Yankees open with tough April schedule

Baltimore might have been the calm before storm.

The schedule for rest of this month provides a legitimate early season test for the Yankees. That test begins with this weekend’s series against the new-look Angels and includes three games on the road against the Red Sox, three on the road against the back-to-back American League champion Rangers and three more games at home against the AL Central favorite Tigers. There are a few games against the Twins mixed in, but this is not an easy way to start the season, especially given the rough start against a good Rays team.

“You say you don’t make too much out of one game and some months are going to be tougher than other months,” Joe Girardi said. “You don’t want to make too much out of the first month, but it’s a great measuring stick of where we’re at.”

The Yankees aren’t alone. The Red Sox have already played the Tigers and still have to play the Rays, Yankees and Rangers this month. The Rays opened against the Yankees and Tigers, and they still have the Red Sox, Angels and Rangers on their April schedule. The Yankees will be tested this month, but so will the other top teams in the American League East.

“It’s a long season,” Brian Cashman said. “Obviously is a tough schedule on the front end, but hopefully people feel it’s tough playing us too.”

Associated Press photo

Boston radio station pushing Schilling-Valentine feud

By JUSTIN TERRANOVA

Bobby Valentine is to "Dennis & Callahan" as Rex Ryan is to Mike Francesa.

The Red Sox manager is off to a rough start with Boston’s top sports radio station, WEEI. Wednesday, Valentine had a 20-minute interview with morning show hosts John Dennis and Gerry Callahan.

The conversation was contentious from the start but picked up toward the end when they prodded Valentine over his recent back-and-forth with Curt Schilling.

D&C: You just dismiss it as “Consider the course.” What’s wrong with the source?

BV: You tell me.

D&C: You’re the one who said it. I don’t know. I think he’s a pretty good source.

BV: Then it’s credible for you. It just wasn’t credible for me.

D&C: Why not?

BV: Next question, thank you.

But even before they got to Schilling, the questions all appeared to be about the beefs the former pitcher has with the current manager. That mostly includes players not being told when they will get a day off in advance.

So, shortly after that, “Curt in the car” called in. And wouldn’t you know it, the caller was Curt Schilling.

The hosts asked him why ESPN “Baseball Tonight” host Karl Ravech came on their show Tuesday and said that Valentine and Schilling had a good relationship. And why Ravech said he thinks Valentine’s Red Sox will win the World Series, while Schilling has such a low opinion of the situation.

The Red Sox are 1-5 to start the season.

”Because Karl never played, and I don't mean that in a condescending manner,” Schilling said. “It's hard for people who don't understand clubhouse dynamics, and the way the schedule works and the way the life is how the clubhouse and how the day-to-day lives get impacted by someone in that position doing things differently.”

Schilling also tried to make it clear that he was not trying to get Terry Francona his job back and that the former manager deserved to get fired after last year’s collapse.

“My problem right now is that this is being framed as something it is not, which is pro-Terry Francona, anti-Bobby Valentine with me,” Schilling said. “I can't imagine anything being farther from the truth: I like Bobby, I got along with Bobby, we got along at ESPN. I was asked to give my opinion on how I saw the situation based on my conversations and observations. I am not trying to get the job back for Terry. The way that season ended, Terry had to go at the end of the last year.”

Dennis & Callahan could not have agreed more.

"He's doing his job,” they said immediately after the Schilling interview.

Yankees' Hiroki Kuroda looking to brush nerves aside in home opener

Thursday, April 12, 2012, 8:53 PM

By Marc Carig/The Star-Ledger

Kim Klement-US PRESSWIREYankees starter Hiroki Kuroda let nerves get the best of him in his Yankees debut in Tampa and will look to straighten things out tomorrow in the team's home opener against the Angels.

NEW YORK — Hiroki Kuroda senses the honor that comes with starting the Yankees’ home opener tomorrow. But he also senses something else, something more immediate.

