NY Yankees Merchandise

Monday, March 30, 2009

New York Yankees' Derek Jeter bruises knuckle in collision with Atlanta's Greg Norton, expected to play Sunday



by Marc Carig

New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter bruised the knuckle on his left pinky finger during the Yankees' 6-4 victory on Saturday, suffering the injury in a first-inning collision on the basepaths with Atlanta Braves first baseman Greg Norton.

Jeter was pulled from the game in the fourth inning, though Yankees manager Joe Girardi said the shortstop was scheduled to play only half the game, and that the injury was not the reason for Jeter's removal. Girardi said Jeter is expected to be in the lineup on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Brett Tomko, Alfredo Aceves and Dan Giese didn't do anything to take themselves out of the competition for the long relief job that remains in the Yankees bullpen. But apparently, they didn't do anything to separate themselves, either.

In fact, after the game, Girardi said he may choose not to add a long-reliever at all. Jonathan Albaladejo, who has had a strong spring, may take the the bullpen spot instead.

More on this later.

The Yankees also announced a wave of cuts, including Todd Linden, Shelley Duncan, John Rodriguez, Justin Leone, Dough Bernier, P.J. Pilittere, Chris Stewart and David Robertson, a bullpen candidate who recently has been squeezed out of innings.

Several Yankees stayed back in Tampa to play in minor league games, with varying success.

Playing in a Double-A game, Hideki Matsui went 2-for-3 with a double, a homer and a walk. In a Triple-A game Nick Swisher went 1-for-5 with a solo homer and Jorge Posada went 1-for-4 with a double. He also threw out a runner trying to steal second base.

Pitcher Chien-Ming Wang didn't fare as well in his five innings against Triple-A hitters. Wang allowed four runs on nine hits while yielding a pair of home runs. But, I'm told that the offensive outburst was, as they say in track and field, wind-aided.

Source: nj.com

New York Yankees to dedicate new 9/11 memorial at spring training home

by Marc Carig

The New York Yankees will dedicate a new memorial in front of Steinbrenner Field to honor victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The memorial, which was presented by the Gene O'Kane Division of retired New York City firefighters, contains a piece of steel from the ruins of the World Trade Center.

A pregame ceremony is planned for Sunday before the Yankees host the Pittsburgh Pirates at 1:15 p.m.

The memorial depicts the distinctive twin towers of the World Trade Center. The monument's foundation takes the shape of the Pentagon, to honor the victims of American Airlines Flight 77. The memorial itself sits on grass that represents victims of United Flight 93, which crashed in Somerset County, Pa.

Source: nj.com

New York Yankees' A.J. Burnett not relying on fastball anymore



by Marc Carig

For as long as he can remember, A.J. Burnett has been bombarded by pitching coaches who have hounded him with the same message: true pitching is more than relying on the power of 98-mph soul-crushers. For years, as they'd drone on about the virtues of the ground ball, of pitching to contact, of conserving pitches, he'd feign attention.

Then, he'd take the mound and pitch as if he'd never heard the advice.

Not only did he want to get batters out. He wanted to humiliate them. So Burnett would reach back and blow them away, taking great delight when his fastballs lit up radar guns in the triple digits.

He paid a heavy toll for this recklessness, the full measure of which can be found with a cursory review of Burnett's career injury report: 10 trips to the disabled list for shoulder, elbow and hand maladies. Right elbow surgery cost him nearly all of one season, and parts of another. Since breaking in with the Florida Marlins in 1999, Burnett has been one of the most talented pitchers in the major leagues. But he has also come to be known as one of the most brittle.

This, he said, is what motivated him to change, understanding that groundouts count the same as strikeouts. No more overthrowing. No more fastballs for fastball's sake. Finally.

"Took me eight years," he said. "Obviously, my way didn't work. It was time to listen."

This much is certain: Burnett went 18-10 last year for the Toronto Blue Jays mostly because he avoided missing significant time to injury. With promise and production aligned, he netted a five-year, $82.5 million contract to join the Yankees. But whether Burnett has actually changed -- and whether he will deliver a second consecutive banner season -- remains a mystery.

While he has tried to emulate Blue Jays ace and former teammate Roy Halladay, a model of efficiency who routinely gets quick outs by inducing contact, Burnett, 32, has statistically remained the same power pitcher he's always been.

Burnett's pitches per plate appearance the past two seasons have hovered near his career average of 3.79, and batters have made contact 75 percent of the time (down from 81 percent his first two seasons).

Perhaps most stunning is that, despite a more tempered approach, Burnett's strikeout numbers are higher than ever. In the past two seasons, his strikeouts per nine innings was a career-high 9.6 in 2007 and 9.4 last season -- meaning he's missing more bats than ever.

"You start trying to strike out less and you strike out more," he said. "It's weird, but that's just how the game works sometimes. But my control is better, obviously. And I've got a better idea of what I'm doing out there."

Those around Burnett have noticed.

"He used to just go out there and throw," said Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon, who lobbied the team to pursue Burnett in the offseason, mostly because he hated facing him as an opponent. "Now he's pitching, learning how to move the ball. He's definitely gotten better the last couple of years. He's smarter with his pitches. Yeah, he's striking guys out because he's still nasty. But he knows how to stay away from you, too."

Rich Dubee, the Marlins pitching coach from 1998-2000, said the most obvious change in Burnett has been his ability to resist the temptation to overthrow.

"He's just starting to become more familiar with that, and understanding he can get deeper into games and stay healthy and be more successful by pitching under control," said Dubee, now the pitching coach for the Philadelphia Phillies. "He doesn't need to be pure power."

Burnett, who also throws an excellent curveball and a changeup, has started to be more mindful about the type of exercises he's doing to stay in shape in between starts. His fitness programs are more monitored and structured than in the past.

As Yankees general manager Brian Cashman worked from his fourth-floor office at Steinbrenner Field recently, he caught a glimpse of a player jogging up and down the empty stands of the stadium on his off day. As the person moved around the entire stadium, Cashman's curiosity grew and he picked up a pair of binoculars.

"I saw the tattoos," Cashman said. "It was A.J. Burnett."

Regardless of the stats, Burnett can say with certainty he is at least making an effort to change, which is more than could be said about his earlier years. In the seasons after the fire sale following the 1997 World Series, the Marlins filled their roster with inexperienced players such as Burnett, whether they were ready or not.

And when Burnett got in trouble, Dubee said he reverted to his comfort zone and just threw as hard as he could.

"We've had a lot of knockdown, drag-out fights about it," Dubee said.

Even when he was at his best, Burnett could be maddening and stubbornly attached to this best pitch. During his 2001 no-hitter against the San Diego Padres, Burnett walked nine batters. More remarkably, of the 128 pitches he threw against the Padres that night, 123 were fastballs.

Those days, Burnett promises, are over. Still, he sometimes offers reminders that the flame-thrower within is never too far away.

The best example came during his first spring training start this year. He was shocked when he threw one of his fastballs and the stadium gun read 98.

"Really?" he said. "I didn't mean to. I was just trying to be easy."

Q&A with New York Yankees right fielder Xavier Nady



by Marc Carig

TAMPA, Fla. -- When Xavier Nady was traded to the Yankees from the Pittsburgh Pirates last season, he was hitting .330. In 59 games with the Yankees, he hit .268. Nady attributed the drop-off partly to switching leagues.

The Yankees are Nady's fourth organization, but his first American League team.

Still, 2008 proved to be a banner season for Nady, who set career highs in homers (25), RBI (97), average (.305), on-base percentage (.357) and slugging (.510).

This season, he has an opportunity to duplicate that performance, as Yankees manager Joe Girardi recently named Nady the team's starting right fielder.

When you first got here, what was the most eye-opening aspect of playing with the Yankees?

"For me, it's just the tradition of winning. And in the city, there's a lot of emphasis on winning. When you throw on that Yankees uniform, you're expected to play the game right. Coming from different organizations like Pittsburgh, it was just kind of like, over and over getting beat down. When I came over to Yankee Stadium, it was just an honor to put on that uniform. It was a dream come true."

How do you as players deal with the pressure of playing in New York?

"Everyone obviously deals with it in different ways. For me, there's this adrenaline when the games start, when the games get going. Then you get settled in place. You're there obviously to do what you have to, to win a ballgame. For me, there's a buildup, and then when the games get going you kind of relax. You never put pressure on yourself."

You've played in different places in your career. What have been the biggest lessons learned from those experiences?

"I don't know. I got to play for some good organizations and meet a lot of good people. I know, obviously, you'd like to settle in for a couple of years and get situated. But I've been very fortunate to develop some friendships and play for some great cities. Obviously, now, I'm back in New York for a second time. But to put on a Yankees uniform has been a blessing. I don't know what I've learned or whatever, but for me it's just been being able to see how different organizations were run. It's been a lot of fun."

You've played in New York before. But is it a different experience playing for the Yankees as opposed to the Mets?

"I've been here two months and I was only there four months and I was hurt. But in New York, you get to play in front of the best fans in the world on a nightly basis. You never have to worry about getting up for a game. The excitement level is always outrageous. As opposed to Pittsburgh, where we'd have sometimes 7,000 fans a night and they'd walk out. Here, you don't have to worry about that, and it makes it a lot of fun to get going for them."

You've got a young family now. How has that changed the way you look at things?

"It makes you put life in perspective. Like everyone said: You go 0-for-4 or whatever, you go home, and your little boy, he doesn't know what you did. The last eight months have been the best eight months of my life. It was special and every day you try to do as much as you can to spend some time. It really makes you think about how important life is, and how important it is to have every moment with him."

