Breaking news: Giambi to DL
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on May 31, 2007 
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Jason Giambi was seen by foot and ankle specialist Dr. William Hamilton today and found to have a tear of the plantar fascia in his left foot. That is the tissue that connects the heel to the base of the toes.
He will go on the disabled list today. Giambi was given a walking boot to immobilize the area and will be evaluated again in three weeks.
No word as of yet who will be called up to replace Giambi on the roster.
This means lots more of Johnny Damon as the DH and Melky Cabrera in center field.
And How about Phelps at 1st and Monky on the bench.Im also guessing KT comes up
Minky oops
Time to call Bernie and say:
“Hey Bernie, can u help us now?”
Anybody know how long those take to heal or if surgery is required?
Whew – thank goodness. Maybe the consistent play time will get Melky back to normal numbers and rest Damon. They should 60 day DL Giambi if this team turns it around without him (in spite of him?)
Damon as DH is a lot less terrifying than what I thought we were getting.
Both platoon first baseman playing ever day.
::shudders::
enough time to bring Bernie “myth” Williams back to DH role.
SHELLY DUNCAN!
I can’t imagine who there is to bring up. KT has been hitting better lately, so I’m guessing it’s probably him. I can’t see creating a space on the 40-man for either Phillips or Duncan but maybe they do and Andy gets another shot. What luck that so many guys have long-term injuries and they can keep bumping them to the 60-day DL.
Christ, will you people shut up about Bernie already…
When will you realize he’s not coming back, ever?
Plus, lets not forgot his horrible OBP and Slugging % from the last 2 years.
I’d rather see Bernie Williams than a repeat of the Andy Phillips experiment.
Or some other career minor leaguer.
Or Doug Mendoza.
Shelly Duncan should be brought up. Or if you REALLY wanted to get crazy you could gamble that Eric Duncan is due for a tear based on his 2HR game this week.
Well, with Bernie yankees never got 13.5GB.
the sad thing is, I’m sure mr. 38pitches would actually say something like that.
bernie’s gone people. deal with it already.
No way, he just starting hitting, the bum foot was obviously helping!
I’ll be glad to have Melky’s energy back in the game and more importantly his glove and arm in the outfield. However, I’d much prefer to see Johnny get healthy so it’s Matsui as the DH and Melky in left (johnny defense > matsui’s, if he’s healthy….).
yeah, clearly it’s the loss of Bernie that got us 13.5 games back. Good logic.
Kevin, can Shelley Duncan hit a curveball?
I suspect there’s some reason he’s in the minor leagues in his late 20s, and more often than not, thats the reason.
This is good news and bad news. Obviously losing Giambi’s bat in the line-up hurts but its good news in a sense that damon gets to rest up and DH.
Maybe they call up Shelley Duncan?
Time for Teixeira.
Looks like Shelly Duncan is the new blog idol. Man you guys get a name in your head and you just go crazy about him….ala Nieves/Phelps/Britton during spring training. None of those guys have panned out yet fellas. You guys need to lay off the sports talk radio and look at the big picture, 26-28 year old minors leaguers are down there for a reason. Teams could scoop these guys up in the Rule 5 draft or other teams would make offers for them if they were any good. These players aren’t any good and aren’t going to help the team catch the Red Sox by any means. If you want a guy who can hit .220 and a home run every now in then in the Show then might as well throw Minky in there or let a pitcher bat. These players you guys idolize are jokes and hacks.
NO MORE BERNIE TALK. HE IS NEVER EVER EVER COMING BACK!!!!
Chris NY’s right. Matsui’s solid…but not great. He sometimes makes me cringe in the outfield. Not as bad as ol’ Manny, but not much better.
giambi’s bat was in the lineup?
Odd, I thought it had disappeared about a month ago.
Guys, I just heard on espn radio that we have just signed a new free agent first baseman.. the one and only DONNIE BASEBALL. That’s right, HE’S BACK!
We’ve also hired Babe Ruth as the bench coach to replace Mattingly.
Yeah, Bernie is ready to play right now, having seen ZERO live pitching since last October.
Really, some of you folks need to get a grip. Bernie Williams is not coming back to the Yankees.
If they signed him tomorrow, he wouldn’t be available for a month at best. Its not happening. He is nowhere near ready to face live pitching. You don’t go from the jazz club to the batters box and be ready to go.
You can expect Giambi to be out every bit of 2 months, perhaps longer. I had a friend who suffered the same type of injury and he was out of commission for over two months.
He was lighter and in better shape than Giambi. All that weight puts he carries puts enormous stress on your feet.
Its a slow healing injury and what’s worst is, it can tear again quickly if not fully healed.
Its very painful and for a guy who uses his back foot to pivot to generate power, I wouldn’t expect Giambi back anytime soon.
Aside from last night’s rare moment, this is not a crushing injury for the Yankees.
They automatically become better defensively with Melky in CF. That will help the pitching staff.
Melky just needs to get back to being the patient, slashing hitter he was last year. Perhaps knowing he is going to play everyday will get him back to being that player.
Damon as the DH allows them to hit and run more and be more diversified offensively.
Who to call up? Hard to say. Before I call anybody up, I would look to see if a veteran RH bat is available. A Glenallen Hill-type (remember 2000?) for example.
Absent that, I would expect either Duncan or Phillips to get the call if a veteran bat isn’t available.
I bet Mattingly could hit better than Doug Out at this stage.
For once, Chris NY and I are on the same page.
Farnsworth, DeSalvo, Nieves, Minky, Vizcaino, and used coffe grounds to Texas for Texieria.
oy.
seriously? Only with a prospect whose name starts with T and ends with abata does Tex come to NY. (for all of a year and a half)
It’s about time. The ONLY way Giambi’s injury was going to heal was with constant rest. I hope he doesn’t require surgery, especially because surgery does not necessarily alleviate the problem. Anyone watching Giambi on the basepaths the last few games had to notice how badly he was moving around.
