What's important is spending time with your loved ones.

If you’ve been eagerly awaiting Selena Roberts’ unauthorized book on A-Rod, you’re going to have to keep on waiting. She was adding just a little more–I imagine it has something to do with a steroid revelation and possibly this winter’s antics–but now it’s off to the printer and, no doubt, baseball’s scribes are preparing their tongues for another round of shameful clucking and sad, slow headshakes.

Selena Roberts’ unauthorized “A-Rod” was originally planned for May, then was moved up to mid-April after Roberts, a Sports Illustrated reporter, broke the news that the Yankees slugger had tested positive for steroids back in 2003.

But with Roberts needing more time for the book—which has been completed and was sent to the printer this week—publication was pushed back to late April and now is planned for May 12, according to publisher HarperCollins.

Source.

Rick Vaughn alex rodriguez, yahoo

Mark Teixeira - maybe not the next Reggie?

Prized free agent acquisition C.C. Sabathia made his Yankees debut today and promptly got shelled with slow-starting also-prized free agent acquisition Mark Teixeira also not doing so great as the Orioles drubbed the Yanks 10-5.

Sabathia lasted only four and a third innings, allowing six runs, eight hits and five walks. He did not record a strikeout. Teixeira went 0 for 4, each out coming with at least one runner on base. A Maryland native, Teixeira was jeered all day for turning down an offer from his hometown team.

Yankees faithful can only hope this is a bump on the road to much brighter things.

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Rick Vaughn c.c. Sabathia, mark texiera, New York Times, pitching, yankees

Japanese baseball in a nutshell

Wither Darrell Rasner? The former Yankees #4 starter was shuffled aside when Cashman brought in some firepower over the off-season and went where Cheap Trick and other once-great American creations go to eke out a living: Japan.

Unfortunately, he’s n0t doing so great there, either.

Making his first start for the Rakuten Eagles, Rasner coasted through the first three innings against the Nippon Ham Fighters, retiring nine of 10 batters as his team took a 4-0 lead.

But in the fourth, former San Diego outfielder Terrmel Sledge hit a two-run homer. Rasner gave up six straight hits, and was taken out after allowing six runs in 3 1-3 innings.

Rasner was 5-10 last season with a 5.40 ERA in 24 games and 20 starts for the Yankees, who sold his contract to the Eagles in November.

His team rallied to win so, perhaps mercifully, he escaped without the loss.

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Rick Vaughn darrell rasner, japan, pitching, yahoo

What's important is spending time with your loved ones.

As much as we dislike encouraging the Post, they do sometimes know what’s going on in New York. And there’s good news for Yankees fans, as A-Rod is doing well and could be back by late April.

Hitting coach Kevin Long, who speaks daily with A-Rod, told The Post that Rodriguez has begun to hit and reported that he “feels 70 percent.”

A Yankee official told The Post that he thought the rehab was going so well, in fact, that if the organization wanted to it could have Rodriguez back on a major league field by late April.

No report on how much mirror-kissing is involved.

Source.

Rick Vaughn alex rodriguez, new york post

McPherson creams righties but has undergone invasive back surgery.

While the Yankees are ostensibly happy with Cody Ransom filling in for A-rod the month-plus the all-star is out, Mike Axisa at River Avenue Blues caught an interesting prospective add on the waiver wire: Dallas McPherson, a former prospect in the Angels’ system, who made his way over to the Marlins last year but was just released by the team.

McPherson has battled injury problems all his career and can’t hit lefties, but Axisa thinks  the Yankees could platoon him with Ransom, who destroys left-handed pitching, and then use Ransom to spell the rest of the infield when McPhereson starts.

Of course, the idea does have its holes, as Axisa admits: McPherson is drawing interest from other clubs who are more likely to give him a full-time role, and McPherson likely wouldn’t stay in the Majors with the Yanks once A-rod returns. But it’s still interesting to watch a team have to cope with losing its best player at a relatively shallow position.

