Some Sunday Links

Haven't done a link dump in a while, figured I'd start today:

- Richard Justice calls the Yankees trio of Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte "a timeless classic" in this article for MLB.com.

- Joel Sherman says that Mariano was what separated the Yankees from everyone else. I would have to agree.

- After CC Sabathia sim game today, he's set to make his spring debut on Friday.

- Boone Logan threw off a mound today after dealing with elbow soreness.

- Sweeny Murti says the Blue Jays haven't proved anything yet and even they know it.

- Here's the upcoming plan for Mariano and Jeter as they both return from injuries.

- Steve Serby did his Sunday Q&A with Goose Gossage. As you might expect, Mariano was one of the main topics of conversation.

- The Daily News' Mark Feinsand has a new podcast which debuted today.

- Andrew Marchand thinks Ronnier Mustelier may be the Yankees new contender at third.

- If you're looking to grab Yankees tickets for the upcoming season, SIH has you covered.

... Oh, and the United States is trailing Canada 2-0 in the 3rd inning, in what is a win-or-go-home game for both teams at the WBC.

Tonight's Yankees Lineup & Other News

Derek Jeter DH
Nick Swisher 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Andruw Jones RF
Curtis Granderson CF
Eduardo Nunez SS
Brett Gardner LF
Chris Stewart C

CC Sabathia LHP

- Teixeira will sit due to flu-like symptoms.

- Just a normal off day for Russell Martin, who is currently hitting .160 after going hitless in his last 9 ABs. Seems like he could use the day, no?

- Andy Pettitte will pitch for class-A Tampa on Friday.

- Michael Pineda was on the mound yesterday and threw a 26-pitch bullpen session. He will throw another in a few days and shortly after thatwill make his first minor league appearance as he works his way back.

Today's News: Pineda's Debut, Nunez Hurt

- Michael Pineda made his spring training debut today for the Yanks against the Phillies at Bright House Field and pitched well. Here's a breakdown from Pete Caldera:

Here’s how he did in the first inning…
Jimmy Rollins: Ground single up the middle (2-2 count)
Placido Polanco: Fielder’s choice groundout (3-2 count)
Shane Victorino: Strikes out (1-2 change-up)
Jim Thome: Strikes out (1-2 fastball)

Second inning:

Hunter Pence: Pops to first (1-1 pitch)
Ty Wigginton: Grounds out, catcher to first (1-1 pitch)
Domonic Brown: Lines out to third (1-1 pitch)

Pineda’s line: 2 IP, 1 hit, 0 BB, 2 K, 30 pitches, 19 strikes.

Afterward, Pineda was asked if he were nervous for his first time out as a Yankee: “Hell, no,” he said.

Pineda, 23, said he was “very confident now…very excited.”

According to Jack Curry, he also used that changeup everyone is banking on and said he was comfortable with the pitch. Nice outing, but there's a lot more to go.

The Yankees also don't seem too concerned that he came into camp 10 pounds overweight.

- As for Eduardo Nunez, he left today's game after being hit on the right hand by Austin Hyatt (who?) in the fifth. Nunez was got precautionary X-Rays and the Yanks are saying he has a contusion.

Some Saturday Afternoon Yankees-Sox Links

- Mike Vaccaro feels like Yanks might have the upper hand after last night's big 3-2 win.

- Over on the Boston side of the media, Bob Ryan says that last night's win was a huge confidence boost for the Yankees, who desperately needed a win against the Sox.

- Also over at Boston.com, Nick Cafardo says it's time for the Red Sox bats to "swing into action."

- Sean McAdam doesn't think fans or the media should over-hype this series since both of these teams are likely to be playing in October anyway.

- CC Sabathia says this start is no different from any other starts he makes. In case you were wondering, CC is 0-3 with a 6.16 ERA in three starts against Boston this season.

- Here's a Youtube clip of the final inning taken from some crappy Fenway seats up the right field line. The reaction from the Masshole fans at the end is pretty funny.

News & Notes: Jeter, Soriano, Feliciano & Noesi

- Derek Jeter is down in Trenton to play a couple minor-league rehab games with the Thunder on Saturday and Sunday. Jeter worked out in Trenton for 40 minutes today with Thunder shortstop Jose Pirela. If all goes well, he will rejoin the Yankees in Cleveland on Monday.

