With Pedro Feliciano becoming Brian Cashman's very own version of Spider-Man: The Musical, the Yankees GM is in full-on spin mode following news the reliever has a torn capsule in his shoulder that will likely require season-ending surgery.
On Thursday, Cashman responded to critics who said his comments about the Mets being "abusive" of Feliciano were hypocritical since the Yankees essentially did the same thing with poor Scott Proctor in 2007.
The crux of Cashman's response? The Bart Simpson patented, "I didn't do it. Nobody saw me do it. You can't prove anything." The GM said he tried to step between Proctor and notorious bullpen-batterer Joe Torre, but to no avail. Said Cash about his attempt to talk Proctor into saying no to Joe: "I went proactive with it. And failed to stop it."
Cashman tends to tell it pretty straight to the media, so I get the feeling it legitimately bothers him that people think he had something to do with Proctor's overuse and eventual burnout. Or maybe by bringing Torre's name into the discussion, he's deflecting attention from the fact that he dropped $8 million in guaranteed money on a reliever who will likely never throw a pitch for the Yankees.
Either way, it ain't pretty.
Here's some other news floating around Yankee Universe:
- If you can't figure out what's wrong with Phil Hughes, I have news for you ... Phil Hughes can't figure it out either. The right-hander said as much after his latest struggle against the Orioles.
- Girardi said he saw improvement from Hughes, but acknowledged his former All-Star is "still not right."
- New York's top pitching prospects — Dellin Betances and Manny Banuelos — both went to the Double-A DL on Thursday with blister issues on their pitching hands. Cashman attributed the blisters to the difference in seams between minor league baseballs and the balls used during spring training.
- Gary Sanchez, another heralded farmhand, has landed on Charleston's 7-day disabled list.
- Old friend PeteAbe reports the Yankees have signed a Red Sox former first-round pick who was released in spring training.
- Speaking of the Red Sox, they've had a rainout and an off day to think about their 2-9 record, the worst start in franchise history. Said Big Papi: "I’ve been here nine years and I’m not used to that. I look at it and it’s frustrating. I never use that word, but I have to now.’’ I feel terribly for the player, organization, and entire fanbase.
- Almost Yankee All-Star Cliff Lee got back on track with a 12-strikeout shutout of the Nats. To quote Alec Baldwin: "First of all, Yankee fans don't consider Philadelphia to be a legitimate sports town John, you know that."
- A great (or awful) insight into the frisky ways of George Herman "Babe" Ruth. I'm going with "great" since I'm a dirty old man in training.
- Former Yankee-reliever-turned-Tigers-starter Phil Coke had his best day as a pro, combining with two relievers on a three-hit shutout of the A's. Coke went seven innings, allowing just three hits.
- And finally, in Bob-Costas-Is-Going-To-Hate-This news, MLB is leaning toward implementing more uses for replay. Under the proposal, the system will be expanded to include trapped balls and fair-or-foul rulings down the lines. Any changes wouldn't go into effect until 2012, which not for nothing, is supposed to be the year the world ends. I'm sure Costas and other purists will feel vindicated as they burst into flames and get swallowed by the Earth simultaneously.
Dan Hanzus is a regular contributor to Pinstripe Alley. Reach him at dhanzus@gmail.com or on Twitter @danhanzus.