Yankee News For Yankee Fans

[sabugo]

Everytime you show your love for Teixeira, it hurts me...

Could you hate Cristiano Ronaldo instead?

[Yankee4Life]

Could you hate Cristiano Ronaldo instead?

I hardly know anything about him to have an opinion of him. I have no use for soccer.

[Yankee4Life]

Yankees hang on for dear life in 6-5 win over Twins, as Brian Roberts has four-hit game

Chase Whitley surrenders four runs in three innings, but long man David Huff salvages the day for Yankees, who move to 13-3 at Target Field

Brian Roberts has a big day at the dish and tags out Minnesota's Brian Dozier here as the Yankees get a much-needed victory, something that comes pretty easily at Target Field.

MINNEAPOLIS — There’s nothing like the sight of the Twins to get the Yankees going again.

The Bombers jumped out to a five-run lead, then held on with the help of six solid innings by the bullpen to take a 6-5 decision from the Twins in a holiday matinee Friday at Target Field.

Brian Roberts went 4-for-5 with three doubles and a triple, setting a career-high with nine total bases. His first-inning double helped spark a three-run rally, while his second-inning double set up Jacoby Ellsbury’s two-run hit, capping another three-run frame.

“We need wins, so anytime that you can feel like you’re contributing is good whether it’s one hit or four hits or whatever it is,” Roberts said. “That was a fun game to be a part of.”

Chase Whitley was unable to do much with the run support, allowing four runs over three innings, but David Huff (2-0) was perfect in three innings of long relief, turning a two-run lead over to the big arms at the back of the bullpen.

“It’s always big when the bullpen can pick up six innings and get us the win,” said David Robertson, who recorded his 20th save in 22 opportunities. “It was a tough game today. We grinded hard, the hitters did their job, got us a bunch of runs, and we were able to hold it for them.”

Mark Teixeira (r.) knocks in a run and scores one in Friday's win.

For the second straight game, nearly the entire lineup was involved in the scoring, as seven different players either scored a run or had an RBI.

“We’ve said all along that these guys are good hitters and eventually it’s got to turn,” Joe Girardi said. “The last two days we’ve swung the bat really, really well.”

The Yankees have won seven straight games here and are now 13-3 in 16 games at Target Field since it opened in 2010. They’re 29-11 overall in the regular season against the Twins since the beginning of 2009.

The Yankees were feeling good after their seven-run outburst Thursday night, but Girardi tinkered with the lineup for Friday’s matinee.

Derek Jeter, Brian McCann and Zelous Wheeler were given the day off, while Roberts, Francisco Cervelli and Kelly Johnson were penciled into the lineup.

The moves worked out right away as Brett Gardner led off the game with a triple to left-center against Kyle Gibson, and he would score on Roberts’ double to right for the game’s first run. Mark Teixeira followed with a one-out double to center to drive in Roberts, then after a passed ball moved Teixeira to third, Carlos Beltran lifted a sac fly to right to give Whitley a 3-0 lead before he took the mound.

Brian Dozier put the Twins on the board with a leadoff homer to left-center, but the Yankees went back to work against Gibson in the second.

Cervelli led off with a double to left, then Johnson moved him to third with a groundout to first and Brendan Ryan’s sac fly to center brought home the Yankee catcher to move the lead back to three. Gibson walked Gardner and gave up a double to left to Roberts, before Ellsbury’s two-run single to right-center pushed the lead to 6-1.

“Hitting is contagious, and I think it goes both ways,” Roberts said. “When guys start struggling, everybody starts struggling. A couple of guys start hitting and it can kind of roll.”

Chris Colabello homered to right against Whitley to start the second, then the Twins scored twice in the third — on Osvaldo Arcia’s triple to center and Trevor Plouffe’s single to center — to pull within two runs.

Chase Whitley struggles again for the Bombers.

Girardi wasn’t taking any chances after that inning, sending Huff in for Whitley, who was charged with four runs on eight hits and a walk over three frames.

Huff gave the Yankees just what they needed, tossing the three perfect innings to get the lead to the back end of the pen. Adam Warren and Dellin Betances combined for a scoreless seventh, but the Twins scored a run against Betances in the eighth — on Colabello’s groundout to second — to move within a run. Then Teixeira made a diving stop on Eduardo Escobar’s hard grounder to get Betances out of the jam.

“That’s a huge play or we’re in a tie ballgame and it’s a much different game,” Girardi said. “Just a great play by Tex.”

Robertson threw a scoreless ninth for his eighth straight save since his June 1 implosion against the Twins.

“It’s definitely a lot better feeling when we win a couple games instead of losing I don’t know how many in a row,” Robertson said. “Everyone’s relaxed a little bit. Now we’ve got to start winning more.”

