On the Yankees beat

Kat,

Not sure Melky's going to lose much time - not with Matsui on the DL. More likely we'll see Damon at DH more often than not. I think the Yankees are just saying that they like Gardner everyday more than Betemit (who would be playing 1st if Giambi DH'ed).

It's also probable that the Yankees are going to use either Gardner or Melky in a trade for a pitcher. I said it a while ago, I could see the Yankees and Royals doing something where the Yankees wind up with David DeJesus and Gil Meche.

Chip,

I sure hope not. I want nothing to do with Gil Meche and I don't think Cashman will either since he's signed through 2011.

They can find an average starter who costs a whole lot less than Meche would.

Chip,

DeJesus and Meche, I like it. If Melky has to go, so be it.

Chip: I saw you mention something about Inoa on a previous thread. Did you see the info on how the Yanks originally had reached an agreement with him for $2.7 million, but then his representatives changed their mind and decided the minimum would be $3.5 million and the Yanks pulled out based on principle? Everything I've heard is that he's a younger version of Betances with better control and more polish, which sounds like it will translate into great success, but this year's IFA crop is so deep that I think the Yanks are looking to grab several players, particularly some infielders to counter all the pitchers they've been drafting.

HYD -

I had heard something about that. I'm just thinking that if he's 6'7" now and throwing in the 90s then by the time he finishes growing and fills out you could have a right handed Randy Johnson on your hands.

Viper -

I think there comes a time when the Yankees will bite the bullet and realize that they have enough money coming in, and enough coming off the books, that getting a guy like Meche, who can be a solid #3 is worth the money - especially if they can bring back a DeJesus as well.

Very happy about these call ups....

Robertson has moved up very quickly through the Yanks organization. I have gotten a chance to see him pitch numerous times and will definitely be able to help out the bullpen. He is also marrying a good friend of mine from college too. So I obviously want to see him do well and stay up in the majors.

Gardner is hopefully going to give this team a spark with his speed and hopefully he can give Melky a kick in the butt so he starts hitting up to his potential.

Lets hope the Yanks pitching can silent that Rangers offense and take at least 2 out of 3 from them before going up against the Sawx.

gardner,

they way the yanks are now monitong prospects' progress, i highly doubt they would've promoted gardner unless he was getting substantial playing time.

i would trade away melky in a heartbeat, even for a lefty reliever a la fuentes or marte. though it would be nice to see whether gardner can hack it in the bigs before letting melky go, so that's good thinking.

(by the way, judging by his OBP from AAA, there's no reason to believe gardner can't be successful and our lead off guy of the future)

Finally he gets the call up! Hopefully he does well.

1st Robertson, now Gardner...GOOD TIMES!!!

Packleader,

I just got the craziest trade idea...

What about Brett Myers and we use him as our 8th inning guy?

He was a lights out closer last year for the Phills and was very vocal about his disappointment at not being able to carry on in that role with the Lidge signing etc..

I guess there's 2 problems with this scenario though..

1. Myers has looked more like Kei Igawa than that guy who got 40 saves for the Phills in 07.

2. I would imagine the Phillies GM to be at least as clever as I think I am with this idea lol. So I'd assume with the Phils actively shopping for an 8th inning stud (currently linked with the rest of us to Fuentes) I'd be surprised if the Phillies don't just try the idea themselves and let Myers set up for Lidge...

Just wanted to see what you or the rest of you guys think about such an idea...

Just saw a Ken Rosenthal post and he had that one GM says the Yankee prosepcts are overrated. What I've seen so far indicates that this is true. If we can get Sabathia, DO IT!!!!!

True -

It's a moot point. If the Yankees wanted to make a trade for a Sabathia or Bedard, right now they would have to part with Robinson Cano or Joba to get it done. Hughes and Kennedy are hurt, Jackson and Tabata are too far away to be the focal point of any sort of big trade.

Teams are looking for young major leaguers who are under contract - on the Yankees right now that list is Cano, Melky, Joba (and maybe a couple of the relievers). Assuming Cano and Joba are untouchable that means Melky - and you're not getting Sabathia or Bedard or Sheets for Melky. Set your sights lower.

The Yanks are not in the running for Sabathia. I've been saying this for a month and some people would rather ignore the truth.

Don't take my word for it - read Cashman's words from over the weekend:

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People are clamoring for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to stop sitting there and do something already -- something big -- to improve the Yankees' tattered pitching staff.

