The LoHud Yankees Blog

There are some photos you just have to post.

Here are CC Sabathia and Joba Chamberlain riding the Toy Story Mania 3-D ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Sunday.

They were on hand for ESPN The Weekend. Joba, by the way, again this year invited a family from Nebraska along for the trip and paid all their expenses.

Photos courtesy of Disney.

Alex Rodriguez, of course, made himself the center of attention as the Dominicans practiced in Jupiter this afternoon.

As the team took the field for practice, ex-wife Cynthia Rodriguez pulled up in a Mercedes SUV and emerged with their daughters, Natasha Alexander and Ella Alexander. A-Rod then picked Natasha up and posed for photos.

No other player had his family on the field. According to a report in Newsday, the other players appeared bewildered by the scene.

Don’t worry, they’ll get used to it.

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ESPN’s Amy K. Nelson wrote an interesting story on Yuri Sucart. It provides a lot of insight into his relationship with A-Rod. In essence, Sucart has been a yes-man and sycophant for years. Obtaining steroids was just part of his duties.

Here’s what matters today: Chien-Ming Wang pitched two innings and his right foot felt fine. Everything else is window dressing.

The Yankees led 5-2 when the starters came out. The game finished in a 5-5 tie. George Kontos allowed three runs and there was some sloppy defense.

Wang’s sinker was effective — “Just like last year before he got hurt,” Jose Molina said. — and he was able to cover first base without any issue.

“I was excited to be pitching,” said Wang, who no longer considers the injury anything to worry about. “My sinker was a little up. … That is normal (for this time of the year).”

YANKEES (2-3)
Damon LF
Cabrera CF
Swisher RF
Posada DH
Ransom SS
Molina C
Miranda 1B
Berroa 2B
Bernier 3B

Pitching today: Chien-Ming Wang followed by Tomko, Jackson, De La Rosa, Dunn, Claggett, Kontos.

ASTROS (1-4)
Matsui 2B
Bourn CF
Berkman 1B
Lee LF
Blum 3B
Pence DH
Erstad RF
Kata SS
Palmisano C

Pitching for Houston: Mike Hampton followed by Russ Ortiz, Jose Valverde, Chad Paronto and Wesley Wright.

Notes: This is the first game for Wang since he tore a ligament and tendon in his right foot running the bases against Houston last June. …Jorge Posada is back and will play some long toss before the game.

UPDATE, 9:26 a.m.: I hung back in Tampa to watch CC Sabathia throw a simulated game. He’s going to throw 25 pitches of so.

UPDATE, 11:32 p.m.: Here we are in Kissimmee. Sabathia threw 28 pitches to Kevin Cash and Hideki Matsui, who alternated at-bats. By my count, he threw 19 strikes. Two balls were put in play. Cash had a grounder to shortstop and Matsui a single into right field.

CC will start his first game on Friday. He said he feels fine and has been getting enough work.

“It was the first time throwing to guys without a screen up and it felt good,” he said. CC was working on getting his cutter down in the strike zone. He said that is usually the last pitch to come around in the spring. The Yankees did not have a gun on him but his fastball was right where it needed to be given how the hitters were reacting to it.

UPDATE, 11:56 p.m.: According to the AP, A-Rod has arrived at the Dominican team camp in Jupiter on the other side of the state.

UPDATE, 12:07 p.m.: Here is the pitching rotation for the next eight days:

Today: Wang
Tuesday: Hughes
Wednesday: Kennedy
Thursday: Chamberlain
Friday: Sabathia
Saturday: Wang
Sunday: Burnett
Next Monday: Pettitte

UPDATE, 12:39 p.m.: Houston RHP LaTroy Hawkins has joined Team USA in place of Joe Nathan. Hawkins started last season with the Yankees, pitched poorly then was traded to Houston. He was lights out for the Astros, allowing one ER in 21 innings. Hawk is a good guy who had a bad time of it in New York. It didn’t help that some fans verbally abused him for being the first player since Paul O’Neill to wear No. 21.

UPDATE, 1:10 p.m.: Good start for the Yankees. Damon singles to right and Cabrera triples to center as the ball deflects off the glove of Michael Bourn. 1-0.

Roy Oswalt starts for Team USA tomorrow by the way.

