Cashman Made The Right Move?

Turns out the gyroball does not exist. So in that regard everyone can breathe easy. The S.O.B.s were liars.

Daisuke Matsuzaka - Dice-K if you have trouble with pronunciation - does not actually throw a gyroball. Not at all. Turns out his changeup is just really sick. So says Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated:

Here’s the truth: Matsuzaka’s changeup is so wicked, so unlike most every changeup anyone has seen, that people don’t know what to make of it. Matsuzaka has told me he does not throw the gyroball. Every Red Sox staff member and official I’ve talked with said he does not throw it.

And later:

Matsuzaka throws his changeup with a screwball action to it, including a bigger break than most such offspeed pitches.

May all MLB teams make him pay. Yankees need to resign Hideki Irabu and he'll show him how to pitch. Tell Kong it's time to put Godzilla in his place. This is America.

Have You Heard The News?

George Steinbrenner's daughter, Jenny Swindal, filed for divorce today from her husband Steve Swindal, putting the future of the Yankees’ ownership in limbo. Now the change of command will change. Maybe Steve's DUI a few weeks ago was related. All I know is if he isn't good enough for Jenny, then he's no good to the Yankee Empire.

Pavano is in line to start Open Day...at home!!! Did I mention it's Opening Day at Yankee Stadium? After giving it some thought, I like that move. This guy has a lot to prove. He's basically done nothing since he arrived. This should be a fresh start. He's healthy. He pitched well in Spring Training. I say prove yourself.

Wang is supposed to be on the DL until April 27th. So if the Yankees can survive early on that will be ok. Better to lose a player early than late in the season.

At first base, it looks like Josh Phelps has emerged as the clear-cut candidate to win the righthanded job, as he continued his red-hot spring today with two more hits, including a home run and two RBI. Andy Phillips took the golden sombrero, striking out four times to drop his average to .190 – a whopping .248 lower than Phelps.

Phillips is one of the most popular guys in the clubhouse, and his glove is much better than Phelps, but I can’t see how Joe Torre could pick Phillips in this race.

UPDATED
Andy Phillips, who had been competing with Josh Phelps to platoon at first base with Doug Mientkiewicz, yesterday was placed on outright waivers. The move (which was revealed by a major-league official who asked not to be identified because waivers are confidential) means that by tomorrow Phillips will be claimed by another team or sent to the minors by the Yankees.

The bullpen is shaping up to be Rivera, Proctor, Farnsworth, Vizcaino, Myers, Bruney and either Villone or Henn. Unlike the Phelps/Phillips situation, Torre might be able to go with his guy here, keeping Villone on the team. To do that, Villone will have to have a couple of good outings in the next four days. Otherwise, Henn will get his shot.

I don’t have a problem with Villone making the team, since Henn will still be in the system. If Villone is ineffective, the Yankees can always cut bait and bring up Henn, so it’s basically a $2 million risk.

The backup catcher race is still pretty even, with neither Wil Nieves or Todd Pratt taking charge. The guess here is Pratt, simply because Torre likes to have a veteran in that role.

Cliche Alert

Man, the Yankees players are flakes. Giambi on Pavano's opening day start:

"I know what it's like to pick yourself up. I hope he embraces it," Giambi said. "This is a chance to show everybody the type of pitcher he is. I know what it's like to come from hell. I have danced with the devil a few times."

If only we'd all make $20 million per and be free to spend it when we're in hell.

S.O.S. - And I Don't Mean Serving Out Singles By The Kool-Aid Man

With Wang out until May?, we need the team to come together.

Calling all Warriors! Calling all Warriors?

Yankees in trouble....stop....who to start....stop.....Clemens sign please...stop....Karstens as #5....stop...makes Pavano #4....stop...send up Hughes....stop

If A-Rod splits, the Yankees will be in need of a right-handed bat and could go after outfielder Andruw Jones, another Boras client. Room in the Yankees' outfield could be made by not picking up Bobby Abreu's $16 million option for 2008 or by picking it up and trading him a la Gary Sheffield. Melky Cabrera would be a lot cheaper choice to replace Abreu but won't come close to matching A-Rod's power. The Yankees could also use A-Rod's money to keep Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera.

Carl Pavano’s raw numbers this spring have been poor. He has pitched 12 1/3 innings and allowed 25 base runners via hits or walks. His earned run average is 5.84. But he is healthy, he is pitching confidently with his changeup and sinker, and his spot in the rotation is secure. “We’re definitely counting on him,” Manager Joe Torre said. “The spot was his to lose, and he certainly has seized the opportunity. We obviously favored his taking that spot, with everything he’s had to deal with the last couple of years. We’re very pleased with what we’ve seen.” Pavano is slotted fourth in the rotation, and he will probably make one more exhibition start and work on the side before the season opener April 2. His first start would likely be Friday, April 6, against Baltimore at Yankee Stadium.

