Morning M*A*S*H Report

A special Saturday good morning Fackers. How you feeling today? Shaking out the cobwebs from a rough Friday? If you are, you're in good company. Not with me of course, but with the Yankees. Except they're not hungover (not to my knowledge at least); it's more like death by a thousand paper cuts for them. Two more injuries last night to add to the ever-growing list of the walking wounded. Let's get you caught up on the comings and goings.

Firstly, before the game, the club made it official: Andy Pettitte will be skipped on his next turn through the rotation. Pettitte wasn't happy about it, and that's understandable. But at nearly 38 years old and with a history of arm problems, there's no need to tempt fate in May. When Pettitte got a little ornery about being skipped due to injury last year, we speculated that it might have something to do with the innings and roster incentives in his contract. His contract has no such clauses this year, so there's question about the lefty's motives this time around.

As expected, Sergio Mitre will make a spot start in Pettitte's stead. However, Mitre will start Monday, pushing Javier Vazquez into Pettitte's slot on Tuesday. The off day on Thursday ensures that Mitre, who threw 29 pitches in 2.1 innings of relief on Wednesday, will make hist start on a full four days of rest. Pushing Vazquez back lines him up to start the first interleague game at Citi Field on May 21st. Vazquez is the most experienced hitter amongst the Yankees' starters, and he's posted fair batting numbers over his career.

As we mentioned in yesterday's preview, Mitre's spot start has left the bullpen a man short. As such, outfielder Greg Golson was optioned out before yesterday's game, replaced by Romulo Sanchez. The big righty has been knocked around through five starts in Scranton this year. He was Scranton's scheduled starter last night; Kei Igawa got the spot start in his stead.

I understand the desire to have a full bullpen for a series at Fenway. However, even before last night's injuries, the Yankees had a short roster with the injuries to Pettitte and Jorge Posada. They also have their three best starters lined up for the series. Is sending out yet another position player in exchange for thirteenth pitcher really the best use of the roster spot?

That question becomes all the more pressing in light of the injuries the Yankees suffered during last night's game. In the fifth inning, Marcus Thames pinch hit for designated hitter Nick Johnson. Not because the Sox brought a lefty into the game, they hadn't. But because Johnson has been battling a sore wrist for sometime and felt that he had no strength in it. As Jay pointed out in the recap, given Johnson's injury history - including missing much of 2008 with a wrist injury - many fans are already calling the Johnson signing a bust. Let's wait at least until his MRI results come in until we start jumping to conclusions.

In the sixth inning, as Josh Beckett's control abandoned him, Robinson Cano took a nasty HBP on the inside of his left knee. He hobbled down the line to take his base, but lasted just a single pinch before he signaled for a pinch runner.

Johnson will be DL'd today. But with Cano likely unavailable, the club will recall another infielder rather than someone to replace Johnson as DH. Scranton infielders Kevin Russo, Reegie Corona, and Eduardo Nunez are all on the 40 man roster. Speculation is that Russo will get the nod and I think that's the right move. Not only has Russo been on fire of late (.357/.400/.548 over his last ten games), he's made appearances in center field and right field over the last week. He's likely the best offensive option of the three infielders at AAA, and with the Yankee outfield still being short in the wake of the Granderson injury and Golson demotion, Russo's versatility could be of value at this point as well.

Once Cano is back to full strength, the extra infielder will likely be sent down in favor of a better bat. That bat will most likely be Juan Miranda, who's hitting .267/.369/.465 at Scranton. However, Miranda has missed the last two games after taking an HBP on the elbow Tuesday. Apparently the injury bug has made it's way to Scranton as well.

I'm sure the picture will be a bit clearer closer to game time. We'll have further updates in the preview.

Minor Matters

Good morning Fackers. Here are some minor league news and notes to start off your humpday:

• Jesus Montero has begun his AAA career with a six game hitting streak. He's also hitting just .250 as he's picked up just one hit in each game. Such are the trappings of hitting streaks. Montero came up with a big eighth inning hit last night, giving Scranton the lead for good and allowing Kei Igawa to earn a vulture victory in relief of an outstanding Ivan Nova.


• Scranton manager Dave Miley has been rotating infielders Kevin Russo, Reegie Corona, and Eduardo Nunez through the infield positions. All three have seen time at each of second base, third base, and shortstop thus far. Miley is also rotating the outfielders through all three positions and David Winfree started at first base last night. Due to paperwork issues related to the waiver claim, Chad Huffman did not make his Scranton debut until last night.


