Latest on A-Rod
Here's my story for tomorrow's paper on Alex Rodriguez. This is the latest information I've got on him. This is all we'll have until hopefully tomorrow. Not sure how much there will be with the off-day, but he wasn't limping or anything.
By KAT O’BRIEN
Kat.OBrien@Newsday.com
BALTIMORE – Alex Rodriguez became the third starting position player to go down with an injury for the Yankees this season when he strained his right quadriceps muscle Sunday.
Like teammates Derek Jeter (left quad strain) and Jorge Posada (right shoulder strain), Rodriguez is hoping to avoid the disabled list. Rodriguez left yesterday’s game against the Orioles in the sixth inning
after reaching first base on a grounder to third, as the Orioles went for the forceout of Bobby Abreu at second base. Rodriguez said he felt it “a little bit” on the follow-through for his swing, but then noticed it a little more a few steps into running to first.
“It’s a little sore, a little tight,” Rodriguez said.
While on first base, Rodriguez began stretching his leg and shaking it out. He and first base coach Tony Pena motioned to the dugout, and manager Joe Girardi and assistant trainer Steve Donohue jogged out to first to check on him. Rodriguez then left the game, walking back to the dugout with no apparent limp. Morgan Ensberg pinch ran for Rodriguez and replaced him at third base.
“I felt it a little bit in my swing, then probably four or five steps out of the box, I felt a little twinge,” Rodriguez said. “I give Tony a lot of credit. He knew that if I had to go first to third on a double that perhaps I could have hurt it very seriously.”
Rodriguez was flying back to New York after the game and will be examined here. Prior to the injury, he had been debating whether to fly with the team to Chicago or to fly home for the off-day to Miami, as his wife, Cynthia, is due to give birth to their second child any day. He is considered day-to-day.
“Originally, he thought it was a cramp,” Girardi said. “We’ll see how he is Tuesday. If he’s OK, great. If he’s not, then we’ll find a way.”
Rodriguez has played in 154 or more games every season since 2000, when he spent 15 days on the disabled list with a right knee strain and still played in 148 games. He said that he was concerned, because he would be any time any part of his body does not feel just right. Still, he is hopeful of not missing much time beyond the day or two already planned for the birth of his daughter.
“I’m hoping no time (missed),” Rodriguez said. “That would be ideal, in a perfect world.”
Rodriguez had a heat wrap around his quad as he left the ballpark. He said he will treat it all day Monday. Girardi said they will re-evaluate Rodriguez Tuesday, but that it does not seem to be too serious of an injury.
Jeter missed nearly a week after straining his quad.
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Comments (32)
Oh my God (er, sorry, I meant "Oh My Supreme Being") wait, how about this; "In the beginning was nothing ... which promptly exploded and then created complex DNA and digitized information in every living cell ..."
Darn, that doesn't sound right either!
Anyway, Oh my God Kat, didn't you learn your lesson with Joba's father ... how dare you pass on such personal and private information like A-Rod's quad injury.
I am so shocked and VERY disappointed!
Just a random question, how is Shelley Duncan doing in the minors? I find it pretty sad that the Yankees keep parading Giambi out to first when we have a young power hitter sitting down there when Giambi is hitting .100 and cannot throw to second base.
Giambi ought to go, but, when it comes to throwing to second base, Duncan's not much of an improvement.
Though I believe he's better serving as the bridge to Mo, here's three good reasons for putting Joba in the rotation: Hughes, Kennedy, Mussina.
Ummm 3rd starting position player? You seem to have forgotten about Giambi and his strained groin. Last time I checked he's still considered a starter on this team... although he really doesn't deserve to be a starter the way he's performing.
Ed,
Give it up. Duncan is a bench player at best. Doesn't matter what he does in AAA he can't play up here.
Viper,
You know where I stand on the whole Joba thing...
I got into the same argument with Red Sox fans over Papelbon in the bullpen instead of the rotation.
All I'll say is this...
You don't solve a problem by creating a problem.
Move Joba out of the 8th inning, then who gets the ball?
And don't tell me it is easy to get that effective 8th inning guy... the Yankees spent literally tens of millions of dollars filling that hole over 6 seasons and came up snake eyes.
Yeah Tom Gordon was effective in the regular season of 2004... but he was the real goat of the 2004 post season (and remember, only October deeds matter.)
I know a loss is a loss... but those games lost in the 8th and 9th hurt a team more. Those are the ones that got away.
