Yankees To Go Old School On Red Sox With Colon and Garcia

Everything is just like it was scripted.  The New York Yankees roll into Fenway Park to battle the Boston Red Sox for first place.  Sporting the same records (68-42), both teams are on sizzling hot streaks headed for a collision course to claim supremacy in the AL East.  In the Sox corner: Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and John Lackey.  For the Yankees:  CC Sabathia, Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon...huh?

Many people rolled their eyes when the two aging hurlers were picked up in the offseason for a song and slow dance and now, the two veterans figure mightily into the Yankees playoff hopes.

The 38 year-old Colon, who hadn't even pitched in the majors since 2009 while he was rehabbing his repaired his shoulder and elbow in the Dominican Republic, has been the Yankees real No. 2 starter this season after undergoing some kind of mysterious treatment for the injuries.

Garcia, 34, almost didn't make the team after spring training.

Now, the two elder statesmen are being called the adhesive which kept the shaky Yankees rotation from collapsing this season.  Funny, at the beginning of the season, skeptics talked like Colon and Garcia were ready for the glue factory. They were right.

Colon and Garcia wouldn't have been the first names mentioned, as the pitchers picking up the slack when Phil Hughes went down with dead arm for most of the season and the inconsistent A.J. Burnett went into his annual June/July funk-- but they were.

For a couple of guys picked up as consolation prizes after the Yankees inability to land Mr. America, Cliff Lee,  the old guys are the keys to the Yankees season.

Most experts wondered if the rotund Colon (8-6, 3.30 ERA) and the undervalued Garcia (10-7, 3.22) could make it through a whole season and-- two-thirds through-- they are actually getting better.

Colon opens the three-games series tonight against a 27 year-old toddler, Jon Lester (11-4, 3.17 ERA) and sandwiched around Sabathia is Garcia, who will square off against that "tweener," Josh Beckett.

Lester is a Yankee-killer.  He boasts a 8-1 lifetime record against his division rival but Colon comes into tonight's game with a 2-1 record with a 2.45 ERA over his last three starts.

Garcia has won three in a row but has two losses this season against the Sox.  He faces Beckett on Sunday night.  The last time the Yankees saw Beckett, he was spectacular.  He struck out 10 and allowed two runs in eight innings in an ESPN Sunday night game in April.

Both Yankees hurlers will have their hands full.

Don't let Boston's 8-1 series lead over New York this season fool you.   In 2009, the Sox won the first eight games between the two bitter rivals, then dropped eight of the final nine meetings. 

The Red Sox have their problems right now.  Lackey has been inconsistent.  He lost Monday after giving up five runs and eight hits against the Cleveland Indians.  Now, Boston's last minute trade-deadline deal to snag a reputable starter, Erik Bedard, doesn't look as good as advertised last week.

Last night, Bedard posted a no-decision after allowing three runs and seven hits in five innings during his Red Sox debut.  It threw cold water on a Boston eight-game win streak.

The Yankees come into Fenway sporting a seven game win streak themselves-- with lots of offense to boot.  The Bombers scored 63 runs during that run.

It looks like the Red Sox and Yankees will be seeing a lot more of each other this season.  They play three more series this year and it looks like both are headed to the playoffs.  So count this series as a preliminary round.

As for Colon and Garcia's success so far.  Yankees GM Brian Cashman deserves a lot of credit for taking chances on them.  He heard the snickers and AARP jokes, then watched as Boston loaded up their line-up with the acquisitions of young talent like Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford.  Cashman stayed patient while fans screamed for the big names.

Cashman has been through this before.  He knows when it comes to the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry, it's pitching that matters most.

Maybe that's why the Yankees GM also stayed pat at the trade deadline.  He went against public opinion and refused to give up  prospects for the suspect Ubaldo Jimenez and stuck with Ivan Nova.  Looks like a brilliant move right now.

Cashman knows it's all about the arms-- sometimes they just happen to be a little older.

Yankees-White Sox Game Has Rain Delay Without Rain

Phil Hughes was ready to make his most important start of the season when officials at U.S. Cellular Field delayed the start of the game due to rain--only problem was, it wasn't raining.  The New York Yankees pitcher was warming up to face the Chicago White Sox when the grounds crew started rolling out the tarps and it was announced that the start of the game would be evaluated 45 minutes later because radar showed rain.  The sky was dark but the only moisture was the sweat on the players and fans in the sweltering humidity.

