When the Yankees signed LaTroy Hawkins, I said “It’s a one-year deal, so if he isn’t pitching well, then he’ll be cut.”
Hawkins’ ERA is now 6.75. He isn’t pitching well and he needs to be cut.
Chris Britton at Triple-A: 13 IP 12 HA 3 R 3 ER 4 BB 12 K
Also, Hawkins just made it very easy for the idiots in the baseball media to bitch about the whole Joba thing. So, thanks for that too.
This thing with Ross is getting a little out of hand. His ERA is now 6.37. It is time for him to move back to pitching one inning at a time.
Calling up Steven White (3.69 ERA in 53.2 IP at Triple-A, on 40-man roster) for Ian Kennedy would be a quick and easy move.
Great job, NY Post.
Shelley Duncan batted sixth Monday as part of Joe Girardi alternating left-handed and right-handed batters throughout the lineup. He also went 0-for-4 with 2 K’s and is now hitting: .164/.242/.255. His BB% is 10.5% (16.7% at Triple-A) and his K% is 21.6% (18.6 at Triple-A). Also his IFFB% is a staggering 26.3%. He needs to be sent back down.
My suggestion: Call-up OF Brett Gardner from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Gardner, one of the fastest players in professional baseball, is hitting: .280/.394/.445 in Triple-A. He can play all three outfield positions and serve the team’s 5th outfielder.
The team shouldn’t continue to waste at-bats on Duncan and Morgan Ensberg.
The Yankees first comeback win when trailing after four innings brings them back to .500 and caps off a three game sweep of the M’s.
With the Yankees trailing 3-2, RHP Chien-Ming Wang went out on the mound for the top of the seventh. Wang looked a little shaky all afternoon (he’d already walked four) and logged 96 pitches. With Edwar Ramirez (0.00 ERA) warming in the bullpen, Wang appeared to be on a short leash.
A Jose Lopez double made it second and third with one out, a strikeout situation. Wang, a sinkerballer, had only struck out two on day and with his pitch count it didn’t look like he had another one in him. Coming into Sunday, Ramirez had a 10.6 K/9. This was a meaningful situation that called for Ramirez, who deserves more chances during games that aren’t already decided now that Joba Chamberlain has started his move to the rotation.
Instead, Joe Girardi waited until Wang let both runners score before inserting Ramirez.
Joe, Ramirez has a good arm and he has pitched well so far. He can help you win games and make the media forget about this 8th inning “void.” But, he can only do that if you use him in meaningful games.
Waiting until it was 5-2 to use Ramirez was a mistake, luckily Seattle sucks and the bats bailed him out in the 8th.
3-for-4, 2B, HR in 12-6 win.
Now hitting: .234/.384/.516/.900
“The ’stache is going to be here for a while,” Giambi said. (Source)
Wilson Betemit, who hit a homer at Triple-A on Saturday, is due back from the DL after Sunday’s game. This means the Yankees will have to make a roster move.
My suggestion: Designate Morgan Ensberg for assignment.
Ensberg is not hitting, he’s currently last on the team with a .170 EqA. He’s also limited defensively to first base and third base. His replacement, Alberto Gonzalez (.197 EqA), can play second, third and shortstop.
This move would allow Gonzalez to serve as the full-time backup infielder and free up Betemit (.257 EqA) for more at-bats.
Signing Ensberg was an educated gamble, but its about time to cut bait with this $1.75M investment.
Also, despite what you might have heard on TV, Mark Melancon has not been called up to Triple-A. I think whoever said it simply misspoke, meaning to say Trenton. (Source)
The bats were out at the Stadium Friday as the Yankees finally had a good offensive preformance against left-handed pitching and beat Erik Bedard and the M’s 13-2.
ARod is back. Cano is starting to heat up. Even Shelley Duncan homered. This team is gonna get Posada back soon and start to roll.
Edwar Ramirez: 11 IP 5 HA 0 R 0 ER 6 BB 13 K
Those numbers are terrific, but they aren’t helping the Yankees much considering the situations Edwar has been coming into. Ramirez currently ranks last on the team in BP’s Leverage.
Joba is going into the rotation, that leaves opprotunities open in the bullpen. Some of those opprotunities need to go to Edwar. He’s earned it.
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