- Rafael Soriano threw 32 pitches off a mound without any problems. His target date is the first series after the all-star break.

- Pedro Feliciano also threw off a mound (30 pitches) in Tampa. No word on when he's expected back.

- Joel Sherman tweets that Hector Noesi will be sent down tomorrow to make room for Bartolo Colon on the 25-man roster.

Tonight's Lineup, Joba to the DL & Some Other News

Joba Chamberlain has been placed on the 15-day DL a strained flexor muscle. According to reports, this is something he's been dealing with for a while.

Hector Noesi has been sent back to Triple-A after working six last night. Amaury Sanit has been called up to take his place in the pen. I assume this is just to get a fresh arm up here and eventually Noesi will be back with the big club. He's certainly earned it.

- As I reported before, Jeff Marquez will be in uniform tonight. He will take the other open spot on the roster.

- Jorge Posada will miss tonight's game because his son, Jorge III, underwent another surgery for craniosynotosis. The Posada's hope this will be the final surgery for his son.

And here's tonight's lineup, and yes Teixeira is playing:

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Brett Gardner LF
Eduardo Nunez 3B
Francisco Cervelli C

Pitching: RHP A.J. Burnett

The Lineup, Pitching Matchups, and Hughes Suffers a Setback

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Jorge Posada DH
Russell Martin C
Brett Gardner LF

Pitching: RHP A.J. Burnett

Pitching Matchups

Game 1: Tonight @ 7:05 PM | TV: YES/ESPN | Radio: WCBS
RHP A.J. Burnett (3-0, 4.37) vs. RHP Phil Humber (1-2, 4.42)

Game 2: Tuesday @ 7:05 PM | TV: MY9 | Radio: WCBS
RHP Ivan Nova (1-2, 7.63) vs. RHP Gavin Floyd (2-1, 4.00)

Game 3: Wednesday @ 7:05 PM | TV: YES | Radio: WCBS
RHP Bartolo Colon (1-1, 3.50) vs. LHP Mark Buehrle (1-2, 5.40)

Game 4: Thursday @ 7:05 PM | TV: YES/MLBN | Radio: WCBS
LHP CC Sabathia (1-1, 2.73) vs. RHP Edwin Jackson (2-2, 4.48)

And here's the update on Hughes from Mark Feinsand:

Girardi said Phil Hughes' bullpen was "Not good." His arm "didn't bounce back like we thought it would." Said it's "obviously a setback."

Some Stuff I Missed Over the Weekend

Sorry for the lack of posts this weekend. I was a bit under the weather, and with a bunch of different things going on I just didn't have the time.... My bad.

Here's what we missed:

- The Yankees were able to take two of three from the reigning AL champion Texas Rangers. A big time start by Freddy Garcia and a flurry of home runs propelled the Yanks to a nice series win. Lance Pendleton also had a very impressive MLB debut in the Yanks loss on Friday.

- During yesterday's post game, Joe Girardi said that Alex Rodriguez's MRI on his stiff back came back clean.

- Kevin Millwood was dominant in his first start in the Yankees organization for Double-A Trenton yesterday. He allowed one hit and four walks over seven shutout innings. He also fanned three.

- Mark Prior is headed to Triple-A Scranton.

- The Yankees were going to send Phil Hughes to Triple-A after his latest disaster on the mound, but after reporting that he was experiencing a "dead arm" they decided to put him on to the DL instead.

Garcia Open to a Relief Role and a Few More Notes From Today

From Chad Jennings:

Just 24 hours after a series of injuries left some mild concerns about the state of the Yankees bullpen, the Yankees relievers came through with flying colors today. And Freddy Garcia said he wouldn’t be opposed to joining them.

“If I can pitch in the bullpen, I pitch in the bullpen,” Garcia said. “The goal is to make the team, but that’s not in my hands. Try to do my best. I don’t pitch the way I want to pitch (today), but that’s the way it is.”

If he doesn't make the rotation it might be a good idea to keep the guy around as some insurance. 

