Good riddance, Veras

Jose Veras has been traded to the Cleveland Indians for cash considerations.

That’s a plus.  I would’ve accepted a couple of bats in return for him.

Update – 7:08 p.m.: Angel Berroa was designated for assignment, as Cody Ransom has been activated.

News items: Bruney, Veras, Wang, Sosa

Brian Bruney was activated earlier today, meaning that Jose Veras was designated for assignment. (Ed. note: Hooray!)

Chien-Ming Wang and his wife Chia-Ling gave birth to a son today.  No, the child’s name does not contain a “Ch-” or a “-ng.”  They named him “Justin Jesse.”  Yes, really.

And finally, Sammy Sosa reportedly tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003.  I say: “good.”

Yankees win, move into first place

A.J. Burnett won for the first time since mid-April and the Yankees moved into a tie for first place with the Boston Red Sox after defeating the Texas Rangers 9-2 tonight.  The Yankees won two out of the three against the Rangers, recording 47 hits in the process.

The Yankees hit four home runs (two from the struggling Hideki Matsui and one each from Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano).  Kevin Cash went 2-for-4 with two RBI and was one of six Yankees with multiple hits.  Derek Jeter was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two walks.

Burnett went six shutout innings, striking out seven and allowing only three hits.  However, he gave up four walks.  Jose Veras couldn’t get out of his own way in the seventh inning, so David Robertson had to come in, followed by Chien-Ming Wang for two innings to close out the game.

Wang faced six batters and retired them all in what had to be a confidence boost for the right-hander.  His velocity is still down somewhat, but this is obviously a step in the right direction.

The Yankees have tomorrow off before beginning a four-game series in Cleveland on Friday.

Yankees keep on rolling despite Joba’s injury

The Yankees won their ninth in a row tonight, despite watching their starting pitching leave in the first inning with an injury.

Joba Chamberlain was struck on the knee by a comebacker and left with two outs in the first inning.  The bullpen then had to pitch 8 1/3 innings, allowing four runs (all charged to Jonathan Albaladejo), 10 hits and only one walk.

Last night, the Yankees hit three straight home runs in the second inning.  Tonight, they hit three straight doubles to lead off the game (Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano and Mark Teixeira).  They would hit a fourth later in the inning to give the team an early 4-0 lead.

Cano drove in two more runs in the second inning with his second home run in as many days.  He also went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI for the second straight night.  Hideki Matsui added a solo home run in the fifth to complete the Yankees scoring.

Alfredo Aceves came out of the bullpen immediately after Chamberlain’s injury and pitched 3 1/3 innings to record his third victory of the season.  Albaladejo struggled over his 2 1/3 innings, allowing five hits (including two home runs).  Jose Veras and Mariano Rivera pitched scoreless outings to close out the game.  Rivera earned his ninth save of the season.

The Yankees are now 24-17 and have won four series in a row.  They begin an interleague matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium.  This is the final series of this 10-game homestand.  Brett Myers will face A.J. Burnett.

(Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Tex, big first inning lead Yanks to sweep

Mark Teixeira hit home runs from both sides of the plate and the Yankees scored six runs in the first inning to complete a four-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins tonight at Yankee Stadium as the Yankees won 7-6.

With Andy Pettitte on the mound, the Yankees fell behind 2-0 after the top of the first inning.  However, they forced Twins starter Glen Perkins out of the game after retiring only two batters.

Teixeira started the scoring with a three-run home run after both Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon reached with singles.  Alex Rodriguez followed with a solo home run and Melky Cabrera and Francisco Cervelli added RBI singles as well.

Pettitte wasn’t great by any stretch of the imagination, but he essentially pitched to the scoreboard.  Up 6-2, he gave up 12 hits over 6 2/3 innings.  The Twins would score runs in the fourth and sixth innings off Pettitte before he was relieved by Jose Veras.  Veras walked a batter in the seventh to load the bases but got Carlos Gomez to fly out.

Up 6-4, Teixeira hit a solo home run in the seventh to extend the lead to three.  That would end up being huge.

Edwar Ramirez began the eighth inning and gave up a one-out home run to Denard Span.  After a two-out walk, Phil Coke was brought in.  Because Mariano Rivera had pitched three innings in two days, Coke stayed on for the ninth inning.

Coke walked two batters and gave up a run on a groundout, but because of Teixeira’s home run, the Yankees were up by two going into the inning.  Coke got Mike Redmond to ground out to second to end the threat and the game.

The Yankees are now on a six-game winning streak and will begin a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles tomorrow night with CC Sabathia on the mound.  The Yankees have won eight of their last 10 games.

Late-inning magic leads Yanks to victory

Heading into the bottom of the ninth tonight, the Yankees were down 4-2 with star closer Joe Nathan on the hill.

