Photo credit: ctpost.com

What you probably don’t know: Suzuki has gathered 200 or more hits not only in 10 consecutive seasons but in every season prior to 2011, marking the longest streak by any player.

From his rookie year in 2001, each year until 2010 he had 200+ hits. Then in 2011, he still managed to snag an impressive 184 and in 2012, 178 hits. Because of his nine years with the Orix Blue Wave in Japan, he did not start in the majors until he was 27. In ten seasons with Seattle, he averaged 224 hits a year.

*He holds the modern record with 262 hits in a season, which he accomplished in 2004. He has led the league in hits seven times throughout his career.

Famous for his slap hitting, Ichiro broke George Sisler’s 82-year-old MLB record for total hits in a season. He made the “Most hits in a single season top 50″ list three times (all in the top 21).

He is a: 10-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glover, 3-time Silver Slugger, and 2-time AL Batting Champion…and the list of his accomplishments goes on and on but the most telling of all? Holding the modern day record for hits in a single season because basically all the other top 10 guys in that category are from the early 1900′s, when baseball was an entirely different game than it is today. He is an integral part of the veteran backbone of this year’s injury-stricken Yank squad and will certainly go down as one of the (if not the) best foreign-born players to ever pick up a bat in this country.

Pronk stayed hot tonight, going 2-4 with 2 RBIs (Photo: CC Flickr)

Baltimore Orioles 3–New York Yankees 2 (10 innings)

Phil Hughes put together another solid start and Travis Hafner stayed hot, but it wasn’t enough as the O’s clipped the Bombers in extra innings. Hughes was effective over 6 innings, allowing just 5 hits and 2 runs–both solo shots by Chris Dickerson–while striking out 5, before giving way to a bullpen cocktail of Boone Logan, Shawn Kelley, David Robertson, and Preston Claiborne that stymied Baltimore for 3 innings.

Last night the Yankee bats were able to produce down the stretch, but tonight the Yanks managed just 1 hit in their final 19 at bats–a David Adams single in the 7th. Aside from yielding RBI singles to Hafner in the 1st and 4th innings, Miguel Gonzalez was masterful over seven while Tommy Hunter and Jim Johnson slammed the door on the Yanks, holding them hitless over the final three. That left the door open for Baltimore to steal the game and that’s exactly what they did when Nate McLouth homered to right-center off of Vidal Nuno to open, and close, the 10th.

The Yanks will look to rebound tomorrow in the rubber match at Camden Yards as Hiroki Kuroda battles Jason Hammel.

Win: Jim Johnson (2-4)

Loss: Vidal Nuno (1-1)

Notables:

Yankees

*Brett Gardner: 1-4, 2B (8), Run

*Vernon Wells: 1-4, 2B (6), Run

*Travis Hafner: 2-4, 2 RBI (24)

Orioles

*Nate McLouth: 2-5, Run, HR (4), RBI (11)

*Chris Dickerson: 3-4, 2 HR (3), 2 RBI (8)

Current Yankees Record: 28-17

After a thrilling victory last night, the Yankees look to push their win streak to four tonight in Baltimore. Phil Hughes takes the ball with hopes of getting back on the right track. His last start came against Seattle in New York, and was probably the worst of his career. Hughes gave up six hits and seven runs and only recorded two outs in the first inning before being lifted by Joe Girardi. Miguel Gonzalez will start for Baltimore.

New York Yankees (28-16)

Brett Gardner CF
Robinson Cano 2B
Vernon Wells LF
Travis Hafner DH
Lyle Overbay 1B
Curtis Granderson RF
David Adams 3B
Jayson Nix SS
Austin Romine C

RHP Phil Hughes (2-3, 5.88 ERA)

Baltimore Orioles (23-21)

Nate McLouth LF
Manny Machado 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones DH
Chris Davis 1B
Matt Wieters C
J.J. Hardy SS
Chris Dickerson CF
Yamaico Navarro 2B

RHP Miguel Gonzalez (2-2, 4.58 ERA)

Game Time: 7:05 pm EST – Oriole Park at Camden Yards – Baltimore, MD
TV: MY9, MLB Network
Radio: WCBS 880, WADO 1280 
Weather: Partly cloudy, 83°F 

The 2013 Yankees have won on the strength of timely hitting and dominate late inning relief. (Photo Credit: Brad White/Getty Images).

But the most notable storyline this season has been that the Yankees simply do not quit.  Couple that with the fact that Mariano and the bullpen have been nails, the Yankees are lethal late in ballgames.  So what can we take-away from all these come from behind wins?  Two viewpoints here:

The Yankees Are Playing Over Their Heads

Usually when a team has a lot of late-inning wins, they are considered to be an exception not the rule.  Eventually the law of averages will bring the team back to around .500.  I used this argument to say the Baltimore Orioles would finish last in the AL East this year — so far I am a bit off on that prediction.  But how long can Lyle Overbay, who was cut days before the start of the season by Boston, hit .333 in the 7th inning or later?  Right now Vernon Wells has 10 home runs and 24 RBIs (he had 11 and 29 in an injury-riddled 2012 for the Angels).   That luck has to run out, right?  CC Sabathia is due to break down this year and the Yankees are lucky that Hiroki Kuroda has a 0.955 WHIP in 58.2 innings pitched.  (No, that is not a typo — Hiroki Kuroda is on a short list for American League Cy Young so far in 2013.)