In other news:

- Andrew Brackman and Dellin Betances were assigned to minor league camp.

- Joba Chamberlain threw a max effort bullpen session earlier today and said he felt no discomfort.

“I feel great, and I’d rather have this happen at this time instead of this time next week,” he said. “There would be no question (if it happened next week) that I wouldn’t be able to make the season. I want to head north with these guys.”

- Pedro Feiliciano threw a light BP session and is one more BP session away from returning to game action and says he'll be ready for opening day.

- Manny Banuelos will make an appearance on Monday following Bartolo Colon's start. This could be his final big league outing of the spring.

One More Cut & Some Other News

- Kyle Higashioka is the latest cut in Yankees camp. He has been reassigned to minor league camp.

- According to Joe Girardi each of the Killer-B's, Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances and Andrew Brackman, will get at least one more outing for the big league team this spring.

- Sergio Mitre will throw a bullpen tomorrow. Joel Sherman reported earlier that scouts are convinced the Yanks will eventually release the right-hander.

- Joba had an MRI yesterday which showed an injured oblique. His outing later this week has been pushed back, but both he and Girardi believe he's fine.

- Francisco Cervelli is off crutches.

- Derek Jeter is on this month's cover of GQ (shown below).

Saturday Afternoon Links

- Here's a very nice photo gallery from over at MLB.com showing the stadium setup for today's Notre Dame vs. Army game.... If you'd like to go to the game you can still get tickets here.

- Here is an updated version of the time-lapse video I posted yesterday. This one actually shows the football configuration completed at the end.

- The Yankees added Dellin Betances, Brandon Laird, and Ryan Pope to the 40-man roster.

- They also traded for Braves minor league outfielder Cody Johnson.

- Back in 2007, Derek Jeter apparently told his trainer (Jason Riley) that he wants to play until 2017. Here are a couple quotes from the trainer:

"I don't think anything can hold Derek back other than himself. If he decides to hang it up before [he turns 43], then that will be his decision. If Derek decides at 41 he's already given his best years, then that's where it will end. But if he decides to go until he's 43, he'll do everything in his power to play the game at a high level and help the team through that time. I think there's so much determination inside of Derek that he can do it."

...

"You can't put an age on the heart of an athlete, and Derek's got one of the purest hearts in sports," Riley said. "He's not going to allow himself to have another down year, if he even considers 2010 a down year. His internal drive separates him from others. I've worked with very few people who go after the game like he does."

I just hope this doesn't mean he wants a seven-year deal now.

- Speaking of Jeter, many people within the game think he will end up back in the Bronx, but they also see a position change in his future.

- Yankees Magazine visited Don Mattingly, who is managing in the Arizona Fall League. You can check out the video on YES.

News & Notes: Girardi, CC, Pitching, Parking

- The Yankees and Joe Girardi made his three-year, $9M deal official today.

- CC Sabathia had his knee surgery.

- The Yankees began internal discussions about the pitching coach job today...

“We want to get it done as quickly as possible,” Girardi said. “But we want to make sure we cover all our bases and make sure we interview as many people as we need to.”

I assume one of the writers asked him about Mike Harkey and Scott Aldred, because according to Chad Jennings, Cashman said he would consider them for the job.

- Parking at Yankee Stadium will go up again next year.

The owner of the financially troubled Yankee Stadium parking system plans to hike game-day rates by as much as 50% next year in a last-ditch effort to avert defaulting on millions in tax-exempt bonds.

Stadium self-parking prices will zoom from the current $23 to $35, while valet prices will go from $36 to $45. That's according to financial documents filed last month by garage owner Bronx Parking Development.

Take the train.

Some News & Notes Since The Season Died

I haven't looked at anything Yankee related in about 24 hours and apparently there's been some news. Here's some of it:

- The SF Giants beat the Phillies last night to set up what should be the least watched and cared about World Series in history.

- Damaso Marte had labrum surgery this Friday and will begin throwing again after the 2011 All-Star break.

- Javier Vazquez has already been linked to the Washington Nationals... See ya Javy, don't let the door hit you on the way out.... I still can't believe they gave up Arodys Vizcaino for this guy.

