The Yankees squared off against the Tigers today and it was 8-0 good guys before the game was cut short in the bottom of the fourth due to rain after a series of delays. Andy Pettitte got through one scoreless inning and then threw five simulated innings indoors. He got himself up to 100 pitches and afterwards declared that he'll be ready for the season. Johnny Damon finally got his on field reunion with his former team and received a nice ovation from the crowd in his first at bat, he then promptly singled up the middle. DeMaso Marte, Boone Logan and Mariano Rivera each pitched a scoreless inning in the game.
With Phil Hughes winning the final spot in the rotation, it has been decided that Joba Chamberlain will pitch out of the bullpen. What hasn't been decided is what exactly his role will be, but we're all assuming he'll be setting up Mo. This move has led to much speculation about Chamberlain's future, is it in the rotation or in the bullpen? Brian Cashman has continuously responded to these speculations by saying that nothing has been decided, and you have to believe him at this point.
The Yankees defeated the Tigers 2-1 on Saturday. A.J. Burnett looked good on the mound and worked with Jorge Posada behind the plate. The two had only good things to say about each other after the game. Burnett went six and 2/3 innings and gave up three hits, one run and three walks while striking out two. He earned his first win of the spring despite not having command of his curveball, he did not throw one change up in the outing. Joba Chamberlain earned the save with a scoreless ninth. His velocity looked good as he was hitting 93-94 with his fastball and he had a good slider working. He did allow a lead-off single, but got a double play from the next batter. Curtis Granderson had two hits and raised his spring average to .297, he's getting it going just in time. Marcus Thames hit his first homer of the spring off of Lefty Nate Robertson on Saturday. Good to see him finally connect with one, he's been struggling for weeks. He most certainly will occupy the final spot on the Yankees bench.
It was hinted at over the weekend that Brett Gardner would be the everyday left fielder while Granderson would patrol center. This was the likely scenario all along and Gardner's speed will work well in left field, which plays very big in the new stadium.
On Friday, the Yankees lost to the Phillies 3-0. Phil Hughes started this one shortly after being told that he's one the competition to be the fifth starter. He struggled a little with his command, but he still threw the ball well. His final line: 3 IP, 2H, 1ER, 4BB, 5K. Mariano Rivera and DeMaso Marte each pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout. Amaury Sanit pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout and then was reassigned to minor league camp.
Chad Gaudin was signed by the A's today, he's had his best seasons pitching for Oakland and will surely be a serviceable arm.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Game Day - Yankees vs. Orioles
Joe Girardi officially decided that Phil Hughes would be his fifth starter to begin the regular season. This comes after Hughes posted a 4.05 ERA and 10/2 K/BB ratio in 13 innings. While he didn't have the best numbers of the candidates (Mitre posted a 3.21 ERA and 14/3 K/BB ratio in 14 innings, Aceves had a 3.77 ERA and 7/1 K/BB ratio in 14 and 1/3 innings) Hughes was the expected winner since the start. The Yankees are ready to give him a shot and he's throwing a much improved change up this season. Joba Chamberlain will move to the bullpen and will likely serve as Mariano Rivera's setup man. Mitre will probably be long relief/spot starter while Aceves will fill the role of multiple innings eater out of the pen. Chad Gaudin was released by the team and there are already rumors that the Mets are interested in signing him.
The Yankees square off against the Orioles today in Sarasota. It's a cloudy day with temperatures in the high 70s. The game begins at 1:05 p.m., but will only be aired on MASN in the DC/Baltimore area.
Yankees
Jeter - SS
Johnson - DH
Teixeira - 1B
Rodriguez - 3B
Cano - 2B
Swisher - RF
Thames - LF
Thames - LF
Winn - CF
Cervelli - C
Cervelli - C
RHP Alfredo Aceves
Orioles
Pie - LF
Tejada - 3B
Markakis - RF
Wieters - C
Jones - CF
Jones - CF
Scott - DH
Atkins - 1B
Wigginton - 2B
Izturis - SS
RHP Brad Bergesen
Things to Watch: Now that Phil Hughes is entrenched in the rotation, Aceves is working to prove he belongs in a high leverage spot in the bullpen. Thames is starting in left field and is fighting for that last bench spot. The Yankees still have to decide if they're going to carry a second lefty in the pen, Boone Logan made the trip and is available to pitch. Also available out of the bullpen: Sergio Mitre, Chan Ho Park, Dave Robertson and Amaury Sanit among others. Randy Winn is patrolling center and I'm interested to see how he fares. One of his best assets is his ability to play solid defense in all outfield positions. Scheduled to play off the bench: P.J. Pilittere - C, Jose Gil - 1B, Justin Snyder - 2B, Kevin Russo - SS, Ramiro Pena - 3B, Jon Weber - LF, Greg Golson - CF and Dave Winfree - RF.
Game Notes: The Yankees were crushed by the Orioles 8-0. Alftedo Aceves was lit up to the tune of six runs (five earned) in two innings. He allowed six hits and two walks and didn't strike out a single batter. He gave up a two-run bomb to Adam Jones and was up in the zone with everything, hurting his chances for a high leverage spot in the bullpen. Sergio Mitre pitched pretty well, he went two innings and gave up two hits, one run and one walk. His line looked worse than his performance, he gave up a single that Cano could've turned into a double play had he not already broke to cover second. Boone Logan pitched one inning with no hits or walks. Chan Ho Park threw two scoreless innings with two hits, no walks and two strikeouts. He's looked very impressive this spring. Thames went 0-for-4 to lower his average to .094, he'll probably still get the bench role because of his experience and his proven ability to hit for power against lefties. C.C. Sabathia pitched a Triple-A game against the Phillies and got killed. His final line: three and 2/3 innings, seven hits, seven earned runs, one walk and four strikeouts. He also hit a batter and and served up two homers. He threw 88 pitches, 58 for strikes, and he ended up throwing 12 pitches in the bullpen after the game to bring his pitch total to an even 100.
Game Notes: The Yankees were crushed by the Orioles 8-0. Alftedo Aceves was lit up to the tune of six runs (five earned) in two innings. He allowed six hits and two walks and didn't strike out a single batter. He gave up a two-run bomb to Adam Jones and was up in the zone with everything, hurting his chances for a high leverage spot in the bullpen. Sergio Mitre pitched pretty well, he went two innings and gave up two hits, one run and one walk. His line looked worse than his performance, he gave up a single that Cano could've turned into a double play had he not already broke to cover second. Boone Logan pitched one inning with no hits or walks. Chan Ho Park threw two scoreless innings with two hits, no walks and two strikeouts. He's looked very impressive this spring. Thames went 0-for-4 to lower his average to .094, he'll probably still get the bench role because of his experience and his proven ability to hit for power against lefties. C.C. Sabathia pitched a Triple-A game against the Phillies and got killed. His final line: three and 2/3 innings, seven hits, seven earned runs, one walk and four strikeouts. He also hit a batter and and served up two homers. He threw 88 pitches, 58 for strikes, and he ended up throwing 12 pitches in the bullpen after the game to bring his pitch total to an even 100.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Game Day - Yankees vs. Phillies, Intrasquad Game
It's a busy day for the Yankees today. Due to the rainout yesterday the team held an intrasquad game earlier in the day in order to allow the pitchers to get their work in. Following that session, they traveled to Clearwater to take on the Phillies at 1:05 p.m. That game will be airing on ESPN and YES. It's a beautiful day for baseball, sunny and clear, with temperatures in the upper 60s.
Yankees
Gardner - LF
Granderson - CF
Teixeira - 1B
Swisher - RF
Cervelli - C
Pena - SS
Russo - 3B
Nunez - 2B
Burnett - P
RHP A.J. Burnett
Phillies
Rollins - SS
Polanco - 3B
Utley - 2B
Howard - 1B
Werth - CF
Ibanez - LF
Francisco - RF
Sardinha - C
Hamels - P
LHP Cole Hamels
Things to Watch: Burnett is making his third start of the spring and is expected to throw 60-70 pitches or go about five innings. Phil Hughes is scheduled to come on in relief and should go about four innings. Girardi was careful to mention that nothing should be assumed from the fact that Hughes is pitching against the Phillies while Chamberlain is participating in the intrasquad game. Also available to pitch: Jonathan Albaledejo, Royce Ring, Amaury Sanit and Zack Segovia. Playing off the bench today: P.J. Pilittere - C, Juan Miranda - 1B, Reegie Corona - SS, Jorge Vazquez - 3B, Greg Golson - CF and David Winfree - RF. Rule 5 pick Jamie Hoffman has cleared waivers and was returned to the Dodgers. This opens up a spot for Marcus Thames to claim that final bench role.
Game Notes: The Yankees fell to the Phillies 9-7. Burnett got hit hard in the first inning and gave up five runs very quickly, but then settled down. In his four total innings of work he allowed seven hits, five runs, three walks and struck out four. He struggled with his command all day. Hughes was also roughed up in his four and 1/3 innings. He gave up five hits, four runs, no walks and struck out six. He allowed a whopping three homers, one of which was a walk-off two run shot in the bottom of the ninth to Ben Francisco. Despite the ugly final line and results, Hughes did have a couple of encouraging innings and had hitters fooled on some change ups. The 6/0 K/BB ratio is also very nice. Teixeira went 4-for-4 and was a triple short of the cycle, he scored two runs and drove in two. Granderson went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI and was facing a tough lefty in Cole Hamels. In 30 spring at bats Granderson has a 5/3 K/BB ratio, which is encouraging for a player with a penchant for striking out.
Intrasquad Game Notes: This game was created solely for the pitchers, so in light of that fact, here's a breakdown of what each pitcher did: Andy Pettitte faced 25 batters over five innings. His final line was 12 hits, three runs, no walks and six strikeouts. He threw 80 pitches, 54 for strikes. He allowed one extra base hit, a double to Golson. Mike Rivera was his catcher. Joba Chamberlain faced 19 batters over five innings. His final line was six hits, two runs, one walk and one strikeout. He threw 75 pitches, 48 for strikes, and recorded three double plays. Joba showed improved velocity and threw a few nice change ups. Austine Romine was his catcher. Mariano Rivera pitched one scoreless inning and allowed one hit and struck out one. He threw 22 pitches, 16 for strikes. Chan Ho Park faced eight batters over two innings. He allowed one hit (a ground rule double to Gorecki) and struck out five. He threw 29 pitches, 21 for strikes. DeMaso Marte faced six batters and went one and 1/3 innings. He allowed two hits, one walk and struck out one. He threw 21 pitches, 12 for strikes, and recorded one double play. David Robertson faced five batters over one and 1/3 hitless innings. He allowed one walk and struck out three. He threw 22 pitches, 11 for strikes. LoHud has a breakdown of the game.
Chad Jennings sat down for five questions with Jesus Montero.
Here are your LoHud notes from Monday.
Yankees
Gardner - LF
Granderson - CF
Teixeira - 1B
Swisher - RF
Cervelli - C
Pena - SS
Russo - 3B
Nunez - 2B
Burnett - P
RHP A.J. Burnett
Phillies
Rollins - SS
Polanco - 3B
Utley - 2B
Howard - 1B
Werth - CF
Ibanez - LF
Francisco - RF
Sardinha - C
Hamels - P
LHP Cole Hamels
Things to Watch: Burnett is making his third start of the spring and is expected to throw 60-70 pitches or go about five innings. Phil Hughes is scheduled to come on in relief and should go about four innings. Girardi was careful to mention that nothing should be assumed from the fact that Hughes is pitching against the Phillies while Chamberlain is participating in the intrasquad game. Also available to pitch: Jonathan Albaledejo, Royce Ring, Amaury Sanit and Zack Segovia. Playing off the bench today: P.J. Pilittere - C, Juan Miranda - 1B, Reegie Corona - SS, Jorge Vazquez - 3B, Greg Golson - CF and David Winfree - RF. Rule 5 pick Jamie Hoffman has cleared waivers and was returned to the Dodgers. This opens up a spot for Marcus Thames to claim that final bench role.
