A Streak Comes to an End

With today's 8-4 loss at the hands of the Angels, the Yankees have finally dropped their first series of the season. They opened the year with five consecutive series wins over the Red Sox, Rays, Angels, Rangers and A's, during which time the team has looked nothing short of dominant.

The offense is being led by Robinson Cano who is looking like he can contend for a batting title. His swing is as smooth and quick as ever and his defense has been impressive. He homered today and is now batting .368/.411/.646 with five home runs, 14 RBI, 17 runs and two stolen bases. Batting out of the five hole, Cano could go off for career highs in practically all of his offensive categories. The most promising sign is how he's been hitting with RISP (.333 avg, 1/2 K/BB ratio) and with RISP w/ two outs (.429 avg, 1/1 K/BB ratio).

Also having notably good seasons thus far are Derek Jeter (.316 avg, 3 HR, 3 SB), Jorge Posada (.315 avg, 4 HR) and Alex Rodriguez (.294 avg, 2 HR, 10/11 K/BB ratio). Teixeira is having a typically slow start (.119 avg, 16/11 K/BB ratio) but he's been swinging the bat better over the past couple of games and as the calendar turns over to May, I think he'll break out of the funk. New acquisitions Curtis Granderson, Nick Johnson and Marcus Thames have fit in well. Granderson has played stellar defense in center, is looking decent against lefties so far (.250 avg) and has come up with some clutch hits. Johnson hasn't found his swing yet, but is seeing a ton of pitches per plate appearance and already has 18 walks in 16 games played. In limited action, mainly against lefties, Thames has a .462 average with one home run.

The pitching has also been a strong point, with one exception. Javier Vazquez has been terrible and it's no surprise that he was on the mound for the clincher of today's first series loss. He gave up five runs in three and 2/3 innings today to push his ERA to 9.00 in 20 total innings. He has a bad history against the Angels, and Bobby Abreu specifically (10 career homers off of Vazquez), but the team surely wants to begin seing some improvements. He's given up too many hits and home runs (five home runs allowed in four starts) and, after posting an excellent 238/44 K/BB ratio last year, Vazquez is sporting an uncharacteristic 18/11 K/BB ratio. I think he'll eventually bounce back, but he definitely won't be posting numbers like he did in Atlanta. Then again, nobody probably expected that type of dominance in the AL anyway. He'll be an effective fourth starter in due time, but it'll certainly be hard to trust this guy once the  pressure of the games increases, such as in playoff baseball.

Vazquez has been the outsider this year, as the rest of the staff has been fantastic. Andy Pettitte is having a spectacular April, going 3-0 in 28 innings with a 1.29 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 22/9 K/BB ratio and .216 BAA. He's really looked sharp and healthy and it's great to see. C.C. Sabathia (2-1, 3.00 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 23/10 K/BB ratio), Phil Hughes (2-0, 2.19 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 16 K in 12 IP) and A.J. Burnett (2-0, 3.29 ERA, 16/8 K/BB ratio) have all been exceptional. Hughes has really shown some flashes of dominance, especially in his last start. Burnett has been wild at times, but has done an excellent job of limiting the damage and showing poise with runners on base - he's kept the team in every game he's pitched. If Vazquez can turn it around and the Yankees truly do get a break out season from Hughes, the team arguably has the best pitching staff in baseball.

With today's series win streak coming to a close, this year is still full of promise for the defending world champions. Manager Joe Girardi has to be happy with what he's seen so far, but there's always room for improvement (i.e. Vazquez and Teixeira, some members of the bullpen). Hopefully the Bombers begin a new series win streak starting on Tuesday when they travel to Baltimore to take on the Orioles for a three-game set.

Phil Hughes Flirts with No-No

Phil Hughes took a no-hitter into the eighth inning tonight in Oakland. It was broken up with no outs when Eric Chavez hit a comebacker right at Hughes that he was able to knock down, but unable to locate on the ground before Chavez reached first. He then struck out the next batter, but walked Gabe Gross after that and was pulled from the game for Joba Chamberlain.