However, Brett Gardner quickly put a scare into him, tripling to lead off the inning.  It could have been worse, however, as he tripped over first base.  He actually had a chance for a second inside-the-park home run on the night, as he ran around the bases in the seventh inning for one.

Following the triple, Mark Teixeira singled to cut the Twins’ lead to 4-3.  Alex Rodriguez then walked (he had four walks in his first game in the new Yankee Stadium), advancing Teixeira to second.  However, Hideki Matsui struck out swinging and Nick Swisher was robbed of a hit by first baseman Justin Morneau.  With runners on second and third, Robinson Cano was intentionally walked to load the bases for Melky Cabrera.  On the first pitch, Cabrera hit a fly ball that dunked in in between Denard Span and Carlos Gomez to drive in the game-tying and the game-winning run.

Gardner, who went 3-for-3 and was a double shy of the cycle, wasn’t even in the starting lineup.  He entered the game in the fourth inning when Johnny Damon was ejected for arguing a call.  Home plate umpire Wally Bell had a rather inconsistent strike zone.

Phil Hughes started for the Yankees and only lasted five innings.  He walked four, struck out only two and allowed two home runs to Morneau.  Phil Coke also allowed a home run in his first game back from back stiffness.

Jose Veras retired the final batter in the top of the ninth inning and was rewarded with his second victory of the season despite his 6.89 ERA.  Relievers Jonathan Albaladejo, Brett Tomko and Edwar Ramirez also had scoreless outings.

The Yankees have won five out of their last seven and will look to take the second game of the series tomorrow afternoon with Joba Chamberlain on the mound.

Yankees win battle of comebacks

The Yankees scored six runs in the final two innings to come back from a 9-4 deficit.  Jorge Posada came through with the big hit with no outs and the bases loaded in the ninth.  The Yankees are now 13-10 and are carrying a four-game winning streak.

The Yankees scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning, after Hideki Matsui hit a sacrifice fly, Robinson Cano hit a single and Jorge Posada hit a two-run home run.

Andy Pettitte held that lead until the top of the sixth when he fell apart.  With two outs, the Angels scored six runs (five charged to Pettitte) to take a 6-4 lead.  They would score three more in the seventh against Jose Veras and Edwar Ramirez.  Gary Matthews Jr. had four RBI in the two innings, including a three-run triple.

However, the Yankees put together a rally themselves in the bottom of the eighth.  Melky Cabrera had an RBI single and Ramiro Pena followed with a two-run single.  Derek Jeter then hit an RBI groundout to cut the Angels’ lead to 9-8.

They were then able to fully come back against Angels’ closer Brian Fuentes.  Mark Teixeira led off with a walk.  Hideki Matsui and Cano’s consecutive singles loaded the bases with no outs for Posada.  He then laced a single to left-center to drive in Teixeira and pinch-runner Angel Berroa to end the game in walk-off fashion.

CC Sabathia will look to keep the line moving tomorrow afternoon at 1:05 p.m.  Matt Palmer will oppose him.

Hughes restores order

Phil Hughes, of all people, halted the Yankees’ four-game losing streak.

He pitched six shutout innings, striking out six and walking two.  He also threw 58 of his 99 pitches for strikes in the Yankees’ 11-0 victory over the Tigers.

Hughes pitched nicely, and his velocity touched 92 and 93 mph quite a bit.  He even got up to 94.  His curve was a little hard to control in the beginning but improved as the game went on, it seemed.

However, it was a pitchers’ duel for the first six innings of the game.  Edwin Jackson matched Hughes pitch-for-pitch, striking out four and walking one over six innings.  However, once Jackson was taken out, the Tigers imploded.

The Yankees scored 10 in the seventh inning, capped by a Jose Molina grand slam.  Aside from Molina, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera and Jorge Posada all had RBI in the frame.

Nick Swisher added a solo home run in the ninth to make it an 11-0 game.

Mark Melancon, Edwar Ramirez and Jose Veras each pitched scoreless innings to close out the game.

Joba Chamberlain will face Rick Porcello tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m. in the rubber game.

AP Photo

Melky walks off to end long afternoon

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14		R	H	E
OAK	0	3	1	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		7	9	1
NYY	0	2	2	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2		9	17	1

Because I barely remember what happened in the early innings (besides CC Sabathia having another mediocre start), I’m not going to write a full recap.

Sabathia, as I said, was mediocre, at best.  He had another start where his walks outnumbered his strikeouts.  He walked four and struck out two in 6 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs  (six earned).  His ERA now stands at 4.81.

Melky Cabrera hit home runs from both sides of plate, including the two-run walk-off home run in the 14th inning.  Hideki Matsui and Derek Jeter also had home runs.

Jose Veras was fantastic during his 3 1/3 innings of relief, retiring the final 10 batters he faced.

