act like it didn’t happen.

I get what Jay Buhner’s saying and to be honest, Ichiro may be the Mariners franchise player but lord knows if the Mariners want to turn the team around like Buhner suggests, they should think about unloading Ichiro and I have a home for him, especially if the Mariners want to just pick up the rest of that 2012 salary…the Bronx.   You're laughing right? Well laugh away, it's funny to me too because we're in a new Yankee world where cheap is the new rich. That being said, it's my blog, not yours, just continue to smirk...and read.

I told you guys that a few months ago in ICHIRO IN PINSTRIPES? ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. that I would love the idea of Ichiro in pinstripes, and sure, because he’s owed $17 million this season, it probably isn’t realistic unless the Mariner’s were to pick up $16 million of that, and they won’t, but if they did…I’d welcome Ichiro down the stretch in New York...  I really would.  

True, right now we’re all loving Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones, they’re hot right now,  but if you’re going for a 30 + guy anyway, why not go for a 30+ athletic guy…again, IF the Mariners were to pick up the majority of that steep Ichioro 2012 salary, I'm in.

(In Picture: Denard Span)

Ichiro may be old, but he’s also experienced and is probably hungry for a post season, something he’s never been able to do in Seattle. Get him if the price is right and if not, there are other guys who I’d recommend:

Denard Span: I mentioned him in SPEED WILL BE A FACTOR WITH GARDNER OUT and I like him a lot.  Span’s fast and a pretty decent outfielder.  Not only that, the Minnesota Twins are stinking up the joint.  So if the Yankees and Twins can talk money (A lot less than Ichiro’s 2012 contract), it is probably more logical than my pipe dream of Ichiro Suzuki or even a Shane Victorino. 

 Will Venable: Wow, I was impressed with this idea.  It comes from Ken Davidoff of the New Yorlk Post who suggested him in his piece HERE. Davidoff writes: “The Princeton product isn't eligible for free agency until after the 2015 season, and he isn't the type of player whose salary is going to escalate dramatically; he could be a long-term fit in the Yankees' payroll-reduction plan, if they like him. His career splits show that he could benefit considerably from leaving Petco Park."

DeWayne Wise: Yes, I know, we already have him and he’s quite athletic, but he’s not a hitter and the Yankees really need a speedster, a fielder AND a hitter. Sure, if we don’t look at old players for rentals, or someone like Denard Span, should the Yanks keep doing what they’re doing? Raul Ibanez, Andruw Jones and DeWayne Wise?

Look, bottom line, there are options, and it may require Cashman to do alittle digging, but it really depends on what other teams want to eat salary-wise when trading these guys to the Yanks. Remember, the Yankees want to keep that payroll down and they’re sticking to it. Again, my Ichiro idea may sound absolutely ridiculous, but so was the  Ivan Rodriguez idea a few years ago.  My point is, if Cashman can be creative and smart about this outfielder situation, anything is possible, be it Span, Ichiro…or we just stick with the 3 headed monster in Jones, Ibanez and Wise…believe it or not, that be may the WISE choice…get it? GET IT?

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SPEED WILL BE A FACTOR WITH GARDNER OUT

(In Photo: Shane Victorino)

The Yankees have been winning more than they're losing and I’m not complaining, but news out of Yankeeland concerning Brett Gardner and his newly reported elbow surgery, read HERE is definitely cause for concern.  Yes, the long ball is a big part of the Yankees winning as of late and look, who am I to tell them NOT to hit a home run.  It’s big, it’s dramatic and if they are getting runs on base, cranking out 3 run home runs, Grand Slams like Raul Ibanez the other night, I have no problem with that.  But, if the Yankees go up to the plate looking to crank out 3 solo shots and the score is a 4-3 loss with absolutely no situational hitting…I have a problem with that.   

That’s why Brett Gardner is so important and not having him in the lineup for that extra option could hurt us…sure not now, but eventually.  The Playoffs are a whole different animal and with a season being only 5 games or 7 games, every tool, including speed is needed.  I believe that.

 (In Photo: DeWayne Wise)

Brian Cashman doesn’t want to do much, he’s stated that publicly, but we need a speedster out there to get on base and run their ass off. Yes, DeWayne Wise is a fast guy, but he isn’t a great hitter.  As we’ve seen, Raul Ibanez and Andruw Jones have very good days, but they also have bad days, plus, they can’t run a lick. Luckily for us, with Gardy out, this could force Cashman's hand to get that replacement we need. 