Again, you've been spoiled these last dozen seasons with the bullpen.
Watch the highlights of the last two Red Sox/Rangers games where the Champs had 8th inning rallies both nights to win.
I'll bet my two sons those games hurt more than if they were blow outs and do a lot to the confidence of that young club.
And if you have a questionable rotation but big bats... you had BETTER make sure the 8th and 9th are secure.
Oh well, it's the same argument over and over.
Go San Jose Sharks and Celtics
Sully,
I respect your opinion as much as anyone in this forum, but we just disagree on this topic. We just have a philosophical difference in our approach.
We do agree on most issues, though.
I hate to say it but Hank echoes my thoughts exactly on the topic:
----------------------------
With the Yankees off to a 10-10 start, and with two of their young starters struggling, the Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner said there was one thing in particular he would like to change: He wants Joba Chamberlain, the Yankees’ hard-throwing setup man, to move into the rotation.
“I want him as a starter and so does everyone else, including him, and that is what we are working toward and we need him there now,” Steinbrenner said Sunday by telephone. “There is no question about it, you don’t have a guy with a 100-mile-per-hour fastball and keep him as a setup guy. You just don’t do that. You have to be an idiot to do that.”
Steinbrenner said the Yankees were working on easing Chamberlain into the rotation, but he would not be specific on a timetable. The Yankees’ brain trust had wanted to limit Chamberlain’s innings by having him spend at least part of the season in the bullpen. “The mistake was already made last year switching him to the bullpen out of panic or whatever,” Steinbrenner said. “I had no say in it last year and I wouldn’t have allowed it. That was done last year, so now we have to catch up. It has to be done on a schedule so we don’t rush him.”
It's a difference of philosophy
Neither one of us is wrong...
Then again, I've always had a thing for bad ass closers.
Remember that's what I'd ask a genie... to make me a bad ass closer... not an ace pitcher
I guess as a kid that image of Tug McGraw standing on the mound with his arms up just seemed too damn cool for me.
I love closers... what can I say?
I like the wild character closer a la Gossage and Fingers.
Mariano is obviously awesome... but he is less of the Bruce Sutter bad ass and more of the silent assassin type.
Kind of like Jean Reno in The Professional
Farns throws 100 MPH, according to Hank's logic, maybe he should start along side Joba.
Leave Joba where he is for now ... how many pitches is he in shape to throw at this point?
If he is a reliever, he can pitch in more tight spots in more games. The crucial outs of the game are what is most important. Late innings, men on base ... I like him in the 8th inning.
Anyway ... Josh Hamilton has 17 RBI's already. Ankiel and Ludwick combine for 8 HR's already ...
Too bad Cashman can't acquire the right players ...
For 200 million we should have the best team and we are not even close to that.
Still it is only baseball ... I suppose it is best not to get too high or low over the team.
We only have one special player and that is Joba. A Rod is special but fails often in the clutch.
I mention the NY Giants again with Madison Hedgecock and Jacobs, two 265 pound running backs. No one is going to stop them. We need guys like that in a baseball sense. Players that can take control of the game. Players you can count on. Players who dominate. Who do we have that fits that description?
We are too slow and soft. Abreu afraid of the wall, Jorge hurt, Damon a shell of his 2004 self, Giambi brutal in the field, Melky too unpolished ... it's frustrating!
Ummm.... Ant Colony,
You still don't understand the difference do you...?
A-Rod = public figure, paid to entertain, position 3rd basemen New York Yankees... injuries are part of the game and are available for public consumption.
Harlan Chamberlain = Father of a public figure. A man with a serious health history and experiencing at the time an unknown condition. Information not for the public until they (the family) decides it's for the public.
I'm sorry you're brain can't compute and process this information and doesn't allow you to separate the two and see the difference.
However, your attempt at sarcasm is appreciated.
DOC
so who do you kick out of the rotatation?
I know who most of you all are going to say and that would be the wrong choice.
No, Sully, you're wrong. YOu can say that about the Sox because you already have an ace in Beckett. I'll say this again; if the plan is to pitch Joba 150 innings, than that 450 outs from the starting slot. From the pen, you'd use him for about 80 innings, or 240. Only an idiot would save your best arm for the eighth inning when your starters are getting shelled night in and night out. Hey Sully, how important is an eighth inning set up guy when you're losing 6-2? That's what I thought....
