Yankees baseball blog

Winning by losing

America's loss is the Yankees' gain. Because Team USA was eliminated from the World Baseball Classic on Thursday night, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon will rejoin the Yankees tomorrow when they host the Indians at Legends Field. Had the U.S. squad advanced to Monday night's final, the trio of stars wouldn't have been back until Wednesday at the earliest. "The negative thing by [Team USA] losing turned out to be a benefit for us," Joe Torre said. "Now we don't have to cram it through the last week or 10 days." Continue

Injury to sideline Damon further

Johnny Damon said his sore left shoulder, which has kept him out of Team USA's starting lineup in the last two games in the World Baseball Classic, likely will prevent him from playing the field Thursday and could jeopardize his eligibility for the next round of the tournament, if the US advances. Damon’s shoulder – his throwing shoulder – started bothering him several days ago and he discussed the injury with Yankee GM Brian Cashman Sunday after pinch-hitting in Team USA's victory over Japan and Damon said Cashman thought "it was a good idea" if Damon took a break from throwing.

Damon said the injury "is just a problem for the short-term. Long-term, I’m good, but we’re playing it safe. Obviously, I would love to be in there and do what I can, but we’ve got to wait, which kind of stinks. "It's just spring training tired. As much as I want to push, I know Cash and George (Steinbrenner) don't." Continue

Pitching & power save U.S.

On a day when most of the baseball world was abuzz over new allegations that Barry Bonds did steroids and mourning Kirby Puckett, the Americans "dodged a bullet," in the words of Johnny Damon. Team USA, one of the favorites in the inaugural World Baseball Classic, edged Mexico, 2-0, in a tense game that easily could have been an opening nightmare for the Americans in baseball's great experiment.

Instead, thanks to sharp pitching and homers by Derrek Lee and Chipper Jones, the U.S. is nearly guaranteed a trip to the second round because of a "gimme" game against South Africa - a team with one player who has been as high as Triple-A - on Friday. Continue

Baseball fun spelled W-B-C

Usually at this time of year, the members of Team USA are simply working their way through spring training, playing every other day for five or so innings. On the days they don't play an exhibition game, they work out and shower quickly so they leave and rest, tuning up to be ready for the start of a 162-game season.

But Johnny Damon, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter and the rest of their Team USA teammates are on camp hiatus. Spring training changes drastically for them today when they face Mexico in their opener in the World Baseball Classic at Chase Field. Continue

USA-Rod psyched up for WBC

For a guy who "wasn't really fired up about coming here," Alex Rodriguez sure seemed to be having a good time yesterday at Team USA's first workout for the World Baseball Classic.

Rodriguez had dreaded the WBC because of the disruption it would be to the routine he relies on to get ready for the season - and, perhaps, because of his uncomfortable winter of pressure from baseball officials and leaks about his decision whether to play for the United States or the Dominican Republic. But A-Rod "changed his tune a little bit" about the tournament after walking into the clubhouse, pulling on red, white and blue and bonding with new teammates. Continue

Damon's spin on World

Sometime this afternoon, four prominent Yankees - Derek Jeter, Johnny Damon, Alex Rodriguez and Bernie Williams - will leave spring training to play in the inaugural World Baseball Classic. It's no surprise that George Steinbrenner isn't happy about this. "Not good," the Boss growled when asked how he will feel about their departures. But Steinbrenner wouldn't go any further, adding, "I'm not going to say anymore" as he rolled away in his golf cart.

Of course, he doesn't need to - he has already gone on record as saying he's against the WBC and is particularly concerned about someone getting hurt during the three-week event. While his players understand Steinbrenner's opinion, they are looking forward to representing their country in the 16-team competition. Continue

Ready, or not?

Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Johnny Damon and Bernie Williams depart from Yankee camp Thursday to report for the World Baseball Classic after one week of spring training and a few at-bats in the first exhibition game. Are they ready to play games that are being billed as having more intensity than the garden-variety spring training game? Can the stars deliver their best performances in early March?

