Results tagged ‘ Mike Mussina ’
Happy to be retired, Mussina doesn’t miss playing
Mike Mussina went out on his terms and he hasn’t looked back.
The 270-game winner sat down in the press conference room at Yankee Stadium for about 20 minutes on Thursday with reporters, brought in to make the ceremonial first toss of the season for his former team, and – even as he enters his third season of retirement – Mussina doesn’t hesitate to call it like he sees it.
Mussina was asked if, on any level, he misses the day-to-day life of playing Major League Baseball. It would have been easy for Mussina to simply answer, sure, and I think everyone would have accepted that.
But Mussina offered an answer that provides a better window into what it’s like behind the scenes as a big league player, and it was interesting to hear from that perspective, spoken so truthfully. Asked if he wishes, in any way, that he would have kept going after his 20-win season in 2008, Mussina replied:
“I’ve got to be honest – no, I don’t miss it. I know what these guys have been doing for the last couple of months in Florida, I know what they were doing for the couple of months before they went to Florida in preparation for all this. Today is the first day of a six-month-plus haul that takes you all over the country at all kinds of hours – flights, buses, hotels, rain delays, bad food, whatever you can think of.
“I know what it’s about. To not have to get up and do laundry the first day of a homestand so I can be ready for the last day when I have to pack, to not have to live out of my suitcase half of the six months, you can just slow the pace down. It’s really a welcome change after, shoot, counting going to college, 20 years of doing it the other way. Eventually you just tell yourself it’s time to do something different. I’m really enjoying doing something different.
“Everybody says this and you don’t know how it’s possible – how can you be busier when you’re retired? I’m busier than when I played. There’s so many things that have to get done in a day. I still have kids that are 12 and under, and there’s a lot to do, a lot to take care of. A lot of responsibility and a lot of coaching. It’s great. I don’t have one day where I don’t lay down when the day is over and take the deepest sigh, ‘OK, I made it through another day, let’s go get some rest and do it again tomorrow.’ It’s great.”
3/10 – Yankees vs. Reds
Mike Mussina was in the clubhouse as a visitor here today. He’s in Tampa on vacation with his family and very happily retired. He was wearing an ESPN cap and a Ford Mustang t-shirt, and told CC Sabathia to keep his locker. Too bad the Mussina window has disappeared, replaced by a large circle ‘NY’ logo.
A sweaty Andy Pettitte hugged Mussina, and Joe Girardi asked Mussina if he’d get dressed or throw out the first pitch. Mussina said no to both. Phil Coke dropped by and Moose thanked him for the outs he recorded in wins No. 19 and No. 20 last year.
“You guys can keeping moving,” Mussina said. “I’ve got to live in this moment for a while.”
CINCINNATI REDS
Chris Dickerson CF
Alex Gonzalez SS
Jay Bruce RF
Brandon Phillips 2B
Kevin Barker 1B
Edwin Encarnacion 3B
Lance Nix LF
Ryan Hanigan C
Wes Bankston DH
Nick Masset RHP
NEW YORK YANKEES
Brett Gardner CF
Johnny Damon LF
Xavier Nady RF
Hideki Matsui DH
Cody Ransom 3B
Jose Molina C
Juan Miranda 1B
Angel Berroa SS
Ramiro Pena 2B
Joba Chamberlain RHP
UPDATE 6:24 p.m.: Yes, it’s early, but the Yankees are watching Chamberlain closely in this start. Girardi said that the fifth starter’s job is Joba’s to lose, but they need to see improvement over his first two starts – especially the aborted five-batter outing against Team Canada. Chamberlain has been working on his mechanics, including one exercise where he threw a ‘dry’ bullpen with a towel.
UPDATE 6:40 p.m.: Brian Cashman said earlier that he is “not optimistic” about trading for a third baseman to fill in for A-Rod. Until further notice, Cody Ransom, it’s yours to lose.
“I’m not going to be proactive in trying to do something,” Cashman said. “If something presents itself that makes sense, which is not realistic, then maybe it will be somebody different. I think our answer is here in camp.”