Go get C.C. Sabathia, they scream. Pry Erik Bedard out of Seattle. Enough with these journeymen and castoffs and overmatched kids that the Yankees keep trotting out, even on occasions like the Subway Series.

Cashman hears you, all right. And he disagrees.

"It's almost like doing what we used to do has become people's binky, their pacifier, their security blanket," Cashman said with a mix of derision and weariness Saturday.

Cashman has been over this all before. He says, "It happened when we didn't trade for Eric Gagne at the trading deadline last year. It happened with Santana this winter. It happens with a lot more deals that are discussed that people don't even know about."

Saying no to deals the Yankees used to chase, he meant.

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I found this part to be telling as well.

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Refusing the temptation to backslide into the Yankees' old star-collecting ways is Cashman's biggest challenge. He seems willing to miss a run to the playoffs in the short term for the long-term goal of building a lights-out pitching staff and a younger, cheaper team that can fill needs internally. It's the right tack to take, especially in this no-steroids, no-greenies era in which 45 is no longer the new 35. Cashman should stick to it no matter how much yelping it stirs up.

A lot of outsiders still think that when the July 31 trade deadline rolls around and the Yankees are still trailing Boston and Tampa Bay and Hank can't be talked out of making the sort of vintage big-gesture move his thundering old man used to make, all of Cashman's talk about "patience" will fall away. But don't count on it.

Phucker - I would take a shot on Myers but I would rather have him as a starter than a reliever. If the Phillies are willing to let him go on the cheap then yeah, why not grab him up.

I think more likely we'll be seeing Shawn Chacon and Freddy Garcia.

I do like all the people who say that the Yankees and Cashman can't expect to make the playoffs with guys like Dan Giese and Sidney Ponson in the rotation. Wasn't too long ago when the Yankees made the playoffs with Aaron Small and Shawn Chacon in the rotation. Or Jaret Wright and Corey Lidle for that matter.

Brett Gardner to lead off and play LF tonight.

Where did you find the lineup so quickly, Chip?

re sabathia

ken rosenthal has him possibly going to a team like the rays or brewers (he claims that a trade is a foregone conclusion by now). that's great news for the yankees, since if he does go to either of those two, they can't possibly sign him long term, and if the yanks deem it worthy they can re-up with him as a FA.

no need to empty the farm for a rental.

Don't empty the farm ! this team has to get younger.

Lineup Tonight
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Gardner LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Giambi 1B
Posada DH
Cano 2B
Cabrera CF
Molina C

Viper - Mad Dog had it on FAN - not sure I get why Damon's not DHing and Posada is - I understand that Moose likes working with Molina but now you're taking Damon - who has been one of your best hitters, out of the lineup along with Matsui - makes no sense at all.

Incidentally, I'm starting to get frustrated with Jorge - I know it's no fault of his own, but at some point he's going to have to catch a few days in a row. This four year deal is going to get worse and worse each year.

Damon has been slumping a lot the past 2 weeks.....

Give him some rest and see what Gardner can do.

Damon/Posada are obviously available off the Bench if they need them.

I hear you on Posada. But I think it's pretty clear that he's going to need surgery on that ailing shoulder in the offseason and they want to him his time behind the plate.

I think Moeller is here to stay for awhile.

I'm guessing Girardi wants to sit Damon to rest his foot. Plus, they are facing another lefty tonight and he was the only lefty in the lineup tonight.

Hopefully, Melky will get a couple of days off now, but I tend to doubt it. The organization seems intent on sticking with Melky through thick and thin no matter how terrible he's playing.

I would assume Gardner is going to play a lot of LF over the next couple of weeks and Damon will be the DH.

They do need Damon to keep his legs (and foot) as fresh as possible in the second half.

THANK GOD FOR THE (return of the) DH

Viper - sitting Damon against a lefty would make more sense if Gardner wasn't a lefty too - I understand that they want to keep Jorge's bat in the lineup, but the bottom line is that if this is what the deal is going to be year 1 then years 2-4 ain't looking too good for a return on their investment

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I agree with the Yankees' strategy of sticking with the farm system players. Only problem is, it's those young players who are all getting hurt. Just the opposite of what you'd expect. Any word on Humberto Sanchez and Andrew Brackman, who still haven't thrown a single pitch in two years in the Yankee organization?

Tim - Sanchez is pitching in the Rookie Gulf Coast League. He pitched a clean inning on 6/27 allowing a hit, no runs and a K. This is only his 2nd 1 inning appearance. He's got a long way to go before we see him in the Bronx, I bet its not until next year.