Bomber Links: Wounded Centaur

Mood Music - Benny And The Jets by Elton John

Alex Rodriguez, and his ability to stay healthy, is very important to the success or failure of the 2010 Yankees, so I'm sure I wasn't the only one who lost their lunch for a moment when he pulled up lame (again) on his first day back after some calf soreness.  Ed Price from AOL Fanhouse weighed in, and I picked out some relevant quotes:

"He's probably going to miss a few more games," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

Girardi said putting Rodriguez on the disabled list is not currently under consideration. But with a series Monday through Wednesday on artificial turf on Toronto, the Yankees could conceivably wait a week before playing A-Rod again.

"I just felt something on my swing, probably my first step out of the [batter's] box," Rodriguez said. "It just felt like the same stiffness I felt a few days ago.

I hope they are right in thinking that A-Rod won't need to go on the DL, but the important time for him to be healthy is October.  I was a little bit surprised that Girardi, who normally errs on the side of caution, especially with A-Rod (remember the weekly rest days?) would put him in the lineup if he wasn't 100% sure that he could take it, and I hope they now treat this calf problem with kid gloves.  The last thing that we need is another setback.

Ben Shpigel of the New York Times talked about Felix Hernandez and A.J. Burnett after last nights debacle:

A.J. Burnett and Felix Hernandez are right-handed pitchers who share immense talent, a blazing fastball and a number but not a whole lot else. Burnett has spoken about his admiration for Hernandez’s changeup and his repeatable, fluid mechanics: At 33 years old, Burnett is striving to pitch with the consistency — and the dominance — that Hernandez, at 24, seems to supply in every start.

I wish A.J. would do more than speak of his "admiration for Hernandez's changeup," but actually learn to throw an effective one himself.