You're Xavier Nady VI, your son is Xavier Nady VII. Is there a story behind your name and how it has been passed down through the years?

"I'm French, so St. Francis Xavier. That's how the name started. In the mid-1800s, the first Xavier came over from France and settled in over here in, I think, the Midwest. Since then, I think we've been very fortunate to keep the name alive, to keep it going. Hopefully No. 7 will have an opportunity one day to pass it on."

Does the name go to the oldest son?

"Yeah, the oldest boy. It's been around for a long time. So at least I've got some of that pressure off me, of continuing the legacy. That was one less thing I had to worry about."

What clicked for you last year?

"Most important was staying healthy. I always felt I could have success at this level. For me, it was a matter of playing every day and getting opportunities. I was banged up the year before with a hamstring, got hit in the head and got a concussion, so it's just playing every day. I truly believe that once you have a little success, you start believing in yourself. You believe in what you're capable of doing and hopefully continue to get better."

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Ex-Yankee Johnny Blanchard dies

Ex-Yankee Johnny Blanchard died of a heart attack at age 76.

The third string catcher nearly quit in 1960 when Casey Stengel toyed with activating 40-year-old Jim Hegan as a back up to Yogi Berra when Elston Howard was hurt. Blanchard had a career year and was adequate behind the plate. And he also did some special home run hitting.

On July 21, Blanchard hit a ninth inning, two out, pinch hit grand slam home run at Fenway Park to give the Yanks an 11-8 victory over the Red Sox. The next day Blanchard hit another ninth inning, pinch hit homer to spark a second come-from- behind victory over Boston.

On July 26, the man they called "Super- Sub" slashed his third and fourth home runs at Yankee Stadium against the Chicago White Sox. The homers drove in four runs as the Yanks beat the White Sox, 5-2.

Four straight homers over three games tied a major league record. Not bad for a guy who was ready to pack in his career the year before.

Blanchard's career was essentially spent as a third string catcher: He played in 516 games, batted .239, hit 67 home runs. In the World Series he caught fire; in 15 games he batted .345 and had five home runs.

Source: nyyu.blogspot.com

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Yankees reach $10M deal on stadium memorabilia

The New York Yankees have agreed to pay Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration $10 million for seats, foul poles, urinals, ticket booths and other memorabilia that belong to the city from the team's old stadium, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.

The Yankees would then sell the items, along with all the memorabilia that belong to the team, including scoreboards, bases, turf, lockers and bullpens.

The agreement was being finalized, according to the person familiar with the deal, who spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity because it hadn't been completed.

Under the terms of the tentative agreement, the city stands to make more money if the net revenue of the sale exceeds certain levels. The city gets 5 percent if revenue surpasses $15.9 million, 10 percent if it's above $17 million and 20 percent if it's above $18.2 million.

Yankees spokeswoman Alice McGillion said only that a deal was still being worked out. A city spokesman declined comment.

The new Yankee Stadium is due to open next month next to the old ballpark in the Bronx.

The city struck a deal last summer with the New York Mets for the memorabilia in their old Queens ballpark, Shea Stadium, which also saw its last season in 2008.

The Mets put 16,000 pairs of seats up for sale on their Web site in August after a pre-sale for season ticket holders.

The city has made about $3.5 million from sales of Mets memorabilia. Under that arrangement, the team did not pay the city beforehand; both sides agreed to share proceeds.

Recap: NY Yankees vs. Boston

Austin Jackson slugged a grand slam, part of a six-run eighth inning, to lead the Yankees past the Red Sox, 7-1, in spring training action.

Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Angel Berroa each drove in a run for New York. A.J. Burnett lasted 5 2/3 innings and was touched for a run on three hits with four strikeouts to only two walks. Edwar Ramirez got the win after recording the final four outs.

David Ortiz drove in the lone run for Boston. Tim Wakefield went 5 2/3 frames and yielded a run on four hits with five strikeouts and a walk. Manny Delcarmen took the loss after giving up three runs on two hits while recording only an out in the eighth.

New York Yankees Tickets Now on Sale for First Season in New Yankee Stadium

Yankee Tickets Will Be Available Starting Tuesday, March 24, and Go Wide on Wednesday, March 25

New York Yankees Tickets have gone on sale starting today, Tuesday, March 24th. The Yankee tickets are for the first games that will be played in the new Yankee Stadium, and will probably sell pretty quickly as soon as the doors open. Those wanting to purchase New York Yankees tickets for the 2009 season just have to go to the New York Yankees web-site to make their purchases. Located at Yankees.com, this will be the only place to purchase single game tickets at this time. Yankees season tickets have already been on sale for those lucky enough to be able to afford them.

Starting on the morning of Wednesday, March 25th, the New York Yankees tickets will go for wide sale, opening it up to everyone who is interested in buying single game tickets. They will still be available through Yankees.com, but other outlets where they can be purchased will include Ticketmaster, Yankees Clubhouse Shops, and at the Yankee Stadium ticket office. No matter how they get purchased, it's going to be a hot ticket to see the Yankees play in their new digs for the first time.

The 2008 Major League Baseball season saw the last time that the New York Yankees would be playing in the old Yankee Stadium. Often referred to as "The house that Ruth built", old Yankee stadium held many memories from the teams of the past, and housed some of the greatest players to ever take the field. The new stadium could be seen rising behind the outfield fences for a couple of years, and now, finally, the big day has come to open the gates for the new stadium. Not only are their tickets available for the regular season, but also for some exhibition games against the Chicago Cubs that will take place April 3rd and 4th. Tickets to those games are going to be $1.10 for the grandstand and 25 cents for the bleachers in honor of the prices when the original stadium was opened.

Source: associatedcontent.com

Nick Swisher stays upbeat for New York Yankees

by Marc Carig

TAMPA, Fla. - A day after announcing that Xavier Nady is the frontrunner for the starting job in right field, New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he was on the lookout for Nick Swisher's reaction. As it turns out, Girardi didn't have to do too much looking. Just listening.

In the clubhouse before the game, Swisher pumped up the volume on his iPod dock to the highest decibel levels of the spring. As his soundtrack blared, Swisher bounced around the clubhouse, joking with teammates.

"He was the same guy," Girardi said. "And that's what I want."

As for another position battle, Girardi said he expects the center field battle to be resolved within a week. Brett Gardner and Melky Cabrera have been battling for the spot all spring. But with camp winding down, Girardi reiterated that he still views both as being on equal footing.

"They'close," Giarardi said. "You look at their numbers, they're not striking out, they're getting on base, they're doing little things, they're playing defense. They're both playing at a very high level."

Derek Jeter will call the shots on how much he needs to play in order to get ready for the regular season. The shortstop returned from the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday.

"He has a better understanding of his body than I'll ever have," Girardi said. "He knows what he needs physically, mentally."

The target date for Alex Rodriguez's return with the Yankees is May 15, Girardi said. In Rodriguez's absence , Matsui will hit cleanup. But if his knees don't allow it, Girardi said he would consider hitting Jorge Posada or Xavier Nady in the fourth spot. Girardi has remained committed to hitting Teixeira in the third spot.

Speaking of Matsui, Girardi said he is comfortable with the progress the slugger has made in managing his creaky knees.

Source: nj.com

Monday, March 23, 2009

New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez reportedly involved with prostitutes



A high-priced former madam who used to provide prostitutes for former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer provided the same services for the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez and dated him, the New York Daily News reported Sunday.

Former madam Kristin Davis, who served three months in jail and is on five years' probation after pleading guilty to promoting prostitution, would speak only in generalities when reached by Newsday Sunday.

Source: nj.com

New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada throws out three of four Pittsburgh baserunners, says he can trust his arm again

by Marc Carig

TAMPA, Fla. -- Jorge Posada declared himself 100 percent on Sunday. The results made it difficult to argue with him.

The New York Yankees catcher offered solid evidence that his surgically repaired right shoulder will stand up to the rigors of 110 games this season - as the organization is hoping - throwing out three of four baserunners during a minor league exhibition game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"Now you know you can trust your arm again," Posada said. "That's all I wanted to do, come out of spring training knowing that I could trust my arm."

Entering the game, Posada was 0-for-4 for the spring. That number climbed to 0-for-5 when Posada threw high and wide of second base, allowing Pittsburgh minor leaguer Gemmy Gonzales to steal the bag. But Posada made an adjustment, slowing down his thoughts, which allowed him to set his feet. With a solid foundation, Posada let loose with accurate throws across the diamond.

The results were immediate: Gonzalez, Shelby Ford (yes, kind of like the car) and Brian Friday all got great jumps off first base against Posada and his batterymate, CC Sabathia. Didn't matter. Posada nailed all three with strong, accurate, throws.

"You can't compare what I was feeling last year," said Posada, who played through his shoulder injury before shutting it down last season. "I couldn't do that, I couldn't make three throws like that."

Speaking of Sabathia, he got a bit of a workout, throwing 81 pitches in five innings. Working in front of an audience that included his wife and kids, Sabathia allowed a run on seven hits with three strikeouts and a walk. He seems to be progressing along as expected.

Though manager Joe Girardi refuses to just name Sabathia the Opening Day starter, the skipper noted this morning that Sabathia is on turn to be the guy.

Brett Tomko, Angel Berroa giving New York Yankees big results at little cost

by Marc Carig

TAMPA, Fla. -- After missing the postseason for the first time since 1993, the Yankees this offseason followed a franchise tradition as old as free agency itself, splurging on CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira, the priciest items on this season's swanky free-agent menu.



