Progress Is Slow and Often

The Yanks pounded out another 5 singles today and notched another loss in the grapefruit league.

A few sober realities:

1. Spring training is very and highly dangerous for Franciso Cervelli. He took a hard fastball in the meaty part of his head from some out-of-control no name. It is his second concussion in 5 months.

Not a good thing for this exciting number 2 catcher. Maybe it's me...I was watching today, and I was there when he got his wrist broken by some no namer sliding into home a year or two back. Shelly Duncan tried to extract payback for that one.

2. Curtis Granderson is hitting lefties as well as he is righties. So far, he has one walk. He also disappointed on two hits to CF just over his head and

reach ( yesterday ). Has his brilliant defensive prowess taken a backward step? Are we stuck with a .183 hitter who has no speed left?

3. Lot's of Yanks seem to be perfecting the art of looking at called strike threes. A-Rod is doing it, Jesus did it and now Austin Romine (I hope I have his first name wrong. It reminds me too much of Austin Jackson).

4. Nick Johnson is resting comfortably at the Holiday Inn. The bus rides this week-end were considered far too taxing to have Nick come along. Looks like Nick won't be traveling to many away games this year.

5. Andy Brackman, like another top Yankee pick, Andy Brown, is very elongated. I wonder if he can play outfield. He already reminds me of a much taller, but equally efficient, Rick Ankeil. He would be fine if he only pitched against teams where every hitter is a 7 footer.

6. There is a young third baseman ( Baird? ) from California ( 22yrs ) who has a gun. Played some nice defense and hit well today. He has a great future with Yankees, no?

7. In fact, all our best young players are blocked ( 3rd, SS, second, first ) pretty much forever. Although, it is not hard to imagine some openings in the OF one day. Unfortunately, that is one area in which we have no young prospects with upside.

8. The guy who pitched the 9th for us today ( albeit against players from muck rake Iowa ) looks to have potential. He had a cup of coffee at Scranton last year and posted an ERA under 2.00. I hope El Duque doesn't tell me he is 38.

I would look up his name for you, but I just dropped my I-Phone into my manhattan.