Kuzul

Yesterday I passed along a story that the Yankees had won a waiver claim for Ted Lilly and may have been pursuing him even though the trade deadline had passed.

Later on in the day, though, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported that Lilly was interested in signing an extension and staying in Los Angeles with the Dodgers.

Buster Olney of ESPN confirmed the report and added that the Dodgers were interested in seeing Lilly stay in Dodger Blue as well.

Given those reports and the fact that the trade deadline has passed, it seems highly unlikely that the Yankees and Dodgers could make a deal for Lilly. It’s just as well, as the chances of them finding and exploiting a loophole to get Lilly on the postseason roster were unlikely. September trades are possible but almost pointless, as the player cannot play for the team in the playoffs.

So it looks like the Yankees rotation is standing pat as of right now—which isn’t a terrible thing, as they are probably a week and a half to two weeks away from getting Andy Pettitte back.

Related Stories

• September 1, 2010 — Yankees Trade Rumors: They Tried to Acquire Ted Lilly, Might Still Be Trying

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Yankees go for a four-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics tonight and their sixth win overall and have their best man on the job, CC Sabathia.

Here are some notes:

• Javier Vazquez is back in the rotation. Dustin Moseley is out.
• Andy Pettitte threw a bullpen session yesterday and said he felt great. Up next is a simulated game this weekend and then at least one rehab start. He could be back as soon as a week and a half from now.
• Derek Jeter will remain at the top of the batting order.
• Alfredo Aceves is throwing another bullpen session today. He could be activated any day now, but the Yankees would probably like to see him be a little more successful first.
• As expected, Lance Berkman was activated yesterday.
• Switch pitcher Pat Venditte was promoted to Double-A Trenton.

If you’ll notice, I was not among the many media outlets panicking about the Yankees rotation.

Yes, it was bad.

Awful actually, but Vazquez looks like he may have put his issues behind him and A.J. Burnett had a good outing last night. If those two can find some form of consistency and Pettitte comes back, the Yankees rotation will be a strength again.

That’s not to say that their issues are behind them, but many people were coming just short of proclaiming the Yankees season dead.

If you’ll remember, they dealt with rotation issues down the stretch last season and overcame that as the pitching was a strength in the playoffs.

Related Stories

• September 1, 2010 — Yankees Notes: Expanded Rosters, Berkman, Aceves, the Rotation, and more
• August 9, 2010 — Extended Yankees Notes: A-Rod, Burnett, Posada, Pettitte, and More
• August 16, 2010 — Yankees Notes: Berkman, Pettitte, Aceves, Marte, Vazquez
• August 30, 2010 — Yankees: Worst Rotation, Best Bullpen Last 30 Days

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Making a much anticipated start, Dallas Braden will take the hill today against the New York Yankees, making his Yankee Stadium debut in front of the ravenous Yankee Stadium crowd.

Braden, LHP from the Oakland Athletics is having a subpar season individually, going 9-9 with a 3.28 ERA.  

His stuff isn’t overwhelming, with his fastball topping out at about 90 mph, while also possessing a solid changeup, a slider, and curveball.  He also threw the 19th perfect game in MLB history earlier this season against the Tampa Bay Rays on May 9th.

He is unfortunately not known for that perfect game, or his mediocre stuff and season. He is most known for his run in with Alex Rodriguez.

Just in case some do not know, Dallas Braden and Alex Rodriguez have a history, all stemming from April 22, when Alex ran across “Braden’s mound” to get back to first base.  

He broke an unwritten rule, as Braden describes.

Braden took shots at Alex after the game, calling him a prima donna, like that has never been done before.  

“Coming from a guy with a handful of wins,” responded Rodriguez, as if it were comical.

After a few days, the story seemed like old news, until Braden once again brought it up.  

This time, he went a little bit further with his shots towards Alex, by saying that there will be repercussions for his action.

Via ESPNNewYork: “There are things that are going to have to happen,” Braden told CSN Bay Area on Wednesday. “Out of respect to my teammates, out of respect to the game. I think he’s probably garnered a new respect for the unwritten rules and the people who hold them close to their game. But I think you’re right, we don’t do much talking in the 209.”

The Yankees had had enough of Braden. CC Sabathia, today’s starting pitcher went on to say this about Braden back in May in defense of his teammate:

Via NorthJersey.com: “He’s a clown,” Sabathia said of Braden. “Guy says he’s from the 209, what the [bleep] is that? That’s where I’m from and I don’t know what he’s talking about. Two-oh-nine. He needs to just calm down, put that in the paper. That’s just tired.”