The final tab came to $423.5 million, an astonishing figure likely to be quoted ad nauseam as the pressure builds for the Yankees to make a triumphant playoff return.

Yet, despite the enormity of the spending spree, the Yankees did well to pull off low-risk, low-profile moves that could prove key: adding pitcher Brett Tomko and infielder Angel Berroa via minor-league deals.

"You bring them in knowing that they've been successful players in the big leagues," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Never knowing what can happen to your club, you always have to have options."

Even if neither one warranted a roster spot, as is the case with most such signings, the Yankees at the very least stood to gain two easily-disposable veterans capable of pushing position battles in spring training: Tomko for the team's open long relief job and Berroa for the utility spot.

Instead, both are close to defying the odds. Recent castoffs from one of the game's most cash-strapped teams -- the Kansas City Royals -- Berroa and Tomko have played well enough this spring to merit consideration for the final spots on the Opening Day roster of the game's wealthiest franchise.

Tomko, a 35-year-old right-hander, had a brutal 2008 season that began in a failed attempt to stick in Kansas City's rotation and ended on an operating table, where he underwent the first surgery of any kind in his 12-year big-league career. But despite being a last-minute signing by the Yankees, Tomko's 1.59 ERA in 11 1/3 spring innings through Friday is one of the lowest in camp.

Berroa's precipitous drop in production after his 2003 Rookie of the Year campaign eventually led the Royals to maroon him to the obscurity of Triple-A Omaha. He would have likely played out what was left of an ill-advised four-year, $11 million contract had the Los Angeles Dodgers not traded for him. Through Friday, Berroa, 32, is hitting .415 with a Yankees-best 17 hits this spring.

"Our club is aggressive and knows that it takes more than 25 people to win," Girardi said. "And they go out and get quality people."

General manager Brian Cashman said the Yankees had an eye on Berroa last season after trading shortstop Alberto Gonzalez to the Washington Nationals. The Yankees needed insurance at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Cashman took note as Berroa helped solidify the Dodgers infield until Rafael Furcal's return.

Berroa's name surfaced for the Yankees again -- as a potential utility man to compete with Cody Ransom -- after the Dodgers cut ties with him this offseason.

"We stayed on it, and Berroa was the one who agreed to come to us," Cashman said of Berroa, whose versatility will be needed with Ransom expected to fill in for Rodriguez at third base.

Girardi said Berroa has convinced him he can play different positions in the infield.

"I just feel good." Berroa said. "As soon as I got here, everything changed. I started working in January, and you can see how it's going. For me, it's a big thing to play for New York. Everyone wants to play here."

Berroa said the adjustment has been made easier by a pair of familiar faces: Yankees bench coach Tony Pena managed Berroa in Kansas City while hitting coach Kevin Long worked in the Royals' minor-league system.

"He has done a great job," Pena said. "He continues to work. I felt that Berroa stopped working after I left Kansas City. But now I feel he's getting back to the way he was playing. He's swinging the bat. We like what we have seen."

A FLUID SITUATION

Meanwhile, Cashman said Tomko has been on the Yankees' radar for even longer, though he wanted the pitcher as a starter, not a reliever. It was a concession Tomko wasn't ready to make.

As late as last spring, Tomko still viewed himself as a starter, signing a one-year, $3 million contract with the Royals mostly because they had rotation spots up for grabs. The Royals released him in June after he posted a 6.97 ERA in 16 games. The San Diego Padres picked him up, but Tomko's season ended with a right elbow strain. So much fluid had accumulated in his elbow that Tomko had trouble buttoning his shirts. He underwent surgery in September, the first of his career.

"It was a long haul," he said. "There's days I would pick up the ball and I felt that the longest I could throw the ball was 30 feet."

Tomko was aware of the slow free-agent market, and was even hesitant to audition for teams too early for fear that his elbow wasn't healed enough to pitch effectively. But when Tomko put himself out as a reliever, Cashman came calling.

"There were other places where I could have had a bigger safety net if I had a bad outing," Tomko said. "I kind of figured I should put it out there and put it on the line, and if I pitch good, I'm playing for the Yankees. There are some points in life when you say 'I've got to try this. Go big or go home.'"


Source: nj.com

New York Yankees option pitcher Phil Hughes to minor leagues

by Marc Carig

TAMPA, Fla. - The New York Yankees optioned pitcher Phil Hughes to Triple-A Scanton/Wilkes-Barre on Saturday, ending what had been a strong major league camp in which the right-hander showed the first signs of bouncing back from a rough year.



Hughes pitched to a 2.19 ERA in four appearances (three starts) that covered 12 1/3 innings. But the move comes as no surprise as the Yankees want to keep Hughes as a starting pitcher, and the only opening on the major league roster is for a long reliever.

The Yankees also made several other moves on Saturday. New York optioned pitchers Anthony Claggett and Steven Jackson to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, optioned pitcher Humberto Sanchez to Double-A Trenton, and reassigned pitchers Jason Johnson and Sergio Mitre to minor league camp.

Yankees Grass Is Now a Brand

BRIDGETON, N.J. — Just when it seemed that all the sports-licensing ideas had been exhausted — coffins with team logos, unveiled a few years ago, could have reasonably been the presumed end — along comes something that has been growing in plain sight all along.





Yankees Sod.

A tuft for the windowsill? A pallet for the backyard? Officially licensed grass is about to be sold, in the form of sod or seeds, to fans who want a patch to call their own.

“It’s just capitalizing on what we have and what we’ve done,” said Rick DeLea, vice president of DeLea Sod Farms, which his grandfather founded in 1928 and has supplied turf for Yankee Stadium since the 1960s.

On a recent morning, Mr. DeLea swept his hand across a portion of the 80 acres of Yankees Sod on a vast hillside in South Jersey. Last fall, some of the secret blend of bluegrass was peeled in broad strips, hauled north on trucks and laid inside the new Yankee Stadium. But most of it was still here, greening under a late-winter sun.

“It’s going to be one of those ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ stories,” said David Andres, the energetic and entrepreneurial man who came up with the idea of selling sod and grass to fans.

A former consultant with the company and now Mr. DeLea’s vice president for business development, Mr. Andres saw a field of bluegrass far bigger than the two and a half acres needed to cover the grassy portions of the new Yankee Stadium. The team had asked Mr. DeLea to reserve 10 acres for the stadium, apparently in case of some horrific horticultural incident in the Bronx, but that left a lot of leftover sod.

“I said: ‘Rick, you’re sitting on it. Why not do something with it?’ ” Mr. Andres said.

Actually, Mr. DeLea had been doing something with it. He sells the same three-variety blend of Kentucky bluegrass from this field to other clients. A high school in West Long Branch, N.J., had 16 acres installed last fall, when it was just called sod. Not Yankees Sod.

Mr. Andres, a self-described “sell ice to Eskimos kind of guy,” took the idea of licensing the product to the Yankees and Major League Baseball. He received the requisite stamps of approval and started a company called Stadium Associates to market Yankees Sod and Yankees Grass Seed.

It makes one wonder if other licensed permutations will follow — Cubs Ivy or Daytona Asphalt or Cameron Indoor Hardwood Floors, using the same vine, road mix or batch of trees as the sports arenas.

For now, Mr. Andres and three partners have visions of Cubs Sod and Red Sox Sod and other licensed sod. They have reached out to the farms that supply the other 27 major league teams with natural-grass fields.

But Major League Baseball is taking it one team at a time.

“We want to see how this goes,” Howard Smith, baseball’s vice president for licensing, said. “But we want all of our licensees to be wildly successful.”

Yankees Sod will be available at New York City-area Home Depot stores near the end of the month. A patch a little bigger than five square feet — 16 inches by 4 feet — will cost $7.50, Mr. Andres said. It may cost a few thousand dollars to cover a large backyard, but the sod comes with a certificate of authenticity from Major League Baseball, complete with the counterfeit-proof hologram, declaring it to be the official grass of the New York Yankees.

Yankees Grass Seed will also be available, in gift-friendly novelty sizes of three ounces and eight ounces, at Yankee Stadium and other places. Home Depot will carry bigger bags of seed.

Mr. Andres wants to sow grass seed in small planters, too, for fans who may want a little patch to water and cut, kind of like bonsai groundskeepers. He is even pondering miniature desktop replicas of the stadium filled with blades of Yankees Sod.

“It is something that is green,” Mr. Andres said, referring to the environmental benefit of the product, if not the awe-inspiring color that greets fans as they step through the stadium portals. “It is something that is connected to America’s pastime. It is something that is affordable. And it is something that every fan can appreciate.”

Except Mets fans, perhaps.

Mr. DeLea, an unassuming man who oversees a 13-farm sod empire with the help of a helicopter he pilots, supplies various varieties of turf, from bluegrass to bentgrass, to clients that include well-known golf courses and small municipalities.

He said that the bluegrass developed for the Yankees took about 14 months to mature. The DeLea sod laid in Yankee Stadium last fall, like the sod remaining on this hillside parcel, was planted in the spring of 2006. More is being planted at various sod farms for fans.

Mr. DeLea said that Yankee Sod was fine for a lawn that receives full sun, drains well and is reasonably maintained.

As the men turned to walk off the lush grass and into a van parked in the dirt, where sod once grew — the sod now in Yankee Stadium, perhaps, or maybe just at a high school in New Jersey — Mr. Andres mindlessly flicked the ashes of his cigar onto the turf.

Mr. DeLea scolded him and rubbed out the embers with his shoe. After all, this was not ordinary sod.