I think Teixeira would stay if we were to trade for him.
Not that I’d do it at this juncture.
should have traded him out of NY
DAMMIT !!!
Let’s hope Melky’s two hits last night were a sign of things to come. His energy and defense are something we need right now. Loved seeing him in RF the other day so Bobby Abre-who and his lazy arse could see how defense is played out there.
Plus, maybe we get a healthy Giambi for a late push if he can find his swing while he’s rehabbing. He seems to be extremely useless at the plate when dealing with any one of his many injuries. When he’s healthy with no excuses, that’s when he mashes.
Doreen:
“Anyone watching Giambi on the basepaths the last few games had to notice how badly he was moving around.”
*Few Games??* you meant “several years” right?
This would be the lineup if you guys had control most of the days
1b Duncan/Phelps
2b Gonzalez
SS Jeter
3B ARod
LF Thompson
CF Cabrera
RF Sardinha
C Anyone under the age of 17
CL Britton
RP Bruney
RP Whelen
RP Bean
SP Chamberlain
SP Kennedy
SP Smith
SP Ohlendorf
SP Clippard
sunny615 –
LOL! But I meant with grimacing pain, not just the usual.
Don’t forget Hilligoss.
Nick B –
Give some credit — I think they’d choose Posada most days.
“should have traded him out of NY
DAMMIT !!!”
Giambi has a blanket NTC as well as being a “10 and 5″ guy. he can’t be traded.
Doreen –
Me too.
but if/when he comes back, someone should try putting a steak dinner on first base every time he’s up to bat. I guarantee he’d get at least a single every time.
well the good news is maybe this will force torre to be more run ‘n gun with his offense and less station-to-station, wait for the big home run. hit-and-runs, steals, that sort of thing. everybody loves the potential of a big-gun offense like the yanks but the reality is good teams get it done with a more balanced attack that combines small ball with some occasional power.
Nick,
I fully expect some bloggers to push Brian Bruney as the DH at some point.
Baby BURN.
He should be stretching in White Plains right now.
doreen-
if anyone still thinks the yankee conditioning staff has a clue about anything,this is one more example of them they screwing up. you’ve done your homework on heel spurs so you know what i’m talking about here.
the first indication that no one had a clue was when it took 10 days to get inserts. you and i can get custom made inserts that day if we pay extra. how does it take the yankees 10 days to do what we can do in 1 day. i said he’d play a day ,miss a day which is exactly what happened. when bloggers knows more about an injury than the yankees, it’s time for changes on the yankee staff.
how does it take until now to daignose a tear?
sheer incompetence.
Whoa, not Bean…BeaM. Big diff.
“hey should 60 day DL Giambi if this team turns it around without him (in spite of him?)”
The only reason you put someone on the 60-day is if you want to get someone onto the 40-man roster.
I believe there are an unlimited number of 15-Day spots, but I think Pete can check that if I’m wrong.
A torn plantar fascia is the same injury that I believe felled Larry Hughes in the NBA playoffs.
Giambi will not go on the 60Day DList until after the 3 weeks are up.
They are then going to evaluate him then.Expect either Kevin Thompson or Andy Phillips to be called up.
Both are on the 40 Man Roster.S Duncan or E Duncan are not.
Anyway you look at it,we now got rid of one of thoose lefty bats that are all bunched up together in that lineup.
SJ44, I see you are stealing ideas from Goldman.
Jeez, at least credit him for giving you the Glenallen Hill type guy idea.
Minky is hitting .295 in May. Not going to sit him. His defense and his avg. show he belongs on the field. Of course, spoiled Yankees fans want all star sluggers at every position.
Yeah, that does us well.
When we have all star sluggers at all positions is when we don’t win playoff games and the World Series.
Getting on base and moving runners along is what wins games.
Do with Giambi going on the DL and Clemens coming in Monday, does this mean DeSalvo goes nowhere?
I would send down DeSalvo for Britton. Let Clemens take the Giambi spot.
“Hudson Valley Lithotripsy will get back on his feet again. Ooh, ooh..”
Anyone remember that foot doctor jingle played endlessly on 107?
Hi Kidz!
TOLD YA SO!!!! The curse of the GIAMBINO…Goodbye Hot Carl, Goodbye Giambi doing the Dirty Sanchez on A-Rod’s knee.
BoSox roool. Enjoy the next century of nuthing Fockerz!!!
Randy 1 –
The ONLY defense I have of the Yankees, and it really isn’t one, is if Giambi kept saying he wasn’t as bad as he was – which we know they do all the time. I think the Yankees, being the employer here, need to be more aggressive with this sort of thing. Sure, they got, what 2 homeruns out of him in a month? And once they identify the problem, they’ve got to be the proactive ones getting the treatments set up, getting the orthotics pronto, whether Jason wanted them or not. He is not only an employee, but an investment.
“well the good news is maybe this will force torre to be more run ‘n gun with his offense and less station-to-station, wait for the big home run. hit-and-runs, steals, that sort of thing.”
unfortunately whoever replaces Giambi can’t steal 1B.
Peter,
you mean he has a tear in addition to the bone spur or was the spur a misdiagnosis?
Did he get his cortisone shot?
o/t nice unintended pun “breaking” news, HA!
I wouldn’t say big difference. Beam wasn’t exactly effective last year.
Best news I’ve heard in months.
Randy 1 –
You want to take Dr. Acula’s question?
Fockerz?
The hell?
Bob,
Who is Goldman? Have no idea who he is.
