Yankees pregame: Warren gone, Phelps’ turn

Greetings, Brian Heyman here at Yankee Stadium for Chad today. My day started off with a flat tire, but Adam Warren’s day isn’t off to a good start, either.

It’s back to the minors after his debacle of a big-league debut last night when the Yankees lost by a football score to the White Sox, 14-7.  Warren gave up six runs,  eight hits and two walks, lasting just 2 1/3 innings. So D.J. Mitchell is up, but Joe Girardi says David Phelps will probably be the starter Wednesday after working in long relief for Warren and taking the loss. Phelps allowed two runs and four hits in 3 1/3, throwing 64 pitches. Girardi said the rookie could go about 80 to 85 in the start.

“He’s done a pretty good job for us when we’ve called upon him to pitch,” Girardi said. “The biggest thing was, he wasn’t really stretched out. We stretched him out some more (in the minors) and we’re just going to have to continue to do it.”

There’s only one chance to make a first impression and Warren’s wasn’t good. But one start doesn’t have to be a be-all, end-all statement.

“As we told him, ‘Go continue to improve your stuff and you’ve got that first one out of the way,’ ” Girardi said. “A lot of times with that first start, it’s a mixed bag. Sometimes you get really good; sometimes it can be really difficult. There’s not necessarily a determination by that first start how your career is going to go. First start, everyone has huge butterflies and you have to find a way to deal with that.”

The Yankees could use some distance from today’s starter, Hiroki Kuroda, who’s been pitching better than earlier in the season.

“I think his slider has improved,” Girardi said. “I think the location of his fastball has improved. His split has been better, and he’s used his curveball early in counts. To me, he’s just pitched. That’s what we felt we were signing, a guy that really knew how to use all his pitches and locate all his pitches. And that’s what he’s been doing.”

Cory Wade hasn’t been doing so well out of the bullpen recently, especially in allowing six runs and seven hits across 2 1/3 last night, swelling his ERA to 5.79.

“This is not Cory’s first time around the block,” Girardi said. “Physically we’re going to have to let him recover a couple of days just because it’s not what he’s used to doing, throwing that many pitches (58). So he’ll be off today; he’ll be off tomorrow. We’ll have to see if he’s available on Monday for us. But it’s a guy, he’s been up, he’s been down. He’s been through a lot of good times in his career and he’s been through some tough times. He’ll recover.”

Besides Wade and Phelps, Girardi said Clay Rapada may not be available out of the bullpen today after throwing three days in a row.

Robinson Cano, meanwhile, has had a great month, leading Girardi say, “I don’t see a big difference in his swing. To me, it’s just Robbie being Robbie. Eventually he was going to hit. It was just a matter of time. It’s that time. And it’s an important time.”

Yankees postgame: Overcoming injuries and a warm June

The Yankees haven’t been fazed by this long run of bad injury luck this season. This 4-0 win over Chicago stopped their two-game mini-slide and marked their 16th victory in the last 21 games.

I asked Joe Girardi after the game about what their mindset has been in the face of all these injuries.

“Just to keep going,” Girardi said. “Just go a day at a time. I think people realize that there’s still a lot of talent in that room, that no one’s going to feel sorry for us, can’t feel sorry for yourself. People have got to step up. Every team is usually going to go through injuries. The teams a lot of times that overcome those injuries are the teams that play in the playoffs.”

During the first inning, I also asked a guy who knows a thing or two about leading a team past injuries and about winning Super Bowls for his view on the Yankees’ situation. Giants coach Tom Coughlin, who was here to throw out the first pitch, says he keeps an eye on what’s happening here.

“Adversity does make you stronger,” Coughlin said. “They’ve had a couple of setbacks. But I think they’re prepared for this kind of thing, and I think they’ll come through this very strong.”

They were strong overall in June, going 20-7, the first time the Yankees have been at least 20-game winners in a calendar month since August 2009 and only the second time since 2004. The warm month has coincided with Robinson Cano heating up.

“I think he’s a really big part of it,” Girardi said. “He’s had some really big hits for us this month. He’s been a real force in the middle of our lineup. … He’s really started to swing the bat and it changes us for sure.”

He finished June with 11 homers in the month, although Cano insists he has been nothing different.

“That’s quite a pace,” Girardi said. “If he can do that every month, he can end up with a lot of homers.”

Cano hit his 19th overall, a solo shot that gave him at least one RBI against the White Sox in 10 straight games. No Yankee had done that since Babe Ruth in 1931.