THE GAME'S AFOOT

The Red Sox rotation doesn't look anywhere as nasty with Tim Wakefield and Julian Tavarez bringing up the rear. Read all about it: Papelbon is going back to the bullpen.

I'd prefer having him save 40 than win 15 games in the rotation, but that's me. I don't see how he could be as flawless as he was last year.

Should The Yankees Be Worried? Or Not?

Mar 21, 11:17 PM EDT
Yankees Won't Extend A-Rod

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- The Yankees don't intend to offer Alex Rodriguez a contract extension, leaving him the option of opting out of his deal after the season and becoming a free agent"Alex has a significant contract. The most significant in baseball history," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Wednesday. "He has a decision to make. It's in his contract. It's a right he's earned."Rodriguez has four seasons left in the record $252 million, 10-year agreement he signed with Texas before the 2001 season. He is owed $27 million in each of the final three seasons - with the Yankees responsible for $50.7 million and the Rangers owing $30.3 million, including $9 million in deferred money.Under the terms of the deal, Rodriguez can terminate it after this season. He also can stay for 2008 and have the right to opt out of the final two seasons if the Yankees don't boost his salary to $32 million annually for the final two years."If he exercises it, he's a free agent. If he doesn't, he's not," Cashman said. "We'd love to have him stay with us." Cashman's decision was first reported by SI.com.

Andy Pettitte is not expected to make his start Friday for the Yankees and could miss a complete turn through the rotation because of back spasms. No one is yet worried -- publicly, at least -- about Pettitte's status for the opening of the regular season. Pettitte first felt something in his lower back while doing squats after Monday's workout. His scheduled bullpen session yesterday was canceled as he got treatment. Joe Torre said he did not know of any plans for Pettitte to undergo an MRI or any other tests.

With rookie Jeff Karstens pitching well enough to press for a spot in the Yankees rotation and manager Joe Torre not ruling out sending Kei Igawa to the minors, the left-hander responded last night with his best outing of the spring. "Results are important but as of now I just want to get in a groove," he said through interpreter Yumi Watanabe after the Yankees' 2-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Legends Field. While Igawa -- the $46 million import from Japan -- still had three walks in his five innings, he did not allow a runner past second base. Although he struck out three and gave up just two hits, he started just 10 of the 19 batters he faced with a strike. While Igawa -- the $46 million import from Japan -- still had three walks in his five innings, he did not allow a runner past second base.

Andy Phillips is trying to earn a spot on the team. Even though he is a righty, Doug M. is still expected to get at-bats against lefties. So then, why have a back-up to the back-up?

Damaged Goods?

Is Humberto Sanchez damaged goods and the Yankees simply don't want to admit it? The hard-throwing South Bronx product, who was the primary pitcher obtained from the Tigers in the Gary Sheffield trade, has been sidelined all spring with an elbow inflamation. And in the Yankee press guide, three of Sanchez's earlier disabling injuries that appear in last year's Tiger guide - to the right shoulder and bicep in 2002 and a season-ending elbow ailment in 2003 - have been curiously omitted.

Yankees News? Sure I Got Your Yankees News Right Here

Still, Torre said, he is not considering Karstens for a spot in the rotation.
“It’s still Igawa and it’s still Pavano for me,” Torre said. “Karstens is certainly shooting for a spot on the ballclub.”
Torre said Karstens could make the major league team as a long reliever, but he might be better suited to get regular work as a starter at Class AAA Scranton.
Igawa started his third game last night against the Braves at Legends Field and was good and bad. But beyond the numbers, it's apparent the 27-year-old lefty can't survive in the AL if he throws an 88- to 90-mph fastball up in the zone as he has in all three starts. Nor can he pitch from behind as he did last night, when he worked in and out of trouble to post three scoreless innings in a 3-2 win. Igawa allowed one hit, walked four and fanned five. He needed 62 pitches to get nine outs. In seven spring innings, he has given up eight hits, seven walks and fanned 12
What would happen to Igawa if he is bumped from the rotation? He could land in long relief, although at $46 million that would be an embarrassment for him and the Yankees. A trip to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Triple-A) is an option, and one in which Igawa would remain a starter.

In order to get Andy Phillips at-bats, Torre played the first baseman at third yesterday. Phillips broke into baseball as a shortstop and has played all four infield positions. The ability to move around the infield could give Phillips the nod over Josh Phelps when Torre decides between the two to back up Doug Mientkiewcz at first.
"He gives you a little more versatility than Josh Phelps does, although [Phelps] can catch," Torre said of Phillips, who has nine at-bats to Phelps' 20 because he missed time to be with his mother after a auto accident in Alabama.

