Yankees baseball blog

Igawa continues to improve

Kei Igawa's fastball doesn't push radar guns much past 90 mph and his change-up misbehaves at times. However, Igawa is a better pitcher leaving spring training than the one who arrived in February. "I got a lot better from the first week," the Yankees' fourth starter said after hurling six innings in a 3-3 tie yesterday at Legends Field against the Tigers. Igawa gave up three runs, six hits and didn't issue a walk.

Nobody is sure what the Yankees have in their $46-million investment. A dozen walks in 23 innings suggests he has trouble throwing strikes. However, 22 strikeouts are certainly impressive. "I was able to work on the change-up," said Igawa, who was honored as the Yankees' top rookie yesterday when he was named the winner of the prestigious James P. Dawson Award. "I still have to work on a couple of minor things [control of change and fastball]." Continue

Pavano looks ready to go

It appears all but a formality for the Yankees to name Carl Pavano their Opening Day starter. Pavano did not do anything to take himself out of the mix for that start yesterday. He gave up two earned runs on six hits and a walk in six innings in the Yankees' 3-2 loss to the Twins, getting 14 outs on ground balls, including four double plays. Nothing is official yet, though.

"Because we saw this doesn't mean it automatically makes him a day one starter," manager Joe Torre said. "It's certainly nice to see. He's come a long way. He's come a long way." Continue

Pettitte's back holds up in session while Iggy impresses Phils & self

Andy Pettitte threw 25 important pitches in the bullpen yesterday, but it was the 87 tosses made by Kei Igawa that may have most calmed the Yankees' fears. Igawa had his finest start of the spring, holding the Phillies to one run over five innings in the Yankees' 5-1 victory at Legends Field. Igawa allowed three hits and walked two, striking out four to increase his team-leading total to 19 in 17 innings this spring.

"I think he's beyond the point of just trying to impress people," Joe Torre said. "Now I think he's understanding what he needs to improve or feel better about going into the season. To me, that's a good step and a good presence for him to have." Igawa allowed just one baserunner the first time through the Phillies' lineup, striking out Chase Utley and getting both Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell to ground out. Continue

Wang's pain is Pavano's gain

Carl Pavano arrived at camp this spring as the Yankees' biggest question mark. When he leaves next week, he might just be their Opening Day starter. No, that's not a misprint, but the result of Chien-Ming Wang's strained hamstring, Andy Pettitte's balky back and Mike Mussina's schedule. "It's Opening Day, but there are 161 other games," Joe Torre said. "It certainly is an important game, but so are the other ones."

Should the Yankees bestow the assignment on Pavano, he would be making his first start for the Yankees since June 27, 2005 - a span of 643 days - due to a multitude of injuries and mishaps. Pavano missed the final three months of the 2005 season with rotator cuff tendinitis, though no structural damage was ever found in his shoulder. He missed most of spring training last year with stiffness in his back, then when it looked like he was ready to return, he suffered a bruised backside while pitching on the final day of the spring. Continue

Moose feeling better than stats show

Of the three original candidates to start Opening Day, Mike Mussina is the last man standing. He won't pitch the opener, though - the Yankees don't want him to go on short rest either in his last exhibition start or his first real start - but at least he is healthy.

Mussina pitched yesterday, giving up four runs, three earned, in six innings in the Yankees' 4-4 tie with the Blue Jays. He allowed seven hits and walked two. Three of the runs off him were scored in the first inning, which was marred by a catcher's interference on Wil Nieves and a hit that Derek Jeter reacted to slowly but usually would reach. Continue

'Pen could become Henn house

When Sean Henn was tagged with a rare fourth option in January, it easily was assumed the lefty reliever's chances of making the Yankees were very long. And they became longer when Ron Villone signed a minor-league contract on the first day of camp that will pay him $2.5 million if the veteran sticks.

Yet, with one week remaining before the Yankees split Florida, Henn, the 25-year-old former starter, has pitched himself into position to unseat Villone as the second lefty in Joe Torre's bullpen. "He hasn't done anything wrong, let's put it that way,'' Torre said of Henn, who didn't allow a hit or run in 1 1/3 innings yesterday at McKechnie Field, where the Yankees lost, 3-2, to the Pirates. Continue

Pavano earns Yankee applause

When the Yankees came to camp five weeks ago, there was little doubt that Carl Pavano was the biggest question mark facing the team this season. Having not pitched since June 2005, Pavano had become a punch line in his own clubhouse, with teammates even questioning his desire.

With a little more than one week until Opening Day, Pavano has answered many of those questions, with yesterday's performance marking the latest step toward redemption. "This is what we hoped we would see; he certainly hasn't let us down," Joe Torre said. "The spot was his to have, and he's certainly seized the opportunity." Continue

Igawa has best start to date

On the day Andy Pettitte was held back with back spasms, Kei Igawa stepped up. Igawa produced his best start on these shores, twirling five shutout innings of two-hit ball during the Yankees' 2-0 victory over the Phillies last night. If you want to nitpick, the Japanese import walked three, but he struck out three to run his total to 15 Ks in four starts (12 innings).

Though some in the Japanese media weren't bowled over by the start, Igawa's stuff translated perfectly in the eyes of the Yankees. The 27-year-old lefty solidified his chances of being named the team's No. 5 starter. Continue

Moose is on track

A spring training start is rarely afforded status as a "big day" for pitchers who have been in the major leagues for 16 years and own 239 victories. But Mike Mussina thought his five scoreless innings against the Pirates yesterday qualified because the outing was so different from his frustrating previous start, when he allowed three runs in three innings last week against the Reds.

"I threw the ball where I wanted and made adjustments I couldn't make last time," Mussina said. "I could give myself more time - I just wasn't giving myself enough time to get my arm where I needed it to be. Every throw was work. This was more smooth and it didn't take as much out of me. "This was a big day. It was important to feel more like I was pitching than just throwing, I think, for everybody's peace of mind - for Joe (Torre's) peace of mind, (Brian) Cashman's peace of mind, (Ron) Guidry's peace of mind." continue

Giambi happy guy after slam

Jason Giambi broke out of a sluggish spring at the plate in a big way yesterday. Giambi ripped a fourth-inning grand slam off Pittsburgh Pirates lefty Zach Duke to break open the game en route to an 8-1 Yankees win. Giambi belted the ball just inside the rightfield foul pole. It was his third home run of spring training, but he entered the game hitting only .167 (5-for-30) with four RBIs.

Considering that Giambi underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left wrist in October and was unable to do as much offseason work as usual, he is very pleased. "I'm excited where I'm at," he said. "I thought it'd be a little longer." Continue