New York Yankees @ Bare Baseball - Baseball MLB Blog

03/11/2006
TAMPA, Fla. -- There's no doubt the recipe for success for the New York Yankees' pitching staff involves a solid outing from the starting pitcher and quick work from closer Mariano Rivera.
That's what the Yankees got on Saturday, with three solid innings from starter Chien-Ming Wang and a 1-2-3 seventh inning -- although in a regular-season game, obviously, it would be the ninth -- from Rivera.
Wang made his second start of the spring, throwing three solid innings after an unimpressive debut.
He said he felt better than during his opener after working on correcting his arm angle. Throwing the ball at a higher angle, Wang mowed through Atlanta's lineup, yielding just one hit while fanning four.
"He was a lot of fun today," catcher Jorge Posada said. "His arm angle was outstanding.
"The results really showed. If he can do that consistently he's really going to have a good year."
Wang gave up three runs on six hits against Toronto his first start, and according to him his sinker was flat. This time his out pitch had more sink.
"His location was better and he had a lot of jump on his fastball." Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "He threw some good sliders, a couple good forkballs. He was outstanding today."
Rivera threw just eight pitches in his third appearance this spring, striking out the first batter he saw and forcing two infield ground outs.
"I felt good today," Rivera said.
Rivera has given up just one hit in three innings this spring, a home run to Detroit's Marcus Thames. He has five strikeouts.
Giambi almost back: Jason Giambi said his sore left calf is improving and that he could see action in a game as soon as Tuesday.
"I ran today," Giambi said. "I ran around and it felt pretty good."
Giambi said he thought he could play Monday, but Torre said since the Yankees are the visiting team against Pittsburgh and the Pirates denied his request for a designated hitter, Giambi should get his first chance to play on Tuesday.
Giambi has missed five games since injuring the calf in the field during a play at first base. He has been receiving treatment on the calf every day and ran on it the first time Friday.
Giambi said the plan is to get him back in a game at designated hitter before he comes back to play first base so that it doesn't get overworked too soon. The challenge, he said, is going to be running out of the batters box.
Around the horn: Bubba Crosby saw action in his first game since injuring his right index finger, playing right field. He doubled in his only at-bat. ... Five players were reassigned: right-hander Philip Hughes, catcher Jason Brown, outfielder Chris Prieto, right-hander Darrell Rasner and infielder Danny Garcia. That leaves 57 players in camp. ... Outfielder Kevin Reese turned 28.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/11/2006
Yankees at the plate: Jorge Posada (2-for-4, three RBIs) hit his second homer of the spring off righty Travis Smith in a four-run fifth inning. Robinson Cano went 2-for-4 with a double.
Braves at the plate: Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia (1-for-2) hit his second homer of the spring, off lefty Matt Smith, in the sixth inning. Tony Pena Jr. was 2-for-3 with a double.
Yankees on the mound: Chien-Ming Wang made a big improvement on his last outing in his third start of the spring. In three scoreless innings of work, Wang gave up just one hit while fanning four. Mariano Rivera pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning with a strikeout.
Braves on the mound: Starter Horacio Ramirez gave up two runs on five hits in four innings of work, with a pair of walks and two strikeouts. Smith gave up four runs on two hits in two innings, including the home run to Posada.
Grapefruit League records: Yankees 6-5; Braves 3-7-1.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/11/2006
TAMPA, Fla. -- Miguel Cairo could have found himself with a spot in a starting lineup this season, but he wasn't about to pass up a chance to don the Yankees pinstripes again, even if it meant he'd be relegated to a backup role.
Cairo left the Yanks after the 2004 season and spent a year across town with the Mets, but the utility infielder jumped at the chance to play for the Yankees again and said he is excited to get back to Yankee Stadium.
"It's just the atmosphere," Cairo said. "When you play in New York with this team, with the fans, it's a different atmosphere. It's something different.
"It's hard to explain, but every time you get on that grass inside those lines it's like something else gets into you. No matter how tired you are or if you're hurt or whatever, when you cross the lines it's like you don't have pain. You're not tired. It's like extra energy gets over you. You forget all that's happening.
"I am very happy and honored for them to want me back. I'm just happy to be here."
Cairo, 31, can serve as backup this season to any of the infield positions, though he'll get far less playing time than he got with the Mets last season. Cairo played in 100 games a year ago, playing at second base in 82 of those games.
Through his first eight games this spring, Cairo is hitting .273 with a pair of doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. He has been starting at shortstop while Derek Jeter is playing in the World Baseball Classic, as well as leading off with Johnny Damon also in the Classic.
Cairo said he will be happy to help the Yankees out in any way he can this season, whether it's in the infield, outfield or on the basepaths.
"I could [have started with another team]," Cairo said "But I really wanted to come back here -- be around these guys.
"There's a lot of guys you can learn from. You got Alex [Rodriguez], Jeter, all these guys. There's a reason they're so good. You see the way go about the work that they do, the preparations that have in spring training to get ready for the field. Just watching that you kind of try to use it. You try to imitate that and work as hard as you can."
With that kind of attitude, it's no wonder Yankees manager Joe Torre was full of good things to say about Cairo.
"I'm very happy," Torre said. "I know he wanted to stay here. Things didn't work out [after 2004] and it was just one of those things. It was great that the opportunity presented itself again. Neither one of us had any hesitation about the fact that he wanted to come back."
Cairo's attitude isn't the only thing keeping him on Torre's good side, his versatility is another part of what makes him so valuable in the clubhouse.
"He's such a managers friend in that regard," Torre said. "He plays first, the outfield, all the infielders spots, [and he can] steal a base. He can do a lot of things.
"And, plus, he's walking back into a place he's familiar."

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/12/2006
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Tanyon Sturtze took the mound for the first time this spring on Sunday, and for the right-hander, it couldn't have come at a better time.
Sturtze, who spent the winter rehabbing and strengthening his tired right shoulder, threw a scoreless inning against Cleveland, allowing one infield single.
"I needed to go slow the whole spring, and today was finally the day to get into a game," Sturtze said. "I was starting to itch a little bit; I felt like I was starting to get behind, where maybe I wouldn't leave camp with the team. That's not what I want, so I wanted to get going."
"Sturtze was fine," said manager Joe Torre. "He had a big smile on his face. He wasn't hurting, and who knows how long it's been since that's happened."
Although he faced just three hitters and threw only eight pitches, Sturtze felt like his arm strength was there, as was his command.
Sturtze believes he needs between eight and 12 innings of work this spring to be ready for the April 3 opener. The Yankees have 17 games left in Florida this spring, plus two in Arizona, so he shouldn't have much trouble reaching that goal.
"I'm just shooting to get ready for Opening Day," Sturtze said. "Today was the first one, I felt good out there, and that's all I'm worried about."
Slow and steady: Carl Pavano threw his fourth bullpen session of the spring on Sunday, the second time he threw entirely from the top of the mound. Pavano threw 40 pitches, taking another step toward his return, which is expected in mid-April.
"Today, my main focus wasn't as much on mechanics as much as just slowing myself down," Pavano said. "I get a little anxious, especially with my slider, because I haven't been throwing it a lot. I tried to get into a better rhythm throughout, and when I got to my slider, I felt a little more locked in."
Pavano is a few weeks behind the rest of the staff, having gotten a late start because of a balky back. The right-hander also missed the second half of 2005 with rotator cuff tendinitis, but he says his arm feels strong.
Pavano will take an extra day off before his next bullpen session, which will take place on Wednesday. He will increase his pitch count to 50, then throw a bullpen session next week.
Despite the urge to speed up his return, Pavano is listening to team trainers and following the routine that his prescribed for him.
"It's hard, but if I look at the results we've been having with the way we've been going, how I've been feeling, as anxious as I am, I know this is the best thing for me," Pavano said. "Sometimes, I'd like to go a little faster, but they say it's not in my best interests. I'm listening to them. Every time I've gone out there, I've gotten better."
"I think he's probably more excited about feeling so good than frustrated about not being able to pitch," said Torre. "The results have been good."
Jason's return: Jason Giambi will likely be back in the lineup on Tuesday, when the Yankees host the Cardinals at Legends Field.
Giambi, who has been out for six days with a strained left calf muscle, participated in team workouts on Saturday and Sunday. Torre contemplated taking Giambi to Bradenton on Monday, but without the DH rule, he decided to wait another day.
Special visit: Bob Feller stopped by the Yankees' dugout during batting practice on Sunday, asking the Yankees manager to sign a dozen baseballs for his Iowa museum.
After Feller left, Torre remembered the first time he met the Hall of Fame pitcher. It was during the early stage of Torre's career, in 1960-61, and Feller was trying to sell him an insurance policy -- which he bought.
Said Torre: "Who wouldn't buy one from Bob Feller?"