UPDATE, 1:14 p.m.: Swisher walks. Posada sharp single over the head of the second baseman. Cabrera scores, Swisher hustles to third. 2-0, no outs, runners on the corners.

UPDATE, 1:15 p.m.: Ransom 4-6-3. Run scores. 3-0.

UPDATE, 1:26 p.m.: Good inning for Wang. He allowed a two-out single by Berkman (after getting squeezed on a 2-2 pitch by Jerry Layne) then got Lee to fly to right. 12 pitches, 8 strikes.

UPDATE, 1:35 p.m.: Double by Berroa and then a two-out RBI single by the Melkman. The CF competition is starting to heat up.

UPDATE, 1:39 p.m.: Jesus Montero’s groin strain apparently is not too serious. He was dressed and wanted to go on the road trip today. The Yankees held him back, however.

UPDATE, 1:45 p.m.: Wang allowed a two-out bloop single by Erstad then got Kata to ground out. Swisher saved him from trouble by making a nice running catch in the corner to rob Blum of a double.

Wang has thrown 23 pitches and that probably is it for him.

UPDATE, 1:51 p.m.: Yep, Wang is done. Tomko in to pitch. 4-0 Yankees middle of the third inning.

UPDATE, 2:03 p.m.: Striking a blow for senior citizens everywhere, Angel Berroa just homered to center. 5-0 Yankees.

UPDATE, 2:42 p.m.: I’ll be headed down to the clubhouse soon. The Yankees are up 5-2 in the middle of the sixth inning. All sorts of subs are in.

Alex Rodriguez was cooperative during a meeting with MLB officials about his drug use.

Derek Jeter joins up with Team USA today but will be back at Steinbrenner Field tomorrow. This notebook also has updates on Jorge Posada, CC Sabathia, Brett Gardner, Jesus Montero, Jon Albaladejo, Jason Johnson and Edwar Ramirez.

This press release from Major League Baseball:

Officials from Major League Baseball’s Department of Investigations and Labor Relations Department interviewed New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez for two hours today. Mr. Rodriguez was cooperative.

The Office of the Commissioner will have no further comment at this time.

Alex Rodriguez left Ed Smith Field in his black Maybach. Robinson Cano and Mark Teixeira were with him for the trip back to Tampa.

At least we’re assuming that was his car. The license plate frame said “ALEX RODRIGUEZ.” But maybe somebody else named Alex Rodriguez has a $400,000 car in Sarasota.

Team sources indicated that Rodriguez will have his meeting with the MLB investigators this evening in Tampa. That matches up with what he said today, at least somewhat. The New York Post is reporting the same thing.

Don’t expect the meeting to produce much. Unless Rodriguez refuses to cooperate with basic questions, he will not be suspended. There’s not much point in having an investigations unit if they sit this one out.

On a windy day in Sarasota, the Yankee lost 13-11. There were eight home runs, maybe more. I stopped keeping score when we went to the clubhouse. The Reds scored in every inning but the second.

Two injury updates:

· Jesus Montero (strained right groin) was injured sliding to track down a passed ball. Joe Girardi said it seemed like a “moderate” strain. Given his status and youth, they’ll be cautious bringing him back.

· Jon Albaladejo caught a ball off the back of his left leg near the ankle and has a bruise. He’s day-to-day.

YANKEES (2-2)
Gardner CF
Jeter SS
Teixeira 1B
A. Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Nady RF
J. Rodriguez LF
Ransom DH
Cash C

Pitching today: Alfredo Aceves followed by Damaso Marte, Brian Bruney, Jon Albaladejo, Christian Garcia, Mark Melancon and J.B. Cox.

REDS (3-1)
McDonald CF
Rosales SS
Votto 1B
Phillips 2B
Dickerson RF
Keppinger 3B
Alonso DH
Hopper LF
Hanigan C

Pitching for the Reds: Aaron Harang followed by Francisco Cordero, Dave Weathers, Arthur Rhodes, Jordan Smith, Ben Jukich and James Avery. Arthur Rhodes? That means some Yankee is going deep. They hammer him.

Notes: There’s rain in the forecast this morning but it should clear up in time for the game. At least that is what Weather.com said. … Jeter, Cano, Marte and A-Rod leave for the WBC after the game. … The game is not on TV.

