Knuckle Curve » phil hughes

New York Yankees in Last Place – Solutions?

Stephen Kersey — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:24:20 +0000

The Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees on Thursday to send the Yankees into last place. The Rays won the game 5-2 behind a strong pitching performance from Scott Kazmir and a two-run homerun by backup catcher Shawn Riggans.

The Yankees are now 20-22 and in last place in the AL East. The Rays, with a record of 24-17, are in first place.

How can the Yankees turn save their season?

1. Get Healthy
The Yankees are dealing with a number of injuries at the moment. Most prominently, the team is without Hall of Fame third baseman Alex Rodriguez. Rodriguez has a strained quadriceps that has kept him out of the lineup for the entire month of May. In that time, Rodriguez has only been seen choking in the delivery room. Besides Rodriguez, veteran catcher Jorge Posada and young starter Phil Hughes are also battling injuries. Posada has a shoulder injury, while Hughes has a broken rib.

2. Get Hitting
The Bronx Bombers are more like the Bronx Bunters this year. No player on the team is having that great of a season at the plate. Jason Giambi leads the team with seven homeruns – but he also has a batting average of .184. Veterans like Bobby Abreu and Derek Jeter are having decent but not great seasons. Young players like Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera haven’t lived up to their potential. The Yankees need a hot bat to emerge.

3. Get Pitching Depth
Chien-Ming Wang has been very good for the Yankees this year. Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte have had their ups and downs but overall they have been good enough. The problem is the rest of the rotation is in shambles. The Yankees were hoping that Hughes and Ian Kennedy could be the other two starts, but Hughes is hurt and Kennedy has been ineffective. Whether it’s a trade or a young pitcher stepping up, the Yankees need a more balanced rotation.

4. Get Torre?
While the Yankees are struggling, Joe Torre has the Los Angeles Dodgers at 21-19. Could the Yankees be showing signs of missing Torre? Perhaps. George Steinbrenner and his twin son Hank Steinbrenner won’t give current manager Joe Girardi as much leeway as they gave Torre. If the Yankees don’t turn it around ASAP, Girardi might be sent packing.

Does Joe Girardi Hear Joe Torre’s Footsteps?

Photo: Newscom

Post from: Knuckle Curve

Injury Update – New York Yankees

Stephen Kersey — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:03:25 +0000

Alex Rodriguez
Suffering from a strained quadriceps, Alex Rodriguez has begun has rehab. Rodriguez, who hasn’t played a game in May, is currently rehabbing in Tampa, Florida. He’s taking batting practice, fielding grounders and doing a little bit of running. Rodriguez isn’t expected back this week but could be back the following week.

Jorge Posada
Jorge Posada, the veteran catcher for the Yankees, is battling a shoulder injury. It’s been determined that Posada won’t need season-ending surgery. He has begun throwing a baseball again. Once he’s comfortable throwing the ball, he’ll return to the lineup.

Phil Hughes
After suffering a broken rib, Phil Hughes is out until July. Hughes, who was supposed to be a young yet vital piece of the Yankees starting rotation, struggled before breaking his rib. He might be out longer depending on how long it takes his rib to fully heal.

Jorge Posada and Alex Rodriguez.

Photo: Newscom

Post from: Knuckle Curve

David Wells Back to the Yankees?

Stephen Kersey — Sat, 10 May 2008 05:30:39 +0000

Reports indicate that David Wells is interested in resuming his big league career as a member of the New York Yankees. The 45-year-old Wells says he’s in good shape and could bolster the Yankees starting rotation.

Hank Steinbrenner says he has pondered the possibility of bringing Wells back to the Yankees, however Steinbrenner admits to not talking to general manager Brian Cashman about the idea.

Last season, Wells pitched for the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 29 combined starts, Wells was 9-9 with a 5.43 ERA. Wells pitched for the Yankees in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2003. His best season came in 1998 when he went 18-4 with a 3.49 ERA. In his four seasons with the Yankees, Wells averaged 17 wins per season.

The reason Wells makes a bit of sense for the Yankees is because the team is currently suffering from injury trouble. Phil Hughes, who was expected to be a key contributor this season, is on the disabled list. Ian Kennedy, another young pitcher expected to help carry the load, has been ineffective and is back in the minor leagues. As a whole, the Yankees rank 22nd out of 30 teams in ERA.

Could Wells help out the Bronx Bombers? I’m not sure but one thing we know is that it’d be entertaining.

Photo: Newscom

Post from: Knuckle Curve

Alex Rodriguez Chokes in the Delivery Room?

Stephen Kersey — Thu, 08 May 2008 04:24:24 +0000

Alex Rodriguez was with his wife when his wife was giving birth to his daughter recently. According to Cynthia Rodriguez, Alex Rodriguez’s wife, Alex wasn’t exactly Mr. Clutch or Mr. Calm, Cool and Collected in the delivery room.

“As tough and big as he seems, he is real wimpy around doctors or any type of medical situation,” said Cynthia Rodriguez to YES. “I don’t know why I thought the birth of our child would be different. In the middle of the night, I realized that I needed to go to the hospital. I wake him up. The first thing that comes out of his mouth, ‘Can we call your mother?’ And I started, ‘No. Let’s wait and make sure that I am in labor, and make sure that, you know, it’s the middle of the night.’ And go to the hospital and everything. And finally, a few hours later, I said, ‘I think you can call my mom now.’

“Uh, and the color came back to his face when I told him he could call my mom. And then forget it. I was like not even having a baby; he was the one. The one nurse had a cold cloth on his head. The other nurse had the blood pressure on his arm. And my mother was like rubbing his back. And he is passed out on a couch. And I am there, in the middle of labor. And really, I am not being paid much attention to besides the doctor and a couple of nurses. And he is there moaning. In between pushing, I am going, ‘Honey, are you OK?’ And are you breathing? Are you OK?’ ”

This probably isn’t the type of news fans of the New York Yankees want to be hearing about Alex Rodriguez. The man who has routinely disappeared in October is also wilting under pressure of child birth?

Rodriguez is currently out injured for the Yankees. He is on the DL as he recovers from a strained quadriceps muscle. He’s expected to soon travel to the team’s spring-training facility in Florida to begin a rehab regimen. Joining Rodriguez in Florida will be fellow injured Yankees Jorge Posada and Phil Hughes.

Photo: Newscom

Post from: Knuckle Curve

New York Yankees Injury Update

Stephen Kersey — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:43:45 +0000

If you area fan of the New York Yankees, you got to be hoping that the injury bug won’t keep haunting the team all season. In recent days, three prime time players have gotten hurt.

Alex Rodriguez has a strained quadriceps and has now landed on the 15-day disabled list. The Yankees are being cautious with Rodriguez’s injury, however there’s a chance he could miss up to a month.

Rodriguez joined Jorge Posada on the DL. Posada has an injured throwing shoulder that isn’t allowing him to catch. Posada, who went on the DL for the first time in his career, isn’t sure when he’ll be back. The good news is that he doesn’t appear to need season-ending surgery.

Phil Hughes, the Yankees’ 21-year-old starting pitcher, also landed on the DL. He has an injured right oblique muscle. Hughes, even when healthy, has struggled this season. He has an ERA of 9.00 and has a record of 0-4.

Rodriguez, Posada and Hughes could all conceivably be back before the beginning of June. The most series injury seems to be Posada’s injury, but most major ailments have been ruled out.

Photo: Newscom

Post from: Knuckle Curve