[Yankee4Life]

Season and career could be over for Yankees lefthander CC Sabathia as knee surgery looms

After making his second minor-league rehab start Wednesday night, Sabathia woke up Thursday with swelling in his knee. Sabathia will visit Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., on July 14

CC Sabathia's future could be in doubt as lefthander needs to pay a visit to Dr. James Andrews.

MINNEAPOLIS — CC Sabathia’s season appears to be over. But a bigger question looms for the big lefthander: Is it possible he’s thrown the last pitch of his career, too?

Sabathia will visit Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., on July 14, when the orthopedist is expected to recommend surgery on the pitcher’s ailing right knee. Andrews is not available to see Sabathia next week, though given the bleak outlook — at least as far as 2014 is concerned — there doesn’t seem to be a rush to get Sabathia examined.

After making his second minor-league rehab start Wednesday night, Sabathia woke up Thursday with swelling in his knee. He was sent for another MRI, and while Joe Girardi said the test “didn’t reveal anything new,” the fact that Sabathia’s knee had essentially returned to square one was discouraging.

“I’m sure surgery is possible,” Girardi said. “They’ve got to talk about it and determine what’s next.”

Asked whether he believes Sabathia’s 2014 season is over, Girardi nodded.

“I think that’s probably fair to say,” Girardi said.

CC Sabathia made a rehab start on Wednesday and then has knee swell up next morning.

Amid reports that Sabathia — who turns 34 on July 21 — could be facing the dreaded microfracture surgery, Girardi didn’t discount that option.

“That’s always a possibility when you have a degenerative knee,” Girardi said. “That could be one of the steps. I’m not exactly sure if he was to have surgery what it’s going to be. That’s for them to determine, but that’s always a possibility. And that’s a surgery that a lot of players don’t want to hear that they need to have. It’s a pretty long rehab.”

Grady Sizemore — Sabathia’s former teammate in Cleveland — underwent the procedure in 2010, one of the few baseball players to have microfracture surgery. The procedure has been more common in the NBA; players such as Jason Kidd, Greg Oden, Tracy McGrady and Amar’e Stoudamire — a close friend of Sabathia’s — have had the surgery.

Many of those athletes never performed to their previous level — or even played at all — after the surgery. Would microfracture surgery mean the end of Sabathia’s career?

“I think it’s too early to predict that,” Girardi said. “Whenever you have degenerative issues that cause surgery or things like that, there’s always a little question, yeah.”

Sabathia has two years and $48 million remaining on his contract beyond this season, plus a $25 million vesting option that kicks in automatically as long as he doesn’t experience any left shoulder injuries. It’s unclear whether that option would still vest if he didn’t pitch at all in 2015 or ’16 because of the knee issue.

He suffered through a tough 2013 season, going 14-13 with a career-high 4.78 ERA as he returned from offseason elbow surgery and learned to pitch with diminished velocity.

He seemed to have turned a corner by spring training, but he was repeatedly victimized by one bad inning in each start this season, going 3-4 with a 5.28 ERA in eight outings before landing on the DL with right knee inflammation on May 11.

Following a visit to Andrews in mid-May, Sabathia was given a cortisone shot and a stem-cell injection to treat what was described at the time as “degenerative changes” to the knee, but the Yankees had been hopeful he would return to the rotation after the All-Star break, which would have given the pitching staff a much-needed jolt.

“That’s a tough blow; everybody wants CC back,” David Robertson said. “He’s the ace of our staff. I know (Masahiro) Tanaka has been amazing, but CC has been our horse. He’s been the guy we’ve depended on for years. To lose him for the rest of the season, if that’s what it comes down to, will be extremely tough for us. It seems like something like this happens every year, but you don’t think it’s going to be CC because he’s so dependable and tough.”

[Yankee4Life]

Brian Roberts of the New York Yankees hits an RBI double against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning of the game on July 4, 2014 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Yankees defeated the Twins 6-5.

[Yankee4Life]

Jacoby Ellsbury of the New York Yankees hits a two-run single against the Minnesota Twins during the second inning of the game on July 4, 2014 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Yankees defeated the Twins 6-5.

[Yankee4Life]

Ichiro Suzuki of the New York Yankees makes a catch of the ball hit by Trevor Plouffe of the Minnesota Twins as teammate Mark Teixeira looks on during the eighth inning of the game on July 4, 2014 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Yankees defeated the Twins 6-5.

[Yankee4Life]

Chris Parmelee of the Minnesota Twins reacts to striking out to end the game as Francisco Cervelli of the New York Yankees celebrates the win on July 4, 2014 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Yankees defeated the Twins 6-5.

[sabugo]

Meh...I always feel bad for a fellow athlete getting injured. No matter how grossly overpaid and underperforming he is at this point in his career.

Unfortunatly this is good news for the Yankees. He won't be pitching for them this year and let's face it, he wasn't himself when he did. I do hope he gets his health back, if not for baseball, but for his life.