Anon, the Yanks should kick out Moose. It's the only option. I'd put him in the pen for mop up & long relief. I know it's not a perfect solution (he takes forever to warm up) but it's what has to be done. Moose should count himself lucky the Yanks allow him to pitch at all at this point...
The Yankees are playing like they were the ones who traveled half way around the world for the "good of the game". Wait...that was your 1st place Red Sox who made that trip.
Looks like it didn't effect them too, too much. Right Moose?
but hey...it's a transition year in the Bronx......right?
Michaelz...
Beckett was coming off of a bad 2006 and the whispers were he was yet another NL pitcher who couldn't cut it in the AL
And Wakefield was Wakefield, Dice K was an unknown, and Jon Lester had cancer.
Going into 2007, the Boston rotation didn't exactly look like world beaters.
All the same arguments were being made for Papelbon.
Seriously, it's just a difference of philosophy.
If Joba goes into the rotation but Huey Duey and Louie keep blowing his leads in the 8th inning you'll see where I am coming from
I can't be the only one who thinks Farnsworth being suspended for a pitch that didn't even hit Manny is horse cr@p.
Manny just finished hitting 28 homers in 3 games against the Yankees and he was backing him off the plate.
It's called baseball.
Then again not being allowed to use Farnsworth isn't exactly a punishment for the Yankees.
I expect Girardi to call the league office and say "Could you suspend him the rest of the year?"
First of all...Hank has no idea what he is talking about. Joba should not be moved to the rotation because he has a 100MPH Fastball. He should be moved to the rotation because he has the ability to throw more than 3 pitches.
But the timing of his move into the rotation is the most critical part. We have to go with the rotation we have now (Wang,Pettitte,Hughes,Kennedy,Mussina) for at least half a season. Hughes and Kennedy need time and we can not abandon them yet (That was part of the deal of not trading them for Santana...right?).
Half way through the season we should evaluate the status of the rotation and bullpen. If the rotation is still as shaky as it is now and the bullpen is deep enough then Joba should be tried out as a starter. If the rotation comes around and Hughes/Kennedy become more consistent then Joba should remain in the setup role right through the playoffs.
I am very happy with the way our bullpen has been pitching this season and I think it has the potential to be one of the most consistent and deepest bullpens in the league. Which could make it easier for Joba to move into the rotation.
Mariano (CL) - Mariano looks like himself.
Joba - Best setup guy in the game.
Bruney - 1.64 ERA in 11 Innings, 11 K's
Traber - 2.57 ERA in 7 Innings, 5 K's
Ohlendorf - 3.77 in 14.1 Innings, 13 K's
Albaladejo - 3.18 in 5.2 Innings, 7 K's
Hawkins has not proved much of anything yet this year but I think he'll come around.
Edwar looked good in his first outing but we'll see what happens
We also have some promising guys in the minors that have the potential to come up and contribute:
Patterson, Horne, Veras, Britton, Giese, Robertson
Mike.....
Wrong Moose departure at this time would be the wrong answer especially if joba Pitches like Ian and Phil , right now Ian and Phil is busts until proven otherwise. Out of human nature many do not want to write them off but the reality is if they was Boston pitchers the same people who are supporting them would have been doging them.
Sully,
It was cr@p that he was suspended three games. It was a warranted dust off the way Manny was hitting and gawking at the home runs.
It was not warranted where he threw it though. I would not have been pissed if the Ump tossed him right away for throwing at right around his head. The right way to take care of that is to drill him in the back or ass and then admit to it after the game like a man.
The suspension now means that the Sox/Yanks will be more likely to try and instigate something just so the other team has to retaliate. Then the team that retaliates will get the punishment. Which is complete BS.
perhaps the fear factor of facing joba is making the other guys better, Honestly do you think for one second you cabn hand bruney the ball with one out in a 3-2 game runner on second 8th inning?
Sully, difference is that Papelbon is the closer, not an eighth inning set up guy, big difference. It's a luxury we can't afford right now. When this team won, they did it with great starting pitching. In the last few years, it's been the starting pitching that has almost kept us from making the playoffs and was the reason for the first round flameouts, IMO.
