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The Yankees played one full game yesterday and came away with a 12-5 victory. Okay they actually played two games, one five-inning game which they won 5-4 against the Pirates and the other was a 7-1 game against the Phillies that was cancelled after four innings. Both games, however, did have importance for the rotation.
Likely fifth starter, CC Sabathia, went four innings giving up only two runs in his final spring training start. He most likely did enough to officially earn that fifth starter role, but seeing as Ivan Nova still does have one start left, Joe Girardi will likely will until after that for his announcement so it can be "fair." Still though..
Joe Girardi told YES that he thought CC Sabathia's cutter was "exceptional" today. Changeup got better as the game went along.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) March 29, 2016
Aside from the fifth starter, the Yankees still have not named an Opening Day starter, and while all signs do point to Masahiro Tanaka, Joe Girardi did issue a challenge to him two days ago. He said Tanaka would have to "show something" in order to be named the Opening Day starter for the team.
Girardi said he needed to hear from Larry before passing judgment on Tanaka's day in Clearwater, in which he allowed 7H and 1R in 4IP
— wallace matthews (@ESPNNYYankees) March 29, 2016
Which makes sense since Girardi wasn't there, but this is probably good enough to get the official nod. Expect that announcement today or tomorrow. As Opening Day is approaching soon, I'm sure the team has a good sense of what's happening roster-wise, but they're making us wait to here official announcements.
Girardi on final roster decisions: "I hope we have them all by Thursday."
— Lohud Yankees Blog (@LoHudYankees) March 29, 2016
So do we, Joe. So do we.
Yes, so do we. At least one person who was on the bubble got some good news.
Girardi made official what he all but said Saturday: Bryan Mitchell has made the club, likely as a reliever
— Erik Boland (@eboland11) March 29, 2016
Definitely well-deserved after the spring he's had. Besides the Mitchell news, the Yankees did make one more announcement as they set their rotation for the rest of the spring training games.
#Yankees spring pitching:
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) March 29, 2016
3/30 - Nova @ ATL
3/31 - Green @ DET (ss)
3/31 - Pineda vs. STL
4/1 - Eovaldi @ MIA
4/2 - Severino @ MIA
Comments of the Day
So much of this. In fact, all of this! I mean the kid was literally hit in the face in back-to-back games after literally being given the opportunity to take the backup job. He's not going to learn to field there by playing possibly once a week. Might as well let him play everyday and when the ball-to-face ratio risk is low, the Yankees can call him up then. Definitely not the same situation as last year.
Maybe yo-yos hurt Cashman's family in a previous life and that's what this is all about...
Finally Cashman's truth is revealed!
GIF of the Day
Some say he's not a yo-yo. Science proves otherwise.
Honorable Mod Mention
Andrew and I win the HMM for his photoshopping and my gif-ing. HOW YA LIKE THAT, ANDREW MEARNS?!
Fun Questions
- Were you aware that quaggas were a thing?
- Did you play with yo-yos as a kid? What was the best trick you could do?
Song of the Day
Can I Kick It? by A Tribe Called Quest
It's A Tribe Called Quest Week on Pinstripe Alley. Yesterday, Greg asked if I was on point, and while that's a valid question, I think the real question here is can I kick it? As always, please link us your song of the day.
Feel free to use this as your open thread for today's game. Just close your eyes and picture it, because of course it's not on TV or radio. Ivan Nova will take the mound at 1pm for the Yankees looking to try and give Girardi reason to name him the fifth starter.