It might be a little early for this kind of discussion, but I can say with a bit of certainty that Giambi’s career in pinstripes has been a borderline disaster. 20m/yr. of a guy who for almost two years was completely out of the lineup, and now is out for a month after being a DH. The steroids, the partying, the injuries… NY could have had Manny Rameriez for the same dollars if they signed him a year earlier.
Fit him with cement shoes.
can you retroactivly 60 day DL someone?
Wally Pipp, anyone???
Sure you don’t SJ44.
What a coincidence. lol
http://www.yesnetwork.com/news.....038;vkey=6
Shelly Duncan deserves to be called up, but he’s redundant with Phelps here. The only difference between the two is that Shelly can play a (truly crappy) corner outfield.
They should probably just call up Britton, maybe even Ramirez, and use Phelps as the DH once in a while (when Damon or Matsui isn’t DHing).
They also might want to consider bringing Andy Phillips up. He’s been playing mostly second in Scranton (and hitting well). If he can pinch-hit even a little bit, they can DFA Cairo and keep him with the team.
If he never hits well again, Giambi was not a “disaster” on the level of, say, Pavano. Giambi has given us four good-to-great years. Unfortunately he will likely give us three bad years.
They discovered the tear today when he went into get his shot.
Who knows if it was misdiagnosed. What if he injured it worse when he was in Toronto running on turf?
I admit I don’t get the “one week” deal on the orthodics. But, its hard to have any idea if they mis-diagnosed it unless you know what the truth was in the original diagnosis. Its not like the Yankees are always truthful when going public re: injuries. See Phil Hughes and his “minor” ankle sprain, for example.
What is probably closer to the truth is, Giambi didn’t want to be examined (much like Pettitte doesn’t want to see his MRI) all the time because he felt an obligation to play since the team was struggling.
Some players, (not Carl Pavano) aren’t into seeing the doctor everytime they are in pain. Giambi seems to be one of those throwback types.
I’m excited for Melky, I say bring up KT, as a 4th outfielder. That would immediately add a good bad and great speed to the bench, neither of which are present right now.
Bob,
I never go on the Yes Network Website. I wasn’t really giving some deep, original thought, so chill out.
we’re looking to replace a missing DH so i think we should be looking offense, plain and simple.
I’m thinking it’s Thompson. Duncan would not be a starting DH and coming off the bench, I’ll take Thompson’s consistant speed over Duncan’s inconsistant power. Duncan’s currently 1 for his last 17 and I’m guessing he’s pretty slow on the basepath…
NO PHILLIPS. Every year Phillips does great in AAA, gets called up and lays a big egg.
Enough with Phillips. He is going to be a career minor leaguer or a trading chip, nothing more.
Makes you think maybe he should have been focusing on his health instead of chatting up reporters.
so basically we have one power hitter in our lineup now. Perhaps this will force Torre to play more small ball.
I’m with saucy, the speed would help if we can’t get a power bat. Would be nice if Cano keeps up what he started last night and Abre-who can find a stroke… then we could live with the DH being a speedster causing headaches, as long as he can get on.
“O’Neil’s F***Y Prostate”
If I dont recall last year Red Sox fans got their A$$ handed to them and got swept and all Red Sox fans wernt rocking theyre hats and now all of a sudden theyre in first and u guys swear ur the best in the world…….I dont wish anything bad on any Red Sox Players but if they start getting injuries and collapse dont forget to swing by here and say that S**T AGAIN!!!
YL, I wouldn’t leave Posada or Matsui out of that category. Not gonna hit 50, but most guys don’t. They’re not mashers, but the’re power hitters.
That said, I’m not against some more small ball.
From WebMD:
“A bone spur (osteophyte) is a bony growth formed on normal bone. Most people think of something sharp when they think of a “spur,” but a bone spur is just extra bone. It’s usually smooth, but it can cause wear and tear or pain if it presses or rubs on other bones or soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons, or nerves in the body. Common places for bone spurs include the spine, shoulders, hands, hips, knees, and feet.
“Bone spurs also form in the feet in response to tight ligaments, to activities such as dancing and running that put stress on the feet, and to pressure from being overweight or from poorly fitting shoes. For example, the long ligament on the bottom of the foot (plantar fascia) can become stressed or tight and pull on the heel, causing the ligament to become inflamed (plantar fasciitis). As the bone tries to mend itself, a bone spur can form on the bottom of the heel (known as a “heel spur”).
“Many people have bone spurs without ever knowing it, because most bone spurs cause no symptoms. However, if they are pressing on other bones or tissues or are causing a muscle or tendon to rub, they can break that tissue down over time, causing swelling, pain, and tearing. Bone spurs in the foot can also cause corns and calluses when tissue builds up to provide added padding over the bone spur.”
Remember, to play small ball, you have to get on base.
Our guys who had good OBP last year, Damon, Melky and Abreu, haven’t been getting on base.
If those guys can get back to what they were last year, then Torre can play more hit and run, small ball, etc.
Cashman has always been good at finding a veteran bat during the season. Hill, Justice, Olerud, etc.
Perhaps, he can find a veteran RH bat someplace they can plug into the lineup occasionally, and also play well off the bench.
Hard for me to get excited about career AAAA players like Duncan and Phillips. Hopefully, they go outside the organization to find help.
i can see cashman bringing in a guy like jeff conine, they can probably get him for luis vizcaino or something along those lines.
Bring back Tino!!! (If people are saying bring back Bernie, why not add to it)
I’m not saying I want to see it, but for the people on here who thought we should’ve re-signed Craig Wilson, Atlanta cut him… so he’s available. Was struggling badly with them in the NL though.
Time for Todd Helton.
um guys and gals….