This whole 'let's change your unfit body and turn you into an athlete' thing, to me, is the origin of all his heatlh issues over the past couple of years. You don't mess with something that's working! And now there's the result.
Maybe his body would've broken down anyways, we'll just never know. But why did they have to mess with it in the first place?!

[Yankee4Life]

Meh...I always feel bad for a fellow athlete getting injured. No matter how grossly overpaid and underperforming he is at this point in his career.

Unfortunatly this is good news for the Yankees. He won't be pitching for them this year and let's face it, he wasn't himself when he did. I do hope he gets his health back, if not for baseball, but for his life.

This whole 'let's change your unfit body and turn you into an athlete' thing, to me, is the origin of all his heatlh issues over the past couple of years. You don't mess with something that's working! And now there's the result.

Maybe his body would've broken down anyways, we'll just never know. But why did they have to mess with it in the first place?!

I agree. He was useless to the Yankees last year and this year (3-4, 5.28 ERA) so if he is out for the remainder of the season I won't shed any tears. Maybe he can go find Rodriguez and they can hang out.

I don't know if losing weight was the start of his knee problems. If anything that should have helped him.

[Yankee4Life]

The Yankees traded lefthander Vidal Nuno (2-5, 5.42 ERA) to Arizona for right handed pitcher Brandon McCarthy (3-10, 5.01 ERA) today.

I only had two comments about this. First was that I didn't give a **** and second why couldn't the Yankees have thrown in Francisco Cervelli ?

[sabugo]

The Yankees traded lefthander Vidal Nuno (2-5, 5.42 ERA) to Arizona for right handed pitcher Brandon McCarthy (3-10, 5.01 ERA) today.

I only had two comments about this. First was that I didn't give a **** and second why couldn't the Yankees have thrown in Francisco Cervelli ?

And Soriano was DFA'd! Wow. I'll comment on these matters along with Sabathia's injuries tomorrow. I had a Jiu-Jitsu competition today, I'm beat.

[sabugo]

So, now that I'm rested:

McCarthy is not so bad, but will he really be an upgrade over Nuno? I guess he was better before being hit by that live drive a couple of years ago, but the Yankees tend to prefer to sign players after they've had some kind of major injury. (ie: Beltran, Roberts)
In my opinion, Nuno isn't that bad. In fact, if he was just a spot starter I wouldn't mind having him, but as a regular starter, he's way out of his depth.

As for Soriano, I have to give credit for the Yankees on this one. Brought back last year, he was one of the few bright spots of 2013. He made us believe just for a second. They did the right thing this year by giving him a chance to recapture some of that magic, and letting him go now that's evident that the magic isn't coming back. If they held on to him, chances are he would've hit some more homers and made us smile every now and then. But he would've probably struck out 200 times and played some horrible defense, so those hypothetical homers would have most likely been meaningless.
Fun while it lasted, sorry to see you go, but it's time.


Back to Sabathia:

CC's capabilities as a pitcher depend on the torque and tension that his enourmous body produces. If you've been repeating the same motions for over 20 years - in fact his job depends on the very capability of reapeating the same motions - your ligaments, tendons, muscles and everything else, will adapt and be prepared for such. Specially if you've been performing and depending on those motions while your body was growing up.

Now, for someone a regular Joe, losing weight and getting in shape an all that might be a great idea.
In my opinion, what it did for Sabathia's body was change the dynamic of his motions. Now, these motions are being performed by muscles that have become different, that produce different tensions and torques, which would cause more stress on his ligaments, joints and bones, specially in the ones he's more dependent on, such as knees and elbows.
His excess weight would probably have cause it's own wear and tear issues, but I believe he'd be able to deal with those better than with the type of injuries he's had over the past couple of years, when the project 'Let's get CC fit' started.

[Yankee4Life]

So, now that I'm rested:

McCarthy is not so bad, but will he really be an upgrade over Nuno? I guess he was better before being hit by that live drive a couple of years ago, but the Yankees tend to prefer to sign players after they've had some kind of major injury. (ie: Beltran, Roberts)

In my opinion, Nuno isn't that bad. In fact, if he was just a spot starter I wouldn't mind having him, but as a regular starter, he's way out of his depth.

I don't know if he is an upgrade but considering how much more the Yankees would have had to pay for Samardzija they are better off having McCarthy and hoping for the best.

As for Soriano, I have to give credit for the Yankees on this one. Brought back last year, he was one of the few bright spots of 2013. He made us believe just for a second. They did the right thing this year by giving him a chance to recapture some of that magic, and letting him go now that's evident that the magic isn't coming back. If they held on to him, chances are he would've hit some more homers and made us smile every now and then. But he would've probably struck out 200 times and played some horrible defense, so those hypothetical homers would have most likely been meaningless.

