Cashman not sure Millwood can help Yankees
The Yankees weren’t willing to offer Kevin Millwood a big league contract, but they did have a Minor League deal on the table for some time.
Millwood – who had been working out on the campus at UC-Irvine – finally decided to take that contract on Friday and will report to the Yankees’ complex in Tampa, Fla. But at this late date, Cashman said there is “no chance” that Millwood will begin the season with the Yankees.
He could begin the year at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he’ll have something to prove.
“I don’t know if he can help us or not,” Cashman said. “But I’m willing to put a no-risk, possible reward option that’s been on the table the whole time. We’ll put him in, get him ready and get him into competition. See if there’s anything there. If there is, we’ll have some decisions to make. If there’s not, nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
Swisher “sore” after foul ball
Nick Swisher was hobbled after his at-bat in the sixth inning Wednesday, fouling a pitch off his left instep while batting against the Blue Jays’ Jo Jo Reyes.
After being examined by head athletic trainer Gene Monahan, Swisher was permitted to stay in the game and finished his at-bat, lining hard to second base and into a double play.
“He’s sore. Hopefully, it’s just day-to-day,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who said Swisher would come in for further treatment on Thursday’s off-day.
Swisher left the game after the inning, replaced by Greg Golson in right field, but Girardi said he was planning to do that anyway.
- Girardi said that the Yankees want Golson to go to Minor League camp and get more at-bats just in case Curtis Granderson isn’t ready for the season to start. Golson was sidelined from March 7 until Tuesday with an oblique strain of his own.
- Freddy Garcia gets the ball in a Minor League game Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m., though Girardi said there isn’t much Garcia can do to change the opinions of his bid for a rotation slot. “I think we have a pretty good feel on what Freddy can do,” he said. Jesus Montero will catch Garcia.
- Alex Rodriguez had two more hits, including a double, and is batting .429 this spring.
- Asked for his most impressive performers of camp, Girardi named lefty Manny Banuelos among the youngsters, and Bartolo Colon as the most impressive veteran. He also complimented the jumps Melky Mesa has been getting in center field.
- The Yankees claimed left-hander Jose Ortegano off waivers from the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday and optioned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He will report to Minor League camp. In 2010 with Triple-A Gwinnett and Single-A Myrtle Beach, he combined to go 5-15 with a 5.98 ERA.
- A.J. Burnett allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings on Wednesday pitching to a lineup of Class-A Phillies batters. He surrendered six hits, walked three and struck out eight in a 94-pitch outing, throwing to Austin Romine.
- Steve Garrison and Ryan Pope were optioned to Double-A Trenton. Eric Wordekemper was reassigned to Minor League camp after Wednesday’s game.
Yankees make more cuts
The Yankees continued to trim their roster on Wednesday, optioning outfielder Greg Golson to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre while re-assigning catcher Jose Gil, outfielder Jordan Parraz and infielder Jorge Vazquez to Minor League camp.
In addition, the Yankees announced that infielder Brandon Laird, infielder Kevin Russo and outfielder Melky Mesa will report to Minor League camp. Those players had been optioned to Triple-A on March 16.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi has said that he plans to have all roster decisions finalized by Monday.
Vice President Biden watches Yankees workout
Vice President Joe Biden was on the infield grass at George M. Steinbrenner Field this afternoon, watching as the Yankees went through a workout before tonight’s game against the Blue Jays.
Wearing a Yankees cap, Biden spoke with manager Joe Girardi as well as David Wells, Ron Guidry and Gene Monahan, among others.
While they spoke, the Yankees were working on fielding bunts and pickoffs in front of an audience that also included several Secret Service members.
The VP is scheduled to attend a fundraiser for U.S. Senator Bill Nelson today in Tampa.
Yanks hopeful Granderson can play Opening Day
The Yankees are hopeful Curtis Granderson’s strained oblique won’t force him to miss Opening Day.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said on Wednesday that Granderson is receiving treatment with trainer Gene Monahan and that there is optimism the strain isn’t severe enough to keep him out much longer than a few days.
“I believe there’s a chance he’s going to play Opening Day,” Girardi said.
The Yankees have told Granderson that there is no need to rush back, however, and no tests have been scheduled. Girardi said that Granderson claimed he felt sore in the affected area, as though it was the first day he’d worked out.
It’s four guys for three spots
Joe Girardi said the Yankees are still looking at this spring pitching competition as four names for three slots, with the decision needing to come soon between Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia, Sergio Mitre and Ivan Nova.
“That’s kind of how you’re looking at it right now,” Girardi said. “Anything could change, though. Nothing is etched in stone.”
It’s difficult to imagine a scenario where Nova doesn’t make the team after the spring he has had, and Colon has been better than anyone could have expected.
If you think that Colon has become the front-runner for the last rotation spot, as some do, that could be leaving Mitre – who flopped yesterday in his worst outing of the spring (five runs in three innings) – and Garcia to battle it out for a long relief and spot starter role.
Girardi wouldn’t commit to Mitre being on the team yet, saying, “There’s still decisions to be made there,” but adding that the Yankees “have a pretty good understanding of what Serge can do.”
Mitre, for what it’s worth, had taken it for granted that he’d be in the home clubhouse at Yankee Stadium on March 31 – even if the Yankees don’t seem so sure publicly.
