The LoHud Yankees Blog

Mark Melancon looked sharp yesterday in batting practice and impressed Jorge Posada.

The Yankees will probably start the season with seven relievers. It’s safe to say that three of them will be:

Mariano Rivera
Damaso Marte
Brian Bruney

There also figures to be a long reliever. The two leading candidates are:

Alfredo Aceves
Dan Giese

That leaves three spots open. Based on major-league experience, the three leading candidates are:

Edwar Ramirez
Dave Robertson
Jose Veras

But already Edwar has a sore shoulder. And while Veras and Robertson did some good things last season, they shouldn’t be locks by any means. These guys could get in the mix:

Jonathan Albaladejo
Mark Melancon
Humberto Sanchez
Phil Coke (unless he becomes a starter)

Then you have minor-league relievers who likely need more time. These guys could play their way into a spot later in the season:

Steven Jackson
J.B. Cox
Anthony Claggett
Kanekoa Texeira

Finally you have a group of minor-league starters who could be converted into fast-track relievers at some point this season depending on needs and how they pitch:

Michael Dunn
Eric Hacker
George Kontos
Christian Garcia

That’s 20 names and that’s without considering players not in camp who could emerge. I think the Yankees would like to start Melancon in AAA. But if things break right, he does have a shot to start the year with the team.

Those 40 pitches CC Sabathia threw today didn’t wear him out a bit. He zipped over to Orlando this evening to see the Magic hammer the Heat 122-99. The AP snapped this photo of him there.

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For the first time in a long time, I caught every film nominated for Best Picture. I thought Frost/Nixon was the best of the bunch but Slumdog Millionaire figures to win.

Kate Winslet and Sean Penn are the likely choices for the acting awards. But Meryl Streep and Mickey Rourke were great. Beyond that, I have no idea about anything.

That’s it for tonight, catch you all tomorrow.

Most anybody can get a glove, stand 40 or 50 from somebody else and play a decent game of catch. But the further apart you get, the better test it becomes of your arm strength.

So it was a good sign that when Jorge Posada went through his throwing program today, he worked his way out to 220 feet. “I threw a lot today,” he said. “It feels a little better everyday. Tony (Pena) loves it and it feels good coming out of my hand. There’s no pain and I feel stronger.”

Posada estimates he’s at 85 percent. He wouldn’t be close to 100 percent at this point in the spring even without having had surgery, so that is a good sign.

Yankees fans apparently love beer based on how many people have e-mailed to ask whether the bleachers will be alcohol-free in the new Stadium.

Based on the pocket schedules they gave us today, the following sections will be booze-free:

Sections 201-204 (right field bleachers) and sections 235-239 (left field bleachers).

However … there is a Bleachers Cafe behind center field. I have no idea whether beer will be sold there. The PR guys are going to try and find out.

The sports bar in center field is not accessible via the bleachers, I was told.

Meanwhile this disclaimer is printed on the schedule:

“Time, opponent, date and club rosters and lineups, including the Yankees’ roster and lineup, are tentative and subject to change.”

Do people really need to be legally informed that the roster and lineup could change? Nobody is that stupid, are they?

Here’s the rotation for the first week:

Wednesday at Toronto: Brett Tomko

Thursday vs. Tampa: Phil Hughes

Friday at Minnesota: Ian Kennedy

Saturday vs. Minnesota: Joba Chamberlain

With exhibition games starting so early this season, the Yankees will hold Sabathia, Burnett, Wang and Pettitte back until late next week.

Meanwhile Edwar Ramirez had to cut short his bullpen today because of a sore right shoulder. He will be examined by a doctor tomorrow. That sound you hear is opportunity knocking for guys like Dave Robertson and Mark Melancon. Maybe the injury is nothing. But even being shut down for a few days is a setback and gives other players a chance to step forward.

Jorge Posada liked what he saw from Melancon. His fastball, he said, has a late cut and that is what was leading to the swing and misses. Posada also liked his curveball.

Meanwhile, here’s a little tidbit from the catcher. As he was walking away from his locker, he turned around and called a few of us over. “Keep an eye on (Eric) Hacker,” he said. “It’s 95 and he does it easy. Very impressive.”

Derek Jeter has some hamstring soreness. Doesn’t appear to be a big deal.

Here’s Dave Eiland talking with CC Sabathia and Chien-Ming Wang.

Both looked really good. Wang got A-Rod to chase two sliders. CC is just crazy good.

Watching Phil Hughes now.

Just watched Mark Melancon face Derek Jeter, Robbie Cano, Austin Jackson and Austin Romine.

Wow. 30 pitches and there were four swing and misses. He also broke Cano’s bat. There were two balls put in play, singles by Jeter and Romine.

Melancon’s fastball was as advertised. He also threw five curveballs and all but one were strikes. It’s a big curve, too.

After his TJ surgery, the Yankees used him carefully last season. But he’s ready to be unleashed now.

CC Sabathia is back in action after some intestinal discomfort yesterday. He will throw BP today.

Here are the pitching assignments today for live BP:

Field 1 (starting at 12:25): Melancon, Tomko, Hacker, Brackman, De La Rosa, Claggett, Jackson.

Field 2: (starting at 12:25): Marte, Sabathia, Wang, Hughes, Aceves, Ramirez.

Melancon will be facing Cano, Jeter, Austin Jackson and Austin Romine. I’m planning to watch that then head over to see CC, CMW and Hughes.

Mark Feinsand, Tyler Kepner and I were talking to CC this morning about football. Mark is a Redskins fan, Tyler loves the Eagles, I’m with the Patriots and CC is a Raiders fan. CC was telling us about tailgating at Oakland Coliseum and playing tight end in high school.

He was recruited to play at UCLA and Cal but was going to go to Hawaii because they were willing to let him play football and baseball. “Then I got picked in the first round,” he said.

CC is a big JaMarcus Russell fan and believes he can be a good QB if he gets some time and decent receiver or two.

I’m not going to read a lot into a casual conversation on a Sunday morning. But CC really seems like a good dude.

Joe Girardi is taking a more personal approach to managing the Yankees this season.

This story checked in at roughly 1,100 words and it’s the kind of feature I hope to do more of this season. If anybody had what they think would be a good idea for a longer story, please send it along.

Jason Johnson was late to camp after contracting a rare eye cancer. This notebook also a few tidbits from yesterday’s workout.

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The Yankees always start later on Sundays. The team will be on the field around 11 or so.

Here’s a great shot from the AP of Nick Swisher having a little fun while signing autographs.

I think that will be it for tonight in terms of blogging. The games get started on Wednesday and that will be a welcome change from the workouts.