Injury update for wounded Yanks
So we’re set with questions for O’Neill. We’ll ask him to answer a handful at a time and transcribe them over the Minnesota series, which begins Friday.
Here’s why you have to love Leiter in the booth: In front of him as we write this is a Red Bull and a huge box of Mike and Ikes. Both are open. Mike and Ikes rock!
Dinner was turkey, veggies, salad. They had brownies for dessert. There used to be a sign at the dessert table, saying “one per person.” We always got a kick out of that. The sign isn’t there today. Plenty of Diet Coke is on hand, but they lock the refrigerator in, like, the sixth inning. So some of us resort to putting an unopened beverage or two in our bag. Don’t tell.
Jeter (oblique), Matsui (hamstring) and Coke (back) aren’t available tonight. Matsui could pinch hit but would require a pinch runner. Girardi thinks the Yankees will get over this injury hump and have a mostly healthy season thereafter. Girardi is also an optimist by any measure. It’s hard to imagine a team of mostly thirtysomethings magically finding a universal cure. Especially in today’s game.
There is some good news, with Bruney expected to return next week. He threw a bullpen today and will again Friday. And with Wang definitely making progress, as evidenced by last night’s AAA outing. He’ll have at least one more minor league start.
Both clubhouses were still buzzing today about Halladay last night. The guy is a machine. Bruney says it’s like he has a video game controller in his pocket and can dial up any pitch at any time. Joba says Halladay could win 30 games in the NL. It’s significant when players marvel about other players, because it just doesn’t happen all that often.
You know, these Yankees are a curious group. The upcoming homestand seems like a very important one, with Minnesota, Baltimore and Philly coming to town. More on that later, after we crystallize our thoughts.
The Kimberly Jones Blog 
Ooh, tell Leiter he just gained cool points. I love Mike & Ike’s lol..
We all can’t wait to see Bruney back out there. The bullpen is gamble every time w/o him.
Halladay was amazing.. would give him huge applause but just can’t get over the bitterness which is revived every time the Yanks face him. He owns us.. [and the rest of MLB, but that’s beside the point, lol..]
– V [ http://flairforthedramatic.mlblogs.com ]
Mike & Ikes do Rock!! Another reason to Love Al Leiter! I have been crushing on him for years!! I might have been the only Yankee fan that felt bad after Game 5 in 2000. (okay. . that part is a lie!!)
I agree with Flair. . Every time Halladay pitches, I expect a loss. It wouldn’t have mattered if everyone was healthy, last night he was amazing. To quote every player after every loss. “You got to tip your cap to him”
Tell Al that we have Mike and Ikes here in Hawaii too but curiously it’s mostly at Blockbuster Video. Insider info for Al while in Hawaii.
The Yankees need to gain stability and with every win there’s a chance to do just that. Injuries are injuries and unforeseen. They can only get better as the walking wounder return.
Get well soon guys.
Sorry I meant walking wounded. oops.
Well Kimmie, it’s curious, isn’t it? Curious that for the last couple of years the Yanks have been beset by a rash of quad or hamstring injuries. Yeah…you could blame some of it on the overall age of the team…but maybe…just MAYBE the training regimen of the team should be looked at. I don’t see ANY other major league team with the leg injuries that seem to haunt the Yankees the past couple of years. Can we blame that on Girardi’s Spring training workouts? I don’t know. I seem to remember a lot of this crap when Torre was here too.
Whatever the reason, I doubt that it’s entirely the fault of age. It points MORE to training. Do the Yanks have a Sports training company that handles their strength training? Not the running and all….but the weight machines, the nautilis equipment etc. The stuff the players build and lengthen their muscles with. There just shouldn’t be this many hamstrings and quads. Not the norm for other teams I’m thinking.
Kimmie…stay away from the diet coke. That stuff will rot you from the inside out. That’s free advice…you can thiank me later. ; – )
Kim, great story with Swish and after-game interview. Please ask Michael to give the batting averages when the players come up to bat, and to give the pitcher’s line after he leaves the game, instead of blathering on about whatever self-pitying nonsense he needs to cry about.