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/12/2006
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Shawn Chacon's pitching line wasn't the prettiest thing to look at on Sunday, but the right-hander continued to do what he has done all spring -- keep the opponents off the scoreboard.
Chacon threw three scoreless innings against the Indians, though he allowed two hits, walked four batters and hit another.
"I was very, very inconsistent; I had no command," Chacon said. "It was the worst three-inning shutout I've ever thrown."
Despite the rocky outing, Chacon extended his streak of scoreless innings this spring to eight. As one of three starters competing for the final two spots in the rotation, Chacon has certainly done nothing to make anybody think he won't capture one of them.
"I don't figure anything; I'll just wait and see," he said. "I know I get a start every fifth day here in spring, and until I'm told different as to what I'm going to do, I keep going out with the same mentality."
The Yankees will actually only need four starters for the first couple of weeks of the season, but with Carl Pavano likely to start the year on the disabled list, Chacon, Chien-Ming Wang and Jaret Wright will are battling to stay in the rotation.
"That's a decision I'm not making; the guys that get paid to make those decisions are making it, so I'll let them do it," Chacon said. "The only way I can help myself is to go out and pitch well."
"Right now, we're just digesting all the information and hoping everyone gets through all these games without a problem," said manager Joe Torre. "Chacon seems as relaxed as I've ever seen anybody I've ever seen in Spring Training."
Sunday, Chacon loaded the bases before recording an out in the first inning, but he escaped by getting Travis Hafner to fly out and Ben Broussard to ground into a double play.
He loaded them again in the second, hitting one batter and walking two others, but once again, he got through it without allowing a run. He issued another free pass in the third, but retired the other three batters, finishing his day with 62 pitches.
"It was definitely one of those days," said Chacon. "I threw a lot more pitches than I should have. I need to go back to the 'pen and find that rhythm."
"The thing I really get a kick out of with him is that when he gets in trouble, he finds a way to wiggle out," Torre said. "It's not always going to happen, but he doesn't melt. That's important."
Despite his uncertain status, Chacon isn't letting any of the rotation talk get inside his head. After all, a year ago, he was in Colorado, preparing for a season in which he knew his team had virtually no chance to get to the postseason.
Instead, he's taking the competition for a spot in the rotation as a challenge.
"I'm always out there competing," he said. "I think I'm cheating myself, cheating the game of baseball and cheating anybody who is watching if I don't go out there with the mentality that I'm competing. Whether it's against another team or if I'm fighting for a pitching spot on a staff, I take it all the same.
"It's still a privilege to play Major League Baseball, so I don't come out there taking anything for granted," he added. "You never know when your last day on a mound might be."

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/12/2006
Indians at the plate: The Indians got on the board with a four-run fourth inning against left-hander Sean Henn. Jhonny Peralta and Jason Michaels both hit RBI singles, and Travis Hafner knocked in a pair of runs with a double to center. Todd Donovan, a non-roster invitee to camp, hit a solo home run and Ben Broussard added a two-run single in the eighth.
Yankees at the plate: The Yanks took advantage of an Andy Marte throwing error to put up three runs against C.C. Sabathia in the second. Russ Johnson reached on the error and knocked in Kaz Matsui. Felix Escalano knocked in a run with a single.
Indians on the mound: Sabathia said he felt a bit more comfortable on the mound after giving up three runs, only one of which was earned, on two hits in his four innings of work. Guillermo Mota and Bob Wickman each worked a scoreless inning.
Yankees on the mound: Right-hander Shawn Chacon didn't give up any runs in his three innings, but he did allow two hits, walk four batters and hit one. Henn had a rough go of it in the fourth and fifth innings, giving up four runs on four hits and walking four batters.
Grapefruit League records: Indians 10-3; Yankees 6-6.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/12/2006
TAMPA, Fla. -- There weren't many autographs to be had before the Yankees game against the Reds in Sarasota on Friday. But where there weren't recognizable faces, there was opportunity.
The Minor Leaguers at Yankees camp have been taking advantage of the opportunity to play while several of the team's superstars are participating in the World Baseball Classic. The periodic absences of Jason Giambi (calf), Gary Sheffield (hamstring) and Hideki Matsui (knee) have provided even more opportunities for youngsters.
"You're getting a chance to look at these kids with the number of at-bats they're getting early in the game compared to what they would be getting if you had your whole team healthy and here," manager Joe Torre said. "It's a little bit different, but you're getting to find out a little bit more than normal."
Melky Cabrera and Kevin Thompson are two examples of young players thriving in the situation, while starting center fielder Johnny Damon is playing in the Classic. Cabrera is hitting .333 with two doubles, while Thompson is hitting .409 with a double.
On the move: Pitcher Matt DeSalvo has been solid on the mound this spring. The right-hander, who spent 2005 with Double-A Trenton, pitched three shutout innings in a start against Philadelphia. In five scoreless innings of work, DeSalvo has a win and a save, while yielding just one hit.
They're No. 1: At the beginning of camp, 19-year-old right-hander Philip Hughes (23rd overall in 2004) was getting a lot of attention focused on his powerful fastball and mature-for-his-age attitude. In 3 1/3 innings split over two games, Hughes is 1-0 and has allowed just two runs on four hits, with three walks and two strikeouts.
Hughes was reassigned so that he'd be ready to join his Minor League team prior to Saturday's game against the Braves.
Corner infielder Eric Duncan (27th overall in 2003) is hitting .316 with 19 at-bats with a grand slam, two doubles and five RBIs. Catcher David Parrish (28th overall in 2000) is hitless in seven at-bats, with four strikeouts.
Class of '05: Pitcher J.B. Cox, the only member of of the Yanks' 2005 draft class in Major League camp, has appeared in three games this spring. The right-hander has one save and has allowed just one run in three innings, with a walk and two strikeouts.
Down and out: Infielder Russ Johnson is 0-for-9 in five games.
Stat machine: Infielder Danny Garcia is batting 1.000 after his first two games. The second baseman, a member of the Mets organization the last two seasons, is 4-for-4 with a walk. Garcia was also reassigned Saturday.
What they're saying: "I guess if [the Yankees in the World Baseball Classic] get back here, they're going to have to work their way back into the lineup. They'll have to wait their turn." -- Torre on how well his young players have played in the absence of Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Damon and Bernie Williams

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/13/2006
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Yankees' outfield currently consists of three players making $13 million each, which doesn't leave much room for a prospect such as Kevin Thompson.
Thompson knows this, so he's taking his experience at Spring Training for what it's worth -- a chance to show Joe Torre and the Major League coaching staff what he can contribute to the team.
"I think about it all the time," Thompson said of his future. "I don't know where I'm going to fit in, though, because there are no spots open. I have to just go out, play hard and do my best. Hopefully someone will see something that will open their eyes and I'll get my break."
Thompson, 26, has impressed several people this spring, with his latest splash coming on Monday. Thompson jacked a two-run home run in the Yankees' loss to the Pirates, showing some pop to go along with his quick feet.
In 12 games this spring, Thompson is hitting .400 (10-for-25) with a homer, four RBIs and five runs scored. He was happy to contribute with a long ball on Monday, but trying to go deep is something he has shied away from over the past year or two.
"I quit trying to hit the ball out of the park all the time; I'm just playing my game," Thompson said. "I play with guys like Mitch Jones and Shelly Duncan, and it's their job to hit the ball out of the park. My job is to get on base for those guys. I'm not trying to do too much."
Selected in the 31st round of the 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Thompson has spent six years in the Yankees organization.
He combined to hit .297 with 14 homers, 71 RBIs and 43 stolen bases last year between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Columbus. He led all Yankees Minor Leaguers with 45 doubles and ranked second in steals, representing the organization at the Futures Game during All-Star week in Detroit.
Torre was speaking with Larry Bowa recently, and the third-base coach compared Thompson to veteran center fielder Marquis Grissom, a two-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner.
"He runs hard, and he looks like he's a player that is going to be in the big leagues," Torre said. "He's going to make himself necessary. He does a lot of good things and he's aggressive in a lot of ways."
"It's always a vote of confidence when people speak highly of you -- it feels good, but you have to take it with a grain of salt," Thompson said. "You can't let your head get too big. I just go out and play hard every day, and hopefully the situation will happen for me."
In addition to opening the coaching staff's eyes, Thompson has taken advantage of the presence of some of the veteran players in camp, chatting with Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield and Bernie Williams about different aspects of the game.
Thompson said that his talks with Sheffield and Williams were particularly helpful, as he discussed hitting with Sheffield and some of the finer points of playing center field with Williams.
"It's been fun," he said. "I've enjoyed talking to some of the big-name guys in the [clubhouse]. It's an experience you can't get anywhere else. I'm glad to be a part of it."
Although Thompson doesn't appear to fit in the Yankees' plans in 2006, he can take solace in the fact that neither Robinson Cano nor Chien-Ming Wang figured into the club's plans in 2005, yet both players made a big impact before the end of last season.
"When guys get called up, you want to see them do well, so that some day, the same opportunity will be there for you," Thompson said. "You always have to feel like you can contribute. I feel like I can, but it's up to them what they want to do. I can't control anything, so I just have to play as hard as I possibly can."

