It's the Fourth of July and the Yankees are hoping to sweep the Twins in Minnesota. David Phelps is on the mound and hoping to make the Yankees undefeated in the month of July. The Yankees have released their lineup for today:
America Lineup: Suzuki 8, Almonte 7, Cano 4, Hafner DH, Wells 9, Overbay 3, Cruz 6, Gonzalez 5, Romine 2, Phelps 1. #yankees
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughSL) July 4, 2013
Brett Gardner has the day off, so Ichiro Suzuki will be batting leadoff and Zoilo Almonte gets a shot in the two hole. Travis Hafner and Vernon Wells seems like a giant hole to have in the middle of the lineup, but then again, the lineup basically dies after Cano. If Gardner is still healthy (please be) I have to wonder why Girardi would give him the day off with the All-Star break so close and the lineup looking like this. This team needs to win as many games as possible to finish the first half of the season. Luis Cruz, Alberto Gonzalez and Austin Romine might be the worst bottom three that has ever been assembled this season. Basically, Phelps is going to have to be perfect if he wants a win.
Francisco Cervelli has been shut down after experiencing some kind of stress reaction in his elbow, which could be an aggravation of an old injury. It was previously thought he could come back in July, but he is going to lose two weeks in his rehab, moving his return into August. This news comes at a time when Yankees catchers have produced a .188/.266/.224 batting line in the last month. It would have sure been nice if the team picked up Kelly Shoppach before he signed with the Nationals and Ramon Hernandez with the Blue Jays. Miguel Olivo was recently designated for assignment by the Marlins. Rod Barajas and Matt Treanor are still free agents as well.
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