Source: NYTimes.com

Friday, March 20, 2009

Recap: Houston vs. NY Yankees

Chien-Ming Wang threw five innings of one-run ball and Phil Coke tossed an inning of scoreless relief to get the win, as the Yankees edged the Astros, 4-1, in spring training action.

Jonathan Albaladejo added a perfect ninth to pick up the save for New York, while Eric Duncan drove in a pair of runs in the win. Angel Berroa and Melky Cabrera knocked in the other runs in the triumph.

Mike Hampton lasted five innings and yielded just four hits while fanning a pair of batters for Houston. Doug Brocail was tagged with the loss after giving up two runs in the seventh inning. Carlos Lee drove in the lone run in defeat.

Hideki Matsui won't need glove with New York Yankees



by Marc Carig

TAMPA, Fla. - New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi reiterated earlier Wednesday his preference to keep Mark Teixeira hitting in the spot third in the lineup, even without Alex Rodriguez around to anchor the cleanup position. That means, in A-Rod's absence, the Yankees will be depending heavily on Hideki Matsui to produce runs in the troubled slugger's regular spot.

Girardi also said - to nobody's surprise - that Matsui will be limited to duties as a designated hitter except perhaps during interleague play. Though Matsui's situation could change, the skipper figures it's not worth exposing the veteran's creaky knees to the daily pounding of playing the field.

"Obviously, how he plays me is definitely his decision," Matsui said through a translator earlier on Wednesday. "But obviously, I believe he says that with good intentions to protect my knees. My job, my role, is to prepare well so I can DH. And also in the event I have to play in the outfield, I have to make sure to prepare for that."

Matsui, 34, has shown diminished skills defensively in recent years and is still working to get back to full speed after a knee injury impacted him for the second straight season. But he's still a key offensive weapon for the Yankees, who will bank on Matsui's experience in the middle of the order.

With Rodriguez expected to miss the first month of the regular season, the Yankees can ill afford to go without Matsui's power bat in the lineup. Matsui is in the final year of his contract, but given this point in his career, his future with the Yankees may be in doubt.

Yankees Retrospective: The Aaron Effin' Boone Game



CAPTION: Every Yankee fan remembers this picture. So does Tim Wakefield.

March 18, 2009

Before the New York Yankees and Houston Astros started their preseason matchup today, one of the Astros announced his semi-retirement from baseball.

Aaron Boone is set to have open-heart surgery later this month to repair a congenital heart defect—a bicuspid aortic valve—and has likely played his last game.

Boone, 36, a third generation ballplayer and brother of former AL MVP Bret Boone, had a rather mediocre 12-year career with the Reds, Yankees, Indians, and Marlins. But in New York City, he'll be remembered forever as the author of the last great October moment of the Joe Torre Era.

October 16, 2003—ALCS: Game Seven

It was the game everyone had expected. Even after the Yankees took two games out of three in Boston to take a 3-2 lead in the American League Championship, nobody really expected the series to end in Game Six.

And after a 10-7 slugfest the night before, the fiercest rivalry in sports was going to come down to two of the greatest pitchers of a generation—the most hated by either opponent.

Boston's Pedro Martinez had started a brawl in Game Three by throwing inside one too many times, made a gesture that looked like he was threatening to hit Jorge Posada in the head, and had thrown the Yankees' 70-something-year-old bench coach Don Zimmer to the ground.

On the mound for New York was former Red Sox ace Roger Clemens, now a three-time World Champion with the Yankees and public enemy No. 1 in Massachusetts.

Both pitchers were still dominant—the 41-year-old Clemens less so, but still the natural choice for a do-or-die game against anyone the Yankees might face.

Yankee fans could recall his brilliant, gutty performance in their last Game Seven—a heartbreaking World Series game snatched from their grasp in the bottom of the last with the untouchable Mariano Rivera on the mound. Clemens had lasted long enough to give the Yankees a lead. Nobody expected anything less from the veteran this time.

The Red Sox had become the real thing, finally, in 2003 with the addition of surprise slugger David Ortiz and good enough pitching to play the Yankees to a standstill through 19 regular season games and six more in the playoffs. Ortiz, along with Manny Ramirez and shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, gave the Red Sox arguably the best 3-4-5 tandem in any lineup in the league.

The Yankees had added Hideki Matsui and Jason Giambi to a lineup that had struggled to score runs in 2000 and 2001, but the Red Sox were thought by most to have the superior offense. It was six-to-five and pick 'em; the only advantage the Yankees had was home field and, if they got that far, Rivera.

(You'll notice, dear reader, that I've not mentioned our hero once yet in this flashback. If you haven't heard the story before, it's hard to imagine just how insignificant the addition of Aaron Boone appeared to be at the trade deadline—he was barely an upgrade over the departed Robin Ventura, and certainly wasn't well-loved enough to be any kind of replacement for the recently retired Scott Brosius. He was on the bench for the start of this game. Enrique Wilson was the starting third baseman, for Chrissakes!)

Three innings in, Pedro Martinez was as good as advertised, and Roger Clemens was not. Down 4-0 in the fourth inning, with nobody out and the bases loaded, Joe Torre replaced Clemens with Mike Mussina—the loser of Games One and Four. It was, potentially, an ignominious end to a storied career.

Clemens walked off the field with his head down. The stadium was quiet. The Yankees were screwed.

But Moose got out of it, somehow, and too slowly a comeback began. Jason Giambi led off the fifth with a home run, and hit another solo shot two innings later. Mussina held the Red Sox scoreless through four innings. It was 4-2 after seven innings, and momentum was slowly turning...

Or not.

David Wells entered the game in the eighth and promptly gave up a solo home run to Ortiz, who began his run as a Yankee-killer in this series.

The Red Sox were six outs away from the World Series with a three-run lead, and Martinez was still going strong. Other than the two Giambi homers, he'd been unhittable. Vintage Pedro.

But as good as he was, his surgically-repaired arm was starting to age, and the trick to beating Martinez was to outlast him—his ERA was a full three runs higher once he'd thrown 100 pitches. And when Grady Little sent him out to start the botom of the eighth, he had thrown 102.

And so this is how it went down:

A double by Jeter with one out. An RBI single by Bernie Williams. 5-3. And here comes Grady...and now he's sitting down again! Everyone remembers this part. Pedro has talked Little into letting him keep pitching.

Let your best guy win or lose the game for you. Old school.

But every Yankee fan knew we had him right there. It was beautifully inevitable. Double by Matsui into the right field corner. Runners on second and third, still one out. And finally, Jorge Posada on a 2-2 fastball, bloop double into the triangle between second, short and center. Both runners score. Tie game.

(I know. Still no Boone. He doesn't even sub in until after Martinez gets taken out. Bear with me. He's coming.)

Alam Embree comes in and gets Giambi to fly out. Ruben Sierra pinch-hits for Enrique Wilson and draws a walk. Our hero pinch runs for him and gets all the way to second (on another walk) before Soriano grounds out to end the frame.

Here comes Rivera. The Red Sox make him work to get out of the ninth, the 10th and the 11th. Three innings. Fifty-two pitches. No runs. ("There's no way I was coming out," he will say later, drenched in champagne. The kind of thing you expect to hear from the Greatest Of All Time.) We're still tied. Tim Wakefield—the winner of Game One and Game Four—and his knuckleball are still doing what they're supposed to do.

Bottom of the 11th inning starts with little fanfare. Everyone on both sides is looking to the 12th to be the deciding inning. The top of the Yankees order is almost up. They might even come up this inning if Wakefield's suspect control disappears for a...OH MY GOD!

Time stops.

Look at the picture on top of this article. Here's what the caption could say: "The first pitch of the bottom of the 11th is a knuckleball that doesn't knuckle, and everyone knows it's gone the moment it leaves the bat. Oh, by the way, the batter is Aaron Boone."

The 2003 Yankees did not win a championship, and Aaron Boone was released in February 2004 after tearing an ACL in a basketball game. The guy who replaced him is far, far more talented, and will forever be more famous—even if only for his flaws.

Boone won't make the Hall of Fame. He won't be remembered as anything more than an average ballplayer. But he earned a nickname that night—really, a middle name. (It's not fit to print, so we'll go with "Effin'.")

He shares it with superstars like Joe D. and the Mick, and fellow also-rans like Bucky Dent. He shares it with all the pinstriped heroes of the past hundred years who time and again brought the Boston Red Sox to their rightful place—second.

Yankee fans never forget their heroes. Best of luck, Booney. And thanks for the memory.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

MLB Game Summary - Pittsburgh at NY Yankees

(Tuesday, March 17th)

Final Score: NY Yankees 9, Pittsburgh 2

Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - Mariano Rivera took to the mound for the first time since having offseason shoulder surgery, tossing a perfect inning in relief in the Yankees' 9-2 victory over the Pirates in a spring training tilt.

CC Sabathia picked up his first win of the spring, fanning seven and allowing just one run in his four-inning start for New York. Hideki Matsui homered and drove in four runs during a 2-for-2 effort at the plate, while Jorge Posada knocked in a pair for the victors.

Virgil Vasquez surrendered six runs on seven hits in 2 1/3 frames for Pittsburgh, which received a solo home run from Jeff Salazar and an RBI from Steve Pearce.

New York Yankees: A Season to Look Forward to



by Brandon Katz

Who ever said money can’t buy happiness obviously never talked to a Yankee fan.

The kind of dough New York is capable of shelling out without a moment’s hesitation is always a reassurance for all Yankee fans. And this off season’s spending proved to be quite effective as the Yanks added some key components to a struggling team.

Their spending effectively changed the Yankee team from an underachieving and aging ball club to a perennial playoff threat. Let’s take a look at the Yankees' major moves and how they will play out during the season.