Backup catching candidate Wil Nieves will be ready to resume playing by the middle of next week according to Torre. Nieves has been out a week with a right elbow problem.

Chien-Ming Wang and Robinson Cano will avoid having their contracts renewed by signing the one-year deals sent to them last week.
Even though the Yankees certainly have the financial means to extend Chien-Ming Wang and Robinson Cano long-term deals, the club stayed with their policy of not doing that and sent the pair one-year contracts.
Wang will make a little over $500,000 and Cano slightly under that mark.

The Yankees made three cuts prior to last night's game, sending stud pitching prospect Phil Hughes out. Also reassigned to minor league camp where hurlers Ross Ohlendorf and Matt DeSalvo.

Bench coach Don Mattingly had to leave the team after learning about the death of his father, William.

Ain't No One Gonna Save This Blog?

Opening day is two weeks away. Any thoughts? Pavano is on schedule, I'll give him that.

Phil!

Great article on Phil Hughes. I didn't even realize how much he dominated the minors. I could not be more excited about this guy. Hopefully they won't pitch him too much in the minors the first half of the year so he can pitch some real innings for the big club without damaging his arm.

Bernie Bat Signal, Answer The Bat Phone, Please

With Bobby Abreu, out possibly until Opening Day, the Yankees need a 4th outfielder. The Yankees can not rely on the young guys to carry them to the Grapefruit League title. The Yankees are in a must-win game everytime out. It's time to turn on the Bernie Bat Signal, make Bernie the Bat Phone call, give him a guaranteed deal. His services are needed and now.

Other News:
Get ready to see a whole lot more of fragile Yankees pitcher Carl Pavano's stunning fiancée, Gia Allemand. The Howard Beach bombshell has entered Maxim's 2007 Hometown Hotties contest and posted four sizzling snapshots on the magazine's Web site. The brown-haired beauty had been pursued by Penthouse and agreed to do a photo spread if she could cover her nipples with her long tresses, but the deal fell through when Penthouse told her it had a "no hair over the boobs" policy.

Carl Pavano yesterday threw off a mound for the first time since taking a comebacker off his left foot and pronounced himself ready for his spring debut this weekend. "I didn't really have too many concerns from the beginning," he said, "just because of the progress I've made." Pavano, who has not pitched in the majors since June 2005, was hit Saturday while throwing batting practice to teammates (he declined to use a protective screen). An MRI showed the injury to be only a bone bruise.

Yanks manager Joe Torre seemed most pleased with the performance of Ross Ohlendorf, the starter from Princeton who was acquired from Arizona in the trade for Randy Johnson. Ohlendorf pitched two scoreless innings and got ground balls with ease. “He had real good sink,” Torre said. “He looks like he’s real polished out there.”

Jason Giambi on the Yankees first spring training game: "I felt kind of sexy up there today and I don't know why," Giambi said. "I usually look to get hot the last week of the spring." Johnny Damon built a gym in his Orlando home this past off-season and bulked up to the point he said he came to camp five pounds over the 212-pound reporting date. He has shed four pounds since arriving. "I wanted to look good with my shirt off," Damon said of hitting the weights. "My wife still digs me. You have to keep your sexiness at all times."

A brash Lou Piniella tells correspondent Frank Deford in the latest edition of HBO's "Real Sports" that the Cubs "are gonna win now." "That's all I can tell you," Piniella adds. Actually the new Cubs skipper has much more to say, but the segment's most compelling moment comes when Alex Rodriguez, who played for Piniella in Seattle, recalls flailing away at a series of Dennis Eckersley sliders. After Rodriguez returned to the bench, nearly in tears, Piniella kissed him on the top of his head and said: "Son, I love you."

For the purpose of financial flexibility, and maybe peace of mind too, Alex Rodriguez has not taken the option of opting out of his Yankees contract (worth $25 mil per) off the table. As long as the option to opt out at the end of this season is available, there will be buzz over whether A-Rod already has another destination in mind. Speculation will mount Monday night (10 p.m.) when Rodriguez appears on HBO's "Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel." If you come away sensing the Yankees third baseman has the Windy City on his mind you will have plenty of company. During a profile of new Cubs manager Lou Piniella, who managed Rodriguez for seven seasons in Seattle, A-Rod is interviewed by Frank Deford. While Deford never asks Rodriguez to compare Piniella to Joe Torre, it is abundantly clear the managerial qualities - and style - A-Rod enthusiastically attributes to Piniella are not subscribed to by the Yankees manager. ... And yet, yesterday, Rodriguez told Daily News Yankees beat writer Mark Feinsand a reunion with Pinella is not likely to be in the cards. "He's on a different team in a different league," Rodriguez said. "My memories of Lou are in the present and the past, not the future."