The argument here is that the Yanks have so many players performing above expectations, so even when the lineup is fully healthy (not that it ever will be) some of these players are due to taper off.

The Yankees Will Be Even Better When Fully Healthy

The cynic in me sides with this first stance but I can’t ignore that the Yankees are winning with scrap-heap right now.  It’s simple, look at the caliber of players the Yankees are putting on the field.  Of the nine leading players in at-bats for the Yankees, three were not on the roster in 2012: Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay, and Travis Hafner.  The other three are widely considered to be Four-A talent: Jayson Nix, Eduardo Nunez, and Chris Stewart.  Logic shows that when Granderson is assimilated back into the lineup, Teixeira, Jeter, Youkilis, and yes—Cervelli—are back from injury, the Yankees will be even better (or at least as good) then they are now.  Despite how well Overbay, Nix, Stewart and others have played, the Yankees have proven starters on the sideline waiting to contribute and these “other guys” should round out a very deep bench come October.

The Verdict

If you approached me on April 1st I would have signed up for .500 entering the All Star Break.  With the talent (and money) wasting on the DL, the Yankees were poised for a dismal year — and after five games they looked well on their way to a Red Sox-esque 70-92 season.  But since the Yanks were 1-4, they have won 69% of their games and have regained that 1996/2009 “never-die” attitude — an attitude that led them to World Series Championships in each of those seasons.  Except there is something different with the 2013 version of the New York Yankees — there is this feeling that they are not yet playing to their potential, and that is a very scary proposition for the rest of the American League.

So, Yankees fans, where do you stand: Are the Yankees playing with fire or are they a gritty team on the rise?

Vernon Wells sends a pitch from Pedro Strop out to left to give the Yankees the lead. (Photo credit: CBS Sports)

Whether it’s an injury to a key player or a one-run deficit late in a game, these Yankees are resilient. They don’t quit or feel sorry for themselves, they don’t give-in and surrender. This team takes adversity as it comes and with a cool, calm steadfast approach, they’re overcoming more than they are failing. It seems like something is going on in the Bronx that hasn’t happened since 2009.

After last night’s thrilling win over the Baltimore Orioles, the Yankees increased their major league best record to 17-6 in games decided by two runs or less; they are now 8-3 in one-run games, good for third in all of baseball; last night was their 12th come-from-behind win, which ties them for fifth best in the majors – according to the YES Network.

The Yankees are near the middle of the pack in almost every offensive category. Their pitching is more towards the front, signifying that their offense is doing just enough while the pitching has been the main strength of the team. The Yankees have found a good balance of power and timely hitting. Lyle Overbay has had numerous go-ahead RBIs and big hits this year. He entered yesterday’s game with a .119 average against left-handed pitchers in 42 at-bats. O’s manager Buck Showalter countered with lefty Troy Patton – and Overbay made him pay by hitting a solo shot out to right-center field to give the Yankees a short-lived lead. Through 42 games, Overbay has seven homers; it took Mark Teixeira 43 games to reach seven in 2012.

With the Yankees down to their final two-outs, Travis Hafner sent a Jim Johnson pitch out to left-center to tie the game at four. Then in the 10th, Vernon Wells – who was sitting on the bench all game – was called upon in a big spot with Ichiro on second. Wells promptly scorched a double to left, giving the Yankees a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

These old guys are fighting for their baseball lives. It’s their chance to prove to the rest of baseball that the sun hasn’t set yet. After all, these guys are trying to make a living and earn paychecks. Overbay, 36, thought his career was over after the Red Sox released him in the final week of spring training. When Wells was still with the Angels he announced he would retire after his deal was up next season. Recently, he said he might have to reconsider. Hafner was let go from the team he was with for 10 seasons, after he struggled to remain healthy for the last couple of years.

These Yankees are hungry, determined and focused on winning – which is giving us thrilling comeback wins. 2013 is shaping up to be a fun season, even without the superstars.

The Assassin (Photo: Wiki Commons)

New York Yankees 6–Baltimore Orioles 4

Where would we be without Travis Hafner and Vernon Wells?

Once again, it was the two off-season acquisitions who came up with the big hits, powering the Yanks to their 12th come-from-behind victory of the season. Down 4-3 in the 9th, Hafner blasted a game-tying, opposite-field shot to left field, providing fodder for yet another Yankee-themed nightmare for Baltimore’s closer, Josh Johnson. After a scoreless 9th inning from David Robertson, Wells plated Ichiro Suzuki on a ground-rule double to left to give the Bombers a 5-4 edge in the 10th. Later in the inning Hafner drove in Wells on a single to right field to provide the final margin.

