To power today’s news, I’m going to visit the “Conjuction Junction”:

• The (decision on Cody) Ransom is due Wednesday:

While he gathered his belongings in the Yankee Stadium clubhouse earlier this month, Ransom revisited his decision to hide the severity of a leg injury that he suffered not that night in Boston, but in the final week of spring training, much earlier than he had previously admitted publicly.As it turned out, the leg ailment would ultimately land him on the 60-day disabled list and throw his future with the Yankees in doubt. Still, Ransom isn’t sure he would have done anything differently. It’s easy to understand why.

“I don’t know that I would have because of the situation that we were in, Alex being out and it was an opportunity for me,” said Ransom, a 33-year-old minor league journeyman. “I was really hoping that could help the team and play well. But obviously I didn’t do that. I don’t regret anything, I don’t regret the way I handled it I don’t think.”

. . . On Wednesday, the Yankees will have to return him to the majors or designate him for assignment.

• Sabathia not planning on a pitching “Sabathical“:

“I feel like I’m going to feel fine tomorrow,” Sabathia said. “So that’s why I keep saying that I’m pitching on Friday.”

Sabathia usually throws 45 pitches in a bullpen session, but he said he would throw no more than 25 on Wednesday. He reiterated that he was not concerned.

“It doesn’t scare me at all,” Sabathia said. “It’s one of those things through the course of the season you do feel on side days. You feel a little achiness in the biceps, and it usually gets out of there. With the rest and two days off of not playing catch or anything, it feels fine. I feel good enough to pitch.”

• The Bombers’ protest of Sunday’s substitution snafu game with the Marlins has been denied:

Working in favor of the Marlins was Rule 3.05, which states:

“If an improper substitution is made for the pitcher, the umpire shall direct the proper pitcher to return to the game until the provisions of this rule are fulfilled. If the improper pitcher is permitted to pitch, any play that results is legal. The improper pitcher becomes the proper pitcher as soon as he makes his first pitch to the batter, or as soon as any runner is put out.”

Additionally, Rule 3.05(c) Comment reads: “If a manager attempts to remove a pitcher in violation of Rule 3.05 (c) the umpire shall notify the manager of the offending club that it cannot be done. If, by chance, the umpire-in-chief has, through oversight, announced the incoming improper pitcher, he should still correct the situation before the improper pitcher pitches. Once the improper pitcher delivers a pitch he becomes the proper pitcher.”

Girardi felt Sunday’s situation was similar to one earlier in the year, when Rays manager Joe Maddon had a mixup with his designated hitter, resulting in Evan Longoria not starting.

• Fangraphs details the Yanks offense down on the farm:

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, home to the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate, features a triplet of red-hot bats. Shelley Duncan, Austin Jackson, and John Rodriguez patrol the outfield while on defense, and hit balls into the outfield during their time on offense. The three are inseparable on top of most International League leaderboards. Here’s how they stack up:

Rodriguez: .292/.377/.521

Jackson: .342/.410/.451

Duncan: .294/.369/.628

Jackson is the only one with a foreseeable future in pinstripes, since most prospect analysts rank him as the top prospect in the system. It’s easy to see how, as Jackson plays a smooth centerfield and flashes impressive offensive production for a 22-year-old. Look for him to claim a starting gig in the Bronx sometime over the next 12 months.

• Former fan favorite Andy Phillips appears headed to Japan.
• Jorge Posada hears the critics, and responds:

“It kind of fuels me, to tell you the truth,” Posada said. “I want to prove them wrong.” . . .

Posada has never been considered a top defensive catcher, but his bat gives the Yankees a weapon that few other teams have – one that would disappear with Francisco Cervelli or Jose Molina behind the plate.

“When we take the field, our best team is the one with a healthy Jorge Posada catching,” GM Brian Cashman said. “Cervelli is an exceptional defender, as is Molina, so they get a lot of bouquets for their defense. But Cervelli is still developing and there’s a reason Molina is a backup and Jorge is a starter.”

For all the knocks he takes when it comes to throwing out runners, he’s nailed 33% of would-be basestealers this season, including two on Sunday night against the Marlins.

• This doesn’t have to do with the Yanks, but its an excellent article on the emotional battles Joey Votto has had to deal with in the past few weeks and months (he just came off the DL for “stress-related issues”):

The 25-year-old Votto revealed publicly that he was battling depression, anxiety attacks and issues that finally came to the surface several months after the sudden death of his 52-year-old father, Joseph, in August. Those issues led to some panicky moments and two hospital stays.

“They were overwhelming me to the point where I needed to go to the hospital on two separate occasions — once in San Diego and once that nobody had been told about, I went to the hospital in Cincinnati when the team was on the road [in early June],” Votto explained. “It was a very, very scary and crazy night where I had to call 911 at three or four in the morning. It was probably the scariest moment I ever had dealt with in my life, and I went to the hospital that night.” . . .

[My take: I’m so glad Votto took a step back and finally allowed himself to deal with his feelings and get some help.]

• Phil Hughes turns all of 23 today.
• On this date in 1936, rookie Joe DiMaggio ties three major-league records in New York’s 10-run 5th inning against the White Sox, hitting 2 HRs for 8 total bases. With 2 doubles, he equals the modern record of four extra-base in a game. New York beats St. Louis 18-4.
• On this date in 1962, a marathon between the Tigers and Yankees concludes in the 22nd inning when Jack Reed’s home run – his only one in the ML – gives New York and Jim Bouton a 9 – 7 victory. For the Tigers, Phil Regan takes the loss and Rocky Colavito has seven hits. Bobby Richardson ties a mark by going to the plate 11 times. At an even seven hours, the game is the longest contest time-wise in league history and it is the longest game in innings in Yankee history.
• On this date in 1970, in a doubleheader with the Indians at Yankee Stadium, Bobby Murcer ties Lou Gehrig’s record of four straight homers. The Yanks lose the opener 7 – 2, despite Murcer’s 9th-inning home run off Sam McDowell. Murcer next connects off game 2’s starter Mike Paul, hitting a solo shot in the 1st inning. A walk in the 4th, then a 2-run homer off Paul in the 5th, and a game-tying homer in the 8th, off Fred Lasher. New York scores in the bottom of the 9th to salvage a 5 – 4 win. According to Wikipedia, “Cleveland 1B Tony Horton hears a boo and literally crawls back to the dugout after fanning on two of Yankee hurler Steve Hamilton’s “folly floaters.” Sensitive to fans’ booing during the season, Horton will be hospitalized, and at 25, this is his last season.”

[My take: I think Tony misheard the fans.  I think they were residents of the city featured in this book.]

• On this date in 1992, Yankees P Steve Howe is permanently banned from baseball by Commissioner Fay Vincent after having pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of attempting to purchase a gram of cocaine. It is Howe’s 7th suspension/ban, as he becomes the 1st player ever permanently banned from baseball because of drugs. (The suspension was later overturned)
• On this date in 1996, Howe, released by the Yankees just two days prior, is arrested at Kennedy International Airport for carrying a loaded gun in his luggage. He will plead guilty to a misdemeanor and receive three years probation and 150 hours of community service.
• On this date in 2005, thanks to Bernie Williams dropping a ball in center field, the Mets become the first National League team to hit three sacrifice flies in one inning. Backstop Ramon Castro’s sac fly to right ties the game at 1-1 as David Wright advances to third; the Yankee’s centerfielder then drops Jose Reyes deep fly ball allowing Wright to score; Cameron skies to right plating Mientkiewicz, who had advanced to third on errant pick off throw.