New York Yankees news and notes following a long home stand

The New York Yankees just completed a nine game home stand with a 6-3 record.  They won their last two games in a double header  sweep of the Chicago Cubs and also shut them out in both games.  Michael Pineda and Masahiro Tanaka are pitching like aces even though they are the number four and five starters currently.  Here are some news and notes following the home stand. 

Mark Teixeira has been on the disabled list since April 5th.  He will be playing three games in a rehab game on Thursday.  The plan is for him to rejoin the team on Sunday in Tampa Bay.  David Robertson is also progressing and the plan is for him to rejoin the team on Tuesday in Boston. 

The Yankees have patched together an infield with the Teixeira injury and Jeter and Roberts being banged up.  They infield has done a good job especially defensively.  The Yankees are using guys like Dean Anna, Yangervis Solarte, Scott Sizemore, Kelly Johnson but they are doing a very good job. 

The Yankees starters have been very good especially at the back end but what about the bullpen.  The pen has done a great  job especially with Robertson being down.  Shawn Kelley, David Phelps and Adam Warren have all recorded their first saves this season.  Warren was the latest one to do so on Wednesday night.  The Yankees had a question mark in the bullpen at the beginning of this year.  Joe Girardi doesn't feel that way right now, the bullpen has been outstanding. 

The Yankees offense so far this season hasn't been great.  It will surely get better as the weather warms up and hopefully the Yankees get and remain healthy.  If the pitching is constant though the offense won't have to be that great most of the time. 

The only downside in the doubleheader was that the Yankees pounded out 12 hits in the night game but only scored the two runs.  They have been struggling with men in scoring position early in the season.  I am sure that will get better as the season goes on. 

The Yankees didn't have to overuse their bullpen today and they start a four game series in Tampa with a pretty fresh pen.  That is a big key as I am sure they will want to use the pen in Tampa for some big outs.  Tanaka has struck out 28 batters in his first three starts which goes right past Al Leiter and his record for a Yankees rookie pitcher. 

Carlos Beltran was the AL player of the week last week.  He hit a homerun in the first game on Wednesday.  How about this stat, the Yankees bullpen has started the season with seven straight saves without a blown one to start this season.  They tied their own record set in the 1970's.  They broke that record with a save in the night game of the doubleheader. 

Derek Jeter was back in the night game of the doubleheader and seemed to be fine.  He has downplayed the injury in typical Jeter fashion but it does seem like it was more the Yankees being cautious then him being really hurt.  It was good to see him back out at short. 

The Yankees will now start a road trip that will go through division rivals Tampa Bay and Boston.  The Yankees are currently at 9-6 and in first place in the AL East.  Tampa has had major injury problems to their rotation and Boston is struggling right now but this is one tough division from top to bottom and should be a dog fight all season.