Fun while it lasted, sorry to see you go, but it's time.

Yeah, he was a bright spot but I never believed in this guy once. I never liked him because of his laziness and still have not understood why the Cubs gave him that huge contract.

CC's capabilities as a pitcher depend on the torque and tension that his enourmous body produces. If you've been repeating the same motions for over 20 years - in fact his job depends on the very capability of reapeating the same motions - your ligaments, tendons, muscles and everything else, will adapt and be prepared for such. Specially if you've been performing and depending on those motions while your body was growing up.

Now, for someone a regular Joe, losing weight and getting in shape an all that might be a great idea.

In my opinion, what it did for Sabathia's body was change the dynamic of his motions. Now, these motions are being performed by muscles that have become different, that produce different tensions and torques, which would cause more stress on his ligaments, joints and bones, specially in the ones he's more dependent on, such as knees and elbows.

His excess weight would probably have cause it's own wear and tear issues, but I believe he'd be able to deal with those better than with the type of injuries he's had over the past couple of years, when the project 'Let's get CC fit' started.

I never looked at it this way. You're probably right.

[Yankee4Life]

Alfonso Soriano released by Yankees, who trade Vidal Nuno for Brandon McCarthy

The struggling outfielder was designated for assignment before Sunday's 9-7 win over the Twins to make room for pitcher Bruce Billings. Soriano hit just .221 with six home runs in 67 games this season.

Alfonso Soriano struggles to find a groove in 2014 as a platoon player in the Yankees’ crowded outfield.

MINNEAPOLIS — With a .500 record more than halfway through the season, something needed to change for the Yankees.

Sunday, those changes began to be made.

The Yankees traded Vidal Nuno to Arizona for veteran righthander Brandon McCarthy, then designated Alfonso Soriano for assignment, ending the slugger’s second tenure in pinstripes.

“It’s been kind of a tough day,” Joe Girardi said.

Things got better for Girardi as he watched his team batter Ricky Nolasco for six runs over the first two innings before holding on for a 9-7 win against the Twins. The Yankees won three of four at Target Field this weekend, improving to 14-4 here since the ballpark opened in 2010.

Jacoby Ellsbury smacked a three-run homer to highlight a four-run second inning as the offense awoke from its weekend slumber, having scored only one run over its previous 18 innings. Derek Jeter went 3-for-4 with two RBI.

Hiroki Kuroda (6-6) earned the win, allowing four runs over 5.2 innings. Minnesota pulled within three runs by the eighth, but David Robertson collected his 21st save despite allowing a run in the ninth.

Brandon McCarthy, 30, is 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA for the Diamondbacks this season.

The Yankees scored 22 runs in their three wins during the series.

“It just gives us a little boost to know that we still have it in us,” Mark Teixeira said.

Girardi called the Soriano move “extremely difficult,” noting that the 38-year-old has “been a great Yankee and a great player.”

Soriano was one of the hottest hitters in baseball after the Yankees acquired him from the Cubs last summer, hitting 17 home runs with 50 RBI in 58 games. But he hit .221/.244/.367 with six home runs and 23 RBI in 67 games this season, starting 31 games in the outfield and 25 as the designated hitter. He had only one multi-hit game after May 26, batting .145 (8-for-55) with no home runs in 20 games.

“It’s a guy that came in and did a tremendous job for us last year,” Girardi said. “He’s had his struggles this year. He’s a guy that is used to playing every day and there weren’t everyday at-bats for him, so maybe it was harder for him to get going. We’re not sure. But that was the move we made.”

Soriano’s struggles against righthanders (.204/.228/.336) turned him into a platoon player, giving Ichiro Suzuki most of the playing time in right field after Carlos Beltran was forced into DH duty because of an elbow injury.

In 14 starts for the Yankees this season, Vidal Nuno is 2-5 with a 5.42 ERA.

“His struggles against righthanders have been pretty evident,” Girardi said. “Defensively Ichiro is better. So it’s kind of a catch-22.”

Soriano never figured out how to keep his swing sharp in limited playing time, leaving him unable to find a rhythm at the plate. “Soriano’s like family to me, I played with him for a long time,” Derek Jeter said. “Sori’s had a tremendous career here in New York; he’s done a great job. It was difficult for him this year. Any time you talk about a player who’s used to playing every day not playing every day, it’s hard to be productive. I feel for him, I’m going to miss him, but I’ll be in touch with him. He’s like a brother to me.”

Soriano declined to speak with reporters after receiving the news Sunday morning, but he told ESPN Deportes the move “was to be expected” and that he had already had discussions with his agent about “how I was being used in the game and how I didn’t feel comfortable.

“I am calm, and I believe that it was a good decision by the team,” Soriano said. “I’m glad that now that I have been released I will have the opportunity to decide what I want to do next, and the team can go ahead and find someone to do the job I was unable to do.”