Phillips is NOT on the 40 man. The Yankees had to essentually DFA him to get him when he didnt make the team. in fact the 40 man is full and American Idle is likely to be put on the 60 day DL when some guy named clemens is activated.
so I dont think he is coming up. I think Kevin Thompson is gonna get the call if they are going to DH an outfielder, they need some backup so Cairo isnt forced out there if there is an injury during a game.
here is the link to the 40 man roster for you to check out before you post erroneously.
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com.....p?c_id=nyy
One good thing about Giambi getting hurt is that every other player on this team can get 1/2 days off and DH. The team did that some last year when Giambi stood at first base and let balls bounce off his glove. Damon, Matsui, Posada can use a day at DH once a week to rest there legs
I have no problem with Giambi on the DL and Melky in Center. Giambi wasn’t hitting anyway. Stop saying Todd Helton. I think we are fine if Phelps is put in the lineup every day and Minky goes in at the end. A-Rod really needs some protection behind him but Giambi wasnt hitting anyway. We are better off.
Guiel for Igawa. Whoever said that the other day was genious.
p.s. shelly duncan isnt on the 40 man
p.p.s. sorry about the typos my bad
This is a big blow to the service industry, right when GDP is declining.
I mean how is Giambino gonna get into Strip clubs with an immobilized foot? How is gonna drive to MickyDs in the middle of the nite and snag some supersize??
Kevin Thompson is a AAAA player, I think it is Shelley’s time. They would have to clear a spot on the 40 man roster, can I suggest DFA’ing one Matt DeSalvo? Anyone else have a suggestion? Now the question is do I pick up Shelley on my fantasy team? Guess the biggest beneficiary is Melky.
Stormy:
So Shelley would play a “truly crappy” corner OF?
I agree but what’s the problem? We’ve already got 2 guys doing that.
SJ 44:
On the 10 day wait for orthotics, I thought I read that Giambi immediately started using “off the shelf” orthotics (like I do) while waiting for his specialty order.
Then trade for Helton and see if the Angels will make it a three team deal and they can throw us Mo Vaughn’s contract. Maybe the Rockies will ship us whatever they owe to Mike Hampton too. Our team would be great if we keep taking on bad contracts. The Dodgers would probably help us out and give us Darren Driefort and his contract too.
“Bring back Tino!!! (If people are saying bring back Bernie, why not add to it)”
Paul O’Neil Please. We can use Paul as a backup shortstop.
I am worried that Arod will have no protection now.
I can’t wait for Duncan to get up here and strike out in his first 10 at bats on breaking balls. I am going to laugh out loud at every single strikeout.
bernie can slug more HRs than bobby abrebood!
Russell,
Yogi runs as well as Giambi and Damon, might as well bring him in too.
Actually I agree with some of the above- give Thompson a shot, the guy always does great and then they just send him back down. Let him play.
Damon,Jeter,Matsui,ARod,Posada,Cano,Phelps,Abreu,Cabrera Left Right up and Down
Doreen-
just think, the Yanks and Giambi could of solved a month ago, and without further injury, alas they don’t have high speed access. DAMN digital divide!!
Doreen:
GREAT post on bone spurs and plantar fasciitis (which I currently have).
Joe:
Good info on the 40 man roster.
Both of you:
I peruse this and other blogs not to read opinions or rants, but to get factual info. Good job.
If you think about it, they didn’t lose a first baseman. Damon slides in as the DH, so they lost an outfielder. They should replace Giambi with an outfielder who can run, field, and have an occasional hit. I think that means Thompson. And if Britton isn’t called up, Cashman will have a lot of explaining to do when he needs to use Vizcaino in a big spot vs Boston.
Russell, he’s getting potection from Posada…
Thompson is the move to make, for reasons already mentioned… his speed, outfield defense. We don’t need a 3rd 1B.
dr. acula (doreen)-
a heel spur, plantar fasciitus, tight calves are all part of the same thing. they gave giambi the typical medical runaround on it which is basically orthotics, cortisone shots, boots at night( they stretch out the connective tissue in the lower leg).etc. the real cause is usually an inflexibilty problem in the lower legs. when there is a tear the body tries to heal it and the deposits are the spurs. so tears and spurs go together.
i’m not a health professional, but i’ve had them , have known pitching coaches who’ve had them. usually it’s the lack of flexibility with aging that causes them. trying to do a high level pro activity is impossible with a sever case of heel spurs. imagine putting a quarter inch tack inside the heel of your shoe. the pain from stepping on the tack would be about the same as a bad heel spur.
there was little chance this would get better.
there was a total misdagnosis on the heel problem.
the sooner people on this blog realize like the wizard of oz that there is no one knowledgeable enough behind the curtain, the sooner there will be some understanding of the injury problems the yankees are plagued with.
the first rule of many on this blog seems to be:
cashman is never wrong
the second rule is, if something points to cashman’s managerial incompetence , see rule #1
Comparing Helton’s contract to Mo Vaughn’s and Mike Hampton’s is remarkably stupid. He may not be a power hitter anymore, but the guy is still an AVG and OBP machine. He’s not a big injury risk, the guy always plays 145+ games. Who cares if there are some years and lots of money on it, we can afford it. We’re the damn Yankees. We’re paying a 45 year old man a million per start. Who says we can’t spend and build from the farm at the same time?
RH hitters currently available:
Raul Mondesi
Danny Tartabull
Steve Balboni
Hensley Meulens
Hector Lopez
Bill Skowron
YankeesLuv-
_I am worried that Arod will have no protection now._
Don’t worry, I am sure ARod uses protection.