It was unusual, even by baseball standards, to delay a game before even one single raindrop fell or a pitch was thrown.

The game finally started at 7:55 CST, with nary a drop of moisture, and the skies looked a lot more threatening while the tarps were being rolled up, then when they were laid out earlier.  The temperature dropped 9-degrees in that hour of time.

Broadcasters speculated that the delay was a way to keep a storm-break in that hour from affecting the pitchers once they started throwing.  A long break in the action could stiffen their loose arms.  Look what happened to CC Sabathia the other day--twice.

Hughes might even be most grateful for prolonging the start of tonight's game.  The struggling righthander has a lot to lose with a bad outing and a real rain delay, after he threw, could hinder his motion and, more importantly, his comeback. He comes into the game with a 1-3 record and 8.24 ERA and is competing with Ivan Nova for the fifth spot in the starting rotation.

Nova (9-4, 4.01 ERA) is coming off a fine performance against the Baltimore Orioles (7 innings, 2 earned runs) in his first game back with the Yankees after coming off the DL.  He faces the same White Sox team on Thursday.  It's fair to say the pitcher who fares the worst in this series will be demoted--even though manager Joe Girardi won't say so.

"Let's [Hughes] just pitch well tonight," said Girardi.  "And [I] have a tough decision later."

Tonight Hughes' fastball was hitting 94 mph with good control and the Yankees hitters staked him to a 6-0 lead.  Then the skies opened up.

In the middle of the seventh inning, a second rain delay was called--with real rain this time.  By then, Hughes went six strong innings and gave up three hits and no runs.

Ironically, if the first faux-rain delay wasn't called, the whole game would have been over.

Next time screw the radar and just stick your head out the window.

Did Colon and Garcia's Last Outings Quell Yankees Trade Talks

Last week the New York Yankees seemed desperate to add another reliable starter to their rotation.  All eyes seemed to be focused on Colorado Rockies flame-thrower Ubaldo Jimenez.  Only problem was, the Rockies would literally be asking the Yankees for the farm to make any kind of trade for their 27 year-old righthander.

The Yankees remember all too well last year's lack of starting pitching in the playoffs and have to be wondering if they can pin four-fifth of their October hopes on Phil Hughes--a pitcher on the mend, A.J. Burnett--who has reverted back to his inconsistent self, Ivan Nova-- who just went on the Triple-A DL for a foot injury, and Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia--two aging veterans picked up during the off-season winter-sale.

Funny thing, outside of CC Sabathia, Colon and Garcia, have been the most impressive this season.  Now the question is can the 38 year-old Colon and 35 year-old Garcia hold up?

Both pitchers combined for a total of two earned runs in 13 innings in two games against the Tampa Bay Rays this week.

Garcia out dueled David Price and struck out seven Rays hitters over 6.2 innings last night.  Last week Garcia was battered in Toronto where he allowed five earned runs in five innings after a 12 day layoff.  Manager Joe Girardi said the layoff was responsible.

Colon's masterpiece the night before was spoiled after centerfielder Curtis Granderson lost a fly ball in the roof of Tropicana Field.  The hefty hurler went 6.1 innings and struck out nine batters.

Reports continue to swirl that the Yankees are still interested in Jimenez, but there hasn't been any official comment from management. Girardi seems content on keeping things as they are.

"This is what we have and we've gotten to this point because of them," he said.  "There's no reason that can't continue."

Well, many fans will dispute that sentiment and the Yankees reportedly have scouts buying more Rockies tickets than usual.

The reasons to add a player like Jimenez, who has 50 wins over his last three years and has over 33 starts in each of his three full seasons.  He had 214 strikeouts last season-- third in the NL-- and the durable pitcher who has thrown 845 innings without any real troubles.  Jimenez has only been on the DL once in his career for a broken fingernail.  The Yankees have to like the thought of getting a pitcher without shoulder, elbow or "dead arm" problems.

