The LoHud Yankees Blog

In the days immediately after the Jesus Montero/Michael Pineda blockbuster, every email, text message and phone call seemed to be a part of one endless conversation. With scouts and executives, with outraged fans and excited fans, with my own editors and other beat writers. It was a prospect-for-prospect swap, which meant it was all potential and no promises.

Which meant the conversation was endless.

The debate could and would rage on for years, but for some reason, it seemed that everyone wanted to have the entire conversation — from start to finish — right then and there.

Of all of those early phone calls, of all the speculation and second guessing, there’s one that stands out to me. I remember one talent evaluator saying that it would be a long time before we knew which team “won” the trade, but this much was certain: The only sure thing in the deal was that Montero would hit.

Yet, here we are, a year and a half later, with the news that Montero is being shipped to Triple-A because he’s hitting .208/.264/.327. For the sake of just-for-fun comparison, Chris Stewart is hitting .265/.307/.397. Granted, some of the demotion is surely because Montero’s a not-very-good catcher, but everyone has known for years. The assumption was that Montero’s bat would be enough to outweigh his glove. It hasn’t been.

As the News Tribune points out, the Mariners top catching prospect, Mike Zunino, is also on the Triple-A roster, which means Montero is likely to get most of his playing time at designated hitter and first base. It’s worth wondering if he’s burned up his last chance to prove himself behind the plate, and now has to prove himself all over again at the plate.

Meanwhile, Michael Pineda is getting closer and closer to a rehab assignment, and Brian Cashman has talked about encouraging signs of arm strength in Pineda’s extended spring training starts.

Does this mean the Yankees are now winning the trade? Not really. Only means the conversation will continue, and after one shoulder surgery and one demotion, there’s still no such thing as a sure thing.

Associated Press photo

This is what Joe Girardi said about Curtis Granderson on Tuesday night:

“I think his swing is coming. I think you’re starting to see him drive some baseballs, and that’s a good sign. He didn’t have a normal spring training for him, but I think he’s getting closer, and I think he’s about ready to take off.”

This is what Granderson did on Wednesday night: 3-for-3 with a double, a home run, two-runs scored and a batting average that rose nearly 100 points in the span of nine innings.

“It’s just a matter of getting comfortable and getting timing right and getting in a rhythm and going from there,” Granderson said. “It’s one of those baseball things. You can’t really pinpoint it exactly. It’s just going to end up happening one day. Could be one swing. Could be one at-bat. Could be one day.”

The Yankees season might be almost two months old, but Granderson has played only seven games. Those games weren’t going particularly well until last night, when he finally got his first extra-base hit (the third-inning double), his first home run and his first RBI. The Yankees are banking on Granderson providing some middle-of-the-order pop, and he finally showed it last night.

“It’s a result oriented game, so you always want to see that stuff,” Granderson said. “At the same time, the feel is the most important thing. Whenever you do get the feel, then you’re in a better situation to get the results that you want. That’s what I’m still working on right now, just getting that feel.”

Granderson said he feels no pain in his forearm, playing all three outfield positions hasn’t affected him — “It’s not anything foreign. It’s not anything more exciting or less exciting,” he said — and he hasn’t been bothered by moving up and down the lineup. The biggest thing was getting healthy, getting into his routine, and trusting that the production would come.

“It’s just like the opening week of the season for me,” Granderson said. “… If I had 100 home runs right now, I’d be no different. It’s just part of the beginning of the season. You’ve got to get through it, and things are going to go ahead and change and even themselves out after you get into the next week, and then the next month, and into the halfway point and then toward the end of the season. I would expect things to go ahead and even themselves out. No matter what you end up doing, you’re not going to stay on pace like that. If you had zero hits or a thousand hits, things aren’t going to stay that way.”

Associated Press photo

I was actually planning to write one of those “random thoughts” posts this morning, but as I’m sitting here, about to fly to Tampa, I really have only two random thoughts:  1. The pitching staff really dodged a bullet last night; and 2. The offense really needs a huge, breakout game at some point.

The first thought pretty much speaks for itself. Just like last season, Hiroki Kuroda has been the Yankees best starter. I think CC Sabathia has become somewhat underrated — the velocity is down, and he’s not Justin Verlander, but he regularly gives the Yankees quality innings and a chance to win — but Kuroda has been the rotation’s knockout punch.

When last night’s game started, Kuroda was second in the league in ERA. When that comebacker hit off his shin, the Yankees were in trouble.