The bullpen is vastly overrated. Saving guys for the backend of a game becuase you expect it might be close is stupid, especially when you have a team that likely will score around 950 runs. We didn't even use Mo much of last year because we either lost or blew the other team out. Saving your best arm to set up the eighth on this team, with our O and struggling starting pitching is just plain dumb. Sorry, it's not a matter of philosophy, what you and others are suggesting is bad baseball. Maybe as a Red Sox fan you're just hoping the Yanks are that stupid...
the pen is not overrated what ? the pen was the cornerstone for many championships and the legacy began when Buck placed a former starter into the set up role forever changing the concept. because of Mo Middle relief demand has changed . do you think 96's SP would have lasted with 08's bull pen protecting their lead?
and right now 96's SP are better than 08's SP
We have lost to many close deciding playoff games the past 7 years for me to agree with you on the bullpen being "Overrated".
for me it all comes back to the fact that Mo isn't going anywhere and using Joba for three years as a set-up guy is a waste. When Mo was showing greatness setting up for Wetteland the Yankees let Wetteland go. When Lidge was coming up behind Dotel and Wanger the Astros moved those guys - Rivera isn't going anywhere so essentially leaving Joba where he is relegates him to Aaron Heilman status.
I was in Washington this weekend and listened to the Baltimore broadcast and Jim Palmer had a great take on Hughes and Joba.
1. He loves what he sees from Phil Hughes and says that once he gets to know the league a little bit he's going to be outstanding.
2. Joba out of the pen is a wonderful weapon - however if you have starters who can't get him the ball then it's like an unloaded gun. And it is easier to find someone who can throw one or two plus pitches to use as a reliever than it is to find someone with four top notch pitches - like the ones he has seen Joba throw - to put in the rotation.
Anonymous
1996 rotation is better than 2008 ? I don't think so.The Yankee team ERA for the season was 4.65. 2nd half it ballooned to 4.92.It all came down to Jeff Nelson,Rivera and Wetteland and an excellent yr by Pettitte otherwise Key,Gooden and Rogers pretty much stunk up the place.Remember that was the yr David Cone only appeared in 11 games the whole season.Of course a lot of timely hitting helped.
Damm ruse you just got tricked into basically stating the Pen helped a weak rotation.
And yes that rotation is better that the mess on the field today
Dave
Run that by me again ? Yes a strong trio of relievers helped bail out a struggling starting staff in 1996 .Outside of Pettitte in 1996 you name 1 other starting pitcher on the Yanks who had what one would consider an excellent season ?
At least NY has Pettitte and Wang this season .You pull Joba out of the pen and watch what happens over the long term.
0-3 ERA 8.82 K 10 Walks 10 WHIP 2.14
Phil hughes
2008 23 NYY AL 0 2 4 3 0 0 1 0 14.0 19 15 15 1 13 13 0 1 72 0 0 9.64 4.17 43 2.286
Ian Kennedy
2008 39 NYY AL 1 3 4 4 0 0 0 0 20.3 25 14 13 5 3 7 3 0 86 0 0 5.75 4.17 73 1.377
Mike Mussina who is pitching 5 runs BETTER than Both Hughes and Kennedy and we want to place him in the PEN??
yes Rodgers and Gooden both had high 4's and early 5's (somehow the team won in rodgers starts)
but the fact remains due to the STATS these pitchers would be pitching higher or equal to rogers and Gooden . while todays Pettite is not 96's pettite meaning that wang is the only plus (soemwhat) but if you factor in CONE's 72 innings he is the better.
Just the facts.
Some of you may not think Duncan is not much of an improvement over Jiambi. However, when Jiambi came to the plate in the sixth inning yesterday with 1 out and bases loaded, I had a funny feeling. Soon, my worst fear was realized. Instead of trying a sac fly, he grounded into a double play. He cannot field, he cannot bat, but he can kill a rally with a double play. If necessary, stash Jiambi in DL and bring up Duncan.
I will give Hughes and Kennedy at least 3 more starts before thinking about sending them down. However, Mussina has to go. Bring up Igawa (yuck), if necassary. But, Mussina has no place in this rotation. He is finished. His only role in this team might be that of a long reliever...
did you see Mussina's stats
much better than either hughes or kennedy's by at least 5 runs
Dave
Your just bending "facts" to fit your take on things.The Fact is NY has played only 20 games and you extrapolate from that an entire season ? NYs 1996 starting staff posted a robust ERA of 4.92 for the entire season! If it wasn't for Rivera and Wetteland no WS win.That's a fact.
"If it wasn't for Rivera and Wetteland no WS win.That's a fact."
Case Closed!
"I love it when a plan comes together"
-Hannibal Smith
NBC's "The "A" Team