S/WB Yankees Notes

I met with Eric Duncan and Matt Carson today in the clubhouse after batting practice, and got a chance to observe a few things.

Nick Green took some grounders at third, and he looked solid at the hot corner. I never realized he had such a strong arm and fast release. If it wasn't for his offensive struggles this season (and my bias toward Alberto Gonzalez) I'd say Green would be a great candidate for a utility player.

Matt Carson took some nice swings during batting practice, he really has the talent to make solid contact. I liked what saw, and I think he has the tools to one day be a fourth outfielder.

Kei Igawa has not yet been officially notified whether or not he'll be starting this weekend. Obviously the Yankees will need him, but I guess the fact that he was not officially promoted was distressing. My guess is that Jonathan Albaladejo gets sent down.

Most importantly, Eric Duncan looks great. He's lost a ton of weight (in the ballpark of 20 lbs.) and added some muscle. He also seems really energetic and happy, which I took as a sign he is maturing as a ball player. He obviously made the most of his baseball free off season. Aside from that, he's putting together a solid start, and if he improves against lefties, he could have one of his best seasons yet. I still think he could be a productive major leaguer, and he continues to be one of my favorite prospects in the system.

The recently signed JD Closser appears to be a great clubhouse guy. After batting practice, he called over some of the guys to watch some internet videos, "My New Haircut" was one they all enjoyed.