“Rather than being excited, I’m more worried about how I’m going to perform,” said Kuroda, who hopes to move past his shaky Yankees debut.

Against the Rays last Saturday, Kuroda allowed six runs (four earned) in 5⅔ innings in an 8-6 loss. Instead of challenging hitters, he looked tentative, and the Rays pounced — swinging early in counts in an effort to negate facing Kuroda’s signature split-finger fastball.

To pitching coach Larry Rothschild, Kuroda showed the telltale signs of nerves.

“He tried to do too much,” Rothschild said. “He put too much pressure on himself to be perfect on every pitch. He got behind more and the pitches he threw in the strike zone, a lot of them were behind in the count.”

The pressure of trying to make a strong first impression, Rothschild said, is likely why Kuroda “probably pushed it a little bit.”

“We got him because of the pitcher that he’s been,” Rothschild said. “We don’t need more than that.”

How Kuroda fares at Yankee Stadium this season will play a major role in determining whether the team one day looks back at the one-year, $10 million signing as a success.

In four years with the Dodgers, Kuroda posted a 3.45 ERA, posting a 41-46 record that was at times more a reflection of poor run support.

But he also benefited from playing half of his games at a pitcher-friendly venue — an advantage he has forfeited in his move to foreign territory in the Bronx.

“Since I’ve never pitched at Yankee Stadium, I’m a little bit preoccupied,” Kuroda said. “But I try to do my best and have the best outing possible.”

Over the last three seasons, Yankee Stadium has consistently ranked among the best run-scoring environments in baseball, while Dodger Stadium has ranked among the worst. Dodger Stadium features significantly more room in the outfield and in foul ground than Yankee Stadium.

“I’ve heard that, but I try not to have that get to me,” Kuroda said. “I signed with the Yankees and that was all part of the package.”

Indeed, the Yankees have long believed that Kuroda can make the adjustment to the stadium, and also to the hitter-friendly American League. The team tried to acquire him at last year’s trade deadline before expanding the budget to sign him as a free agent this past winter.

“He’s equipped well enough to deal with it,” Rothschild said. “He can throw strikes with four different pitches and that gives him an advantage. So it becomes pitch selection and executing pitches, and not necessarily having to do more with any of his pitches.”

Manager Joe Girardi came away from Kuroda’s debut believing that nerves played a factor. But even with what’s expected to be an emotional day at the Stadium — the retired Jorge Posada will be on hand to throw the first pitch — Girardi hopes for “business as usual.”

For Kuroda, that means commanding his repertoire, getting ahead in counts, and finishing off hitters with this splitter.

“Getting the first one out of the way definitely helps,” Rothschild said. “He’s got really a very clear awareness of what he needs to do and how to do it. He’s got a lot of pride in what he’s doing.”

Marc Carig: mcarig@starledger.com; twitter.com/MarcCarig

Performers of the Week: Week 1

by Frank Campagnola on Apr 12, 2012 2:00 PM EDT

Joy R. Absalon-US PRESSWIRE - PresswireMore photos »

Throughout the season, I am going to keep tabs on the Yankees players of the week, to be decided upon by community vote after I highlight my top choices. Each week, I'll head over to Fangraphs and select as many players I felt had a great week, and I will include both batters and pitchers. So without further ado, let's take a look at who has had the best last seven days.

Disclaimer: It is important to note that all of these posts will be dealing with very small sample sizes, and should only be used as a quick way of taking a look at how the team has performed recently.

Batters:

Derek Jeter: The Captain has paved the way for batters so far, coming out of the gate with a .370/.414/.556 line, good for a .403 wOBA and a 174 wRC+.

Brett Gardner: Gardner is currently hitting .353/.389/.353 and has done very well against lefties, something he struggled mightily with last season (75 wRC+). Sooner or later he'll tack on a few extra base hits and his ISO won't be .000 anymore. He has a .346 wOBA and a 132 wRC+.