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/13/2006
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Johnny Damon was taken out of Team USA's starting lineup for the second-round opener against Japan, as the center fielder went just 1-for-6 in the team's first three games.
Damon, who was replaced by Randy Winn, is no sure thing to be back in the regular starting lineup for the U.S., though he did pinch-hit in the win over Japan. Yankees manager Joe Torre isn't concerned about how often Damon -- or Derek Jeter or Alex Rodriguez, for that matter -- plays, as the trio will have at least 10 days of spring games after they return from the World Baseball Classic.
"He'll have plenty by the time we get out of here," Torre said. "My feeling is that position players need about 10 days of Spring Training, as long as they're in shape."
Torre typically plays his entire starting lineup during the final week of Spring Training, and this year will be no different.
"The way I look at it, by the time they come back here, that's the time of the month when everybody is usually in shape and they're ready to leave," the manager said. "Maybe it will be different -- it will seem brand new again.
"They can come back, get all of the bragging out of the way. The problem is, we may have to separate Jeter from Bernie [Williams], because they may be at each other's throats."
From the bullpen: Both Carl Pavano and Tanyon Sturtze felt fine after throwing on Sunday, as they continue to work their way into shape for April.
Pavano, who is expected to start the season on the disabled list, will take an extra day off before throwing a 50-pitch bullpen session on Wednesday.
His next step would be another bullpen, in which he will throw 25 pitches, sit down for a few minutes, then throw another 25 pitches. After that, his next step would be a batting practice session.
Sturtze, who threw a scoreless inning in his first appearance of the spring, hasn't been scheduled for his next outing, though it should come on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Torre said that Sturtze wasn't very open with the club about his health last season, but the pitcher has been honest this spring as he works his way back.
"He was still pleased this morning, which is good," Torre said. "It didn't hurt. We don't know to what extent the discomfort was last year, but evidently, it was pretty regular."
Liking the lefty: The addition of Mike Myers to the Yankees' bullpen has given Torre something he hasn't had since 1996 -- a reliable left-handed specialist.
"Myers is probably the [specialist] we haven't had since Graeme Lloyd," Torre said. "It's a necessity, but it's a luxury because there aren't that many guys available. You can count them on one hand."
Painful day off: Robinson Cano was scheduled to make the trip to Bradenton on Monday, but the second baseman missed the game to undergo a root canal back in Tampa.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/13/2006
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Jaret Wright hasn't been spending much time worrying about the competition for the final two spots in the Yankees' starting rotation, but after Monday's outing against the Pirates, that may soon change.
Wright allowed eight runs on 11 hits in just three innings, as the Pirates battered him with one hard-hit ball after another.
"It was just a dead day," Wright said. "I didn't have anything and I got beat up pretty good. You just have to keep throwing, try to stay composed when things are going bad. You just pitch until they come get you."
"He just didn't locate," said manager Joe Torre. "It didn't look like he could throw anything for a strike other than a fastball, and he was up with a number of pitches. It was just a bad day."
Wright is battling Shawn Chacon and Chien-Ming Wang for the final two spots in the rotation, though with Carl Pavano expected to miss the first few weeks of April, all five of them could start until Pavano is ready to return.
The Yankees won't need a fifth starter until the third week of the month, though, so one of the five healthy arms will be in the bullpen to open the season.
Wright said that he tries not to think about the rotation competition, though human nature makes it nearly impossible to forget about it all together.
"It's one thing you think about," Wright said. "You want to pitch well -- you're competing for a spot, so if you don't pitch well, it's frustrating. ... I'm trying to take care of what I need to take care of. Today, I'm sure, doesn't help that out."
"I don't think they can do two things at once," said catcher Jorge Posada. "You've got to go out there and pitch, make sure that you're healthy and just go out and compete. If you put that extra pressure on yourself, you're not going to have a good spring."
Wright is now 0-1 with a 12.91 ERA, placing him behind Chacon (0-0, 0.00 ERA) and Wang (1-0, 5.40) through three starts.
"He's an adult -- he knows what's going on here," Torre said. "I'm sure he's disappointed with this outing, because he couldn't do with the ball what he wanted to. He's a mentally tough young guy, so that part I'm not worried about."
Both Wright and Torre say that the pitcher has no physical problems, so his problems on Monday were more about mechanics and feel than anything else.
"It was real tough," Wright said. "Just about everything [went wrong]. The ball was up, the sinker was kind of flat, the curveball wasn't doing what it was supposed to. It seemed like everything I was throwing was at hitting speed today. It was up and right in the zone, and they weren't missing it at all."
Wright knows that his future could include a stint in the bullpen, but for now, he's not thinking that far ahead.
"When it comes down to that, if that's the way it plays out toward the end, I'll definitely do anything to play," Wright said. "Right now, I'm throwing in five days and still trying to start."
"Certainly, you'd rather have him pitch great, but it doesn't count yet," Torre said. "He has to be sharp when we start the season."

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/13/2006
Pirates at the plate: It was a big day for the middle of the Pirates' lineup. Sean Casey, Jason Bay, Jeremy Burnitz and Joe Randa combined to go 7-for-10 with two home runs and six RBIs. Randa's three-run home run in the third inning ricocheted off the palm trees behind the left-field fence and landed on the roof of the Boys & Girls Club.
Yankees at the plate: Bubba Crosby led off the game with a home run to right field to give the Yankees their only lead. Mitch Jones paced the Bombers' offense by going 3-for-5 with a double and two home runs. Back-to-back long balls by Kevin Thompson and Jones in the ninth inning capped a five-run New York rally that came up just short.
Pirates on the mound: Two pitchers vying for the two openings in Pittsburgh's starting rotation had impressive outings. Lefty Sean Burnett settled down after surrendering Crosby's home run and held the Yankees to just one run on three hits. Right-hander Ian Snell blanked New York with three scoreless innings of relief.
Yankees on the mound: Starter Jaret Wright had an afternoon to forget for New York. The right-hander was tagged for eight runs on 11 hits and a walk in three innings. He allowed at least two runs and three hits during each of the first three frames. Ron Villone and Ramiro Mendoza each tossed a scoreless inning of relief.
Grapefruit League records: Pirates 9-5; Yankees 6-7.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/13/2006
TAMPA, Fla. -- It's hard to believe, but Opening Day is just three weeks away.
That's right. Three weeks from Monday, the Yankees will take the field against the A's in a meaningful game, the first of 162 in what they hope will be their first championship season since 2000.
No one will be at the World Baseball Classic. No one will be sitting out with minor bumps and bruises. Pitchers won't be on low pitch counts. Hitters will get more than three at-bats in a game [they hope].
I have enjoyed the Classic, and exhibition games are always good to get a look at some of the future stars of the game. But I can't wait for Opening Day. There's nothing else like it.
We had a nice potpourri of questions in this week's mailbag, so let's get to them.
How big of a role will Miguel Cairo have this year? Will he return to his 2004 postseason form in pinstripes? There has been little talk about this, and I feel the Yankees rely heavily on their utility player, which will be Cairo. -- Derek K., Fort Collins, Colo.
Cairo will be the backup at second, shortstop and third, but don't expect him to see nearly as much playing time as he did in his first stint with the Yankees.
Remember, in 2004, the Yanks entered the season with Enrique Wilson as the starter at second, with Cairo behind him. When Wilson struggled -- which was bound to happen -- the team gave Cairo a shot at the job, and he played well enough to hang on to it.
With Robinson Cano firmly entrenched at second now, it's unlikely that a slump would cost him his job as it did with Wilson. And with Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez playing short and third, it's going to be hard for Cairo to find much time at those positions, as well.
The Yankees went most of last season without a true utility infielder, as Tony Womack was converted into an outfielder and Rey Sanchez missed much of the season with an injury. Given the sturdiness of their infielders, Cairo isn't likely to get many at-bats this year. He will be valuable insurance, but don't expect him to post any real numbers.
Where do you think young pitching prospect Philip Hughes will start the year, Trenton or Columbus? How soon will we see him in the Majors?-- Chris S., Roanoke, Va.
I think Hughes, who pitched for two Class A teams last season, will start the season at Double-A Trenton. The Yankees are going to try to be careful with his arm, and he has had some injury problems already in his brief career, including tendinitis in his elbow last season.
With the number of guys on the big-league staff this year, there is virtually no chance that he makes any contribution to the Yankees, save for a possible September callup, so there is no reason for the team to rush him into Triple-A just yet.
If he has a good season at Double-A, there is nothing that says he has to ever pitch at Triple-A before reaching the Majors. Now, when exactly he reaches the Majors is another question altogether.
If I had to take a guess, I would say he is a part of the rotation by 2008. It's possible that he could get there by 2007, but he'll still be just 20 years old on Opening Day 2007. Of course, a dominant year in the Minors could always change people's minds. It will be interesting to monitor his progress as the season goes on.
Do you think that Jorge Posada and Randy Johnson will be able to effectively repair their pitcher/catcher relationship given the history with their egos?-- Gabriel G., Salinas, Calif.
I don't think it's fair to say that ego is the reason that Johnson and Posada didn't work well together last season. There have been several pitcher-catcher combos that have worked or not worked, and ego usually isn't the cause. Think of Andy Pettitte, who liked working with Jim Leyritz instead of Joe Girardi; was that ego? I don't think so.
Sometimes, it just doesn't work. Johnson ended up being better suited toward working with John Flaherty last season, and people made a huge deal out of it. Let's not forget, though, that Johnson pitched poorly in his playoff start with Flaherty, then put together a brilliant relief outing in Game 5 with Posada behind the plate.
The two of them have worked together a lot this spring, both in the bullpen and in games. I don't see any reason why they won't be able to work well together throughout the season, as long as they continue to communicate with each other as often as possible.
What's the deal with Marcos Vechionacci? Looking at his 2004 stats, he played in the Gulf Coast League and batted .336 with four homers, then at Staten Island he hit .292. The Yankees seem to have a fairly solid infield, so I was wondering what they would have in mind for him since he seems to be developing into a very good prospect.-- Anthony G., Boston
Vechionacci is one of the players who caught Joe Torre's eye early this spring, as the manager praised him as a special young talent during the first two weeks of camp. In fact, with Alex Rodriguez out west playing with Team USA, Torre has said he plans to give Vechionacci some playing time at third base during exhibition games.
He has been ranked as one of the club's top 10 prospects in each of the past two years, but he's not even 20 yet (he will reach that milestone in August), so it's way too early to tell what his future holds in the game, let alone with the Yankees.
Think about it this way; Rodriguez's contract isn't up for five more years. When it expires, Vechionacci will still be just 24 years old, so anything is possible. He played in 2004 with the Gulf Coast League Yankees, the Tampa Yankees and the Staten Island Yankees -- all low Class A clubs -- before joining Class A Charleston last year.
He hit .252 with two homers and 62 RBIs last season, so he is still a raw, unpolished player. That said, he's starting to fill out his 6-foot-2, 170-pound frame, and at 19 years old, he's going to get bigger, which will help his power. He is one to watch in the lower levels of the Yankees' system, but you won't see him in the Majors for quite some time.
Do you think any Yankees prospects will make an impact in 2006?-- Marc K., Scarsdale, N.Y.
That's always a loaded question. Last year, nobody would have predicted the success of Cano or Chien-Ming Wang, yet they both played a huge part in winning the division title.
As the team is set right now, none of the prospects are expected to break camp with a spot on the roster. If an injury occurs in the outfield, Kevin Thompson could be called up from Triple-A Columbus to fill a hole, while young pitchers such as Matt Smith and Matt DeSalvo could come up if the pitching staff needs help.
However, I don't see any of the team's prospects making the kind of contributions that Cano and Wang did last season. In 2007, you could see players like Hughes, J.B. Cox or Eric Duncan start to make their mark.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/14/2006
TAMPA, Fla. -- Johnny Damon may be in Anaheim with Team USA, but the status of his left shoulder was a hot topic around Legends Field on Tuesday.
Damon was shut down from throwing this week to rest his sore left shoulder, limiting him to pinch-hitting duties for the U.S. at the World Baseball Classic. He did pinch-hit in Team USA's game on Monday, which was good news for Yankees manager Joe Torre.
"I don't really know the nature of it," Torre said. "The fact that he hit, that's a good sign for us. Hopefully it's just something that's connected with Spring Training."
Torre had not spoken with Damon as of Tuesday afternoon, as he was waiting to receive an update from the team's medical staff. General manager Brian Cashman, who was in Ft. Lauderdale on Tuesday to attend his grandmother's funeral, spoke with Damon on Monday but said through a team spokesman that he hadn't heard anything further on the matter.
Owner George Steinbrenner, who expressed his concerns about his players getting hurt by participating in the World Baseball Classic, declined to comment on the latest developments.
"Nothing to say," Steinbrenner said. "I've said it all."
Torre wouldn't speculate that Damon's injury was a result of playing in the tournament.
"It's a time of year that they're not used to being competitive," Torre said. "Whether it happened because of that, or the fact that it's just part of getting in shape, I don't know."
Torre noted that Damon, who battled shoulder problems last season, "didn't require any red flags" this spring to take care of his arm. Had that been the case, the team would have tried to prevent the center fielder from participating.
"That's the thing you dread most; the injury," Torre said. "Any manager feels the same way. It's sort of a helpless feeling."
Jason Giambi spoke to Damon at the beginning of the World Baseball Classic, but hasn't talked to him in the past few days. Giambi said that injuries such as Damon's are common in the early stages of spring, as players shake off the rust of the winter.
"You can't simulate games," Giambi said. "That's the hard part; when you first get down here, I don't care how much you train, you're always sore that first week, no matter how great shape you're in."
Back in action: Giambi returned to the Yankees' lineup on Tuesday, his first action since suffering a minor calf injury last Monday.
Giambi went 0-for-2 with an RBI sacrifice fly on Tuesday, driving in one of the Yankees' two runs.
"I felt great up there," Giambi said. "I didn't really miss a beat. I'm excited about where I am. ... My only concern was getting out of the box, since it's my back leg. It worked out great."
Giambi will make the trip to Kissimmee on Wednesday, though Torre hadn't decided whether he would use Giambi as the DH or at first base. Although the game is being played in the Astros' home park, Houston requested a DH be used in order to give Jeff Bagwell some at-bats.
Second helping: Tanyon Sturtze took the mound for the second time this spring, allowing one run in one inning against the Cardinals.
Sturtze, who threw a scoreless frame in his debut on Sunday, is a couple of weeks behind the rest of the pitching staff, but is expected to be ready for Opening Day.
"He was messed up mechanically," said Torre, adding that Sturtze had no physical problems. "He was flying open. Once he started, he started fighting himself. It's something he's going to have to deal with."

