Kuzul

Via Josh Norris:

To make it all clear: Andrew Brackman and Dellin Betances are headed to NY to get a taste of life in the show, not to pitch at all; and just in from Damon Oppenheimer, Jesus Montero will be joining Betances and Brackman. However, H\he will also be inactive.

So Montero, Brackman, and Betances have been called up, but they aren’t active and can’t play. This is purely about getting the experience of being around a big league club in a playoff atmosphere. The Yankees have done this from time to time with different players over the years.

All three players have had big years in the minor leagues. Montero is probably the closest actually playing in the major leagues after spending an entire season at Triple-A, but Brackman might not be far behind. Betances will probably not get called up next season until September at the earliest. If there is a run of injuries that could change though.

Here is a look at each player’s stats:

Brackman:

Betances:

Montero:

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The Yankees were swept today by the Texas Rangers and now have lost six of their last seven games as Cliff Lee was brilliant tonight holding them to one run on two hits over eight innings. Dustin Moseley was impressive, but ultimately not good enough as he allowed four runs over 6.2 innings as the Yankees lost 4-1.

Here are some highlights:

Probably the biggest positive to come out of this game was Jonathan Albaladejo who pitched 1.1 innings and didn’t allow a run. His ERA this season is down to 1.59.

Other than that there wasn’t much as only Derek Jeter and Eduardo Nunez got hits, one each. Jeter also had two walks.

The Yankees managed three walks off Lee. It’s the most walks he’s allowed since September 2009.

The Rangers were aggressive on the bases, swiping three bags off of Jorge Posada. That could be a problem in the playoffs.

Alex Rodriguez got the day off for normal rest.

Nick Swisher was originally in the lineup, but was a late scratch because of his knee.

Brett Gardner sat with pain in his wrist, he’ll have an MRI on it this week. He’s currently day-to-day.

This was a very tough loss for the Yankees because of the playoff implications. Luckily, Tampa Bay lost today, so they are still in first place. But that is their next opponent, so if they don’t turn around their recent losing ways, they are at risk of falling into second place.

Things to keep in mind though, Chad Gaudin was a big reason for two of the losses and he isn’t likely to be on the playoff roster. And Phil Hughes and Andy Pettitte weren’t in the rotation this week. Hughes will be back Wednesday and Pettitte Sunday.

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The Yankees have dropped two in a row in walk-off style against the Texas Rangers and things won’t get any easier today as they face Cliff Lee. Making things worse, the Tampa Bay Rays are within striking distance, just a half-game back, of first place. So there is a lot on the line this afternoon.

Here are some notes:

In Lee’s last start against the Yankees he pitched 6.1 innings and gave up 4 earned runs.

Andy Pettitte will throw another rehab start on Tuesday and if everything goes well he will rejoin the rotation next Sunday, a week from today, in Baltimore.

Triple-A Scranton was ousted from the playoffs so the Yankees have called up first baseman Juan Miranda and infielder/outfielder Kevin Russo from the minors. It’s possible more players could be called up later on.

Jorge Posada is expected to catch today, the first time he’ll be doing that since he had a concussion scare after getting hit with a foul tip last week.

Brett Gardner has an injured right wrist. There was no specific play he injured it during, it’s just one of those things. He’s day-to-day, but could be seeing some time off in the upcoming days. He expects to get an MRI sometime this week.

Even if the Yankees lose today and the Rays win, they two teams go head-to-head starting tomorrow. So the Yankees will ultimately control their own destiny. First things first though, they have to win tonight to avoid a sweep at the hands of another potential playoff opponent.

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The first week of July the New York Yankees nearly landed Cliff Lee in a deal with the Mariners in exchange for a package surrounding top prospect Jesus Montero.

The Yankees were aggressive in trying to land Lee because despite the fact that they had five starting pitchers, a few of them were question marks and they thought adding Lee would have settled some of those questions.

Two months later, Montero had an amazing finish in the minor leagues, and Lee is a huge question mark for the Texas Rangers heading into the playoffs.

Montero hit .342 with a 1.072 OPS and five home runs during the month of July, .330 with a .985 OPS, and seven home runs in August, and a .370 average, a 1.222 OPS, and three home runs in just six games in September.

There are still questions surrounding Montero’s defense, but at this point he looks like he’ll be an extremely solid offensive major league player.

Lee has been on the exact opposite track.

He has pitched in 11 games since joining the Rangers with a 2-5 record and a 4.69 ERA. The team’s record during his starts, 3-8. He’s also missed one start and is questionable going forward.

Now all of this could change if Lee rights himself and pitches well in the playoffs.

And if he had been traded to the Yankees and contributed in a big way to them winning the World Series than the trade could have been worth it, but that is far from guaranteed right now.

Lee has pitched very poorly against possible playoff opponents like the Yankees, Rays, and Twins, allowing at least four earned runs in each start and only making it out of the seventh once.

Some scouts and front office executives have called Montero’s bat generational, as in he could end up being very good.

It sure wouldn’t have been worth it to trade him away for yet another question mark in the starting rotation. That non-trade could be the best thing that has happened to the Yankees since last October.

Related Stories

• June 9, 2010—Yankees Trade Rumors: M’s Anticipate Dealing Lee to Yanks
• September 9, 2010—What Happens in the Playoffs if Posada Goes on the DL?
• September 9, 2010—Yankees Notes: Streaks, Montero, and MiLB Playoffs
• September 8, 2010—Jorge Posada Day-to-Day with Concussion Symptoms

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Yankees haven’t been swept at home by the Baltimore Orioles since 1986, so they’ll be trying to avoid that as they go back to playing afternoon games, at least for one day. Ivan Nova will be on the mound taking on righty Brad Bergesen who has a 6-10 record with a 5.47 ERA.

Here are some notes:

• CC Sabathia was denied his 20th win last night. He also had a 21-game unbeaten streak in the Bronx snapped. That is a record he now shares with Whitey Ford.
• Alex Rodriguez sat yesterday just as a way for manager Joe Girardi to get him some extra rest. He didn’t rehab so Girardi is being cautious. He did pinch hit and grounded into a fielder’s choice.
• Since returning from the DL, Lance Berkman is batting .500 with a 1.154 OPS in seven games (three starts).
• Cliff Lee, who had a start skipped due to back issues, is expected to start this weekend against the Yankees.
• Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton start their playoffs tonight. On the mound for Trenton is RHP Dellin Betances and on the mound for Scranton is RHP D.J. Mitchell. For a complete preview, click here.
• Also, this is very last minute, you have just an hour left to enter, but I was going to post this yesterday and forgot about it. Our old friend Lenny Neslin over at lenNY’s Yankees is having a giveaway where you could win $100 in Yankees gear. Check it out and enter.

I have to say, looking at the rotations the Yankees minor league teams have going for them and looking at the rotation the Yankees look forward to using in the playoffs, I’d almost rather go with one of their rotations. Trenton has Betances, Andy Pettitte, LHP Manny Banuelos, RHP Andrew Brackman, and RHP Cory Arbiso. Scranton’s isn’t quite as impressive, but still formidable with Mitchell, RHP David Phelps, LHP Kei Igawa, RHP Hector Noesi, and RHP Lance Pendleton. Not bad. The future looks bright for the Yankees pitching staff. Unfortunately none of these guys can contribute this season.

Related Stories

• August 29, 2010 — Yankees Notes: Recap, Nova, and Injury Updates
• August 23, 2010 — Yankees Notes: A-Rod, Nova, Call-Ups, Sabathia
• September 2, 2010 — Get Off My Mound
• August 31, 2010 — Yankees Notes: A-Rod, Berkman, Aceves

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com