Game Notes: The Yankees fell to the Phillies 9-7. Burnett got hit hard in the first inning and gave up five runs very quickly, but then settled down. In his four total innings of work he allowed seven hits, five runs, three walks and struck out four. He struggled with his command all day. Hughes was also roughed up in his four and 1/3 innings. He gave up five hits, four runs, no walks and struck out six. He allowed a whopping three homers, one of which was a walk-off two run shot in the bottom of the ninth to Ben Francisco. Despite the ugly final line and results, Hughes did have a couple of encouraging innings and had hitters fooled on some change ups. The 6/0 K/BB ratio is also very nice. Teixeira went 4-for-4 and was a triple short of the cycle, he scored two runs and drove in two. Granderson went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI and was facing a tough lefty in Cole Hamels. In 30 spring at bats Granderson has a 5/3 K/BB ratio, which is encouraging for a player with a penchant for striking out.
Intrasquad Game Notes: This game was created solely for the pitchers, so in light of that fact, here's a breakdown of what each pitcher did: Andy Pettitte faced 25 batters over five innings. His final line was 12 hits, three runs, no walks and six strikeouts. He threw 80 pitches, 54 for strikes. He allowed one extra base hit, a double to Golson. Mike Rivera was his catcher. Joba Chamberlain faced 19 batters over five innings. His final line was six hits, two runs, one walk and one strikeout. He threw 75 pitches, 48 for strikes, and recorded three double plays. Joba showed improved velocity and threw a few nice change ups. Austine Romine was his catcher. Mariano Rivera pitched one scoreless inning and allowed one hit and struck out one. He threw 22 pitches, 16 for strikes. Chan Ho Park faced eight batters over two innings. He allowed one hit (a ground rule double to Gorecki) and struck out five. He threw 29 pitches, 21 for strikes. DeMaso Marte faced six batters and went one and 1/3 innings. He allowed two hits, one walk and struck out one. He threw 21 pitches, 12 for strikes, and recorded one double play. David Robertson faced five batters over one and 1/3 hitless innings. He allowed one walk and struck out three. He threw 22 pitches, 11 for strikes. LoHud has a breakdown of the game.
Chad Jennings sat down for five questions with Jesus Montero.
Here are your LoHud notes from Monday.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Weekend Update
Today's game against the Tigers has been cancelled due to inclement weather. Johnny Damon was actually in the lineup this time, but mother nature had other plans. At this rate, he'll never play against his former team. Because of the rain, the Yankees had to get creative in order to get their pitchers adequate work. Tomorrow there'll be an intrasquad game in Tampa. The pitchers for team one: Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and DeMaso Marte. Pitchers for team two: Joba Chamberlain, Chan Ho Park and David Robertson. The rest of the team will travel to Clearwater to take on the Phillies. A.J. Burnett will start that game with Phil Hughes coming on in relief.
On Friday evening the Yankees lost to the Rays 6-2. Sergio Mitre threw the ball very well, going five innings and allowing two runs on two hits and one walk while striking out seven. His curveball and change up were both working well. He was locating his fastball and was getting good sink on his pitches. Girardi said after the game that if Mitre doesn't win a spot in the rotation, he would have no problem using him as a reliever. Meanwhile, Chad Gaudin continued his string of poor pitching. His final line - two and 1/3 innings, seven hits, four runs, three earned runs, three walks and one strikeout. Amaury Sanit pitched a perfect 2/3 of an inning and looked good striking out one. Curtis Granderson was 2-for-2 before being hit by a pitch on his right hand, he was taken out of the game for precautionary reasons. He's fine and was in today's lineup before the rainout. Nick Swisher extended his hitting streak to seven games.
On Saturday, the Yankees fell to Houston 8-6. Alfredo Aceves had his worst outing of the spring, allowing five runs in four and 1/3 innings. He gave up five hits, one walk and struck out two. He threw 74 pitches, 48 for strikes. Aceves didn't have his best stuff and lost some momentum in the fifth starter competition. Boone Logan pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout, but he gave up a hit to the one lefty he faced. Mark Melancon pitched 2/3 of an inning and gave up two hits and one run. Brett Gardner had a triple and a beautiful bunt single to raise his spring batting average to .281, his speed is flat out amazing sometimes. Robinson Cano hit a solo homer, his first of the spring. A-Rod went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBI. Marcus Thames went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts to lower his spring average to .107 to go along with a 11/1 K/BB ratio.
Over the weekend Girardi mentioned several times that the team needs to start serious discussions regarding the fifth starter competition. He feels that a decision needs to be made soon and the brass will be deliberating heavily this week. As of right now, Hughes is the front runner in my mind, his spring ERA is the lowest of the candidates at 2.08 and his change up has looked great. Joba and Aceves are not too far behind, but there is a distinct separation at this point.
Jesus Montero, Colin Curtis, Reid Gorecki, Austin Romine, Jason Hirsh and Dustin Moseley have all been reassigned to minor league camp. Hirsh is going to start out as the number one in the Triple-A rotation. Montero will be up with the big club sometime this year.
Updated spring statistics can be found here.
On Friday evening the Yankees lost to the Rays 6-2. Sergio Mitre threw the ball very well, going five innings and allowing two runs on two hits and one walk while striking out seven. His curveball and change up were both working well. He was locating his fastball and was getting good sink on his pitches. Girardi said after the game that if Mitre doesn't win a spot in the rotation, he would have no problem using him as a reliever. Meanwhile, Chad Gaudin continued his string of poor pitching. His final line - two and 1/3 innings, seven hits, four runs, three earned runs, three walks and one strikeout. Amaury Sanit pitched a perfect 2/3 of an inning and looked good striking out one. Curtis Granderson was 2-for-2 before being hit by a pitch on his right hand, he was taken out of the game for precautionary reasons. He's fine and was in today's lineup before the rainout. Nick Swisher extended his hitting streak to seven games.
On Saturday, the Yankees fell to Houston 8-6. Alfredo Aceves had his worst outing of the spring, allowing five runs in four and 1/3 innings. He gave up five hits, one walk and struck out two. He threw 74 pitches, 48 for strikes. Aceves didn't have his best stuff and lost some momentum in the fifth starter competition. Boone Logan pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout, but he gave up a hit to the one lefty he faced. Mark Melancon pitched 2/3 of an inning and gave up two hits and one run. Brett Gardner had a triple and a beautiful bunt single to raise his spring batting average to .281, his speed is flat out amazing sometimes. Robinson Cano hit a solo homer, his first of the spring. A-Rod went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBI. Marcus Thames went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts to lower his spring average to .107 to go along with a 11/1 K/BB ratio.
Over the weekend Girardi mentioned several times that the team needs to start serious discussions regarding the fifth starter competition. He feels that a decision needs to be made soon and the brass will be deliberating heavily this week. As of right now, Hughes is the front runner in my mind, his spring ERA is the lowest of the candidates at 2.08 and his change up has looked great. Joba and Aceves are not too far behind, but there is a distinct separation at this point.
Jesus Montero, Colin Curtis, Reid Gorecki, Austin Romine, Jason Hirsh and Dustin Moseley have all been reassigned to minor league camp. Hirsh is going to start out as the number one in the Triple-A rotation. Montero will be up with the big club sometime this year.
Updated spring statistics can be found here.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Game Day - Yankees vs. Tigers, Yankees at Rays
The Yankees have split squad games today at home against the Tigers and on the road against the Rays. It's a long day for the team as the game against the Tigers begins at 1:05 p.m., and will be airing on YES, while the game against the Rays kicks off at 7:05 p.m. It's nice and sunny in Tampa with temperatures in the upper 60's.
Yankees
Jeter - SS
Johnson - DH
Teixeira - 1B
Rodriguez - 3B
Cano - 2B
Thames - LF
Hoffmann - CF
Cervelli - C
Golson - RF
LHP CC Sabathia
Tigers
Jackson - CF
Thomas - RF
Inge - 3B
Cabrera - 1B
Guillen - DH
Laird - C
Ramirez - LF
Dlugach - 2B
Santiago - SS
RHP Rick Porcello
Yankees
Gardner - CF
Granderson - LF
Swisher - DH
Posada - C
Winn - RF
Miranda - 1B
Pena - 2B
Laird - 3B
Nunez - SS
RHP Sergio Mitre
Rays
TBA
Things to Watch: Johnny Damon is again not in the Tigers lineup, so still no on field reunion for him. Former Yankees Austin Jackson and Phil Coke will both be playing today. Jeter is in the lineup after a minor injury yesterday. Sabathia is making his fourth start of the spring, it's possible he goes 70-80 pitches or six innings. Sergio Mitre is trying to maintain a spot in the fifth starter competition, but Girardi mentioned that players can begin to pitch themselves out, so it's an important outing for him. Other pitchers available today - Mariano Rivera, Chad Gaudin, Jason Hirsch, Jonathan Albaladejo, Royce Ring and Amaury Sanit among others. Marcus Thames and Jamie Hoffmann are both in the lineup and are fighting for a spot on the bench. Nick Swisher has a six-game hitting streak. Cano and Posada have been on fire. There are 52 players remaining in camp, 17 of which are non-roster invitees.
Game Notes: The Yankees topped the Tigers 6-2. Sabathia looked excellent and earned rave reviews from Girardi and the rest of the staff. He went five and 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks. He struck out eight batters and threw 77 pitches, 47 of which were strikes. He featured great command and threw some outstanding breaking pitches. His change up in particular looked real sharp. Four of his strikeouts caught hitters looking and he struck out the side in the fourth. Rivera made his second spring appearance and needed only 10 pitches to get through one perfect inning of work, he struck out one. Royce Ring pitched a scoreless inning with one walk and one strikeout. A-Rod hit a majestic solo home run over the left field scoreboard, his first long ball of the spring. Jeter went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Romulo Sanchez was optioned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Ryan Pope was reassigned to minor league camp after the game.
Yankees
Jeter - SS
Johnson - DH
Teixeira - 1B
Rodriguez - 3B
Cano - 2B
Thames - LF
Hoffmann - CF
Cervelli - C
Golson - RF
LHP CC Sabathia
Tigers
Jackson - CF
Thomas - RF
Inge - 3B
Cabrera - 1B
Guillen - DH
Laird - C
Ramirez - LF
Dlugach - 2B
Santiago - SS
RHP Rick Porcello
Yankees
Gardner - CF
Granderson - LF
Swisher - DH
Posada - C
Winn - RF
Miranda - 1B
Pena - 2B
Laird - 3B
Nunez - SS
RHP Sergio Mitre
Rays
TBA
Things to Watch: Johnny Damon is again not in the Tigers lineup, so still no on field reunion for him. Former Yankees Austin Jackson and Phil Coke will both be playing today. Jeter is in the lineup after a minor injury yesterday. Sabathia is making his fourth start of the spring, it's possible he goes 70-80 pitches or six innings. Sergio Mitre is trying to maintain a spot in the fifth starter competition, but Girardi mentioned that players can begin to pitch themselves out, so it's an important outing for him. Other pitchers available today - Mariano Rivera, Chad Gaudin, Jason Hirsch, Jonathan Albaladejo, Royce Ring and Amaury Sanit among others. Marcus Thames and Jamie Hoffmann are both in the lineup and are fighting for a spot on the bench. Nick Swisher has a six-game hitting streak. Cano and Posada have been on fire. There are 52 players remaining in camp, 17 of which are non-roster invitees.