The Yankees have an off-day tomorrow before traveling to Boston for three games beginning on Friday.

What a disaster

That is all I have to say.

Nice job of ruining everyone’s memories of opening day in the new Yankee Stadium, Jose Veras and Damaso Marte.

Yankees FML: April 12

I’m debuting a new feature on Scott Proctor’s Arm today.  It’s called “Yankees FML” and will only be used when the Yankees lose.  Thus, I hope I don’t have to write these more than 70 times.

For those who are not familiar with what FML means (the definition is not exactly safe for work), please visit Fmylife.com to get a better idea.  Each post begins with “today,” and ends with “FML.”

Today, my manager decided to over manage and ended up snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.  Up 4-3 and with two outs and no one on base in the eighth inning, he decided to get cute and take out Damaso Marte in favor of Jose Veras.  Three runs and another pitcher later, the Yankees lost 6-4 to prevent a sweep of the Royals.  FML

This one is on Girardi

Can someone explain to me why Joe Girardi took out Damaso Marte after recording two outs on 11 pitches in the eighth inning?

Exactly.

It didn’t make sense at the time and it still doesn’t, after The Mexecutioner struck out the side to record the save and prevent a sweep.

Girardi used three pitchers in the eighth to record three outs.  If you want to remove Marte, put in Mariano Rivera.  He didn’t pitch yesterday.

Billy Butler, a righty, came into to pinch hit for Mike Jacobs, a lefty, when Jose Veras was brought into to pitch.  Butler only has one hit this season thus far.

Following Butler was Brayan Pena.  Pena's splits against lefties and righties aren’t all that different.  Yes, Pena hits slightly worse against righties (.222 vs. .234), but that difference is negligible and the sample sizes on both sides are awfully small.  And it doesn’t mean anything when your right-hander, Veras, is wild as can be. 

And I forgot to mention this originally: in 2008, righties hit only .196 against Marte, as compared to the .247 lefties hit against him!

And please, don’t even bring up the "Joba to the pen” argument.  He was decent today and will only get better.  The ‘pen would’ve held this lead if Girardi didn’t turn into Tony LaRussa before our eyes.

I’ll leave it at this: there was no reason to make all of these moves.  Marte wasn’t struggling and it wasn’t a tight game at the end of the year.  Marte started the inning; let him finish it.

I’m too angry to write a full recap.

(Photo by G. Newman Lowrance/Getty Images)

Offense explodes in victory

The Yankees finally got the money off their back, recording their first victory of the season and avoiding a sweep at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles.

After falling behind 1-0 in the third, the Yankees showed some power in the top of the fourth.  Mark Teixeira hit a first-pitch ball over the center field wall for his first home run as a Yankee.  After Robinson Cano drew a two-out walk, Nick Swisher, starting in his first game as a Yankee, homered just out of the reach of Nick Markakis to give the Yankees a 3-1 lead.

Starter A.J. Burnett surrendered a solo shot to Luke Scott in the bottom half of the frame, but that was all the Orioles would score.  The Yankees right-hander threw 98 pitches in 5 1/3 innings – many of them coming in the third inning.  With the bases loaded in the frame, Burnett got Aubrey Huff to strike out swinging to end the threat.  He pumped his fist and ran off the field.

Overall, he gave up two earned runs and seven hits while striking out six and walking one.

Swisher would help the Yankees extend their lead in the sixth with an RBI single.  He finished the day going 3-for-5 with five RBI after hitting a two-run double in the top of the ninth.  A big error by Orioles’ reliever Brian Bass led to two more runs, and Jose Molina had a bloop RBI single in four-run sixth inning.

Cano added a two-run shot in the seventh inning to give the Yankees a seven-run lead.  He went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a walk.  He is now 6-for-11 with one home run, two RBI and three walks on the young season.

Prior to Swisher’s ninth-inning double, Ramiro Pena record his first major league hit in his first at-bat.

Relievers Phil Coke, Jose Veras, Brian Bruney and Mariano Rivera each had scoreless and hitless outings.

The Yankees travel to Kansas City to begin a three-game series.  Andy Pettitte will face old friend Sidney Ponson tomorrow at 4:10 p.m.

AP Photo

Yankees open up new Stadium with powerful display

The Yankees hit three home runs to help open up the new Yankee Stadium tonight - the first by Robinson Cano in the second inning after starter Chien-Ming Wang gave up three runs over the first two innings.  The Yankees defeated the Cubs 7-4.

Hideki Matsui and Cody Ransom also added home runs.

Wang struggled early on, giving up four earned over the first four.  He was done after five innings and 71 pitches, striking out three and walking two.

The Yankees retook the lead in the third inning on Matsui's two-run shot.  After the Cubs tied the socre in the fouth, Ransom hit a three-run shot to give the Yankees a 7-4 lead, the eventual final score.

