The LoHud Yankees Blog

Reggie Jackson hit 563 home runs, good for 11th place in history. Alex Rodriguez is right behind him with 553.

“He’ll go by me like I’m standing still. It’s a shame, one of the all-time greats,” Jackson said with a laugh today.

But Jackson doesn’t like the idea of so many tainted players having passed him. He pointed out that he was sixth all-time when he entered the Hall of Fame in 1993.

“The game was 140 years old,” he said. “Now I’m 11th.”

His reaction to A-Rod having used steroids?

“The best answer I can give you is that I was disappointed. I was very lucky to have been a good player. When I started playing I was a fan. When I played I was a fan and when I left the game I am a fan of Derek Jeter, of Alex Rodriguez, of CC Sabathia. I like to be at games, I like to watch the games. … I get affected as a fan. You get saddened.

“I get angry sometimes. I’ve been reprimanded by the commissioner and the president of our team. I’ve pleaded with them to understand that I’m personally affected; I’m personally involved. I’m hurt; I’m bewildered. I don’t know that we ever get past it.”

Dave Robertson loaded the bases in the ninth but escaped as the Yankees won their exhibition opener 6-1.

Back in a bit after I get a little newspaper work done. Reggie Jackson had some interesting comments.

YANKEES
Gardner CF
Jeter SS
Cano 2B
Rodriguez 3B
Swisher RF
Duncan DH
Miranda 1B
Linden LF
Cash C

Pitching: Brett Tomko followed by Kei Igawa, Christian Garcia, Mike Dunn, Dave Robertson, Dan Giese and Jose Veras.

BLUE JAYS
Inglett 3B
Hill 2B
Rios RF
Millar 1B
Lind DH
Barajas C
Snider LF
Coats CF
McDonald SS

Notes: The Blue Jays will start LHP Brett Cecil. B.J. Ryan, Rick Bauer, Brian Burres and Ricky Romero will follow. … This will be the only blog post until after the game is over. I’ll post any updates below, so keep an eye out. I’ll live blog as much of the game as I can until the clubhouse opens to the media. … The game is not on television or radio.

UPDATE, 9:10 a.m.: Joe Girardi just said the rotation would be Sabathia, Wang, Burnett, Pettitte and Chamberlain. The plan is for Joba to make roughly 30 starts.

UPDATE, 10:52 a.m.: Yes, 30 starts for Joba. So we could be looking at him throwing 175-180 innings. That certainly a lot more than the 100.1 he tossed last year. Chamberlain was at 116 in 2007, counting the playoffs.

Obviously a lot can change and probably will. But the Yankees are of the mindset to let him go out and pitch as the No. 5 starter. The key to this will be Joba being honest with them about how he is feeling.

UPDATE, 10:57 p.m.: There are no crowds with pitchforks and torches waiting for A-Rod. Just the usual senior citizens and autograph seekers. I’m sure he’s going to get booed. But when doesn’t he get booed?

UPDATE, 12:58 p.m.: We’re about to get underway. The major of Dunedin just threw out the first pitch. He was wearing shorts and a t-shirt.

UPDATE, 12:59 p.m.: Three fans dressed as syringes just ran on the field and carried A-Rod off. … OK, that’s didn’t actually happen.

UPDATE, 1:02 p.m.: To be accurate, A-Rod didn’t really get much of a reaction at all when he was introduced. The nice old folks in Dunedin aren’t going to get too crazy.

UPDATE, 1:03 p.m.: Brett Gardner takes a strikes and we’re underway. Its 72 here.

UPDATE, 1:04 p.m.: Gardner just buried the second pitch over the fence in right field. 1-0 Yankees.

UPDATE, 1:07 p.m.: Jeter grounded to short.

UPDATE, 1:10 p.m.: Cano K’d on a called check swing. … Well I was wrong about the people of Dunedin. A-Rod was booed loudly when he came to the plate. There are a lot of people jeering him about Madonna and his use of steroids. He drew a walk.

