It's a Walk Off

3 games. 3 Heroes. 3 consecutive walk off victories. The Yankees have done in the Twins in the most thrilling of fashions for 3 consecutive games. Tonight, they look to sweep the 4 game series with Andy Pettitte on the mound. First it was Melky, then it was A-Rod, followed by Johnny Damon. Who will be the hero tonight?

This Yankees Walk Off Party is Brought to you by Zoolander

Walk Off Winner!

This team shows no quit and has a late 90's Yankees feel to it. It sure looked bleak after the Angels went up 9-4 after 7 innings but guys like Melky Cabrera and Ramiro Pena continue to step up day after day with big hits. And after scoring 4 in the 8th the Yankees capped off the comeback in the 9th without making an out. They loaded up the bases on a walk by Teixeira, a hit by Matsui, and a hit by Cano, who extended his hitting streak to an amazing 18 games. Jorge Posada ran the count full against Angel's closer Brian Fuentes and hit the pay-off pitch into the left center field gap for a game winning hit. 

This team definitely has a never say die attitude that all championship clubs should have. CC Sabathia is on the mound tomorrow and after his last couple of starts he looks like he should be rounding into form. Yankee fans hope he turns in a solid performance tomorrow to extend their winning streak to a season best 5 games. Also, lets keep our fingers crossed on the condition of St. Nick Swisher, who left the game after being hit by a Jared Weaver pitch. It didn't look serious and hopefully we'll see Nick back in the lineup tomorrow.

BOX

The Melk Man Delivers!

Melky Cabrera finished off today's marathon game with a two run walk off home run in the bottom of the 14th. It was Melky's second home run of the game. 

CC Sabathia is still having control issues to start off the season. He was curiously left in the game in the 7th having already surrendered 5 runs through the first 6 innings. He went on to give up the lead before giving way to 6 relievers who combined for 7 and 1/3 innings pitched while allowing only 3 hits.  

My apologies to Jose Veras, who was out of this world in relief. He went 3 and 1/3 innings and retired the last 10 men he faced, striking out 4 of them. He picked up the win.

BOX SCORE

Day off tomorrow. And then it's off to Boston for the Bombers. Joba Chamberlain will kick off the series on the mound for the Yanks. He will be opposed by Jon Lester. It should definitely be a good one.

Brett, the Best Bet for Center

Before Sundays win against Pittsburgh, skipper Joe Girardi named Brett Gardner as the team's starting center fielder. We are happy for Brett and think that his speed and defense will help the team immensely. Brett should be given the green light to run at his own discretion and if so he should rack up upwards of 40 stolen bases this year. The Yankees haven't had a speed threat like that since Alfonso Soriano.

My only concern was that maybe Joe could have held off with announcing the winner of the battle between Gardy and the Melk Man until the last couple of exhibitions against the Cubs christening the new Yankee Stadium. Gardner, being a young player could let complacency slip in much the way we saw with Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera in the past. However something tells me that Gardner will not let this oppurtunity go to waste and will play every game like he's competing to keep the job. Because in all essence he will be. If he falls into a prolonged slump I'm sure we'll see Melky or someone else trying their luck in conquering the center field position.

-Favad Ali

Yankees New and Notes

Manager Joe Girardi will experiment with the lineup batting Derek Jeter in the leadoff position for the rest of Spring Training. He will drop Johnny Damon to number two because he likes Damon’s ability to pull the ball and hit in situations. Story

[My Take: This could be an interesting move as Damon is one of the toughest players to double up and has more pop than Jeter. However, the move could be a wash as Jeter is also an exceptional situational hitter because of his propensity to shoot the ball to right field.]

Brian Cashman is still looking to move Melky Cabrera who is out of options and has taken a back seat to Brett Gardner in the CF mix. The White Sox are a prime target according to Ken Rosenthal who can throw Cabrera into their CF competition which features motley-looking crew consisting of Brian Anderson, Dewayne Wise, and Jerry Owens. Story

[My Take: Melky’s has had more than a fair chance to become a mainstay over the past 3 seasons. It’s time to cut him loose and see if the Yankees can get something worthwhile in return. Also, Gardner’s superior speed and defense along with his patience at the plate are more of an asset than what Melky brings to the table. Gardner could/should not be longed for this position in the future though, as Austin Jackson would be the ideal answer in center for the future.

CC Sabathia has been named the starter for both the season opener in Baltimore and opening day ten days later at the new Yankee Stadium against Cleveland. Story

[My Take: No surprise here as CC should take the ball for both openers as he is the big name/big money ace who was brought in to be the number one starter that the Yankees have lacked for so long now.]

-Favad Ali

NYY Position Battles

It seems that Joe Girardi has selected Xavier Nady as the starting rightfielder to start the season instead of Nick Swisher. Much to our chagrin as the stats just show that Swisher is the more prudent choice as documented in this previous article.

Joe Girardi has not yet announced his choice for starting centerfielder but Brett Gardner has to be in the lead if you take in his performance this spring compared to Melky Cabrera’s. Whoever ends up starting will only be keeping the position warm for Austin Jackson, as the youngster looks primed for a shot at the bigs this year or next.

All things being equal, Brett Tomko looks like the frontrunner in the race to fill the long man role out of the bullpen. Tomko has out performed Dan Geise and Alfredo Aceves his spring and as a result deserves the shot.