Of course, it turned out, the injury was incredibly minor. A bruised calf should heal just fine, and absolutely no one seems legitimately concerned that Kuroda will miss a start. With each of these injuries, I keep wondering which one will be the straw that breaks the Yankees’ back. Losing Kuroda might have done it, especially when the rotation depth is already being tested.

And that rotation is vital because of the second random thought: The Yankees offense has been spectacular considering the circumstances. They’ve used four different shortstops, and four different third basemen, and their starting first baseman is only there because the three options the Yankees brought to spring training didn’t work out.

So, we knew all along that the offense was going to have to scratch for some runs, and for the most part, the lineup has been able to do exactly that. It’s gotten some timely hits and some surprising power, and a good pitching staff has turned that into 28 wins. It’s defied xpectation, and it’s made the Yankees one of the surprise teams in baseball.

But the lineup hasn’t been explosive, and it’s hard for any team to keep winning all of these tight games. We saw that on Tuesday night when the Yankees bullpen finally gave up a run in the 10th, and we saw that on Wednesday night when a four-run Orioles lead was never seriously challenged.

The Yankees need their pitching, which means they need Kuroda. But they could sure use some offense, too.

Associated Press photo

Here’s something unusual for this season: The Yankees seem to have avoided a serious injury tonight.

When Manny Machado sent a comebacker off Hiroki Kuroda’s lower leg, the scene was similar to the line drive that broke Andy Pettitte’s leg a year ago. There was never a sense that Kuroda was hurt that badly, but there were certainly some recent perspective on how bad it might have been.

“You get concerned,” Joe Girardi said. “But it’s all muscular. That should heal. It’ll be sore a little bit tomorrow and the next day, but that’ll go away.”

Girardi said he would be “shocked” if Kuroda had to miss a start because of this injury, and Kuroda left little doubt that he expects to pitch again in five or six days.

“It will depend on how I feel tomorrow,” Kuroda said. “But for me, I’m going to make that start.”

Kuroda said the ball hit in the lower half of his calf, toward the side of his leg. When Girardi and Steve Donohue went to check on Kuroda immediately afterward, Kuroda said he was fine, and a few warmup pitches proved to be no trouble. When Kuroda went out for the next inning and allowed back-to-back hits, the Yankees became concerned — they though Kuroda was stretching his back, but he was just trying to twist around to stretch his calf — and Kuroda told Girardi that he was having trouble pushing off the mound. That’s when Girardi made the decision to go to the bullpen.

“I guess it was more of a precaution,” Kuroda said. “If I had to push myself, I might have continued to pitch.”

• In case you were concerned based on Kuroda’s stretching movements on the mound, Kuroda made it clear that there’s no problem with his back.

• Even before the calf injury, this was a pretty bad night for Kuroda. He’d previously allowed just three home runs this season, but he allowed two in the first inning. “The home run I gave up to the third hitter, that sort of changed my rhythm,” Kuroda said. “After getting two quick outs, with a 1-1 count, I left a ball in the middle. That was something I was disappointed with.”

• Last time Kuroda pitched against the Orioles, he pitched a complete game shutout at Yankee Stadium on April 14. Tonight he allowed season highs in hits (eight) and runs (five) despite pitching just two-plus innings. Weird.

• Pretty unusual situation for Preston Claiborne, who hadn’t allowed a run before rushing into the game, replacing Kuroda, and allowing a three-run homer two pitches later. “I had plenty of time to get ready,” Claiborne said. “I took the appropriate time to get ready on the mound. … I didn’t execute the pitch, and if I had put it where I wanted it, then I would have more than likely got a good result out of it, just like I did the night before.”

• Looking for a pitching bright side, that’s easy. Adam Warren went four scoreless innings. He allowed five singles, but didn’t walk anyone and got two double plays. He has a 1.14 ERA this season. He’s in a kind of unusual role, but he’s pitched very well.

• Another highlight: Curtis Granderson. His power had yet to reveal itself this season, but tonight he was 3-for-3 with a double and a home run. “I liked how he was swinging the bat (before this),” Girardi said. “I just felt it was a matter of time until he started getting some hits. He swung the bat great tonight.”

• Granderson on his big night: “That’s just baseball. It’s a matter of a game, a pitch, a swing. All the stuff like that. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything is resolved by any means, it’s just one game. Take that, tomorrow’s an off day, and try to come back and be in the best position to be successful on Friday.”

• David Adams hit his second home run in three days.

