New York Yankees news and notes

The New York Yankees have lost 3/5 of their starting pitching to injury, they have had some position guys battling injuries also and they remain right in the hunt.  They have now won three games  in a row coming out of the Memorial Day weekend and will continue their series in St. Louis before a day off on Thursday.  They will return home for a brief six game home stand before heading back out on another long road trip.  The Yankees are keeping it together though and they may be getting some reinforcements soon. 

Carlos Beltran took some dry swings on Monday at Yankee Stadium and didn't feel any pain.  He will try and rehab now without surgery and see if he can get back on the field and avoid the surgery for this season.  Michael Pineda was scheduled to pitch in a extended spring game today, if all goes well he can get in another one in a few days or maybe go to one of the minor league affiliates for a couple more rehab starts.  If all goes well it looks like Pineda will be back in the rotation in the next couple of weeks which would be a big boost. 

The Yankees have been playing well mainly because the starting rotation fill in guys have been pretty good.  Chase Whitley has pitched really well, it looks like five innings is his max though.  Vidal Nuno has been kind of up and down but David Phelps has really started to pitch well.  Phelps is starting against his hometown team on Tuesday night and that will be exciting for him.  I expect him to stay in the rotation now though.  My feeling is that when Pineda comes back it will be Nuno that goes back to the pen. 

The Yankees don't usually do well in extra innings and especially on the road.  This season they have done well and especially on the road.  They have won three extra inning games on this road trip.  I think that speaks to their resiliency as a group. 

Brendan Ryan has now played first base three times.  He didn't play it once before last Sunday.  He said it is a reactionary spot and he tries to react well.  He said it is just catch the ball and then you have plenty of time.