Baseball

The New York Yankees finished up a three game series against the Chicago White Sox with a 12-3 win today. The Yankees won the series by winning the opening game as well as the finale, but losing the middle game.

I wanted to share some thoughts that came to mind as the series wrapped up.

New Look Outfield

If the duration of the major league baseball season were a California road trip up the Interstate 5, the Padres would barely be in Oceanside.

Nonetheless, with one month in the rear view mirror, the Padres are in cruise control.

For the third time in four games on Sunday, the Padres shutout the Milwaukee Brewers, this time on a combined three hitter by John Garland and two relievers. The Brewers came into the series leading the NL in scoring. 

All New York Yankee fans have gotten used to general manager Brian Cashman going through offseasons in which he makes everybody happy.

That was the case following the 2008 season, when Cashman opened the Steinbrenner safe and signed CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Mark Teixeira. The result was a World Series title.

All Yankee fans have gotten used to Cashman going through offseasons in which he leaves us wondering what in the hell he was thinking,

For the 2010 season, San Diego Padres General Manager Jed Hoyer took over to make the disappointing team in 2009, better.

Hoyer made some decent additions, such as Jerry Hairston Jr., Jon Garland, and Matt Stairs in order bring this team around (well, at least do better than their 87 loss season).

But they are already 16-9.

Jon Garland was brought in to be the No. 1 starter, replacing Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy, and he has been performing above expectations.

Matt Stairs was to be a pinch hitter.

This is a weekly focus on the hurlers that dominated their adversaries. These pitchers put up nasty numbers this week and made big league hitters wish they were playing T-Ball again.

1)      SP Francisco Liriano, Min

Brett Gardner is finally where Joe Girardi has wanted him.

Gardner started in center field for the New York Yankees as they won big today against the Chicago White Sox. He went 2-4 at the plate and scored two more runs.

Gardner started in center because Curtis Granderson has gone on the disabled list with a Grade Two strain of his left groin.

Considering how well Gardner has been playing and how really badly Granderson has been, the groin strain is good luck all the way around.

With one month of baseball in the books, we check up on the four minor league affiliates of the San Diego Padres. We'll take a look at who's gotten off to a hot start and who's struggling, as well as how the Padres' most notable prospects are coming along in the early going.

AAA - Portland Beavers

The Colorado Rockies scored a run off Jonathan Sanchez in the fourth inning on Sunday to take a 1-0 lead over the San Francisco Giants.

Sanchez left the game with the Rockies still on top 1-0, with runners on first and third, with one out in the fifth inning.

It's going to require a more patience than what fans and, perhaps, the Giants are showing in order for the hard-throwing left-hander Sanchez to truly emerge as a consistently solid starting pitcher.

New York Yankees starting centerfielder, Curtis Granderson, strained his right groin and will be placed on the 15-day disabled list. The injury occurred in the sixth inning of Saturday's 7-6 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

Similar injuries have kept players out up to four-six weeks.

How will this affect the Yankees?

Pretty badly. 

In fact, it cost them Saturday's game.

When Granderson went out, the Yankees were forced to move Brett Gardner from leftfield to centerfield. Randy Winn went to left.