I just hope he has asset “protection”:http://www.nydailynews.com/gos....._home.html
its moot who they bring in really, in my mind. Just because Damon will DH more doesn’t mean he’s no longer a fielder. Im sure Melky get most the time in center, some time in left with damon playing from time to time in the field to get matsui so DH. I would guess thompson for the pure fact of speed to pitch run.
Phillips would be an option if damon was feeling a lot better considering he has seen some time at 2nd latley.
Bringing Duncan up to sit on the bench doesn’t make much sense given they want him getting reps and he’s in a somewhat slump right now.
My best, thompson for pitch running speed
More?
Wow, Hubris slayed the Gods.
Now I feel bad for our arrogance, as clearly we are cursed.
Our insane steroid use, and buying all big names, has finally come back to haunt us.
It is clear, the yankees are cursed.
I know! I’ll sign Eddie Murray!!
Randy 1 –
I think other teams are just as bad. Teams (management and/or players) delay the inevitable trying to soak out the most production they can get at the expense of the health of the player. Players collude in this, because they don’t want to “let the club down.” Minnesota, for one, did this with Liriano. It’s almost like they look for the least invasive diagnosis, and run with that until they simply can’t.
I have a basic problem with the logic here, since waiting usually makes the injuries worse, and you get less production, not more, and the players play less, but they’re not on the DL, so they rob their team of a healthy (albeit inferior) player for a longer time. For the team itself, these players are an investment. If they can’t perform they don’t give a return. Financially speaking, then, bottom line, it’s just not a good idea to take short cuts with your players’ health, and it is not a good idea to let the athlete make all his own health decisions. (Although, as I type this, you’d want to make sure a team didn’t abuse the DL or use it to “bench” a player — but then, I guess they sometimes do do this, don’t they?)
Anyway, this is more than I meant to type; I hope you all get my drift.
Giambi isn’t injured, it’s an under the table steroid suspension like Jordan got in the NBA from gambling.
FWIW, I have a friend who suffered a complete tear as well three weeks ago. At first they were going to fit him with the same immobilization cast, but the doctor decided that the tear was about the same as if he would have cut it himself (sometimes the doctors cut them to alleviate pain). He told him to carry on as much as the pain would allow. He’s was running normally within a week.
Also, for players, no one wants to seem like a “Carl Pavano” type, I guess.
“They should replace Giambi with an outfielder who can run, field, and have an occasional hit”
it makes sense to me. dh is the one regular to lose if you have to lose one. the yankees could use damon, posada, matsui, abreau, or phelps. i hate losing good giambi ,but bad giambi wasn’t that good.
I’m disappointed that this story wasn’t spun to somehow smear A-Rod
The guy I would take a run at…..Mark Loretta. Hitting .327 in Houston and is a very good, professional hitter.
He can play three positions in the infield, makes solid contact, great character guy.
The Astros aren’t going anywhere and he won’t cost a ton to get.
If I was Cashman, that’s the guy I get.
Makes the team better the moment he enters the locker room.
They don’t need a HR hitter. They need a guy who understands the strikezone, can hit from the right side, and can play under pressure. Loretta can do all three things without the long term obligation, giving up the world to get him, etc.
SJ44 –
Would you still keep Cairo if they were able to get Loretta?
SJ, I was for getting Loretta in the off-season. If they could get him I would do it but get rid of Cairo, more-so than in addition to Cairo.
A heel spur develops from a tear in the plantar fascia, so this “new” diagnosis seems a bit of semantics. The key here is that he’s being DL’d, as this (whatever name you use) will only get better with rest; the rehab exercises and orthotics are best for prevention. This may take months to completely resolve, so Giambi and Yanks may have to make a decision of how much pain and risk of recurrence/worsening they’re willing to tolerate.
The suggestion for Loretta is interesting. I was hoping he would connect with us this past offseason, instead of Cairo. Maybe as part of a deal with Farnsy? We can always hope.
Atleast Giambino will start on Ole’ Timers Day
SJ44,
When you say Loretta wouldn’t cost a ton to get, what is your guess on what it would take?
Extended Interview With Yankee GM
WNBC’s Bruce Beck interviews Yankee GM, Brian Cashman.
http://video.wnbc.com/player/?id=114706
Doreen,
I would because I am not a huge Cairo fan. The guy internally to replace him could have been Alberto Gonzalez at AAA. But, he looks like he needs the full season in AAA to further develop his skills.
If they got Loretta, I would DFA Cairo and call up Kevin Thompson so they have another OF on the roster.
He is very good defensively, hits from the right side, has speed (making him a viable pinch running option late in games) and can all three OF positions. Gives the other guys a chance to rest or allows them another option if someone is slumping.
I agree with both moves. Our bench becomes much better with Loretta and Thompson.
Listen to the Sawx troll….with the loser mentality. They good start to the season and they’re all running through the street trying to rub it in everyones faces. If he had any experience (or class) with winning, he’d know that its best to shut up until its over. They have a lot more wining to do until we start worrying about the Red Sox.
Typical Boston white trash.
Todd,
Houston is a pretty cheap organization so, its unlikely they will take on much salary. Perhaps a mid-level pitching prospect and/or a guy like Andy Phillips, for example.
It won’t take giving up any of their top tier pitching prospects or Tabata, IMO, unless Houston is just ticked off at the Yankees for signing Clemens and decides to ask for the moon.
If that’s the case, you just pass on him.
Now, if you really want to get creative and add Proctor and a better prospect to the deal, perhaps you try and add Lidge to the deal.
I don’t know about anybody else but, I would try like heck to get Lidge back to being himself again. At worst, he is a better 8th inning guy than Farnsworth.
If you can get Lidge, you give up a guy like Proctor and, if you can fix him, you have your future closer.
However, I don’t know if Houston is shopping Lidge. Just throwin’ his name out for discussion.