UPDATE, 1:16 p.m.: Swisher whiffed to end the inning. Brett Tomko is on and he got Inglett to line to first, Nice catch by Miranda. Then Hill went 5-3.

Tomko has 28 now. Melky took 53. The Yankees also have on their new road BP jerseys. They say “New York” across the front and have sort of silver numbers.

UPDATE, 1:19 p.m.: Three up and three down for Tomko. He has a chance to make the team as a long reliever by the way.

UPDATE, 1:29 p.m.: The Yankees went in order in the second inning. Duncan foul pop, Miranda and Linden whiffed. … Tomko got two outs in the second then Barajas singled. Miranda made a great catch of a foul pop down the line. But Snider flied to center.

UPDATE, 1:35 p.m.: Ricky Romero now pitching for Toronto.

UPDATE, 1:38 p.m.: Three groundouts for the Yankees. 1-0 middle of the third. Here’s a photo from the press box.

UPDATE, 1:44 p.m.: Jose Veras now on to pitch. He has allowed a one-out double to McDonald, hit Inglett and thrown a wild pitch. He’s in a jam now.

UPDATE, 1:48 p.m.: Rios sac fly to center. Gardner charged and made a strong throw but it hit the runner coming home. 1-1.

UPDATE, 1:59 p.m.: Cano was hit by a pitch and A-Rod jacked one out. Cheers from the Yankees fans, boos from everybody else. 3-1 Yankees.

UPDATE, 2:13 p.m.: Todd Linden’s RBI single off B.J. Ryan in the fourth inning has given the Yankees a 4-1 lead. Romero put two runners on before Ryan came in. The Yankees had a chance for more but Gardner flew to center with runners on the corners. Girardi should make him do 20 push-ups.

Dan Giese on to pitch.

UPDATE, 2:20 p.m.: It’s 4-1 Yankees after four innings. I need to sell ads for the live blogging. This update brought to you by all Benihana locations in the Tri-State area!

UPDATE, 2:26 p.m.: Jeter singles to right, Cano doubles down the line in left. Runners at second and third with no outs for A-Rod.

UPDATE, 2:27 p.m.: He walks. Loaded up with no outs for Swisher.

UPDATE, 2:30 p.m.: Down 0-2, Swisher works a walk. 5-1 Yanks.

UPDATE, 2:32 p.m.: Duncan struck out swinging but Miranda grounded a single into right. 6-1 Yankees.

UPDATE, 2:36 p.m.: 6-4-3 for Linden to end the inning. 6-1 Yankees. Big changes in the lineup now. A-Rod, Jeter, Cano, Gardner and Miranda are out. The live blogging could be finished as I’ll need to get down to the clubhouse shortly.

Kei Igawa in to pitch.

UPDATE, 3:18 p.m.: A-Rod said the crowd didn’t bother him. “I felt the fans were OK actually. I’d like to invite a bunch of them out to Fenway this summer,” he said.

For Jose Molina, baseball is difficult at times as he deals with the death of his father.

As you probably know, Jose is one of three brothers in the majors. He, Bengie and Yadier are all catchers. I knew his dad was their first coach and worked with kids in Puerto Rico literally until the day he passed away in October.

Such stories are hard to approach a player about. But when I saw that Bengie had talked about it, I thought I would ask Jose. We ended up having a great discussion and he showed me some photos along with passages from a book he is reading about life and death.

I think the story came out well, or at least I hope so. Benjamin Molina was a man who made a difference in the lives of kids and in some small way, I hope this story helps people remember him.

Meanwhile, A-Rod is ready for his first game on the road.