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/14/2006
TAMPA, Fla. -- Opening Day is less than three weeks away, and Randy Johnson is right on schedule.
The Big Unit took the mound for his third start of the spring on Tuesday, allowing two runs on five hits over five innings against the Cardinals at Legends Field. Johnson is 0-1 with a 5.25 ERA, but the left-hander believes he's exactly where he should be with three spring starts remaining.
"I think the results on the scoreboard don't necessarily reflect how I feel," Johnson said. "If I'm getting something out of the performance, then to me, it doesn't really matter what the scoreboard indicates."
"He had a real good angle on his slider, had life on his fastball and threw some good splitters," said manager Joe Torre. "He really did it quickly, too."
Johnson looked like he was in midseason form during the first four innings, allowing just one hit. After giving up a one-out single to So Taguchi in the first, Johnson retired the next 11 batters, using just 36 pitches through four frames.
"I still made a couple of mistakes," Johnson said. "They may not have been noticeable on the scoreboard, but to me and Kelly [Stinnett], we realized and knew we made some mistakes and got away with them. You're not going to be perfect out there every pitch, but overall, I felt pretty good."
Johnson struck out Scott Spiezio to start the fifth, but Chris Duncan -- the 24-year-old son of St. Louis pitching coach Dave Duncan -- took Johnson deep to tie the game at 1.
From there, Johnson allowed three consecutive singles, giving the Cardinals a one-run lead. One out later, Johnson walked Taguchi to load the bases, but he got Scott Rolen for the third out on a hard-hit fly ball that sent Bubba Crosby back toward the warning track.
"I cruised along through the first four innings, but then I kind of hit a wall I guess," Johnson said. "When you get to the fifth inning, you can't lose your concentration, despite maybe hitting a wall because you're a little tired.
"Those are the things you go through and get beyond during Spring Training," he added. "I'd rather have that experience now than during the year."
"That's why you start with two or three innings and then stretch it out an inning each time," Torre said. "Stamina is something you work toward right now."
Johnson has thrown 12 innings this spring, putting him on pace to hit the goal of 27-30 innings that he set for himself. His next start will come on Sunday at home against the Indians, followed by road starts against the Twins and Tigers to wrap up his spring.
As a power pitcher, Johnson has more to work into shape than some of his teammates. In addition to working on his mechanics and location, the 42-year-old has to build his arm strength to the point where he can reach the mid-to-high 90s with his fastball with regularity.
"I'd love to have my velocity, location and mechanics all down, but all three things take time," Johnson said. "The only way to work on things is to go out and pitch in games. I've seen little bits of improvement in all three areas; my location was much better today, my velocity was better in my last start and my slider was better today.
"The more you pitch, the more chances you have to work on those things and get everything where you want them to be," Johnson added. "You have to put it all together, and sometime before spring is over, have the finished product that goes into Opening Day."

