Kuzul

After weeks of speculation, the wait is over and Andy Pettitte will be back.Aaron Gleeman of NBC's HardBallTalk reported that Pettitte will make his 2012 debut for the Yankees pitching at home against the Seattle Mariners.Pettitte has been pitching in extended spring training ever since he announced back in March that he was coming out of retirement for the Yankees.Pettitte accepted a one-year, $2.5 million minor-league deal after he was invited to the Yankees' spring training as a special instructor.It was there that Pettitte got the urge to pitch again after retiring before the 2011 season.While in the minors, Pettitte made four starts ranging from Class A, AA and AAA, threw 17 innings with a 13-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio and had a 3.71 ERA, which isn't too bad considering he hasn't thrown a live pitch since Game 3 of the 2010 American League Championship Series.Pettitte's return comes at the right time ...

Mariano Rivera is now on the shelf for the rest of the season with a torn ACL, and the Yankees are left with a vacancy in the closer's role for the first time in recent memory.Rafael Soriano and David Robertson are currently in line to pitch the ninth, but Joe Girardi hasn't said who will be the primary choice and replacement.Popular opinion would suggest that Robertson should see the most time in the ninth, but Girardi seems content with mixing it up.Should the Yankees choose to pursue a trade, there are several options that could be had at the right price.If the Yankees' ninth-inning tandem is struggling by the trade deadline, look for Brian Cashman to make a few calls to see if the following three guys are available.Begin Slideshow

Sometimes I wonder if I am but one of a few baseball fans who does not support the repulsive-at-times treatment some have shown New York Yankees veteran hurler Freddy Garcia. Call me apologetic, but here is a player who in 14 years of Major League Baseball service has compiled an overall record of 145 wins and 97 losses. His 4.14 career ERA, though not stellar, is respectable. In 10 postseason starts, Garcia is 6-3 with a 3.28 ERA. Garcia has also been to two All-Star games, both with the Seattle Mariners (2001-2002). He also helped the White Sox to a World Series victory in 2005. But then Garcia hit a snag from 2007-2009. A man marked by injury, Garcia looked like a pitcher clinging to a job in the show.   But Garcia fought back from life support during the 2010 and 2011 campaigns. Although Garcia was not nearly as effective ...

Headlines can be a writer's best friend, and a writer's worst nightmare. Sometimes they can attract attention to a story in a positive way and up the reads and feedback on a story. Sometimes they can instigate widespread anger that is misleading with regards to the actual story.This column is the latter.No one wants to see Mariano Rivera hang up the cleats, and worse for the fans, his cutter. But, it would behoove Rivera to pass up the thought of a valiant comeback in this situation for what his future could hold for the following reasons. He Will Never Be "The Old Mariano"To be brutally honest: He has an absolutely destroyed knee right now. The ACL is the tendon that runs through the entirety of the knee, essentially keeping the knee from bursting forward and creating a bigger, more uncomfortable bulge there. Not to mention the torn meniscus.As a pitcher that throws ...

Through the first month of the 2012 Major League Baseball season, there have been many pleasant surprises and great disappointments.In both leagues there is a player with realistic shots at the triple crown: the Dodgers' Matt Kemp and the Rangers' Josh Hamilton. The biggest off-season signing, Albert Pujols, is having one of his worst hitting months of his career.If the season ended right now, the AL East would have three teams in the playoffs, and one of those teams would be the Baltimore Orioles. The AL Central would be won by the Cleveland Indians, not the Detroit Tigers, and the most disappointing team would be the AL West's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim with a record of 8-15.There have been a ton of over- and underachievers in the American League this season, and these are my selections for April's All-Stars. Begin Slideshow

I remember it like it was yesterday. It was the first day I opened my first pack of baseball cards. The pack was 1989 Topps. The first card I pulled was a Randy Johnson baseball card from when he was with the Seattle Mariners. I thought, “Sheesh, this man looks scary…I wouldn’t want to face him on a bad day.” Dante Bichette’s rookie card was also in this pack. It was significant because my dad said rookie cards were a baseball player’s most significant cards. But after looking at Bichette’s rookie card, all I could think was, “Who would want to play for a team that boasts pink colors?” (That was in reference to the pink banner at the bottom of the card that said Angels.) That was stupid of me, since it was just part of the Topps design. Little did I know at the time Bichette would go ...

Yankees' prospect Jose Campos had been nearly perfect prior to Saturday's start against Hickory.Through four starts (22 innings), Campos owned a 1.23 ERA to go along with 23 strikeouts and a 0.818 WHIP.He had allowed just four runs on the season, three of which were earned.Unfortunately for him, he allowed double that number of runs in just 2.2 innings of work in his most recent start.Through those innings, Campos allowed eight runs on seven hits. He walked three men—he had five total walks prior—and struck out three.Because of the bad outing, Campos' ERA jumped from 1.23 to 4.01.The River Dogs were down 8-4 early, but strong offensive performances from Tyler Austin (two home runs, seven RBI), Cito Culver (single, double, triple, three RBI, three runs scored), Mason Williams (two singles, double, two RBI, three runs scored) and Dante Bichette Jr. (single, walk, RBI, two runs scored) kept the game close.Charleston ...

It's time for the Yankees to make a change on the team.I know it's only April, but Freddy Garcia needs to go, and needs to go now.His last outing on Saturday against the Detroit Tigers is just another example of why he can't cut it for the Yankees in 2012.On Saturday, 1.2 innings pitched, five hits, six runs, two walks and three strikeouts. Garcia's 2012 record goes to 0-2 and his ERA all the way up to 12.51That just won't cut it. Not in New York. Not on any major league team, and really, not in the minor leagues either.Garcia has yet to have one start where he lasted six innings and lately, every time he has pitched, he's getting chased out of the game so early, he's taxing the bullpen.The American League has figured out Garcia in 2012. Garcia was able to fool hitters in 2011 with his deceptive ...

You would've thought Freddy Garcia of the New York Yankees would be able to at least last until Andy Pettitte comes back, but he simply doesn't deserve to stay in the rotation after another horrible start against the Detroit Tigers.Garcia went 1.2 innings and allowed six runs on five hits, bumping his ERA to 12.51. The veteran starter looks like a shell of the pitcher Yankee fans saw in 2011.In turn, the Bombers are taxing their bullpen every time Garcia takes the ball and that's a problem even for a team with a solid bullpen. Starts like Garcia's wear down a 'pen and can turn the most effective relievers into jello arms.So what should the Yanks do?The most immediate solution would be to swap Garcia and David Phelps, the Yanks' current long-man in the bullpen. Phelps has been almost perfect out of the bullpen, with a few bad outings against the ...

Freddy Garcia, who is 0-1 with a 9.75 ERA on the young season, is likely pitching for his spot in the Yankees' rotation on Saturday afternoon against the Tigers.The right-hander, going on an extra day of rest, will be looking to give the Yankees a solid performance after Friday night's 7-6 Yankee victory.Opposing Garcia will be rookie Drew Smyly, who is making his fourth career start.Andy Pettitte will likely be returning very soon, and either Garcia or Phil Hughes will be getting the bump from the rotation.Every start counts for both pitchers at this point in the season—the one who shows the least promise by the time Pettitte is ready will be given the hook.Garcia can keep himself in the rotation with a quality start against the Tigers, but it won't be an easy task.The Tigers boast a very powerful lineup and their biggest star, Miguel Cabrera, has fantastic career ...