UPDATE, 10:24 a.m.: Greetings from Sarasota and ancient Ed Smith Stadium.

There has been a date set for A-Rods meeting with MLB investigators. Joe Girardi said that information would have to come from either Alex or MLB, not the Yankees. We’ll let you know as soon as we find out.

Meanwhile …

· CC Sabathia’s simulated game was scratched because of poor weather. It’ll be tomorrow.

· Jorge Posada’s shoulder felt better today and he could DH tomorrow. Tuesday seems more likely.

· Edwar Ramirez has not started throwing yet.

· Jason Johnson has been cleared to start throwing outside and will throw a 35-pitch bullpen tomorrow. Good news for him as comes back from eye cancer.

· Kanekoa Texeira has the flu.

Meanwhile it’s drizzling and very windy here and the tarp is on the field. But the Yankees have arrived.

UPDATE, 11:04 a.m.: I do believe we are going to play some baseball here. The sun is coming out and the wind is dying down. There will be no BP on the field, but the Yankees are going to hit in the cages.

UPDATE, 12:53 p.m.: Yes, we’re playing baseball. The tarp is off and the teams are warming up.

UPDATE, 1:11 p.m.: Big hand for Derek Jeter as he steps to the plate. Even the opposing crowds give it up for the Captain.

UPDATE, 1:16 p.m.: A-Rod gets more boos than cheers as he comes to the plate. Then he lines an RBI double over the head of the left fielder. 1-0 Yankees. I’m telling you, huge year. Huge.

Four straight hits produced two runs then Nady went GIDP. 2-0 Yankees middle of the first.

UPDATE, 1:32 p.m.: Shaky inning by Aceves. After striking out McDonald with a breaking pitch, he walked Rosales. Phillips looked at a pretty good 2-2 pitch with two outs then rifled an RBI double into left. 2-1 Yankees.

UPDATE, 1:35 p.m.: Chris Dickerson buried a 2-2 pitch over the wall in right. 3-2 Reds. Inning over.

Might the long reliever be Brett Tomko? Yikes.

UPDATE, 1:44 p.m.: Yankees went in order. Albaladejo pitching now.

UPDATE, 2:27 p.m.: Kevin Cash singled and was out trying to steal second to end the fourth inning Yankees lead 5-4. Cox comes back out for the fourth inning.

UPDATE, 2:40 p.m.: That was interesting. Brett Gardner did two bad things and one good thing in a span of 12 seconds or so.

First he hits the ball in the air. Bad thing.

But he keeps running and takes second when the pop-up falls in. Good thing.

Then he tries to keep going, thinking third base was uncovered. But he stopped when the Reds reacted and got tagged out by the shortstop. Really bad thing.

Then Jeter (single), Tex (single) and A-Rod (double down the LF line) crush Arthur Rhodes. You just knew that would happen. Yankees lead 6-5.

UPDATE, 2:44 p.m.: Cano two-run double. 8-5. If Arthur Rhodes pitched against the Yankees every day, they would score 1,200 runs.

UPDATE, 2:54 p.m.: A-Rod, Jeter, Cano and Nady are all out. Meanwhile, Damaso Marte has allowed two solo homers to dead center Yankees lead 8-7. Votto and Dickerson took him out.

UPDATE, 3:05 p.m.: It’s 10-7 now as the subs pour it on. I’ve got to head down to the clubhouse. Back with more later.

UPDATE, 3:37 p.m.: A-Rod has left the building. He would not answer questions about his meeting with MLB. But two things to note:

· He left with Cano and Teixeira, which likely means he was headed back to Tampa.

· He said he would be in Jupiter tonight.

So the meeting could be in Tampa later today or in Jupiter tomorrow.

A-Rod also talked about the WBC, the Yankees and how he’s playing so far. Have a listen yourself to all the fun:

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Meanwhile, the Yankees are trailing 12-11, having allowed seven runs in the last three innings.

UPDATE, 3:59 p.m.: It’s 13-11 Cincy. Jesus Montero just allowed a run on a passed ball and hurt his leg somehow. He came out of the game. Doesn’t seem to be serious.

Jorge Posada suffered a little setback in his shoulder rehab. It’s a reminder of just how fragile the season could be for the Yankees.

Alex Rodriguez wants to delay a meeting with MLB officials. This notebook also has an update on Hideki Matsui.