GAMES ON YES
Feb. 26 vs. Tampa Bay, 1:15
Feb. 28 vs. Minnesota, 1:15
March 3 vs. Team USA, 1:15
March 7 vs. Atlanta, 1:15
March 10 vs. Reds, 7:15
March 14 vs. Astros, 1:15
March 17 vs. Pirates, 7:15
March 19 vs. Blue Jays, 7:15
March 24 vs. Red Sox, 7:15
March 26 at Phillies, 1:05
April 3 vs. Cubs (from New York), 7:05
April 4 vs. Cubs (from New York), 1:05

MLB NETWORK
March 3 vs. Team USA, 1:15
March 22 at Tampa Bay, 1:05
April 3 vs. Cubs (from New York), 7:05

GAMES ON WCBS
Feb. 28 vs. Twins, 1:15
March 7 vs. Braves, 1:15
March 14 vs. Astros, 1:15
March 15 vs. Twins, 1:15
March 21 vs. Tigers, 1:15
March 24 vs. Red Sox, 7:15
March 27 vs. Reds, 7:15
March 29 vs. Pirates, 1:15
April 3 vs. Cubs (from New York), 7:05
April 4 vs. Cubs (from New York), 1:05

Note: ESPN is not doing any exhibition games.

According to MLB.com, Edwar Ramirez and Jose Veras are on the final roster of the Dominican Republic team in the WBC.

Note to the DR team: Edwar can’t throw because of a sore shoulder. I have no idea if Veras is actually on the team or not. The WBC is a bit haphazard.

Damaso Marte is on the DR roster, which I do believe is actually the case.

Joe Girardi isn’t too thrilled with the timing of the tournament. But he understands the desire to want to play. “If they had this when I was a player, I would have wanted to be there,” he said.

————

In response to many, many e-mails, the Yankees said that Old Timers’ Day will be July 19 against Detroit. That is a Sunday afternoon game.

I’m still trying to get the official word on the availability of beer in the bleachers.

Here are a few notes from the day in Tampa:

· Jorge Posada will DH on Thursday. Hideki Matsui is still a little ways away from playing. He’ll start his running program soon. I watched Posada throw today and his arm strength was good. The Yankees are very optimistic about his progress.

· Derek Jeter did his running today and ran the bases as well. His hamstring seems fine and he’s good to go for the WBC.

· Francisco Cervelli is leaving camp to play for Italy in the WBC. Yes, he’s Venezuelan. But under WBC rules you can play for any country you can point to on a globe.

· Alfredo Aceves will start on Sunday at Cincinnati. He ran the table off the break during one of the pool tournaments yesterday. “A shark,” Phil Hughes said.

· Former big leaguer Reggie Smith was in the clubhouse representing a bat company. There are salesmen and equipment reps in the clubhouse throughout the spring selling or giving away bats, gloves, sunglasses, etc.

· Bernie Williams returned to camp after a three-day break and took some BP.

· The WBC guys (A-Rod, Jeter and Cano) will all play in Thursday’s game at home and skip the Friday game in Fort Myers.

We just spoke to Alex Rodriguez about playing in tomorrow’s game against the Blue Jays in Dunedin. He said he was prepared for the worst in terms of the fans.

“I’ve had a lot of practice the last eight years,” he said. “Just hopefully get three good at-bats, gets some good running in and go home and have a nice dinner.”

When asked about the upcoming meeting with MLB investigators regarding his use of PEDs, Rodriguez said he didn’t know when it.

“I have no idea,” he said. “I’ve heard the same thing you guys have heard. Probably you guys have heard more. … I’m not sure. I’m just waiting to hear from somebody. Maybe Jean. I’m not sure.”

We weren’t sure whether he meant MLBPA official Gene Orza or Yankees assistant general manager Jean Afterman. A couple of reporters stopped Rodriguez on his way out to ask who he was referring to.

“I don’t know,” he said.

At Toronto tomorrow: Brett Tomko followed by Kei Igawa, Christian Garcia, Mike Dunn, Dave Robertson, Dan Giese and Jose Veras.

Vs. Tampa Bay on Thursday: Phil Hughes followed by Phil Coke, Brian Bruney, Damaso Marte, Jon Albaladejo, Mark Melancon.

Yogi Berra and Reggie Jackson have arrived.