Cody Ransom has won the dubious honor of holding third base for Alex Rodriguez until the slugger returns from injury. Ransom didn’t really have to compete for the spot as the Yankees didn’t have many other options. As a result of Ransom being forced into a starting role Angel Berroa looks have won the utility role of the bench.

-Favad Ali

Lets Make a Deal

Before the start of the 2008 season the Yankees committed themselves to a youth movement of sorts in the pitching staff by refusing to part with a group of their youngsters such as Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy for Johan Santana. This proved to be a bad decision when a combination of injuries and poor performance held the duo to just 73.2 IP and a 7.45 ERA. Now for the ‘09 season the Yanks have gone back to their recent roots and spent heavily on the best free agents available, bringing in CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett to fill out the starting staff. This basically means another season in AAA for Hughes and Kennedy, unless, Joba Chamberlain goes to the pen and one of them win the #5 spot in the rotation, which as of now doesn’t seem likely.

Instead of sending Kennedy back to AAA, I think it would be in the Yankees best interest to trade the young righthander. While I do believe that you can never have too much pitching depth, especially young pitching, Kennedy just turned 24 years old and his trade value will only be decreasing regardless of how good he does in AAA this season. He last two seasons in the minors have been almost unbelievable. He’s pitched 223.1 Innings and struck out 246 batters while posting a 2.01 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP.

Unfortunately, he now seems lost in the shuffle in the Yankee organization behind the new big money guys CC and AJ, the phenom Joba and the younger Hughes. If the Yanks stick him back in the minors another year and attempt to move him next season they’ll find teams won’t be as interested in a then 25 year old pitcher with less than 100 innings experience in the big leagues. The time to trade Kennedy is now and here’s a few possibilities I thought could make sense.

1. A trade of potential for potential. Kennedy goes to the White Sox for power hitting 3rd baseman Josh Fields. The Yanks get a potential power bat to fill in at 3rd in A-Rod’s absence and the Sox get another young arm to go with Danks and Floyd. The Sox also throw in a 2nd minor leaguer to round out the deal.

2. At the trade deadline the Yanks send Kennedy, Mark Melancon, and Nick Swisher to the A’s for Matt Holliday. This is assuming the A’s have conceded the AL West and are looking to move Holliday and the Yanks are looking to upgrade from Matsui/ Damon in left field. If so its obvious what the Yanks get in this. As for Oakland they get a bat to replace Holliday for the rest of ‘09, a pitcher in Kennedy who they can put in their rotation right away and a young power arm for the pen in Melancon.

3. The Yanks send Kennedy, Melky Cabrera, and minor league pitcher Zach Mcallister to Milwaukee for Mike Cameron and Bill Hall. In Cameron the Yanks get a Gold Glove caliber center fielder with a little pop and in Hall the they get a replacement at 3rd for A-Rod and then a quality utility man off the bench when A-Rod returns.

Of course, I’m no general manager, I just play one on the internet, so I don’t expect any of these deals to happen. I haven’t considered salaries or any of the other fine points of making a trade. I just think in their raw form these deals make sense for both teams involved. More so, I like Kennedy and I just want to see him get a shot in the big leagues beyond a September call up and I don’t see that happening anytime soon with the Yankees.

-Robb Lennahan

Others Must Step Up in A-Rod's Absence

Everything that could have gone last year for the Yankees did go wrong. And this resulted in them missing out on the postseason. This season, the Yankees will have to overcome the loss of Alex Rodriguez if they wish to stay in the AL East race and everything will have to go right in order for them do so. The lineup will have to step up in a big way to cover for the loss of A-Rod. Love him, or hate him; Alex Rodriguez has been an offensive force for the Yankees since his arrival. His production will surely be missed. But they can win without him; if, and only if the many question marks up and down their lineup are answered.

Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui both need to stay in the lineup and produce at their career levels. Whether this will happen or not is not a given by any stretch of the imagination. Posada is coming off of shoulder surgery which cost him most of the 2008 season. He has hit well thus far in the spring, although he has yet to catch this spring and has been a last minute scratch due to his shoulder once already. Hideki Matsui is trying to come back and play on two bad knees which will relegate him to playing exclusively as a DH this year. He also missed most of last year and will be counted on to come back healthy and productive this year.

Also, whoever emerges from the battle in CF between Brett Gardner and Melky Cabrera will have to step up their production significantly. Cabrera has been regressing the past two seasons while Gardner is still an unknown commodity at the Major League level. Robinson Cano also needs bounce back from a disappointing year last year. If his production after being benched late last year is any indication, expect him to bounce back close to his 2007 form.

The Yankees should get average to above average production from the remaining positions on the field (Teixeira at 1B, Jeter at SS, Swisher/Nady in RF, and Damon in LF). But this will not be enough; they need solid production from Posada (at the catcher position), Matsui, and Cano at the least. Anything they get out of the center field position would be a plus.

Things certainly did go terribly awry last year. Lightning may just strike twice again this year. Its up to everyone in the lineup to pick up the slack while A-Rod is gone. The one difference between this year and last is a vastly improved starting rotation. This should help the lineup cope with the loss of A-Rod, and keep them competetive until his return.

-Favad Ali