The matchup that we have all been waiting for has been dodged twice, the first time back in July because Braden was on the disabled list, and today because Rodriguez is on the disabled list.  

So these “things that are going to have to happen”, may never happen.  I say “may” because one cannot rule out Braden going after another Yankee player other than Alex Rodriguez.

This afternoons game may be one of the most anticipated games of the 2010 season.  Sabathia vs Braden. Braden will be stepping onto Yankee Stadiums mound.

One can only hope that the Yankees will force him off their mound as fast as humanly possible.

Related Stories

• April 24, 2010 — David Wells Rips into A-Rod Over Braden Incident
• August 29, 2010 — Yankees Notes: Recap, Nova, and Injury Updates
• August 23, 2010 — Yankees Notes: A-Rod, Nova, Call-Ups, Sabathia
• July 2, 2010 — Yankees Notes: Recap, Moseley, Oppenheimer, Montero, Burnett

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

If you haven’t noticed, the young lefty phenom out of Cuba, Aroldis Chapman, finally made his debut for the Cincinnati Reds last night. He had his fireball popping as well, reaching up to 102.7 mph on the gun and averaging slightly over 100 mph, according to Brooks Baseball.

He came in and made quick work of the Brewers, retiring all three batters he faced and racking up his first strikeout. I don’t like that they are using him as a reliever, but hopefully the Reds will come to their senses by next season.

Anyways, part of me can’t help but think about what might have happened if the Yankees had landed him. I’m not sure he would be getting the call-up to the majors at this point as he probably would have been called up earlier in the season when the Yankees were desperate for bullpen help. That possibly means that the Yankees might not have traded for Kerry Wood, so maybe this whole thing is a wash.

Still, it was fun to watch him pitch last night. Here is some video of his appearance (H/T to Sliding Into Home):

Related Stories

• January 6, 2010 — Olney: Yankees Not In On Aroldis Chapman
• January 1, 2010 — Aroldis Chapman Rumor Roundup
• December 31, 2009 — Newman’s Notes on Yankees Prospects
• December 18, 2009 — 10 Free Agents Yankees Could Still Sign

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

According to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated, when the Dodgers put Ted Lilly on waivers leading up to the trade deadline, the Yankees made and won the claim for the pitcher. Then the Dodgers pulled him off of waivers, and no deal was made.

Now, according to the NY Daily News, the Yankees may still be trying to trade for their former lefty with the idea that there is a loop hole that could get him onto their playoff roster.

River Ave Blues actually has the best explanation of the supposed loophole:

This claim appears out of line with what we know about postseason eligibility rules. The general rule is that any player on the 25-man roster, disabled list, bereavement list, or suspended list can be added to a team’s roster in any round of the playoffs. For the Yankees that includes the 25 active guys  plus Damaso Marte, Andy Pettitte, Alfredo Aceves, Lance Berkman, Nick Johnson, and Alex Rodriguez. If any of those players is still hurt come playoff time, the Yankees can substitute him for another player who was in their organization on August 31. Since Lilly can’t have been in the organization by that date, it seems that he would be ineligible for the postseason.

I did ask ESPN’s Keith Law about this. He’s not certain about the rule, but he doesn’t think such a loophole exists. He then asked a front office guy and got a similar response. Again, neither Law nor the front office guy is certain, but they both believe that the Yankees would not be able to pull off such a move. To be certain we’d probably have to leaf through the MLB rulebook, which is not available online (though if you’re a super geek you can find a copy on eBay). But from most indications the Yankees will not get their way here.

So it seems that nobody really knows for certain whether or not the Yankees would actually be able to have Lilly on their playoff roster, but if they think they can, it might be worth a shot.

If the Dodgers decide to move Lilly it probably wouldn’t cost them much as they are most likely just looking to get some money off their books.

At this point Lilly could possibly be a better option than both Javier Vazquez and A.J. Burnett, so it couldn’t hurt.

Although I am very skeptical that this could actually happen. They could deal for Lilly and just use him in September and not October, but that seems like overkill.

If I get more information on this possible loophole, I’ll be sure to pass it along.

Most Commented Posts

• November 24, 2009—Yankees 2010 Lineup Projections
• February 9, 2010—Play Fantasy Baseball Alongside the BBD Staff!
• April 5, 2010—BBD Writer Predictions: What a Bunch of Homers We Are
• February 26, 2010—Character Issues with Carl Crawford?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Today is September 1st and the Yankees are sitting alone in first place. The Rays are just one game back though, and have proven that they will not back down this season. The Yankees are also seven games up on the Red Sox for the Wild-Card lead, but with six head-to-head games left against them, that lead isn’t exactly air-tight. The Yankees also have the toughest schedule of all three teams so nothing is locked in place. Get ready for what could be an exciting month.