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/14/2006
Yankees at the plate: Robinson Cano went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in the fourth inning, his second homer of the spring. Jason Giambi returned to the lineup for the first time in more than a week, going 0-for-2 with an RBI sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Cardinals at the plate: Chris Duncan drove in two of the Cardinals' three runs, one on a solo homer against Randy Johnson in a two-run fifth inning. Duncan drove in the game-winner in the eighth, plating Larry Bigbie to snap a 2-2 tie.
Yankees on the mound: Johnson looked sharp during his first four innings, allowing just one hit. The Big Unit gave up two runs in the fifth, including the home run by Duncan. Johnson finished the day after five, charged with two runs on five hits and a walk, striking out four. Mariano Rivera threw a perfect sixth inning. Tanyon Sturtze allowed one run in the eighth, taking the loss.
Cardinals on the mound: Sidney Ponson started the game, allowing one run on two hits -- one a homer by Cano -- over four innings. Ponson, who is battling for the fifth starter spot, did not walk or strike out any hitters. Jason Isringhausen pitched a scoreless fifth inning for St. Louis. Anthony Reyes pitched three innings of one-run ball for the victory.
Grapefruit League records: Yankees 6-8; Cardinals 7-6.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/14/2006
ANAHEIM -- If the United States is to survive the second round of the inaugural World Baseball Classic, the Americans may have to do it without Johnny Damon.
The New York Yankees' new center fielder said on Monday night that because of a sore left shoulder, he has been shut down from throwing for a few days by Team USA trainers in consultation with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. Damon said he had spoken with Cashman personally on Sunday.
"It's been bothering me for the last couple of days," Damon told several reporters after the U.S. dropped a crucial 7-3 decision to Korea at Angel Stadium. "It's just kind of Spring Training tiredness. As much as I want to push it, I don't want to take any chances with [Yankees principal owner George Steinbrenner]."
The U.S. may only be able to use Damon as a pinch-hitter or designated hitter in what could be Thursday night's make-or-break showdown with Mexico. First, the U.S. needs either the Mexicans or Koreans to defeat the Japanese on Tuesday or Wednesday night for that game to even matter.
And if the U.S. moves on to the semifinals and finals this coming Saturday and Monday in San Diego's PETCO Park, Damon could be replaced on the 30-man roster. A player can be replaced in between rounds only in the case of injury or bereavement.
But USA Baseball isn't left with many viable outfield options. There are six on the current roster, but the four others on the 52-man provisional roster -- Barry Bonds, Lance Berkman, Carl Crawford and Luis Gonzalez -- all opted out for either injury or personal reasons.
"That's up to Buck," said Damon, referring to U.S. manager Buck Martinez. "I'm going to let him run his roster. You have to have as much respect for him as possible. I'd love to be healthy enough to be with the team, but if that's not a possibility, I wouldn't want to try and play and take up a spot."
Damon, who played center field for the 2004 Boston Red Sox team that won its first World Series title in 86 years, signed a four-year, $52 million contract with the Yankees this past offseason. Damon, 32, is replacing incumbent Bernie Williams, and big things are expected of him from Steinbrenner, who has been vocal in his opposition of his players participating in the tournament.
Damon is joined on the U.S. squad by Yankees teammates Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Al Leiter. Williams is playing for Puerto Rico.
Damon said he would continue his Spring Training conditioning by doing his running and riding a stationary bike, and would resume taking batting practice perhaps as soon as Tuesday, but he said the Yankees were obviously his top priority.
"We talked to the [Team USA] trainers and the [Yankees] trainers," Damon said, "[and] Cashman. They all agreed that it would be a good idea to shut it down for a short period of time. You don't want to push anything in Spring Training. You want to get ready for the [regular season] games. That's the important thing. I talked to Cash. I told him everything is fine. I'm just a little tired. I just needed a little break."
Reporters began to suspect that something was up on Monday night, when Martinez didn't have Damon in the starting lineup for the second consecutive game. Damon has been playing left field in the tournament with Ken Griffey Jr. in center. On Monday, Martinez subbed in Colorado Rockies left fielder Matt Holliday, who is now 0-for-7 in the Classic.
The plot thickened when Damon (1-for-7 with no RBIs) didn't emerge from the clubhouse before the game for either stretching or batting practice, missing his assigned hitting group.
Martinez said at first that there was nothing physically wrong with Damon, but just before the game began, a USA Baseball spokesman said Damon had worked out in the indoor cages and was nursing a sore shoulder.
"Johnny Damon is cool with everything," Martinez said when asked if he had spoken to the outfielder about the current situation. "He understands what's going on here and the challenges of winning this tournament. We'll use his bat, and I'm sure he will be very important to us before all is said and done."

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/15/2006
TAMPA, Fla. -- Johnny Damon was diagnosed with tendinitis in his left shoulder, easing the minds of both Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and manager Joe Torre.
Damon, who was taken out of Team USA's World Baseball Classic starting lineup this week because of the shoulder problem, visited Dr. Lewis Yocum, the Angels' medical director, on Tuesday in Southern California.
An MRI exam revealed no damage other than the tendinitis, and Damon will remain in Anaheim with Team USA. He won't throw for about a week, limiting him to pinch-hitting and pinch-running duties only.
"He feels he can pinch-run right now and maybe hit," Cashman said. "He just needs to get it calmed down, and that's why he's not a defensive player for them right now."
"I'm not concerned about him, based on the fact that I saw him pinch-hit the other day, plus the fact that Cash talked to him," Torre said. "It appears to be a Spring Training type of feeling."
Cashman said that Damon had no issues with the shoulder before leaving for the World Baseball Classic on March 2, so he assumes that the problem stems from something he did during the tournament.
"It happened obviously while he was out there," Cashman said. "He passed his physical; it wasn't an issue. Everybody has issues, and you go through the physicals and come up with how concerned you are with any preexisting things, but that's not one of them."
Should the U.S. advance to the semifinals, it is unknown whether Damon would stay with the team or be replaced by another player. Cashman plans to speak with Dr. Yocum on Thursday before Team USA's game to find out the doctor's recommendation.
"Based on what my conversation was last night, right now, he can pinch-run and might be able to hit," Cashman said. "If that's the case and he can get the treatment that he needs, then we'll continue it out there. But obviously if it's of a level higher than that, we'll pull him."
Cashman, who described his concern as "low-level," has spoken with Damon twice since Sunday, and he said the outfielder's attitude is as positive as ever.
"He's upbeat; he's a positive man," Cashman said. "From my limited experience with Johnny, that's what he always is. He's a bright-side type guy and he feels he's going to be fine and ready and this is [only] a small problem for him."
Damon is 1-for-7 in four Classic games, his only hit being a triple in the first game on March 7. He hopes to contribute to the team in any way possible, though he knows that his top priority is to be ready when the Yankees' season opens on April 3.
"He wants to help that USA team win, but he's also committed to being ready for us at the same time," Cashman said. "It's one of those balancing acts."
"Johnny knows what's important," Torre said. "They want to win there, but he also knows he has to get himself right to help whatever club he's playing for. He knows that, even though he's playing in the Classic, it's still the time of year when you get yourself in shape."
Cashman wouldn't comment on his feelings toward the injury taking place during the World Baseball Classic.
"I'm not even going to go there," the GM said. "All I can pass along is that you have all the knowledge I have right now. He's a player with limitations right now. We'll get him back here sooner than later, I hope."
It is unclear whether Damon will miss any exhibition games after he returns to the Yankees, but Cashman doesn't expect the center fielder to have any problem being ready for Opening Day.
"This is something that should calm down and should be able to get out of the way in time for our season to start," Cashman said. "Based on what I've been told by Dr. Yocum, hopefully this is nothing more than tendinitis that sprung up because he pushed himself. We'll give it a chance to calm down, then get him going again and be ready when the games count."

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/15/2006
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Mike Mussina was in midseason form on Wednesday, but the veteran isn't going to let a solid outing on March 15 fool him into thinking that he's ready for the season just yet.
Mussina allowed one run on three hits over five innings, walking one batter while striking out eight. He threw 78 pitches -- a spring high for any Yankees pitcher -- including 60 strikes.
"I did everything and anything I wanted to do in any count," Mussina said. "When you go to the mound, you hope it feels like that, that your stuff is like that. Ninety percent of the time, it isn't; but on the days it is, it's really a lot of fun to pitch."
"He was great today," said manager Joe Torre. "He had real good command, got a good workout and seemed to do whatever he wanted to. I know he's got to be really satisfied with himself."
Mussina is now 1-0 with a 3.09 ERA in three spring starts, though he also tossed a pair of scoreless innings in the team's intrasquad game. His elbow, which has caused him problems at some point during each of the past two seasons, has not given him any trouble.
"I'm just glad that I'm throwing the ball like that, that it feels good and that I'm healthy," he said. "That's what is important to me."
Mussina will make three more starts this spring, including road starts at Detroit and Tampa Bay and a home start to close out the Grapefruit League season against the Devil Rays. He knows that it will be difficult to top this outing in five days, but he still has some things to work on before the regular season arrives.
"To think that I'm going to take what I did out there today and improve on it much the next time, there's not much else I can do," Mussina said. "That's as good as I've got right there, so we'll go out and try to repeat it. It will happen from time to time, but it's not going to happen every time."
Pavano progressing: Carl Pavano threw a 45-pitch bullpen session on Wednesday, his fourth of the spring. Pavano will throw a light 'pen session on Friday, then throw batting practice for the first time on Sunday.
"I've felt good consistently every time out," Pavano said. "I'm not hesitant at all. I would throw more, but this is the program."
Pavano said that his stamina is not an issue, though he spent some of his session on Wednesday working on slowing himself down between pitches.
"Seeing a hitter in there will be good," he said of Sunday's BP session. "I think there's some benefit to it."
Torre said that Pavano will probably need "a few" batting practice sessions before pitching in a game. If Pavano can't pitch in a game until the final week of the spring, he would pitch on the Minor League side in order to keep the date of his DL stint as far back as possible.
Who's on first? Jason Giambi, who has started the past two games as the designated hitter, will be back in the field on Thursday against the Astros.
Giambi hasn't played first base since March 6, the day he strained his left calf muscle. Torre was going to play Giambi at first on Wednesday, but decided to wait until Giambi was back at Legends Field on Thursday.
"I feel more secure playing him at first base on a field I know is good," Torre said.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/15/2006
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Aaron Small will likely open the season on the disabled list, as the Yankees right-hander strained his right hamstring while running on Tuesday.
Although he is not battling for a spot in the starting rotation, Small was scheduled to start in the Yankees' split-squad game in Lakeland, Fla., against the Tigers on Thursday.
On Wednesday, the Yankees scratched Small from that start, so they will use either right-hander Matt DeSalvo or left-hander Sean Henn in his place.
"I just tweaked it a little," said Small, who is 0-0 with a 4.05 ERA in three relief outings this spring. "It will set me back a little bit, but I've never done it before, so I don't know how long it will be. They said these things need time to heal, since they have a way of lingering."
Manager Joe Torre said that Small will "probably" open the year on the disabled list, as he won't be able to take part in regular activities for more than a week.
"He probably won't be ready," Torre said. "It's probably going to be 10 days or two weeks."
Even with Carl Pavano expected to join Small on the DL to start the season, the Yankees should have five healthy starters on Opening Day. New York won't need a fifth starter until the third week of April, so that pitcher will take Small's place as the long man in the bullpen.
"We're still going to have that extra starter anyway, only needing four during the first couple of weeks," Torre said. "That will help get us through."
Small will continue a throwing program to keep his arm in shape while his leg heals. He hasn't ruled out being ready for Opening Day, though he didn't sound optimistic.
"I slightly pulled it. It's going to take a little time," Small said. "I hope I'm ready. It remains to be seen."

