Bits: Recap, Mitre, A-Jax, Betances, A-Rod
Here are some final notes to close out the day:
- The Yankees beat the Orioles 9-6, despite a shaky outing from A.J. Burnett (with Jorge Posada catching him). Cano, Posada, Swisher and Hinske all went deep, leading the Yankees to their 84th win. That Cano is having quite a season. He now has 22 HR on the year (he could possibly get to 30, although it’s pretty unlikely).
- Sergio Mitre will not make his next start due to the forearm injury he sustained in his previous outing (after being hit with a batted ball). Instead of Mitre, Chad Gaudin will get the start on Thursday against the Blue Jays and I’m looking forward to seeing him in action. Gaudin has good stuff but walks are a constant problem for him.
- While Shelley Duncan received MVP honors in the International League, Austin Jackson was named the IL ROTY. Awesome news for A-Jax who hit .294/.353/.401 with 4 HR and 22 SB with Scranton.
- Last week it was reported that Yankee prospect Dellin Betances had undergone Tommy John surgery. That is not the case, however, as Betances underwent a surgical procedure but it was “ligament reinforcement” surgery rather than TJ. It’s the same procedure Mariano Rivera had in 1992 and is considered “less severe.”
- Earlier today, A-Rod gave an anti-PED presentation to 500 students in Baltimore. Members of the media were kept out at A-Rod’s request (nice PR move–makes it seem sincere). Alex appears to be making the right moves since his steroid admission, giving talks and reaching out to young athletes about the dangers of PED use. In a way, the steroid fiasco could end up being a blessing in disguise for A-Rod. He actually seems human and his main problem, I think, was that he tried to be more than that.
Back with more later today…