A-rod and wife in boston today holding hands. http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/sports/BO53827/.
SJ44,
Good thoughts. Now, how quickly could something like this come together? Is Brian on the phone?
I agree with Randy about the medical runaround….Giambino will be missed if he were indeed healthy…I suspect will see him sometime in Mid-August…It also gets him off the Selig grille…..Thompson is the likely candidate for all the stated reasons….The Market is bare, and they passed on reaquiring Craig Wilson who was mis-used last year…Hits lefties only….As for Loretta, I dodn’t see his desire for playing full time has changed since the off-season….Move Farnsworth and get some bench help..A backup receiver would be nice……..And whoever The Pork Chop, he’s one funny ass dude…DeWayne from Toronto, see ya….
His wife seriously is hot….
Chris, what are you talking about? ARod’s wife is fugly. She looks like a man.
you must have missed the bikini shot in sports illustrated a few years ago…
SJ44 –
I was going to bring up that maybe Houston doesn’t want to deal with NY because of Pettitte and Clemens, but you brought it up first. I had forgotten that Loretta was on “the list” in the off-season, but wanted more regular playing time. That’s a problem, because he probably wouldn’t see it here. I liked everything until Proctor’s name came up…(the devil you know, I guess)…
Chris NY –
I was gonna say “cute.”
God, that photo looks staged.
this shot is either a bad pic or she’s aged badly…
Cute is probably more appropriate, Doreen… but that SI pic was more along the lines of hot. But it was a few years ago, so…..
SJ, you’re a genius.
actually, i did miss that but the FACE, man, the FACE. i can’t say anything about her body since i can’t see much of it in that picture but what i can see ain’t pretty. damn alex, a guy like you can’t do better than that…i am ashamed.
pat m-
while you’re on here, what’s your feelings about the yankees rushing hughes. since you coached against him , you must have followed him being brought up to the yankees.
this is part of what i said after the first game and before the game he got hurt:
” why throw him into this mess? you have a blue chip pitcher and you want to take a chance on asking too much of him. he does not have good stuff from 75 pitches on right now. bring him up to 100 pitches at triple a and if he can still throw his maximum velocity in the late innings than maybe. till then , forget it.â€?
my feeling was that since he had been on an 85 pitch count at scranton which was normal for that time of the year that anything over 75 major league pitches was pushing it.
i think there is a pattern of conditioning incompetence that pervades the yankees organization. giambi’s and hughes’ injuries are part of this pattern. your thoughts?
If they bring up Phillips they are brain dead.
Makes no sense.
Pete, Any way to keep the trolls and psychos from polluting the commetnsection?
the Giambi injury is not fatal. In some ways it makes the team better, defensivley and contact and small ball wise. the problem is now they do not have much power at all.
I also am curious to see who they bring up..
the 1 troll gives new meaning to the word obnoxious…
the problem with Loretta is where he plays… they need a professional hitter who can play the Of, maybe that is Melky…
SJ 44:
I like your post on Alberto Gonzalez needing the full season at AAA. But here’s what he said to the Scranton Star-Telegram:
I should be doing better but my duties as Attorney General have been a major distraction. It looks like I’m going to get bounced, so in the second half I’ll be ready.
In the minors tonight, Mitch Hilligoss led off with a home run tonight for Charleston and extended his hit streak to 37 games.
That ties the longest hitting streak in the minors since 1989, when Joey Cora (now the bench coach with the White Sox) hit in 37 in a row for Las Vegas (AAA).
I heard SHelly Duncan will be called up, is that accurate????
can he play the OF and 1B?
Do you think Pedrioa fake tough guy wannabe will have revenge on Arod by throwing ball on his face if Arod trying to break the double play?
“I can’t wait for Duncan to get up here and strike out in his first 10 at bats on breaking balls. I am going to laugh out loud at every single strikeout.”
you are a great fan.
KT almost surely coming up. Not in starting lineup for SWB tonight (Reese in CF). Both Duncans in lineup.
like everyone else said.. this is actually a good thing for all the obvious reasons. damon can rest at dh, better defense in center with melky.
not sure who they bring in, not sure it really matters at all. bernie isnt coming back.. get over it.
for all the grief giambi gets, you have to admit.. this guy has a painful tear in his foot, is in obvious pain and is still playing (unlike our favorite pavano). you can pick on criticize him all you want, but if your gonna knock pavano then you have to give giambi credit.. he never asked to sit out a game..
I think we will see some sparks at Fenway this weekend. It’s been way to long since there has been a good Yanks vs. Sox fight. Add in that the Yankees are scrapping for every single win, it should be good.
Stuart:
Shelley can play 1B and OF, but he’s a Giambi-like butcher.
YanksFanLV:
Good idea, fisticuffs. A-Rod can yell HAH! and slap the ball out of somebody’s glove. Then he can elbow someone in the groin and take a skank to a strip club. All good.
Why is Ian Kennedy still in Tampa? The guy is absolutely dominating again tonight, with a line of 6 1 0 0 1 8. Promote Horne to Scranton and get Kennedy up to Trenton.
I think they are about to do a mass reassignment in the minors, especially as it relates to pitchers. Triple A is pretty decimated, Steven White just made his first start, Igawa is in Scranton, the double A guys are kicking butt, Kennedy too.
Anyway back to Giambi, is there anyone who doesn’t see the silver lining here? I don’t think we need to acquire anybody right now, but here’s a name that would drive the Red Sux nuts, how about Trot Nixon? Too bad an Ichiro trade seems unlikely, because Seattle would want too much for a 3 month rental.
More minor league stuff tonight…..
In Lakeland, Ian Kennedy dominating again for Tampa.
