Posada drives in 4 as Yankees win another

(Originally written for Baseball Digest)

Jorge Posada went 4-for-5 with a home run, double and four RBI in the Yankees' 10-5 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays Thursday night at Rogers Centre.  Alfredo Aceves picked up his 10th win of the season with 2 1/3 innings of relief.

The Yankees scored four quick runs in the first inning against starter Ricky Romero.  With the bases loaded, Hideki Matsui singled.  Three runs scored, aided by Travis Snider's fielding error. As a result, Matsui was only credited with one RBI.  Posada followed with an RBI single of his own to increase the lead to 4-0.

Chad Gaudin couldn't escape the fourth inning, allowing three earned runs while only retiring 11 batters.  With one out in the fourth, Gaudin allowed three singles, he hit a batter and allowed a sacrifice fly to cut the Yankees' lead to 5-3.

Aceves entered in relief and allowed two runs (one earned) in his 2 1/3 innings of work.  David Robertson, Brian Bruney and Damaso Marte each followed with a scoreless inning of work apiece.

In addition to Posada's four RBI, Alex Rodriguez drove in two runs on two hits, including a solo home run in the ninth.

The Yankees have now won seven games in a row and are 38 games over .500.  Joba Chamberlain takes the hill tomorrow night in Toronto.

Teixeira, bullpen ensure sweep of White Sox

(Originally posted for Baseball Digest)

Mark Teixeira drove in four runs and the Yankees bullpen pitched six innings, allowing only one earned run, in the team’s 8-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Teixeira hit a sacrifice fly in the first and then hit a three-run home run in the five-run seventh inning to pass 100 RBI on the season.  He has now reached 30 home runs and 100 RBI in six straight seasons.

Starter Joba Chamberlain only went three innings, as the Yankees instituted their revised version of the “Joba Rules.”  They are essentially simulating spring training and will get him up and around 100 pitches near the end of the season.  He threw 35 pitches, allowing four hits and two earned runs.

Alfredo Aceves relieved Chamberlain, pitching three shutout innings, to earn his ninth win of the season.  Damaso Marte, David Robertson and Phil Hughes combined to pitch two shutout innings.  Phil Coke allowed a solo home run in the ninth.

On the offensive side, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada each had two hits, while Johnny Damon was the other Yankees aside from Teixeira to drive in more than one run (he hit a two-run home run in the third to give the Yankees the lead).  The home run, which was his 24th, ties a career-high.  Damon left the game in the seventh with cramping in both calves.

With the sweep of the White Sox, the Yankees are now 34 games over .500.  They now embark on a seven-game road trip with the first stop being in Baltimore for three games starting tomorrow night.

Teixeira drives in all 3 in Yanks' victory

Ho-hum, the Yankees win another series. But what made last night's 3-2 win against the Oakland A's interesting was that Chad Gaudin started, allowing no runs and one hit, but only pitched 4 1/3 innings. He was removed by Joe Girardi, later citing his pitch count (91), largely due to his five walks, as the reason he was taken out and not because he loaded the bases.

Alfredo Aceves relieved him and quickly induced a 1-2-3 double play to end Oakland's threat.

The Yankees were up 3-0 thanks to an RBI groundout and two-run home run from Mark Teixeira who is now at 89 RBI on the season.

After Aceves got out of the fifth inning, he allowed a solo home run to Jack Cust in the sixth and gave up three hits (including an RBI single from Mark Ellis) before being removed. Phil Coke, Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera combined to record the final seven outs of the game, with the latter earning his 36th save.

The Yankees are off today before beginning a three-game series in Boston tomorrow.

Joba, Aceves falter in Sunday defeat

(Originally written for Baseball Digest)

Joba Chamberlain allowed four earned runs over five innings, and was relieved by an equally shaky Alfredo Aceves, who was charged with four runs of his own in 1 2/3 innings.  Doug Fister, on the other hand, pitched well in seven innings, as the Mariners defeated the Yankees 10-3 to avoid a four-game sweep Sunday afternoon at Safeco Field.

The game started out well for the Yankees, as Derek Jeter recorded two hits in his first two at-bats to pass Luis Aparicio with the most hits as a shortstop, including an RBI double in the third inning.