The Nuno-McCarthy trade could have bigger implications for the Yankees, who are trying to bolster a rotation already missing three of its five regular starters.

Nuno was 2-5 with a 5.42 ERA in 17 games (14 starts), averaging a shade over five innings per start. With Chase Whitley also struggling to provide length, the Yankees are hoping the 30-year-old McCarthy can give them the innings they desperately need.

McCarthy is 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA in 18 starts for the Diamondbacks this season, though he’s won his past two starts in impressive fashion.

“I feel like I’m in a good place now,” McCarthy told reporters in Atlanta. “I’ve kind of changed up the way I’m attacking recently, and there are some positives I’ve started to see. I still feel like I’ve thrown the ball well this year.”

McCarthy has averaged more than six innings per outing, posting seven quality starts for Arizona. He will slot into the rotation on Wednesday against the Indians.

“McCarthy is an experienced starter that we expect to pitch well for us and give us distance,” Girardi said. “I know he’s had his struggles, but he seems to have turned it around. He has a good arm and we need him to help us.”

A source said Brian Cashman had been after McCarthy for weeks. Arizona will pay $2.05 million of the $4.1M remaining on McCarthy’s deal, though the Yankees will pay his $1 million reassignment bonus.

McCarthy, who signed a two-year, $15.5 million deal with the D-Backs prior to 2013, will be a free agent at season’s end.

On Sept. 5, 2012, while with the A’s, McCarthy took a line drive to the head off the bat of the Angels’ Erick Aybar. While he managed to get back on his feet, he subsequently underwent surgery for two hours to relieve cranial pressure after CT scans revealed he suffered an epidural hemorrhage, a brain contusion and a skull fracture.

[sabugo]

And Tanaka to the DL because hey, why not!

Jesus...

[Yankee4Life]

And Tanaka to the DL because hey, why not!

Jesus...

Pack it in and load up the trucks. This season's done.

[Yankee4Life]

Hours after Masahiro Tanaka injury news, Jacoby Ellsbury’s home run delivers 14-inning Yankees win over Indians

In his Yankee debut, Brandon McCarthy settled down after the first inning, holding the Indians to one run over the next 5.2 frames, giving the Yankees the length they hoped for when they traded for him.

Jacoby Ellsbury gives his temmates reason to smile with a 14th inning home run as the Yankees top the Indians 5-4 just after learning All-Star rookie Masahiro Tanaka is headed to the DL.

CLEVELAND — At least the Yankees had something to smile about Wednesday.

Hours after learning that Masahiro Tanaka was headed for the disabled list with a right elbow injury, Jacoby Ellsbury launched a solo home run in the 14th inning to lift the Yankees to a 5-4 win over the Indians at Progressive Field.

Ellsbury’s home run ended an eight-inning scoreless duel as the two teams were tied at 4 after the fifth, only to post one zero after another for nearly three hours.

“Our bullpen pitched unbelievable to give us a chance to win that game,” Ellsbury said. “It was a nice team win.”

Chase Whitley (4-2) earned the win with two scoreless innings in his first big-league relief appearance. David Robertson closed it out in the 14th for his 22nd save in 24 chances.

Brandon McCarthy, making his Yankee debut, talks with Joe Girardi in the seventh inning.

Mark Teixeira belted a pair of home runs against starter Josh Tomlin, but he also committed a throwing error in the first inning that led to three unearned runs against newcomer Brandon McCarthy, making his first start for the Bombers.

“No matter what happens before the game, in between the lines, whether it’s nine or 14 innings — we’re just going to keep playing hard,” Teixeira said when asked about the Tanaka news. “That’s the only thing we can do. Don’t feel sorry for ourselves; go out there and try to win games.”

McCarthy settled down after the first, holding the Indians to one run over the next 5.2 frames, giving the Yankees the length they hoped they were getting when they dealt Vidal Nuno to Arizona for the tall, lanky righthander.

McCarthy, who was 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA in Arizona this season, allowed four runs — one earned — on nine hits and one walk, striking out three over 6.2 innings in a no-decision.

Mark Teixeira blasts one of his two home runs.

“More or less, it’s the way I’d like to pitch, where if I’m sharper the results can be much better,” McCarthy said. “But I’d love this to be as bad as it is.”

Teixeira’s homer to right in the fourth put the Yankees on the board, then after Brian McCann made it a one-run game with a sac fly in the fifth, Teixeira drilled his second homer in as many innings to give the Yankees a 4-3 lead. It was the 37th career multi-homer game by Teixeira, his first since July 13, 2012.

Carlos Santana tied the game with an RBI single to right in the fifth, the last run that crossed the plate until Ellsbury’s blast thanks to Shawn Kelley, who worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the 10th.

