Va, Va, Va-voom Jorge!

Via Yankees.com

While I would love nothing more than to have just one more season with Jorge Posada back in pinstripes, I must admit that I'm digging his new gig as the spokesperson for Johnnie Walker Black. Jorge is looking absolutely fantastic in both the commercials and print ads for the whiskey maker, but that's not surprising. Our former catcher was a looker even in a dirty uniform and a mask.

Congratulations Jorge!! I'm sure that Johnny Walker sales will triple now with your face as it's new marketing strategy.

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Cervelli Made A Game of It, But...

In the 9th inning of last night's game against the Diamondbacks, Francisco Cervelli gave the Yankees and the home crowd a reason to believe that, once again, a late-inning rally would precede another comeback win. But in extra innings, the Yankees would fall to Arizona and lose the game, 6-2.

Diamondbacks starter Patrick Corbin pitched a brilliant game, tagging the Yankees lineup with fast ball after fastball. He would pitch only one mistake--a 78 mph slider--to Robinson Cano who launched it into right center field on a line drive. he would keep the Yankees at bay from there until the 7th inning.

Then with JJ. Putz in for Arizona to close in the 9th, Cervelli launched a monster home run to left field, tying the game at 2-2. Brennan Boesch had already committed an out, so groundouts by Ichiro and Lyle Overbay sent the game into overtime.

And it would be all Arizona from there. David Robertson and David Phelps were able to keep the D-backs of the board through the 10th and 11th innings. But Phelps got touched up in the 12th. His first batter, Gerardo Parra, smacked a double to left. Two walks came from Paul Goldschmidt and Miguel Montero, on an interference call and hit by pitch, respectively. Then, Cody Ross singled to left scoring Parra. And finally, Eric Chavez, who I felt the whole series would get a big hit in somewhere, launched a double to center clearing the bases. Overbay, Brett Gardner and Vernon Wells would go down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.

But one bright spot to last night's game was the pitching performance of Phil Hughes. Although he

Getty Images / Elsa

gave up two home runs last in the 3rd and 6th innings, Hughes pitched a good game, getting his fastball up to 93 mph and having good location on both his fastball and changeup. His demeanor on the mound was also markedly different from his last start when he got hammered in Baltimore. Hughes pitched with an intensity suggesting that his first two starts were needed warm-ups following his injury, and that perhaps he's good to go now. He couldn't get the win, but he didn't lose either. And being able to stay in the game and pitch 7 innings was key in the Yankees having a chance to comeback and win the game.

Tonight, Andy Pettitte is back on the mound to open the series against Toronto. He faces RHP Brandon Morrow. I'll be paying close to attention to Andy's face looking for any signs of a grimace, possibly indicating tightness in his back. Game time is 7:07 pm.

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Jeter Out Until After All-Star Break

AP Photo / Paul Sancya

Well, it can't get much worse than this. Unless of course, Derek Jeter ends up missing the entire season.

Jeter visited Charlotte, NC today to visit the doctor that performed his ankle surgery last year. A CT scan revealed a small fracture in the area that was originally injured. According to this tweet by ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand, Brian Cashman confirmed that, like Alex Rodriguez, the Captain will be out until after the All-Star Break.

My initial reaction to this is that Jeter was obviously given the green light to play too soon. First, he was shut down in Spring Training after the ankle became sore again. Then this week, he was ordered to cut back on fielding ground balls and running. Sounds to me like this last time, the Yankees knew something was up, as this visit to Charlotte was reported as "unscheduled."

The good news is that this new injury won't require further surgery. But simply put, it's time for Jeter to just sit down and let his body heal. I know it kills him not to play, but the area of the ankle is one that you don't want to mess around with. The Yankees can go forward and continue to weather the injury storm without him for now. So far, so good.

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Comeback Kids

Getty Images / Al Bello

What was looking like an apparent loss for the Yankees and CC Sabathia last night, turned into their first great comeback of the season. With a little help from Brett Gardner and a major blast from Travis Hafner, the Yankees were able to overcome a 3-0 deficit in the seventh inning to beat the Diamondbacks, 4-3.