CC Sabathia

Arguably the Yankees' best offseason acquisition was ace pitcher CC Sabathia. This hefty-lefty’s arsenal is scary for any major league hitter.

With a shifty 94-99 MPH fastball, a hard slider at 84-86 MPH, a swooping curve that drops to 79-82 MPH, and a devastating circle change, Sabathia is armed with an array of challenging pitches that he can throw for strikes in any count.

This ace has the ability to put a team on his back as he showed while surging the Brewers forward to their first post-season in over 20 years.

Sabathia will also alleviate some much need pressure off of Chien Ming Wang. Wang has been struggling to be the Yankees true number one pitcher for the last couple seasons.

While still putting together some very impressive numbers, Wang failed to ever become the dominating ace teams would like to have head their rotations.

Now with the addition of Sabathia, Wang no longer needs to feel pressure to be the Yank’s number one. This trickle down effect will do wonders for Wang, who I see having a very successful year (15+ wins, mid to low 3’s ERA).

Sabathia went 17-10 with a 2.70 ERA and 251 K’s while splitting time between Cleveland and Milwaukee last season. The only question mark I have with him is how durable his arm will be. Since entering the league in 2001, Sabathia has averaged 207 IP per year.

The major concern is if this heavy workload has taxed his arm, and if so will it show late in the season? Hopefully for the Yankees, the answer is no. Overall, the addition of Sabathia is a major plus for the Yankee organization.

Mark Teixeira

This was a great move for the Yanks and definitely an upgrade from the aging and inconsistent Jason Giambi. At 28 years old, New York has found its long-term solution at first base. Teixeira gives the Yanks excellent numbers in almost every offensive category.

Last season Marky Mark put up a .308 AVG, with 33 HR, 121 RBI, 102 R, and a .410 OBP. If those stats don’t impress you than you shouldn’t be a fan of Baseball.

Oh and did I mention he’s a two-time Gold Glove winner at 1B? Teixeira is simply a producing machine that gives a team everything they could ask for. However, he is notorious for getting off to slow starts at the beginning of each season.

But with a healthy Hideki Matsui batting fourth for the injured Betray-Rod, Teixeira is getting some real solid protection in the lineup and should be productive early on. And when he-who-should-not-be-named returns to the lineup, the Yankees should posses the best 1-2 punch in all of Baseball.

As a Yankee fan, I am really excited to see what he can do for our team if he stays healthy.

AJ Burnett

The other half of the pitching initial twins is AJ Burnett. Burnett is essentially a two-pitch pitcher throwing a forceful fastball at 95-98 MPH and a batter-freezing curveball that possesses a sharp break.

However, Burnett also has a developing change-up that would be a nice compliment to his repertoire. Burnett is coming off a very solid season posing a 18-10 record with a 4.07 ERA and 231 K’s with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Girardi has already announced that the rotation will start with CC, and then be followed by Wang, and then Burnett. This strategic move will give opposing teams a difficult change of pace which will only help Burnett this season.

The major concern with Burnett is that he is very injury prone. He has only started over 30 games twice in his career…and both of those years were contract years.

Weather this stat is related to bad luck or a bad work ethic, it still remains as a looming problem for the Yankees. Hopefully the Yankee organization and the fans will get their moneys worth, approximately $82.5 million, out of Burnett this season.

With the end of spring training and the start of the regular season drawing closer every day, Yankee fans should be very excited. The team is much improved and has the potential to make a deep playoff run. Certainly this is a season to look forward to.

Lineups set as New York Yankees face Pittsburgh Pirates

by Marc Carig

TAMPA, Fla. -- Closer Mariano Rivera is expected to take a crucial step in his return from shoulder surgery on Tuesday night, when he makes his Grapefruit League debut as the Yankees host the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Rivera will likely pitch to Jorge Posada, who Yankees manager Joe Girardi intends to use at catcher for five innings. Posada is playing just his second exhibition game in the field since undergoing shoulder surgery.

Rivera is expected to pitch after starter CC Sabathia, who is making his first start since allowing five runs in 1 2/3 innings against Detroit last week.

The lineups:

PIRATES
1) Nyjer Morgan, LF
2) Jack Wilson, SS
3) Nate McClouth, CF
4) Garrett Jones, 1B
5) Jose Tabata, RF
6) Steve Pearce, DH
7) Neil Walker, 3B
8) Jason Jamarillo, C
9) Luis Cruz, 2B

Virgil Vasquez, P

YANKEES
1) Jorge Posada, C
2) Johnny Damon, LF
3) Mark Teixeira, 1B
4) Hideki Matsui, DH
5) Xavier Nady, RF
6) Melky Cabrera, CF
7) Cody Ransom, 3B
8) Ramiro Pena, 2B
9) Eduardo Nunez, SS

CC Sabathia, P
Followed by Mariano Rivera, Alfredo Aceves and Edwar Ramirez.

Alex Rodriguez, mirror kissing and the New York Yankees

by Marc Carig

Because the New York Yankees don't play until later Tuesday night (so there's not much news to update yet), and because I find this story to be a heck of a read, check out this profile (and accompanying photos) in Details magazine on everybody's favorite subject, Alex Rodriguez.

The photograph of A-Rod kissing himself in a mirror (insert your judgmental head-shaking here) is sure to get plenty of the attention, because it's exactly the last thing he needs about now (kind of like hitching rides with certain implicated family members). But I'm not going to engage in taking cheap shots at A-Rod. I think those have grown passe. At some point, dead horses deserved to be left alone.

Instead I'll only say this: I encourage you to read the story because it's insightful, and it's worth the time to enjoy (especially perfect if you're stuck eating lunch at your desk). Good writing should be an experience, and this piece reaches that goal.

As always, I am curious to know what you think.

New York Yankees spoil Wandy's return


The Houston Astros split their squad Saturday, sending Wandy Rodriguez and company to face the New York Yankees in Tampa.

Rodriguez took a positive step forward, allowing two hits and one run over two innings in his first start since Feb. 27. The veteran left-hander worked his way back from a strained left intercostal muscle and informed the Associated Press that he feels excellent.

Despite solid pitching, it was not enough as the Yankees grinded out a 3-1 victory. A.J. Burnett showed the Astros' offense the reason why New York signed him to a five-year, $82.5 million deal.

Burnett earned the victory by tossing four perfect innings, striking out three in 40 pitches. The Yankees expect to be World Series contenders this season after signing All-Stars CC Sabathia, Burnett and Mark Teixeira to lucrative contracts this offseason.

The Astros received a major scare when Yankees left fielder Hideki Matsui drilled a liner off the right hand of Houston reliever Alberto Arias. All-Star Johnny Damon connected on a first-inning solo homer off Rodriguez to provide the offensive spark for the Yankees.

Catcher JR Towles put Houston on the scoreboard with a solo homer in the sixth. Once again, the Astros offense failed to show up, combining for three singles and two extra base hits.

Astros right-hander Chris Sampson provided a nice spark with one scoreless inning, striking out one and yielding just one hit. This was the first time Sampson has taken the mound since right elbow surgery Oct. 1.

The loss drops the Astros' spring record to a major league worse 1-12-2 this spring.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

MLB Game Summary - Philadelphia at NY Yankees

Final Score: NY Yankees 12, Philadelphia 0

Tampa, FL - Nick Swisher went 3-for-4 with three runs batted in, leading the New York Yankees to a 12-0 rout of the Philadelphia Phillies in the Grapefruit League.

Eduardo Nunez also had three hits with two runs scored in the victory, while Cody Ransom singled twice and scored a pair of runs. Xavier Nady added two hits with two runs scored and an RBI, helping a 20-hit Yankee attack.

Brett Gardner continued his strong play in the battle for the center field job, tripling home a run and scoring twice. He is batting .375 for the spring.

Joba Chamberlain worked three scoreless innings in the start for New York. He surrendered two hits with a walk and three strikeouts. Kei Igawa also threw three scoreless frames.

Kyle Kendrick started for Philadelphia and was roughed up for five runs -- four earned -- on eight hits with three walks in four innings. His earned run average this spring is a lofty 12.10.

The Phillies, who brought only a few regulars to Steinbrenner Field, managed only six hits. Ryan Howard was 1-for-2 with a walk, while Matt Stairs and Geoff Jenkins each doubled.

The New York Yankees' 2009 Slightly Premature Preview



by Andrew Nuschler

With all due respect to the Tampa Bay Rays, the two favorites are finally in the building—the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.

I feel a little bad about doing this because it's one of the primary reasons people really hate these two franchises—they get all the hype no matter how recent and thunderous their failures.

Boston lost the American League East and the AL Championship Series to Tampa in 2008. New York failed to even qualify for the playoffs. Yet, here I am, touting both as the kings of the hill with no reason except offseason headlines.

After all, Tampa improved and was better than both last year. The difference is the Rays' improvement flew under the radar because it wasn't as substantial or expensive. But it didn't need to be.

Yet it's impossible and foolish to ignore what the other two teams did. Especially the Yankees.

The Bronx Bombers have always spent money in the offseason, but this winter's orgy of expenditure was embarrassing even by their standards. It was different in another way, too—the money was spent wisely.

Not necessarily in the bang-for-buck sense as the contracts are obviously bloated, but in terms of addressing the most crucial needs.

For whatever reason, recent years saw New York taking foolish gambles on flash-in-the-pan hurlers while bringing aboard expensive-but-proven bats. Lots of them. That didn't work and it seems the Yanks finally got the memo—better late than never.

