Report from the minor league complex
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Mar 18, 2008 
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Mariano Rivera vs. Class AA New Hampshire:
2 innings
0 hits
0 runs
0 walks
4 strikeouts
23 pitches / 16 strikes
“I felt good,” Rivera said after his first two-inning outing of the spring. “All of my pitches were in the strike zone. Everything is fine.”
The photo is of Mariano signing for people through the fence. He signed for everybody who was there.
Mike Mussina vs. Class AAA Syracuse:
6 innings
7 hits
3 runs
3 earned runs
0 walks
2 strikeouts
72 pitches / 53 strikes
Mussina allowed two runs on three hits in his final inning as he appeared to grow tired on the 82-degree day. “I threw a couple of bad pitches that makes it looks worse than it was,” he said.
Mussina had good velocity, reaching back for 87, 88 when he needed it. Jose Molina, who caught him, said Mussina was throwing all of his pitches for strikes.
Of the seven hits he allowed, two of them were bleeders. But he also gave up a bomb to center field off the bat of Adam Lind that Matt Carson made a Willie Mays-style over the shoulder catch on.
Mussina being at 72 pitches with two outings to go this spring is about perfect. He can get to 100 before the regular season.
As for the hitters:
Hideki Matsui was 1 for 4 with a single and played three inings in left. He said his knees felt fine and that he expects he will be ready for Opening Day. One of his outs was a fly ball to the base of the wall in center.
Jose Molina was 1 for 4 with an RBI single.
Good for Moose. Let’s get the season started.
Lind is really a major leaguer so Moose shouldn’t feel TOO bad. But this looks like further good progress for Moose.
“I threw a couple of bad pitches that makes it looks worse than it was,â€
It’s still Spring, but man…..
But I am glad to hear that he was throwing strikes with all of his pitches. That’ll help.
Think of it this way: without the last inning where he was being stretch out, he would have gone 5.0IP, 4H, 1R
*stretched. I can type, I swear.
If Moose can be a 15-10 6 inning 4.50 era 30 – 32 start guy this year it would be a success. For a team that scores like the Yankees should, that’s not a reach.
The thing about Karstens is that you can’t tell if he’s throwing some cookies up there for the college kids, or if he’s just pitching like he usually does
That’s probably what we can expect from Moose this year. 6IP, 3-4ER. Hopefully he simply keeps the team in the game and lets the offense win him some games.
I hope they don’t carry Karstens and do keep Strickland. Im not a big fan of his, Rasners or Henns. I know Joe wants a long man and I think Strickland can give 3-4 innings.
Pete- is Mo wearing the socks high in that pic? Did he do socks high for the game? That’d be awesome
William –
I agree. Karstens and Rasner simply haven’t proven they can consistently get major league hitters out or stay healthy.
I am going to Modells after work to see ifg I can get my hands on one of these Yankee/VT hats. They are sweet.
Has Mo broke out his change-up this spring yet? Is it still something he’s considering?
I will take that performance from moose each and every time.
Perhaps we could all cut Karstens a little slack. We’re so eager to promote guys with no majors track record at the expense of guys who’ve at least had some success. Don’t forget Karstens biggest slice in the majors in ’06, where he did fine. Not dominant, fine. And his minors performances in ’06 and in limited ’07 IP where also very good. As was his work for USA baseball in the offseason. Perhaps we can excuse last year after the pulled hammy and the broken leg.
Personally I’d be fine if he went to Scranton and continued to start in case we had an immediate need due to injury, and another reliever was carried instead. With the innings limits on the 3 and the likelihood of some injury time lost, it’s likely some starts are going to fall to guys beyond the top 6. Heck, last year we used 14 starters. Frankly we’re pretty lucky IPK and Joba pulled off the meteoric rises they did last year – imagine where we’d be otherwise. The others we’re hoping for good things from in the near future – Horne, Marquez, McCutcheon, etc. – don’t have the same upside as those 2. Having all these guys for depth is a nice feeling. Be nice if Igawa could somehow translate a pretty fair minors performance to the majors too – but all things are not gonna go the way we’d hope.
Geez, I sound like the Resident Optimist!
Iwas there today….saw Pete…and I was one of thoose getting Mo’s autograph at the fence.Hi Pete!!