Chamberlain retired the first seven batters he faced, but ran into trouble after walking Ryan Langerhans with one out in the third.  After a single and another walk, Jose Lopez hit a two-run double to give the Mariners a 2-1 lead.

Nick Swisher and the Yankees responded in the next half-inning, when he hit a two-run home run to center to put the Yankees ahead 3-2.

But Chamberlain was undone in the fifth, with successive two-out RBI singles.

The Mariners wouldn’t look back from there, but they added insurance in the seventh.  Aceves struggled in his second inning of work, but he wasn’t helped by Jerry Hairston Jr. to a step back before having to charge on Ken Griffey Jr.’s leadoff fly ball.  Instead of making the catch, he had to field it on a hop.  Eventually, the Mariners had the bases loaded with one out.  After Langerhans struck out, Aceves hit Josh Wilson with a pitch.  Chad Gaudin was then brought in, and he gave up three straight RBI base hits, extending the Mariners’ lead to 9-3.  Kenji Johjima’s solo home run in the eighth put the M’s ahead 10-3.

The Yankees don’t lose any ground in the American League East, as the Red Sox were defeated in Texas.  The Yankees take their 7.5-game division lead to Oakland for three games starting tomorrow night.  A.J. Burnett will start against Brett Tomko, whom the Yankees designated for assignment earlier this summer.

Mitre to make his next turn

Joe Girardi said after last night's game that Sergio Mitre will make his next turn in the rotation.

"He threw the ball well," Girardi said. "His miscue cost him a really good outing, in a sense. You're looking at just a couple of solo home runs and that's basically it."

Right.

It's nitpicking complaining about the fifth starter on a first-place team, but Mitre is a below average fifth starter at this point. While the Yankees are 3-2 in his starts, he hasn't pitched more than 5 2/3 innings. Last night, Alfredo Aceves, one of Girardi's most trusted relievers, had to pitch four innings. Whatever the reasoning, Aceves is out until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest.

In his latest column on FoxSports.com, Ken Rosenthal notes that recently-signed pitcher Russ Ortiz could be the next option for the Yankees should they decide to remove Mitre. Apparently, Ortiz can ask for his release after three starts. Last Thursday, in his first and only start for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he threw six shutout innings. While Ortiz instills as much confidence in me as Mitre does, he's another arm to throw against the wall.

It's really just about eating innings at this point and praying the important starters don't get hurt. Watching Mitre throw games away - literally - is frustrating as hell. But if you continue to get good starts from the other four starters, you'll be in good shape.

Saturday YanksBlog.com game recap

Andy Pettitte and Alfredo Aceves unraveled in the seventh inning of this afternoon’s 6-4 loss to the Oakland A’s at Yankee Stadium.

Read all about it on YanksBlog.com.

Aceves to start; Kevin Millar speaks

Alfredo Aceves will start on Thursday in place on the injured Chien-Ming Wang.  I had a feeling this would happen after he pitched four innings on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Kevin Millar was on MLB Home Plate on SIRIUS XM this morning and gave his thoughts on the new Yankee Stadium.  Here’s the transcript of that portion of the conversation:

Host, Jim Duquette: “What’s your impression of the new Yankee Stadium?”

Kevin Millar: “I’m going to be honest with you.  You know I’m going to shoot from the hip.  I’m not a big fan of it.  Nothing pops there, nothing pops.  The old stadium, you walked in, you knew this was where [Mickey] Mantle played and [Joe] DiMaggio.  It was just that old school.  I got booed a lot louder.  They didn’t boo me as loud here.  I like to get booed.  They were too nice to me here.  They’re too nice to me.  I don’t know if it’s all corporate, but they’re too nice.  But it’s just like a big, huge – it’s a beautiful facility, don’t get me wrong – but the navy blue seats, a lot of concrete and nothing pops.  I mean, nothing pops there, personally.  Now, it was our first trip in and I don’t know if I was expecting more, but that’s the truth and it’s just I loved the old stadium.”

Host, Seth Everett: “Is it impossible to ever live up to that old stadium?”

Millar: “It’s not impossible, but yes, all the comeback wins and all the memories there, of course, it’s going to take time.  And this is year no. 1 and there’s some tinkers.  Like for one, you know, it’s a beautiful scoreboard but they have the radar gun readings at the very top of the scoreboard with the pitch count.