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Joe Blancato a-rod, dallas mcpherson, mike axisa, river ave blues, yankees

Don't Call It A Comeback

Fresh off an 0-for-5 outing in the WBC, retired Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams is considering a return to MLB.

The budding musician said,

“I felt really good about playing,” Williams said. “I am my worst critic and I didn’t feel very bad about it. It took me a while to get acclimated. But after a while, I felt very encouraged.”

“I can still play,” said Williams, 40, who was in New York to tape an interview for the YES Network’s “CenterStage” program.

Williams’ second album, Moving Forward, comes out this April, but considering the shaky state of the Yankees outfield, he may be donning the pinstripes once again.

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Rick Vaughn bernie williams, espn

The Yankees Are Better Than You And Also Have Nicer Boobs

The Yankees have hit upon a solution to Derek Jeter’s chronic grounding into a double play, which is to make sure absolutely no one is on base when he comes up.

Joe Girardi is considering putting The Captain at the top of the order, thus ensuring slightly fewer rally-killing GIDPs at critical moments.

Jeter swears it is fine, really, he’s not mad.

“It’s exactly the same unless somebody’s on base,” Jeter said. “Some particular inning whoever is hitting ninth leads off and gets on base, then it’s back to hitting second.”

Girardi liked what he saw earlier in spring training when Damon batted second so catcher Jorge Posada, who is coming back from right shoulder surgery, could hit first and get extra at-bats.

Shortly thereafter, he headed towards A-Rod’s padded room with a switch and an angry look in his eye.

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Rick Vaughn batting, derek jeter, GIDP, joe girardi, johnny damon, yahoo

Beats a picture of Youk.

Dave Cameron over at FanGraphs has put together a super-comprehensive ranking of all 30 MLB teams, rating their franchise using five criteria: Ownership, Front Office, Major League Talent, Minor League Talent and Overall.

Rounding out the top three are the Red Sox at No. 1, with the Yankees and Rays tied for third. Cameron had this to say about the Sox:

Well capitalized owner who wants to win and invests in the product? Check
A cohesive front office that combines scouting and statistical analysis? Check.
A major league team that can win immediately and has pieces to build around? Check.
A minor league farm system that will replenish the major league roster? Check.

The Red Sox are the cream of the crop in baseball right now.

Hard to argue with that, though the AL East certainly remains up for grabs as the Yankees continue to spend and the Rays keep improving their young club.

The worst three franchises are the Nationals, Marlins and Astros. Cameron’s thoughts on the Nats:

It’s impossible to find an organization in worse shape than the Nats. They’re coming off a major league worst 102 loss season and their GM just resigned amidst a scandal over significant issues with their Dominican scouting operations. Rather than hiring a new general manager, the team president is just handling business himself while giving Asst. GM Mike Rizzo some increased authority without a promotion.

Yeesh.

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Joe Blancato astros, dave cameron, fangraphs, marlins, nationals, rankings, rays, redsox, yankees

Mark Teixeira - the next Reggie?

Howard Bryant at ESPN drew on his experience in following the Yankees in Spring Training, and considers Mark Teixeira the next in a long line of potential saviors to sit down with Reggie Jackson to have “The Talk.” Every time the Yankees sign a big free agent when they’re on the World Series hunt, Jackson typically takes them out to dinner to give them a rundown on what it’s like to play for New York as a high-dollar acquisition.

Jackson has spoken with Jason Giambi and A-rod in the recent past, and while both of them performed admirably for the Yankees, neither did what Jackson did: win the team a World Series title. Bryant believes much of Jackson’s success was due to his legitimate desire to prove himself in New York: “Reggie came to New York for the most authentic of reasons. Jackson craved New York, wanted it to become a part of him. He left for free agency following the 1981 season; but for the most part, he has been back ever since the day he retired. Wanting to absorb all of New York was real for him.”

There’s no telling on how Tex will shake out, but Bryant’s perspective is an interesting read.

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Joe Blancato a-rod, espn, howard bryant, jason giambi, mark teixeira, reggie jackson, yankees