BANGED UP BOMBERS

The new improved Yankees may be younger, but their bodies are breaking just like the old model.

The result has blown giant potholes in the path of a $3.7 billion juggernaut careening toward a cheaper business model that relies on untested farmhands and valued prospects over veterans for the first time.

For many hardcore fans, though, who have long awaited this historic transition with relish, it's simply made an anticipated wild ride even more unpredictable and, curiously, somehow more exciting as still more farmhands and unfamiliar faces get pressed into service to shore up the breach, adding to the drama of the moment and keeping in the spirit of the adventurous enterprise.

Meanwhile, however, the body count grows, with consequences varying from minor and short-term to critical and career-threatening. Here's the latest updates on our banged up bombers:

-- James Kaprielian: A lost season for Kap.  We reported on this late last night in SURGERY FOR THE KID. Brian Cashman announced team doctors and a surgeon who specializes in pitching injuries consulted by Kaprielian have given him his available options on fixing his bum elbow. Bottom line , it came down to Tommy John Surgery.

-- Greg Bird: Birdman has a lingering sore ankle from a spring training foul tip and a brief bout of either flu or food poisoning (after seeing what flu's done to Boston, I'm rooting for food poisoning) he was feeling well enough to play in Wednesday's victory the Rays. But Joe Girardi kept him benched to give his tender tootsie an added day to recuperate and give ersatz first baseman Chris Carter a last crack at breaking the Mendoza line against Rays lefty Blake Snell before heading back to the bench himself. (He didn't.) Bird was back in the line up last night. 

Photo: New York Daily News

--Brett Gardner: Gardy passed all concussion tests following his bone-crunching base running collision Wednesday with Rays first baseman Rickie Weeks Jr., but he was scratched from Thursday's game and is day-to-day with a bruised jaw and strained neck and he'll be re-evaluated for concussion symptoms.

He also declined to rule out a trip to the disabled list for the longest tenured Yankee.

Photo: MLB.com

--Didi Gregorius: Didi is rehabbing his right throwing shoulder he injured playing second base. Yup, second base... that still pisses me off.

He played there for Team Netherlands and began a rehab program over a week ago at the team's minor league complex in Tampa that started with long-tossing from 60 to 90 feet, quickly progressed to include one-handed bat-swinging and has since evolved to fielding ground balls and taking full dry swings with the bat, according to Joe.

So he's right on track in his rehab schedule and, barring any setbacks, could back in the Bronx where he belonged all along by the first week in May.

--Gary Sanchez: Sanchez is in his 5th day of a 10-day scheduled no-baseball activity period and receiving daily treatments at the Yankees' minor league facility for his strained brachialis muscle located behind behind his right biceps. After that, he'll follow a program of progressive rehabilitation like Didi.

The team's four-week rehab plan and Gary's personal reports his range of motion and discomfort  both have dramatically improved suggest that, barring setbacks, a presumptive return to the Bronx the first week in May along with Didi is a distinct possibility.

That's the update on the walking dead folks.  Slowly but surely we will see these guys return fully healthy.  Right now though, it's crazy in the Bronx.



 --Barry Millman
BYB Writer
Twitter: @nyyankeefanfore

ANOTHER ONE (OR TWO) BITES THE DUST.....

Oh what bad luck!

(April 9, 2017 - Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America)

It's only April! It's not even two weeks into the season and that evil injury bug is already lingering around this team. The older, veteran Yankees teams had this problem and it was something we were just used to. Now we have a bunch of young kids who are athletic and durable yet still this team just can't catch a break. It's driving me crazy!

(April 11, 2017 - Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America)

The highlights from last night's game should've been all about the kids. It looks like any concerns about Aaron Judge and his temporary slump can be put to rest for now. He hit his third home run in three games and looks comfortable. It's just exciting to watch, but he still wasn't the headline.

(April 11, 2017 - Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America)    

So what about Jordan Montgomery and his major league debut? That should also be a headline. He really did show the Yankees WHY he deserves this chance as a starter. Spring Training wasn't just a few lucky appearances because we saw the same JoMo from spring show up in the Bronx. He looked confident out there and struck out seven over four and two-thirds innings and allowed two runs. He even struck out the first two batters he faced.....but all of that has been overshadowed by that evil injury bug once again.

