Yankees baseball blog

Igawa will stay, play

Kei Igawa was the only one who truly believed he wasn't awful Friday night against the Tigers when he cemented the fact that he is the biggest waste of $46 million in a Yankee history. At least they are collecting insurance on the $40 million endowment they dropped on Carl "American Idle" Pavano.

Of course, manager Joe Girardi found something positive to say because it's not Girardi's style to criticize players to the media. However, as bad as Igawa was - and he was putrid - the lefty remains in play to start Wednesday against the Rays in St. Petersburg. "I don't have news that someone else is going to start," Girardi said when asked yesterday about Igawa working Wednesday. "That's our plan. Continue

Darrell Rasner solid as Yankees finally take bite out of Tigers

It took more than a month for a starting pitcher not named Wang, Pettitte or Mussina to pick up a win for the Yankees. Darrell Rasner needed just six days to repeat the feat, giving the Bombers hope they have found a steady presence at the back end of their rotation.

Rasner held the Tigers to two runs over six-plus innings Saturday, pitching the Yankees to a 5-2 victory at Comerica Park. It was the Yanks' first win in five games this season against Detroit and snapped a six-game losing streak to the Tigers dating to last season. The two teams finish their season series today. Continue

Girardi: It's just Joba being Joba

If Joba Chamberlain's yelling and screaming on the mound gets to the point where another team might take it out on another Yankee, Joe Girardi will talk about it with his stud reliever, but the manager firmly believes it's simply a case of a pitcher showing emotion after tasting success.

"If we feel that [it puts his teammates in harm's way], we will discuss that," Girardi said. "I don't think there is a problem . . . because he has done it since he came up and I don't think he is showing anyone up. I am in the clubhouse and I know this kid's heart." Thursday, Chamberlain shrugged off Dellucci's criticism of his behavior on the mound. "That's who I am," Chamberlain said. "Everybody knows that." Continue

Kei Igawa strikes out on mound, Yanks lose in Motown

And you thought Ian Kennedy was bad. Kei Igawa was lit up in his first start of the year, as the Tigers hammered him for six runs over three-plus brutal innings Friday night, taking a 6-5 win over the Yankees in the series opener at Comerica Park.

The Tigers belted 11 hits off Igawa, who was pitching in place of Kennedy after the Yankees demoted the 23-year-old to Triple-A last week. Igawa didn't walk anybody, but that's because Detroit's hitters were teeing off on nearly every pitch. "He couldn't get a breaking ball over, whether it was his changeup or slider," Joe Girardi said. "They were basically able to focus in on one pitch. It's not pitching like he's capable of pitching. We need him to pitch with all his weapons." Continue

Dellucci unhappy with Joba's antics during Yankees' victory over Indians

Two nights ago, Indians outfielder David Dellucci pinch-hit a go-ahead three-run homer off Joba Chamberlain. After giving up that shot, the 22-year-old reliever bent over, avoided watching the runners score and otherwise appeared upset.

Thursday was a different scene in the Yankees' 6-3 win over Cleveland at the Stadium. Chamberlain screamed and pumped his fists three times in celebration as he spun off the mound after striking out Dellucci to end a three-batter eighth inning. Dellucci was not amused by Chamberlain's antics. Continue

Yankees use long ball to tame Tribe

Johnny Damon called the Yankees' offense "pitiful" on Wednesday after a shutout loss to the Indians. Damon didn't really mean that. He just says those things when he gets frustrated. And he was mostly frustrated with himself.

Damon did something about it Thursday at the Stadium against the Indians. He personally ended the Yankees' 17-inning scoreless streak with a fourth-inning home run and then snapped a fifth-inning tie with a two-out, RBI double. Damon led, the Yankees followed. Jason Giambi, Robinson Cano and Wilson Betemit also went deep as the Yankees helped Mike Mussina to his fourth straight win with a 6-3 getaway-day victory. Continue

Another MRI on tap for A-Rod

Back on the field yesterday for the first time since going on the disabled list, Alex Rodriguez felt fine during his workout. But he's not returning to the Yankees until at least Thursday.

A-Rod was optimistic about coming off the DL next Wednesday - the first day it was believed he was eligible. But as it turns out, Thursday is actually the first day Rodriguez is eligible to return in terms of both the rules and his rehabilitation. In terms of the rules, it was thought that A-Rod's 15-day DL stint expired this Tuesday. In reality, it's on Wednesday, so Thursday is his earliest return date. Continue

Cliff Lee beats Chien-Ming Wang in duel of perfect pitchers as Yankees fall

Chien-Ming Wang's performance Wednesday night against the Indians would typically have been more than enough to put the Yankees in the win column. Unfortunately for Wang and the Bombers, they ran into the red-hot Cliff Lee.

Lee and the Indians dealt the Yankees a 3-0 loss, as the lefthander outdueled the Bombers' ace, turning in seven shutout innings in front of 50,199 at the Stadium.Wang give the Yankees seven quality innings of three-run ball, but Lee dominated the Bombers, allowing six hits without issuing a walk and striking out seven batters to continue his stellar season. Continue

A-Rod to start light activities

Alex Rodriguez is expected to participate in his first baseball activities in more than a week today. Rodriguez, who went on the disabled list April 30 with a Grade 2 strain of his right quadriceps, will do some light activities. "It's been that week that we talked about," manager Joe Girardi said. "[He could] possibly start to do some more functional stuff where he might take some swings."

It is Rodriguez's first DL stint since July 2000, when he was with the Mariners. He hurt his quad April 20 in Baltimore. After sitting out three games, two of which he missed because of his daughter's birth, he returned to action. Rodriguez reinjured the quad three days later. Continue

Joba Chamberlain gives up three-run homer in 8th, Yankees lose to Indians

There has been plenty of talk about the growing pains Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy have encountered, but when it comes to Joba Chamberlain, that subject is rarely broached. Let the talk commence.

Chamberlain blew a late-inning lead for just the second time in his career - the first time since facing the Indians in last year's division series - serving up a pinch-hit, three-run homer to ex-Yankee David Dellucci in the eighth. That shot lifted the Indians to a 5-3 victory, dealing the Yankees their first loss of the season in a game they led after seven innings. Continue