Here are some notes:

• The rosters expand to 40 players today. The first call-ups: OF Greg Golson, C Chad Moeller, and RHP Jonathan Albaladejo. More will join the team later on.
• Lance Berkman is still expected to be activated today although no announcements have been made.
• Alfredo Aceves isn’t going to be activated today like I had originally guessed. There have been no reports about further back problems, but he hasn’t been sharp in his rehab outings.
• Javier Vazquez in the rotation? Not yet, for now Dustin Moseley‘s spot is secure.
• Andy Pettitte will throw another bullpen today. If that goes well, a rehab start can’t be far behind.
• There is no time table for Damaso Marte‘s return, but it isn’t likely to be soon.
• Minor league outfielder Melky Mesa won the Florida State League’s Player of the Year award.
• Arizona Fall League rosters have been announced. Yankee minor leaguers participating: C Austin Romine, 3B Brandon Laird, 2B Corban Joseph, RHP George Kontos, and RHP Craig Heyer. There are spots on the roster open so more could be added later on.

I’m disappointed that Vazquez is not being put back in the rotation, but perhaps others are right in thinking that more time off could benefit him. It’s also somewhat of a surprise to see Aceves staying in the minors. I guess the Yankees don’t like what they’ve seen from him.

I like September call-ups. It’s always fun getting to see new players on the roster. Golson’s job will be to come off the bench as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement. I don’t expect he’ll get many starts or at-bats.

Moeller will just be here for insurance and maybe some late-inning defensive duties. Albaladejo will get a shot to show if he can help the team in the playoffs or not. The Yankees have been carrying three long-men, Sergio Mitre, Chad Gaudin, and Vazquez. That’s overkill. If Albaladejo can pitch well, he has a shot at the playoff roster.

For those who don’t know much about Mesa, I’ve had a chance to see him play quite a bit. He’s fast, has a cannon for an arm, good range in the outfield, and he hits for power. His drawback has always been that he swings at everything to the point where it’s almost comical. My experience watching him was in 2008 when he was with the Staten Island Yankees.

Since then he’s improved on his over-aggressiveness at the plate, but improvements can still be made. He could probably make it to the majors on his speed and defense alone though, a la Golson.

Related Stories

• August 16, 2010—Yankees Notes: Berkman, Pettitte, Aceves, Marte, Vazquez
• August 29, 2010—Yankees Notes: Recap, Nova, and Injury Updates
• August 24, 2010—Yankees Notes: Nova, Aceves, Marte, Pettitte, and More
• August 9, 2010—Extended Yankees Notes: A-Rod, Burnett, Posada, Pettitte, and More

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Phil Hughes was not at his best tonight, but he had the benefit of a nine run night by the Yankees offense that included homers by Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher, and Curtis Granderson, as the Yankees beat the Oakland Athletics 9-3. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox both lost, giving the Yankees sole possession of first place and a bigger lead in the Wild-Card.

Related Stories

• August 25, 2010 — Yankees Notes: Recap, Swisher, Hughes, and Aceves
• June 21, 2010 — Updated AL All-Star Ballot: Jeter and Cano Still Ahead
• August 14, 2010 — Yankees Notes: Recap, Aceves, El Duque, 2 Picks Signed
• August 13, 2010 — Yankees Notes: Recap, Montero, Mesa

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Marcus Thames hit his sixth home run in as many games as the Yankees slugged their way past the Oakland A’s 11-5.

Here are some notes:

• Mark Teixeira returned to the lineup and hit a third inning home run that put the Yankees ahead 4-3.
• Dustin Moseley started and did not have his best stuff. He lasted just 4.1 innings, allowed four runs and walked four.
• Javier Vazquez came on in relief and pitched as well as he’s pitched all season. His fastball looked good, often clocking in at 91 mph, right where he needs to be to be effective.
• Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher both went 3-for-4, driving in three runs. Cano homered.
• Trevor Cahill allowed eight earned runs, a career-high. So much for his Cy Young candidacy.
• The Rays beat the Blue Jays tonight so the teams remain tied for first place.
• The Red Sox had the night off and move to seven games back.