- Andy Pettitte isn't sure what he's going to do next season, which is better than knowing he is going to retire.

“I wish I could tell you, I really do,” Pettitte said. “I wish I knew. I’m just not sure. The only thing I know right now is I love taking the mound every fifth day. Unfortunately there’s a lot of other stuff that — at this point, at this stage of my life –that I don’t like about baseball. It obviously just has to do with the family.

“Just go home, let this settle in, and really probably try not to think about this for a little while. And then just figure out what I want to do. I don’t want to make any rash decisions. I wish I knew. I really do. I wish I know what I was going to do right now, but I just don’t.”

I think Andy has at least one more year left in that arm and if he does come back the Yankees starting staff will be in a lot better shape heading into next season. Without him, it's really just CC and a bunch of question marks.

- After Friday night's loss, Brian Cashman said that bringing back Joe Girardi will be the first priority of the offseason. Starting pitching and resigning Jeter and Mo are also tops on his list.

Friday Morning Links

Good morning people. Baseball will finally return tonight as the Yankees and Rangers open up their LCS in Arlington. For now, here's some links to keep you busy this morning.

- Yankees.com posted this press release of Joe Girardi's Q&A from yesterday's workout.

- CC Sabathia is hoping to put that shaky ALDS start behind him.

"Last time, I was a little too strong and tend to get out of whack and it's tough for me to throw strikes," Sabathia said. "Just have to make sure I'm throwing enough."

- Mark Simon believes all CC needs for a win is a 65 (game score).

- Don't be surprised if CC is called upon to start game 4.

"Nothing is ever etched in stone," Eiland said Thursday. "We'll see where we are before Game 4, but we haven't talked about that. It's A.J.'s game and that's it. Can we change our mind? Sure we can, but that's not our plan."

- Many believe that white stuff on Cliff Lee's hat is more than simply resin, but as of now the Yankees aren't buying into the conspiracy theories..... Michael Kay, on the other hand, is, but Bob Raissman tells him to shut up about it.

- Michael Young isn't sold on the idea that Cliff Lee will be Bronx bound after the season. The veteran infielder believes Lee likes Texas and may want to resign there.

“I’ve gotten in his ear a little bit. To be honest with you, I think we don’t need [to convince him]. I think Cliff knows this is a good place to play. He’s said that in all of our conversations,” Young said yesterday. “It’s pretty obvious right now. We’ve got a good thing going. Great fan base and a huge city. It’s everything that a winning player would want to be a part of."

- Wallace Matthews believes the key to the Yankees winning this series is limiting Lee's starts to one.

- Matthews also says that Kevin Long and the Yankees have a plan for Lee.

"He's not invincible,'' Long said at a Thursday afternoon media session at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on the eve of Game 1. "He's not the Messiah that nobody can beat. Everybody seems to be conceding him two games, but there's a lot of baseball yet to be played.''

...

"Look, we know he attacks the strike zone,'' said Long, an advocate of the patient approach practiced by Yankees hitters, who like to work the count and wait for a pitch to hit -- not always the best way to attack Lee.

"Should we be more aggressive than normal? I would say so,'' Long said. "But you can't be overly aggressive either, because nothing he throws is coming down the middle. If he's hitting his spots in and out, it's gonna be tough. We just gotta be ready to hit from the moment we step into the box.''

- TBS analyst Ron Darling spoke with the NY Post about the Yankees and their postseason success.

“From someone who won only one World Series, this is eerie,” said Darling, who was an analyst for TBS during the Yankees-Twins ALDS and will be again for the ALCS that starts tonight.

“They find a way to get it done in October to the point where the manager is able to change his number,” he said. “And for someone who used to play, it’s admirable to watch how they prepare, get ready and produce during the postseason.”

...

“One of the great things about the Yankees is they know exactly what’s going to happen,” said Darling, who is analyst on Mets games for SNY during the regular season. “The level of play gets ratcheted up from round to round. They played against a team they dominated for whatever reason. But I don’t think that’s going to make the Yankees overconfident. It just reaffirms the kind of team they are.

“The next level you have to prove you can handle the pressure. And in the World Series you have to show you are a great team. They’ve been there many times before. They have fallen a couple of times, but they usually end up on top.”

