NY Yankees Magazine

[DJ Rhude]

SERIES PREVIEW: YANKEES @ TAMPA BAY

[DJ Rhude]

RAYS TAKE TWO FROM YANKS
CC Sabathia's strong pitching performance in the middle game was the only reason why the Yankees didn't get swept again


GAME 1

Ronnie Mustlelier whiffs in a game where their offense struggled.



GAME 2

Sabathia turned in a complete game gem helping the Yanks take game 2



GAME 3

Jenning makes a great catch in CF, robbing Cano of a extra base hit

That's not coming back

[DJ Rhude]

SERIES PREVIEW: YANKEES VS BLUE JAYS
Blue Jays swept the Yankees up in Toronto last week

[DJ Rhude]

Bautista Bomb Helps Jays Down Yanks
Yankees fall into an early 5-1 hole as Pettitte struggled||Jose Baustita goes deep for Toronto


Lind takes a Pettitte pitch over the wall

[DJ Rhude]

YOUKILIS HR POWERS YANKS TO WALKOFF WIN
Kevin Youkilis' HR in bottom of the 10th helps Yanks stop 4 game losing streak against Jays||Mo Rivera blows save in top of the ninth giving up three straight hits and a run


Youk watches his ball leave the yard in the 10th


His happy mates greet him at the plate

[DJ Rhude]

HUGHES AND PEN SHUT DOWN JAYS
Kevin Youkilis homers for second straight game||Hughes out duels Hutchinson


Encarcion reaches up to snare foul pop up....


....only to see ball pop out of his glove making the blooper highlight reel

[DJ Rhude]

YANKS TAKE FINALE ON ARM OF SABATHIA
CC Sabathia goes 7 strong innings in win||Mariano Rivera after blowing save in opening game, closes Jays out for 3rd straight save


CC rings up Jose Bautista


Vernon Wells supplied the power

[DJ Rhude]

Pineda Could Make Pinstripe Debut by June
After missing last year due to surgery, righty champing at bit to return



"I learned from the whole situation from last year and everything is in the past," said Michael Pineda

TAMPA, Fla. -- Thirteen months and a day have passed since the Yankees interrupted a quiet winter evening by acquiring Michael Pineda in a blockbuster trade, and they're still waiting to see the right-hander showcase his talents in a game that counts.

It's easy to overlook Pineda in the clubhouse, and there are those who already view his mere presence as a risky gamble that didn't pay off, the collateral damage from a swap with the Mariners that deleted promising slugger Jesus Montero from New York's system.

The Yankees aren't in that group. With each successful mound session, they become more encouraged that the 24-year-old Pineda could represent a nice midseason addition, tossing out a best-case scenario of his pinstriped debut finally taking place in May or June.


"I really wanted to pitch. Last year was a really bad year for me," Pineda said. "I learned from the whole situation from last year and everything is in the past. I'm very excited for this year, my shoulder is doing well, and I'm ready to pitch this year."


Yankees executives admitted to fighting sleepless nights even in the immediate aftermath of the decision last Jan. 13 to ship Montero and pitcher Hector Noesi to Seattle for Pineda and pitcher Jose Campos, and there were more serious questions when Pineda reported to camp overweight and lacking velocity.

After an unimpressive spring campaign, Pineda underwent surgery for a torn labrum in April and has essentially been a Tampa mainstay since then, his afternoons burned on the back fields of the Yanks' Minor League complex.

Pineda has advanced to throwing off a full mound, and as a result of that work, he said that he reported to camp at 260 pounds -- 20 pounds lighter than last spring. General manager Brian Cashman described the team as being "cautiously optimistic" about Pineda's progress.


"I think he's gotten after it pretty good since he had his injury," manager Joe Girardi added. "I think he's done a really good job of rehabbing and staying consistent in his work and working to get back to what he loves to do. That's a good thing. It just shows you that he's hungry."


Pineda's time in Tampa has not been without incident. The Yankees were not pleased when he was arrested for driving under the influence in August; Girardi chalked up the transgression to a "lapse in judgment."

The Yankees would prefer to talk about the chances of Pineda helping the big league roster in 2013, which is no sure thing.

Pineda will get a true test when he begins facing hitters under controlled conditions next month, but he believes that he will return as the same power pitcher who earned an All-Star selection in 2011.

"I saw the video when I threw my bullpen [session]," Pineda said. "The mechanics, range of motion, everything is the same."

Cashman cautioned that it is not unusual for pitchers to have setbacks as they progress through their throwing programs, so an adjustment to move the target date back is possible. Still, Cashman said that he has always considered June as a realistic goal.


"We have to get in a position where he's 100 percent healthy, and then it will be performance driven," Cashman said. "He's working hard, he's been in great shape for a long time now, so he's doing everything necessary. There's still time and things he has to complete for us to start hoping we can actually see the benefits of that trade."

[DJ Rhude]

DOWN ON THE FARM




Pineda Turns Out The Lights On Knights
Michael Pineda goes 8.2 innings striking out 7||Yanks shortstop prospect Walt Ibarra hitting star for Scranton||Pineda improves to 5-1 and has looked good in his rehab starts in the minors


Pineda gets a punch out