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/15/2006
Yankees at the plate: Robinson Cano was 3-for-4, with a leadoff double in the third. Mitch Jones homered twice -- a leadoff shot in the fourth and a two-run homer in the ninth. Andy Phillips was 4-for-5 with two RBIs. Kevin Thompson was 4-for-5 with two doubles and three RBIs.
Astros at the plate: The Astros managed just five hits off five New York pitchers. Preston Wilson doubled and scored in the second on Chris Burke's groundout, marking Houston's lone run. Charlton Jimerson was 1-for-3, with a fifth-inning double.
Yankees on the mound: Right-hander Mike Mussina allowed one run on three hits over five innings, walking one and striking out eight. He threw 78 pitches, 60 for strikes.
Astros on the mound: Left-hander Andy Pettitte, making his first spring start, yielded two runs on five hits, with a walk and two strikeouts over three innings. He threw 44 pitches, 30 for strikes. Steve Sparks allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits, with a walk and three strikeouts over four innings.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/16/2006
TAMPA, Fla. -- When Don Mattingly hung up his spikes and called it a career, he knew that someday he would get back into the game as a coach. He just didn't know when.
It turned out to be 2004, as Mattingly slipped back into the only big-league uniform he ever wore, taking a job as Yankees manager Joe Torre's hitting coach.
Now in his third season, Mattingly knows that someday he would like a chance to manage in the Majors. He just doesn't know when.
"I'm not saying I'm ready now, but I think it's something I can do," Mattingly said. "I've always felt like I can do anything I put my mind to. If I want to do it -- if I'm willing to learn and get better at it -- I can do anything."
Mattingly got a little practice on Thursday, sitting in for Torre during the team's split-squad game at Legends Field against the Astros.
It was the second time this spring that Mattingly served as manager, as Torre wanted to bring bench coach Lee Mazzilli and third-base coach Larry Bowa with him to the Yankees' other split-squad game.
Despite the presence of former big-league managers Mazzilli, Bowa, Tony Pena and Joe Kerrigan on the coaching staff, it is widely assumed that Mattingly will take over for Torre whenever he decides to hand over the reins.
It wouldn't be so preposterous, considering that Mattingly has seen three of his fellow coaches -- Mazzilli, Willie Randolph and Joe Girardi -- land their first managing jobs in the past two-plus years.
During his playing career, Mattingly would think about being a manager from time to time, though he said he didn't have all that much time to spend dwelling on the topic.
With a job to do as the Yankees' first baseman, captain and face of the team, Mattingly would simply observe how his various managers conducted their business, dealt with players and handled the game.
None of them impressed Mattingly as much as Torre has during his tenure in New York.
"He makes it look easier than it is," Mattingly said. "There's a lot that goes on, the decisions he's making, but he does it so easily."
Mattingly points to Torre's handling of his players away from the field as one of the most important aspects of his job, noting that the manager often sees things from a big-picture standpoint that other people might overlook.
"He's very patient with the guys, and Joe really understands the length of the season," Mattingly said. "He understands the day-in, day-out, long course of the year. He sees everything; Joe doesn't miss anything. If a guy seems like he is a little bothered by something, he sees it right away."
Last spring, Mattingly had a situation of his own to deal with, as he worked closely with Jason Giambi, who was being scrutinized after a winter loaded with controversy stemming from the BALCO case.
"We came into camp saying, 'Jason, it's going to be a rough year. I don't care what happens, it's going to be a rough year,'" Mattingly said. "It started out like that, he had to answer a lot of questions, but he finally turned it around."
Giambi has credited Mattingly with playing a major role in that turnaround, both on and off the field. Mattingly worked with Giambi in the cage every day during the season, trying to get the slugger back to his MVP form of 2000.
"I'm happy for him from the standpoint of what he went through last year," Mattingly said. "It couldn't have ended much better for him than it did. We came into this spring with Jason in a positive frame of mind and with us confident in what he can do."
Giambi, who closed the season with 32 homers, 87 RBIs and the American League's Comeback Player of the Year Award, believes that Mattingly will be a good manager -- as long as he's willing to give up the one-on-one time he currently spends with players.
"Donnie likes to have the interaction, he's so good with what he does, and as a manager, you have to oversee everything," Giambi said. "You lose that closeness to guys that he develops.
"If he wants to do it, he'll be great. He knows the game very well."

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

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/

03/16/2006
Tigers at the plate: Three solo homers powered Detroit's offense -- Omar Infante in the third inning, Vance Wilson in the fourth and Marcus Thames leading off the bottom of the seventh. Nook Logan walked twice and also had a stolen base and the game-winning hit, a single in the bottom of the ninth, driving in Brandon Inge.
Yankees at the plate: Damian Rolls put New York on the scoreboard with an RBI fielder's choice in the fourth before Felix Escalona hit a hard line drive that hit off shortstop Don Kelly's glove for an RBI single. Marcos Vechionacci briefly put the Yankees ahead in the seventh when he singled, stole second base and came around to score on two errors.
Tigers on the mound: Starter Nate Robertson put ground balls to work in his fourth outing of the spring, inducing double plays to end each of his first four innings. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases with no outs in what ended up being a two-run fourth. Eulogio De La Cruz earned the win with two scoreless innings.
Yankees on the mound: Starter Matt DeSalvo held the Tigers scoreless until Infante's home run. He gave up three hits in as many innings, scattering three walks and striking out three. Sean Henn took the loss in his second inning of work.
Grapefruit League records: Tigers 10-6-1; Yankees 7-9.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/16/2006
Yankees at the plate: Hideki Matsui blasted his first home run of the spring, which also accounted for his first RBI. Kelly Stinnett and Ramiro Pena each had RBI hits in the second inning, while Gary Sheffield brought a run home with an RBI sacrifice fly. Russ Johnson added a solo homer in the eighth.
Astros at the plate: Mike Lamb did most of the damage for the Astros, contributing a two-run single in the first inning and a solo home run against Kyle Farnsworth in the sixth. Luke Scott and Brian Gordon each drove in a pair of runs in the seventh for Houston.
Yankees on the mound: Chien-Ming Wang tossed four innings in his third start of the spring. The right-hander allowed two unearned runs on five hits, striking out one batter without issuing a walk. Mariano Rivera allowed one hit and walked a batter, pitching one scoreless inning. Tanyon Sturtze allowed four runs in the seventh inning, taking the loss.
Astros on the mound: Brandon Backe made his fourth appearance of the spring, his third start. The right-hander allowed four runs on six hits in five innings, walking two and striking out one. Joe Valentine pitched a pair of scoreless innings to pick up the victory.
Grapefruit League records: Yankees 7-9; Astros 6-9.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/17/2006
JUPITER, Fla. -- With the United States having been eliminated late Thursday night in the World Baseball Classic, four Yankees who participated in the inaugural event are making their way back to the team's Spring Training facility in Tampa. That's bad news for the U.S., but good news for the Yankees.
"The negative thing about losing turns out to be a benefit for us in that we don't have to cram everything into the last week or 10 days," manager Joe Torre said before the club's 5-2 loss to the Cardinals on Friday at sold-out Roger Dean Stadium.
Torre is particularly concerned about the return of center fielder Johnny Damon, who has been struggling with tendinitis in his left shoulder. Damon pinch-ran for fellow Yankee Alex Rodriguez in the ninth inning of Thursday's 2-1 loss to Mexico, and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman felt relieved after talking to renowned arm specialist Dr. Lewis Yocum, who examined Damon on Monday in California.
Yocum told Cashman that Damon was cleared to pinch-run and pinch-hit before the Mexico game, so the GM is hopeful that the Yanks' leadoff hitter will be able to serve as a designated hitter in a game soon.
Cashman doesn't have a timetable for Damon's return to center field, but he'll be able to eyeball the Classic players up close on Sunday. The Yankees opted to have Damon, Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Al Leiter head home to Tampa rather than joining the club here, where it will wrap up a two-day visit Saturday with a game against the Florida Marlins.
Torre laughed that he didn't have to worry about the left side of his infield being behind schedule, because Jeter and Rodriguez worked side by side during the inaugural event.
Outfielder Bernie Williams, who played for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, called Torre from Tampa on Friday morning and asked what he should do. Torre told the veteran to remain in Tampa and added that Williams might require some extra defensive work, since he was used as Puerto Rico's designated hitter.
Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina seemed deeply appreciative Friday to have played with Williams on Team Puerto Rico.
"It was a dream come true for me to play with him," Molina said upon his return here following Puerto Rico's elimination.
Chacon battles: Right-hander Shawn Chacon allowed seven runners in 3 2/3 innings Friday against the Cardinals, yet he was touched for just a run in a no-decision. He prides himself on minimizing the damage created by his sometimes shaky control.
"I'm going to have days where I'm sort of wild," Chacon said after walking two and giving up five hits. "But I learned a while back that you're only one pitch away from getting out of a jam. If you always think that way, you're better off rather than trying to throw harder and work faster.
"Now I stop and take a deep breath," he added. "My intent is to slow the game down mentally. When you do, you focus better."
Chacon, acquired from Colorado last season, also has been ultra attentive when Yankees standouts Mike Mussina and Randy Johnson talk about pitching. Chacon calls Mussina "the scholar" among the staff's pitchers. Chacon also said he loved listening to Johnson talk for 15 minutes the other day about his cutter.
"I could listen to him talk all day about it," he said.
The two veterans' openness has helped Chacon feel accepted as he tries to endear himself further to the Yankees after going 7-3 with a 2.85 ERA in 14 games last season.
Chacon is just glad he can prepare for the season away from the glare of the World Baseball Classic. He could see on television the seriousness of this early-season competition, with each country's pride at stake.
"Sometimes it feels like you're representing a whole country pitching for this team," he said. "But really, it's nice not to have to put that on your shoulders in the spring."
Crosby sidelined: Outfielder Bubba Crosby, who made the trip from Tampa, sat out Friday's game with a tight hamstring. Torre said it's unlikely the outfielder will play on Saturday, either.
Despite Crosby's .190 spring average, Torre has a high opinion of the 29-year-old as someone he trusts to perform. Apparently, some sessions with hitting coach Don Mattingly did wonders.
"There was a time last year when he was never a consideration, except as a pinch-runner or as someone you'd put in late in a game," Torre said. "But after Donnie worked with him, I saw a different hitter. He once was a dead pull hitter -- hit the ball in the air and swing and miss. Donnie got him waiting on the ball. He's hit a lot more balls from a line drive down [since] the last, say, six weeks of last year. He's a much better player now."

