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.

Pop-Ups and Foul Tips

-The New York Yankees were able to accomplish something that hasn't been done since 1913 on Thursday night, lose 6 straight home games to the Boston Red Sox. Just to put that in perspective, the Yankees didn't even have Yankee Stadium back then. So, congratulations Yankees.

-The New York Yankees have very big, very real problems. First, their bullpen which was supposed to be their biggest strength has turned into a huge potential weakness. First, free agent signee, Pedro Feliciano, their supposed lefty neutralizer, goes on the DL without throwing a pitch. He is followed by the other free agent signee, Rafael Soriano, who, when he did throw a pitch, wasn't very good at it. Now, Joba Chamberlain is on the DL and likely out for the year after hearing he might need Tommy John surgery. Boone Logan remains up and down, and the rest of the bullpen is pieced together by guys fresh from AAA or guys like Luis Ayala who is trying to put his career back on track. This is probably not what Brian Cashman envisioned this offseason.

-So who is available to step up into the bullpen void for the Yankees? Well, at AAA there is Kevin Whelan who has posted some excellent numbers as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's closer. Whelan is 1-1 with 18 saves, a 1.67 ERA, 30 K's, 6 BB's and has allowed only 17 hits in 27 innings. Tim Norton, who just made his AAA debut this past week was also an option before landing on the DL for a reason I am not sure about. He was 1-0 and struck out two batters in 1 inning at SWB but was lights out with Trenton where he posted a 1-0 record and 1.55 ERA with 44 K's in 29 innings. George Kontos is another option. He has posted a 2-0 record with a 2.64 ERA and has struck out 32 batters while walking 11 in 30.2 innings. All the other guys we have seen in the Bronx already this year. Mark Prior is another option but he is still on the DL at SWB after 1 game. The good news is its not an arm issue. Andrew Brackman has been too wild at AAA to earn a call-up and would be a disaster in the pen right now given his inability to stay in the strike zone.

-I am still shocked that the Nationals were able to secure Anthony Rendon at pick #6 in this weeks draft. Could a Nationals-Royals World Series be a possibility down the road?

-Francisco Cervelli, filling in for Russell Martin who is dealing with some back issues, gave his best Chuck Knoblauch/Steve Sax impersonation during this Red Sox series. Three throwing errors on attempted steals at second base have to have Yankees brass scratching their heads. All his throws tail away from second which is probably the result of rushing his throws. Either way, I am surprised the Red Sox didn't try to exploit it more.

-Jeff Marquez made his Yankees debut last night. He was part of the Nick Swisher trade but the White Sox released him and the Yankees claimed him. So, seven years after getting drafted, the kid makes his Yankees debut.

-First it was Eric Hosmer. Now Mike Moustakas has been called up by the Royals. Nice to see the Royals doing what is best for the baseball side of operations by bringing these kids up and not worrying about arbitration years down the road.

-The Sporting News came out with their list of the Top 50 baseball players as voted on by MLB executives. Albert Pujols was number one followed by Troy Tulowitzki, Felix Hernandez, Joey Votto, and Tim Lincecum. Jose Bautista was #23. Joe Mauer was #9! Really? Wow. Robinson Cano was #12. I don't know how you put Mauer that high. Must be the Head and Shoulders commercials. How Bautista is #23 I will never know. Notable Yanks and Mets on the list: Cano #12, CC Sabathia #15, A-Rod #17, Mark Teixeira #26, Mariano Rivera #29, and David Wright tied at #41 with Ubaldo Jimenez. First of all, Wright at #41 and no Jose Reyes on the list. Right now, Wright is not in the top 50 and Reyes is in top #15, period.

-Don't look now bu the Dallas Mavericks are one win away from beating the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. The Heat are by no means out of this but I don't think many people expected this. Many hoped for it though.

-After having trouble scoring an goals in the first two games, the Boston Bruins are exploding on Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo. That series is tied 2-2.

-Getting back to the NBA...I am thoroughly shocked the Mavs are up 3-2 right now. Dirk got hurt in Game 1 and the Mavs really lack that second superstar. Still, there they are. But, how can you count out any team that has Dwayne Wade and LeBron James as options 1 and 1A?

-Joba Chamberlain is proof positive that no matter how much you coddle and arm it will still break down if that's what its gonna do. The Joba rules didn't protect Joba anymore than letting him throw too many pitches hurt him. Its not what you do to an arm, its what the arm does when throwing. Shoulders and elbows don't know about rules.

And that's all I got. Enjoy the day. Oh, and my fellow Yankee fans, don't worry. The Sox left town, we can resume winning I hope.

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Fielding the Team of my Dreams

After some thought and deliberation I have come up with the baseball team I would field if I were a GM.  Obviously, since this is a fantasy, there is no money involved.  After all, who puts a price on their dreams...unless the dream is winning $100 million.  Well, here it is, only current players are on here and a full 25 man roster is listed:

C:  Geovany Soto - Ok, so sometimes it is easy picking the best guy at the position.  His youth and talent make him one of the few franchise cornerstones found at the catchers position in the game today.  

1B:  Mark Teixeira - Glove and offense.  He kind of reminds me of Don Mattingly back when Mattingly was one of the best in the game.  Teixeira is one of the best to come along in years.  He is quiet about it too which I like.

