Yankees look to Nova today/morning paper
Posted by: Brian Heyman - Posted in Misc on Sep 15, 2012 
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Ivan Nova returns to the rotation today against the Rays, and the Yankees need him to be the guy he was in the first half of the season, considering the airtight state of this playoff race.
“Ivan, when he’s 100 percent, he can be one of the best guys out there,” Curtis Granderson said.
Nova is excited at the thought of stepping on the mound to start for the first time since Aug. 21.
“Mucho. A lot. Very excited,” Nova said. “I feel good.”
He went on the DL from Aug. 23 until Sept. 5 to recover from rotator cuff inflammation. Nova is 11-7 with a 4.92 ERA over 25 starts. He was 10-3 with a 3.92 ERA at the All-Star break. But he’s 1-4 with a 7.28 ERA in eight starts since. Nova hasn’t blamed the slump on the shoulder problems. Joe Girardi has talked about faulty fastball command.
Now Nova takes over for Freddy Garcia.
“I have a chance to do better than what I was doing in the past,” Nova said. “I’m looking forward to it. I just want to go out there and compete and do my best all the time.”
He said today “is going to be like a new start” for him.
During his downtime, Nova said he only worked on getting his shoulder well.
“I had my stuff,” Nova said. “I don’t think I have anything mechanical that I have to worry about.”
CC Sabathia has caused a few worries this season. Last night’s performance again wasn’t good enough. But Derek Jeter delivered two hits while playing on his bad ankle, passing Willie Mays for 10th on the all-time hits list with the first one. You’re welcome to check out my linked stories today for LoHud.com and The Journal News.
Austinmac-
Good morning. I was trying to answer Blake’s three options. My first post which included all my responses didn’t go thru. I agree it’s two years before we can hope to see some of the talented position players wear the pinstripes.
However the cost cutting is already in effect and at a LT rate 0f 42.5% over 178M for year end 2013, I believe we’ll see the Yankees reluctant to spend big, especially if they extend Cano and cut way back for other needs.
For laughs
“Valentine didn’t mince words Friday when asked whether there was a particular area of his last-place team he’d most like to improve.”
“Are you kidding? This is the weakest roster we’ve ever had in September in the history of baseball,” he said. “It could use help everywhere.”
I would imagine Nova is on a pitch count, which if pitching well might get him thru 5 innings[? 70-75 pitches]. Then it’s up to a very shaky bullpen to keep the Yankees in the game.
If Shields has his CU working this is a very tough matchup for the Yankee bats to break thru
YT,
I think they will lower payroll for 2013 so they won’t have those average fan see a draconian $40 million cut in one year. I strongly suspect it will be a very unhappy winter for Team Greedy people. If the players cost under $5 M,
Last year was their chance to improve using only money. The fact they would not tells us all very clearly the new direction. That plus Cashman says any move must make sense economically. That means it must be cheap.
My pipe dreams for significant improvement seem very unlikely.
Valentine-
“Are you kidding? This is the weakest roster we’ve ever had in September in the history of baseball,” he said. “It could use help everywhere.”
——————————
In the words of announcer Hawk Harrelson-”He Gone!”
Shields has been pitching great. Nova hasn’t pitched and when he did, pitched poorly. Tough match up. The Yankees better score five or more runs, somehow, someway.
Austinmac-
We witnessed the cost cutting at the trading deadline.
I don’t blame the Yankees-they have been burnt by some very bad contracts.
Maybe when ARod realizes he is a shell of himself, he’ll retire before the end of that contract and become a part owner of the franchise instead?
Didn’t realize until I checked but this is the SIXTH straight series in which we have lost the opening game. How bad is that when you’re in a pennant race?
I don’t want to hear about how well Shields is pitching. It’s all about guts and pride now. The Yanks have been pushed around by Tampa way too often this season.
YT,
I say that AROD retire early and in a couple years buys a piece of the Yankees at a good price. In other words, a wink, wink deal.
Very unfortunate error by Nunez last night, this will be the all the excuse Joe G needs to parade Nixy out there the rest of the year until Jeter heals up.
He needs to learn to make the routine plays and why doesn’t he? Is he just jittery, is he not getting coached, or the coaches ineffective, anything else, all of the above?
The Yankees will score 5 or more runs today. The question will be, will the Rays score more, getting production again from the bottom of their order.
Also why should the Yankees save any runs for their Ace, Kuroda-3.71 paltry runs of support?
I believe Arod has a future in running a ML team, he has a high level of baseball intellect.
At the end of the day, Arod will hang it up when he feels he can no longer perform.
