Yankees baseball blog

A.J Burnett would start game four

Barring a sweep in this series, the Yankees will now need a fourth starter for the ALDS. It appears that will be A.J. Burnett.

Manager Joe Girardi would not say who's starting beyond Ivan Nova in today's Game 1 resumption and Freddy Garcia in tomorrow's Game 2.

But when asked whether his fourth starter candidates would be equipped to handle the new development of now starting a game in this series, Girardi hinted Burnett would be the most likely choice.

"That's something we'll have to talk about," Girardi said last night. "A.J. is obviously the most stretched out for us in that situation."

So Burnett, beaten out by Garcia as the Game 3 starter, very likely will get to start an ALDS game after all.

That's hardly a great development for the Yankees, considering the season Burnett has had. The $82 million right-hander went 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA. (continue)

Jorge Posada left out

Jorge Posada's days as a member of the Yankees' lineup could be over forever.

Manager Joe Girardi did not start Posada Sunday night against Red Sox righthander Josh Beckett, opting to play Eric Chavez at designated hitter and Eduardo Nuñez at third base.

Girardi, in a pregame conversation with Posada, made it clear that this is the way it's going to be: Even if the DH shifts around, it won't be Posada.

"He was OK with it," Girardi said. "Jorgie has a lot of respect and pride in what he's done. You could see the disappointment and understand that."

Said Posada: "He said he was going to put the best lineup on the field and he doesn't know when I'm going to DH again. So right now I'm sitting the bench." (continue)

 

Cano wins HR derby don't you know

Baseball has always been a game of fathers and sons. Evidently, so is the Home Run Derby.

Robinson Cano shocked the slugging world last night, capturing the Home Run Derby at Chase Field. It wasn't his mighty swing that won the derby, Cano said.

"It was my dad."

With his father, Jose, throwing perfect pitches inside and low into his son's power zone, the Yankees' second baseman crushed 32 home runs, including 12 in the championship round to beat Boston's Adrian Gonzalez, who hit 11. 

With each home run his son blasted, Jose conducted a countdown, knowing A-Gone had 11 homers. "And I said, '10 more, nine more, eight more,' " Jose said, "and he got [to] the last one. I said, 'Just one, just give me the one, that's it."

Cano delivered the one. He also told his father, "I love you."

After being presented the trophy by his former manager, Joe Torre, Cano and his family celebrated in the corridor of Chase Field that leads to the clubhouse. Along the way, Jose Reyes came from the other side, and the Mets shortstop offered a huge hug. (continue)

Rays vote no on double header

The Rays are looking out for No. 1 — not No. 2 and his fans.

Tampa Bay refused to play a day-night doubleheader today, leaving fans who paid to see Jeter’s quest for history last night out in the cold.

“I don’t know [why Tampa Bay said no]. We tried to play [tonight]. All of our fans are disappointed. A lot of people are excited,” Yankees president Randy Levine said. “Our players voted for it. We feel very bad for the people.”

Asked if he was angry, Levine said, “It’s not a matter of anger. I feel bad for our fans.”

The Yankees could have opted for a traditional, single-admission doubleheader without the Rays’ consent, but dismissed the idea because they didn’t want to lose a sellout crowd, GM Brian Cashman said. (continue)

Yanks have 4 all stars

The Yankees had four players - Derek Jeter, A-Rod, Granderson and Cano - voted to start in the all-star game in Phoenix on July 12 and Russell Martin and Mariano Rivera were added to the AL team as reserves.

Perhaps shockingly, the Yankee ace, CC Sabathia, was not selected for the game, though he is 11-4 with a 3.05 ERA. Neither was middle relief ace David Robertson, who has a 1.08 ERA, nor Mark Teixeira, who is second in the majors in home runs with 25. (continue)

Posada apologizes for quitting on Yanks, not playing Sunday night

Jorge Posada has apologized to Yankees manager Joe Girardi, but is not in Sunday night’s lineup against the Red Sox.

"I just talked to Girardi,” Posada said Sunday afternoon a day after asking out of the Yankees batting order.

“I kind of apologized to him. Just had a bad day yesterday."

There were conflicting excuses given as to why Posada told Girardi he would or could not play. Posada said he had back stiffness and "needed to clear my head." The Yankees said Posada never told them about any injury, and believed a bruised ego was his only ailment.

"We had a nice conversation,” Girardi said. “We talked about being emotional and going through struggles and what defines who you are." (Post)

 

Yanks look to sharpen game vs Red Sox

The Yankee-Red Sox rivalry never dies, but it has cooled to a hypothermic state best described as dormant.

That's what we get Friday, when Boston arrives in the Bronx with a sub-.500 record, a pitching staff ranked 12th in the AL and a very recent history of non-contention. Here, the Red Sox will face a Yankee team that dropped from the division lead Thursday night for the first time in a month, that after an ultra-sloppy, 11-5 pounding from the bargain-basement Royals.

"Just not good baseball," said  Joe Girardi, usually Mr. Positive. "When you have three, four or five games like this in two weeks, it bothers me. Maybe (Boston) is what we need. Everything seems to be turned up. Maybe it's the right time." (News)

Soriano apologizes

Rafael Soriano stood at his locker Wednesday afternoon, discussing his disastrous outing Tuesday night and issuing an apology to the reporters he stood up following the Yankees' 5-4, 10-inning loss to the Twins.

"I apologize that I didn't talk to you guys last night," Soriano said. "The reason I didn't do it was that I got mad because that was a game CC (Sabathia) was supposed to win and it didn't happen. I wasn't comfortable talking to you guys. I know I'm supposed to talk to you guys, so for me, it won't happen again." (News)

AJ gets his turn

This was supposed to be the day Cliff Lee made his debut in Yankees pinstripes. Instead, he will be south on I-95 wearing a Phillies uniform, leaving the Yankees to turn to one Allan James Burnett, their 6-foot-4, 230-pound tattooed question mark, to face the Tigers.

Since Lee spurned the Yankees just before midnight on a Monday night last December and Andy Pettitte chose family over fastballs, the Yankees' focus has been on Burnett.

Coming off one of the worst statistical seasons in Yankees history and with a $16.5 million paycheck coming his way, there is more pressure on Burnett than there is on anyone else in the Yankees clubhouse. But he says he doesn't feel it.

"I put a lot of things behind me," Burnett said this week. "I'm looking forward to a new start, and it begins [today]. Actually, it began in the spring. This is the next step. I've got a job to do. I'm looking forward to taking the mound." (Post)

Nova 4, Garcia 5, Colon to pen

The Yankees starting rotation is finally set.

Joe Girardi named Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia as his No. 4 and 5 starters, ending the month-long competition for the two spots.

Bartolo Colon, who has been the biggest surprise of the spring, will open the season in the Yankees' bullpen, filling the swing role that pitchers such as Alfredo Aceves and Ramiro Mendoza have had in the past.

Although Colon outpitched Garcia this spring, the fact that the former CY Young winner hasn't pitched in the majors since July 2009 worked against him in the end. (News)