• We’ll give the final word to Granderson, talking about whether hitting for the cycle ever crossed his mind tonight: “The fans were telling me about it. I was just trying to hopefully get up there, the fourth hand the fifth time, with an opportunity to continue to cut into the lead a little bit, especially in the end. When we got that home run by Adams, now we’re down three, and if we can get a couple of things going, maybe we can get the meat of the lineup up and make this thing interesting.”

Associated Press photos

Hiroki Kuroda was having trouble pushing off the mound in the third inning, which is the reason he was pulled from the game. Kuroda said he could have pushed through it, and he said coming out was a precaution.

Joe Girardi said he would be shocked if Kuroda were not able to make his next start.

Hiroki Kuroda was knocked around tonight, but the biggest blow might have been the one to his right calf. Adding injury to insult, the Yankees 6-3 loss to the Orioles was punctuated by yet another injury. Kuroda was hit by a Manny Machado comebacker in the second inning, and he was pulled from the game three batters later. The Yankees announced the injury as a bruised calf with no immediate word on the severity. Even before the injury, Kuroda was not at his best. Having previously allowed just three home runs all season, Kuroda allowed two in the first inning. He pitched out of trouble in the second — retiring the first batter after the comebacker — but was pulled after the first two batters reached in the third. Preston Claiborne’s second pitch of relief was a three-run homer by Matt Wieters, and the Orioles were in control. The first two Yankees runs were scored by Curtis Granderson, who had his best game since coming off the disabled list. He was 3-for-3 with a walk, a double and a home run. David Adams added a solo homer in the ninth, his second homer in three games. Adam Warren delivered four scoreless innings of relief for the Yankees.

Associated Press photo

YANKEES (28-17)
Curtis Granderson CF
Robinson Cano 2B
Vernon Wells LF
Travis Hafner DH
Lyle Overbay 1B
David Adams 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Reid Brignac SS
Austin Romine C

RHP Hiroki Kuroda (6-2, 1.99)
Kuroda vs. Orioles

ORIOLES (24-21)
Nate McLouth LF
Manny Machado 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones DH
Chris Davis 1B
Matt Wieters C
JJ Hardy SS
Chris Dickerson CF
Alexi Casilla 2B

RHP Jason Hammel (5-2, 5.72)
Hammel vs. Yankees

TIME/TV: 7:05 p.m., YES Network and ESPN

WEATHER: It’s been legitimately hot and muggy today. Probably feels hotter than it really is only because it’s been cold for so long, but I was soaked in sweat after walking to the ballpark. Should obviously cool down a little bit tonight.

UMPIRES: HP Paul Schrieber, 1B Chad Fairchild, 2B Jeff Kellogg, 3B Eric Cooper

FOUR IN A ROMINE: Austin Romine has started each of the last four Yankees games. He is the first Yankees rookie to start four straight games behind the plate since Jorge Posada started 11 in-a-row from in September of 1997.

EXTRA, EXTRA: The Yankees have played back-to-back extra-inning games at Camden Yards for the second straight season (also 4/10-11/12 (Yankees won both games)…their loss in Tuesday’s 10-inning game was just their second in their last seven extra-inning games on the road…have not played three straight extra-inning games since 5/13-16/01 (vs. Baltimore and two games at Oakland, all losses).

FINAL EXAM: The Yankees are 10-5 in series finales this season, winning four of the last five. They are 5-2 in finales on the road, and 3-3 in rubber games of three-game sets this season.

UPDATE, 7:22 p.m.: Two-out solo homer by Markakis has the Orioles in front here in the first.

UPDATE, 7:27 p.m.: Two-out, two-run homer by Chris Davis and suddenly it’s a 3-0 game. That happened pretty fast, and the O’s are still batting.

UPDATE, 7:32 p.m.: Hard-hit double for Wieters before a fly ball to left gets Kuroda out of the inning. Kuroda faced seven batters that inning, and five of them hit the ball hard — two homers, two deep fly balls and the double off the wall. The weakest-hit ball of the inning was probably Adam Jones’ broken-bat single.

UPDATE, 7:55 p.m.: Looked like that ball hit Kuroda in the right calf, but he’s staying in the game with two outs and runners at the corners in the second. Certainly not his cleanest outing of the year.

UPDATE, 8:06 p.m.: Curtis Granderson gets his first extra-base hit of the year — a double — and Robinson Cano brings him home with a sharp RBI single. It’s now 3-1 with no outs, one on and the heart of the Yankees order coming to the plate.