“That’s a tough game to lose for either side,” Joe Girardi said. “Both bullpens did an exceptional job. It came down to one big hit.”

[Yankee4Life]

Yankees minor league prospect Rob Refsnyder has potential - and patience

Refsnyder doesn’t sound like a 23-year-old kid on the verge of making it to the big leagues for the first time. Instead he oozes maturity as he speaks about his sudden climb through the Yankees’ system

Rob Refsnyder is swinging hot bat on farm and, showing poise beyond years, may get promotion.

MOOSIC, Pa. — Rob Refsnyder is aware that he has become the talk of the Yankee organization, and many fans as well, lately, as the breakout player in the ballclub’s minor league system and perhaps its starting second baseman next season.

For that matter, his bat may get him to the Bronx before then. The need for offense is such that GM Brian Cashman sent word here a few days ago to have Refsnyder start playing some outfield, in case the Yankees decide to call him up soon.

Yet Refsnyder doesn’t sound like a 23-year-old kid on the verge of making it to the big leagues for the first time. Instead he oozes maturity beyond his years as he speaks about his sudden climb through the Yankees’ system and keeping it all in perspective.

“I enjoy every moment here," Refsnyder said Monday before the Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre Railriders were rained out. “I think that’s maybe why I’ve been successful in some pressure situations. I kind of stay in the now and don’t get caught up in the other stuff.

“I’ll enjoy it my first time there — it’ll be something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. But it still feels kind of a long ways away."

Perhaps it makes sense that Refsnyder would have a worldly perspective, considering his background. As a South Korean native who was adopted by a Southern California couple and flown to this country at 5 months old, he has endured racial taunts on the ballfield over the years.

From playing on national junior teams to college at Arizona to small towns in the minors, Refsnyder said he heard it from the fans in various ballparks. The verbal abuse in the 2012 College World Series from U. of South Carolina fans was such that Refsnyder tweeted he’d never live in that state.

Yet after the Yankees drafted him out of Arizona, he wound up playing for their Class A team in Charleston, and admitting he was “foolish for generalizing about the entire state.

“It’s just something you deal with," Refsnyder said on Monday. “I’m sure (Derek) Jeter has had to deal with it.

"I don’t let it affect the way I look at things. All in all, I couldn’t have asked for a greater experience being adopted. I couldn’t have asked for greater parents."

Refsnyder makes things happen offensively.

As he spoke on Monday, Refsnyder referenced his parents repeatedly, as well as a sister who also was adopted from South Korea, as being his biggest influences, instilling values that are reflected by a work ethic and intangibles that stand out to baseball people.

Indeed, everyone from coaches here to scouts to Yankee executives comment on his baseball smarts and dedication as qualities that have helped him adapt and succeed in pro ball so far. That may even explain why, as Refsnyder referenced, he has often had a flair for the big moment, such as earning MVP honors when Arizona won that College World Series two years ago.

“Being around him for the first time, he’s impressed the hell out of me, I’ll tell you that," Railriders hitting coach Butch Wynegar said on Monday.

“Kevin Long called me about 10 days ago to ask me about him and I said, ‘Kev, you’re going to love this guy. He’s a smart hitter, he’s coachable, great makeup.’ Everything a coach or manager would want out of a player."

Now it appears he has a dangerous bat as well. Refsnyder’s numbers in Class A didn’t dazzle anyone, but between Double-A and Triple-A this season he is hitting .333 with 41 extra-base hits, including 11 home runs, and a .402 on-base percentage.

Refsnyder said the jump in power numbers is the result of what he calls “a huge swing overhaul," for which he credits Double-A hitting coach Marcus Thames.

“I was working underneath the ball," said Refsnyder. “Marcus was pretty frank: he said ,‘This isn’t going to work.’ So we went back to the drawing board. He stood me up a little more upright, redid my posture at the plate, and that helped me get more direct to the baseball.

“I think that really helped me on the inside pitch this year, and I think that’s why my power numbers have sparked a little bit. I’m able to get to some of the pitches I wasn’t able to last year. "

Refsnyder was also influenced last year by Alex Rodriguez, a player whose swing he admired while growing up in Southern California.

Refsnyder converts to second base after being an outfielder in college.

“A-Rod was the staple for a righthanded hitter," said Refsnyder. “You’d go to any batting cage, any guy showing film of hitting, and A-Rod’s swing would come up.

“I got to watch him and talk to him about hitting approach when he was rehabbing in Tampa. Whenever he was in the cage he always had a plan, a purpose. His swing was so short and direct. As a guy whose swing wasn’t where I wanted it to be, I took a lot from watching him."

Whatever the factors, Refsnyder has put it all together this season and may prove to be the type of surprise the Yankees need coming out of their farm system next season, if indeed he can play second base at the big-league level. He was an outfielder in college who was converted by the Yankees because they didn’t think he’d hit enough to be a corner outfielder.