That depends on whom you ask in the Yankees clubhouse. Interestingly, players who aren't participating have doubts, as does Williams. A-Rod, Jeter and Damon believe the level of play will be good, but can't guarantee it. Continue

Matsui shouldn't have any regrets

I didn't go to business school or even take an Econ course, but I'm pretty sure this is a correct analysis:If you plan a big money-making venture, and that venture's success relies partly upon the participation of one person, and you don't secure that person's services before going forward ...

That would be what the experts call "a poor business model." Thanks to other people's arrogance and incompetence, Hideki Matsui finds himself in the eye of yet another World Baseball Classic storm. Japan's longtime favorite son suddenly no longer is Mr. Perfect. Continue

A-Rod agitated with Classic organizers

Alex Rodriguez is unhappy with organizers of the World Baseball Classic for the way they handled his decision to play for the United States instead of the Dominican Republic. The New York Yankees third baseman took issue with reports that he vacillated between playing for the Americans and the Dominicans.

"Just to make it clear, I only spoke once and then I spoke again three months later," Rodriguez said Monday after reporting to spring training. "All the garbage in between was major league baseball. I didn't go back and forth. I said once, 'I wasn't playing,' and then at the end I said, 'So OK, I am playing." Continue

Damon's new World

One of the criticisms of the World Baseball Classic is that it will rob players, particularly those on new teams, of valuable bonding time with their teammates during the laid-back, sunny days of spring training.

But Johnny Damon, the new Yankee center fielder, doesn't agree. Damon, who signed a four-year, $52 million deal this winter, never hesitated when he was invited to play, even though he knew he was facing an offseason of free agency and might not return to Boston. There is plenty of time to brew team chemistry during the season, Damon believes. Continue

Alex: Too big to skip World

In a radio appearance yesterday, Alex Rodriguez called the World Baseball Classic an ambitious event and said he was proud to play for Team USA. But he also acknowledged the Yankees' dim view of the 16-nation tournament, admitting that if he were George Steinbrenner, he wouldn't want his players risking injury in an exhibition. "No, I wouldn't, I'd be nervous," Rodriguez said on Michael Kay's show on ESPN Radio. "But you've got to knock on wood that guys stay healthy."

Rodriguez had several long debates with his wife, who wanted him to play for Team USA, and his mother, who wanted him to play for the Dominican Republic. He asked other players - Manny Ramirez, who will play for the Dominican despite gaining American citizenship in 2004, said A-Rod should play for the U.S. - and talked with baseball bigwigs, including Bud Selig. Continue

Yankee doodle dandy

There were three choices for Alex Rodriguez regarding the upcoming World Baseball Classic: He could bypass it, play for the USA or play for the Dominican Republic. A-Rod is going to play, and he'll be representing the U.S. Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, confirmed the development via telephone last night, and the player explained his choice in a statement posted on his official Web site just after 10 p.m.

"In recent weeks, following dialogue with caring friends and players, both Dominican and American, I reached the conclusion that if I played in the Classic, I would play for the United States and honor my American citizenship," he wrote. Continue

Alex makes World wait as stars line up for U.S.

Some of the biggest names in the majors were part of the provisional roster announced last night for the United States team in the World Baseball Classic, including the Yankees' Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon and new Mets closer Billy Wagner. But it was still unclear what Alex Rodriguez, who has waffled on whether to play for the Americans, the Domincans or not at all, would do. Rodriguez told the Yankees several weeks ago he wasn't going to play, but since has had several conversations with officials from Major League Baseball and the Players Association who were urging him to take part.

"We'll know (today)," Bob Watson, the general manager of the USA team, said on MLB.com's television show announcing the first 42 players. "We'll save a spot for him on our roster." Officials could add as many as 18 more names today to reach the interim limit of 60. The final roster of 30 players has to be filed on March 2. Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, did not return a call seeking comment on his client's status for the 16-nation event, which begins March 3. Continue