Jimenez could come cheap in contract but steep in trade.  He is making $2.8 million this year, $4.2 mil next season and an option of $5.75 in 2013.  Compare that to the $33 million the Yankees will be shelling out for A.J. Burnett over the next two years.

In exchange, the Rockies will probably want Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances and Jesus Montero--three of the Yankees top prospects.

Jimenez's bi-polar 2010 season has to be on the Yankees mind after he started 15-1, then sludged through the second half of the season.  He is 6-3 with a 2.61 ERA in his last 10 starts.

The Yankees could wait until the end of the season to get Jimenez and hang on to their prospects, much like they did with Sabathia in 2008, when they held on to Hughes and got the big pitcher they wanted anyway.

The questions now are if Hughes is back to form and  if Colon and Garcia can keep it up for another two-and-a-half months.

They will each get at least another start before the July 31 trade deadline--one more chance to show the Yankees the first half of their seasons weren't a fluke and the team can hang on to their prospects for the future.

A-Rod Helps CC Become Major's First 10-game Winner of Season

CC Sabathia, the New York Yankees big lefthander, pitched another stellar game and, in the process, became the major league's first 10-game winner this season.  Sabathia (10-4) pitched eight dazzling innings in the Yankees 8-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

Alex Rodriguez chipped in with a couple of singles and 3 RBI's.  A-Rod also started a rally-killing double play in the 6th inning that was the only threat Colorado posed to CC all day.

Sabathia tortured the Colorado batters with a fastball consistently in the 96-97 mph range but it was his perfect slider which left the Rockies shaking their heads.  Five of Sabathia's nine strikeouts were of the little burger's namesake.



The big guy also came through in the clutch.  The befuddled Rockies hitters were 2-15 with runners on base.  Sabathia finished the game allowing only one run, one walk and seven hits to go with the nine K's.

Sabathia has been consistent all season.  After a couple of early-season no-decisions, the victory today gave the 2007 Cy Young winner his seventh win in his last eight starts.  He is a sure bet to make the All-Star game.

The win also gives Sabathia his 50th victory in pinstripes in 85 starts.  The leftie matches Chien-Ming Wang as the fastest Yankee pitcher to reach that total in thirty years.

Manager Joe Girardi couldn't stop singing the praise of his workhorse starter.

"CC has won 50 games in the 2 1/2 seasons he's been here," marveled the manager.  "That's just in the regular season."

 This year, Sabathia is continuing that trend.  He has a 3.25 ERA with 93 strikeouts and has allowed 119 hits in 122 innings.

"CC's a great guy to be around," said Girardi.  "He's the same guy every day.  He works quick and teammates like to play behind a pitcher who is quick."

It's also no coincidence that, as the Yankees beat up on the National League during their current intra-league jag, A-Rod has been lighting up every ballpark since Wrigley.  The aching third baseman is on a blazing hot streak and has 10 hits in his last five games while batting a sizzling .556 during that span.  Currently,  A-Rod is the only .300 hitter in the Yankees line-up.

A-Rod also reached base in the seventh on a missed communication between the Rockies' Chris Nelson and Eric Young in shallow right field. 

When asked why he pulled Rodriguez in the eighth, Girardi claimed it wasn't for anything more serious than sore legs.

"A-Rod's a little beat-up," answered Girardi.  "He's been sore since Chicago."

Sabathia also put an end to Troy Tulowitzki's New York City home-run streak.  The Rockies shortstop hit four dingers against the Mets in Flushing last week before jacking one last night against the Yankees in the Bronx.  He was the first visiting player to homer in five straight games since Ernie Banks.

Mark Teixeira chipped in with his 22nd home-run of the season in the eighth.

The Yankees are now 44-31 and could take over first place in the AL East if the Boston Red Sox lose tonight.

Mediocre AL West Means King Felix Won't Be Going To Yankees...Or Anywhere

The New York Yankees have been drooling all over Seattle Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez for three years.  Rumors circulating about the Yankees swiping King Felix from the Mariners are just that--idle talk.  New York has a better chance of putting Keith Hernandez in pinstripes this season.

Every summer, while the Mariners wallowed in last place and New York chased another playoff spot, the whispers about the Yankees getting Hernandez before the July 31 trading deadline got louder.  This year the Mariners will put a gag on it.