You and I might think NY overpaid for CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. We're probably right, but they were arguably the two best pitchers on the market and both represent drastic upgrades. That makes them great signings for a franchise free to print its own money.

On the other side of the coin, offense was rarely the problem in New York.

Still, it was starting to show its age in '08, so the Yankees went out and grabbed the best young hitter on the market. Instead of grabbing a player that had already peaked (Manny Ramirez), they grabbed a guy still on the rise (Mark Teixeira) who could also help in other areas, i.e. with his glove.

At a weak position to boot.

With those pieces added to an already formidable roster, New York is built for regular and postseason dominance. Just like Boston. And that should make for an intriguing playoff series because I expect both to be there.

Here's how the Yanks figure to take the field on Opening Day.

Projected starting lineup

Catcher—Jorge Posada

First base—Mark Teixeira

Second base—Robinson Cano

Third base—Cody Ransom/Angel Berroa

Shortstop—Derek Jeter

Left field—Johnny Damon

Center field—Brett Gardner

Right field—Xavier Nady

Designated hitter—Hideki Matsui/Nick Swisher

Once this lineup gets Alex Rodriguez back, Mr. April-Through-July is gonna turn a scary order into a white-knuckle affair for any pitcher in baseball. Until then, though, other Bombers will have to step up because neither Ransom nor Berroa is a solution.

Either guy actually might make the problem worse. For whatever reason, New York seems to really like Ransom. Uh...this guy got more than his fair shake with SF and couldn't cut it. Now he's supposed to adequately fill in for one of the best players in baseball (non-clutch division)?

I don't think so.

And what the hell happened to Melky Cabrera? Good grief, Gardner's got a terrific glove, a ton of speed, but he doesn't have the upside Melky was thought to have.

Cabrera should make up part of the bench with Jose Molina, whoever the odd man out of the platoon is, and possibly two of New York's prized offensive prospects.

Baseball America ranks 22-year-old outfielder Austin Jackson as the No. 36 blue-chipper in all of baseball. He's in camp, as is 19-year-old catcher Jesus Montero. Montero's ranked No. 38.

The outfield is full up, and NY has Posada slated to catch, but some of the parts in the OF are showing their wear as much as Posada, so the young options may come in handy.

Montero is scorching the ball, while Jackson is holding his own.

Starting rotation

Ace—CC Sabathia (L)

Second spot—A.J. Burnett (R)

Third spot—Chien-Mien Wang (R)

Fourth spot—Andy Pettitte (L)

Fifth spot—Joba Chamberlain (R)

Again, there's a little bit of limbo here. It seems the Yankees are kicking around the idea of using Joba as the primary setup guy for Mariano Rivera. Part of it would seem to be based on how dominant Chamberlain was in the role during his stint in the 'pen.

The other part would be the options in both areas. While New York's bullpen isn't terrible, it's thinner than the starting rotation.

The Yankees have youngsters Phil Coke (27 in July), Alfredo Aceves (26), Ian Kennedy (24), and Phil Hughes (23 in June) up with the Big Club for Spring Training. All are/were top prospects in the Yankee organization, but none has managed to translate his success to the Major League level.

Coke and Aceves are probably headed for the 'pen while Kennedy and Hughes will probably start in the minors. Everyone but Coke is seeing some starting action thus far, so the matter's still not decided.

Top prospect Andrew Brackman is also in camp, but the 23-year-old is working back from Tommy John surgery, so he'll be brought along slowly.

If one of those guys can finally break through in the pros, Joba may find himself in the eighth inning.

Bullpen

Closer—Mariano Rivera (R)

Set-up—Damaso Marte (L)

Set-up—Jonathan Albaladejo (R)

Set-up—Edwar Ramirez (R)

Set-up—Jose Veras (R)

Set-up—Brian Bruney (L)

There's talent oozing off this roster, but that's the case every year, so what to make of it?

As I said, offense isn't usually the problem, and 2009 shouldn't be any different despite the brief absence of A-Rod.

Jorge Posada is getting/has gotten old, and he probably won't see a .330 average ever again, but he's still gonna produce like one of the best catchers in baseball when healthy. He wasn't healthy in 2008, so it's tough to tell what he'll have at 37 this year.

But a return to his career average of about a .280 average with 20 home runs seems reasonable.

There's no telling what the glare of New York will do to Mark Teixeira, but the guy seems like a flatliner to me, so I don't expect it to make much difference. Set to turn 29 in April, Tex put up a .308 average with 41 doubles, 33 HRs, 102 runs scored, 121 runs batted in, a .410 on-base percentage, and a .962 OPS.

Plus he picks it clean at first so, yeah, he should help.

It'll be interesting to see what a full year of Xavier Nady will be like in NYC (if he's around for the full year). His 2008 line is a little misleading because the .305 average, 37 doubles, 25 bombs, 76 runs, 97 RBI, .357 OBP, and .867 OPS were amassed between two teams. With the Pittsburgh Pirates, Nady hit for considerably higher average while the power was relatively consistent.

Nady's a free agent after this year and plays amidst a surplus of talent, so he may be moved and probably will be if the decrease in production was something more than an adjustment period.

The home crowd won't like this, but Derek Jeter is in steady decline at the age 34 (35 in June). His numbers are tapering off, as is his defense, and the combination of speed/power has become pedestrian. But he's still one of the best in the game—2008 saw a .300 average, 25 doubles, 11 HRs, 88 runs, 69 RBI, 11 stolen bases, a .363 OBP, and a .771 OPS.

Those are good numbers in a vacuum, but they are even more significant coming from your shortstop captain. And the guy is still clutch—I'd feel fine having him up there in a big at-bat.

The rest of the picture is a little less rosy.

Robinson Cano showed substantial regression in 2008 and now he's dinged up, scheduled for a shoulder MRI. That's bad news; the good news is the kid's still only 26 and '08 was the first lateral step in his career, so there remains plenty of reason for optimism.

Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui are both old and getting older, yet are a tale of two players.

Damon is aging gracefully. His skills/health are eroding at a glacial pace—.303 with 27 doubles, 17 HRs, 95 runs, 71 RBI, 29 swipes, a .375 OBP, and (prepare yourself) an .836 OPS. How can that slappy SOB have an OPS so high? Damn.

Considering Damon is 35, those numbers are incredibly consistent with his career averages.

Matsui is the polar opposite. Despite being younger, Godzilla's missed basically two of the last three seasons with injury. This latest one was apparently serious enough to end his days in the outfield, so it's DH or bust for him. Luckily, the Yankees have a nice fallback position in Nick Swisher.

Although Swish probably failed to hit his weight in 2008, his OBP was a very respectable .332. Toss in the 24 taters and 21 doubles, and last season doesn't look quite so ugly for the 28-year-old. Especially since that's gotta be the worst-case scenario for him.

I expect Swisher to even see some time in center field if he can raise his average a touch.

And there's always the return of Rodriguez and his ~40 bombs, 100+ RBI, .300+ average.

But it all comes down to the pitching for New York. If the offseason acquisitions take to their new surroundings, this team is gonna be in it 'til the end.

The big fella Sabathia isn't really the big question. Despite a slow start to spring, the 28-year-old lefty has proven that bright lights don't bother him. With all eyes on him last year, CC delivered one of the most impressive finishing flourishes we've seen in recent years and delivered the Milwaukee Brewers to the Promised Land.

The number of innings and shaky showings in the playoffs raise some small flags, but I wouldn't be too concerned.

I don't pay much attention to pitching stats because a couple bad outings can skew the picture hopelessly, but look at CC's 2008 line—17-10 with a 2.70 earned run average, 1.11 WHIP, 251 Ks against 59 walks, 19 HRs surrendered, 253 innings pitched, 10 complete games, and five shutouts.

Holy lord. A 1.11 WHIP and only 19 homers allowed in 253 IP? TEN complete games? FIVE shutouts? Whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA.

And, yet, A.J. Burnett may be the make-or-break guy.

If he can harness his K-per-inning stuff and keep his wildness to a minimum, New York will have a dynamite one-two punch at the top of the rotation. Of course, he must also stay healthy.

With those two guys at the top, it makes the rest of the rotation ridiculous.

Chien-Ming Wang is a legit ace even if he wasn't the best to wear that moniker. He's coming back from a serious injury, but the guy never relied on amazing stuff, so any edge lost to injury is less a cause for concern. As long as his mechanics are cool, he should be the same pitcher.

That means an arguable ace will be the No. 3 guy. Nice.

Andy Pettitte is on the back nine of his career, but he's still one of the craftiest lefties in the game and an established winner. He's a big game pitcher, and you need those when you get to the postseason.

The fifth spot should go to Joba Chamberlain, but (as I said above) it might not be etched in stone. Regardless, the fifth spot will be in good hands as far as No. 5s go.

As long as the timeless wonder (Mariano Rivera) keeps going, the Yankee bullpen will never be in a world of hurt. But it's a tad thin, and Rivera does turn 40 in November, so his age has gotta catch up with him sometime, right?

Of course, Mariano's dominated this long with essentially one pitch and 2008 was arguably his best year so far—39 for 40 in save opportunities, 0.67 WHIP, 1.40 ERA, 77 Ks against six walks, and four big flies allowed in 70+ IP.

With one pitch at the age of 38. Nothing about the guy has ever made any sense.

The rest of the arms in the 'pen are good and the young kids should lift the overall level of stuff, but none is worthy of being Rivera's primary caddy at this point—hence the debate about Joba. They are either too inconsistent, too young, too unproven, or a combination of all three.

