The Yankees have released 28-year old lefty reliever Andrew Sisco and 29-year old righty reliever Brian Anderson. Sisco pitched in 16 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball and he was 2-0 with a 1.88 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. He only gave up 8 hits and he whiffed 15 batters in only 14 1/3 innings this year, but, he also walked 12 batters and that’s hard to put up with. Anderson was attempting to convert to a full-time pitcher after years of being an outfielder and it just hasn’t worked out as he has not pitched at all this year.

27-year old lefty swinging LF Barry Gardner has caught fire with the bat in May after having a rough month in April. Gardner has played in 24 games so far in May and he is 24 for 68 (.353 avg, .864 OPS) with 13 runs scored, 6 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. He has now played in 47 games so far this year and he is 37 for 137 (.270 avg, .764 OPS) with 23 runs scored, 3 homers, 13 RBIs and 8 stolen bases. The Yankees are getting paid off for having patience with Gardner as he is really swinging a hot bat right now.

The Yankees have claimed 25-year old righty reliever Kanekoa Texeira off waivers from the Royals. He pitched in 6 games (0 starts) for the Royals earlier this year and he was 0-0 with a 2.84 ERA and a 2.53 WHIP. Texeira has now pitched in 49 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 1-1 with a 4.66 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP. Texeira was yanked off the Yankees’ roster during the 2009 Rule 5 Draft by the Mariners, so the Yankees are likely very happy to have him back in the fold.

Lefty reliever Sparky Lyle was a solid closer for the New York Yankees. He won the A.L. Cy Young Award in 1977 for the Yankees. He pitched in 72 games (0 starts) in 1977 for the Yankees and he was 13-5 with 26 saves, a 2.17 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP in an amazing 137 innings pitched. He pitched 7 years with with Yanks and he worked in 420 games (0 starts) in which he was 57-40 with 141 saves, a 2.41 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. He made three All-Star teams in his 7 years with the Yankees. Lyle is #3 in Yankees’ history in saves (141), #6 in games pitched (420) and #3 in ERA (2.41).

Lefty Jim Kaat might already be in Baseball’s Hall of Fame if he just pitched a little better in his two years with the Yankees. Kaat pitched with the Yankees in 1979 and 1980. He worked in 44 games (1 start) in his two years with the Yankees, and Kaat was 2-4 with 2 saves,a 4.12 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. Kaat finished his major league career (25 years) with 283 career wins, so he didn’t get an automatic punch into the Hall of Fame. Maybe if he pitched better with the Yankees, he would have made it.