Unlike last year, when the hit-challenged Mariners were going through the motions by June, red hot Seattle now finds itself in the midst of a division race and no need to unload their ace.

The Mariners have won nine of their last 10 games and are tangled up in the wide-open AL West race which separates all four teams by only 2 games.  

Hernandez, the 25 year-old righthander, is one of the most valuable commodities in the majors and there isn't one team that wouldn't want him.  Once a team has an arm like his, you don't let it go.



Combine  Hernandez with the Mariners latest phenom, Michael Pineda, and you've got one of the best 1-2 punches in the American League for the next few years.  The Mariners GM, Jack Zduriencik, would be run out of town for trading away Hernandez--the foundation of the team for three more years.

The Yankees, meanwhile, are still looking for their front-line starter and an rotation identity.  CC Sabathia has been his usual work-horse self.  A.J. Burnett has reverted back to his bi-polar ways while Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon are low-rent pick-ups who have been capable four and five starters, but both are susceptible to their aging arms fading down the stretch.  That leaves the Yankees young guns--Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova.

Comparing Hernandez and Pineda to the Yankees youngest arms can only make Yankees GM Brian Cashman cry.

Nova has held his own in his first season in the starting rotation,  but has not shown the unbridled potential of a Pineda. And then there is Hughes.

Hughes was supposed to be the Yankees' wunderkind, but has been troubled by dead arm troubles.  Hernandez is the same age as Hughes but it seems like the Mariner pitcher is Hughes' grandpa.  Hernandez was nineteen when he broke in to the majors in 2005 and seems to have gotten better every year.  Hughes was shuttled between the bullpen and limited innings during that same time and doesn't even come close to having the body of work his Seattle counterpart has.

Hernandez went 19-5 in 2009 and, even on last year's pitiful Mariners team, went 13-12 and picked up the Cy Young Award for his efforts.

Hughes seemed to be living up to his potential in 2010.  He won 18 games last year, but struggled after the All-Star break.  His troubles continued into 2011 and, unless he can regain his fastball, he is only a shell of what Hernandez is.

Hernandez signed a 5-year $78 million contract which keeps his talent in Seattle through 2014.  Until then, Yankee fans can only dream about King Felix coming to the Bronx.  On the bright side, he'll only be 28 and still in his prime.

Bartolo Colon: Yankees' Pound-for-Pound Most Valuable Pitcher

The New York Yankees might have lost Phil Hughes' fastball to "dead arm" but his replacement, Bartolo Colon's right arm is screaming 'It's alive!'

Last night, Colon--who's best years seemed to be over six years ago--continued his unlikely run as the Yankees best comeback story by tossing a beautiful eight-inning gem against the Chicago White Sox.  The hefty righthander allowed one run on seven hits and struck out six lead the Yankees to a 3-1 win and snapping their first two-game losing streak.

The hefty pitcher has been the Yankees most reliable pitcher and the pound-for-pound most valuable starter--literally. 

The big steer of the Yankees staff is still CC Sabathia who--even after slimming down this off-season-- rolls in at a conservative 290 lbs.  Colon, who was never physically mistaken for Randy Johnson even with a blazing fastball and slimming pinstripes, thunders in at 270.  Divide Sabathia's $23 million per year to Colon's $900,000 by their weight and you get $79,310 per pound to $3,333, respectively.  That's a kobe steak at Nobu next to ground chuck; only this hamburger is now being served on a silver platter.

Colon may have found some way to turn back the clock, but it remains to be seen if he can maintain his early season success.  So far this year, he is 2-1with 26 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.77 in 26 innings but there is still a long way to go.

The 37 year-old Colon--who would use skinny jeans as gloves-- had great years through 2005 when he went 21-8 and picked up the Cy Young award as a Los Angeles Angel.  He has been plagued by injuries and trying to pick up the pieces since that fantastic season.

Colon was an off-season pick-up by Brian Cashman's for the Yankees' scrap heap along with Freddy Garcia for minor-league contracts and corned-beef hash-like money.