What goes up must come down…
Not much to write home about in the Yankees’ last two games — just goes to show you how important starting pitching is, with both Sidney Ponson and Mike Mussina putting the Bombers in early holes. They’re down big to the O’s at the Stadium tonight and this looks like it’ll be it for the home winning streak.
You could have predicted the big news story of the day, with Jorge Posada electing to have season-ending surgery. It was curious that Posada took BP before the game, but maybe he just wanted to get a few last strokes in on the playing field at Yankee Stadium. By the time Posada is available to play in a regular season game for the Yankees, the current facility will be history and Posada’s uniform will be hanging across 161st Street.
“After speaking with Brian (Cashman) and Joe (Girardi), we thought it was best for me –
and the team — to have the surgery now,” Posada said in a statement.
“I’ve always taken pride in being there for my team and playing every
day with them. With Xavier (Nady) here, there isn’t as much pressure on me to
return. As difficult as it is, I can focus on coming back 100 percent for next season instead of coming back at less than that now.”
Pitching matchups for the Twins series
TONIGHT
Nick Blackburn, RHP (7-5, 3.65) @ Sidney Ponson, RHP (5-1, 3.96)
Scouting Report:
Yankees: Ponson, who signed with New York on June 18, will be making
his fourth start in a Yankees uniform this season. During his last
outing he surrendered one earned run over six innings while recording
two strikeouts against Tampa Bay. Ponson owns a 10-2 record with a 2.42
ERA in 15 career appearances against Minnesota.
Twins: A stellar first half has Blackburn being mentioned as a Rookie of the Year candidate. The sinkerballer has started to become more consistent, delivering quality starts in five of his last six outings. He’s started to eliminate his problems with the big inning and could be a factor for the Twins in the second half. He’ll make his second start against the Yankees. In the first, he left having pitched just 4 1/3 innings after he was struck in the face by a Bobby Abreu line drive.
TUESDAY
Kevin Slowey, RHP (6-6, 4.26) @ Darrell Rasner, RHP (5-7, 4.97)
Scouting Report:
Yankees: Rasner battled through five innings en route to his fifth
victory during his last outing against the Blue Jays. The
27-year-old allowed four runs in the first inning but
settled in and managed to get through five innings on 108 pitches. He
finished his outing with six strikeouts for his first victory since
June 18. After starting the season with three straight victories,
Rasner is now 2-7 with a 6.19 ERA over his past nine outings. He is 1-1
with a 3.97 ERA in two career starts against the Twins.
Twins: An infected fingernail on Slowey’s right middle finger pushed him back in the rotation. After a string of good starts, Slowey has found some trouble recently. He’s given up at least five earned runs in each of his last two starts. The Twins need Slowey to make quicker adjustments on the mound and keep the ball down in the zone. He’ll try when he faces the Yankees for the first time this season.
WEDNESDAY
Glen Perkins, LHP (7-2, 3.84) @ Mike Mussina, RHP (12-6, 3.49)
Scouting Report:
Yankees: Mussina surpassed his win total from the entire 2007 season
when he picked up his 12th win Friday night against the A’s. He threw
six innings of one-run ball and scattered nine hits to quiet the
Oakland offense. Mussina struck out six — four looking — and did not
record a walk for the second straight game. He is now 11-3 with a 3.00
ERA in his last 16 starts.
Twins: The rookie left-hander continues to impress the Twins in a starting role. Perkins held a hot-hitting Rangers lineup scoreless for six innings, allowing three hits and walking three. He’s 3-0 in his last three starts and has not lost since May 30, going 5-0 with a 3.81 ERA over that span. That last loss came against the Yankees. Perkins gave up five earned runs on 10 hits over just four innings in that first outing at the Metrodome.
Jeter, A-Rod, Mo named All-Stars
Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera have made the All-Star team. You can also place a vote for Jason Giambi to bring his big-swingin’ mustache to the Home Run Derby. A-Rod topped voting for the second consecutive year, edging Chase Utley in a tight race.