Game Notes: The Yankees topped the Tigers 6-2. Sabathia looked excellent and earned rave reviews from Girardi and the rest of the staff. He went five and 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks. He struck out eight batters and threw 77 pitches, 47 of which were strikes. He featured great command and threw some outstanding breaking pitches. His change up in particular looked real sharp. Four of his strikeouts caught hitters looking and he struck out the side in the fourth. Rivera made his second spring appearance and needed only 10 pitches to get through one perfect inning of work, he struck out one. Royce Ring pitched a scoreless inning with one walk and one strikeout. A-Rod hit a majestic solo home run over the left field scoreboard, his first long ball of the spring. Jeter went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Romulo Sanchez was optioned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Ryan Pope was reassigned to minor league camp after the game.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Game Day - Yankees vs. Rays
The Yankees are a little less than halfway through their 32-game spring schedule, inching closer to the regular season. Tonight they take on the Rays at 7:05 p.m. and the game will be airing on YES.
Yankees
Jeter - SS
Granderson - CF
Swisher - RF
Posada - C
Cano - 2B
Thames - DH
Winn - LF
Miranda - 1B
Pena - 3B
RHP Javier Vazquez
Rays
Bartlett - SS
Crawford - LF
Zobrist - RF
Pena - 1B
Aybar - 3B
Upton - CF
Burrell - DH
Rodriguez - 2B
Navarro - C
LHP Carlos Hernandez
Things to Watch: Javier Vazquez is making his third start of the spring and should amp up his workload. Also available to pitch - Boone Logan, Chan Ho Park, Dave Robertson, Dustin Moseley, Mark Melancon and Romulo Sanchez. Granderson is getting a shot at the number two hole and is patrolling center. Swisher has a five game hitting streak. Cano has multi-hit games in four of his last eight. Posada has been on fire with eight hits in his last 11 at bats. Alfredo Aceves is scheduled to start on Saturday.
Game Notes: The Yankees beat the Rays 6-4. Javier Vazquez went three innings, allowing one run on two hits and two walks, striking out three. He ran his pitch count up and ended up throwing 60 pitches, 38 for strikes. He came out of the game feeling like he could've thrown more, so his arm must be feeling strong. Vazquez has allowed a home run in each of his three spring starts, which is slightly concerning. Boone Logan came on with the bases loaded and proceeded to strike out Carl Crawford. He continues to impress and is causing the Yankees to think about carrying a second lefty out of the pen. Mark Melancon looked good, despite giving up a run. He gave up one hit, one walk and struck out two in one inning, the one hit he gave up happened to be a lead off triple. Chan Ho Park made his Grapefruit League debut and looked sharp while throwing a perfect inning with one strikeout. He only needed eight pitches. Dave Robertson walked away with the win after throwing a hitless inning and striking out two. Jeter went 2-for-3 with a double but apparently suffered a minor injury to either his wrist or his hand. Girardi wasn't concerned and said his shortstop would be in the lineup tomorrow. Swisher extended his hitting streak to six games. Colin Curtis hit a big three run home run and is showing the team that maybe they do have some good outfield prospects.
Yankees
Jeter - SS
Granderson - CF
Swisher - RF
Posada - C
Cano - 2B
Thames - DH
Winn - LF
Miranda - 1B
Pena - 3B
RHP Javier Vazquez
Rays
Bartlett - SS
Crawford - LF
Zobrist - RF
Pena - 1B
Aybar - 3B
Upton - CF
Burrell - DH
Rodriguez - 2B
Navarro - C
LHP Carlos Hernandez
Things to Watch: Javier Vazquez is making his third start of the spring and should amp up his workload. Also available to pitch - Boone Logan, Chan Ho Park, Dave Robertson, Dustin Moseley, Mark Melancon and Romulo Sanchez. Granderson is getting a shot at the number two hole and is patrolling center. Swisher has a five game hitting streak. Cano has multi-hit games in four of his last eight. Posada has been on fire with eight hits in his last 11 at bats. Alfredo Aceves is scheduled to start on Saturday.
Game Notes: The Yankees beat the Rays 6-4. Javier Vazquez went three innings, allowing one run on two hits and two walks, striking out three. He ran his pitch count up and ended up throwing 60 pitches, 38 for strikes. He came out of the game feeling like he could've thrown more, so his arm must be feeling strong. Vazquez has allowed a home run in each of his three spring starts, which is slightly concerning. Boone Logan came on with the bases loaded and proceeded to strike out Carl Crawford. He continues to impress and is causing the Yankees to think about carrying a second lefty out of the pen. Mark Melancon looked good, despite giving up a run. He gave up one hit, one walk and struck out two in one inning, the one hit he gave up happened to be a lead off triple. Chan Ho Park made his Grapefruit League debut and looked sharp while throwing a perfect inning with one strikeout. He only needed eight pitches. Dave Robertson walked away with the win after throwing a hitless inning and striking out two. Jeter went 2-for-3 with a double but apparently suffered a minor injury to either his wrist or his hand. Girardi wasn't concerned and said his shortstop would be in the lineup tomorrow. Swisher extended his hitting streak to six games. Colin Curtis hit a big three run home run and is showing the team that maybe they do have some good outfield prospects.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Game Day - Yankees vs. Phillies
Today's game between the Yankees and Phillies features Andy Pettite's Grapefruit League debut and Joba Chamberlain on the mound in a must-show-improvement appearance. It's a mild day in Clearwater, with temperatures in the mid-60's. The game begins at 1:05 p.m. and is not airing on television, but if you have a MLB.tv account you can watch on there.
Yankees
Gardner - CF
Johnson - DH
Teixeira - 1B
Rodriguez - 3B
Thames - LF
Winn - RF
Cervelli - C
Pena - SS
Russo - 2B
LHP Andy Pettitte
Phillies
Rollins - SS
Victorino - CF
Werth - RF
Howard - 1B
Francisco - LF
Ransom - 3B
Castro - 2B
Ruiz - C
Blanton - P
RHP Joe Blanton
Things to Watch: As bad as Chamberlain has looked thus far, he gets a chance to redeem himself and start the evaluations from scratch today. After what Hughes showed yesterday, Joba really needs to step his game up and show better command. Look for him to throw about 50-60 pitches. Andy Pettitte is making his first start of the spring after being brought along slowly in camp. He'll probably only go 40 pitches or two-three innings. Also scheduled to pitch - DeMaso Marte (also making his spring debut), Royce Ring, Amaury Sanit and Ryan Pope. Gardner is leading off for the second time this spring. Thames and Winn both get a look in the lineup, they need to start hitting.
Game Notes: The Yankees fell to the Phillies 6-2. Chamberlain answered the call to improve and looked excellent. He closed the game with four solid innings, allowing one run on two hits and one walk and struck out five. He was on such a low pitch count that he threw in the bottom of the ninth even though the game was already over, in that simulated frame he struck out two in a 1-2-3 inning. He was throwing strikes and attacking the zone, being very agressive on the mound. He was working quickly and seemed in complete control. Most importantly, he was locating his pitches well. A very encouraging outing. LoHud has audio of Joba talking about his day. DeMaso Marte got shelled in his first spring action, allowing three runs on four hits without recording an out. He gave up a homer to Jayson Werth, notorious lefty killer, and then he was drilled in the back by a Ryan Howard line drive and had to leave the game. Not the way he wanted to start off. Bombers Beat reports the Marte suffered only a bruise and will be fine. Andy Pettitte looked good throwing four innings and allowing two runs on five hits and a walk and struck out four. He threw 55 pitches, 36 for strikes. The veteran is right on track. Gardner went 2-for-3 with a triple and his first stolen base of the spring. Winn had a two-out single and then scored from first on a double, showing his speed. Cervelli went 3-for-3 with a double and a RBI. Amaury Sanit continued to impress with a perfect inning, striking out two batters.
Yankees
Gardner - CF
Johnson - DH
Teixeira - 1B
Rodriguez - 3B
Thames - LF
Winn - RF
Cervelli - C
Pena - SS
Russo - 2B
LHP Andy Pettitte
Phillies
Rollins - SS
Victorino - CF
Werth - RF
Howard - 1B
Francisco - LF
Ransom - 3B
Castro - 2B
Ruiz - C
Blanton - P
RHP Joe Blanton
Things to Watch: As bad as Chamberlain has looked thus far, he gets a chance to redeem himself and start the evaluations from scratch today. After what Hughes showed yesterday, Joba really needs to step his game up and show better command. Look for him to throw about 50-60 pitches. Andy Pettitte is making his first start of the spring after being brought along slowly in camp. He'll probably only go 40 pitches or two-three innings. Also scheduled to pitch - DeMaso Marte (also making his spring debut), Royce Ring, Amaury Sanit and Ryan Pope. Gardner is leading off for the second time this spring. Thames and Winn both get a look in the lineup, they need to start hitting.
Game Notes: The Yankees fell to the Phillies 6-2. Chamberlain answered the call to improve and looked excellent. He closed the game with four solid innings, allowing one run on two hits and one walk and struck out five. He was on such a low pitch count that he threw in the bottom of the ninth even though the game was already over, in that simulated frame he struck out two in a 1-2-3 inning. He was throwing strikes and attacking the zone, being very agressive on the mound. He was working quickly and seemed in complete control. Most importantly, he was locating his pitches well. A very encouraging outing. LoHud has audio of Joba talking about his day. DeMaso Marte got shelled in his first spring action, allowing three runs on four hits without recording an out. He gave up a homer to Jayson Werth, notorious lefty killer, and then he was drilled in the back by a Ryan Howard line drive and had to leave the game. Not the way he wanted to start off. Bombers Beat reports the Marte suffered only a bruise and will be fine. Andy Pettitte looked good throwing four innings and allowing two runs on five hits and a walk and struck out four. He threw 55 pitches, 36 for strikes. The veteran is right on track. Gardner went 2-for-3 with a triple and his first stolen base of the spring. Winn had a two-out single and then scored from first on a double, showing his speed. Cervelli went 3-for-3 with a double and a RBI. Amaury Sanit continued to impress with a perfect inning, striking out two batters.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Game Day - Yankees vs. Astros
After taking a break yesterday, the Yankees square off against the Astros at 7:05 p.m. Unfortunately, the game will not be shown on television. Today's lineup is, as Joe Girardi noted, an approximation of the expected opening day lineup. The evaluations and judgements are going to pick up with today's action, all previous exhibition games were deemed more of a "warm up" period. Obviously, many things can change between now and April 4th.
Yankees
Jeter - SS
Johnson - DH
Teixeira - 1B
Rodriguez - 3B
Cano - 2B
Posada - C
Granderson - LF
Swisher - RF
Gardner - CF
RHP A.J. Burnett
Astros
Jason Bourgeois - CF
Jeff Keppinger - 2B
Hunter Pence - RF
Geoff Blum - 1B
Pedro Feliz - 3B
Jason Michaels - LF
Jason Castro - C
Edwin Maysonet - SS
Brian Bogusevic - DH
RHP Brian Moehler
Things to Watch: Mariano Rivera is going to make his Grapefruit League debut today. Also scheduled to pitch - Phil Hughes, Romulo Sanchez and Zack Segovia. No real surprises in the batting order. Cano has officially claimed the fifth spot, batting behind Teixeira and A-rod. His struggles with RISP last year were well documented, that area of his game needs to improve if he's going to stick there. He's been hitting really well thus far. Granderson is getting his second start of the spring in left, while Gardner is patrolling center. I think this alignment can change and is still up in the air, but the team was definitely impressed with Granderson's work in left field in the last game. Scheduled to come off the bench are Jesus Montero, Jamie Hoffman, Colin Curtis and Eduardo Nunez among others. LoHud has a breakdown of players who are opening eyes in camp.