This was one of those nights where CC did not have his best stuff, yet was still brilliant. After giving up a two-run homerun to Paul Goldschmidt in the first inning, he settled in, using a variety of different pitches and speeds to keep the game within reach. Following the Goldschmidt home run and a single to Cody Ross, CC would retire his next 10 batters and would not give up another run until the fifth inning, when AJ Pollock hit a sacfly to score Josh Wilson who tripled on a line drive. He continued through the next two innings getting groundball outs and strikeouts with a bevy of pitches ranging anywhere from 74-90 mph.

Then, in the seventh inning, the Yankees' offense came through. Ben Francisco, who got his first hit of the season, singled on a grounder to left. Brennan Boesch followed with a double on a fly ball which moved Francisco to third. Eduardo Nunez walked on a groundball in the dirt from Diamondbacks starter Wade Miley to load the bases. Miley then walked Jayson Nix, scoring Francisco, and gave up a line-drive single to Gardner which brought in Boesch and Nunez, and tied the game at 3.

CC would return for the 8th and pitch a 1-2-3 inning, giving the Yankees another opportunity to take the lead. And on his first swing, Hafner nailed a 96 mph fastball from David Hernandez to right center field. Mariano Rivera closed out the ninth inning, getting his fourth save in 4 opportunities.

AP Photo / Kathy Willens

The Yankees appear to be on a nice roll now. The pitching staff has really settled in and the offense is coming through in key spots.What has to happen now is figuring out what adjustments need to made with Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova. It's been the veterans carrying the load while the young arms are continuing to struggle. Tonight, as Hughes pitches for the sweep, the key for him will be to get good movement and location on his changeup for strikeouts, and to keep his pitch count within reason. So far this season, when the starters have pitched beyond 5 innings, the Yankees have won. Hughes has yet to get into the fifth; hopefully tonight he will give this team length and secure his first win.

Hughes goes up against Patrick Corbin whose 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA. Game time is 7:05 pm.

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Noteworthy News

Robinson Cano and Mariano Rivera teamed up to secure the Yankees' win against the Diamondbacks last night, but other noteworthy news made its way around Yankeeland as usual. Here are some interesting reads on our boys in pinstripes:

• George A. King III of The NY Post recounts the Yankees "Sweet Caroline" tribute supporting the people of Boston in lieu of the Boston Marathon bombings.

• The Post's Dan Martin and George King III also report that Andy Pettitte is ready to return for his start this Friday.

• Mark Feinsand and Anthony McCarron of the NY Daily News report that Derek Jeter has been ordered by the Yankees to cut back on the groundballs he's been taking down in Tampa.

• Anthony McCarron also reports on Curtis Granderson's visit to Abraham Lincoln HS yesterday in Brooklyn, citing Grandy's admission that free agency is weighing heavy on his rehab.

• The Record's Jeff Roberts discusses how David Phelps has become the Yankees' "Mr. Everything."

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Cano Homers Yankees Past Diamondbacks

The Associated Press

On a night of tributes at Yankee Stadium, Robinson Cano came up big, hitting a three-run blast to propel the team past the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 4-2 win.

Although Major League Baseball honored Jackie Robinson Monday with all players wearing the number 42 on their uniforms, the Yankees paid tribute last night because they were off on Jackie Robinson Day. The team also paid tribute to the city of Boston in the wake of the bombings during Monday's Boston Marathon by playing Neil Diamond's classic, "Sweet Caroline" at the end of the third inning. The song is normally played at Fenway Park during the Red Sox's Seventh Inning Stretch.

But last night was a big night for Cano and further proof that he is stepping up to carry this team on his power shoulders. With the Yankees down 2-0 going into the bottom of the fourth inning, Cano smacked a 3-run blast into the second section of the right field bleachers to put the Yanks ahead 3-2. Before the homer, Lyle Overbay and Chris Stewart got on with singles to left field. The home run would be all the offense the Yankees needed to win.

"Since I saw [Cano] in the minor leagues, he has a kind of easy way to getting it done," Mariano Rivera told the media after the game. "You make a mistake with a guy like that, and you're going to pay."



