Kevin Brown punched a clubhouse wall after coming off the mound in the sixth inning of his September 3rd start against the Orioles, fracturing the third and fifth metacarpal bones of his left hand. He underwent surgery to insert pins next to the two bones on the 5th, and the hand now is in a cast. While he recovers, RHP Brown will try to keep his throwing arm in shape, so his recovery time depends on how long he needs before he can fit a glove over the hand and manage to catch the ball with a bearable amount of pain. The Yankees likely will not quibble over his defensive capabilities when deciding when to schedule his next start. Initial estimates indicate he should need at least three weeks to fully recover, but since he does not necessarily intend to wait until he has normal use of the hand, he could beat that timetable. New York understandably is irritated with the situation and reviewing the available punitive options, looking to find a punishment that effectively reprimands Brown without interfering with his capacity or willingness to contribute to the remainder of the Yankees' season.

On August 31st, New York suffered the worst defeat in the history of the Yankees, losing to the Indians by a score of 22-0. In addition to the normal embarrassment of being shutout, New York had never before lost by more than 18 runs. Meanwhile, the Red Sox have closed from 10.5 games back a month ago to only 2.5 games back. All of which might make an organization cranky. Nevertheless, I was flabbergasted when the Yankees chose to appeal to Commissioner Bud Selig to grant them a forfeit when Hurricane Frances caused Tampa Bay to arrive late for the first game of their scheduled doubleheader yesterday. Asking out of a game against a sub-.500 club on a technicality in a close pennant race is an incredibly ignoble act lacking in any semblance of sportsmanship. Logically the Devil Rays should have left for New York with their families shortly after their Saturday and Sunday games against the Tigers were postponed due to the hurricane, since that theoretically would have been safer for those involved and insured that the team was in place for the Monday match-up with the Yankees. However, deadly storms rarely breed logic and for New York to attempt to take advantage of the chaos caused by a natural disaster to soften their September schedule is disappointing.

Returning to roster moves, the Yankees called up C-S Dioner Navarro, LHP Felix Heredia, and RHP Bret Prinz, while activating RHP Steve Karsay from the DL after rosters expanded. New York signed Navarro as a non-drafted free agent out of Venezuela in 2000. He spent the following year at the Yankees' Rookie-level Gulf Coast League affiliate, stayed with A Greensboro in the South Atlantic League for the 2002 season with the exception of one game at A+ Tampa in the Florida State League, and then split 2003 between A+ Tampa and AA Trenton in the Eastern League. The 20-year-old returned to AA Trenton this spring but in late June advanced to AAA Columbus in the International League, where he was hitting .250 with a .316 OBP and .360 SLG on 34 H, 8 2B, 2 3B, and 1 HR with a 14:17 BB:K and 1/1 SB% in 136 AB when he received this promotion. His plate discipline appears promising, and he has a solid defensive reputation.

Considering he's only 20 and the Yankees possess an established starting catcher, Navarro should be able to relax and refine his skills at AAA next season. C-S Jorge Posada is signed through 2006, and New York holds a $12M option with a $4M buyout on him in 2007, so I do not expect the organization to rush Navarro, though most teams talking trade with the Yankees over the next few years likely will pursue the youngster. Navarro may see a few at-bats behind the plate this month, though C-R John Flaherty probably will remain Posada's primary back-up.

I do not expect New York to put a lot of trust in Heredia this month, but he should make a few appearances in low-impact situations, especially against lefties, in order to try to get the regulars in the Yankees' pen as much rest as possible before the playoffs.

Prinz, whose last stint in the majors stretched from August 11th to August 14th, probably will not get into many close games. However, he should give New York an inning when their starter comes out early or in games where the team can afford to give up a homer.

Having reportedly recovered from the shoulder problems that have prevented him from pitching in the majors since September of 2002, Karsay will try to re-establish his reliability this month. The 32-year-old experienced some control troubles during his rehab assignments, so he may not provide a big boost to the Yankees' pen.

OF-L Bubba Crosby, who was sent down to make room for Prinz on the roster on August 11th (Crosby's 28th birthday), returned to the majors on August 29th, when New York demoted RHP Scott Proctor. The Yankees may recall Proctor later in September, if the team runs short on arms, but the club does not seem to be rushing to add another less than reliable reliever to the pen. Manager Joe Torre appears to be experimenting with using Crosby as a pinch-runner, but he likely will not have a big role this month.

Prinz was up to provide a cushion in the bullpen while RHP Tanyon Sturtze rested after making a spot start in place of RHP Javier Vazquez, who missed a turn through the rotation due to pink eye. When Prinz returned to the minors on August 14th, the Yankees called up IF-R Andy Phillips. New York drafted Phillips out of the University of Alabama with a 7th round pick in 1999. He spent most of the next three seasons at A+ and AA, and then missed the majority of 2003 due to an elbow injury. Phillips did not get into a game before the Yankees sent him down on August 18th in order to make room for RHP Mike Mussina's return from the disabled list.

Playing for AAA Columbus this season, Phillips hit .318 with a .388 OBP and .569 SLG on 138 H, 19 2B, 6 3B, and 26 HR with a 51:60 BB:K and 2/3 SB% in 434 AB. At 27, he should be in his physical prime, so I would not expect much growth from these numbers. However, he obviously possesses solid plate discipline and substantial power, which combined with his defensive flexibility in the infield should make him an attractive candidate for a major league bench job. Unfortunately, New York seems unlikely to stretch beyond their comfortable group of veterans despite the potential upgrade to the bench.

Mussina needed a couple of starts before he found his stride after returning from the disabled list, but he does not appear to be suffering any lingering trouble with his elbow. The Yankees have not decided who will take Brown's spot in the rotation. When Mussina first returned, New York went with a six-man rotation. However, RHP Esteban Loaiza managed to lose his place in the rotation shortly before Brown injured himself. Brown's injury will give Loaiza an opportunity to reclaim his position, but since MLB likely will schedule another doubleheader in the next few days to make up the missed game with the Devil Rays, LHP Brad Halsey also will receive a chance to secure the starting job.