- The main reason the Yankees went with Phil Hughes in game 2 and Andy Pettitte in game 3 was game 7. This rotation lines things up for Pettitte to start that game and that's something the Yankees feel much more comfortable with than having Hughes pitch that game.

"We have the most successful postseason pitcher in the history of the game, and now we have him lined up to pitch a Game 7," Eiland said. "In a crazy environment on the road, you'd feel good having Andy out there."

- The pregame ceremonies for the games in Texas have been announced. Nolan Ryan and Ferguson Jenkins will throw out the first pitches, and a bunch of country singers I've never heard of will be signing the National Anthem and God Bless America.

Here's Some Links

- Joe Girardi insists the team isn't focused on Cliff Lee and the only thing they care about right now is C.J. Wilson and game 1.

- Jon Lane also looks at this decision.

- CC Sabathia hopes this is the last time he has to worry about playing against Cliff Lee, that's because he's hoping Lee joins him in the Bronx next year. So am I.

- Ian O'Conner says Cashman was right to pass on Lee back in July. I wonder if he'll feel the same way if the Rangers win this series..... Would you?

- Mark Simon of ESPN New York takes a look at the stats behind the deicision to start Phil Hughes in game 2 and Andy Pettitte in game 3.

- Former Rangers scout Frankie Piliere scouts the ALCS and takes a look at the four key matchups of the series.

- Mark Feinsand tells Yankees fans who are upset about A.J. Burnett pitching in this series to "get over it".

- Brendan Prunty wrote a very interesting piece this morning on Kevin Long's home run drill.

Some Monday Morning Links

- Johnny Damon says he thinks the Yankees should be rooting for the Rays tomorrow:

"I think New York has a better chance of beating Tampa Bay," Damon told The Post yesterday on the way to a fishing trip in the Florida Keys. "Tampa's starting pitching down the stretch was not as sharp. New York played Texas a month ago and got swept [in three games in Arlington]."

- Speaking of Johnny Damon, apparently he's already lobbying for a return to the Pinstripes:

"I would love to have that as an option," Damon told The Post when asked if Johnny II in The Bronx were a possibility. "It would be very exciting to go back there."

And now back to the 'who should the Yankees root for tomorrow?' question:

- John Harper of the Daily News doesn't agree Damon. He thinks Texas is the better matchup for the Yankees, especially since Cliff Lee won't be in games 1 or 2:

However, I have a feeling the Yankees will be watching Tuesday night and quietly rooting for the Rangers to lose so the next time they see Lee it will be in Tampa in February when he's wearing their pinstripes.

You can't blame them, based on the way Lee dominated them in the Series last year, and as recently as a month ago when he limited them to two hits over eight innings in his first start after a cortisone shot for a lower-back problem. Yet at this point I believe Joe Girardi's club would be better off playing the Rangers than the Rays in the ALCS. In losing twice at home this weekend with a chance to close out their ALDS series, the Rangers had that look of a journeyman golfer suddenly finding himself in the lead at the Masters on Sunday afternoon and not knowing how to get to the house.

- Even Lance Berkman has an opinion (that he's willing to share publicly) on the topic:

"I would love to play the Rangers," Berkman said after the Yankees' ALDS clincher on Saturday night. "I think that it would be neat for me to get to play in Texas, and certainly it's closer to my home than Tampa is. I'd love to see the Rangers win that. Plus, I know Nolan [Ryan] and have a great deal of respect for him and would love to see [him] — and some other guys over there. Jackie Moore, their bench coach. Love to see them advance and get an opportunity to play against them."

- The Captain has no preference:

“You don’t ever wish for a certain opponent because you just might get ‘em,” Jeter said.

- Over at the Star Tribune, Twins fans talk about their trip to the Bronx for the ALDS. As you might expect, they were not treated very well.

- Brian Costello thinks the Yankees will savor their extra time off as they wait until Friday for the ALCS opener. Apparently, a few Yankees agree:

"We need a couple of days off," Jorge Posada said Saturday night with his shoulder and knees wrapped in ice.
...