Game Notes: The Yankees beat the Astros 4-1. Phil Hughes stepped up his game with four scoreless innings allowing three hits, one walk and striking out two. It was an impressive showing coming directly after Girardi mentioned how today begins the performance evaluations and he even earned the save. Hughes threw 59 pitches, 37 of which were strikes, and he mixed in a lot of change ups, continuing to refine the pitch. From the way he was throwing it tonight, it looks to be a very effective weapon. Rivera threw 27 pitches and said his arm felt great. When comparing how his arm felt now as compared to this time last year, when he was coming off surgery, he said "wasn't even close." His final line was one inning, one hit, no runs, one walk and one strikeout. After a 10-day layoff, A.J. Burnett showed some rust, allowing two hits and walking four in two and 1/3 innings. He wasn't happy with his fastball, but Jorge Posada commented on his change up, saying it was the best it had looked. Teixeira homered, his second of the spring, and Posada went 2-for-3 with a run and a RBI. Swisher and Cano both had a double a piece, Cano's came with two outs.
Yankees
Jeter - SS
Johnson - DH
Teixeira - 1B
Rodriguez - 3B
Cano - 2B
Posada - C
Granderson - LF
Swisher - RF
Gardner - CF
RHP A.J. Burnett
Astros
Jason Bourgeois - CF
Jeff Keppinger - 2B
Hunter Pence - RF
Geoff Blum - 1B
Pedro Feliz - 3B
Jason Michaels - LF
Jason Castro - C
Edwin Maysonet - SS
Brian Bogusevic - DH
RHP Brian Moehler
Things to Watch: Mariano Rivera is going to make his Grapefruit League debut today. Also scheduled to pitch - Phil Hughes, Romulo Sanchez and Zack Segovia. No real surprises in the batting order. Cano has officially claimed the fifth spot, batting behind Teixeira and A-rod. His struggles with RISP last year were well documented, that area of his game needs to improve if he's going to stick there. He's been hitting really well thus far. Granderson is getting his second start of the spring in left, while Gardner is patrolling center. I think this alignment can change and is still up in the air, but the team was definitely impressed with Granderson's work in left field in the last game. Scheduled to come off the bench are Jesus Montero, Jamie Hoffman, Colin Curtis and Eduardo Nunez among others. LoHud has a breakdown of players who are opening eyes in camp.
Game Notes: The Yankees beat the Astros 4-1. Phil Hughes stepped up his game with four scoreless innings allowing three hits, one walk and striking out two. It was an impressive showing coming directly after Girardi mentioned how today begins the performance evaluations and he even earned the save. Hughes threw 59 pitches, 37 of which were strikes, and he mixed in a lot of change ups, continuing to refine the pitch. From the way he was throwing it tonight, it looks to be a very effective weapon. Rivera threw 27 pitches and said his arm felt great. When comparing how his arm felt now as compared to this time last year, when he was coming off surgery, he said "wasn't even close." His final line was one inning, one hit, no runs, one walk and one strikeout. After a 10-day layoff, A.J. Burnett showed some rust, allowing two hits and walking four in two and 1/3 innings. He wasn't happy with his fastball, but Jorge Posada commented on his change up, saying it was the best it had looked. Teixeira homered, his second of the spring, and Posada went 2-for-3 with a run and a RBI. Swisher and Cano both had a double a piece, Cano's came with two outs.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Day Off
The Yankees have off today and tomorrow the evaluations and judgements begin to pick up steam. Joe Girardi is going to put out a lineup on Tuesday that is an approximation of what he thinks the opening day lineup will be. Things can obviously change between now and then, but several questions should be answered. With only three weeks left until the games begin to count, LoHud takes a look at the 10 questions that need to be answered before April 4th.
Two more pitchers were sent down to the minors today, right handers Ivan Nova and Hector Noesi, and there are now 52 players in big league camp - notes from the minor league complex.
Some of the winners and losers so far this spring:
Joba Chamberlain has looked the worst out of the fifth starter hopefuls, he has six walks in three and 2/3 total innings, a ridiculous total. He's had issues with his control in the big leagues, it is the one thing that has held him back from being consistently successful. The evaluations haven't begun yet, but they start this week and unless Chamberlain reigns in his command he definitely won't have a spot in the rotation, let alone a late inning spot in the bullpen. In his next few starts the team really needs to see some improvement.
Alfredo Aceves has looked the best out of the fifth starter hopefuls and if the season were beginning tomorrow I don't see how he's not the guy. He hasn't walked one batter and has allowed only one run in 10 innings. He throwing a lot of strikes and getting good movement on his pitches.
Nick Johnson has shown some serious power, belting three home runs and collecting five RBI, since returning from a tweaked back. He credits hitting coach Kevin Long for adjusting the way he moves his back foot in order to allow him to get his legs into his swing. Even before the adjustment, Johnson had the chance to surpass his career high of homers (23) playing as a lefty in Yankee Stadium. The team loves his ability to get on base and it's already been decided that he will bat second.
Robinson Cano is batting a scorching .474 thus far, with two walks and no strikeouts. He leads the team in hits with 9 and is proving that he needs to move up in the lineup. Don't be surprised if he opens the season batting fifth.
Curtis Granderson has started six games in center and one game in left. Brett Gardner has started six games in left and two in center. Very telling up until this point. Gardner hasn't been hitting well, but he has four walks compared to two strikeouts, which is what you want to see. Granderson is batting .318 with three walks and three strikeouts, he also has a triple.
Amaury Sanit has looked great pitching out of the pen, he has two wins in three appearances and hasn't allowed a run. He has given up three hits and struck out two in two and 2/3 innings. Other guys who have impressed out of the pen include RHP Mark Melancon, LHP Royce Ring, RHP Jason Hirsch and LHP Boone Logan. Hirsch in particular has looked fantastic, throwing three and 2/3 perfect innings and striking out five, with his only blemish being a HBP.
Here's a full list of sortable spring statistics.
Two more pitchers were sent down to the minors today, right handers Ivan Nova and Hector Noesi, and there are now 52 players in big league camp - notes from the minor league complex.
Some of the winners and losers so far this spring:
Joba Chamberlain has looked the worst out of the fifth starter hopefuls, he has six walks in three and 2/3 total innings, a ridiculous total. He's had issues with his control in the big leagues, it is the one thing that has held him back from being consistently successful. The evaluations haven't begun yet, but they start this week and unless Chamberlain reigns in his command he definitely won't have a spot in the rotation, let alone a late inning spot in the bullpen. In his next few starts the team really needs to see some improvement.
Alfredo Aceves has looked the best out of the fifth starter hopefuls and if the season were beginning tomorrow I don't see how he's not the guy. He hasn't walked one batter and has allowed only one run in 10 innings. He throwing a lot of strikes and getting good movement on his pitches.
Nick Johnson has shown some serious power, belting three home runs and collecting five RBI, since returning from a tweaked back. He credits hitting coach Kevin Long for adjusting the way he moves his back foot in order to allow him to get his legs into his swing. Even before the adjustment, Johnson had the chance to surpass his career high of homers (23) playing as a lefty in Yankee Stadium. The team loves his ability to get on base and it's already been decided that he will bat second.
Robinson Cano is batting a scorching .474 thus far, with two walks and no strikeouts. He leads the team in hits with 9 and is proving that he needs to move up in the lineup. Don't be surprised if he opens the season batting fifth.
Curtis Granderson has started six games in center and one game in left. Brett Gardner has started six games in left and two in center. Very telling up until this point. Gardner hasn't been hitting well, but he has four walks compared to two strikeouts, which is what you want to see. Granderson is batting .318 with three walks and three strikeouts, he also has a triple.
Amaury Sanit has looked great pitching out of the pen, he has two wins in three appearances and hasn't allowed a run. He has given up three hits and struck out two in two and 2/3 innings. Other guys who have impressed out of the pen include RHP Mark Melancon, LHP Royce Ring, RHP Jason Hirsch and LHP Boone Logan. Hirsch in particular has looked fantastic, throwing three and 2/3 perfect innings and striking out five, with his only blemish being a HBP.
Here's a full list of sortable spring statistics.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Weekend Update
The Yankees had split squad games yesterday, against the Orioles at home and the Tigers in Lakeland. Here are LoHud's notes from Saturday's action. Today they squared off against the Pirates (again) and CC Sabathia was on the mound.
Alfredo Aceves continued his hot spring after throwing four innings against the Orioles. He allowed one run on three hits and one walk and struck out one. It was his first earned run in 10 spring innings and he really has looked excellent. He's changing speeds, getting good movement and locating his pitches well. It still early, but the team has to think he's the frontrunner for the final spot in the rotation right now.
Curtis Granderson got his first action in left field yesterday, it was a windy day and he had to make several plays. One of them was a running catch near the stands that was flat out impressive.
Boone Logan (one perfect inning), Royce Ring (one inning, one hit, one K), Mark Melancon (one inning, one hit, two Ks) and David Robertson (one inning, one hit, three Ks) all continued to impress over the weekend. With DeMaso Marte in the fold, is it possible the Yanks carry three lefties out of the pen?
Sabathia showed some progress from his last outing, going four and 1/3 innings while giving up three runs on three hits and two walks, striking out two. He threw 57 pitches, 29 for strikes. He was mainly working on his mechanics that were out of whack last time out and was pleased with the results.
Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre both got hit pretty hard and each allowed three runs on five hits and one walk - they had eerily similar bad lines.
It's starting to seem like Joe Girardi is leaning towards having Nick Johnson begin the season as the number two hitter and have Granderson in an RBI spot, like the five or the six hole. Johnson's propensity for getting on base makes him a perfect fit as the two hitter. He also his another home run today, his third of the spring.
Nine players were cut from camp, two of them were Andrew Brackman (optioned to Tampa) and Kei Igawa. Add Zach McAllister to the list too.
Francisco Cervelli went 2-for-3 in his return from a concussion and reported no ill effects. Derek Jeter also returned to the lineup after a bout with the flu.
Randy Winn and Marcus Thames were both in the lineup today and are looking to make the opening day roster. Winn is hoping for a regular outfield gig and Thames is trying for a bench role. Each player went 1-for-3.
On Tuesday, March 16th, Mariano Rivera will make his Grapefruit League debut and Girardi mentioned that it will be the first day he has all his regulars in the lineup. Pay close attention to the batting order and outfield arrangement, it could offer some clues as to the opening day lineup.
Alfredo Aceves continued his hot spring after throwing four innings against the Orioles. He allowed one run on three hits and one walk and struck out one. It was his first earned run in 10 spring innings and he really has looked excellent. He's changing speeds, getting good movement and locating his pitches well. It still early, but the team has to think he's the frontrunner for the final spot in the rotation right now.
Curtis Granderson got his first action in left field yesterday, it was a windy day and he had to make several plays. One of them was a running catch near the stands that was flat out impressive.
Boone Logan (one perfect inning), Royce Ring (one inning, one hit, one K), Mark Melancon (one inning, one hit, two Ks) and David Robertson (one inning, one hit, three Ks) all continued to impress over the weekend. With DeMaso Marte in the fold, is it possible the Yanks carry three lefties out of the pen?
Sabathia showed some progress from his last outing, going four and 1/3 innings while giving up three runs on three hits and two walks, striking out two. He threw 57 pitches, 29 for strikes. He was mainly working on his mechanics that were out of whack last time out and was pleased with the results.
Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre both got hit pretty hard and each allowed three runs on five hits and one walk - they had eerily similar bad lines.