6 innings, 1 hit, 1 BB, 0 runs, 8 K’s. Tampa is winning 7-0 in the 7th. If they keep the lead, Kennedy goes to 6-1 on the season. His ERA is now 1.31.
In New Hampshire, Jeff Marquez had another solid outing for Trenton. He pitched 6 innings, and gave up 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 BB, 1 K. Trenton is winning 4-2.
If they hold on, Marquez goes to 7-3 and his ERA is 2.48.
Both guys are only 22 and are legitimate, big time starting pitching prospects.
Trot Nixon is starting for Cleveland and they are in first place. They aren’t helping anybody they will compete against (for the division or the Wild Card) this summer.
Randy, I think the Club really didn’t have too much of a choice in bringing Phil Hughes to the bigs…..I for one thought he was ready provided they kept him on a short leach, which was the intent….Stuff wise he is there, proven evident by his no-no performance….However he would have been better served conditioning / strength wise by spending at least 10-12 starts at the AAA Level as you pointed out….He a special item though…He’s tough, has heart, and really is mature for a kid not 21 yet…So was Doc…As for the training staff, how in the hell do so many players come up lame in such a short time…..I do recall him tossing a 2 hitter, with 15 K’s as a sophmore vs. my son’s H.S. team……Scouts galore that day in amazement….In retrospect, this all may work out for him & the Organization….He’ll be ready if needed as a late season call-up which was going to happen anyway providing the Yanks are still in it…He’ll be eligable for ROY in 08…..Other than some rehab starts, he’s here to stay, and he is ready….Ian should move rather quickly through the organization as well…His last year & USC was rough…And his late signing preety much washed out 06…He’s a keeper….This is a great site..Impressive membership….
Ian kennedy has 8 strikeouts in 6 innings of shutout, 1 hit ball tonight. Tabata has 2 hits. Edwar Ramirez now has about 8 innings of shutout innings since joining Scranton. He is pitching now and looks like the real thing. Phenomenal change-up. I would replace Cairo with Basak who is at Scranton. Not great, but better than Cairo, I think. There is nobody to replace Giambi, who must have been playing through great pain. Have to hand it to him. I guess S. Duncan but that is not overly promising.
Re: Shelley Duncan
Is there any reason to believe that AAA pitchers cannot or do not throw curve balls??? I guess every pitch in AAA is a fastball down the middle.
Shelley has played 1b and OF. He just hit his 13th homer tonight for Scranton.
Let’s bring back Rickey Henderson haha
I don’t think Marquez has as much upside as Kennedy, Chamberlain, Betances, etc. Horne and Marquez are solid but not dominant. Could be back end types.
Why does everybody think Shelley Duncan is the “answer”.
Does anybody watch AAA baseball? Most of the guys at the AAA level are guys who washed out in the majors, sprinkled with a few real prospects. The pitching is not that great in AAA.
These days, the better prospects are in AA.
Shelley Duncan isn’t a prospect. He hits weak pitching. Even in his numerous spring trainings with the Yankees, he struggled with curveballs and when he faced better pitching.
You can’t just look at stats. It goes deeper than that.
He is like Andy Phillips. A nice, AAA-AAAA player. Andy Phillips hit like crazy in AAA. When he got to the majors, he couldn’t hit anybody’s curveball. Duncan is the same kind of hitter and even more limited in the field.
He isn’t any good. That’s why he is still in AAA at almost 28 years old.
Loretta for say Jason Jones and a single A player would be a good deal. KT wouldn’t be too bad either .
SJ44,
No. We don’t all watch AAA baseball. For many of us, stats are all we have. I apologize for where I live.
by single A player I mean say Tim Battle
Betances is in short season ball and their season hasn’t started yet. We don’t know what he is right now. He is years away from knowing if he can develop. Lots of potential, but that’s about it right now.
He’s so big, they have been re-working his delivery so he can be more effective. It will be fun to see how he does this summer.
He and Zach McAllister, another excellent pitching prospect, will be in Staten Island this year. Their season starts June 19.
Marquez and Horne are two of the best pitchers in AA. When you have ERA’s under 3 in the Eastern League, which both do, that’s pretty dominant. Horne is hitting 95-96 MPH on the gun and seems to be over his TJ Surgery.
Marquez has a power sinker and his throwing in the 90′s. Both guys are facing other teams best prospects and have been very, very good this year. I think both guys may surprise some people because they are pitching better than “back end” type of guys.
Completely agree with the poster re: Kennedy. The Yankees are notoriously cautious with young pitchers. However, he is pitching so well, if his pitch count is where it should be (85-100), its going to be tough to keep him in Tampa all season. He’s just too good for the league.
I have seen him pitch 4 times this year and he is a “pitcher” in the true sense of the word. He really knows how to work hitters.
If they promote him to AA the second half of the season, and he continues pitching the way he is, he has an outside shot at the back end of the Yankee rotation by Mid-2008, IMO. He’s that good.
Trot Nixon: .272/.345/.381
Josh Phelps: .281/.339/.421
Yes, indeed there are no good pitching prospects in AAA. They all go directly from AA to the bigs. Except Hughes was there. And Lincecum. And Homer Bailey is still there. And now Pelfrey’s there. Etc.
It’s really just silly to imply that pitching prospects just skip AAA these days.
DeSalvo might be going down, don’t bring up Britton. I heard Ugie Urbina is pitching real well in a Venezualen Penal League
Watching Edwar Ramirez tonight was fun. He had hitters shaking their heads going back to the dugout. He has a Trevor Hoffman type change. He should be in the major leagues soon (unless HE gets injured as well). Hope SJ whatever you are right re the Trenton guys. I am not convinced but am ready to hope. One strikeout tonight for Marquez makes me a little leery, but we’ll see,. Betances is clearly miles away, but he has a ton of potential. Did not know they had decided to pitch him and Zach at SI. Gives me a reason to come to NY this season after all (I live as they say Deep In The Red).
