DOCTOR!!!

Injuries are a part of baseball. Every team puts a few players on the disabled list every year, some of them key players. The Nationals lost Ryan Zimmerman for a few weeks. The Giants lost Buster Posey for the whole year. The Twins lost Joe Mauer for a few weeks. The list goes on. It happens. So far, the Yankees have had to deal with a few injuries, most notably Phil Hughes (not really sure if he was actually injured or if his fastball was just dead), Rafael Soriano (elbow), and Joba Chamberlain (Tommy John surgery). Throw in a missed week by Russell Martin for a bad back and now Bartolo Colon and Derek Jeter to leg injuries and you have the makings of a mess in waiting. So far, the Yankees have not put Russell Martin on the DL, instead, leaning on Frankie Cervelli to do the catching which has been something of an adventure since he all of a sudden becomes a Steve Sax/Chuck Knoblauch clone when it comes to throwing out runners at second base. Derek Jeter seems headed for the DL after suffering a Grade 1 strain. Not the end of the world but with Jeter it is better to get back 100% rather than risk further injury by letting him take the field before he is ready. Ramiro Pena will probably get called up to be the backup infielder while Eduardo Nunez tries to fill in at short.

The loss of Colon, Mike Axisa writes at Riveraveblues.com, will probably be a blessing in disguise. Colon hasn't thrown too many innings in the last few years and this shut down might actually help prevent Colon from tiring out or suffering a major arm injury. It will also give one of the younger kids, a Hector Noesi, Adam Warren, or David Phelps a chance to taste a big league start or two. I agree with this logic. It is better to have these kids come up now than in the middle of September as the Yankees are fighting for a playoff spot. It might turn out to be a huge boost for the Yankees.

What isn't a huge boost is losing your top two set-up men in Rafael Soriano and Joba Chamberlain. Chamberlain is done for the year and might not be back until June or July of next year. Soriano, well, nobody knows when he is coming back. The loss of those two pitchers hurts more because David Robertson now has to fill in for them and bridge the gap to Mariano Rivera. Don't get me wrong, Robertson is an excellent pitcher. He actually deserves a shot at being Mo's bridge. However, it is going to hurt the Yankees because they now don't have an arm like Robertson's to come in and put out the fire in the 5th, 6th, or 7th. Who will fill the void? It could be Kevin Whelan who walks a lot of guys but has been getting a lot of strikeouts. It could be Hector Noesi who has performed very well in his short time in the Bronx. Lance Pendleton? Maybe, but I doubt it. Amaury Sanit? No way. Tim Norton? Well, he would be an excellent option with his strikeout rate (46 K's in 30 innings at AA and AAA) but he is now on the DL in Scranton. He probably would have been the best bet to fill in for Robertson as Robertson fills in for Soriano/Chamberlain. One thing is certain, the trade market right now isn't clear and prying away a top reliever from any team will cost more than he is worth. Right now, the Yankees must be patient. Let the kids come up and see what they can do. Like teaching a toddler to be potty trained there will be mistakes and accidents but its all part of the learning process. The Yankees have to keep the faith in whomever they call up and keep giving them the ball until it is clear that that pitcher isn't major league ready.

The Yankees will suffer a little without Jeter. They will lose a few games because nobody like Robertson could come in and put out the fire that a starting pitcher ignites. They will lose a game because losing Colon is like losing an ace and its a lot to ask of a rookie to fill an ace's shoes. It still isn't the end of the world. The heavy hitters in the Yankees lineup remain, for the most part, healthy. CC Sabathia is still healthy. A.J. Burnett has thrown a few excellent games. Mariano is still Mariano. It will take some time but the Yankees will be better in the long haul if they don't overreact and allow the kids to show what they can do. Soon enough Phil Hughes will come back. Bartolo will come back. Soriano will come back. Jeter will come back and resume his quest for 3000 hits. Russell Martin will return and give the Yankees excellent defense behind the plate with some pop in his bat. The doctor is in and he is hard at work.

Some Free Throws from Around Sports

I hope you all are getting ready for a run filled sports night. We have the Yankees taking on the White Sox in the final game of a four game series. We have the Mets taking on the Nationals. We have the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. For a link to my mock draft click here. And for a look back at the best and bust picks of each team since 1980 click here. Here are some fun things from around sports today:

- A Dutch football (soccer to us) team, the VVV-Venlo signed a one-year old to a contract. Check out the kid in action here. Of course its a publicity stunt but it makes me wonder what is next.

-Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel is in some hot water with the NCAA and it came out today that some of his player were trading items in exchange for tattoos and the like. Perhaps its time Jim Tressel actually gets punished and takes responsibility for running a seriously unethical football program.

-Bartolo Colon turned back the clock last night and went 8 innings, allowing 1 run and striking out 6. He was able to get out of a bases loaded jam with nobody out without giving up a run. He looks poised and focused out there. Maybe he is just relaxed knowing he doesn't have to face A-Rod anymore.

-I have a feeling that there will be the customary run on quarterbacks in the first round. I don't see any single QB being worth a first rounder but there will be teams going out there and wasting picks. Then, they will rush these young kids into starting roles and boom, they will be done. What a shame.

- If some offensive linemen start to go early I can see a run on them as well. There is a lot of defense in this draft and only 2 wide receivers worthy of first round consideration and there is a shyness from selecting running backs in the first round so if one o-lineman goes it might cause a domino effect.

-The player that makes the most sense for the Giants to draft is Anthony Costanzo. He can slide into a starting job and move David Diehl inside to guard which would also save the Giants $1.3 million in incentives which is due Diehl if he remains a starting tackle.

-Rex Ryan has managed to put his foot in his mouth again (pun possibly intended here) by smack talking the Giants in his new book. He calls the Jets a "better team" and a "big brother" to the Giants. OK, so the past two seasons the Jets have been the better team but a "big brother?" Hey Rex, you haven't won a Super Bowl with the Jets. The Giants have won 3 and been to four since the Jets last went to a Super Bowl. The Jets played in Giants Stadium until last year. The Giants are one of the oldest franchises in the NFL. The Jets a "big brother?" Check your facts Rex. And wait until you win a Super Bowl before you write a damn book, fool.

Well folks, I kept it short and sweet tonight. Enjoy the draft, baseball, or basketball playoffs, or hockey playoffs.