Nick Swisher: Swisher currently leads the team with two homers, including his game winner last night. While he's only hitting .208, he's walked in 16.7% of his plate appearances and has hit for some power, leading to a .392 wOBA and a 166 wRC+. Swisher is a great example to compare to Duggan's chart from the other day, as he has shown that a high batting average isn't necessary to produce runs.

Pitchers:

Ivan Nova: Nova is the only starter who has turned in a quality outing so far, as he tossed seven innings of two run ball to go along with seven strikeouts and no walks in his season debut. His start was good for a 2.65 FIP, and we can only hope he continues to make strides.

Cory Wade: Wade has been the best relief pitcher for the Yankees this far, as he's tossed five scoreless innings to go along with a 16.2 K/9 and a 1.80 BB/9, good for a minuscule 0.39 FIP.

David Robertson: Walks will always be an issue with D-Rob, but his 18 K/9 so far helps make up for things. He has a 0.79 FIP in his limited innings.

David Phelps: Last, and certainly not least. Phelps is currently sporting a -0.54 FIP (yes, that's possible), as he hasn't allowed a homer, hasn't walked anyone, and has a 15 K/9. His GB% was also an astounding 75% this week. Not too shabby for your first week with the Major League club.

4/12 SWB Yankees 7 – Buffalo 2

YANKEES SNAP TWO GAME LOSING STREAK WITH 7-2 WIN
SWB Manager Dave Miley picks up 1,600^th career minor league win

Buffalo – Manager Dave Miley picked up his 1,600^th career win as a minor league manager as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (2-5) spotted the Buffalo Bisons (4-4) an early 2-0 lead before coming back off Bisons pitching and scoring seven unanswered runs snapping a two game losing streak with a 7-2 win.

Ray Kruml’s two RBI double in the top of the second inning off Buffalo starter Chris Schwinden (LP, 1-1) to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead that unlike Wednesday SWB pitching did not relinquish.  It was a struggle for starter Manny Banuelos (ND) who walked sixBuffalohitter in 2.0 innings and needed 74 pitches to complete both innings of work.  The left hander, who allowed a career high 11 hits in his first start this season at Syracuse allowed two earned runs on three hits earning a no decision.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre plated three runs off Schwinden in the third inning loading the bases with one out on a Dewayne Wise double and back-to-back walks to Brandon Laird and Colin Curtis.  For Curtis it was the first of five walks on the day setting a Scranton/Wilkes-Barre franchise record.  Ramiro Pena got the Yankees on the board with an RBI single to left to cut into the Bisons lead at 2-1.  Kruml, the next Scranton/Wilkes-Barre hitter sliced a shot the opposite way down the line in left off Schwinden good for a two RBI double and the Yankees grabbed the lead at 3-2.

The bullpen made the lead stand up as Pat Venditte (1.0 IP), Manny Decarmen (3.0 IP), Cody Eppley (2.0 IP), and Kevin Whelan (1.0 IP) combined for 7.0 scoreless innings of relief backing up Banuelos who failed to go the required 5.0 innings for the win in his second consecutive start.

With the game still in the balance at 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning, Yankees first baseman Steve Pearce slugged his first homer of the season, a solo shot off Buffalo reliever Daniel Herrera giving the Yankees a 4-2 lead.  SWB would add more insurance in the top of the seventh inning off right hander Jeff Stevens. Jack Cust picked up his first hit of the afternoon scoring Francisco Cervelli from second base and the Yankees advantage grew to 5-2.  With first and second base following a walk to Dewayne Wise, Brandon Laird laced a double into the left field corner scoring both runners giving SWB a 7-2 lead.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre wraps up the three game series Friday afternoon at Coca-Cola Field inBuffalowith a 1:05 PM first pitch against the Bisons.  Right hander D.J. Mitchell (1-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his second start of the season for the Yankees, while the Bisons will counter with right hander Jeremy Hefner (1-0, 2.57 ERA).

-SWB YANKEES-