The Bombers got on the board in the opening frame against former Yankee Freddy Garcia when Robinson Cano sent his 13th home run of the season 390 feet into the left field stands. An inning later David Adams had a solo act of his own, sending his first Major League home run down the left field line to give the Yanks a 2-0 edge. The O’s struck back in the 2nd against CC Sabathia when the RBI-machine, Chris Davis, homered to right-center.

Both starters settled down to pitch scoreless ball in the 3rd and 4th innings, but the Yankees’ ace blinked in the 5th when an RBI single by Nick Markakis knotted the game at two. As night fell and a gauzy mist enveloped Camden Yards, the Yanks grabbed the lead back in the 7th when Lyle Overbay cracked the Bombers’ third solo blast of the evening to right field off of Troy Patton. The lead was short-lived; however, as the resilient O’s struck back against Sabathia, who had a 0.00 ERA after the 7th inning entering the game, with run scoring doubles from Markakis and J.J. Hardy, giving the O’s a 4-3 lead and chasing CC from the game.

From there the Yankees followed a script that has become all too familiar for their opponents this season: stem the tide and wait for the big hit. Shawn Kelley, Boone Logan, Robertson and the ageless Mariano Rivera responded with 3.2 innings of nearly perfect baseball, allowing just 2 hits while striking out 6. The effort allowed the Bombers to stay within striking distance which has proved fatal for the Birds in their recent encounters.

With the loss the O’s extend their winless streak to 6 games and fall 5 back of the first-place Yanks in the AL East race. Meanwhile, the Yanks improve to 10-3 in their last 13 games to move a season-high 12 games over .500. They remain dangerous in games in which they draw first blood, improving to 19-0 on the season.

Rivera continues to be one of the most compelling stories of the young season, earning his 17th straight save to start the season, his best mark since converting his first 28 chances of 2008. The 43-year-old righty, who has worn the pinstripes across three presidencies, simply defies logic and has single-handedly exhausted every possible superlative over the first quarter of this season. We are quite simply witnessing greatness every time his trots, pigeon-toed, through the bullpen doors. The way our fathers speak of Mickey Mantle in reverent tones is the same way we will speak about Mo to our wide-eyed sons.

Win: David Robertson (3-0)

Loss: Pedro Strop (0-2)

Save: Mariano Rivera (17)

Notables:

Yankees

*Robinson Cano: 1-3, HR (13), 1 RBI (32), 2 BB

*Travis Hafner: 2-5, HR (8), 2 RBI (22)

* Lyle Overbay: 2-4, HR (7), 1 RBI (25)

*David Adams: 2-4, HR (1), 1 RBI (2)

*Vernon Wells: 1-2, 2B (5), 1 RBI (24)

Orioles

*Nick Markakis: 2-5, 2 RBI (22)

*J.J. Hardy: 2-5, 1 RBI (26)

*Chris Davis: 1-4, HR (13), 1 RBI (41)

Current Yankees Record: 27-16

*     *     *     *     *

Follow Dan on Twitter @161st_and_River

After rain washed away the series finale against Toronto at the Stadium yesterday, CC Sabathia will take the ball tonight against the Baltimore Orioles from Camden Yards. The Yanks played the O’s back in April in New York, taking two out of three; this is their first trip to Baltimore this season. Opposing Sabathia is former Yankee Freddy Garcia. The Yankees have stacked lefties in their lineup with the hopes that they will be able to score early and often. On the season, lefties are hitting .333 against Garcia – righties are at .156. Here are the lineups:

New York Yankees (27-16)

Brett Gardner CF
Robinson Cano 2B
Travis Hafner DH
Lyle Overbay 1B
Curtis Granderson LF
David Adams 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Reid Brignac SS
Austin Romine C

LHP CC Sabathia (4-3, 3.19 ERA)

Baltimore Orioles (23-20)

Nick Markakis RF
Manny Machado 3B
J.J. Hardy SS
Adam Jones CF
Chris Davis 1B
Matt Wieters C
Danny Valencia DH
Steve Pearce LF
Alexi Casilla 2B

RHP Freddy Garcia (0-2, 5.51 ERA)

Game Time: 7:05 pm EST – Oriole Park at Camden Yards – Baltimore, MD
TV: YES Network, ESPN
Radio: WCBS 880, WADO 1280
Weather: Partly cloudy, 80°F 

Mark Teixeira is starting to inch towards a return, as he is finally playing in extended spring training games. Teixeira went 1-for-2 with a double and a walk, according to his twitter feed.

Teix is aiming to be activated on May 31st, however the Yankees may take things slow which could push back his return to early June. Manager Joe Girardi has said that Teix’s rehab assignment will take longer than Curtis Granderson’s, who only appeared in a handful of minor league games.

Lyle Overbay, who is hitting .259 with six homers and 24 RBIs, could possibly be the odd-man out when Teixeira and Kevin Youkilis eventually return.

Felt good to get my first AB’s since March. 1-2 with a double and a walk, I’ll take it. #Yankees in first place, I’ll take that too!

