Some Idle Thoughts

1.  James Kaprielian did not choose Tommy John Surgery.  Tommy John surgery chose him.  The best thing for Yankee fans is to, " erase your brains," of this guy.  He never existed.  If he returns, say, as another Chassen Shreve, then you have gained something.  Not much, mind you, but something.

2.  The Montgomery boy;  I think he earned another start.  We'll write off the first inning walk and homer to, "rookie nerves."  His strikeout/walk ratio was good.  And he did get Longoria twice on K's.  My issue is: it took him 95 pitches to last 4 2/3 innings.  At that rate, he'll never get a W.  Nonetheless, unless the black swan comes for him, I think we have a dude.

3.  Luis Severino is where we have the big play.  He either becomes a dominating pitcher or flames out.  If this is truly going to be the positive season El Duque is willing it to be, the cards have to fall for us on this guy.  We need to draw to the inside straight.

4.  I believe, as I have previously stated, that Sanchez will be out until the all star break.  His injury takes at least 4 weeks to heal.  Add to that, the need to " test the strength " of the muscle without hurting it, and then playing some minor league games.  He is too valuable an asset to fuck up with an over zealous return to action.  Which brings me to point 5.

5.  The biggest story yesterday , due to my views on Sanchez, was the play of Higashioka, our back-up catcher.  True, he is hitting zero ( 0-4).  But, aside from one passed ball, he handled the catching duties pretty well.  He is a guy who, for sure, needs full time work in the minors, but "desperate times call for desperate measures. "  He can do the job for now.  We don't have to make a trade for a 40 year old Molina brother, and give up a prospect.

6.  That collision at first base was like watching a car accident.  Give Gardy credit for crawling to the bag instead of laying there, and getting tagged out.  He is guy you want in your foxhole.  He must have been one great running back, if he ever played football.  That Weeks character is like an oak tree.

7.  Aaron is beginning to look comfortable on defense and with the bat.

8.  Greg Bird is a huge worry to me.  All the signs are ( supposedly ) good.  The X-rays, the MRI's the whatevers.  But I can't get out of my head;  why would an injury, sustained in Florida several weeks ago, nag him so much now?  I really think the doctors have missed something and that, shortly after he returns, we'll see him undergoing more exams.  Unless, that is, he stays out 4-6 weeks now.

9.  Meanwhile, Chris Carter is not embarrassing himself.  We have to be glad we have him.  Isn't it amazing that the Yankees just cannot get this first base problem ( since Tex's injury and failure to break the shift ) solved?  No matter how much depth we develop, we wind up with makeshift solutions.  Didn't Romine play there for an inning already?

10.  Tyler Austin may yet get a shot at ( first base ) back-up. But his history is like Slade Heathcott's, when it comes to injuries.  Every time he is ready for the spotlight, he goes down.  This injury ( 4-6 weeks to recover from the fracture  ) has to be followed by 2 weeks of minor league play and, by then, either Bird returns for good or Tyler gets a shot to relive Carter from time to time.  We'll see.

11.  Soon, we'll begin hearing about DIDI's progress.  But Torreyes is a dynamo.  Lucky for us.

12.  Headley?  Headley?

Onward and upward.