Colon battled Garcia for the fifth spot in the rotation, but started the year in the bullpen.  Now both pitchers have become more than fill-ins through the first month of the season--especially with Hughes' problems looking more serious than at first thought.  Time will only tell if the two veteran pitchers can hold up for the rest of the season.

If last night was any indication of Colon's rebirth,  things look good for the Yankees.  Colon's fastball reached 96 mph in the eighth inning and he battled a game Mark Buehrle (1-3) for seven innings.  Even White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen--who managed an injured Colon in 2009--was impressed

"Amazing," said Guillen.  "Wow, I can't remember seeing him like this since he was in Cleveland or with the Angels.  His ball was moving great.  I feel proud of him, especially after knowing all the arm issues that he has gone through.  Buehrle was good tonight, but Colon was better."

Except for a few singles by the Sox in the sixth, they could not hit Colon's heater.  The last time the big guy went eight innings was in 2007.

"It's been huge for us," said Joe Girardi.  "Every time he's taken the mound, he's pitched well and given us a real good chance to win--even in games where he came in in long relief and held the other clubs down for us, he's given us a chance to win.  His production has been huge."

Now with Hughes looking at a possible long downtime, the Yankees will be counting on Colon to uphold his end of the rotation for as long as he can.

"I felt pretty happy, my first [start] at Yankee stadium," Colon said through an interpreter.  He believes he is better than ever even if his fastball probably won't reach 98 mph again.  "I can throw more strikes than when I won 21 games," he said.

Those words ain't chopped liver.

Yankees/Orioles Rainout Benefits Sick CC

Last night's washout of the Yankees/Orioles may have been a blessing in disguise for CC Sabathia.  The big righthander, who was slated to start, was battling flu-like symptoms and got an extra day to recover.  Sabathia is still looking for his first win in four starts despite having an ERA of 2.52.

Sabathia may be the best pitcher in the league without a win under his ample belt.  Tonight, he will attempt to get that elusive first W.

The Yankees ace said he would have taken the mound last night even if chills, a scratchy throat and stomach pains told him not to.

"It's the stomach and the throat and I'm freezing right now," Sabathia said last night.  "This [the postponement] definitely helps."

Sabathia is off to one of his best starts as a Yankee despite having a goose egg in the win column.  He has pitched 25 innings and allowed 7 runs with 23 strikeouts.  Manager Joe Girardi is surprised by Sabathia's  streak of bad luck.

"It's pretty hard to believe; the way he's pitched in his four starts, not to have a win is very unusual,"  said Girardi.  "I wouldn't say he's frustrated by it , but it's unusual for CC to go four starts without having a win."

The confines of Camden Yards have been pretty friendly to Sabathia.  He is 8-1 with an ERA of 2.97 in 10 starts in what is typically known as a hitter's ballpark.   In 20 career starts against the O's, Sabathia is 14-2 with a 2.86 ERA.  Last season he beat the Orioles five times.

For Sabathia, pitching against the Baltimore Orioles might be the best remedy for anything that ails him.

Yankees Garcia Slated to Start Saturday; Forecast: More Rain

New York Yankees fifth-starter Freddy Garcia is still awaiting his first start of the regular season after being bumped from his two previous attempts due to weather.  It will be 18 days between his last start in spring training and his first regular season start on Saturday against the Texas Rangers.  The forecast: rain.

Garcia's new nickname should be Dopler.  So far this season, his slated starts are more likely to be called for rain than by any weatherman at National Weather Service--at least he's been more reliable.

Garcia's last scheduled start was pushed back again after Tuesday night's rainout at Yankee Stadium against the Minnesota Twins.  After a bumpy spring training, Garcia is anxious to get on the mound.  The gap between his last start and this Saturday's is the longest of his career.

"I've just got to pitch, that's it, " said Garcia. "I don't really know what to say."

Garcia earned the fifth spot in the starting line-up after an up-and-down spring training, but he is far from a lock to stay there, even if the bottom of the five-man rotation is looking a little stormy.

The 34 year-old Garcia's first start as a Yankee now carries a lot more significance than at the beginning of the season.  CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett are the only starters making any thunder so far this season.  Slow starts by Phil Hughes, whose fastball looks more like fog than lightning, and the No. 4 starter Ivan Nova, who is still getting his feet wet have raised some concerns with the team.