— Mark Teixeira (@teixeiramark25) May 20, 2013

David Phelps grabs player of the week honors for last week, as he pitched well in his two starts. For the week, Phelps went a combined 13.2 innings, giving up 10 hits, two runs while racking up 15 strikeouts and pitching to a 1.32 ERA.

On May 13, he started in the first game of the doubleheader against Cleveland, going 6.2 innings giving up one run, four hits and seven strikeouts. The Yankees eventually lost 1-0, but Phelps did a great job of keeping his team in the game. On May 18, he had the longest outing of his career, going seven full allowing just one run as the Yankees beat the Blue Jays 7-2. Phelps lowered his ERA from 5.02 to 3.83 during the week.

The Yankees start the week in Baltimore with CC Sabathia on the mound. Phelps is next scheduled to start on Friday at Tropicana Field against the Rays.

Honorable Mention:

Preston Claiborne: (4.1 IP, four hits, four K’s, 0.00 ERA)
Hiroki Kuroda: (1-0, 8 IP, two hits, five strikeouts)
Lyle Overbay: (.273 BA, four RBIs, three doubles)
Brett Gardner: (.269 BA, four stolen bases)
David Adams: (.286 BA, two doubles, RBI)

Trenton catcher J.R. Murphy has made significant strides behind the plate this season (Photo: Trenton Thunder/Facebook.com)

J.R. Murphy is one of the most overlooked prospects not only in the Yankees farm system, but in all of baseball. A 22-year-old from Bradenton, Florida, Murphy was the team’s second-round draft choice in 2008. Ever since that point, he has been overshadowed by bigger names such as Jesus Montero, Austin Romine, and now, Gary Sanchez.

Despite being frequently overshadowed by other top prospects, Murphy has quietly gone about improving all aspects of his game. He entered the 2013 season ranked as Baseball America’s 15th best Yankees prospect, though his play this year certainly warrants consideration for a spot in the organizational “Top 10.”

Prior to Sunday’s game, I spoke to Murphy and his manager, Tony Franklin, who has had the chance to observe Murphy on the field in both 2012 and 2013. The transcripts of the conversations can be found below, while my feature article on Murphy can be found here.

*****

Franklin on J.R. Murphy

DP: J.R. Murphy has hit safely in nine of his last eleven (games). What have you seen during that stretch that has been different from earlier in the year?

TF: Same Murph. Nothing really. He’s been pretty steady all year. Murph has a tendency, or an ability, to play in the moment. You don’t know it, but when you need a big hit, he’s in the middle of it. He’s got extra-base power. I’m not surprised. I really didn’t know he had a nine-game hitting streak. I go from day-to-day.

DP: He’s hit safely in nine-of-eleven.

TF: Oh. Okay. That’s just as good. But, I’m not surprised at that. Hitters find ways to get hits, whether it be jammed shots over the infielder’s head, or dribblers in the hole, things of that nature. They find a way to get hits. Why? I don’t know. Maybe it is because of their swing path.

DP: What’s your thoughts on Murphy’s defense so far this year? It seems like it has been much improved.

TF: (It is) Greatly improved, particularly in the area of blocking baseballs. He has spent a lot of time with (Trenton Thunder Dorante working on recognizing the fact that…and he’s got such great hands that he has a tendency to pick balls and it kinda gets him in trouble sometimes, in trouble from time to time where he may miss one and it goes to the backstop. Major league catchers don’t let balls go to the backstop, so they went out and they worked on blocking balls and caressing balls and having balls fall in front of them, which he’s done very well. So, over the last two weeks he’s been greatly improved.

DP: Murphy came up last year, and it seemed like, and again, I know you’re going to tell me don’t look at the numbers, but it seemed as if he was struggling a bit at the plate sometimes based on the numbers. Do you see any difference in his approach (at the plate) from last year to this year?

TF: (laughing) Don’t do that. I’ve told you not to do that. This is a level where pitchers start to pitch you backwards. In other words, you’re starting to get breaking balls in fastball counts and you’ll see a lot of young hitters expect a fastball and swing. That’s why when guys swing and miss they miss by so much, because it’s so predetermined to swing and you’re expecting your pitch. Murph has learned how to adapt and adjust to the fact that this could be a breaking pitch, could be something off-speed, let me wait and see where this ball is going to go. I don’t think anyone here has the ability to throw the ball by him, but all good hitters do that. His general knowledge of how guys are going to pitch at this level has been a big plus for him. His ability to put a bat on the ball, that’s easy. All of them have the ability to put the bat on the ball, but do they have the ability to know what the pitcher’s trying to do to them? That’s, I think, where Murph has excelled. He was a little bit different last year, basically a fastball hitter, but now, taking walks, good hitters do take walks. So, (OPS, on-base percentage) starts to increase and you start to get favorable pitches in hitter’s counts.

J.R. Murphy Interview

DP: I mentioned to (Trenton Thunder manager) Tony (Franklin) that between this year and last year, there seems to be a big difference (in your defense). What did you do differently to improve behind the plate?