Related Stories

• August 25, 2010 — Yankees Notes: Recap, Swisher, Hughes, and Aceves
• August 30, 2010 — Yankees: Worst Rotation, Best Bullpen Last 30 Days
• August 12, 2010 — Yankees Notes: Thames, Vazquez, Teixeira, Posada
• August 9, 2010 — Extended Yankees Notes: A-Rod, Burnett, Posada, Pettitte, and More

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Early in the season, the Yankees were carried by their strong rotation and were constantly hurt by their poor bullpen. Lately it has been the exact opposite, though.

At one point CC Sabathia, Andy Pettitte, and Phil Hughes were among the league leaders in wins. Even A.J. Burnett and Javier Vazquez had stretches where they were among the best pitchers on the team. Lately though, only CC has been coming through for the Yankees as Pettitte has landed on the DL, Hughes goes up and down, and AJ and Javy have just been awful.

Looking back at the month of August Sabathia leads the way with a 3.12 ERA and a 5-1 record. Ivan Nova has been hot lately, putting up a 2.45 ERA in a pair of starts. Hughes is right down the middle with a 4.33 ERA and a 3-2 record. Dustin Moseley has done an adequite job of filling in, but at 3-2 and 5.28 the Yankees would absolutely love to have Pettitte back.

Vazquez and Burnett? They’ve been about as bad as starters can get. Over the last month Vazquez is 0-2 with a 7.43 ERA and has been removed from the rotation, at least temporarily. Burnett has actually been worse at 0-4 and 7.80. The only thing saving him is his potential.

Overall the Yankees rotation is good for a 12-11 record and a 5.12 ERA, good for last in the AL. The rotation is in stark contrast to the bullpen which has been the best in the AL with a 2.06 ERA.

How has the bullpen done it? They’ve gotten contributions from everyone including Sergio Mitre, 2.93 ERA, and Chad Gaudin, 3.60 ERA.

The biggest single factor probably has been the addition of Kerry Wood. Wood has pitched in 11 games and has allowed only a single run, good for a 0.71 ERA. It isn’t just the fact that he pitches well on the mound though, he takes a lot of pressure off of the other relievers and allows manager Joe Girardi to lean on them less often.

Just look at David Robertson and Joba Chamberlain since Wood joined the team. Robertson has been amazing, although his last couple of outings have raised his ERA from spectacular to just good, 2.70. Joba Chamberlain has probably been the most effected though, putting up a 2.25 ERA over the last month.

Not to be overlooked is Boone Logan. Logan has been simply outstanding since his latest call-up and over the last month has pitched in more games than anybody in the pen and has managed a 0.00 ERA. You read that right, Logan has been putting up zeros for a straight month.

It’s a good thing the bullpen has managed to turn things around and with the way the rotation has been going it is just in the nick of time. The pitches staff’s overall ERA is 4.09, good for eighth in the AL. If the pen hadn’t managed to pull that ERA down one could only imagine that the Yankees wouldn’t be in first place right now.

Pettitte is due back in about two weeks. At that time things might turn around for the rotation, especially if Nova can continue to pitch well and remain in the rotation. Then in two weeks Moseley’s numbers can be replaced by Andy’s and Burnett would be moved to the fifth spot in the rotation. At that point his clunkers wouldn’t hurt the team as much as they are now as the de facto No. 3.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Yankees are back in the Bronx for a 10-game homestand starting with a four-game set against the Oakland Athletics today.

Here are some notes:

Alex Rodriguez will begin taking batting practice today and unless there are any setbacks he’ll be returning to the lineup as soon as he is eligible on September 5.

A.J. Burnett will not be skipped in the rotation and will pitch on schedule Wednesday.

Lance Berkman (ankle) will begin a two-game rehab assignment with the Double-A team tonight. No setbacks are expected, really the only reason he went on the DL was so the Yankees roster wasn’t short handed for a week.

Here are the pitching matchups:
Monday: RHP Trevor Cahill (14-5, 2.43) vs. Dustin Moseley (4-2, 4.53).
Tuesday: RHP Vin Mazzaro (6-6, 3.61) vs. RHP Phil Hughes (15-6, 4.12).
Wednesday: TBA vs. RHP A.J. Burnett (9-12, 5.17).
Thursday: TBA vs. LHP CC Sabathia (18-5, 3.14).

One of those TBA will be Dallas Braden.

The Yankees have their work cut out for them the rest of the season. There are 32 games left and only six of those games are against teams under-.500. Those games: this week against Oakland and Sept. 17-19 against Baltimore, and the Orioles have been playing a lot better of late.

The good news is that if the Yankees can manage to go .500 the rest of the season, the Red Sox would have to go 22-9 just to tie. That’s still doable for Boston, but it is a tall order. The Yankees and Red Sox have six games left head-to-head.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com