Hughes looked downright dominant. His fastball was clocked at 93 MPH repeatedly, even into the late innings. His curve and cutter were as sharp as I've ever seen. He was locating his pitches perfectly, putting them right on the mitt, and changing the eye level of the hitters and keeping them off balance all night long. Hughes looked confident and poised on the mound and seemed in control of the entire game. He accumulated a career high 10 strikeouts. It was special to watch a 23-year-old fulfill all of that potential and promise over seven innings.

His final line: W - 7.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K.

You may recall in his first season in the majors, in 2007, Hughes was working on a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers when he injured his hamstring in the seventh inning. Back then he was a kid who you've heard about in the organization as being among the best pitching prospects in baseball. The kid they wouldn't deal for Johan Santana. Since then, during his time in the majors as a starter, he hasn't really been able to put it together on a consistent basis. But last year, in the bullpen, he looked fantastic and gained some confidence. Then he won the hyped fifth starter competition with a solid spring. Let's hope this gem is the start of that elusive breakout campaign. If he does put it all together, the Yankees will have an ace as their fifth starter.

Game Day - Yankees vs. Red Sox

The final game of the Yankees three-game series at Fenway kicks off at 7:10 p.m. and will air on YES and ESPN2. It's a gorgeous clear day in Boston, with temperatures in the high 80s and a slight breeze. The tie breaking match up features an interesting pitching duel as Andy Pettitte takes the mound against newly acquired John Lackey.

Yankees (1-1)
Jeter - SS
Johnson - DH
Teixeira - 1B
Rodriguez - 3B
Cano - 2B
Posada - C
Granderson - CF
Swisher - RF
Gardner - LF

LHP Andy Pettitte

Red Sox (1-1)
Ellsbury - LF
Pedroia - 2B
Martinez - C
Youkilis - 1B
Ortiz - DH
Beltre - 3B
Drew - RF
Cameron - CF
Scutaro - SS

RHP John Lackey

Things to Watch: The Yankees claimed 1B/OF Chad Huffman off waivers from the Padres today. A second round draft pick, Huffman has a lot of talent and is still only 24 years old. He is a patient hitter with a lot of power - he won the 2009 Triple-A Home Run Derby. A very nice pick up, the team will send him to Triple-A.

Game Notes: The Yankees topped the Red Sox 3-1 in 10 innings to open up the season with a series win over their AL East rivals. Andy Pettitte gave the team six strong innings and allowed only one run on six hits and three walks. He struck out four and threw 94 pitches, 54 of which were strikes. John Lackey was equally good and the Yanks didn't get on the board until Nick Swisher's RBI single in the top of the seventh, after Lackey had been removed from the game. Chan Ho Park redeemed himself from Sunday's debacle with three solid innings. He earned the win and seemed to get stronger the more pitches he threw, he was touching 94 on the gun in his final inning, a great sign. He did give up some scary long fly balls, but no harm done. Park's final line: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K. He threw 36 pitches, 24 strikes. Granderson led off the 10th inning with a solo home run off of Jonathan Papelbon to break the tie, it was good to see him come through in the clutch like that, he's all business. Teixeira added another run on a RBI ground out with the bases loaded. Mo then closed it out with a perfect inning to earn his second save of the season.

Game Day - Yankees vs. Red Sox

It's a cool, clear day at Fenway Park as the Yankees (0-1) prepare for game two of the season against the rival Red Sox (1-0). Temperatures are in the high 50s and there's a chance of light rain tonight, but nothing threatening. A.J. Burnett is starting and it'll be interesting to see how he fares with Jorge Posada as his catcher. Those two didn't enjoy working together last season, but are eager to prove that they can be successful as battery mates. The game will air on YES at 7:10 p.m.

Yankees
Jeter - SS
Johnson - DH
Teixeira - 1B
Rodriguez - 3B
Cano - 2B
Posada - C
Swisher - RF
Thames - LF
Granderson - CF

RHP A.J. Burnett

Red Sox
Ellsbury - LF
Pedroia - 2B
Martinez - C
Youkilis - 1B
Ortiz - DH
Beltre - 3B
Drew - RF
Cameron - CF
Scutaro - SS

LHP Jon Lester

Things to Watch: Marcus Thames has replaced Brett Gardner as the starting left fielder against a tough lefty in Jon Lester. I'm a little surprised at this considering how good Gardner looked in the opener and I hope this doesn't become a straight platoon, but I doubt that will happen. In his career, Thames is 1-for-2 against Lester with a home run and two RBI. Further fallout, Granderson slides down to ninth in the lineup. He really struggled against lefties last season to the tune of a .183 average, but has performed better than that in the past and worked extensively on this part of his game during the offseason.