"I think our team always does well with rest," Rodriguez said. "I think, for us, rest is always an important factor. I know it worked out well for us last year. We built a nice cushion down the stretch and we benefited from it."

........................

If you're wondering what I think about tomorrow's Rays-Rangers game, I'm just very happy they're playing it. It was very big for the Yanks to have that series extended to five. As for who I'm "rooting" for, I can honestly I don't have a preference. At their best the Yankees can beat anyone, especially when they don't have to face that team's ace for the first two games.

Some Off-Day Links As We Enjoy This 2-0 Lead

- Slade Heathcott is apparently headed for some sort of surgery and will be out until February.

- Jeff Pasan of Yahoo! Sports talks about how bad Hunter Wendelstedt was last night, as well as how bad MLB umps have been in general. He points out that according to Brooks Baseball, Wendelstedt missed a ridiculous 31 pitches behind the plate last night.

- Speaking of terrible umpires, Joe Girardi is ready to expand the use of instant replay.

- This article from ESPN NY uses math to show us how much more impressive Don Larsen's perfect game in '56 was compared to Roy Halladay's no-no on Tuesday.

- Did you see what Tim Lincecum did last night?

- And finally the BBTN crew discusses last night's 5-2 Yankees win:

Labor Day Updates: Lineup, Matchups, Pettitte & Curtis

Alright, a lot to get to, let's start with some news:

- Andy Pettitte will make a rehab start on Wednesday with the Double-A Trenton Thunder. The Yankees believe he will need two rehab starts before rejoining the roster, but he could only make one if everyone feels that's enough.

- Colin Curtis has been called up.

Onto the lineups and series matchups...

Today's Lineup:

Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Marcus Thames LF
Jorge Posada DH
Francisco Cervelli C
Brett Gardner CF

Matchups:

Game 1: Today @ 1:05 PM | TV: YES | Radio: WCBS
RHP A.J. Burnett (10-12, 5.15) vs. LHP Brian Matusz (7-12, 4.72)

Game 2: Tomorrow @ 7:05 PM | TV: YES | Radio: WCBS
LHP CC Sabathia (19-5, 3.02) vs. RHP Jake Arrieta (4-6, 5.11)

Game 3: Wednesday @ 1:05 PM | TV: YES | Radio: WCBS
RHP Ivan Nova (1-0, 2.89) vs. RHP Brad Bergesen (6-10, 5.47)

Tonight's Lineup & Series Pitching Matchups

Here is tonight's Yankees lineup:

Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada DH
Curtis Granderson CF
Francisco Cervelli C
Brett Gardner LF

And the pitching matchups for all four games:

Game 1: Tonight @ 7:05 pm | TV: YES | Radio: WCBS
RHP Javier Vazquez (9-8, 4.90) vs. RHP Max Scherzer (7-9, 4.03)

Game 2: Tuesday @ 7:05 pm | TV: MY9 | Radio: WCBS
LHP CC Sabathia 15-5, 3.14) vs. RHP Justin Verlander (13-7, 3.72)

Game 3: Wednesday @ 7:05 pm | TV: YES | WCBS
RHP Dustin Moseley (2-2, 4.41) vs. RHP Jeremy Bonderman (6-8, 5.16)

Game 4: Thursday @ 1:05 pm | TV: YES | WCBS
RHP Phil Hughes (14-5, 3.94) vs. RHP Rick Porcello (5-10, 5.53)

Some Saturday Links

- Tim Bontemps talks about how Dellin Betances and Manny Banuelos have gotten their seasons back on track after a couple injuries.

- Kevin Goldstein also wrote about Banuelos is this week's Future Shock report.

Banuelos has pure power stuff, including a fastball that's been up to 94-95 mph at times this year and a much improved power breaker.

- Dave Cameron over at Fangraphs took a look at the Yankees starting pitchers, and they conclude that the Yankees are pitching more to contact this year. What do you think?

- Any baseball card collectors out there? Here's The 30 Worst Baseball Cards of all-time via Acid Cow. Here are three examples:

Which is your favorite on the list?

- Have you seen this video of a guy in Houston moving out of the way of a foul ball and allowing it to hit his girl friend in the arm?


Well, to the surprise of no one, they're breaking up.