“I mean, I hope so. I don’t think there should be any reason why not,” Mitre said. “If I still have to worry about that, then I’m probably not doing something right. I think I’ve done enough and I’ve seen enough to where they know that I can get the job done. That’s just one thing that never even crossed my mind, whether I’m making the team or not.”
Garcia gets what might be his last crack to impress on Thursday, pitching in a Minor League game at the Himes Avenue complex in Tampa.
Here’s the breakdown so far this spring:
- Colon: 1-0, 2.40 ERA in four starts; 15 IP, 10 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 17 K’s
- Garcia: 1-1, 5.93 ERA in four starts; 13 2/3 IP, 13 H, 9 ER, 2 BB, 12 K’s
- Mitre: 1-1, 5.73 ERA in five games (two starts); 11 IP, 13 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 8 K’s
- Nova: 1-0, 1.29 ERA in four games (three starts); 14 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K’s
Granderson suffers oblique strain
Yankees centerfielder Curtis Granderson suffered a strained right oblique during batting practice this afternoon at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla.
It is unclear how severe the strain is, but it places his availability for Opening Day into question.
Granderson was replaced in New York’s lineup against the Orioles by Melky Mesa.
Grapefruit League Game 26: Yankees at Orioles
YANKEES (9-13-3)
March 22, 2011, 1:05 p.m. ET – Ed Smith Stadium – Sarasota, Fla.
TV: YES / Radio: None
Melky Mesa CF, Nick Swisher RF, Mark Teixeira 1B, Andruw Jones RF, Jesus Montero C, Greg Golson LF, Eduardo Nunez SS, Ronnie Belliard 2B, Brandon Laird 3B
Pitching: Sergio Mitre RHP (1-0, 2.25 ERA this spring)
Also scheduled to pitch: Joba Chamberlain, Boone Logan, Mark Prior, Luis Ayala
ORIOLES (10-11-2)
Brian Roberts 2B, Nick Markakis RF, Matt Wieters C, Vladimir Guerrero RF, Luke Scott LF, Adam Jones CF, Mark Reynolds 3B, J.J. Hardy SS, Jake Fox 1B
Pitching: Zach Britton LHP (1-0, 0.00 ERA this spring)
Also scheduled to pitch: Michael Gonzalez, Jason Berken
A-Rod continues his red hot spring
Maybe it’s the popcorn?
Alex Rodriguez homered for the fourth time in five games on Sunday, belting a line drive homer to left field in the fourth inning off the Phillies’ Joe Blanton.
Rodriguez’s blast went back-to-back with Mark Teixeira, who slugged his first homer in today’s game at Bright House Field, a solo shot leading off the inning.
A-Rod has hit safely in all 13 Spring Training games in which he has played and has driven in a run in seven consecutive contests.
Grapefruit League Game 24: Yankees at Phillies
March 20, 2011, 1:05 p.m. ET – Bright House Field – Clearwater, Fla.
TV: None / Radio: WCBS
YANKEES (8-12-3)
Brett Gardner LF, Derek Jeter SS, Mark Teixeira 1B, Alex Rodriguez 3B, Robinson Cano 2B, Nick Swisher RF, Curtis Granderson CF, Eric Chavez 3B, Russell Martin C
Pitching: CC Sabathia LHP (0-0, 4.66 ERA this spring)
Also scheduled to pitch: Rafael Soriano, Romulo Sanchez, David Robertson
PHILLIES (15-8)
Shane Victorino CF, Michael Martinez 2B, Jimmy Rollins SS, Ryan Howard 1B, Ben Francisco LF, John Mayberry Jr. RF, Carlos Ruiz C, Wilson Valdez 3B
Pitching: Joe Blanton RHP (1-0, 3.45 ERA this spring)
Also scheduled to pitch: Jose Contreras, Antonio Bastardo
- Hello from Clearwater, where the Yankees and Phillies are facing off for the fifth time this spring. They’ve split the first four meetings; it’s in the high 70s and gorgeous here this afternoon, without a cloud in the sky. The flags are blowing moderately from right field to left field, and they’re doing brisk business at the Frenchy’s tiki hut next to the left field bullpen. I’ve said it before, but this place is what Spring Training is supposed to be.
- A few brief notes this morning — Phil Hughes said he has no disappointment with being the Yankees’ No. 3 starter, saying that “it honestly doesn’t make any difference.” His reasoning is that it all gets jumbled up during the year anyway, so the real concern is the playoff rotation. Yes, they can think this far ahead.
- Andruw Jones was scratched from the trip and will get at-bats in a Minor League game instead today. He’s on tomorrow’s trip to Port Charlotte vs. Tampa Bay.
- Joe Girardi said the assessment is that Austin Romine is still better defensively than Jesus Montero, but Montero “has closed that gap” this spring with his blocking, throwing and game-calling.
- This is the second time Brett Gardner has hit leadoff in front of Derek Jeter this spring. Girardi seems to be seriously entertaining the notion of doing it this year, pointing out that having Gardner’s high on-base percentage atop the lineup creates runs to be driven in by “the big boys” and could mean 50 to 75 more plate appearances for Gardner.
- Reggie Jackson arrived in camp today. He was slowed by back surgery in January.
- Don’t look now, but Alex Rodriguez now has a hit in all 13 spring games he’s played in. He doubled this afternoon off the Phils’ Joe Blanton.
- There are 11 days until Opening Day.
Bryan Hoch
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