As for Mike Mussina? He’ll be headed to the county fair unless someone gets injured.
The Yankees have placed outfielder Johnny Damon on the disabled list and are recalling Justin Christian from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
All-Star Moose?
Mike Mussina, an All-Star? I wouldn’t have believed it myself, but consider the fact that Mussina once again has a share of the American League lead with nine victories — including eight in his last nine starts. Sure, he’s been lucky at times, but any pitcher who’s winning nine of 13 games is off to a heck of a run for a season.
Not too shabby for a guy who many were looking at as a fifth starter and potential weak link to the rotation. Remember when Hank Steinbrenner said that Moose should pitch more like Jamie Moyer? Looks like maybe Hank knew what he was talking about – that directly coincided with the beginning of this 8-of-9 run.
Derek Jeter had his own milestone moment last night, moving into third place on the Yankees’ all-time hit list and passing Mickey Mantle. Jeter’s in some pretty select company there — Lou Gehrig is first and Babe Ruth second. He says he doesn’t belong there, but Joe Girardi (among others) disagrees. Someday you’ll be visiting the new Yankee Stadium and looking at Jeter’s plaque in Monument Park, there’s just no doubt about it.
Don’t count on Jason Giambi being in the lineup today after having treatment all during Wednesday’s game. He’s still pretty sore, from all accounts. The Yankees will try to “sleep fast” with a somewhat-later report time to get to the Stadium on Thursday afternoon for what used to be known as a Businessman’s Delight. I’m not sure how many people come to ballgames wearing shirts and ties anymore. Seems that’s gone the way of the three-martini lunch. More likely, you’d just blow off work altogether and call in sick.
Lots of 2008 First Year Player Draft coverage on tap for Thursday. In case you haven’t noticed, the Draft is kind of a big deal here at MLB.com. The Yankees are up 28th and then have a Joba Chamberlain Compensation Pick at 44 for losing Luis Vizcaino to the Rockies. Their second round pick is 75.
Looking to avoid a sweep
The Yankees had absolutely no answers for Cliff Lee on Wednesday, which hardly sets them apart from the rest of the American League. Lee’s resurgence has been one of the most remarkable stories of the young season, but the Yankees were in no position to appreciate it, getting pitches to hit but pounding them into the infield grass.
Apparently, Cliff Lee makes use of the New York City subway system.
Johnny Damon was one who wants to be held personally responsible, and after going 0-for-9 so far in the Cleveland series leading into Thursday’s series finale, it’s valid — but it’s not like Damon is the only cylinder not firing in the Yankee engine. When’s Alex Rodriguez coming back again? (They say Thursday at the earliest, but my money is on Friday vs. the Mets).
Mike Mussina tries for his fourth straight victory this afternoon under overcast skies at Yankee Stadium with a nice crowd — and lots of kids — on hand.
Meanwhile, here’s a great quote about Mariano Rivera in today’s New York Times, courtesy of Cleveland’s David Dellucci: “Facing him is like playing a video game. His ball is
an optical illusion. It’s fun because it’s so nasty. You want to go up
there and see that pitch because of how nasty he is.”
Assorted off day thoughts from across the GWB
Sitting here in the Garden State, it’s strange to look at the schedule and see the Yankees dark for the evening. Don’t get too used to it, but I’m sure the players are enjoying the chance to kick back and relax for a day. It’s Cinco de Mayo, incidentally.
So far today I’ve used the afternoon to go for a four mile run and crack open the new John Feinstein book, ‘Living on the Black.’ I’ll fire this plug in here because many of you might find this entertaining — Feinstein followed Mike Mussina and Tom Glavine around for the entire ’07 season and chronicled their ups and downs, the events and really, what it’s like to be a big league pitcher. I’m only a few dozen pages in but, so far, thumbs up.
Interesting weekend out at the Stadium, wasn’t it? They’ll try to keep that momentum going with the Indians headed in Tuesday night for a three-game series, sending Andy Pettitte out against Fausto Carmona. As our preview notes, maybe it will be the time that Robinson Cano breaks out … you know the Yankees can’t wait for his slumbering bat to wake up.