I'm ready for this bug to go away. We already lost Gary Sanchez, we need the mercy rule right about now! It was just supposed to be a routine switch when Brett Gardner pinch hit in the sixth inning for Pete Kozma. What happened though was far from routine and he collided with Rays first baseman Rickie Weeks who was trying to snag a bad throw by pitcher Xavier Cedeno. It looked ugly, in fact Brian Cashman said it looked like "two Mack Trucks collided" read that and more HERE.

(April 11, 2017 - Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America)

Minutes felt like hours as Gardner laid on the bag motionless....well at least for me. Then after the game Gardner managed to sneak out of the clubhouse without a comment about his bruised jaw. Early tests showed no signs of any concussion symptoms but he is not in the clear yet. The Yankees will do more tests tomorrow. I feel like I should be crossing my fingers, toes, legs, and eyes in hopes that there are no serious and long term affects from this and Gardy returns sooner rather than later.

The bad news doesn't stop there I'm afraid. We finally got more updates for James Kaprielian....and it isn't good. On Monday we wrote BAD LUCK BASEBALL: KAPRIELIAN HAS A SETBACK hoping for some good news.

Unfortunately, Brian Cashman confirmed that ElAttrache had reached the same conclusion that the Yankees team doctors did which was have Tommy John surgery or try to pitch through the pain. The Yankees were going to give him a day or two to think about it before giving them his decision. As badly as I want to see this kid pitch I don't want him to pitch injured. He has many years left in his career and I want to see him at his best and healthy. It just sucks when you have waited this long. He already missed last year....how can you not feel for the kid?

This injury bug needs to beat it. We've had enough! Go mess with some other team, preferably the Red Sox! All hope is not lost though. Cross your fingers Yankee fans.....Greg Bird may be back today! At least I am hoping and praying he will be.....

PLEASE! Stay positive everyone, this too shall pass. GO YANKEES!

--Jeana Bellezza
BYB Managing Editor
Follow me on Twitter: @NYPrincessJ

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THE WALLS ARE CLOSING IN

I mentioned on Twitter that the Yankees were about to "shit the bed" in the bottom of the 9th with Rickie Weeks getting a double and then moving to 3rd on a passed ball. He was then knocked in by Mark Reynolds.  I mean, my thinking was, on that Weeks hit down the line, Mark Teixeira  was no where to be found. Why?  Is there a reason why a gold glover is waiting for that ball to go foul? Why is he not running toward the line.

I would rather he try and miss than watch it go over the bag and into right field. But that was only part of it. I'm going to say something now that I have never admitted to anyone; I'm not "all in" on Adam Warren.

I know, it goes against everything we've said here about the kids and giving them a chance. But I never feel good watching a ball game when Warren is on the mound. Maybe it's not fair. Maybe I should give the guy a chance, but maybe it has everything to do with the spot Girardi puts him in.  I don't know what it is, but I'm underwhelmed and today helped me cement it.

Yup today was a let down.  The Yankees did in fact "shit the bed" even though they tied it up. With CC now out too... I don't have much faith right now. The Yankees don't look good.  Anyone want to help me feel better? Please step forward.

David Phelps started today.  5 innings, 8 hits and 4 runs given up.  Matt Thornton gave up a run and then Warren blew it for me in the 9th.

The Yankee runs went like this; Kelly Johnson had a grounds rule double and knocked in 2. Alittle while later, Yangervis Solarte sacrificed home Mark Teixeira. In the 7th Solarte knocked home Tex again.In the 9th, Tex homered.  That homer unfortunately didn't help him watching that Weeks grounder roll down the line to start things off in the bottom of the 9th.

It was disappointing and I'm pinning this loss on Tex and Warren... bad day.

Final today: Brewers 6 - Yankees 5

Oh and for those of you that never heard the term "shit the bed", here's the definitely in the Urban Dictionary:

1. (American) Failure of a device, usually in a non-repairable manner. 
example: "My car shit the bed when the timing belt broke."

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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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