"Fans want to know how hard the pitcher’s throwing, for instance.  You come to the game, you want to see, ‘Yeah, Brandon League’s on the mound, he’s throwing 90-what?’  You don’t want to have to look around the stadium to find it, and this is at the very top, a very little scene up there with your miles per hour where most stadiums have them above the dugouts on the second tier of the second deck so you can kind of see it easier.

"You know, it was hard to read what the guy’s hitting for the batting average.  It was tough to find certain things.  And for a stadium that’s got $1.5 billion in it, you would think it had been just some easier scenes, and I’m just using those as examples and those might be nit-picking.  But for the monuments: I wish they would’ve pulled the monuments up so you could see the monuments.  I mean, they’re behind center field and it’s kind of blocked off with the hitter’s eye so you don’t even see them.  At least in the old stadium, left center, you kind of saw them a little bit, glimpsed through over there from the bullpen area, and when you’d hit a home run to left center they’d bounce in the monuments.

"So there’s some things that, in my opinion, nothing’s really popping out.  But it’s a gorgeous scene, I guess, for the fans inside - the food, the televisions, all the marble and stuff.  But from what we see as a player, you walk in the lobby and it was straight concrete.  We walk in the locker room, beautiful locker rooms, but it was just, it was OK, personally.”

I’ve gone on record as not being pleased with new Yankee Stadium, so I don’t exactly disagree with what Millar is saying.  However, hearing it from him doesn’t exactly make me look better.

Aceves saves Joba and Ransom

Joba Chamberlain and Cody Ransom did their best to turn a 4-0 lead into an 8-4 deficit.  Ransom’s fielding error in the third inning opened the floodgates, as Chamberlain gave up five unearned runs and was out of the game after only retiring 11 batters.

However, Jonathan Albaladejo and Alfredo Aceves saved the Yankees on the pitching side, while Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui provided the offense.  Jeter hit the go-ahead home run in the fifth inning after Matsui drew the Yankees closer with a three-run shot in the fourth inning.  Posada added four hits and three RBI.

But the real story was Aceves, who pitched four innings of one-hit ball for his first career save.

The Yankees are now 15 games over .500 at 48-33, their highest amount of games above .500 this season.  They have also won 10 of their 11 games.  Andy Pettitte will look to lead the Yankees to a sweep over the Blue Jays tomorrow afternoon at 1:05.

Wang likely head to DL, won’t be replaced by Aceves or Hughes

Chien-Ming Wang is most likely headed to the disabled list with a strained right shoulder with bursitis.

According to this report, Joe Girardi has already ruled out using Alfredo Aceves and Phil Hughes as spot starters.

The name being thrown around is Sergio Mitre, who is currently pitching for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  In 30 1/3 innings, he has struck out 23 and walked only three, compiling a 3.26 ERA.

Yankees rally in 8th to defeat Rays

How about that for a late-inning rally?  The Yankees scored three runs and the ball never left the infield.  Nevertheless, it was good enough to overcome a 3-1 deficit and put the Yankees back in first place.

The Yankees only recorded six hits and didn’t have a hit with runners in scoring position.  Joba Chamberlain was pitching well until the sixth inning (100 pitches, three earned runs).  Alfredo Aceves picked up his fourth win of the season pitching two innings, striking out four.

Mariano Rivera recovered from his awful day yesterday with a perfect ninth inning to earn his 13th save of the season.

Andy Sonnantine and Andy Pettitte start tomorrow night as we try to find out which Andy is better.

Aceves stars in relief, propels Yanks to first place

Andy Pettitte left with lower back stiffness in the sixth inning with runners on first and second, no outs and a 2-0 count.  Alfredo Aceves came in to protect the Yankees’ 3-0 lead.  He walked the batter, struck out Kelly Shoppach on a nasty curveball, induced a sacrifice fly and got Asdrubal Cabrera to ground out to end the Indians’ threat.

Aceves would go on to pitch two more innings, allowing only one hit in the process to save the Yankees from using any other relievers.

Pettitte walked five in his five innings and didn’t have his best stuff at all.  But he only gave up one earned run, and the three runs the Yankees scored over the first three innings were enough.  Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher had the RBI for the Yankees.