JR: Yeah, I think a big part of it is spring training. Getting to work with all the big-league guys, and also, just any time you get to work on your craft like that on a daily basis in spring training. It’s really just repetition. I think that in time, the more you catch and the more games you catch, it’s going to come, and I think I’m getting better. But, I’d have to say, a lot of it was spring training.

DP: Did you work with anybody in particular down there to work on defense?

JR: On the physical side of the stuff, yeah, Tony Pena. He’s the main guy in spring training, and you know, Girardi’s always in there too. Mentally, I talked to Bobby Wilson a lot, and Chris Stewart and Cervelli and those guys really helped me learn about the mental side of the game, the pitching staffs, and stuff like that.

DP: I also mentioned to Tony, last year you were down here, the average was a little bit low, but at the plate you seemed like you were doing alright at the plate. This year though, there has definitely been a noticed improvement. Tony mentioned pitchers start pitching you backwards at this level. Has being behind the plate and working with the pitchers helped you to adjust at the plate as well?

JR: Yeah, definitely. I think there’s going to be an adjustment level at any level you move up to, so, last year I did okay, I survived. I got my feet wet last year, and this year I’m definitely a lot more comfortable. I think that’s helped me. But also, yeah, I think being a catcher, when you’re up there hitting, you’re kind of not necessarily guessing, but you think along with what their catcher is thinking and you get to learn sequences and stuff like that, so I think all of that is helping me offensively.

DP: Was there anything you had to change at the plate in terms of mechanics at the plate this offseason?

JR: No, absolutely not. Haven’t changed anything really.

DP: Earlier this year, you hit your way into the record book with the three home-run game. What does something like that do from a confidence standpoint? Is that something where you feel it pushes you forward?

JR: Yeah, you know, that’s one thing I worked on in the weight room this offseason was to hit for a little bit more power. I may be the first guy ever to hit three home runs in a game and not hit one for the rest of the season, it’s been a while since I hit a home run. I haven’t hit one since then.

DP: I was looking at the game notes ahead of time and realized you’ve hit safely in nine of your last eleven. From a confidence aspect, is this something where it could propel you forward for the rest of the year?

JR: Yeah, I mean, you’ve gotta take the highs when they come and the lows when they come, because it’s kind of a roller coaster, so you’ve gotta figure out how to maintain your mentality (and stay) levelheaded the whole season. You’re going to have ups like this, like I’m having now, and I’m sure I’m going to struggle at some point, so (I) just have to figure out how to do both.

DP: Last year you came up with a couple other guys as well, did it help to really be able to come up with a few guys you had played with in Tampa at the same time?

JR: Yeah, it’s a lot nicer in the clubhouse, getting your feet wet and getting a feel for things when you know some of the guys around you. This year’s more of the same, you know, we have a lot of guys that have played together for the last few years. I think that really helps.

DP: When you work with the pitchers, you’re seeing anywhere from 12-15 different pitchers over the course of a few weeks. Is this something where you need to focus on what’s best for them, you know, does stuff such as weather affect how you call your games?

JR: Somewhat, yeah. Every park is different, every day is different depending on the wind and climate and stuff like that. Really you just try not to ask pitchers to do something they can’t do, so just stick to their strengths and know what they do best and stick to it.

DP: So you focus on the strengths of the pitchers more so than the weakness of the batter?

JR: For the most part, yeah. You don’t want to ask the pitcher to do something they can’t necessarily do consistently. When in doubt, you just go with the pitcher’s strengths.

DP: Tony (Franklin) mentioned that you’re one of those guys that lives to play in clutch situations. Do you enjoy the pressure-packed situations more so than your average at-bat?

JR: I guess, yeah. I think you gotta approach each at-bat as the same. You can’t get really too high when the game is on the line.

DP: That’s where I was going with it. You don’t change your approach at all?

JR: Nope. You can’t, because as soon as you start pressing, you’re going to probably mess it up.

*****

Brignac is a career .228 hitter with a .294 OBP. In his six year career, he’s only amassed 769 career big league at-bats with the majority of those coming in 2010 and 2011 in which he had 590 abs in those combined years.

To this point, with mostly limited playing time, Brignac’s performance has been underwhelming. However, his numbers compare to that of a current Yankee.

Another Yankee player has a career batting average of .215 and a OBP of .288. This Yankee’s best years were back in 2009 and 2010. He also is a versatile infielder. Can you guess who he is? The answer is Jayson Nix. If Brignac could provide the same production Nix has, he may very well be valuable to the bombers until the team can return to full strength.

Hopefully Brignac can replicate his 2010 numbers in which he hit .256, 8 homers and drove in 45 RBI playing against AL EAST opponents while he was with Tampa Bay. With the resurgence of play by the likes of Lyle Overbay, Vernon Wells and Travis Hafner, a career year from Reid Brignac isn’t as farfetched as one would believe.