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/17/2006
Yankees at the plate: Miguel Cairo, Jason Giambi and Russ Johnson all doubled, and Kelly Stinnett had a pair of base hits. Gary Sheffield's sac fly and Kevin Thompson's single brought home the two Yankees runs.
Cardinals at the plate: John Gall's eighth-inning sacrifice fly broke a tie and sent the Cardinals to the win, and Hector Luna followed it up with a two-run single for insurance. Deivi Cruz hit a solo home run, his first long ball (and third hit) of the spring. Yadier Molina singled twice, walked and drove in a run.
Yankees on the mound: Shawn Chacon worked out of trouble repeatedly, but ultimately had a decent result. Chacon gave up a run on five hits and two walks over 3 2/3 innings. Scott Proctor breezed through two hitless innings of relief. Jose Veras was charged with all four runs in St. Louis' game-winning eighth-inning rally.
Cardinals on the mound: Jeff Suppan turned in his second consecutive solid start, allowing two runs over 4 1/3 innings with two strikeouts and no walks. Carmen Cali got out of a tough jam in relief of Suppan in the fifth and totaled 1 2/3 shutout innings.
Grapefruit League records: Yankees 7-11; Cardinals 8-7-1.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/18/2006
JUPITER, Fla. -- Securing a contract extension from the Yankees appears to be weighing on Gary Sheffield's psyche. The veteran right fielder erupted Saturday when asked by a South Florida writer how things are going for him as a Yankee.
"I'm still not comfortable," he said. "I'm not allowed to be comfortable. That's the reality of it. I always have to play with my back against the wall. And it's just one more year of that. It's just always my situation. I've got to be somewhere for one or two years and [then they] reevaluate you and go from there."
Sheffield, 37, said before the Yankees' 8-3 victory over the Florida Marlins that he "absolutely" is always having to prove himself, despite his 449 career home runs and long pedigree as a big-game hitter.
He hit .291 last season, with 34 home runs and 123 RBIs.
Sheffield, in the last year of his contract, was reminded Saturday that he indicated a desire to remain with the Yankees when he reported for Spring Training. He was asked how that blends with his apparent feeling now that his back has been against the wall with New York.
"I'm not getting into that," he said, clearly annoyed.
General manager Brian Cashman, who has talked of the club picking up Sheffield's $13 million option for 2007, said he hadn't heard anything about Sheffield's sentiment and preferred not to comment. Cashman said he would likely broach the subject with Sheffield soon.
Manager Joe Torre initially interpreted it as a good thing that Sheffield felt he had to prove himself every year.
"As you get older, I think you have to do that," Torre said. "And I think that's the reason he's so good. It's a game where you have to prove yourself to yourself every day."
Asked about Sheffield's attitude this spring, Torre noted that his best friends on the team -- Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter -- were away playing in the World Baseball Classic.
"I talk to him a lot, especially since the other guys aren't here," Torre said. "I don't know if that's filling a void, but I try to pay attention. I know last year when I didn't pay attention to him, it was a mistake on my part. Because I didn't sense he needed a rest here and there, and the only way I'm going to get that is to have communications going."
Torre acknowledged that with Sheffield hoping to reach 500 career home runs, his uncle Dwight Gooden's highly-publicized and frequent problems and a desire to get his contract settled, "he has a lot in the hopper. But when the games start, do I think anything will affect how he does his thing? No. To me, that's really the bottom line."
Torre added: "I just hope he feels appreciation from us, because I certainly try to make him feel that way. I'd like to feel we don't just support people just for the baseball part of the game, because this is the game of life here we play, as often as we're together. From February hopefully through October, you're with each other more than you're with your family."
Sheffield has been struggling offensively this spring. His 0-for-3 Saturday left him with an average of .044 (1-for-21) this spring.
That doesn't faze Torre. With proven veteran players like Sheffield, Torre is mainly concerned about one thing in the spring: getting them between 50 and 70 at-bats.
"He's about as good a pressure player as you want to find," Torre said.
Wright likes new curve: Jaret Wright unveiled a new curveball Saturday -- one with a sharper break -- and felt almost giddy about it after limiting the Marlins to three hits and one run in four innings.
"It felt a lot better," Wright said, after striking out four. "It really hasn't been a good pitch for me for awhile. I talked about it with Mike Mussina and he thought this might help."
Instead of a two-seam grip, Wright now uses four seams and holds the ball deeper in his hand.
"I'm still working to feel totally comfortable with it," Wright said. "But it's definitely better than what I was throwing before."
This and that: Second baseman Robinson Cano was hit in the helmet on a throw by Marlins third baseman Miguel Cabrera in the first inning Saturday and removed from the game as a precaution. He felt fine afterward. Cano's line drive hit off pitcher Brian Moehler's glove and bounded to Cabrera, who threw wildly to first. ... Pitcher Scott Erickson was sent back to Tampa early, complaining of back spasms. ... Left fielder Hideki Matsui hit a three-run home run and sacrifice fly in Saturday's victory.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/18/2006
Marlins at the plate: In the fourth inning, Mike Jacobs lined a two-out double to left and he scored on Josh Willingham's RBI single to right for the lone run off Jaret Wright. And in the fifth, Hanley Ramirez had a run-scoring triple. Brian Moehler's bad-hop single up the middle in the third inning was the team's first hit.
Yankees at the plate: Hideki Matsui crushed a three-run homer on a 2-2 pitch to give the Yankees a 4-0 lead in the third inning. Kevin Howard had an RBI single to start the four-run third. Howard brought in three runs with a triple. Robinson Cano reached on an infield single in the first inning, and was lifted for a pinch-runner after a pickoff attempt grazed his head. Cano was removed for precautionary reasons and is OK.
Marlins on the mound: Moehler had a rough outing, giving up eight earned runs in 3 1/3 innings on seven hits. The right-hander threw 67 pitches, walked two and struck out two. He gave up four runs in each of the third and fourth innings.
Yankees on the mound: Wright breezed through three innings before yielding a run in the fourth. In four innings, Wright allowed one run on three hits with four strikeouts.
Grapefruit League records: Marlins 10-6-3; Yankees 8-11.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/19/2006
TAMPA, Fla. -- Mitch Jones has put up impressive power numbers in the Minors in each of the past two seasons, bashing 66 home runs at Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Columbus.
Jones, who played in his first big-league camp with the Yankees this spring, continued that trend during the past week, impressing manager Joe Torre and the Bombers with a pair of two-homer games.
"He's legitimate; it's not like he only hits mistakes," Torre said. "He seems to have a calm confidence about him at the plate. He's been impressive, hitting home runs to center field and left field; he gets on top of the ball."
Despite possessing true power, the 28-year-old Jones hasn't been considered a big-time prospect in the Yankees' organization because of his alarming strikeout numbers. In 2005, Jones whiffed 174 times in 489 at-bats, a whopping 35 percent of the time.
Jones is hitting .302 in 43 spring at-bats, with eight of his 13 hits going for extra bases. Torre believes that Jones, who plays both first base and outfield, could be a contributor at the Major League level regardless of his propensity to swing and miss.
"He's going to strike out, but the danger when they make a mistake is pretty good," Torre said. "The ratio of strikeouts to what happens when he puts the ball in play, he's certainly impressed us this spring."
Jones was among 10 cuts made Sunday by the team, though, as he was assigned to Minor League camp.
On the move: Eric Duncan's offensive skills are not in doubt, as the youngster is hitting .407 with two homers and eight RBIs in 27 spring at-bats. But Duncan's transition from third base to first base has been going very well, impressing nine-time Gold Glove first baseman Don Mattingly.
"He's just changing positions this year, but for a guy that played third, he looks pretty good over there," Mattingly said. "He's going to be OK."
Duncan's hands have been good at his new position, but he still needs to learn the finer details of playing first. With the bases loaded and one out this week, Duncan took a ground ball and tried to turn a double play at second, when the proper play would have been to get the runner at home.
"He's still learning to play the position, but he has to learn, 'When the ball is hit to me, where am I going with it?'" Mattingly said. "As he gets more comfortable and is out there longer, the more he's going to be able to pre-plan all that stuff."
They're No. 1: Duncan (2003) and David Parrish (2000) are the only former first-rounders in camp. Parrish is hitless in seven spring at-bats.
Class of '05: J.B. Cox was the only member of last year's draft class in the Yankees' big-league camp. He appeared in three games, posting a 3.00 ERA with one save.
Down and out: The Yankees sent several players out to Minor League camp this week, including 2004 first-rounder Philip Hughes. Also reassigned were catcher Jason Brown, outfielder Chris Prieto, right-hander Darrell Rasner, right-hander Matt DeSalvo, right-hander Jeff Karstens and infielder Danny Garcia. The Yankees made 10 more cuts on Sunday, optioning right-hander T.J. Beam to Double-A Trenton and center fielder Melky Cabrera and left-hander Sean Henn to Triple-A Columbus. Lefty Frank Brooks, third baseman Marcos Vechionacci, shortstop Ramiro Pena, Cox, Parrish, Duncan and Jones were reassigned to the Minor League camp.
Stat machine: Kevin Thompson's red-hot spring continues, as the outfielder is hitting .436 through the first 16 games. Thompson has one homer and is tied for the team lead in RBIs with eight. His 17 hits lead all Yankees.
What they're saying: "We have a lot of good looking young players here right now. Dunc, Melky [Cabrera], [Ramiro] Pena, [Marcos] Vechionacci -- these kids are getting a lot of at-bats. This is as talented a camp as I've been to in a long time." -- Mattingly, on the Yankees young players in camp

