Once again, it's youth that saves the Yankees; will the team learn?

Elbow tightness? Aw, shit. Today, who does not feel a psychic twinge in the cabbage basket, as we ponder the fate of Jordan Montgomery's wing? The elbow is to pitchers as the knee was to Gayle Sayers, as tapes were to Richard Nixon, as the heel was to Achilles. Monty loomed as our Second Coming of Andy, the ascending young lefty with a veteran's savvy, destined to be a rotation fixture. Now... aw, shit. It's pointless to speculate, but in a best-case scenario, he won't need surgery and vanish until 2020. That's what "elbow tightness" can mean. No other phrase more horrifies pitchers. 

Today, the Yankees must - and will, I believe - chalk up last night's dynamic victory up to the elbow of Domingo German, age 24, who was a no-name lug nut in the 2014 deal that sent David Phelps and Martin Prado to Miami, and brought us the tragically fated elbow of Nathan Eovaldi and the nonexistent Garrett Jones. Since arriving last summer, throwing in a handful of mop-ups, German has pitched well, a 3.45 "career ERA," if 12 games constitutes a career. Last season at Scranton, in 109 innings, he compiled an ERA of 2.88. On most teams, he'd have been penciled in as a starter this spring. With the Yankees, he didn't even make the opening day roster.

Let's hope Cashman gives him a full shot at the fifth startership, rather than to run out and locate some Denny Neagle/Jamie Garcia type, the kind who always seem old and spent. And you know what? I actually think Cash will hold the line.

Thus far, the enduring strength of the 2018 Yankees has not been Giancarlo, Sonny Gray, Brandon Drury or Neil Walker - players acquired via the team's pocketbook. In fact, they played like lesser known afterthoughts, such as David Hale and Jace Peterson. It's the kids who have brought spirit and talent, and there is no reason - aside from excessive GM hubris - why the Yankees need to remake this team with veterans. (I say this even after Houston last night stymied us with Jason Verlander, last year's mid-season acquisition. But it's a long year, and I wonder how Verlander - age 35, plus add 10 years for being married to Kate Upton - will hold up in July and August? Remember: When Detroit traded him last summer, his ERA was close to 4, and his career peak was 2011. Last night, unhittable. But as Trump would say, "We'll see.")

Let's assume that waves of injuries are yet to break across the Yankee shoal. Here's our replacement parts:

1B: Tyler Austin, replacing Greg Bird, who can soon replace Tyler Austin. At Scranton, Mike Ford, the man who loves to walk (12 BB, 10th in the IL.)

2B-SS: Tyler Wade, Ronald Torreyes, Thairo Estrada (by August?)

3B: Miguel Andujar, Drury, Torreyes. 

C: Kyle Higashioka, better than he looked last year.

OF: Clint Frazier, Billy McKinney (healing), Jacoby Whatzizname.

SP: German, Luis Cessa, Daniel Camarena (pitched 7 shutout innings last night at Scranton), Justus Sheffield (Trenton) Chance Adams (needs to get shit together), Josh Rogers (throwing well) maybe even Dillon Tate (Trenton).

RP: Cody Carroll (Scranton), the cast of Glee. 

This July, some nuclear bombs are going to explode on the trade market. One might be named Bumgarner (perhaps the exception to everything said in this post.) But right now, the Yankees can fill every slot from within. Thus far, it's working. Can we keep it going?