Around the Yankee Universe, 06.05.09

Let's look around the Inter-Google at stories making the rounds about our New York Yankees today.

• Chien-Ming Wang's return to the starting rotation didn't go the way the Yankees hoped it would. Here is Joe Girardi's assessment.

"I thought he pitched better than his numbers indicated," Girardi said. "I saw good sink. I saw some good sliders. He left two pitches up, probably the double to [Chris] Davis and the home run on the [69th] pitch he threw. That's something we're going to have to watch as we build him up to 100 pitches."

The Texas Rangers, Thursday's opponent, gave the performance mixed reviews. Bill Madden of the New York Daily opines that Wang is clearly not what he was.

• Joba Chamberlain is unconcerned about the great bullpen vs. starter debate.

"There are points where if we have a hiccup down there in a game, that’s the way it’s going to be and if I have a hiccup in a game as a starter, that’s how it’s going to be," Chamberlain said. "It’s going to go back and forth. But hopefully six, seven, eight nine 10 years down the road we won’t be arguing about this too much.

"Who knows? It’s probably going to go on forever. But as long as I’m here, it’s a good thing for me."

"We've been given a budget by ownership this year, and we're going to work within that budget. We have parameters that we're going to use. You have to be a little more cautious and you have to pay attention to certain players' wishes and needs. It might not be what we value that player as. If some of these guys are going to hold true to what they're looking for, you're going to see a few more kids roll into college this year."

"What can you say about Melky? He’s always coming through for us." - Mark Teixeira

That quote pretty much sums up Melky Cabrera’s season. I don’t really know what to make of Cabrera any more, honestly. I look at him and don’t see an everyday player who will hit for power, run a whole lot or do much other than play pretty good, above-average defense.

Yet it seems like every time he comes up in a big spot, he finds a way to get a hit. Three game-ending hits (April 22, May 15, May 22) and now a two-run homer in the eighth against the Rangers to give the Yankees another series win. ...

Maybe I was wrong. I still don’t see Cabrera and think I’m looking at the next Bernie Williams. But he’s certainly proving to be more valuable to the Yankees than I thought he would be this year.

• Pinstriped Bible is still not convinced about Melky.
• You guys still want Angel Berroa off the roster? Well, the Chicago White Sox have DFA'd Wilson Betemit. If you think he's an improvement, that is.