It's starting to seem like Joe Girardi is leaning towards having Nick Johnson begin the season as the number two hitter and have Granderson in an RBI spot, like the five or the six hole. Johnson's propensity for getting on base makes him a perfect fit as the two hitter. He also his another home run today, his third of the spring.
Nine players were cut from camp, two of them were Andrew Brackman (optioned to Tampa) and Kei Igawa. Add Zach McAllister to the list too.
Francisco Cervelli went 2-for-3 in his return from a concussion and reported no ill effects. Derek Jeter also returned to the lineup after a bout with the flu.
Randy Winn and Marcus Thames were both in the lineup today and are looking to make the opening day roster. Winn is hoping for a regular outfield gig and Thames is trying for a bench role. Each player went 1-for-3.
On Tuesday, March 16th, Mariano Rivera will make his Grapefruit League debut and Girardi mentioned that it will be the first day he has all his regulars in the lineup. Pay close attention to the batting order and outfield arrangement, it could offer some clues as to the opening day lineup.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Game Day - Yankees vs. Nationals
Today's game between the Yankees and the Nationals has been cancelled due to inclement weather, it will not be made up. Andy Pettitte was scheduled to start and it's not known at this time when he will take his next turn on the mound. Derek Jeter is expected to return to the lineup tomorrow when the team has split squad games scheduled against the Orioles in Tampa and the Tigers in Lakeland.
LoHud notes from Friday.
LoHud notes from Friday.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Game Day - Yankees vs. Braves
The first night game for the Yankees this spring. It's been a gray and rainy day down in Tampa and the tarp is on the field, so it's possible that this game doesn't get played. If it is played, you can watch on YES or MLB Network at 7:05 p.m.
Yankees
Winn - DH
Swisher - RF
Teixeira - 1B
Rodriguez - 3B
Posada - C
Thames - LF
Hoffman - CF
Pena - SS
Corona - 2B
RHP A.J. Burnett
Braves
McLouth - CF
Prado - 2B
Heyward - RF
Glaus - 1B
McCann - C
Escobar - SS
Hinske - DH
Diaz - LF
Infante - 3B
RHP Jair Jurrjens
Things to Watch: Burnett is scheduled to go three innings or throw 50 pitches. Available to come out of the bullpen today is Jonathan Albaledejo, Kei Igawa, Mark Melancon, Royce Ring, Dave Robertson, Amaury Sanit and Kevin Whelen. Jesus Montero and Colin Curtis are available as reserves. Derek Jeter was scratched from the original lineup due to flu-like symptoms. Jason Heyward, the right fielder for the Braves, is widely regarded as one of the best prospects in baseball. Melky Cabrera did not make the trip with the Braves, spoiling the on-field reunion. Demaso Marte is expected to make his Grapefruit League debut on March 17th. Joe Girardi has encouraged Francisco Cervelli to try the new helmet with extra padding, the one that made David Wright look like a giant bobble-head doll.
Game Notes: Tonight's game has been cancelled due to inclement weather. The Yankees might be facing the same situation tomorrow.
Yankees
Winn - DH
Swisher - RF
Teixeira - 1B
Rodriguez - 3B
Posada - C
Thames - LF
Hoffman - CF
Pena - SS
Corona - 2B
RHP A.J. Burnett
Braves
McLouth - CF
Prado - 2B
Heyward - RF
Glaus - 1B
McCann - C
Escobar - SS
Hinske - DH
Diaz - LF
Infante - 3B
RHP Jair Jurrjens
Things to Watch: Burnett is scheduled to go three innings or throw 50 pitches. Available to come out of the bullpen today is Jonathan Albaledejo, Kei Igawa, Mark Melancon, Royce Ring, Dave Robertson, Amaury Sanit and Kevin Whelen. Jesus Montero and Colin Curtis are available as reserves. Derek Jeter was scratched from the original lineup due to flu-like symptoms. Jason Heyward, the right fielder for the Braves, is widely regarded as one of the best prospects in baseball. Melky Cabrera did not make the trip with the Braves, spoiling the on-field reunion. Demaso Marte is expected to make his Grapefruit League debut on March 17th. Joe Girardi has encouraged Francisco Cervelli to try the new helmet with extra padding, the one that made David Wright look like a giant bobble-head doll.
Game Notes: Tonight's game has been cancelled due to inclement weather. The Yankees might be facing the same situation tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Game Day - Yankees vs. Tigers
The Bombers travel to Lakeland to take on the Tigers. It's round two in the Joba Chamberlain vs. Phil Hughes competition, Girardi noted that it is the last "tune-up" before he really begins to make judgements and evaluations on the two pitchers. It's upwards of 75 degrees in Tampa and the sun is shining, unfortunately this game will not be shown on television.
Yankees
Granderson - CF
Johnson - DH
Teixeira - 1B
Cano - 2B
Thames - RF
Gardner - LF
Mike Rivera - C
Jorge Vazquez - 3B
Pena - SS
RHP Joba Chamberlain
Tigers
Austin Jackson - CF
Ryan Raburn - RF
Ryan Strieby - 1B
Cabrera - 3B
Guillen - LF
Laird - C
Jeff Larish - 3B
Scott Sizemore - 2B
Everett - SS
RHP Armando Galarraga
Things to Watch: Chamberlain and Hughes are scheduled to throw 50 pitches, or go around three innings, each. Andrew Brackman is scheduled to throw out of the pen, he's been looking good so far this spring. Johnny Damon was scratched from the Tigers' lineup due to turf toe, spoiling the on-field reunion. Granderson is in the lead-off spot and manning center and Gardner is in left. It's looking more and more like Granderson will be the Yankees center fielder on opening day. It was previously reported that Mariano Rivera would make his Grapefruit League debut on March 17th, but it will actually be on March 16th. Girardi also hinted that March 16th will be the first time he has all his regulars in the lineup, so mark that date on the calendar. Former Yankees prospect Austin Jackson is batting lead-off and patrolling center for the Tigers, he's expected to keep both of those spots once the regular season begins.
Game Notes: The Yankees topped the Tigers 9-8. Greg Golson's two-run homer off Phil Dumatrait in the top of the ninth inning proved to be the game winner. Chamberlain looked good through two innings, but then imploded in the third, giving up six runs on three singles, two walks and a grand slam. His final line is not pretty, five hits, three walks, six runs, one strikeout in two and 1/3 innings. He did throw a nice change up in the first to strike out Austin Jackson looking, but he really needs to start locating his pitches better. It's still very early, but he needs to harness his command, otherwise he'll never be successful. Hughes looked OK, he went two and 2/3 innings and gave up one run on three hits. The one run he gave up was a solo shot to Ryan Raburn. He also got bailed out by Granderson, who made a great play in center on a well hit ball off the bat of Miguel Cabrera. Both pitchers were obviously working on things, Hughes was throwing a lot of change ups and Chamberlain was trying to come in on hitters hands, so their stat lines aren't the story, still, you would like to see some success. Granderson had a nice day out of the lead off spot, he had two singles, a walk and an RBI. Teixeira had two hits, one a solo home run off of former Yankee Phil Coke. Jason Hirsch continues to show that he's fully healthy and has a great deal of upside, he threw a perfect inning and struck out two. 23-year-old right hander Ryan Pope looked good getting the save, allowing one hit and striking out two in one inning of work.
Yankees
Granderson - CF
Johnson - DH
Teixeira - 1B
Cano - 2B
Thames - RF
Gardner - LF
Mike Rivera - C
Jorge Vazquez - 3B
Pena - SS
RHP Joba Chamberlain
Tigers
Austin Jackson - CF
Ryan Raburn - RF
Ryan Strieby - 1B
Cabrera - 3B
Guillen - LF
Laird - C
Jeff Larish - 3B
Scott Sizemore - 2B
Everett - SS
RHP Armando Galarraga
Things to Watch: Chamberlain and Hughes are scheduled to throw 50 pitches, or go around three innings, each. Andrew Brackman is scheduled to throw out of the pen, he's been looking good so far this spring. Johnny Damon was scratched from the Tigers' lineup due to turf toe, spoiling the on-field reunion. Granderson is in the lead-off spot and manning center and Gardner is in left. It's looking more and more like Granderson will be the Yankees center fielder on opening day. It was previously reported that Mariano Rivera would make his Grapefruit League debut on March 17th, but it will actually be on March 16th. Girardi also hinted that March 16th will be the first time he has all his regulars in the lineup, so mark that date on the calendar. Former Yankees prospect Austin Jackson is batting lead-off and patrolling center for the Tigers, he's expected to keep both of those spots once the regular season begins.
Game Notes: The Yankees topped the Tigers 9-8. Greg Golson's two-run homer off Phil Dumatrait in the top of the ninth inning proved to be the game winner. Chamberlain looked good through two innings, but then imploded in the third, giving up six runs on three singles, two walks and a grand slam. His final line is not pretty, five hits, three walks, six runs, one strikeout in two and 1/3 innings. He did throw a nice change up in the first to strike out Austin Jackson looking, but he really needs to start locating his pitches better. It's still very early, but he needs to harness his command, otherwise he'll never be successful. Hughes looked OK, he went two and 2/3 innings and gave up one run on three hits. The one run he gave up was a solo shot to Ryan Raburn. He also got bailed out by Granderson, who made a great play in center on a well hit ball off the bat of Miguel Cabrera. Both pitchers were obviously working on things, Hughes was throwing a lot of change ups and Chamberlain was trying to come in on hitters hands, so their stat lines aren't the story, still, you would like to see some success. Granderson had a nice day out of the lead off spot, he had two singles, a walk and an RBI. Teixeira had two hits, one a solo home run off of former Yankee Phil Coke. Jason Hirsch continues to show that he's fully healthy and has a great deal of upside, he threw a perfect inning and struck out two. 23-year-old right hander Ryan Pope looked good getting the save, allowing one hit and striking out two in one inning of work.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Game Day - Yankees vs. Pirates
After winning both games of yesterday's split squad action the Yanks have run their Grapefruit League record to 3-4. Today they square off against the Pirates for the third time this spring. It's a nice mild day for baseball in Tampa with the temperature in the 60's with some wind. The game is airing on YES at 1:05 p.m.
Yankees
Jeter - SS
Johnson - DH
Posada - C
Rodriguez - 3B
Granderson - CF
Swisher - RF
Winn - LF
Miranda - 1B
Russo - 2B
LHP C.C. Sabathia
Pirates
McCutchen - CF
Cedeno - SS
Milledge - LF
Jones - RF
LaRoche - 3B
Clement - 1B
Crosby - DH
Young - 2B
Jaramillo - C
RHP Charlie Morton
Things to Watch: Nick Johnson is playing back-to-back games, so it appears his back is completely fine. He's also slotted in the two hole with Granderson hitting out of the five spot, despite the fact that a righty is on the mound. The team obviously likes Johnson's OBP in front of the three and four hitters. Granderson is patrolling center once again, he hasn't played left in any of his spring appearances. Sabathia's workload will increase today, look for him to go about four innings and rev things up a little. Scheduled to pitch out of the bullpen is Boone Logan, Dustin Moseley, Hector Noesi, Royce Ring and Romulo Sanchez. Here are some great pictures from yesterday's action.
Game Notes: The Yankees fell to the Pirates 12-7. Sabathia had a rough first inning and allowed four runs. He settled down after and his final line was seven hits, one walk, five runs and two strikeouts in two and 1/3 innings. He threw 55 pitches, 34 for strikes, and was up in the zone most of the day, the result of a mechanical flaw. LoHud noticed a little history repeating. Nick Johnson went 2-2 with two solo home runs, he looked fully healthy and he gave credit to Kevin Long for working on his mechanics in order to allow him to drive the ball using his legs. Granderson showcased some speed on a triple. Swisher had another hit and another RBI, giving him a team high four RBI in five spring games. Royce Ring pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout. Romulo Sanchez showed off some wicked stuff in his one and 1/3 innings - he didn't allow a hit and struck out two, but he walked the last guy he faced.