“It’s been a grind learning the position," Refsnyder said. “But now I love it there."

Yankees superscout Gene Michael, here on Monday, said he believes Refsnyder can play second in the big leagues. “I haven’t seen anything I don’t like," he said.

For now, however, the Yankees’ need for power in the outfield is such that Refsnyder will start playing games in the outfield this week.

“I’m not presently looking to call him up, but he’s demanding that we pay attention,” Cashman said. “If he came up here (in the coming weeks), it would likely be in the outfield."

One way or another it appears his time is coming. However, Refsnyder seems unfazed.

“I just stay in my routine," he said. “The guys always make fun of me because I’m always in the cage but I think, for me personally, that’s how I get better, through swings and hours in the cage.

“I’ll let everybody else worry about all the other stuff."

[Yankee4Life]

Starter Brandon McCarthy of the New York Yankees pitches during the first inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on July 9, 2014 in Cleveland, Ohio.

[Yankee4Life]

Mark Teixeira of the New York Yankees runs the bases on his solo home run during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on July 9, 2014 in Cleveland, Ohio.

[Yankee4Life]

Catcher Brian McCann of the New York Yankees throws to first during the eighth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on July 9, 2014 in Cleveland, Ohio.

[Yankee4Life]

New York Yankees' Jacoby Ellsbury watches his solo home run off Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Vinnie Pestano in the 14th inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 9, 2014, in Cleveland.

[Yankee4Life]

Rookie righthander Shane Greene dazzles as Yankees defeat Orioles, 3-0

Greene, a 15th-round draft pick out of Daytona State JC, allowed four hits and a two walks while striking out nine over 7 1/3 innings.

Shane Greene does his job, only allowing four hits during a scoreless 7.1 innings.

BALTIMORE – It was a crushing blow for the Yankees this past week when ace Masahiro Tanaka was lost for a minimum of six weeks to an elbow injury. Joe Girardi suggested that perhaps this dark cloud could come with a silver lining in the form of someone stepping up to prove he belongs in the Bombers’ starting rotation.

That someone could be Shane Greene.

The rookie righthander was brilliant on Saturday against the Orioles, carving them up through 7.1 scoreless innings in a 3-0 victory before a sellout crowd of 46,667 at Camden Yards. The Bombers moved back within four games of the O’s in the AL East.

Greene, the Yanks’ 15th-round draft pick in 2009 out of Daytona State, a junior college, allowed four hits and a two walks while striking out nine. In his two turns since replacing struggling Chase Whitley in the rotation, Greene is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA. In his first big league start on Monday he beat the Indians in Cleveland with six innings of two-run ball.

He said the experience has been “a dream come true.”

Said Girardi: “He’s stepping up, that’s for sure. To be able to come and face two really good lineups ... and keep the ball in the ballpark, you’re throwing the ball pretty well. He’s earning starts is what he’s doing.”

The Yankees expected to rely on some rookie starting pitching this season in the form of Tanaka, but not as much as they’ve had to. They had no choice because of injuries to Ivan Nova, CC Sabathia and Michael Pineda.

Greene’s win Saturday makes the Bombers 19-4 in road games where they’ve sent a rookie pitcher to the mound this season. The stat might sound inflated because of Tanaka’s dominance in the first half, but a dozen of those wins are from other pitchers.

“Everybody’s a big-leaguer here, everybody can do the job,” catcher Francisco Cervelli said. “Just because we lost big names it doesn’t mean the other guys cannot do it. We’ve just got to work, have a good plan and come ready to win every game."

After Greene after got the first out in the eighth, David Huff replaced him and gave up a Nick Markakis single, but Shawn Kelley came out of the bullpen to get the last two outs in the inning. David Robertson pitched a perfect ninth for his 23rd save.

Derek Jeter is thrown out at home plate as Orioles catcher Nick Hundley applies the tag in the third inning.

One day after the first four hitters in the Yankees’ batting order were an aggregate 1-for-19, the quartet of Brett Gardner, Derek Jeter, Jacoby Ellsbury and Mark Teixeira went a combined 4-for-14. Jeter, Ellsbury and Teixeira each drove in a run.

There was potential for more offense but the two innings where the Bombers scored ended with runners being thrown out at the plate. Teixeira’s double to right scored Gardner in the third, but Jeter was thrown out trying to score a second run on the hit. In the seventh, Jeter and Ellsbury had run-scoring singles, but Ellsbury was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second on a Brian McCann single.

Greene got the nervousness of starting a big-league game out of his system on Monday and was very much in control from the beginning on Saturday. He retired the first 10 Oriole batters and didn’t allow a hit until Manny Machado’s single through the left side with two out in the fifth.

