Sunday, March 26, 2006
Notes: Sturtze's mechanics off
03/16/2006
TAMPA, Fla. -- Tanyon Sturtze estimated earlier this week that it would take between eight and 12 innings for him to be ready for Opening Day.
After Thursday's rough outing against the Astros, the Yankees right-hander better hope that the next half-dozen innings or so go better than the first three have.
Sturtze allowed four runs in the seventh inning, taking the loss in New York's 10-5 defeat to Houston. He gave up three hits and a walk, facing nine batters in the inning.
"My mechanics are just bad right now," Sturtze said. "That's what we're here for, to work on that and get ready."
Sturtze is a few weeks behind the rest of the pitching staff, as he got a late start after rehabbing his tired right shoulder all winter.
He has been flying open with his front shoulder, which affects his location, and manager Joe Torre has said on more than one occasion that it looks like Sturtze is trying to throw the ball through the back wall.
"I think I'm trying to throw a little too hard; trying to make sure my velocity is still there with my shoulder," Sturtze said. "I'm not concentrating on other things, so we'll go back to the mechanics stuff."
Although Sturtze's results have been spotty, he is confident that as long as he feels healthy, everything else will follow in time.
"My arm feels great," Sturtze said. "Everything just doesn't feel together yet. It's a little out of whack, like it's two different pieces. The arm goes and then the body goes. We have plenty of time. It's not that big of a deal."
Hideki homers: Hideki Matsui entered Thursday's game with an impressive .364 average, but the left fielder had yet to hit a home run or collect an RBI. He took care of both in the third inning against the Astros.
Matsui ripped a 3-1 pitch from Brandon Backe over the right-field fence, as he went 1-for-2, raising his average to .375.
"Matsui's been turning it on; you can see it," said hitting coach Don Mattingly. "He's pretty solid all the time. He's seeing the ball good. That ball he hit, he crushed it."
"I'm still in that stage where I'm making adjustments," Matsui said through a translator, "that preparation stage."
No news on Johnny: Johnny Damon remains in Anaheim, Calif., with Team USA, though he isn't expected to do anything other than pinch-run or possibly pinch-hit. Damon, who is battling tendinitis in his left shoulder, isn't scheduled to throw at all for at least five more days.
General manager Brian Cashman spoke with Team USA general manager Bob Watson -- Cashman's former boss, when he was Watson's assistant GM with the Yankees -- about Damon, and the two men are on the same page with regards to the center fielder's health.
"If there are certain things he can do, get the best treatment possible and try to help that team win, we'll be cooperative on that issue," Cashman said. "I don't think we'll get to the point where we'll have to feel we have to pull him out.
"We're on the same page as the people at the [World Baseball Classic], so if there is enough of a concern, they'll send him back," he added. "We won't have to ask for that; it will be an obvious thing to do."
As of Thursday afternoon, Cashman had not spoken with Dr. Lewis Yocum, the doctor who examined Damon on Tuesday. Yocum has also been in contact with Team USA, so Cashman isn't concerned about Damon injuring himself further.
Damon, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Al Leiter are the only Yankees remaining in the World Baseball Classic.
Mo time: Mariano Rivera made his fifth appearance of the spring on Thursday, walking one batter and hitting another in a scoreless inning against Houston.
Rivera won't make the long trip to Jupiter this weekend -- "They don't need me there," he said. "They have enough." -- but he may pitch two innings on Sunday when the Yanks return home to Legends Field against the Indians.
"Today was 20 pitches," he said, "so I think I'll be ready. So far, so good."
Bernie on his way: With Puerto Rico eliminated from the World Baseball Classic, the Yankees will be getting back one of their five participating players this weekend.
Bernie Williams is expected to return to Tampa on Thursday night, though he won't join the team until Sunday. Williams won't make the trip to Jupiter, where the Yanks play on Friday and Saturday, working out at the club's Minor League complex instead.
Williams hit .250 in six games as the designated hitter for Puerto Rico, hitting two homers while driving in five runs. He was named the top player in Pool C during the opening round.
"It will be good to have him back," said Cashman. "He had a great tournament."
Under the weather: Jorge Posada was scratched on Thursday, as the catcher was sidelined by flu-like symptoms.
Posada was experiencing chills and had a fever, so Torre held Kelly Stinnett back in Tampa to catch Chien-Ming Wang in the home portion of the split-squad day.
Posada was expected to make the trip to Jupiter, but the Yankees decided on Thursday afternoon to let him remain in Tampa to rest.
Roster redux: The Yankees optioned right-handers Matt DeSalvo and Jeff Karstens to Triple-A Columbus after both pitched in the Yankees' 4-3 split-squad loss at Lakeland against the Tigers.
Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/
TAMPA, Fla. -- Tanyon Sturtze estimated earlier this week that it would take between eight and 12 innings for him to be ready for Opening Day.
After Thursday's rough outing against the Astros, the Yankees right-hander better hope that the next half-dozen innings or so go better than the first three have.
Sturtze allowed four runs in the seventh inning, taking the loss in New York's 10-5 defeat to Houston. He gave up three hits and a walk, facing nine batters in the inning.
"My mechanics are just bad right now," Sturtze said. "That's what we're here for, to work on that and get ready."
Sturtze is a few weeks behind the rest of the pitching staff, as he got a late start after rehabbing his tired right shoulder all winter.
He has been flying open with his front shoulder, which affects his location, and manager Joe Torre has said on more than one occasion that it looks like Sturtze is trying to throw the ball through the back wall.
"I think I'm trying to throw a little too hard; trying to make sure my velocity is still there with my shoulder," Sturtze said. "I'm not concentrating on other things, so we'll go back to the mechanics stuff."
Although Sturtze's results have been spotty, he is confident that as long as he feels healthy, everything else will follow in time.
"My arm feels great," Sturtze said. "Everything just doesn't feel together yet. It's a little out of whack, like it's two different pieces. The arm goes and then the body goes. We have plenty of time. It's not that big of a deal."
Hideki homers: Hideki Matsui entered Thursday's game with an impressive .364 average, but the left fielder had yet to hit a home run or collect an RBI. He took care of both in the third inning against the Astros.
Matsui ripped a 3-1 pitch from Brandon Backe over the right-field fence, as he went 1-for-2, raising his average to .375.
"Matsui's been turning it on; you can see it," said hitting coach Don Mattingly. "He's pretty solid all the time. He's seeing the ball good. That ball he hit, he crushed it."
"I'm still in that stage where I'm making adjustments," Matsui said through a translator, "that preparation stage."
No news on Johnny: Johnny Damon remains in Anaheim, Calif., with Team USA, though he isn't expected to do anything other than pinch-run or possibly pinch-hit. Damon, who is battling tendinitis in his left shoulder, isn't scheduled to throw at all for at least five more days.
General manager Brian Cashman spoke with Team USA general manager Bob Watson -- Cashman's former boss, when he was Watson's assistant GM with the Yankees -- about Damon, and the two men are on the same page with regards to the center fielder's health.
"If there are certain things he can do, get the best treatment possible and try to help that team win, we'll be cooperative on that issue," Cashman said. "I don't think we'll get to the point where we'll have to feel we have to pull him out.
"We're on the same page as the people at the [World Baseball Classic], so if there is enough of a concern, they'll send him back," he added. "We won't have to ask for that; it will be an obvious thing to do."
As of Thursday afternoon, Cashman had not spoken with Dr. Lewis Yocum, the doctor who examined Damon on Tuesday. Yocum has also been in contact with Team USA, so Cashman isn't concerned about Damon injuring himself further.
Damon, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Al Leiter are the only Yankees remaining in the World Baseball Classic.
Mo time: Mariano Rivera made his fifth appearance of the spring on Thursday, walking one batter and hitting another in a scoreless inning against Houston.
Rivera won't make the long trip to Jupiter this weekend -- "They don't need me there," he said. "They have enough." -- but he may pitch two innings on Sunday when the Yanks return home to Legends Field against the Indians.
"Today was 20 pitches," he said, "so I think I'll be ready. So far, so good."
Bernie on his way: With Puerto Rico eliminated from the World Baseball Classic, the Yankees will be getting back one of their five participating players this weekend.
Bernie Williams is expected to return to Tampa on Thursday night, though he won't join the team until Sunday. Williams won't make the trip to Jupiter, where the Yanks play on Friday and Saturday, working out at the club's Minor League complex instead.
Williams hit .250 in six games as the designated hitter for Puerto Rico, hitting two homers while driving in five runs. He was named the top player in Pool C during the opening round.
"It will be good to have him back," said Cashman. "He had a great tournament."
Under the weather: Jorge Posada was scratched on Thursday, as the catcher was sidelined by flu-like symptoms.
Posada was experiencing chills and had a fever, so Torre held Kelly Stinnett back in Tampa to catch Chien-Ming Wang in the home portion of the split-squad day.
Posada was expected to make the trip to Jupiter, but the Yankees decided on Thursday afternoon to let him remain in Tampa to rest.
Roster redux: The Yankees optioned right-handers Matt DeSalvo and Jeff Karstens to Triple-A Columbus after both pitched in the Yankees' 4-3 split-squad loss at Lakeland against the Tigers.
Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/
