A total set up.

PeteAbe is reporting that Girardi officially announced that Joba will start the season in the bullpen and be used in the “back end of games.” I’m not sure that I want Joba doing the set up job again if the long term vision is to move him into a starter’s job someday soon.

I think they need to put Joba in situations where he needs to pace himself, and use all of his pitches and that doesn’t sound like a set up man to me.

The risk is that the more one or two inning appearances he makes, he could forget the starting mentality, and let some of his secondary pitches atrophy.

He’s a professional and he’s surrounded by professional coaches, so maybe I’m worrying about nothing, but I don’t think the Yankees can be too careful with this dude. 

Orly?

I’m not sure why Girardi would say this:

A cool change: Going from the warmth of Tampa to the cool air of the mountains might have been difficult for the Yankees, but manager Joe Girardi was pleased with the climate change. Temperatures were in the high 40s and low 50s yesterday, with a chilly wind and little sun. “If we get an Opening Day (in New York) like this, I’ll be doing cartwheels,” Girardi said. “I think this is really good for our club. I think this is beneficial.”

The Yankees are a home run offense, and the ball tends not to travel as far in colder weather. Also, for some of the Yankees thirty somethings, I would guess that cold weather might slow them down a little. Based on nothing but anecdotal recall, I feel like I remember the Yankees not playing so great in cooler weather.

File this one under, be careful what you wish for.

It’s more than laundry.

I’m a pretty cynical guy. Sometimes I wonder what the point of being a “fan of a team” is, after all, it’s just a corporation made up of a bunch of highly paid freaks of nature. But yesterday was touching.

What the Yanks did in playing Virginia Tech, and donating a million bucks to the school, may not mean all that much in the great grand scheme of things, but it seems inarguable that what they did touched people, showed people that the world cares for them and their loss.

What the Yankees did yesterday was pretty damn human, I’m proud to cheer for this organization.