“He had control of the game pretty much the whole time, so it was exactly what we needed,” Jeter said. “It’s good. Anytime guys go down to injury, it gives other guys opportunity. When you have those opportunities, you need to make the most of it. He’s done that.”

The few times that Greene found trouble, he resolved it by making big pitches. With runners on the corners and two out in the fifth, he struck out Nick Hundley. With two on and none out in the sixth, he got O’s star Adam Jones to hit a slider into a double play.

“I made some bigger pitches (today). I think that was the key,” Greene said. “When I say big pitches, I mean a big-situation strikeout or a big-situation double-play ball.”

Many in the Yankees organization are high on Greene, and Girardi said that when he had an excellent spring training this year “we were really excited about him and what he could possibly do for us.

“We felt he would help us at some point this year,” the manager added, “and the time is now.”

[Yankee4Life]

David Robertson has given Yankees no worries at closer

Entering Sunday night’s game against Baltimore, Robertson had blown only two save opportunities in 25 chances, had struck out 16.3 batters per nine innings and had a 2.76 ERA that’s skewed much higher by two clunker outings.

The Yankees are adjusting just fine with life after Mariano Rivera thanks to David Robertson, who will become a free agent this winter.

BALTIMORE — David Robertson hasn’t spent much time this season dwelling on the whole “Replacing Mo” narrative, unless it was answering questions about taking over for the retired Mariano Rivera back in spring training or in the first few weeks of April.

And it’s a testament to how well he’s pitched that it’s never been an issue since. Entering Sunday night’s game against Baltimore, Robertson had blown only two save opportunities in 25 chances, had struck out 16.3 batters per nine innings and had a 2.76 ERA that’s skewed much higher by two clunker outings.

By comparison, Rivera blew three of his first six save chances after he became closer in 1997 and nine total.

“I don’t know how you could expect someone to do any better than he’s done,” Joe Girardi said of Robertson. “Going into it, there’s going to be whispers whenever he blows a save or has a bad day, and I think he’s handled that great.

“I can think about maybe one or two days that he’s had that he really didn’t do the job that people expect you to do and be perfect. And he’s handled those great. I don’t know how you could have a much better first half than what he’s had.”

As Robertson heads off into his All-Star break — he probably should be on his way to Minneapolis to be in the All-Star Game, but he’s going to enjoy down time with his family — it’s worth noting that he is thriving in an important season for his own career.

The 29-year-old Robertson is a free agent for the first time after the season and he looms as a significant part of a crucial winter for the Yankees, who also have to find Derek Jeter’s successor, more starting pitchers and a second baseman.

Do the Yankees bring Robertson back or do they feel that the emergent Dellin Betances offers a cheaper closing option?

None of that is on Robertson’s mind now. “I try not to worry about it because, to be honest with you, it’s so far away right now,” he said. “I’m more focused on what we’re doing here.

“This offseason, my numbers from this year are going to count, so why focus on what’s going to happen then instead of what’s happening now?”

Asked if he wants to be back, he says, “Yeah. We’ll see what happens. There haven’t been any talks, so we’ll see.”

Is that something he’d rather put off until after the season? “It’s not my call,” he said, a reference to the Yankees’ usual policy of waiting until after the season to deal with their free agents.

“There’s just been zero talks. When the offseason comes, it comes and we’ll hear what other teams and everybody else wants to say.”

Robertson’s pitching has been saying plenty. His K/9 ratio is the best of his career and his strikeout-to-walk ratio is 5.9, also the best mark of his career. “Everybody loves the strikeout, huh?” Robertson said. Then he laughed and added, “I like the first-pitch ground ball to second base, but I can’t get them!”

In recent years, he’s reduced the number of walks he allows, a development he credits to maturing as a pitcher.

“I know what I’m trying to do,” he said. “Now there are times I’ll walk a guy and I won’t mean to, but the majority of my walks this year, I’ve been OK with it. I can think of four guys (out of his 10 walks in 32.2 innings) I walked I didn’t mean to. The others I was like, ‘If I walk him, I walk him.’ ”

Without Robertson’s two blown saves — a May 23 loss to the White Sox and a June 1 loss to the Twins — his ERA would be 0.85.

“Obviously, there are two games I would like to have back,” he said. “As a bullpen pitcher, you’re going to get hit around. It happens.”

Robertson takes a similar simple approach to replacing a legend, Rivera.

“He’s not here, so somebody’s gotta do it,” Robertson said. “I haven’t really thought about it much. I just think of it as doing the same thing I’ve been doing since I came to the Yankees. I was throwing the eighth inning for a long time and I’m trying to do what I did then in the ninth.

“The only difference is when I get my three outs, that’s the game. I don’t get them, we lose.

“I try not to overthink anything.”

After a strong first half in a new, high-pressure job, Robertson’s outlook is working just fine.