Pettitte plays catch, start could get delayed
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Mar 24, 2008 
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Plenty of news today:
* Andy Pettitte played catch but still felt some tightness in his lower back. He could throw a bullpen session tomorrow or Wednesday. He said he doesn’t want to get on the mound until he’s pain-free.
If Pettitte gets in a game by Friday, he can start April 2. If not, he would be pushed back. The day off on April 1 would allow for an easy rotation adjustment. But Pettitte and Joe Girardi said they were confident he would pitch sometime in that first turn through the rotation.
* RHP Chris Britton, RHP Dan Giese and LHP Heath Phillips were reassigned to the minor-league camp.
* OF Johnny Damon (flu) was scratched from the lineup and sent home.
* Legends Field will officially become Steinbrenner Field on Thursday.
* Former football Giants GM Ernie Accorsi is here as a guest of Brian Cashman.
good news on Andy
Will there be a big ceremony for the renaming??
Will George be there and do anything??
Good to see that Andy could actually play catch. He couldn’t even do that yesterday. On the road to recovery a la Beckett.
Damon just can’t catch a break this spring. First he nearly broke his toe and now the flu. There’s a flu epidemic in Florida at the moment. The Yanks may be getting out of there just in time.
boy Britton has really been a permanent minor leaguer with the Yanks. feel kinda bad for the guy
So Britton is out of the race for the pen. Based on all we have heard so far Bruney, Olhendorf, Patterson, Albaladejo, and Ramirez for the last start, assuming Traber amd Karstens/Rasner make the team.
Anyone know how many players remain in camp?
Yeah but they are coming back to NY and everyone is sick here. I can’t tell you how many people I know that have been sick in the last week or two.
Don’t know why Britton doesn’t get any respect- sorry to see you go Chris, we won’t blame you if you go on a bender.
Johnny, get well soon!
Pettite’s back is a concern. The last spot in the pen is a toss up.
But the yankees do have options.
To put this in context – the mets have the #5 spot in the rotation still open.
They have two candidates – El Dugue and Mike Pelfrey.
Yesterday both pitched in what was supposed to be the decisive game in who was going to get the start.
El Duque was awful – his fastball was clocked in the 70′s. He threw some curveballs at 60 mph.
Then Pelfrey, their top pitching prospect, came in and threw 4 1/3 innings. He gave up 13 hits and 8 runs.
That’s the best they have for #5.
Drive 4-5,
You mentioned season tickets. I thought you live in Boston?
jennifer,
You right My daughter lives & works in Manahattan and half of her office is sick..including her.
It doesn’t help that the forecast for next Monday is in the 40′s. What was mlb thinking scheduling games in NYC in March, never mind night games April 2,3 & 4??
mel,
I live in Western Mass…the Berkshires. My wife & I travel 350 miles roundtrip for every Saturday game.
CB,
Add Brad Lidge to the list.
Yankee fans! Continue to be good people and be good to other people. The karma’s been good for the Yankees this year, unlike last year when we had multiple injuries.
Just hope it’s warmer in Boston on the 12th. I know this is gonna sound weird coming from a Syracuse student, but I HATE cold weather.
mel,
I live in the Western Mass..the Berkshires. My wife & I travel 350 miles roundtrip fro every Saturday game.
mel you should start a running list! Does lidge have a new injury or is it still his knee? He hurt it first day of camp.
Too bad about Shields. I’m afraid he may be breaking down rapidly as relievers do. Was absolutely dominant and then just was awful last year.
Depth of pitching – can’t beat it.
Britton can’t buy a break.
Pete,
Any word on who will be throwing out the first pitch on opening day??
RustyJohn,
Britton gets no respect because his stuff is not very good. He’s a huge guy, out of shape, tops out at 90.
CB,
I heard that Duque was hitting 81-84 with his fastball? Thats still Jamie Moyer territory but not as bad as 70′s. I didn’t see him throw so I don’t know.