• Alan Horne, who has missed the majority of the last two years after winning Eastern League Pitcher of the Year honors in 2007, has decided against surgery to repair a tear in his rotator cuff. After consulting with Dr. James Andrews, Horne has instead decided to try rest and rehab combined with platelet rich plasma treatments. Let's just hope he stays away from Dr. Galea.


• The official diagnosis is in on Christian Garcia, and it's not good: torn elbow ligament. No course of action has been determined yet, but Garcia is likely staring at a second Tommy John surgery and third overall elbow surgery in the last four years. This could be death blow for Garcia's career. It would easy to write him off as impressive talent who just couldn't stay healthy, but as his comments to Mike Ashmore indicate, Garcia is optimistic and appreciative of the support he's received in the past. That's an awful lot of grace to display in light of what he's facing.


• Garcia's spot in the Trenton rotation has been taken by Lance Pendleton. Pendleton had a strong season between Tampa and Trenton last year, but had been squeezed out of the rotation in the numbers game. He got roughed up in his start last night.


• Pendleton has been replaced in the bullpen by Jon Van Benschoten. The Yankees signed him as a minor league free agent this past off-season and had been in Extended Spring Training. Despite being thirty years old, a former first round, eighth overall draft pick, and having made just one appearance in AA since 2003, Van Benschoten is happy to have a job.


• Top pitching prospect Manny Banuelos was scratched from his scheduled start for Tampa on Sunday. He was later added to the disabled list. No official word has been released yet, but the prevailing rumor is that he had an appendectomy. I'll take a freak appendectomy over an arm injury any day.


• Just as the Yankees shared their Stadium with Pele and the New York Cosmos in the 1970s, the Tampa Yankees will be sharing Steinbrenner Field with FC Tampa this year. (h/t Pending Pinstripes)

We've got another weekday matinee today. Back with more in a bit.

Hairston Signs With Padres

Good morning Fackers. Yet another left field/bench option came off the board yesterday, as Jerry Hairston joined his brother Scott in San Diego by signing a one year $2.125M deal with the Padres. According to Buster Olney, the Yankees never even made Hairston an offer, despite reports last week that the club was in "serious talks" with him.

Acquired at the trade deadline last year, Hairston was a useful player for the Yankees, capable of playing each infield and outfield position. Losing Hairston certainly isn't going to ruin the 2010 season. The Yankees have four young utility infielder options on their 40 man roster in Ramiro Pena, Kevin Russo, Reegie Corona, and Eduardo Nunez. And even if the slim chance of Johnny Damon returning doesn't pan out, there are several viable left field platoon options on the free agent market in Reed Johnson, Xavier Nady, and Rocco Baldelli.

What doesn't exist on the free agent market is a supersub utility player with the defensive versatility of Hairston. Such a player isn't a must have for the Yankees, but given their roster construction, it is a nice luxury to have.

The Yankees figure to have a four man bench next season. One spot will be earmarked for Francisco Cervelli as the back up catcher. For better or worse, a second spot has to be reserved for Rule 5 pick Jamie Hoffmann, who currently profiles as the fourth outfielder. A third spot will go to a utility infielder, likely one of the four above with Pena and Russo appearing to be the leading candidates at present. That leaves just one spot, which will likely be filled by another outfielder, most likely a right handed platoon partner for Brett Gardner and/or Curtis Granderson.

However, assuming the Yankees elect to keep Hoffmann and sign another outfielder for that fourth bench spot, they are left with a single utility infielder on the roster. Given the quality of the Yankees' starting infield, this isn't a major concern. But, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter are two of the three most valuable position players on the team - if not the two most valuable. They will be 34 and 35, respectively, on Opening Day. While both should be in the line up daily, having a second infielder on the bench gives the Yankees the option of resting both, rather than choosing to rest just one, in blowout games, on turf, day games after night games, etc. It's not a situation that should arise often, but it does arise on occasion, as evidenced by Jose Molina's cameo at third base last year.

Both Russo and Pena have minimal outfield experience, but I can't imagine the Yankees carrying one of them as a second infielder in that fourth bench spot because they feel either could also serve as realistic outfield option.

As we saw last season, the bench changes over the course of the year. Hairston and Eric Hinske were the two main contributors off the bench last season and both were mid-season pick ups. Whatever team leaves Tampa in early April assuredly won't be the same that finishes up in October. But for the time being the Yankees have lost a solid, versatile bench option in Jerry Hairston. Best of luck to him in San Diego.