Despite the vulnerability in the 'pen, this is probably the best team in Major League Baseball. Even with some guys missing due to injury and some older pieces in decline, the roster is filled to the brim with ability and potential.

On paper.

The games are not played on paper. They're played in real life and, for the Yankees, under intense scrutiny. That scrutiny should be amped up to a whole new level after the eventful offseason, new stadium, and A-Rod "revelation."

With so much firepower, I don't think anything will keep them from at least the AL Wild Card. It will take the perfect storm of adversarial conditions to prevent the New York Yankees from grabbing their 27th World Championship.

I expect that scrutiny, the talent on Boston's roster, and the lack of pressure on the Beantown nine by association to be exactly that.

And I expect the Yankee renaissance to end in the ALCS and at the hands of those Red Sox.

UPDATE: NY Yankees Receive Good News on Cano, Marte Following MRI Exams




by Heartbeat

Enter Sandman.

No, not Mariano Rivera jogging to the mound to dominate another ninth inning.

Not the sounds of Metallica blasting throughout the stadium as fans scream song lyrics in unison.

I am talking about the other Sandman.

"The Sandman" has disguised himself as two very important MRI exams taken on the ailing shoulders of RP Damaso Marte and 2B Robinson Cano.

The entire Yankees organization will be able to sleep peacefully again tonight, as positive news was returned regarding both players' statuses.

Marte has simple inflammation in his pitching shoulder, and should be able to return without any long-lasting effects.

Cano has been diagnosed with shoulder bursitis, and is expected to take anti-inflammatory medication while rehabilitating. He could return to action as early as Friday.

It is very intriguing that Cano said he felt pressured to participate in the World Baseball Classic.

He felt discomfort in the arm dating back to before he left Tampa for the Dominican roster. However, he never mentioned it to the Yankees in order to avoid being perceived as backing out.

Cano has promised to be forthright in the future regarding his injuries, and understands that the Yankees hold first priority.

The secrecy is alarming, but I trust that Cano will not make this same mistake twice.

Why the New York Yankees Always Suck



by cutter klink

The Yankees suck. They have the biggest payroll and still miss the playoffs! Their GM sucks. They can't pitch worth a crap. Come on...89 wins? That stinks!

They can't play at all! All you need to know is that they're so bad, at least one-fourth of their team used HGH or PID!

Phil Coke, Ian Kennedy, the WBC and the New York Yankees

by Marc Carig

TAMPA, Fla. -- Random notes to lead off a Monday morning:

Since we've been have some fun projecting the 25-man roster, I wanted to pass along another small development. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he considers Phil Coke in competition for a bullpen job, though not in a long relief role.

"He's half a long guy in my mind, where we can use him short or we can use him for a couple of innings," said Girardi, after Coke allowed a run in three relief innings in Sunday's 5-1 victory against the Minnesota Twins.

The long relief battle seems to be playing out with Dan Giese, Alfredo Aceves and Brett Tomko as the main contenders.

One of those three may even pick up a start, and another precious chance to impress, because as the Daily News reports, it would be way too scary to have Chien-Ming Wang hit during his next scheduled start on Wednesday, against the Houston Astros. That's right, the same team Wang was playing when he injured his right foot running the bases last June. Creepy.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said all the right things when asked about the World Baseball Classic, shortly after announcing that MRIs for Robinson Cano and Damaso Marte would be pushed back to Monday. Of course, Cano (right shoulder) and Marte (left shoulder), needed the exams after participating in the classic, though to be fair Cano felt tightness before leaving for the tournament but neglected to tell anybody.

"All this is for the greater good, and the greater good is growing our game internationally," Cashman said while acknowledging the injury risks to players.

Derek Jeter is still playing for Team USA, which staved off elimination by beating the Netherlands 9-3 on Monday. But I get the feeling that Girardi was pulling for another upset by the Dutch that would send his star shortstop back to Tampa. When asked who he was rooting for, Girardi responded with a coy "no comment."

Jeter is so far unscathed, which can't be said of some of his national teammates, who have suffered another round of boo-boos.

For the record, here's a rundown of Sunday's camp cuts. The Yankees optioned pitchers Ian Kennedy (Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre) and Christian Garcia while Jesus Montero, Kyle Anson, Kevin Russo and Mark Melancon were reassigned to minor league camp.

Cashman praised Kennedy on his way out the door, saying the pitcher seems on track to get past his awful struggles of a year ago.

"I just know that he went home and processed what took place last year, the first time failing ever in his career," Cashman said. "He went to winter ball, made some adjustments, came out of winter ball with confidence, came into camp with a great frame of mind. And I think he's leaving and headed over to Scranton with a great frame of mind as well."

Monday, March 16, 2009

Recap: NY Yankees vs. Minnesota

Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - Andy Pettitte threw three innings of two-hit ball to lead the Yankees to a 5-1 victory over the Twins in spring training action.

Angel Berroa had a two-run double for New York, while Ramiro Pena went 2-for-3 and drove in a run. Hideki Matsui and Mark Teixeira drove in the other runs in the win.

Jason Kubel drove in the lone for Minnesota, while Luke Hughes went 2-for-3 and scored in the setback. Glen Perkins was tagged with the loss after yielding three runs on five hits in three innings of work.

Burnett shines as New York Yankees complete split squad sweep

by Marc Carig

TAMPA, Fla. - The calendar may say March, but New York Yankees right-hander A.J. Burnett appeared to be in midseason form on Saturday, tossing four perfect innings to help the New York Yankees to a 3-1 victory against the Houston Astros in a split squad game at Steinbrenner Field.

Burnett showed the type of dominance that the Yankees banked on this offseason, when they signed the pitcher to a five-year, $82.5 million contract. He spotted his fastball, which touched 96 m.p.h. on the radar gun, and mixed it in with a sharp curveball.

"I felt good the entire time," said Burnett, who finished with three strikeouts.

The right-hander was so efficient -- he threw 40 pitches, 32 for strikes - that he needed to throw 10 more pitches in the bullpen just to reach his scheduled count for the day.

"The ball comes out of his hand so free and easy," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

Meanwhile, two of the Yankees' top prospects helped power New York to a 13-10 victory in a another split squad against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Catching standout Jesus Montero hit a grand slam while outfielder Austin Jackson added a homer.

Why the New York Yankees Will Return to Dominance in 2009

The Yankees Have Not Been to the World Series Since 2003 - Here's Why They Will Be Back There in 2009

Sports Illustrated had an interesting article about the Yankees pitching staff and their relationship to the key to their success. The last time the New York Yankees reached the World Series in 2003, they had an arsenal of good pitchers - Clemens, Pettite, Wells, among others. Since then, they have never had dominant starting pitching with Clemens and Pettite leaving for Houston, Wells going into pseudo-retirement only to emerge in San Diego. And with so many problems plaguing the pitching staffs of the New York Yankees from 2004 to 2008, including injuries, horrible signings (Kevin Brown, Carl Pavano come to mind), and controversy (Clemens, Pettite, Joba), could the story be turning a new page in this storied franchise's chapter?

When was the last time you could think of a New York Yankees team that was built like this - with Burnett, Sabbathia, Wang, Chamberlin and Hughes? The expectations are there, but this time around, it's not just about the pitchers. For the first time since 2003 and since the Yankees lost some of their most respected hitters - O'Neill, Williams, Martinez, Soriano, among others, they have an offense that looks and hits like the Yankees when they were so dominant. With Tex, Damon, Matsui, Cano, Posada and Jeter, there's more experience, depth and talent on the offensive side than there's been in years.

The only possible stumbling block to the Yankees this year, which actually might be a blessing in disguise, is the controversy surrounding Rodriguez and the fact that he'll be out 6-8 weeks. This will hurt them offensively, but may prove in the long run to be the best thing for the Yankees because it'll allow the team to focus on hitting and give opportunities to guys like Ransom and Cabrera to fill the hole left by Rodriguez. Other things to watch out for is injuries to their aging stars: Posada, Jeter, Damon and Rivera. If they can avoid injuries, keep a healthy team, then the pitching and hitting should do their jobs and win over 100 games this year.

Lineups set for New York Yankees' split squad

by Marc Carig

TAMPA, Fla. - The New York Yankees will participate in split squad games for the first time this spring. At Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees face the Houston Astros while the traveling team heads to Bradenton, Fla. to take on the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Infielder Cody Ransom is in the lineup today after being hit in the back of the neck with a relay throw against the Boston Red Sox on Friday. He will start at second base.

A.J. Burnett makes his second spring start. Edwar Ramirez, who has been recovering from right shoulder bursitis, is scheduled to make his spring debut in relief.

Meanwhile, second baseman Robinson Cano (right shoulder) and reliever Damaso Marte (left pectoral) are scheduled to see the doctor later in the day.

Long reliever candidate Jason Johnson is set to make his spring debut against the Pirates. Doctors diagnosed the pitcher with retinal cancer earlier this spring.

"We feel like he can help us, whether it's as a sport start, or a starter, or a long reliever," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said on Friday. "During the course of the year, we believe he's a guy who can help. He's got a ton of experience. And obviously he's had to battle through some things this spring, but he's looked pretty competitive actually."

The lineups:

Game 1 (at Steinbrenner Field)
YANKEES
Brett Gardner, CF
Johnny Damon, LF
Xavier Nady, RF
Hideki Matsui, DH
Cody Ransom, 2B
Jose Molina, C
Juan Miranda, 1B
Angel Berroa, SS
Justin Leone, 3B
AJ Burnett, P
Followed by Dan Giese, Brian Bruney and Edwar Ramirez.