Curtis Granderson sees room for improvement elsewhere.

“Hopefully if we all get on the same page, we can have an even better month in July than we did in June,” Granderson said. “It was definitely a good month.”

It doesn’t seem like Hiroki Kuroda can get much better. He was just outstanding again, matching his career high with 11 Ks and allowing three singles over seven, two of them coming in the first.

“I think the whole game, he was in control,” Chicago manager Robin Ventura said. “Moving it in and out … working the slider. He just never really gave anybody a good pitch to hit in a hitter’s count.”

Kuroda said through his interpreter that all the strikeouts kind of surprised him since he isn’t a power pitcher. He’s 5-1 with a 1.65 ERA over his last seven starts. Girardi thinks his arm strength has improved.

“I think I’ve been really aggressive lately,” Kuroda said.

Dewayne Wise has been getting a chance to play lately and he keeps showing up in the picture, be it flying into the stands for the catch that wasn’t really a catch, or pitching Friday night and retiring both batters he faced, or delivering a career-high-tying three hits as the starting left fielder in this game, including a solo drive to the second deck in right and an RBI double.

“It’s been crazy,” Wise said. “It’s been a lot of fun.”

Wise is 7 for 11 with five RBI on the homestand. He had four hits and no RBI in his 30 at-bats before this stretch.

“Just some opportunity and he’s taken advantage of it is what he’s doing,” Girardi said. “He’s swinging the bat real well.”

Sunday is Old-Timers’ Day. The ceremonies are scheduled to start at 11:15, and this annual alumni game will follow. The series finale is scheduled for 2:05 with Phil Hughes and Gavin Floyd the pitching matchup. YES will televise the whole slate.

June 30, 1936 - Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind, one of the best-selling novels of all time and the basis for a blockbuster 1939 movie, is published on this day.

Jul 2, 2012 -- 1:03PM, bomberhojoe wrote:

June 30, 1936 - Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind, one of the best-selling novels of all time and the basis for a blockbuster 1939 movie, is published on this day.

Born this Date

1917 - Lena Horne– singer - don’t know why, there’s not sun up ….. oh nevermind...no, no you are doing really great...I wish yuo'd continue...say, ya' know I would often get Lena and Eartha Kitt...I was so fascinated with her vouice and the way she spoke...  

1919 - Susan Hayward – actress (“I’ll Cry Tomorrow”) – go ahead and cry

1927 - Shirley Fry Irvin – tennis player

1930 - June Valli - singer

1934 - Harry Blackstone, Jr. - magician...a quite famous fellow

1936 - Tony Musante – actor (“Toma”, renamed “Baretta” and recast with Robert Blake) can’t resist including a tidbit about David Toma, the namesake of this show and an acquaintance of my dad

               The series was based on the real-life story and published biography of Newark, New Jersey police detective David Toma. Toma compiled an amazing arrest record during his years on the force, particularly in arresting drug dealers.  Toma was known as a master of disguise and undercover work, and achieved his success while never firing his gun. After retiring from the force, Toma became one of America's most sought after speakers, lecturing students all over the country about the dangers of drugs. Toma himself usually made a cameo appearance in episodes as a minor character (bartender, police officer, etc.).

               For more of his biography click: www.davidtoma.com/DavidToma.aspx

1936 - Nancy Dussault – actress (“Too Close for Comfort”)

1943 - Florence Ballard (The Supremes)...outastanding group...

1944 - Glenn Shorrock (The Little River Band) – this band always makes me feel like reminiscing...by all means, feel free...

1951 - Stanley Clarke – bassist Extraordinaire...absolutely!...

1951 - Andy Scott (Sweet)

1953 - Hal Lindes (Dire Straits) - Great as Barney Miller???...right Hal, wrong Lindes...

1955 -David Alan Grier – actor (“In Living Color”)

1956 -Adrian Wright (Human League)

1957 - Doug Sampson -Musician (Iron Maiden, Smiler)

1959 -Vincent D'Onofrio – actor – great in “Law & Order: CI” and OH SO memorable in “Full Metal Jacket”

1963 -Rupert Graves - actor

1966 -Mike Tyson – Boxer – connoisseur of ears...golly, speaking odf ears...I've got to give you that sweet corn recipe...you might want it for the holiday...

1968 -Phil Anselmo (Pantera)

1969 -Tom Drummond (Better Than Ezra)

1970 -Brian Bloom - actor

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