Mariano Rivera recorded his 10th save of the season.  This was the 58th time that Rivera saved a win for Pettitte, setting a new major league record.

With the Red Sox’s loss, the Yankees have sole possession of first place by a half-game.

CC Sabathia makes his return to Cleveland tonight at 7:05.  Fausto Carmona will oppose him on the mound.

Offense, pitching don’t show up

This game was the exact opposite of yesterday’s game.

Despite recording 12 hits, the Yankees could only score three times.  They also left 12 runners on base.  Meanwhile, Joba Chamberlain only lasted four innings, throwing 84 pitches in the process.  I can’t wait to hear what Mike Francesa has to say tomorrow.

I’m not sure why Alfredo Aceves was brought in in the fifth inning.  It could’ve been a nice opportunity to give Chien-Ming Wang some work.  Oh well.

A.J. Burnett and Derek Holland start tomorrow’s rubber game at 8:05 p.m.

Wang to be in Yankees’ bullpen tonight

Mark Feinsand reports that the Yankees – and Chien-Ming Wang – have had a change of plans after Joba Chamberlain went down in the first inning last night.

According to Feinsand’s source, Wang, who was headed to Pawtucket, R.I., for a rehab start, was ordered to turn around and head back to New York.  He will be in the bullpen tonight as the long reliever.

The Yankees had to pitch 8 1/3 innings out of the bullpen last night, and Alfredo Aceves has thrown 5 1/3 innings the last two games.  However, if A.J. Burnett gives the Yankees depth tonight, the staff should be fine, as Brian Bruney didn’t pitch last night.

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)

Joba leaves game with knee injury

Joba Chamberlain was removed from tonight’s game in the first inning after being struck on the right knee by a ball off the bat by Adam Jones.  He was relieved by Alfredo Aceves.

Chamberlain struck out Brian Roberts to start the game.  After getting hit by Jones, he was able to recover and throw him out at first.  He then gave up consecutive singles and was limping around on the mound.

Aceves called up

Peter Abraham is reporting the Yankees have finally called up Alfredo Aceves, thus having a long reliever.  Anthony Claggett was optioned back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre.

Aceves is 2-0 with a 3.80 ERA in 23 2/3 innings for Scranton this season.  He has struck out 18 and walked five.

He appeared in 30 innings with the Yankees last season, pitching to a 2.40 ERA.

Yankees to carry no long reliever

Bryan Hoch is reporting that Jonathan Albaladejo has made the team, meaning that the Yankees will have no dedicated long reliever to begin the season.

Pitchers Alfredo Aceves, Dan Giese and Brett Tomko, and catcher Kevin Cash were all sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

I liked what Tomko showed during spring training. His meaningless stats: 15.1 IP, 12 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 12 K. Small sample size, yes, but he would've been a nice addition to the team coming out of camp.

That said, Albaladejo pitched well also, giving up one earned run in 9 2/3 innings, striking out eight and walking one. I've been intrigued by Albaladejo. We didn't see much of him last year but he could be another nice addition to the team if he stays healthy.

The first of the last two games in Florida is this afternoon. The Yankees are playing in New York on Friday.

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 win 9-2

CC Sabathia and the rehabbing Yankees (Jorge Posada, Hideki Matsui and Mariano Rivera) all starred in the Yankees' 9-2 victory last night.

Sabathia started and pitched four solid innings. He struck out seven and allowed only one hit while walking one. This came after his awful start on March 11 against the Tigers in which he gave up five earned runs in 1 2/3 innings.

Rivera made his spring debut in the fifth inning. He pitched a perfect inning, striking out two.

Posada batted leadoff and went 1-for-3 with two RBI, a walk and a run scored. He was behind the plate and there was a successful stolen base attempt against him. Matsui went 2-for-2 with a home run, double and four RBI. Robinson Cano came into the game at DH and drove in a run on a double in his three-at-bat night.

Edwar Ramirez and Alfredo Aceves finished off the game. Aceves allowed a solo home run in his three innings of work. He allowed four hits and struck out two.

The Yankees will face the Astros in Kissimmee with Chien-Ming Wang on the mound.

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,