The mets look good now but in a few years they are going to be awful. Omar has really run the minor league system into the ground. That team is on the brink of falling apart. They’ll be good this year if they can avoid injuries but not much longer than that.
patrick,
“Orlando Hernandez was unable to throw his fastball — if you can call a high-70s pitch a fastball — for strikes, and lasted only three innings. Mike Pelfrey, charging in from the bullpen to finish out the game and claim the rotation spot for his own, allowed 13 hits and eight runs in 4 1/3 innings.”
http://www.nj.com/mets/ledger/.....038;coll=1
They have no depth and they are old. Bad combo.
CB,
Yes, Lidge is not ready due to his arthoscopic surgery, but Shields has forearm issues.
E-Roc,
How ya been? Are you still overseas?
CB,
Thanks, I was going off this snippet from Rotoworld.com
“Finally making his spring debut, Orlando Hernandez yielded five runs in three innings Sunday in a loss to the Cardinals.
Hernandez topped out at 81 mph and was typically at 75-78 mph in his simulated game on Tuesday. The good news is that he picked up about three mph today, topping out at 84. It’s still not enough for him to retire major league hitters, but it’s progress enough to provide hope that he’ll be of use in another three weeks or so. Until then, the Mets will want another option for the final spot in their rotation.”
That report is conflicting so I wasn’t sure which to believe. Sounds more like he threw a couple pitches at just above 80 but sat around 75-78. I don’t care who you are, no pitcher can survive throwing 75 mph fastballs.
The Mets will probably be spending some more money this summer on Freddy Garcia before it’s all said and done.
I’m in the States, finally. We’re living in Idaho, “Potato Country!”
I think one of Girardi’s toughest decisions will be the long reliever spot. It doesn’t speak well of our options when Kei Igawa is still in the mix. I think Igawa can than Karstens for that. What ever happened to all the depth we were excited about earlier?
E-ROC,
Good to hear. I figured you were in Idaho because we haven’t seen you in a while.
That mets draft always cracked me up.
Yankees lost out when that year when they took CJ Henry at 17 and Colby Rasmus went 28. Nothing you can do about that. It happens with high school guys. No one thought Rasmus would be so good.
They made up for it with Jackson in round 8.
But for the mets that’s just bad. Next three guys right after Pelfrey are that trio.
Just like when they took Phil Humber in 2004 at #4 and the yankees took Hughes #23 that year.
mel-
Kobe almost saved the day last night.
CB-
Any good websites you can recommend to see the last few years draft picks by all teams?
I think this is the first time that I can remember where the present day Yankees are messing with a player.
Britton is a major league player. PERIOD. He deserves better than this. He has performed well in the Majors and the Minors.
THe Yankees owe it to him to trade him immediately. He is not even there 3rd replacement – IT is a farce.
His agent needs to be fired too. Never let this happen to a client of yours. Britton should ask for a release or be traded.
I agree that there are pitchers I prefer over Britton. THe yankees are stacked right now with relievers. PLease don’t even get me started with Farnsworth. THe only reason this guy is still on the team is becausue Cashman is trying to salvage something of it, especially with all the pitchers he has signed that have flopped.(not saying they were all his fault). He is a wonderful GM. But he is letting his ego/career get in the middle with Farnsworth.
RESPECT BRITTON TRADE FARNSWORTH
Britton does have good numbers over 60+ appearances for the Yankees and had pretty good numbers this spring as well. For some reason, he seems like an afterthought or perennial mid-season guy. I wonder if he will just ask for his release; there are plenty of teams out there that would LOVE to have a guy in their bullpen that throws strikes and gets outs consistently, no matter what they look like or how hard they throw. If Patterson is the next to go, someone needs to lose their job considering who will be trying to get big outs instead of these guys…BRUNEY (114 bb in 148 innings)…KARSTENS(lots of hits, few strikeouts, lots of run)…IGAWA (copy and paste what I just wrote about Karstens except also add lots of walks)…FARNSWORTH (not that he needs an explanation here, but his career numbers are actually BETTER than the other guys I just mentioned. Now I’m not so sure how excited I am about this bullpen when I think aboupt it like that. Hmmm