Here are the game wrap ups from LoHud and Bombers Beat.
Edwar Ramirez was traded to the Rangers for cash considerations.
Francisco Cervelli went through a full workout today and he's expected to rejoin the lineup on Friday.
Yankee Stadium will host the debut of the newest NCAA football bowl game, the Pinstripe Bowl, on December 30th, 2010. The game will be sponsored by New Era and will air on ESPN.
Yankees
Jeter - SS
Johnson - DH
Posada - C
Rodriguez - 3B
Granderson - CF
Swisher - RF
Winn - LF
Miranda - 1B
Russo - 2B
LHP C.C. Sabathia
Pirates
McCutchen - CF
Cedeno - SS
Milledge - LF
Jones - RF
LaRoche - 3B
Clement - 1B
Crosby - DH
Young - 2B
Jaramillo - C
RHP Charlie Morton
Things to Watch: Nick Johnson is playing back-to-back games, so it appears his back is completely fine. He's also slotted in the two hole with Granderson hitting out of the five spot, despite the fact that a righty is on the mound. The team obviously likes Johnson's OBP in front of the three and four hitters. Granderson is patrolling center once again, he hasn't played left in any of his spring appearances. Sabathia's workload will increase today, look for him to go about four innings and rev things up a little. Scheduled to pitch out of the bullpen is Boone Logan, Dustin Moseley, Hector Noesi, Royce Ring and Romulo Sanchez. Here are some great pictures from yesterday's action.
Game Notes: The Yankees fell to the Pirates 12-7. Sabathia had a rough first inning and allowed four runs. He settled down after and his final line was seven hits, one walk, five runs and two strikeouts in two and 1/3 innings. He threw 55 pitches, 34 for strikes, and was up in the zone most of the day, the result of a mechanical flaw. LoHud noticed a little history repeating. Nick Johnson went 2-2 with two solo home runs, he looked fully healthy and he gave credit to Kevin Long for working on his mechanics in order to allow him to drive the ball using his legs. Granderson showcased some speed on a triple. Swisher had another hit and another RBI, giving him a team high four RBI in five spring games. Royce Ring pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout. Romulo Sanchez showed off some wicked stuff in his one and 1/3 innings - he didn't allow a hit and struck out two, but he walked the last guy he faced.
Here are the game wrap ups from LoHud and Bombers Beat.
Edwar Ramirez was traded to the Rangers for cash considerations.
Francisco Cervelli went through a full workout today and he's expected to rejoin the lineup on Friday.
Yankee Stadium will host the debut of the newest NCAA football bowl game, the Pinstripe Bowl, on December 30th, 2010. The game will be sponsored by New Era and will air on ESPN.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Game Day - Yankees vs. Phillies, Yankees at Pirates
The Yankees have a split squad game today, so half of the team is down in Bradenton to face the Pirates. The game against the Phillies is airing on YES at 1:05 p.m. Temperatures in Tampa are expected to reach the 70's, beautiful day for baseball.
Some quick notes:
Mariano Rivera threw a live batting practice today and stated that the session was "delicious." He's expected to make his Grapefruit League debut next Wednesday, March 17th, against the Phillies, but that's not set in stone.
Chan Ho Park was scratched from his BP session due to some tightness in his glute, it's considered minor and he's expected to resume normal activities tomorrow.
Francisco Cervelli is scheduled to see a neurologist today, but he's reportedly already free of symptoms.
Here are the lineups:
Yankees
Gardner - CF
Johnson - DH
Teixeira - 1B
Posada - C
Cano - 2B
Swisher - RF
Thames - LF
Kevin Russo - 3B
Pena - SS
RHP Javier Vazquez
Phillies
Rollins - SS
Polanco - 3B
Utley - 2B
Howard - 1B
Ibanez - LF
Werth - DH
Francisco - CF
Mayberry - RF
Ruiz - C
RHP Kyle Kendrick
Yankees
Jeter - SS
Granderson - CF
Winn - RF
Rodriguez - 3B
Miranda - 1B
Pena - C
Hoffman - LF
P.J. Pilittere - DH
Reegie Corona - 2B
RHP Alfredo Aceves
Pirates
McCutchen - CF
Iwamura - 2B
Jones - RF
Doumit - C
Pearce - 1B
Moss - LF
Crosby - SS
Jones - DH
Walker - 3B
LHP Paul Maholm
Things to Watch: Nick Johnson is making his return to the lineup after dealing with a sore back. The split squad situation allows both Granderson and Gardner to play center, that competition is still an even race at this point. Gardner gets an opportunity to lead off as well. Vazquez is making his spring debut today, he's scheduled to throw two innings and following him in the bullpen will be Mark Melancon, David Robertson, Amaury Sanit and Royce Ring, among others. Alfredo Aceves will bump up his workload today, he looked pretty good in his last outing, let's see if he can keep it going. Good opportunity to look at some young players today, such as catcher P.J. Pilittere and infielders Kevin Russo and Reegie Corona.
Game Notes: The Yankees topped the Pirates 6-0, with four pitchers combining on a one hitter. Alfredo Aceves was perfect through four innings and struck out three. Ivan Nova, Zach McAllister and and Jason Hirsch finished it off. So far, Aceves has yet to allow a hit in six spring innings. He and Mitre have looked the best out of the prospective fifth starters.
The Bombers beat the Phillies 7-5. Vazquez threw 26 pitches, 16 of which were strikes, and looked good for his first start. He served up a homer to Jimmy Rollins on his first pitch, but then settled down and struck out the side in the second. His final line was two innings, one hit, one walk, one earned run and four strikeouts. Amaury Sanit walked away with his second win of the spring and continues to look great out of the pen, he went one and 1/3 innings, giving up no runs on two hits and struck out two - he'll be featured in an upcoming "Kids Making Noise." David Robertson got lit up to the tune of two runs on three hits and two walks in 2/3 of an inning. Jose Contreras made an appearance for the Phillies and looked downright awful, giving up six runs in one and 2/3 innings and taking the loss. Cano roped two doubles and drove in two runs. Nick Johnson came out of the game saying his back felt fine. All neurological tests on Cervelli came back negative and he was cleared to resume baseball activities tomorrow.
LoHud has a wrap up of today's action.
Some quick notes:
Mariano Rivera threw a live batting practice today and stated that the session was "delicious." He's expected to make his Grapefruit League debut next Wednesday, March 17th, against the Phillies, but that's not set in stone.
Chan Ho Park was scratched from his BP session due to some tightness in his glute, it's considered minor and he's expected to resume normal activities tomorrow.
Francisco Cervelli is scheduled to see a neurologist today, but he's reportedly already free of symptoms.
Here are the lineups:
Yankees
Gardner - CF
Johnson - DH
Teixeira - 1B
Posada - C
Cano - 2B
Swisher - RF
Thames - LF
Kevin Russo - 3B
Pena - SS
RHP Javier Vazquez
Phillies
Rollins - SS
Polanco - 3B
Utley - 2B
Howard - 1B
Ibanez - LF
Werth - DH
Francisco - CF
Mayberry - RF
Ruiz - C
RHP Kyle Kendrick
Yankees
Jeter - SS
Granderson - CF
Winn - RF
Rodriguez - 3B
Miranda - 1B
Pena - C
Hoffman - LF
P.J. Pilittere - DH
Reegie Corona - 2B
RHP Alfredo Aceves
Pirates
McCutchen - CF
Iwamura - 2B
Jones - RF
Doumit - C
Pearce - 1B
Moss - LF
Crosby - SS
Jones - DH
Walker - 3B
LHP Paul Maholm
Things to Watch: Nick Johnson is making his return to the lineup after dealing with a sore back. The split squad situation allows both Granderson and Gardner to play center, that competition is still an even race at this point. Gardner gets an opportunity to lead off as well. Vazquez is making his spring debut today, he's scheduled to throw two innings and following him in the bullpen will be Mark Melancon, David Robertson, Amaury Sanit and Royce Ring, among others. Alfredo Aceves will bump up his workload today, he looked pretty good in his last outing, let's see if he can keep it going. Good opportunity to look at some young players today, such as catcher P.J. Pilittere and infielders Kevin Russo and Reegie Corona.
Game Notes: The Yankees topped the Pirates 6-0, with four pitchers combining on a one hitter. Alfredo Aceves was perfect through four innings and struck out three. Ivan Nova, Zach McAllister and and Jason Hirsch finished it off. So far, Aceves has yet to allow a hit in six spring innings. He and Mitre have looked the best out of the prospective fifth starters.
The Bombers beat the Phillies 7-5. Vazquez threw 26 pitches, 16 of which were strikes, and looked good for his first start. He served up a homer to Jimmy Rollins on his first pitch, but then settled down and struck out the side in the second. His final line was two innings, one hit, one walk, one earned run and four strikeouts. Amaury Sanit walked away with his second win of the spring and continues to look great out of the pen, he went one and 1/3 innings, giving up no runs on two hits and struck out two - he'll be featured in an upcoming "Kids Making Noise." David Robertson got lit up to the tune of two runs on three hits and two walks in 2/3 of an inning. Jose Contreras made an appearance for the Phillies and looked downright awful, giving up six runs in one and 2/3 innings and taking the loss. Cano roped two doubles and drove in two runs. Nick Johnson came out of the game saying his back felt fine. All neurological tests on Cervelli came back negative and he was cleared to resume baseball activities tomorrow.
LoHud has a wrap up of today's action.
Weekend Update
The Yankees played two games this weekend, losing 9-1 to Toronto on Saturday and 11-0 to Minnesota today. Needless to say, there weren't many highlights. Here's a quick rundown of the important points.
Francisco Cervelli suffered a concussion after taking a pitch in the helmet in a scary moment yesterday. He's scheduled to see a neurologist tomorrow and all reports are that he's OK.
Sergio Mitre took a big step forward in the rotation competition today. He threw three scoreless innings on two hits and one walk while striking out three. According to Girardi, "He threw the ball pretty decent." He was probably made to look even better after the rest of the staff imploded.
Chad Gaudin allowed three runs in two innings, continuing his attempt to pitch himself off the roster, and Kei Igawa allowed five runs on four hits in one inning. Gaudin made a couple costly mistakes and served up a homer to Jason Kubel, while Igawa was just terrible.
Brett Gardner laid a bunt down for a base hit, it's something he's worked on and is hoping to do more of this season. He needs to make that a consistent part of his game to fully utilize his speed. MLB.com did a story on Gardner's competition for a starting outfield job.
A.J. Burnett got hit in his start, going one and 2/3 innings and allowing two runs on five hits and one walk. He didn't record a strikeout. Burnett wants to throw his change up more this season, a pitch he's rarely thrown in the past. He worked on refining it during the offseason and showcased it in his first spring start.
The team is bringing Andy Pettitte along slowly this spring due to the large workload he endured last season. He threw a simulated game today and is expected to make his Grapefruit league debut on Friday, March 12th, against the Nationals.
Nick Johnson took batting practice today, taking 50 swings and declaring his back good to go. He's expected to return to the lineup tomorrow.
Bryan Hoch has a cool story about Mo, along with some news from the weekend, on Bombers Beat.
The Yankees have a split squad game tomorrow. They're facing the Pirates in Bradenton, with Alfredo Aceves drawing the start, and the Phillies in Tampa. The latter game will be shown on YES at 1:05 p.m. with Javier Vazquez taking the mound.