Game Notes: The Yankees defeated the Red Sox 6-4 to earn their first victory of the 2010 season. The bullpen really came through tonight, a very good sign after that group faltered yesterday. Alfredo Aceves earned the win with two innings of perfect baseball, when the team needed them most. He came on in relief of A.J. Burnett in the sixth. Burnett was getting hit, but he kept the team in the game. He served up a two-run home run to Victor Martinez, but really did a good job limiting the damage and only walked one. Burnett's final line: 5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K. Marte got the one lefty he faced, David Ortiz, to fly out to right. Joba showed improved velocity and really had his stuff working, reaching 97 on the gun with his fastball. He faced two batters and struck out both. Mo then shut it down with a one hit, one strikeout inning. Take note that Chan Ho Park didn't pitch. Swisher went 2-for-4 and continues to look good at the plate, he lost at least 10 pounds and his hands are definitely quicker. A-Rod had a big RBI double off the Green Monster. Cano is scorching and had another two hits in three at bats with a solo home run and a sac fly.

Side note: The appearance of Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning marked the 16th consecutive season in which Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Mo have played together. That is now the major league record for seasons played by a trio of teammates. In fact, it's a record across all the major sports (MLB, NHL, NBA and NFL). The mark was previously held by Robin Yount, Jim Gantner and Paul Molitor who played 15 seasons together on the Brewers.

A Couple of Thoughts on the Day Off

The Yankees bullpen really let the team down yesterday. They couldn't hold any lead the offense gave them, it was worrisome to watch. Would it have helped if Sabathia didn't run out of gas in the sixth inning? Of course, but it's too early in the season to expect him to go much more than 100 pitches. It is only one game, but the fact of the matter is the bullpen let the team down. Let's hope that group bounces back.

I do see one glaring question. What is Chan Ho Park doing on this team? He doesn't fit the mold and he's just not that great. Couple that in with his age, arm mileage, a seeming inability to pitch well with runners on base and the Yankees plethora of talented and capable bullpen arms and I just don't see him as a logical fit. Perhaps I'm jumping to conclusions, but I already see him as the team's weakness. There are tons of great guys in the minor league bullpens that could offer way more than Park. I'd rather carry Boone Logan as a second lefty (who can get the occasional righty out) and use Aceves in higher leverage situations. I also think Mark Melancon should be with the big club, he has the stuff and makeup to succeed right away and he is coming off a stellar spring. We'll see how this all pans out, but the Yankees have a deep and talented selection of bullpen reserves, so it's not a weakness I'm terribly worried about. I do believe the Yankees will be better off as soon as Chan Ho Park isn't a major factor in the pen.

That double steal was great. Jeter's hesitation, Gardner's blinding speed, Victor Martinez's girl-like arm. It was a thing of beauty. Gardner looked very good all game, I'm very interested to see if Girardi sits him against a tough lefty tomorrow for Marcus Thames.

Phil Hughes struck out 12 and allowed only three hits in eight and 1/3 innings in a simulated game today. He threw 100 pitches, 70 for strikes. His regular season debut will be on April 15th against the Angels.

Did everyone else see that Jayson Heyward home run? The three-run bomb he hit off Carlos Zambrano in his first career big league at-bat? Well, you'll see it on Sportscenter. It was utterly impressive and the kid looked downright scary at the plate in all of his appearances. The Braves really have something special there.

Opening Day - Yankees vs. Red Sox

The excitement is palpable. In less than one hour, the first pitch will be thrown and the Yankees will officially begin to defend their World Series title. The conditions are excellent at Fenway Park with the temperature in the low 70s and clear skies. The wind is supposed to pick up into the night with gusts reaching 20 MPH, so it might be a tough night for the outfielders. The game airs on YES and ESPN2 at 8:05 p.m. Get your cracker jacks ready, baseball is back!