The Associated Press

Last night was also a special night for Mo. We all know that he is the only player in MLB that wears the number 42 on his uniform, as he was "grandfathered in" when Jackie Robinson Day became official. So to get the save on a night in tribute to the man that broke the color barrier in baseball felt good for him.

"Definitely," Mo said. "To come up with the victory and be the guy to close the game, that's pretty good."

And Ivan Nova pitched well enough to get the win, but it was not a very good performance for him overall. As former Yankee Al Leiter pointed out several times during last night's broadcast, Nova seems afraid to throw his fastball, relying mostly on breaking balls and sinkers. By the end of the fourth inning, his pitch count had almost reached 80. But a win is a win, and Nova probably spared himself from being removed from the lineup for now.

Tonight, our ace CC Sabathia will get the start against LHP Wade Miley. Miley has been superb for Arizona so far, with a 2-0 record and 2.13 ERA. Should be a good matchup. Game time is 7:05 pm.

Quote credit: Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

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Yankees Starting Lineup for 4/16/13

Eduardo Nunez takes his place back at shortstop tonight. This kid is Teflon!! Here is tonight's starting lineup:

Brett Gardner CF - .244/.333/.422
Robinson Cano 2B - .311/.367/.600
Kevin Youkilis 3B - .333/.404/.571
Travis Hafner DH - .303/.410/.576
Vernon Wells LF - .324/.405/.649
Ichiro Suzuki RF - .176/.237/.265
Eduardo Nunez SS - .250/.333/.300
Lyle Overbay 1B - .282/.300/.410
Chris Stewart C - .200/.200/.200

Ivan Nova RHP - 0-1, 7.71 ERA

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For Nova, It's Time to Hit the Reset Button

The Associated Press

Tonight, Ivan Nova will get his chance to make a second impression.

To say that it is do or die time for the young righty is about as close to accurate as one can get. If he does not pitch the game of his life against the Arizona Diamondbacks, in front of the home crowd, his time in the rotation is as good as over.

And what does pitching the game of his life specifically entail? Nova must get good speed, movement and placement on the fastball and curveball that devastated batters in 2011 when he pitched to a 16-4 record and 3.70 ERA. The opposite has resulted in an increased ERA and whip, and a decrease in the number of opposing batters left on base and production of groundball outs which decreased from 52.7% in 2011 to 45.2% in 2012. Nova's also steadily declining in his K/BB ratio. Check the charts:

The stats don't lie. Bottom line is, Nova has gone from being the Yankees No. 2 starter in 2011 to losing a spot in the rotation to David Phelps by the end of last season. And Phelps has looked very good so far, going all the way back to Spring Training. Until the cavalry return, I will continue to point out how important pitching is for the Yankees right now. Perhaps without so much offense being missing from the lineup, tonight's start would simply be a "second look," to see what adjustments Nova needs to make. But this is a much bigger game for him...and the Yankees.

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This Morning, My Heart Is In Boston

Yesterday's bombings during the Boston Marathon was a painful reminder that the anger and aggression that exists within people in this world is reaching a frightening boiling point. It sickens me and should sicken everyone that on a beautiful, sunny day, a community came together to support a charitable and beloved cause only to walk away with feelings of devastation, grief and hopelessness. I'll never understand what the reward is in destroying people's lives; but I do know that a resolution to all this madness needs to happen and fast.

My prayers and sincerest condolences go out to the people of Boston. There is no Boston-New York rivalry today as far as I'm concerned, and there won't be for a very long time.

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Noteworthy News

With the Yankees blanking the Orioles 3-0 last night, much was "a-buzz" over Hiroki Kuroda's pitching performance. But there's always much more to talk about in Yankeeland and some stories made for interesting headlines. Here is some noteworthy news you might be interested in:

• Dan Martin of The NY Post reports that Curtis Granderson has yet to take a swing and is unsure of his timetable to return to the lineup.

• The Post's Joel Sherman also discusses Robinson Cano's value in terms of an MVP candidacy.

• John Harper of the NY Daily News says that the aging Yankees are getting no help from the young arms in their rotation.

• Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer breaks down his assessment of the Yankees' future path.

• John Jeansonne of Newsday reports that Granderson says Derek Jeter is "ripping" the ball down in Florida.

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