Francisco Cervelli suffered a concussion after taking a pitch in the helmet in a scary moment yesterday. He's scheduled to see a neurologist tomorrow and all reports are that he's OK.
Sergio Mitre took a big step forward in the rotation competition today. He threw three scoreless innings on two hits and one walk while striking out three. According to Girardi, "He threw the ball pretty decent." He was probably made to look even better after the rest of the staff imploded.
Chad Gaudin allowed three runs in two innings, continuing his attempt to pitch himself off the roster, and Kei Igawa allowed five runs on four hits in one inning. Gaudin made a couple costly mistakes and served up a homer to Jason Kubel, while Igawa was just terrible.
Brett Gardner laid a bunt down for a base hit, it's something he's worked on and is hoping to do more of this season. He needs to make that a consistent part of his game to fully utilize his speed. MLB.com did a story on Gardner's competition for a starting outfield job.
A.J. Burnett got hit in his start, going one and 2/3 innings and allowing two runs on five hits and one walk. He didn't record a strikeout. Burnett wants to throw his change up more this season, a pitch he's rarely thrown in the past. He worked on refining it during the offseason and showcased it in his first spring start.
The team is bringing Andy Pettitte along slowly this spring due to the large workload he endured last season. He threw a simulated game today and is expected to make his Grapefruit league debut on Friday, March 12th, against the Nationals.
Nick Johnson took batting practice today, taking 50 swings and declaring his back good to go. He's expected to return to the lineup tomorrow.
Bryan Hoch has a cool story about Mo, along with some news from the weekend, on Bombers Beat.
The Yankees have a split squad game tomorrow. They're facing the Pirates in Bradenton, with Alfredo Aceves drawing the start, and the Phillies in Tampa. The latter game will be shown on YES at 1:05 p.m. with Javier Vazquez taking the mound.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Game Day - Yankees vs. Rays
The much anticipated competition between Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain officially begins today and they face a nice test in a talented Rays lineup. It's another sunny day in Tampa with temperatures rising into the 60's, wind is still a factor but it's a great day for baseball. The game airs on YES at 1:05 p.m.
Yankees
Jeter - SS
Granderson - CF
Teixeira - 1B
Rodriguez - 3B
Posada - DH
Thames - LF
Cano - 2B
Swisher - RF
Cervelli - C
RHP Phil Hughes
Rays
Bartlett - SS
Rodriguez - LF
Longoria - 3B
Zobrist - 2B
Upton - CF
Navarro - C
Johnson - DH
Rugiano - RF
Richard - 1B
LHP David Price
Things to Watch: Hughes and Chamberlain are scheduled to throw two innings a piece, so put on your scouting hats. Granderson is slotted in the two hole against a lefty once again, it's clear that the Yankees want to track his progress against southpaws early, and he's patrolling center for the second time in his two games. Nick Johnson is getting another day off due to his stiff lower back. David Price is one of the premier young talents in the game. The Rays have an abundance of promising prospects, many of which will be making appearances today - watch for Tim Beckham, Jeremy Hellickson and Reid Brignac among others.
Game Notes: The Yankees are down 7-0 in the top of the fourth, needless to say, it hasn't been a good day for the pitchers.
Box Score
Hughes - Looked OK for his first go around, threw two full innings and allowed one run on one hit, one walk and one homer. He gave up a bunch of well hit balls, but they found defenders. He mixed in a couple nice change ups, which was encouraging since it's a pitch he's been working on. Had some trouble with location. Threw 33 pitches, 18 for strikes. The home run he allowed was to Sean Rodriguez, who is absolutely killing the ball - he now has three long balls in three games.
Chamberlain - Really struggled. Got hit hard and his command was off. He gave up five earned runs on two triples, a double and three walks and didn't make it through a full two innings. Threw 33 pitches, 14 for strikes. Dave Eiland made a visit to the mound and was seemingly concerned about Joba's delivery, which seemed a little jerky. The flu-bug he fought over the last couple days was definitely still affecting him, he's didn't look to be full strength. He did throw a couple of nice sliders, but he has a long way to go until he's ready.
In the most shocking moment of the day, Kei Igawa came on in relief with the bases loaded and was able to get two outs and didn't allow any runs. He actually looked pretty good and was keeping the ball down. Maybe he'll be able to contribute as a lefty specialist out of the pen after all, but I doubt it.
Yankees
Jeter - SS
Granderson - CF
Teixeira - 1B
Rodriguez - 3B
Posada - DH
Thames - LF
Cano - 2B
Swisher - RF
Cervelli - C
RHP Phil Hughes
Rays
Bartlett - SS
Rodriguez - LF
Longoria - 3B
Zobrist - 2B
Upton - CF
Navarro - C
Johnson - DH
Rugiano - RF
Richard - 1B
LHP David Price
Things to Watch: Hughes and Chamberlain are scheduled to throw two innings a piece, so put on your scouting hats. Granderson is slotted in the two hole against a lefty once again, it's clear that the Yankees want to track his progress against southpaws early, and he's patrolling center for the second time in his two games. Nick Johnson is getting another day off due to his stiff lower back. David Price is one of the premier young talents in the game. The Rays have an abundance of promising prospects, many of which will be making appearances today - watch for Tim Beckham, Jeremy Hellickson and Reid Brignac among others.
Game Notes: The Yankees are down 7-0 in the top of the fourth, needless to say, it hasn't been a good day for the pitchers.
Box Score
Hughes - Looked OK for his first go around, threw two full innings and allowed one run on one hit, one walk and one homer. He gave up a bunch of well hit balls, but they found defenders. He mixed in a couple nice change ups, which was encouraging since it's a pitch he's been working on. Had some trouble with location. Threw 33 pitches, 18 for strikes. The home run he allowed was to Sean Rodriguez, who is absolutely killing the ball - he now has three long balls in three games.
Chamberlain - Really struggled. Got hit hard and his command was off. He gave up five earned runs on two triples, a double and three walks and didn't make it through a full two innings. Threw 33 pitches, 14 for strikes. Dave Eiland made a visit to the mound and was seemingly concerned about Joba's delivery, which seemed a little jerky. The flu-bug he fought over the last couple days was definitely still affecting him, he's didn't look to be full strength. He did throw a couple of nice sliders, but he has a long way to go until he's ready.
In the most shocking moment of the day, Kei Igawa came on in relief with the bases loaded and was able to get two outs and didn't allow any runs. He actually looked pretty good and was keeping the ball down. Maybe he'll be able to contribute as a lefty specialist out of the pen after all, but I doubt it.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Game Day - Yankees vs. Phillies
It's a sunny and windy day in Clearwater with a lot of fans and press in attendance. The pitching matchup is getting way too much coverage for a spring game, but I can't fault the excitement and interest. The game will be aired on MLB Network, via tape delay, at 7 p.m. tonight. It's possible that those of us on the East Coast get blacked out of watching, but that's not definite and hopefully it's not the case.
Lineups:
Yankees
Gardner - CF
Jamie Hoffman - DH
Posada - C
Cano - 2B
Swisher - RF
Winn - LF
Juan Miranda - 1B
Ramiro Pena - SS
Brandon Laird - 3B
LHP C.C. Sabathia
Phillies
Jimmy Rollins - SS
Placido Polanco - 3B
Ben Francisco - CF
Jayson Werth - RF
John Mayberry - LF
Cody Ransom - 1B
Juan Castro - 2B
Brian Bocock - DH
Carlos Ruiz - C
RHP Roy Halladay
Things to Watch: Nick Johnson was originally slated to bat second and DH, but he was scratched at the last minute with a stiff lower back. Gardner is getting his turn in center, while Randy Winn is patrolling left, keep a close eye on how they do defensively. Jeter, A-Rod and Teixeira all didn't make the trip, so it's a good opportunity to see how the young infielders play. The story of the day is obviously the pitching match up of Cy Young contenders. Sabathia is scheduled to throw 35 pitches or two innings. I'm assuming Halladay has the same limitations.
Update: Johnson said that his stiff back was just a little tweak he felt during batting practice. He said it's not a big deal and that he would be playing if this was a regular season game.
Game Notes:
The Yankees lost 3-2 in another unusually exciting finish for a spring game. They scored twice to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth, but the Phillies were able to plate two runs off Wilkins Arias in the bottom of the frame to walk away victorious.
Box Score
Sabathia threw two scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks with no strikeouts. He wasn't thrilled about his performance, especially his delivery, but thought it went OK. His arm is feeling great and that's all you can ask for at this point.
Halladay looked his usual dominant self in his two innings of work, allowing no hits and no walks while striking out three. He threw 24 pitches, 21 of which were strikes.
The Yankees got scoreless innings from youngsters Zach McAllister, Zack Segovia, Ivan Nova and Mark Melancon. Boone Logan threw one and 1/3 perfect innings and looked good. Romulo Sanchez made his first appearance of the spring and gave up a run on two hits and a walk.
The team honored their prospects of the year before the game.
Bombers Beat has a wrap up of today's action and here are your LoHud notes from Thursday.
Lineups:
Yankees
Gardner - CF
Jamie Hoffman - DH
Posada - C
Cano - 2B
Swisher - RF
Winn - LF
Juan Miranda - 1B
Ramiro Pena - SS
Brandon Laird - 3B
LHP C.C. Sabathia
Phillies
Jimmy Rollins - SS
Placido Polanco - 3B
Ben Francisco - CF
Jayson Werth - RF
John Mayberry - LF
Cody Ransom - 1B
Juan Castro - 2B
Brian Bocock - DH
Carlos Ruiz - C
RHP Roy Halladay
Things to Watch: Nick Johnson was originally slated to bat second and DH, but he was scratched at the last minute with a stiff lower back. Gardner is getting his turn in center, while Randy Winn is patrolling left, keep a close eye on how they do defensively. Jeter, A-Rod and Teixeira all didn't make the trip, so it's a good opportunity to see how the young infielders play. The story of the day is obviously the pitching match up of Cy Young contenders. Sabathia is scheduled to throw 35 pitches or two innings. I'm assuming Halladay has the same limitations.
Update: Johnson said that his stiff back was just a little tweak he felt during batting practice. He said it's not a big deal and that he would be playing if this was a regular season game.
Game Notes:
The Yankees lost 3-2 in another unusually exciting finish for a spring game. They scored twice to take a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth, but the Phillies were able to plate two runs off Wilkins Arias in the bottom of the frame to walk away victorious.
Box Score
Sabathia threw two scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks with no strikeouts. He wasn't thrilled about his performance, especially his delivery, but thought it went OK. His arm is feeling great and that's all you can ask for at this point.
Halladay looked his usual dominant self in his two innings of work, allowing no hits and no walks while striking out three. He threw 24 pitches, 21 of which were strikes.
The Yankees got scoreless innings from youngsters Zach McAllister, Zack Segovia, Ivan Nova and Mark Melancon. Boone Logan threw one and 1/3 perfect innings and looked good. Romulo Sanchez made his first appearance of the spring and gave up a run on two hits and a walk.
The team honored their prospects of the year before the game.
Bombers Beat has a wrap up of today's action and here are your LoHud notes from Thursday.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Wednesday's News
Joba Chamberlain returned to camp today after battling flu-like symptoms. He said he's still feeling weak, but remains on track to pitch Friday against the Rays.
LoHud takes note of today's implications for the decision Joe Girardi is facing when choosing who will hit out of the two hole. Granderson batted second today (against a lefty nonetheless), but Girardi said Nick Johnson will occupy that spot tomorrow.
The Yankees 2010 Media Guide is now on sale to the public. The comprehensive book comes in two options - a perfect-bound version for $20 and a limited-edition collector's version for $85.