I do blame the Yankees. They could have improved the team but chose not to. Bad decisions in the past cannot be an excuse to sit on your hands while the team age expires before your eyes.
They have the biggest income by far. Yet, the A’s can afford Cespedes and the Yankees can’t.
Yankee21-
I missed the Nunez error, but saw the two great plays he made earlier.
Was it on a throw? Footwork problems?
The key to Shields is to get him upset. He is very emotional and animated on the mound.
If NY can somehow get in his head or one of his infielders botches a play, Shields can get wound up.
OTOH if his change is working and he is throwing strikes, NY will be in trouble.
I absolutely do blame the Yankees for the position they are in. It is entirely the bed that Hal, Hank, Cash and Joe G made. There is plenty of blame to go around on a number of fronts.
I also blame the high priced talent, such as Tex, who morphed from an elite hitter into an average hitter in his prime years.
Since ownership isn’t leaving anytime soon, I really hope Cash and Joe G decide to move on.
At the end of the day, Arod will hang it up when he feels he can no longer perform.
———————
13:$28M, 14:$25M, 15:$21M, 16:$20M, 17:$20M
$30M marketing agreement based on home run milestones ($6M each for reaching 660, 714, 755 and tying and breaking major league HR record).
Will he give that up? His agent might convince him otherwise.
YT,
It looked like a footwork problem to me as he played it to his left. He didn’t even slow it down. Yes, that play will doom him and his offense to the bench while Nix will play.
If the Yankees are planning their future based on an AROD early retirement, I wish them luck. Lot’s of guys give up $100 million dollars. Right?
Arod played fine defense last night and hit a 2 run bomb, and people are right back on here this morning saying he should be put out to pasture.
Cashman is signed thru 2014[3M/yr], Girardi thru next season[2.5M]
Doubt the Yankees will just pay them to go away and spend money to hire others.
who in this thread has been saying Arod should be put out to pasture?
Nobody is saying they should put ARod out to pasture. His contract as well as some others are going to be a hindrance for the Yankees to stay within luxury tax guidelines, and field a younger contending team until the Baby Bombers are ready.
YT; Agreed, Cashman and Girardi will stay on until their contract expires,, not ownership’s style to cut these guys early.
Anyway, wish I could stay on.
Yankees need to just start winning a go into the playoffs as the division winner, not the wild card.
Then with a return to health, and no games officiating by Jerry Meals, maybe, just maybe everything will come together for a terrific post season run.
Have a great day everyone.
I’d really like to get a professional infielder’s opinion on Nunez.
Is it a matter of Nerves?
Is it a matter of coaching?
Is Nunez unresponsive to coaching?
Are NYY coaches ineffective?
Has it become mental?
How do you fix him or is he not fixable?
I think it is worthwhile to get some answers because Nunez does bring some offensive tools that this team desperately needs.
signing off, later everyone…
Im not a professional but know a thing or two about playing infield…..I think some of its nerves with Nunez and some of it is that he just doesnt have much natural rhythm to his footwork…..hes mechanical and it doesnt come natural for him to take the footsteps necessary to get in position to fields balls correctly…..
Arod was pretty awesome last night…..hes not the problem and hasnt been since he came back…..actually without him theyd be in even worse trouble than they are.
Yesterdays game was always a toss up with Price pitching…..if they can win one today where they are at a pitching disadvantage then that would make up for it somewhat……Im out for the rest of the day.
Go Yanks!
The thing with Arod is that if healthy he can still play. I think he will definitely be apart of the team through 14. It’s the last 3 years that one wonders if he’ll stick around. If he will be healthy enough to play? Finally what would happen if the Yankees just decided that he’ll be a bench player with limited PA going forward? Would he stay to just sit on the bench when he has plenty of money?
Morning gang —-
Well I guess last night was kinda typical for this season. Nice that the A’s won the alphabet battle with the O’s.
Yanks just not very competitive against LHP right now. Part timers aren’t contributing anything.
Getting payroll down isn’t the nightmare scenario some think. If the Yanks let Swisher, Martin, Garcia, Feliciano and the elderly part-timers leave they knock off almost $ 30 M. Other than Swisher the others are easily replaced.
The money to replace Swisher will come from either Mo retiring or Soriano opting out. they wont both be on the 2013 team. If Kuroda and/or Pettitte don’t return that’s more cash.
It’ll be interesting for sure.
86w183 -
I really like your last post. So cool, calm and collected!!!
