New York Yankees News: 3/16/12

- While everyone not-so-quietly obsesses over Michael Pineda's fastball velocity, his newly worked changeup is making huge strides. Russell Martin noted that Pineda got a number of strikes and swings and misses with the pitch in yesterday's game. Joe Girardi thinks that all the questions about velocity will help Michael learn to deal with the ways of the New York media. Or maybe we can just send him to Staten Island.

- Mike Axisa at River Ave Blues discusses all the buzz around David Phelps so far this Spring. He's certainly been impressive each time out, and has really looked major league ready out there. Phelps is already on the 40 man roster, so he'd likely be the first to get the call from Scranton Empire State if a pitcher in the big league rotation had to miss time.

- As Spring Training trucks along and Raul Ibanez continues to barely put bat to ball, Joel Sherman wonders just how long the Yankees will stick with him if the struggles continue. He notes that there is no real emotional or financial tie to Ibanez, so there might not be a lot of reason to keep him around if he can't fix whatever it is that makes him look so terrible at baseball right now. Yeah, it's only Spring Training and it may mean nothing, but there's at least a chance it means plenty.

- Speaking of players who have looked pretty bad so far, here is a list from over at The Yankee Analysts of players who have simply failed to impress so far. The list includes Eric Chavez, Russell Branyan, Andruw Jones, and Robinson Cano. Guess who I am the least worried about out of those.

- Neither Girardi nor Garcia himself knows how long the hand injury he suffered this week will keep him out. It sounds like the spot is similar to where Eduardo Nunez was hit in the hand by a pitch on March 5th, and he hasn't played in a game since. The rotation is set to get an extra day of rest this time around, so maybe that will give Freddy, who has looked pretty good so far, the time necessary to heal.

- The Yankees play the Nationals again today at 1:05 p.m., this time at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. The Hefty Lefty gets the start for New York.