ASTROS
Kazuo Matsui, DH
Jason Michaels, CF
Hunter Pence, RF
Geoff Blum, 3B
Aaron Boone, 1B
David Newhan, 2B
Reggie Abercrombie, LF
J.R. Towles, C
Tommy Manzella, SS
Wandy Rodriguez, P

Game 2 (at McKenchie Field, Bradenton, Fla. vs. Pirates)
YANKEES
Melky Cabrera, CF
Nick Swisher, RF
Mark Teixeira, 1B
Jorge Posada, DH
Austin Jackson, LF
Kevin Cash, C
Doug Bernier, 2B
Kevin Russo, 3B
Ramiro Pena, SS
Phil Hughes, P

Followed by Ian Kennedy, Christian Garcia, Jonathan Albaladejo, Mark Melancon and David Robertson.

Robinson Cano, Damaso Marte return to New York Yankees camp with injuries

by Marc Carig

TAMPA, Fla. -- Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano and reliever Damaso Marte returned to camp from the World Baseball Classic on Friday, bringing with them injuries that may sideline them for a few days. Team doctors will examine both players on Saturday.

Cano said he felt some stiffness behind his right shoulder, which he said began bothering him even before he left Yankees camp for the WBC, though he said the team didn't know. He played through the condition for his native Dominican Republic, finishing with three hits in a team-high 13 at-bats over three games, though the Dominicans failed to get past the first round.

"It never went away," said Cano, who thought the stiffness in his right shoulder would subside with stretching.

Marte said he felt tightness in his left pectoral muscles while lifting weights on Tuesday morning. Later in the day, Marte pitched one inning with a two strikeouts in the Dominican Republic's tournament-ending loss to the Netherlands.

"Hopefully it's not much," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Hopefully both of them bounce back quickly. But it's not how you want them coming back."

Bullpen battles a key in New York Yankees camp



by Marc Carig

TAMPA, Fla. -- Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Yankees roster projection I posted on the blog on Thursday. Judging from the comments, it seems that the competition for the remaining bullpen spots is going to be something to keep a close eye on as we get into heart of camp.

To that end, here's some more perspectives on the bullpen situation, from other sources. It is always good to compare:

Mark Feinsand of the Daily News addressed the bullpen on Friday:

Rivera, Bruney and Marte are locked in, while Dan Giese, Brett Tomko and Alfredo Aceves are batting for the long-relief job. That leaves three open spots in the pen, with Veras, Ramirez and Coke having the "inside track," according to (manager Joe) Girardi.

George King of the Post has this take on who will join Mo in the pen, also from Friday's editions:

Brian Bruney and lefties Damaso Marte and Phil Coke are locks. Girardi said early in camp the long man/spot starter job was open. Since Dan Giese is on the 40-man roster and Brett Tomko and Jason Johnson aren't, he might have a slight edge, but the Yankees like Tomko's and Johnson's big league experience.

That leaves two spots for right-handers Jose Veras, Jonathon Albaladejo and Edwar Ramirez to battle for. Veras is out of options so figure him for one. Ramirez (shoulder bursitis) hasn't thrown in a game yet but is slated for tomorrow. Like Albaladejo, Ramirez has an option left.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

New York Yankees prospect Jesus Montero is working hard to catch on


By Marc Carig

TAMPA, Fla. -- Even before his bat earned him universal regard as the top Yankees prospect, before his raw power prompted the organization to pony up $1.6 million to sign him, before some observers hailed him as one of the best power prospects to come out of Latin America in recent years, Jesus Montero was a hulking figure.

Too hulking, his critics pointed out.

"He was kind of a fat guy," said Felix Olivo Ludert, who recruited Montero to play at his instructional academy in Venezuela at age 13. "Everybody realized that he had some pop for that age. But everything was a real mess around him. The only thing he was naturally was so powerful with his bat."

With the opportunity to lift his family out of poverty to motivate him, Montero shed his extra weight -- he is 6-4 and 225 pounds -- and didn't lose any power. And by the time he was 16, the earliest that he could sign, representatives from the Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox were waiting, checkbooks at the ready.

"He's the kind of player who loves a challenge, the kind of player who likes to be No. 1," said Ludert, now Montero's agent. "Nobody felt that he would be even close to what he is at this moment."

Which is why Ludert shrugs when he hears the lingering concerns about Montero's shaky defensive skills, and whether he'll ever make it as a big-league catcher. Most observers long ago concluded that Montero's future was at first base or a designated hitter, that his size and apparent lack of aptitude for intricacies of catching would only make it a matter of time before he would move.

But as he's already proved, Montero, 19, has a knack for dealing with naysayers. With his signing bonus, he's already given his family a more comfortable life in Venezuela and is planning to eventually move them to the U.S. All that remains is his final goal: showing that he can learn to catch.

"If he says he's going to be a catcher," Ludert said, "I have no doubt he's going to be."

Most remarkably, the Yankees seem to agree, especially after seeing the strides Montero made last season, first at low Class-A Charleston and then again in spring training.

In the past week, Yankees manager Joe Girardi and general manager Brian Cashman called Montero the top blocking catcher in the entire camp.

"Without question, he is significantly improved this year as opposed to last year," Cashman said. "To the point that we don't really doubt he's going to be a catcher in the big leagues."

It was quite the accomplishment for Montero, who, according to Ludert is so much of a perfectionist that as a younger player he was so terrified of making throwing mistakes that he'd overthink the simplest tasks -- like tossing the ball back to the pitcher.

"I've been doing really well, been learning a lot," said Montero, who will start the season in the Florida State League with high Class-A Tampa. "I know more than last year. Last year was learning, learning, learning. This year, it's more, more, more. I want to play there. I want to catch in the big leagues."

Sticking as a catcher would prove beneficial for both Montero and the Yankees. With Jorge Posada in the latter part of his career, proving he can catch could potentially fast-track him to the majors.

Remaining behind the plate, Ludert said, is also a point of pride. Montero, he said, views catching as somewhat of a family tradition. Montero's mother was once a member of Venezuela's national softball team. She was a catcher. His younger brother, also named Jesus, is ticketed to play in the Dominican Summer League in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. He is a catcher.

But initially, Montero couldn't convince anybody that his catching aspirations were practical. During his first taste of pro ball -- a 33-game stint with the rookie level Gulf Coast League Yankees in 2007 -- Montero caught only three of 32 attempted base-stealers. His awful defensive debut prompted Baseball Prospectus to declare that Montero's future choice of positions included "catcher, first base, or ornamental fountain."

When Montero moved up to low Class-A Charleston in his first full season since signing, he kept on hitting and finished at .326 with 17 homers and 87 RBI.

"He swings a heavy bat," said Austin Romine, who split catching duties with Montero in Charleston. "He doesn't miss the ball too much, and if you make a mistake, he will punish it, and he will hit a very, very long way."

With Romine as direct competition, Montero threw out 26 of 105 runners. The figure still wasn't great, but it proved that he was intent on raising his game.

Yankees bench coach and catching instructor Tony Pena said Montero is setting up more efficiently -- an issue for larger-bodied catcher -- and has showed better arm strength. But Pena, a former All-Star catcher, said patience will be required.

The veteran Posada has noticed considerable improvement behind the plate and said Montero will benefit further from playing for Luis Sojo, the former Yankees infielder who will manage Class-A Tampa this season.

"Knowing Sojo, he's going to be a little tougher on the kid, because he knows what talent is." Posada said. "And you've got to be a little bit tougher on kids who have that much talent."

Fun with the New York Yankees lineup

By Marc Carig

TAMPA, Fla. -- Based on recent comments made by Yankees manager Joe Girardi, here's a projected 25-man roster and lineup for Opening Day. A ton of variables can still impact this -- namely the health of Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada -- so I'm confident we're going to see some changes. Also, there's more than three weeks until the Yankees head north. That's plenty of time for things to get messier.

But what's to stop us from putting something out there?

Besides, pondering the 25-man is a good exercise to keep the mind occupied during the post-lunch haze. It sure beats counting the holes in the ceiling tiles above your desk, which is what I did at my old 9 to 5, but that's another story.

Here are some things to consider, ground rules, if you will, for piecing this thing together:

-- Even without Alex Rodriguez around, Girardi said he prefers to keep Mark Teixeira hitting in the three-hole in the lineup. Matsui (if his knee is fine) is a natural for the middle of the lineup.

-- Sinkerballer Chien Ming-Wang will pitch second in the rotation as a nice change of pace between CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett.

-- Girardi said a second left-hander in the bullpen of a 12-man pitching staff would be a nice luxury, as would an experienced long reliever.

-- According to the manager, the loser of the Brett Gardner/Melky Cabrera competition for the center field job isn't necessarily out of a roster spot.

-- But if Posada (shoulder) isn't healthy enough to catch, the Yankees may need to use a roster spot on an extra catcher, bad news for one of two outfielders on the bench.

-- The organization views 2008 washouts Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy as starters, so they're probably not going to be asked to be long men.

-- Girardi said he hasn't forgotten last season's contributions of Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez and Phil Coke.

-- Cody Ransom is here to stay till May. At least, so they say.

STARTING LINEUP
Damon, LF
Jeter, SS
Teixeira, 1B
Matsui, DH
Nady, RF
Posada, C
Cano, 2B
Ransom, 3B
Gardner, CF

BENCH
Molina, C
Berroa, Util.
Cabrera, OF
Swisher, 1B/OF

ROTATION
Sabathia (L)
Wang
Burnett
Pettitte (L)
Chamberlain

BULLPEN
Rivera
Bruney
Marte (L)
Ramirez
Coke (L)
Veras
Tomko