Yankees
Jeter - SS
Johnson - DH
Teixeira - 1B
Rodriguez - 3B
Cano - 2B
Posada - C
Granderson - CF
Swisher - RF
Gardner - LF

LHP C.C. Sabathia

Red Sox
Ellsbury - LF
Pedroia - 2B
Martinez - C
Youkilis - 1B
Ortiz - DH
Beltre - 3B
Drew - RF
Cameron - CF
Scutaro - SS

RHP Josh Beckett

Game Notes: The Yankees lost to the Red Sox 9-7 in a game dominated by offense. The pitching on both sides was pretty bad, but Boston's bullpen was able to limit the damage to two runs while the Yankees relievers repeatedly gave up the lead. Beckett looked awful throughout his turns, while Sabathia cruised through four innings and then completely lost his command in the fifth and sixth. He clearly ran out of gas in those later innings. Sabathia's final line: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 4 K - 104 pitches, 58 for strikes. Posada and Granderson hit back-to-back homers off of Beckett in the second. In the fourth, Jeter and Gardner pulled of a double steal of second and home. The Yanks tied the game up 7-7 in the top of the seventh, but then in the bottom of the frame Chan Ho Park imploded and served up a two-run homer to Pedroia and the Youkilis scored on a passed ball. Chamberlain came on in relief and was attacking the hitters, he looked sharp, but gave up a run on two hits and a walk. It was a roller coaster ride of a game and unfortunately the good guys couldn't pull it out in the end. The team has off tomorrow and then squares off against Jon Lester. It'll be interesting to see if Brett Gardner, who had a good game today (2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB), will be in the lineup against the tough lefty or if it will be Marcus Thames.

The YES network inserted a new feature in their on-screen box score that indicates how many pitches each pitcher has thrown. Sabathia ran out of gas around 90 pitches. Beckett threw 31 pitches in the second and 33 in the fourth.

Opening Day Eve

All roster moves have been finalized and the Yankees are on a flight to Boston. Tomorrow at 8:05 p.m. the defending world champions square off against their bitter rivals to open up the 2010 season. Now that's prime time television. The game will air on YES and ESPN2 and baseball will be back, it's a beautiful thing. 

Here are the final spring training statistics. Robinson Cano had a scorching spring and finished with a .393 average in 53 at bats. Other strong finishers in Grapefruit League action include Curtis Granderson (.286 avg, 7/5 K/BB ratio), Nick Swisher (.313 avg, two homers, 10 RBI), Mark Teixeira (.362 avg, three homers), Alex Rodriguez (.333 avg, two homers, 10 RBI) and Jorge Posada (.371 avg, six RBI). I don't really worry about pitcher's numbers in the spring, more just arm strength, velocity, command and pitch movement. That being said, C.C. Sabathia (7.23 ERA), Javier Vazquez (4.19 ERA), A.J. Burnett (5.19 ERA) and Phil Hughes (4.35 ERA) all put up less-than-inspiring numbers. But their strikeout-to-walk numbers have all been good, they all look strong and healthy and have occasionally flashing their good stuff. Hughes now features an effective change up and Vazquez looks like a completely different pitcher from his last stint in pinstripes. Sabathia's mechanics looked fine over his last couple starts and his breaking ball has been getting sharper. Out of this group, I'm most concerned with Burnett. He really hasn't shown good command in any of his turns, but I suspect the veteran will be fine come Tuesday.

The Yankees official roster heading into the season.

Lineup: 

Derek Jeter - SS

Nick Johnson - DH

Mark Teixeira - 1B

Alex Rodriguez - 3B

Robinson Cano - 2B

Jorge Posada - C

Curtis Granderson - CF

Nick Swisher - RF
Brett Gardner - LF

Rotation:

C.C. Sabathia - LHP

A.J. Burnett - RHP

Andy Pettitte - LHP

Javier Vazquez - RHP

Phil Hughes - RHP

Bullpen:

Mariano Rivera - RHP

Joba Chamberlain - RHP

Dave Robertson - RHP

DeMaso Marte - LHP

Chan Ho Park - RHP

Alfredo Aceves - RHP

Sergio Mitre - RHP

Bench:

Francisco Cervelli - C
Ramiro Pena - INF
Randy Winn - OF

Marcus Thames - OF

Weekend Update

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.

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

Winn - CF
Cervelli - C

RHP Alfredo Aceves

Orioles

Pie - LF

Tejada - 3B

Markakis - RF

Wieters - C
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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.