If you believe Garcia, the early season layoff shouldn't affect his rhythm.

"I don't think so, I'm too old for that," the righthander joked.  "I've got to go out there and pitch, that's all I can do, and win.  If I don't have the rhythm, I don't have it, but I don't see a problem.  I've got to go out and make my pitch, that's it."

Garcia did throw one inning of relief against the Boston Red Sox last week, giving up one hit and one run, but says he has been keeping in shape by throwing bullpen sessions while waiting to get an actual start.

"Working out, man, throwing bullpen, doing my stuff," He said.  That's all I can do.  That's all I can control.  [I've been throwing] a lot, 40 [pitches], 50 , whatever I need.  That's it, throw in the bullpen and [make] it like a game, two or three innings."

The Yankees signed Garcia to a minor league deal for $1.5 million.  The veteran hurler won the fifth spot over Bartolo Colon and doesn't think pitching only one real inning in over two weeks can stop him on the mound.

The Weather Channel says:  Avoid plans for the outdoors on Saturday; Freddy Garcia is slated to start.

Yankees Soriano Didn't Answer Relief Call Or One From His Mom

Much has been made of the Yankees Rafael Soriano's eighth-inning meltdown and subsequent vanishing act from the Yankees clubhouse on Tuesday night; but it looks like reporters weren't the only ones blown off by the surly pitcher.  Soriano wouldn' even take a phone call from his own mother after the 10-inning loss.

Soriano refused to accept a postgame call from his mom; who had been watching the game from her home in the Dominican Republic.

After giving up a four run lead over the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium, Soriano avoided the media and ignored his mother's phone call because he was too upset to talk.

"I didn't answer my phone because I didn't feel comfortable to talk to her," Soriano explained on Wed. afternoon.  "I said, 'Let me go home, relax and get ready for today.'"

The unsociable pitcher made a major Yankee faux-paux by not speaking with the self-entitled New York press--especially when it was his first week in pinstripes--but to diss your own mom.

Soriano finally addressed the media at the urging of the Yankee organization after some players steamed--none publicly--that they were left holding the dye-pack after Soriano's criminal pitching performance and escape routine.

"I'm apologizing that I didn't talk to you guys last night," Soriano said before last night's rained out game.  "The reason I didn't was because that game CC [Sabathia] was supposed to win.  That's why I got mad  and I didn't feel comfortable talking to you guys.  I know last night I was supposed to talk to you guys and I left."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi explained to Soriano that facing the press in New York after a bad outing is expected.  He wasn't in Atlanta or Tampa Bay anymore.

"There is no rule a player has to talk to the media," said Girardi.  "There are times players need to blow off steam."

Girardi knows what it like to answer questions after a tough loss.  "We've all been there" he said.  "There are days when I'd not like to come in here, as well, but I'm not allowed to do that."

Blowing off steam is one thing , but the woman who birthed you?

The conversation with his mom would have probably gone like this:

"My little Raffy, did those boys bother you?"

"I don't wanna be here."

"Don't let those Twins boys bother you."

"They're mean."

"Now you just go and make friends with those nice reporter kids"

"I don't wanna."

" Raffy, do it for your mother...and watch your language."

"Mommmm..."

Yankees GM Brian Cashman had almost the same motherly advice.

"He's new to this market, so like everything else, you live and learn," he said of the Yankees $35 million set-up man.  "We have to bang out some kinks and that was one."

Soriano learned a tough New York lesson. Face the music--even if it means standing your ground in front of your locker after a good or bad performance.  Nick Swisher, Boone Logan and Dave Robertson took their lumps after they contributed to Tuesday night's debacle.

Girardi said none of the players addressed Soriano's situation personally and Soriano now understands he has to be accountable; so it looks like water under the bridge.

The greater concern to the Yankees is Soriano's horrible performance--2/3 inning, 3 walks and allowing one hit and four runs--that ruined a seven-inning gem by Sabathia.

The next time Soriano hears a certain phone ringing, it will be in the bullpen from the Yankees dugout.  Here's hoping the "eighth-inning guy" answers that call.