The Yankees will have the brooms out today as they try to sweep away the Toronto Blue Jays. CC Sabathia and R.A. Dickey will go head-to-head in a matchup of former Cy Young Award winners. Yesterday, the Yankees set an American League record to start the season by going 18-0 when scoring first. Newly acquired Reid Brignac will get the start at shortstop today for the Yankees. New York has won nine straight home games against the Blue Jays. After today’s game, the Yankees head to Baltimore to take on the Orioles. Here are the lineups:

Toronto Blue Jays (17-26)

Melky Cabrera DH
Jose Bautista RF
Edwin Encarnacion 1B
Mark DeRosa 2B
Brett Lawrie 3B
Maicer Izturis SS
Colby Rasmus CF
Emilio Bonifacio LF
Henry Blanco C

RHP R.A. Dickey (3-5, 4.83 ERA)

New York Yankees (27-16)

Curtis Granderson CF
Robinson Cano 2B
Vernon Wells LF
Travis Hafner DH
Lyle Overbay 1B
Jayson Nix 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Reid Brignac SS
Austin Romine C

LHP CC Sabathia (4-3, 3.19 ERA)

Game Time: 1:05 pm EST – Yankee Stadium – Bronx NY
TV: YES Network
Radio: WCBS 880, WADO 1280
Weather: 59°F, cloudy with occasional rain showers. 50% chance of rain
 

When Curtis Granderson caught the final out of today’s game, the Yankees set a new American League record. The team, that has been decimated by injuries and picked against since the beginning of the season, is now 18-0 when scoring first to start the season. The Yankees are the only team in the major leagues who have yet to lose whenever they push the first run across. The franchise record for most consecutive wins when scoring first is 19, set in 2002.

This record speaks volumes about the team’s grittiness and pitching, which has been the strength of this club so far this season. When the Yankees score first, their starters do a good job of maintaining a lead or giving the offense a chance to stay in the game. The back end of the bullpen is also a big reason why the “no-name” Yankees have been able to rack up the W’s. The team is an amazing 21-0 when leading after six innings.

Setup man David Robertson has pitched to a 2.76 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 16.1 innings. Lefty Boone Logan has a 2.31 ERA with with 13 K’s in 11.1 innings. Rookie Preston Claiborne hasn’t allowed a run yet in eight innings. And of course, Mariano Rivera has been perfect – converting 16 saves in 16 chances.

Hiroki Kuroda has been the best starter so far, as he already has 6 wins to go with an impressive 1.99 ERA. CC Sabathia is 4-3 with a 3.19 ERA, and will pitch tomorrow against RA Dickey. The rest of the starters have been somewhat inconsistent, as Phil Hughes has strung together some good starts with some bad ones, and Andy Pettitte (now injured) has cooled off since his hot start. David Phelps turned in a solid effort today, going seven innings while giving up six hits, a run and totaling eight strikeouts; today was the longest outing of his career. His current ERA sits at 3.83.

If the pitchers can keep it up, the wins will keep on coming. Pretty amazing for a team that’s on it’s third string catcher, second string first-baseman and fourth string third-baseman.

Per Elias, the Yankees set an AL record. They are now 18-0 this season when scoring first. Longest streak in club history is 19 (2002).

— Lohud Yankees Blog (@LoHudYankees) May 18, 2013

The Yankees have made another move to add some depth at the big league level, as they have acquired utility man Reid Brignac from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for cash. Shortstop Alberto Gonzalez has been designated for assignment.

Brignac, 27, represents versatility and a slight upgrade offensively from Gonzalez. In his career, Brignac has played shortstop, second base and the outfield. He spent five years with the AL East rival Rays, before being traded to Colorado in February. He was designated for assignment on Thursday, so the Yankees scooped him up.

A lefty, New York hopes he can utilize the short-porch in right field. However, he is more known for his glove than his bat. This season, Brignac is hitting .250 with a homer and six RBIs. For his career, he is a .228 hitter. He is expected to be with the team for tomorrow’s series finale with the Jays.

#Yankees acquire INF Reid Brignac from Rockies in exchange for cash considerations. Alberto Gonzalez designated for assignment.

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 18, 2013

So how are the Yankees still winning? One of the main reasons is the revival of outfielder Vernon Wells.

Wells has had a very good career just by looking at his overall numbers. He has 269 home runs, 931 RBI and is a .273 career hitter. But, since 2010, his offensive numbers have been on the decline. So what is Wells doing differently this year compared to years past? He’s having a little bit better luck then he has had in the previous seasons. Just look at his BABIP. For those who don’t know, BABIP is Batting Average for Ball In Play. Essentially, it is Wells’ batting average of just the balls he hits in fair territory.

Wells has a current BABIP of .287, which is the highest it’s been since 2008. Compare this to last year when Wells had a BABIP of just .226 or, in 2011, when it was at a career low of .214.

This indicates that Wells is the same player he has been the past couple years but is having more luck when it comes to the balls he puts in play.