2B:  Robinson Cano - OK, so he has no idea what a walk is but this kid can rake.  In a bit of an off year but how can someone pass on a guy with this much talent?  He is also stellar in the field giving many the impression of Roberto Alomar or Carlos Baerga.  Besides, how do you pass up such a well rounded offensive talent for the bottom of your lineup?

3B:  Alex Rodriguez - The best player in the game.  Some say he is not clutch but I still remember all those homers in the 9th and beyond last year as vividly as his strikeouts and double plays.  Besides, I think A-Rod gets a bad rap for the most part.  Sure, he hasn't been A-Rod but in the series against LA in 2005, you know the one where he was blamed for the Yankees loss for hitting 0 homers and batting .133 he had an OBP of .381.  He walked 6 times that series meaning he was on base and other people didn't drive him in.  He has no excuse for the Detroit series in 2006 but no Yankee does.  I'll take A-Rod and his bat and glove.A-Rod rounding bases after another home run.

SS:  Derek Jeter - OK, obvious choice but how do you turn down The Captain?  Nobody is classier and few are as good all around as Jeter.  Even in an off year like this year he is still batting .280+ and winning games.  

LF:  Curtis Granderson - Jimmy Rollins won the NL MVP based upon his 20-20-20 season but Granderson hardly got noticed with his 20-20-20 season.  He is a great player to have and one of the most exciting in the game.  Injuries robbed him of a breakout year this year but it coming.  Yes I am saying he is going to get better.

CF:  Josh Hamilton - One of my all-time favorite players.  This guy could .280 with 15 homers and 70 RBI and I would still love watching him play.  The energy and joy he displays are contagious.  Plus, his story is amazing and inspirational.  He seems like the anti-Strawberry.  I hope he stays that way.

RF:  Xavier Nady - This guy is now my favorite Yankee.  I always respected this guy from when he was with the Mets but he has opened my eyes since joining the Yankees.  He has not shrunk from pressure.  He makes very nice plays in the field and has become a bit of an extra-base machine.  He is also 4th in the majors right now (combined BA from Pirates and Yanks) in batting average.  The X-Man is my pick.

The X-Man, Xavier Nady.

DH: David Ortiz - Since I am an AL fan I get a DH.  Not the hitter he was a couple of years ago as age, weight, and health seem to be robbing him of monster numbers.  Still, I love Ortiz's respect for the game.  He is professional yet personable.  He clowns around and has fun and is always smiling.  I, as a Yankee fan, hate the Red Sox but I can't deny the passion Ortiz ahs for the game.  I cna't help but wonder what would have been if the Yankees had done the smart things and signed him after he was released by the Twins.

SP:  Joba Chamberlain - On top of his potential I love his personality.  Like Ortiz he is always smiling and goofing off but is very respectful of the game.  He is going to be, barring injury (I have to say that now that he is on DL) one of the greatest to put on Pinstripes.Joba's famous fist-pump.

SP:  Brandon Webb - The best sinker-baller in the game.  He amazes me every time I watch highlights.

SP:  Mike Mussina - If this guy doesn't know how to pitch then nobody does.  I am a huge closet Mussina fan.  I thought he was done and I am so happy to be wrong.  This guy is one of the smartest around.

Mussina delivers.

SP:  Rich Harden - I could care less about the injuries.  If he is healthy you have the best pitcher in baseball.  If he isn't, you have the best pitcher on the DL.

SP:  Felix Hernandez - Only 21 and already a hitters worst nightmare.  This guy is a lot of fun to watch and the sick thing is he is only getting better.  Has middle of the road numbers, ok so it is the high road, on baseballs crappiest team.  Would love to see him in a Yankee uniform.

Closer:  Mariano Rivera - I'm going with the best ever at this position.  There is nobody I would rather see on the mound with the season on the line, unless of course I was the hitter.

RP:  Scot Shields - I can't believe he is not mentioned more in the conversation of best set-up man.  Consistent and reliable.  Oh, and damn good.

RP:  Chad Bradford - Amazing how he is basically a journeyman.  His numbers tell the story, consistent and reliable.  His motion makes him look like a gimmick but his pitching tells another story.  

RP:  Matt Lindstrom - Throws 100 MPH and knows where it is going.  With the Marlins after being traded for Carlos Delgado.  Can you say Scott Kazmir anyone?

RP:  Edwar Ramirez - Not the best at what he does but I do love watching his change make hitters look like fools.

RP:  Jon Rauch - One word sums him up: reliable.  

Bench:  

       C:  Chris Coste - I like thie way he approaches the game.

      CI:  Evan Longoria - He is about two seconds away from becoming my starting 3B which would move A-Rod to short and Jeter to DH.

     MI:  Yunel Excobar - The perfect compliment to any roster.  Versatile and a very god hitter.

     OF:  Justin Christian - An odd choice, I know, but I like the way he approaches the game.  Fast and always ready, Christian gets the nod for his pinch-running ability and all around ability to help anywhere in the OF.

     UT:  Chone Figgins - Where doesn't he play.  I swear, sometime I see him pitch, scoop the ground ball and throw to himself at first.  He is Mr. Everything.  Fun to watch and good at what he does.  

Let me know who you would pick for your team.  Have some fun with it.  Don't like my team?  Don't worry I'll be coming up with another soon.  I look forward to hearing from all of you.  Keep swinging for those fences.  Corny, I know but I don't care.