As some of you may know, every other Monday is Yankees Mailbag day. We’ll have a new one on MLB.com for you shortly but here’s a few points I wanted to get to, but had to leave on the cutting room floor. …
– The Yankees have shown no inclination to move Derek Jeter to a new position and, though it may happen eventually, it won’t be in ’08. Gonzalez has hung around longer than anyone expected — Joe Girardi had said that he’d be sent down as soon as Jeter’s quadriceps injury was better, but then Wilson Betemit came down with a mysterious corneal ulcer and went on rehab with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
– Andrew Brackman is going to miss all of ’08 after Tommy John surgery. Humberto Sanchez is throwing off a mound in Tampa but has not yet pitched in a Minor League game. When he does, you can start the clock, but a good guess would be that he could be considered for an August callup.
– Carl Pavano? Really? I must have had about 25 Pav questions, literally. Lisa Kennelly from the Newark Star-Ledger answered the question, “What is Pavano doing?” better than I can. The answer appears to be very little.
(By the way, for those of you who e-mail vulgar notes because I haven’t answered your questions … there are literally thousands of Mailbag questions and I can’t personally answer each one. If you send a question to bryan.hoch@mlb.com, it has a much better chance of being answered.)
Last thought — check out the Manager’s View with Joe Girardi before every home game.
Nothing doing
Guess the arrival of Chris Stewart won’t be played up as a good luck charm. Through five innings, the Yankees have not managed a hit against Indians left-hander Aaron Laffey, though they’ve had three base-runners … two in the first inning on a leadoff walk and an error by third baseman Casey Blake. If Jorge Posada is watching, he’s doing it from Birmingham, Alabama.
EDIT: Melky Cabrera, there you go. Infield single in the top of the sixth breaks it up.
Mike Mussina threw four zeroes on the board but ran into some trouble in the fifth. This, believe it or not, is the Yankees’ final game in Cleveland this season. I personally enjoy coming here because the restaurant area by the ballpark is quite walkable and lively most nights. I would say that it’s fairly dubious, though, that there are signs — posted by the city — anchored to many of the light posts urging you not to give to homeless people.
I understand that the city is asking that you donate it to a fund to help them instead, but it seems like a bit much. Meanwhile, I always like checking out the construction progress of the new stadium. The blog Sliding Into Home has a couple of real nice ones from a whirlybird.
Oh, and Kyle Farnsworth liked that Buck Hunter video game so much, he’s shelling out the $5,000 to have one installed in his home. That ought to occupy more than a few rainy days during the offseason.
The Moose is Loose
Jamie Moyer? Mike Mussina thinks not. The Moose was loose for seven sharp innings on Wednesday, limiting the White Sox to just two solo home runs in the Yankees’ 6-4 victory. Mussina showed the ability to make adjustments, abandoning his curveball and throwing more running two-seamers with sink. Hey, forget Moyer – he’s Chien-Ming Wang!
In all seriousness, Mussina should be savoring these as he goes along. He can still pitch when everything’s clicking, like it was in Chicago. He’s going to have days rougher than Wednesday, too, and fans need to be prepared for that. But the Yankees are looking to Mussina to be their third starter, not an ace, and by reshuffling their rotation they’ll be able to avoid mismatches like the Mussina vs. Josh Beckett debacle at Fenway.
In other news…
Phil Hughes says his velocity is just fine - note to fans, stop waiting for the 95 mph-plus heaters to pop in. He’s not Joba Chamberlain. Hughes himself said he only hit 95 mph three times in 2006 at Trenton, when he went over the radar gun readings after every start. … Anyone else see what Darrell Rasner is up to lately? He’s only leading the International League in ERA. Ian Kennedy, be warned. … The buried David Ortiz jersey went for $175,000. Wonder if the construction worker would like to have it back? … If you had Ella Alexander Rodriguez in the ‘Name A-Rod’s Baby’ pool, congratulations — you’ve won.
Bryan Hoch
Recent Comments