There are other reasons also why Wells is seeing more success at the dish. His walk rate is currently the highest it’s ever been during his 15 year career. That brings his Strikeout to walk ratio down to a career low of 1.57 strikeouts per walk compared to back in 2011 when Wells struck out 4.3 times per walk.

So between seeing the ball a little better and having a little bit better luck, Vernon Wells is having one of his best seasons since he hit .273 and 31 homers in 2010. Wells production could not have come at a better time for the injury decimated first place Yankees.

Hiroki Kuroda shuts out the Blue Jays for 8 innings, allowing only 2 hits and a walk. (Photo courtesy of Newsday)

New York Yankees 5 — Toronto Blue Jays 0

Kuroda gave up a lead-off double to one-time Yankee Melky Cabrera to start the game, but then struck out the next two batters (Bautista and Encarnacion). This brought up J.P. Arencibia, who hit a line drive back to the mound, which was caught by Kuroda. A nice play by the Yankee pitcher and this first inning was the only time the Blue Jays threatened to score against Kuroda for the remainder of the game. He had it going.

In the bottom half of the first, Gardner led off the inning with a lined ball into the left-center gap, which was tracked down apprehensively by Cabrera. By the time the left-fielder got to the ball, Gardner was already heading to third. An easy triple. He was later driven in on a groundout by Cano, giving the Yankees a 1-0 lead.

Kuroda later picked off Munenori Kawasaki in the top of the third, ending any kind of rally the Blue Jays had in them. Other than that play, the second through fourth innings were rather uneventful, filled with some strikeouts, pop-outs, and ground balls. Pitchers making pitches, keeping the hitter off-balance.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Yankees added a run on a sac fly by Jayson Nix, scoring David Adams. This made it 2-0 Yankees.

Kuroda kept on rolling through the 6th, as he went 1-2-3 for the third straight inning, retiring a total of 10 batters in a row. The top of the 6th inning ended on a nice play by Gardner, who really utilized his speed to make the play look easier than it was, as he ran in and made the play. Kuroda’s streak of consecutive batters retired ended at 11, as, in the top of the seventh, Encarnacion lined a single into left. An impressive run by Kuroda.

The Yankees broke out in the seventh inning. David Adams lined the first pitch of the inning over the head of Cabrera, who was frozen by the hit. That was followed by a sensational bunt base hit by Ichiro. He was just attempting to move Adams to third, but it was so perfect that it did not even draw a throw. The Yankees were set up with runners on first and third for Romine, who came through with an RBI double and knocked out starter Mark Buehrle, with the Yankees up 3-0. In relief, the Jays called on Aaron Loup, a lefty, to face Brett Gardner, who continued his good night with an RBI single past the drawn-in infield, and a diving Brett Lawrie, to score Ichiro and put the Yankees up 4-0. Jayson Nix followed with his second sac fly of the game, scoring Romine to make it 5-0. Cano ended the rally with a soft liner to the pitcher, which ended up being a double play, as Gardner was too far off the bag. However, the damage was done, as the Yankees were up 5-0 after 7 innings.

Kuroda finished 8 strong innings, allowing only 2 hits and 1 walk. He kept batters off balance all night, even though he only had 5 strikeouts. Preston Claiborne came in to finish the game in the 9th. The Blue Jays got threatened, Claiborne prevailed.

The game ended on a pop-up behind the plate, where catcher Austin Romine looked a bit lost and almost lost his balance, but made the catch nonetheless, preserving the Yankees win and the shutout, their 4th shutout of the season.

Win: Hiroki Kuroda (6-2)

Loss: Mark Buehrle (1-3)

Notables:

Yankees

*Jayson Nix: 0-0, 2 RBI (9), 2 BB

*Brett Gardner: 2-3, R, RBI (15)

*David Adams: 2-4, 2 R

Mariners

*Melky Cabrera: 2-4

*Edwin Encarnacion: 2-4

Current Yankees Record: 26-16

It’s almost becoming laughable. Another Yankee has landed on the disabled list – this time it’s Andy Pettitte’s turn, according to Mark Feinsand of the Daily News. Pettitte felt tightness in his trapezius muscle last night in the fifth inning and was removed from the game. Although the team isn’t worried about the injury and believe it to be minor, they are being careful with the soon-to-be 41-year-old veteran.

Vidal Nuno, who pitched in game two of Monday’s doubleheader against Cleveland, will take Pettitte’s spot in the rotation. The Yankees will give Pettitte some time with the hopes that he won’t be shelved for longer than 15 days.

Cashman: “This is the safe play. … Thankfully it’s minor.”

— Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) May 17, 2013

The Toronto Blue Jays are in town to face the Yankees for a three-game series. After losing two of three to the Seattle Mariners, New York looks to rebound with Hiroki Kuroda on the mound tonight. Last night, Andy Pettitte and Chris Stewart both left the game with injuries. The team isn’t too concerned with Pettitte’s back, and the results on Stewart’s MRI came back negative; he will rest for a few days and can be used as an emergency catcher, according to Sweeny Murti of WFAN. Austin Romine will start in his place. Here are tonight’s lineups:

Toronto Blue Jays (17-24)

Melky Cabrera LF
Jose Bautista RF
Edwin Encarnacion 1B
J.P. Arencibia C
Adam Lind DH
Brett Lawrie 3B
Colby Rasmus CF
Emilio Bonifacio 2B
Munenori Kawasaki SS

LHP Mark Buehrle (1-2, 6.19 ERA)

New York Yankees (15-16)

Brett Gardner CF
Jayson Nix SS
Robinson Cano 2B
Vernon Wells LF
Ben Francisco DH
Lyle Overbay 1B
David Adams 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Austin Romine C

RHP Hiroki Kuroda (5-2, 2.31 ERA)

Game Time: 7:05 pm EST – Yankee Stadium – Bronx, NY
TV: MY9
Radio: WCBS 880, WADO 1280
Weather: Great night for baseball! Clear, 69°F 

When Joe Girardi took over the then Florida Marlins in 2006, little was expected of him. The team was young, inexperienced and projected to finish in dead last. Girardi guided them to a 78-84 record, en route to winning Manager of the Year for the National League. After having disagreements with management, as most people seem to have with the Marlins nowadays, Girardi was fired and took a year off from baseball. He interviewed for the managerial job with the Yankees, and signed a three-year contract on October 30, 2007.

In Florida, there was no pressure to win. The team could win or lose and no one really seemed to care. In New York, you are expected to win – and if you don’t, the front office will dismiss  you. Girardi is taking each and every obstacle thrown in his way in stride, day-by-day, and the Yankees now have one of the best records in baseball.

Since he signed on the dotted line (he then re-upped for three more years in 2010), fans have often criticized Girardi for his moves, most notably his tedious “binder logic” when bringing in relievers or playing match-ups with his hitters. His teams in years past haven’t had much flexibility, as seasoned veterans making big bucks were locked into their positions. In 2013, things are different; Girardi may be tasked with his most difficult year as a manager. Injuries to key players has allowed him to be more creative with using his guys, and we are finally seeing his prowess as a manager – without the superstars.

Girardi is putting players in positions to succeed. At times, he’s  put Robinson Cano, the best player on the team, second in the lineup to increase his plate appearances. He has hit David Phelps eighth in order to spark the bottom of the order. He is trusting and sticking with Lyle Overbay and Jayson Nix, two guys who are playing important positions on the field. Girardi is willing to move Vernon Wells to third base late in a game when his bench is tight. He is trying to squeeze out every ounce of baseball these old guys still have left in them by knowing when to play Travis Hafner and when to sit him because he’s injury-prone.

Girardi is also trusting the younger players. In the second game of the doubleheader in Cleveland, he started Vidal Nuno, 25 – who went five innings giving up three hits and no runs. In a late game situation and only up by a run, Corban Joseph and Austin Romine – both 24-years-old, each hit back-to-back doubles, sparking a six-run seventh inning. It’s trusting and having confidence that the young guys can do the job that is making this team fun to watch and easy to root for.

A manager’s job is not only to fill out a lineup, it’s to manage 25 different personalities and create chemistry that is conducive to winning. With practically a new face at every other locker it seems like, Girardi has done a masterful job. Take a look at the Angels who are loaded. You can have all the talent in the world, but if the guys in the clubhouse don’t have good chemistry wins will be hard to come by.

Maybe it’s time for fans to stop being so hard on Girardi, who after all, took over for a legend in Joe Torre. Along with always being able to manage his bullpen by knowing when to rest guys and when to pitch guys, Girardi’s ability to work with the players he has has been remarkable. If you were to say on April 1 that on May 17 the Yankees would have the third best record in baseball with some of the names they have now, no one would believe it. When the stars come back, Girardi will have some very tough decisions to make. If this season is any indication, he’ll handle it just fine. In 2013, we are seeing Joe Girardi at his very best.

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Photo courtesy of the NY Daily News.

15 years ago today, David Wells achieved baseball immortality. He threw the second perfect game in Yankees history, and the 15th in MLB history. David Cone would join him as the third 14 months later.

Starting against the Twins on a cool Sunday in the Bronx, Wells was untouchable as the Yankees won by a score of 4-0; the game only took two hours and 40 minutes.  He threw 120 pitches; 79 of them strikes, 41 balls.

New York only registered six hits, with three of them coming from Bernie Williams who also drove in a run. The game ended with a pop-up to Paul O’Neill in right field. Wells was carried off the field, doffing his cap to the 49,820 in attendance.

In Wells’ autobiography, Perfect I’m Not: Boomer on Beer, Brawls, Backaches, and Baseball, he claims to have been “half-drunk” when he tossed the perfecto. Wells had gone out to a Saturday Night Live cast party the night before, which ended in the early hours of Sunday morning – the day he pitched.

To add to the legend, Wells attended the same high school as Don Larsen: Point Loma High in San Diego, Calif. Larsen of course, threw a perfect game in the 1956 World Series. To this day, it is the only perfect game thrown in the playoffs.