Ivan Nova facing tough times ahead of 2012 regular season – MLB New York Yankees News
Ivan Nova will be very disheartened by his performance on Tuesday night. In a game against New York Mets, it seemed everything was working against the starter. Nova seemed to have no control over his fastballs and the curveballs and he let the Mets run away with the game.
Nova has struggled to pitch with control and accuracy right from the start of 2012 Spring Training Session. Although he has stayed confident and optimistic about his form throughout this spring, he has not been able to live up to the expectations surrounding him.
Showing great composure and determination, Nova posted one of the finest Major League Baseball seasons of his career in 2011. His 16-4 win-loss record past season suggests that he was in his comfort zone. Nova will be slightly less optimistic now after his worst outing of the spring on Tuesday.
“I felt lazy,” Nova said. “My body feels like it was sleeping. My arm feels great.”
“I feel like the arm strength has been there,” Girardi said. “He’s been a little inconsistent at times this spring, but I really feel the stuff is there. … He won a lot of games for us last year and has that in his hip pocket. Up ’til today the ball was coming out pretty good. We haven’t seen a drop-off in his fastball.”
New York Yankees is facing a testing time ahead of 2012 regular season. With Michael Pineda out of their pitching rotation due to a shoulder injury, Manager Joe Girardi has very little time to choose his final rotation.
Many national writers confirmed Yankees’ pitching rotation as one of the strongest in the American League. However, considering the problems faced by Nova and Pineda, they might have to change their minds now. Nova will have some time to get things back on track but after posting 8.06 ERA this season that seems a bit unlikely.
“There are different levels of inflammation and tendinitis,” Cashman said. “[Pineda’s] seems nice and light. Phil’s was more severe.”
Girardi is still convinced that Nova has all the qualities of a successful pitcher. According to sources, the skipper believes that Nova has great arm strength and he can prove to be a real asset for the Yankees.
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