Due to an accounting error, Yankees players were forced to pay back $10k each from their World Series shares. Yahoo Sports has the details.
Chad Jennings sits down for Five Questions with the heroic Colin Curtis.
Mark Feinsand looks back to a critical moment in the Yankees 2009 season, when Nick Swisher took the mound and pitched a perfect inning with a strikeout.
Bernie Williams paid a visit to the Yankees today and still feels connected his former team. These days he considers himself 70% musician and 30% player, despite being out of the game for over three years.
Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated believes that Derek Jeter will ask for a six-year deal. The captain would be 42 years old at the end of such a deal. Heyman is basing this speculation on the opinions of two executives from competing teams.
MLB.com did a recap of today's game.
And finally, your LoHud notes from Wednesday.
LoHud takes note of today's implications for the decision Joe Girardi is facing when choosing who will hit out of the two hole. Granderson batted second today (against a lefty nonetheless), but Girardi said Nick Johnson will occupy that spot tomorrow.
The Yankees 2010 Media Guide is now on sale to the public. The comprehensive book comes in two options - a perfect-bound version for $20 and a limited-edition collector's version for $85.
Due to an accounting error, Yankees players were forced to pay back $10k each from their World Series shares. Yahoo Sports has the details.
Chad Jennings sits down for Five Questions with the heroic Colin Curtis.
Mark Feinsand looks back to a critical moment in the Yankees 2009 season, when Nick Swisher took the mound and pitched a perfect inning with a strikeout.
Bernie Williams paid a visit to the Yankees today and still feels connected his former team. These days he considers himself 70% musician and 30% player, despite being out of the game for over three years.
Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated believes that Derek Jeter will ask for a six-year deal. The captain would be 42 years old at the end of such a deal. Heyman is basing this speculation on the opinions of two executives from competing teams.
MLB.com did a recap of today's game.
And finally, your LoHud notes from Wednesday.
Game Day - Yankees vs. Pirates
It's a packed house at George M Steinbrenner Field to watch the Yankees take on the Pirates in their spring opener. All fans in attendance get a C.C. Sabathia bobblehead, which makes me regret that I didn't make the trip down to Tampa. Tune in to YES at 1:05 p.m. to watch.
Here are the lineups:
Yankees
Derek Jeter - SS
Curtis Granderson - CF
Mark Teixeira - 1B
Alex Rodriguez - 3B
Marcus Thames - DH
Jamie Hoffman - RF
Brett Gardner - LF
Francisco Cervelli - C
Ramiro Pena - 2B
Chad Gaudin - RHP
Pirates
Andrew McCutchen - CF
Akinori Iwamura - 2B
Garrett Jones - RF
Ryan Doumit - C
Ryan Church - DH
Lastings Milledge - LF
Jeff Clement - 1B
Andy LaRoche - 3B
Ronny Cendeno - SS
Paul Maholm - LHP
Things to watch: Sergio Mitre and Alfedo Aceves are also scheduled to pitch, all three starters are part of the rotation competition. Curtis Granderson is slotted in the two hole even though the Pirates have a lefty on the mound. The game features five players who figure to be a part of the everyday lineup. Granderson is patrolling center and Gardner is in left, Girardi is going to be swapping those two positions throughout the spring in order to see where each is most comfortable. Former Yankee Ross Ohlendorf will be pitching for Pittsburgh, he showed tremendous improvement last year and figures to be a steady part of their rotation.
A quick breakdown will follow the game. Enjoy the first taste of baseball everyone!
Amaury Sanit - Cuban right-hander got into the game in the 9th inning and retired the side in order. He has a nice overhead delivery and pitches to contact. Ended up with the win. He's an arm to watch during the spring.
Jason Hirsch - Faced two batters, striking out both. Looked strong and didn't seem to show any lingering effects from injuries. He's another intriguing arm to watch.
Here are the lineups:
Yankees
Derek Jeter - SS
Curtis Granderson - CF
Mark Teixeira - 1B
Alex Rodriguez - 3B
Marcus Thames - DH
Jamie Hoffman - RF
Brett Gardner - LF
Francisco Cervelli - C
Ramiro Pena - 2B
Chad Gaudin - RHP
Pirates
Andrew McCutchen - CF
Akinori Iwamura - 2B
Garrett Jones - RF
Ryan Doumit - C
Ryan Church - DH
Lastings Milledge - LF
Jeff Clement - 1B
Andy LaRoche - 3B
Ronny Cendeno - SS
Paul Maholm - LHP
Things to watch: Sergio Mitre and Alfedo Aceves are also scheduled to pitch, all three starters are part of the rotation competition. Curtis Granderson is slotted in the two hole even though the Pirates have a lefty on the mound. The game features five players who figure to be a part of the everyday lineup. Granderson is patrolling center and Gardner is in left, Girardi is going to be swapping those two positions throughout the spring in order to see where each is most comfortable. Former Yankee Ross Ohlendorf will be pitching for Pittsburgh, he showed tremendous improvement last year and figures to be a steady part of their rotation.
A quick breakdown will follow the game. Enjoy the first taste of baseball everyone!
Game Notes:
It was an auspicious and exciting beginning to the spring season. With the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the 9th, 25-year-old outfielder Colin Curtis hit a walk-off three-run home run. Unfortunately, there was no whip cream pie in his face.
Rule 5 pick Jamie Hoffman showed some range in right by making a nice catch on a deep fly ball that was affected by the wind. He's a big guy, but he can move and plays solid defense. Gardner followed with a nice play in left, making a diving catch of another wind-blown deep fly.
All the starters, except for Ramiro Pena, were removed in the 5th inning. Nick Johnson, the only regular to be subbed in, replaced Teixeira at first.
Impressions of the Pitchers:
Chad Gaudin - Threw two scoreless innings, 34 pitches and 23 strikes. Worked around a lead-off single in the first and battled through some at bats. Settled down and looked good in the second.
Sergio Mitre - Pitched two perfect innings. Sinker was working well and he induced a lot of grounders. Looked the best out of all the pitchers today.
Alfredo Aceves - Gave up a couple well hit deep fly balls, but didn't allow any base runners in two innings. Didn't have his best stuff, but was able to work around it and showed poise.
Amaury Sanit - Cuban right-hander got into the game in the 9th inning and retired the side in order. He has a nice overhead delivery and pitches to contact. Ended up with the win. He's an arm to watch during the spring.
Jason Hirsch - Faced two batters, striking out both. Looked strong and didn't seem to show any lingering effects from injuries. He's another intriguing arm to watch.
Jonathan Albaladejo - Gave up three runs (two earned) on two hits without recording an out in the seventh. I wouldn't be surprised if he pitches his way off the roster this spring.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Tuesday at the Arcade
With the Yankees only one day away from the start of their exhibition season, Joe Girardi decided to take the team on a field trip. 66 players went to a video arcade for some fun and friendly competition away from the baseball diamond. Last year the manager scheduled a similar outing, taking the team to a pool hall. That trip was a huge success and a great bonding session, so it was decided to keep the tradition going. Today's event was set up as an Olympic style arcade game competition. Bombers Beat has the winners and results, along with some great quotes - apparently A.J. Burnett is unbeatable at video game indy car racing.
LoHud has a very amusing anecdote involving Kei Igawa's video game prowess and a lot of great pictures from the outing.
Joba Chamberlain is suffering from flu-like symptoms, he skipped his bullpen session and was unable to go to the arcade. It doesn't sound too bad though and he's still on track to start on Friday.
The team is very confident heading into tomorrow's game against the Pirates. All eyes will be on starters Chad Gaudin, Sergio Mitre and Alfredo Aceves in order to see if anyone gains any ground in the fifth starter competition. LoHud also has the full list of available bullpen pitchers. Be sure to keep a close watch on who slots into the two, five, six and seven slots in the batting order and how each performs.
A complete list of probable pitchers for the first three spring games was announced.
Bill Madden wrote an excellent piece on longtime trainer Gene Monohan, who is battling a serious illness and is under intense medical care at his home. Madden notices an "emptiness" to this year's camp due to Monohan's absence and everyone is praying that he makes it back soon.
Chad Jennings sits down for five questions with 28-year-old right hander Jason Hirsch. Hirsch is a very intriguing arm in the Yankees system right now. I see a lot of potential, but injuries have been a concern for the past few years. Watch him this spring to see if he looks fully healthy.
The field trip today might have slowed the news reports down, but there's still a LoHud notes from Tuesday.
LoHud has a very amusing anecdote involving Kei Igawa's video game prowess and a lot of great pictures from the outing.
Joba Chamberlain is suffering from flu-like symptoms, he skipped his bullpen session and was unable to go to the arcade. It doesn't sound too bad though and he's still on track to start on Friday.
The team is very confident heading into tomorrow's game against the Pirates. All eyes will be on starters Chad Gaudin, Sergio Mitre and Alfredo Aceves in order to see if anyone gains any ground in the fifth starter competition. LoHud also has the full list of available bullpen pitchers. Be sure to keep a close watch on who slots into the two, five, six and seven slots in the batting order and how each performs.
A complete list of probable pitchers for the first three spring games was announced.
Bill Madden wrote an excellent piece on longtime trainer Gene Monohan, who is battling a serious illness and is under intense medical care at his home. Madden notices an "emptiness" to this year's camp due to Monohan's absence and everyone is praying that he makes it back soon.
Chad Jennings sits down for five questions with 28-year-old right hander Jason Hirsch. Hirsch is a very intriguing arm in the Yankees system right now. I see a lot of potential, but injuries have been a concern for the past few years. Watch him this spring to see if he looks fully healthy.
The field trip today might have slowed the news reports down, but there's still a LoHud notes from Tuesday.
Monday, March 1, 2010
A Case of the Mondays
Welcome to the month of March. Only two days until you'll be able to watch the Yankees take the field to play an exhibition game against the Pirates. In order to make sure you're up to date with all the stories heading into the spring opener, please refer to the links.
Mariano Rivera threw his first bullpen session of the spring today. He threw 21 pitches and tried to be nice and easy with his delivery. It's a sight worth watching when the greatest closer in baseball history begins to stretch out and condition his arm.
The Daily News reports that Alex Rodriguez will cooperate with federal agents in their investigation into a Canadian doctor who is accused of transporting HGH into the United States. LoHud has an official statement from the Yankees regarding the investigation and A-Rod's cooperation.
The Yankees view Chan Ho Park as a viable late-inning option. He will join Rivera, Damaso Marte, Dave Robertson and the losers of the rotation competition in the bullpen.
The second game of the spring season (Thursday, March 4th) will feature a pitching match up between C.C. Sabathia and Roy Halladay. Sabathia is planning on taking it easy, because, as he said, "Come on, it's spring training." That game will air on the MLB network at 1:05 p.m.
Chad Jennings sits down for five questions with left-handed pitcher Royce Ring.
Chad Jennings sits down for five questions with left-handed pitcher Royce Ring.
Curtis Granderson has already started intensive work with Kevin Long in order to improve his hitting against left handers. According to the Post, the Yankees are already seeing positive results.
A.J. Burnett spent the winter trying to improve his change up and he mixed the pitch into his throwing session today. That link comes complete with audio. MLB.com picked up the story as well. I've seen a lot of growth and maturity in Burnett over the last year and I think he'll improve upon his numbers from 2009.
Bill Madden writes that Brian Cashman is having a hard time staying patient with his young pitchers.
Bombers Beat has some good photographs of yesterday's activities in camp. The picture of Reggie Jackson observing the scene is my personal favorite.
Remember kids, if you don't eat your vegetables, you can't have your LoHud notes from Monday.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