I didn’t say they skip AAA. I said most of the better pitching prospects are in AA.
Go and look at the rotations in the International League. Its littered with former major league pitchers hoping to get back to The Show.
Its not loaded with teams best prospects.
All you have to do is look at the rosters. Look at teams AA and AAA rosters, then look at who their best pitching prospects are. You will find more of them are in AA than AAA.
The one’s that are in AAA are either guys who are there for a short time (Hughes and Lincecum) before being promoted or guys who are just about ready.
Very few teams leave their best pitching prospects in AAA for a full season. Its not how teams do it anymore.
Too much pressure to move guys quickly through the system because of the amount of bonus money being paid.
Its changed the way many teams run their farm systems.
Tabata now has 3 hits.
Could be they bring up Sardinha. They loved him in ST. But he started the season at Scranton very badly. Now starting to hit again (2 hits tonight). Torre goes a lot on what he has SEEN from a player. Not surprised if this is the call.
sj44-
i’m assuming the mlb service time meter on hughes is clicking away while he’s injured. if he stays injured the rest of the year, the meter will keep clicking away. am i wrong or do they need to get him healthy just to send him down to stop the mlb service time?
For those who don’t think Horne is a legit top prospect think about this: 73:13, his k/bb ratio. I am starting to get real excited about this guy. SJ what else does Horne feature besides the 95mph fastball?
OK joe
So Andy Phillips isnt on the 40 Man Roster.Not a big deal.
Ill admit my mistake and make no excuses.I had forgotten that he was outrighted on 3-30-07
after his late start in ST.As for Shelley Duncan…although he is a great guy to the fans,and resembles Gary Busey alot,
he unfortuneatly might be another Mitch Jones or Michael Cervenak.
“i’m assuming the mlb service time meter on hughes is clicking away while he’s injured. if he stays injured the rest of the year, the meter will keep clicking away. am i wrong or do they need to get him healthy just to send him down to stop the mlb service time?”
you are correct.
ESPN reported the Giambalco could be out for the season. Ladies and gents – forget the division. Maybe the wild card too.
This season has been Murphy’s Law on Roids for the Yanks. When they hit – they don’t pitch. When they pitch – they can’t hit. Guys fall like flies. Where there’s hope – Phil Hughes flirting with a no-no – instead there’s despair – Phil Hughes out another two months.
I don’t think Cash or Torre is the problem. It’s just been a string of bad luck. You make the playoffs for 12 years running – you need breaks – this year luck has run out.
Cash needs to do the right thing here. Look big picture.
The following can be accomplished and can perhaps add some position players in the farm system.
1. Trade Farnsworth – some team (PHI?) can use a hard-throwing reliever with his stuff. Remember Pittsburgh once got Brian Giles from Cleveland for Ricardo Rincon.
2. Dump Abreu – Eat half of his contract. He’s in a walk year, his value is way down. I’d eat half and get a prospect or two back. Some team out there may think he can do for them what he did with the Yanks last year.
3. Trade Clemens before July 31st. It sounds ridiculous. But let him go to a pennant contender. Heck I’d send him to Boston for Lester and Hanssen. Remember when the Yanks got Mike Stanley from Boston years back – the Sox got Tony Armas back – who they then traded (with Carl Pavano) for Pedro in the winter of ’97.
4. Trade Moose. He’s got a year left on his deal but is a reasonable bargain. Send him to an NL team. Atlanta? Philly? I’d take Saltamacchia or McCann off of the Braves hands. Some team will bank on a battle tested vet for the stretch run.
5. Promote Tabata to AA. He’s doing well in A ball… move up him. Put him on the fast track – so he can help mid 2008.
… In the off-season…. I’d give Posada and Rivera two years. No more. Maybe team option with a buyout for the third. Jorge’s got something left. He’s aging like Benito Santiago – he’ll be servicable till he’s 40 and probably has 1-2 years left as a starter. Mo’s not the same – but he’s not done. Plus it’s sentimental. I can’t/don’t want to see him wear another uni.
Take care of Arod – make sure he doesn’t bolt. If that’s extending his current deal – Do it.
Explore voiding/trading Giambi. He’ll be in the last year of his deal. See if there’s a market for him? Yes, he has the blanket no-trade clause – see if he’ll waive it. Otherwise – we’re stuck with him.
Hand RF over to Melky… he keeps the seat warm until Tabata’s ready.
Unfortunately your stuck with Damon and Matsui.
… if the Yanks dump some guys this year – the one’s mentioned above… they’ll have stockpiled more players.
Look into dealing for Santana and Texiera. Both may not be resigned and both clubs may want something in return. Do not include Hughes in any deal. Texiera is more likely.
Next year’s starting five:
1. Wang
2. Hughes
3. Pettite
4. FA pitcher?
5. Clippard
… with the AA studs and Ohlendorf waiting in the wings… oh and that Igawa guy too – JK!
Offense
1B – Teixiera
2B – Cano
SS – Jeter
3B – Arod
RF – Cabrera
CF – Damon
LF – Matsui
DH – Giambi?
… it’s a little better… but that’s what we’re reduced to at this point.
“Wait till next year”
Damon seems to be recovering from his calf problems. If so, my prefernce is for Melky to play LF and Matsui DH. Matsui is not good in LF defensively. Out field of Meky, Damon and Bobby will be above average defensive outfield.
I’m glad to see Arod and his wife together, hopefully the story in the Post was wrong, I’m not being naive, just saying Post isn’t the most reliable thing around.