Derek Jeter and Brett Gardner doubled, while Xavier Nady went 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Mariano Rivera, Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez and Jonathan Albaladejo eached pitched a scoreless inning to close out the game.

The Yankees are back in action tomorrow afternoon against the Cubs, with A.J. Burnett facing Rich Harden at 1:05 p.m. on YES, MLB.tv (free preview) and WCBS 880.

Getty Images

Yankees win 3-1

Andy Pettitte was stellar in the Yankees' 3-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays this afternoon.

The lefty gave up one earned run over 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven, walking none and scattering five hits.

Mark Teixeira added to his hot spring with a 2-for-3 day, including his sixth double in Grapefruit League play and two RBI. Derek Jeter and Angel Berroa also hit doubles.

Damaso Marte, Jose Veras and Edwar Ramirez each had scoreless outings to help close out the game.

Joba Chamberlain will start for the Yankees tomorrow afternoon against the Cincinnati Reds.

Yankees win 10-2

The Yankees powered their way to a 10-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies this afternoon, hitting four home runs.

Hideki Matsui hit a two-run home run in the first inning after Derek Jeter led off with a single. Cody Ransom homered in the fourth, while Nick Swisher and Melky Cabrera (!) each homered in the eighth inning.

Cabrera finished 2-for-4 with three RBI. Jeter went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored in the leadoff spot.

Joba Chamberlain started and struck out three and walked three in 4 1/3 innings. He also gave up three hits and two earned runs. Phil Coke, Edwar Ramirez, Brian Bruney, Jose Veras and Jonathan Albaladejo all had scoreless appearances.

CC Sabathia and the Yankees will take on the Cincinnati Reds tomorrow night in Tampa at 7:15.

Yankees win 4-3

Make that nine in a row for the Yankees. The Yankees, behind Joba Chamberlain, beat the Tigers 4-3 in Tampa this afternoon.

In 3 1/3 innings, Chamberlain gave up four hits, one earned run and no walks while striking out five. He threw 61 pitches for 41 strikes. Jonathan Albaladejo gave up three hits but no runs in relief of Chamberlain. Mariano Rivera followed with yet another scoreless inning, striking out two.

Edwar Ramirez and Jose Veras each gave up one run in their innings. Veras surrendered an eighth-inning home run to Jeff Larish.

Offensively, the Yankees recorded 11 hits, including two from Melky Cabrera (one double). He also stole his second base of the spring. Juan Miranda hit a two-run home off Fernando Rodney to retake the lead in the seventh.

The Yankees will start Alfredo Aceves tomorrow afternoon in Port Charlotte against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Yankees sign remaining 0-3 players

0-3 players are players who have between zero to three years of service time. The Yankees have signed all 20 of these players, including Joba Chamberlain.

According to Bryan Hoch, Chamberlain will make $432,575 if he spends the entire season with the big club.

In addition to Chamberlain, the Yankees agreed to terms on 2009 contracts with the following players: Alfredo Aceves, Jonathan Albaladejo, Francisco Cervelli, Anthony Claggett, Phil Coke, Wilkin De La Rosa, Christian Garcia, Brett Gardner, Dan Giese, Eric Hacker, Phil Hughes, Steven Jackson, Ian Kennedy, Edwar Ramirez, Cody Ransom, Dave Robertson, Humberto Sanchez and Jose Veras.

The team didn't have to "renew" any contracts, meaning this year the team and the players all came to terms on a contract,

Yankees lose 7-4

CC Sabathia's second inning was horrendous this afternoon against the Tigers. He gave up three singles, a double and a two-run home run by Gary Sheffield. He only retired two batters in the frame before he was taken out. In total: 1.2 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HRA.

Alfredo Aceves wasn't much better. He gave up three hits and two earned runs in 3 1/3 innings, including Sheffield's second home run of the game. He also allowed a home run to Wilkin Ramirez.

Brian Bruney, Jose Veras and Mark Melancon combined to pitch the final three (scoreless) innings of the game.

Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira each had two hits, and Teixeira, Nick Swisher, Kevin Cash and Jorge Posada all drove in a run apiece.

The Yankees have an off-day tomorrow before playing the Red Sox in Fort Myers Friday night.

Veras, Ramirez drop out of WBC

According to Bryan Hoch, Edwar Ramirez and Jose Veras have decided against participating in the World Baseball Classic.

"I don't think it's a good idea to go over there right now," Ramirez said. "I've got to stay here. I've got my mind-set here with the Yankees."

Ramirez and Veras are both Dominican nationals. Another Dominican, Damaso Marte is undecided on playing, mainly due to stiffness in his legs. Although he would like to play, he said he would need time to determine if he could actually pitch.

Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano and Francisco Cervelli are the only four Yankees on the active roster who are already committed.