UPDATE, 8:25 p.m.: This is becoming absurd. Kuroda is out with some sort of injury. Could be related to that comebacker off his calf. He also seemed to have something going on with his back. No information right now, only speculation about what might be wrong. Clearly not good news, though.

UPDATE, 8:28 p.m.: Even worse now that Wieters went deep off Claiborne for a three-run homer and a 6-1 Orioles lead.

UPDATE, 8:53 p.m.: There’s Granderson’s first home run of the year. He has three hits and is a triple short of the cycle tonight.

UPDATE, 8:59 p.m.: Here’s Adam Warren to pitch the fifth. It’s still a four-run game, so the Yankees aren’t entirely out of this thing just yet. Need Warren to keep it here, though.

UPDATE, 9:03 p.m.: Bruised right calf for Kuroda.

UPDATE, 9:59 p.m.: Four scoreless innings for Warren. He’s really done a nice job this season. He kept the Yankees within four runs tonight, to give them at least a fighting chance if the lineup could get going. Dellin Betances was getting loose in the bullpen in the eighth.

The Yankees seem to be in little rush to activate Ivan Nova.

Down in Tampa, Nova threw a light side today. He’s already pitched in a few extended spring training games, and Girardi said Nova “felt good” today, yet there are very few details about an exact plan for what comes next.

“We’ll make sure he feels OK and we’ll go from there,” Girardi said.

Nova has shown that he can be a very good big league starter, but he’s also fallen flat through extended stretches. He was brutal in the second half of last year, and he wasn’t pitching especially well before landing on the disabled list this season. With David Phelps more than holding his own in the rotation, and Adam Warren pitching well in a long relief role out of the bullpen, the Yankees don’t seem to be in a real rush to get Nova back.

If you assume Joba Chamberlain will eventually replace Dellin Betances, and Andy Pettitte will eventually replace Vidal Nuno — would you be willing to activate Nova at the expense of Phelps or Warren or Shawn Kelley or Preston Claiborne?

“We’re able to be patient because we want to make sure he’s healthy when he comes back,” Girardi said. “Then you get in the problem of, he pitches a game and then you’ve got to put him back on the DL. We don’t want to do that.”

• Andy Pettitte is going to play catch either Thursday or Friday. “Then we’ll do some long toss, a bullpen and hopefully work it up to a simulated game,” Girardi said. For now, the plan is for Pettitte to do his work with the Yankees, not at the minor league complex.

• Will Pettitte be activated the day he’s eligible? “We have it mapped or semi-mapped out,” Girardi said. “I don’t know if it will be the first day, but it will be shortly after that.”

• The Yankees are giving CC Sabathia an extra day off this week. He’ll pitch Sunday, not Saturday. The Yankees will go with a rotation of Phelps/Nuno/Sabathia in Tampa. “It’s just the way we did it because we’re in another long stretch here,” Girardi said. “After this day off, it’s 17 days in a row, so that’s how we decided to do it.”

• Joba Chamberlain threw 13 pitches in an extended spring training inning. “Felt good,” Girardi said. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”

• Mark Teixeira and Kevin Youkilis each got six at-bats in a simulated game today. Is Youkilis getting close to playing in a real game? “I can’t tell you,” Girardi said. “I think you have to give him a few days in a row before you evaluate to make sure that his back is healed and it doesn’t come back. The last two days have been pretty good, so he’s getting closer.”

• Eduardo Nunez took batting practice today. He had been doing only tee and toss.

• Today, Brett Gardner gets a turn on the bench. “Ich has played pretty well against (Orioles starter Jason) Hammel, has good numbers against Hammel,” Girardi said. “I’m going to move it around a little bit, let it iron itself out. This way Gardy gets a couple days.”

• Another start for Hiroki Kuroda. Amazing to think that a little more than a year ago there were questions about whether he could handle the transition from the NL West to the AL East. “People are always going to have that question whenever you go from one league to the other, especially there’s always talk about the NL to the AL,” Girardi said. “If you can pitch, you can pitch; I don’t care where you’re pitching. If you have the ability to command three or four different pitches, you’re going to be successful.”

Associated Press photos

Curtis Granderson CF
Robinson Cano 2B
Vernon Wells LF
Travis Hafner DH
Lyle Overbay 1B
David Adams 3B
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Reid Brignac SS
Austin Romine C

RHP Hiroki Kuroda