Yes, an argument can be made that the way the Yankees are producing, there is no need to rush Gardner, just let him have his surgery and we'll see the guy in 2013. It makes sense...but think about this,  What do most teams do in late innings of games they have a shot at winning in a playoff series? They put in the pinch runner.  Fast guys with a shot at scoring from first base.  Wouldn’t it be nice to know that if Gardy isn’t coming back, there are other “Gardys” on the bench ready to run?

The Yanks are playing it close to the vest right now and they won’t tell you they’re doing stuff behind the scenes to get ready, but they are.  That's why you're hearing whiffs about Shane Victorino and Denard Span.  Believe me, the Yankees are piecing things together for the trade deadline…maybe 1 starter, but definitely 1 outfielder with speed.  I’m convinced of that. The Yankees know they need a backup plan…and believe me, they're exploring it now. 

Stay tuned… We'll have a piece on Victorino and possibly Span this weekend.

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YANKEES SIGN FUKUDOME TO A MINOR LEAGUE DEAL

News out of Yankeeland says that the Yanks signed outfielder Kosuke Fukudome to a minor league deal.  According to the Yankees, he will report to Scranton Wilkes Barre.


Fukudome is 35 years old and really has not had a very successful season with the White Sox which is probably why he was cut last month.  He has a .171 AVG with 4 RBIs in only 41 at-bats.

Brian Cashman had expressed having some outfield depth, now they have it, as well as DeWayne Wise, Jayson Nix, Raul Ibanez, Andruw Jones and Chris Dickerson down in the minor leagues.  Hey look, if they like what they see from Fukudome, maybe he comes up and helps the club, or, maybe Cashman is just collecting talent for the trade deadline. No one knows... but we'll see soon enough.

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CHRIS DICKERSON IS THE SOLUTION TO AN ABSENT BRETT GARDNER

(In Photo: Chris Dickerson)
Over the past week or so I’ve come to question some of the tactics of the Yankees when it comes to patching holes that have opened up due to injury.  In particular, the void left by the extended absence of Brett Gardner.  It seems to me that the actions of the club contradict what the organization is claiming to be striving for.

When asked about filling the void left by injuries to pitchers Andy Pettitte and CC Sabathia,  GM Brian Cashman said he wanted to work from within the organization.  To that end, he has followed his word by extracting fine performances by Freddy Garcia and David Phelps.  Combined, the two pitchers threw for a 2.79 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP in their replacement starts against the Rays.  You can’t ask for much more than that from any pitcher, and the team didn’t have to give up a player or draft pick to get those performances.  The tactic of reaching from within can work.

In Photo: Darnell McDonald, left with Curtis Granderson)

That is why I now question the recent acquisition of Darnell McDonald – former Boston Red Sox.  He is a 33 year-old outfielder who, over two and a half seasons with the Bosox hit .252 with a 24% strikeout rate and a 9% walk rate.  He’s not a great base runner (12 steals over those 2+ seasons) and in the field has a .986 fielding percentage.

 

(In Photo: Chris Dickerson)

Having followed some of our players in the minor leagues, I know that we have an outfielder by the name of Chris Dickerson at Scranton-Wilkes Barre who is having a fine season.  The 30 year-old is currently hitting .304, including .350 over his last 10 games.  I had the pleasure of watching Dickerson play against the Syracuse Chiefs in May and saw first-hand the talent he possesses.  He has a maturity at the plate and a gun for an arm (I watched him throw a ball on a line from the outfield wall to 2^nd base ).  In addition, he has some experience with the big league club as last season he hit .260 in 60 games for the Bombers.

If we really are trying to work from within, why has Dickerson not yet been called upon to attempt to fill the void left by the injury to Brett Gardner?  This isn’t a criticism of Dewayne Wise, Jayson Nix, Andruw Jones or Raul Ibanez, rather it is a question as to what the purpose of obtaining McDonald is when clearly we have potential fill-ins available.  Why take up another roster spot and add salary for someone who isn’t any better than what we already have?

As a Yankee fan I have to believe in what Brian Cashman is doing.  Obviously he has insights and information that someone outside the club wouldn’t have.  All I can go on is what I have already seen and heard.  Unfortunately, those things only tell me that Chris Dickerson isn’t in the New York Yankees long term plans, and that would be a shame.
  


--Steve Skinner, BYB Guest Writer

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