New York Yankees News: 6/1/12

- The Yankee catching duo of Russell Martin and Chris Stewart has been an offensive (both ways) black hole this year, hitting for a combined .196/.314/.313 and a 77 wRC+. With Cervelli being pretty bad in AAA, and the rest of the catching prospects too far away, there is little relief in sight at the position. The long-term options around baseball are diminishing, but can the Yankees justify giving Martin the contract he wants if he hits like he is now all season?

- The 2012 draft is next week, and EJ Fagan at The Yankee Analysts discusses his strategy for dealing with the new signing bonus rules. The budget for this year is $4.19 million, down from $6 million. I'm still holding out hope for Stryker Trahan because of his name alone.

- Chad Jennings at LoHud looks at the entire Yankee system to find the prospect at each position who has been best to this point in the season. Popular names like Gary Sanchez, Mason Williams, and Tyler Austin are obviously included, but there are a few under the radar types there as well.

- Austin Romine has finally been cleared to return to baseball activities after being out since before Spring Training games began with an inflamed disc in his back. He will likely be back to game action some time in July.

- Mike Axisa at River Avenue Blues thinks that David Robertson's return could be a good time to let David Phelps get a few starts in while possibly sending Ivan Nova to the minors to work out the problems he has faced all season. That's likely not a popular opinion at PSA, but Axisa is the second writer (Donnie Collins, AAA beat writer, being the first) to propose the move since Wednesday's game.

Knowing how Nova responded to being sent down last year, would you send him down in hopes that he works out whatever is going on, or let him stay in New York with the potential of more bad starts hanging overhead?