Yankee Trader September 15th, 2012 at 9:41 am
Nobody is saying they should put ARod out to pasture. His contract as well as some others are going to be a hindrance for the Yankees to stay within luxury tax guidelines, and field a younger contending team until the Baby Bombers are ready.
—
Sure they are, many people are saying he needs to go to DH right now or next year, and/or that he should “retire” early (somehow).
Arod’s contract is huge and he can’t perform up to it, but he can still hit well and play 3B decently, probably for another couple years at least. He’s not the immediate problem, even his last injury was not an age thing.
Back to Gio Gonzalez,
He’s also shaped up into a legitimately great pitcher, he wasn’t that with the A’s. The Nats took a shot and it’s paid of handsomely.
In all fairness, the Yankees have been wrong on a bunch of guys this past off season. Bad scouting, or just bad breaks?
Villa Nova-Ya —-
A lot more Cool calm and Collected than I was in the 9th inning last night!
We just have to get over our fear of letting some youngsters play thru their growing pains. for example I wouldn’t rule out a platoon of Dickerson and Mesa or Mustelier to replace Swisher.
@ Kev probably a combination of both
I liked Gonzalez in the off-season but many here didn’t like his high walk rate. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Yanks felt the same way.
Any trade comes with a level of risk….. including Pineda, obviously.
I was thinking this team really doesn’t have a chance but barely make the playof fthen lose very quickly.I think girardi is hopeing is ibanez an.jones gets injure so he doesn’t have to make a hard desicion an play mesa an dickizon.
*APB: This is a notice to the Tri-State Area that any sightings of CC Sabathia, ace pitcher of the New York Yankees and missing for the past six weeks, please contact the front office of the Yankees organization. Take caution: there is a Sabathia imposter currently on the streets of New York. The real Mr. Sabathia will be recognizable for his ability to allow less than three runs and accumulate more than three strike outs against a bunch of scrubs that can’t hit their way out of a paper bag.*
Two questions for the bloggers right now.
Would you rather have grandy or Ajax next year?
Which young outfielder can possibly have an impact next year?
tyler austin possibly?
just joined the site and psyched to talk some yankee baseball
Austin Jackson prefers Ajack instead. I would take Austin Jackson over Grandy asap. As for a young outfielder that could help next year…Abe Almonte and Mustelier if they can stay healthy.
I think Nuñez’ troubles defensively stem from lack of steady playing time. If he were on a team where he could play one position everyday and allowed to play through mistakes I think the kid could be a pretty good fielder. With Jeter and Cano going strong I don’t see it happening here. I could see him being traded to another team and blossoming into a fine player.
86w183 -
Come springtime, I’ll be ready to handle anything they throw at us!
But right now, I can’t even begin to think about empty spots in the outfield, etc.
What will the creatures do without Swish!!!!!
If we’re going with uncertainty anyway, I guess I’d rather have younger uncertainties than older ones that wear out 3/4 through the season. But then again, my crystal ball is still on order – can’t figure out why it’s taking so long to get here!!!
Well, I was wrong yesterday on the Nunez error. I thought the ball hit the lip of the grass, not so. Nunez didn’t move and came up.
Nunez just made the fundamental errors of not getting in front of the ball and not staying down. Easy to fix, he just has to do it. Plenty of ability.
I agree Nunez just needs more playing time. My guess is he is part of a deal for a young outfielder. I can see the entire NL West and others having interest in him.
He hasn’t played 2B much, but I remember seeing him there and thinking he looked more natural with his movements.
Seemed to me that Nunez was already throwing the ball in his mind – he didn’t slow the play down for himself. Over-anticipation?
watched the entire game yesterday and it was one of the games where everything went against the yanks… CC had Pena strikeout with a change up in that 3 run inning but the call didnt go his way.. The inning changed right there.. nunez hit a hot shot that hit the ump and ended up being a single.. Jeter singled right after that and Swisher flied out to left which could have scored a run there, if Nunez had been on second.. Hopefully yanks have the luck going their way tonight..
The ball hit the same idiot umpire that called Teixeira out.
If the Orioles and Rays squeeze the Yanks out of the post season they should vote Jerry Meals a share.
That play had me so angry. Shouldn’t there be a ground rule????
there is a rule — the ball is live
Villa,
I stole your Chrystal ball. It says young much better than old.
anywho, one game at a time now…. Shield is having a fantastic year and I am not quite sure what you can get out Nova. I do think Shield can be had if his control is not on, Yankees aging bats can catch up to Big Game fb if his control is not on.
not dismissing Swisher’s body of work this season… but the, how about a big freaking hit when the spot light shines the brightest. Want Werth money? show me something fratboy.