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/19/2006
TAMPA, Fla. -- After retiring the only batter he faced on Sunday against Cleveland, two-time All-Star Al Leiter announced his retirement.
Leiter, a non-roster invitee to Yankees camp, had just returned from a stint with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, and there was speculation he would retire following the tournament.
Leiter told manager Joe Torre and general manager Brian Cashman of his decision before the game, and it was decided that he would pitch following Randy Johnson until he got an out, which happened on a ground ball by Eduardo Perez, the first batter he faced.
Leiter cited his family and a desire to go out on his own terms as his reasons for hanging it up.
"Look, I think it comes to this: It feels good to be able to go out on your own terms," Leiter said. "I love the game very much, but when you were a certain type of player for a few years, being a front-end starter, that's the way I think.
"That's the way I still think I can pitch, but the body tells you no and your stuff and the radar gun tell you no. So to be relegated to a lesser role, which is understandable and appropriate, I'm still thinking I'm like a front-end guy, so it's difficult mentally."
The left-hander was 162-132 with a 3.80 ERA in 419 appearances over his 19 big-league seasons, which began and ended with the Yankees. New York selected Leiter in the second round of the 1984 First-Year Player Draft, and he was reacquired for cash considerations from the Marlins on July 16, 2005.
Leiter was a part of two World Series championship teams -- Toronto in 1993 and Florida in 1997.
"I've seen a lot of players not want to stop playing," Torre said. "He was so honest with himself about knowing his personality as a competitor and feeling that that fire or need wasn't there anymore. I was pleased he came back here."

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/19/2006
TAMPA, Fla. -- Team USA's Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon and Puerto Rico's Bernie Williams rejoined the Yankees on Sunday after their respective teams were eliminated from the World Baseball Classic. For the first time in a while, it actually looked like the Yankees at Legends Field.
"We got a little shot of energy today," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "We got the guys back, and you know they've been playing, and I think they were happy to be back, too.
It didn't take long for the stacked lineup to put some runs on the board. Damon hit a leadoff single in the bottom of the first and scored on a double by Jeter, who was brought home on a single by Jason Giambi. The 2-0 lead held up.
Jeter, Damon and Rodriguez each expressed disappointment about Team USA's exit from the tournament in the second round, although they all had positive things to say about the experience.
"I enjoyed it," Jeter said. "I would recommend it to anyone that has a chance to play. It was a good experience, like I said, besides the results. But I guess some teams had to go home.
"I enjoyed getting a chance to play with some people that I've haven't played with before. You experience some things you haven't experienced."
Rodriguez said playing with guys like Oakland's Huston Street and Houston's Brad Lidge was a highlight.
"Loved it," Rodriguez said. "It was well organized. Just meeting the kind of players you get to play with [was fun]. It's just a neat experience."
"I thought all the players did a good job representing the game," Damon said. "I think now people are going to appreciate how the game is played in other countries."
Williams, who had a very good showing at the tournament, said he enjoyed his experience with Team Puerto Rico.
"I loved it," Williams said. "I can't stress enough how fun it was."
Al Leiter, a non-roster invitee to Yankees camp who pitched for Team USA, retired hours after rejoining the team.
Damon improving: Damon was relegated to playing designated hitter in his first game back while he recovers from tendinitis in his left shoulder. He said he feels better than he did while at the Classic and expects to play in the field later this week.
"They're going to keep me from throwing for a couple days," Damon said. "I felt pretty good, but I think they're going to wait until after the off-day [on Tuesday]. It's a temporary setback, nothing major."
Getting there: Staff ace Randy Johnson had his best outing of the spring on Sunday, pitching six shutout innings and scattering four hits with nine strikeouts and no walks.
"I felt pretty good," Johnson said. "That's what I've been talking about all along."
Torre said, "Randy was excellent."
Around the horn: Carl Pavano pitched on the field before Sunday's game for the first time since he felt soreness in his back earlier in the spring. The right-hander threw 35 pitches with a batter standing in the box. "I felt pretty good," Pavano said. He will likely throw live batting practice on Wednesday. ... The Yankees made several roster moves, optioning right-hander T.J. Beam to Double-A Trenton and outfielder Melky Cabrera and left-hander Sean Henn to Triple-A Columbus. Left-hander Frank Brooks, right-hander J. Brent Cox, catcher David Parrish and infielders Marcos Vechionacci, Ramiro Pena, Eric Duncan and Mitch Jones were reassigned to the Minor League camp.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/19/2006
Yankees at the plate: Robinson Cano (2-for-3) was one of eight Yankees with a base hit. Derek Jeter (1-for-3) doubled in a run in his first at-bat after returning from the World Baseball Classic.
Indians at the plate: Center fielder Jason Michaels (1-for-4) tripled, and right fielder Casey Blake went 2-for-4. Jason Dubois (1-for-3), Andy Marte (1-for-3) and Jose Flores (1-for-3) all singled.
Yankees on the mound: Ace Randy Johnson had a big outing, pitching six shutout innings and scattering four hits while fanning nine. Kyle Farnsworth pitched a shutout inning with one hit and one strikeout, and Tanyon Sturze threw a perfect inning. Al Leiter pitched the final outing of his career, going one-third of an inning before announcing his retirement after the game.
Indians on the mound: Starter Jason Johnson pitched five innings, yielding two runs on seven hits with a pair of walks and two strikeouts. Fausto Carmona pitched three shutout innings with four strikeouts.
Grapefruit League records: Yankees 9-11; Indians 13-8.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/

03/20/2006
Tigers at the plate: Magglio Ordonez led the Tigers onslaught with three runs scored in his first three times at bat, capped by a two-run home run on a line over the left-field fence in the fourth inning. Dmitri Young had a two-run homer in the third inning along with back-to-back solo shots from Brandon Inge and Alexis Gomez. Ivan Rodriguez opened the scoring with a two-run double in the first. Craig Monroe went 3-for-4 with a two-run single in the fifth.
Yankees at the plate: Miguel Cairo put the Yankees on the scoreboard with a solo home run in the fourth inning and scored on a Derek Jeter single in the seventh. Jeter, Johnny Damon and Andy Phillips had two hits apiece.
Tigers on the mound: Jeremy Bonderman scattered two hits over four scoreless innings before giving up Cairo's homer in a three-hit fifth. He walked two and struck out three. Mark Woodyard walked three in two innings.
Yankees on the mound: Starter Mike Mussina gave up double digits in four long innings of work. Six of the 10 runs he allowed came on four home runs, comprising one-third of the 12 hits he allowed. Dusty Bergman gave up three runs in one-third of an inning.
Grapefruit League records: Tigers 13-8-1; Yankees 9-12.

Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/