The LoHud Yankees Blog

There’s an interesting piece in the LA Times about Joe Torre. Interesting because it discusses Don Mattingly’s future.

It says …

Torre and the Dodgers have a mutual interest in grooming hitting coach Don Mattingly as his successor. Mattingly coached for Torre in New York, then followed him to L.A.

“I feel like he’s helping me prepare,” Mattingly said, “but I don’t know if that’s necessarily for here. I liked it in New York. I like it here. I like the game.”

This from the AP out of Tampa:

Alex Rodriguez took 75 swings and hit several long homers during his third consecutive day of batting practice in Florida. Rodriguez, expected to rejoin the team by May 15, also took grounders on the infield dirt for the first time and increased the intensity of his running program.

If he’s taking BP and fielding grounders from the dirt, he’s no more than a few days away getting in a game.

I’ll be on WFAN at 9:45 with Tony Paige talking about the Yankees.

Thanks to Kevin for picking me up with the blog today. He’ll be back at it tomorrow. Can’t say I was sorry to have missed that debacle today.

Nobody has defended Chien-Ming Wang more than I have but there’s not much to say. If he’s not injured, then he has to prove he belongs in the rotation. Right now he doesn’t.

Just got back up from the clubhouse. Joe Girardi, pitching coach Dave Eiland and Chien-Ming Wang all confirmed that Wang isn’t injured. He’s just struggling.

Giving up 23 earned runs in six innings over three starts is beyond struggling, of course. It’s reason to consider a demotion. That, though, is not possible according to Girardi. A team cannot send a player to the minors unless they have options or the player agrees and has at least five years of service. Wang has no options and hasn’t been in the majors long enough.

Girardi did say that the Yankees will consider skipping Wang’s next start, which is scheduled to be Friday in Boston. The day off on Thursday would enable that.

Amazingly, all three were rather optimistic Wang would find his way out of this inexplicable rut. Eiland even had a couple of veins popping out of his neck when he repeated “he will be fine” for the third time during a five-minute interview session.

What was most shocking was Eiland saying: “He actually threw the ball better today.”

Wang doesn’t speak English well, so his barely-audible interview was filled with nods and two-word responses. He chalked up the start of that inning to the weak grounder Travis Hafner hit on a good sinker.

“Mostly, I kept my sinker down,” Wang said through a translator. “When I left it up, they hit them hard.

“I’ll just have to keep working. That’s all I can do.”

Game time: 3:40 on FOX

YANKEES (6-5)
Jeter SS
Damon DH
Teixeira 1B
Swisher RF
Posada C
Cano 2B
Cabrera LF
Gardner CF
Pena 3B

Pitching: RHP Chien-Ming Wang (0-2, 28.93).

INDIANS (3-8)
Sizemore CF
DeRosa 2B
Martinez C
Hafner DH
Peralta SS
Choo RF
Garko 1B
Francisco LF
Cabrera 2B

Pitching: Fausto Carmona (0-2, 9.00).

Chien-Ming Wang vs. the Cleveland hitters.

Fausto Carmona vs. the New York hitters.

BIG START FOR WANG: CMW has been, well, brutal for two starts. 4.2 innings, 15 hits, 15 earned runs, 6 walks, 1 strikeout. He could pitch three complete game shutouts in a row and his ERA would still be 4.26.

The Yankees tried having him throw on the field in Tampa on Wednesday and Wang appeared to have overcome his mechanical issues. But as pitching coach Dave Eiland has been saying, now he need to take it into the game.

Wang is 3-2, 2.97 against the Indians in his career and usually pitches well at home. You can bet that grass will be high.

BRUNEY THE BEAST: Brian Bruney has fanned 12 hitters in his last 5.2 innings and now allowed a hit. He is 10 outs away from a “perfect game” reliever-style.

MR. CONSISTENT: Nick Swisher has successfully reached base via hit or walk in all 11 games.

HIM, TOO: Robinson Cano has hit safely in 10 of the 11 games.

Like a lazy slacker, I’m taking yet another day off. However, I have ceded control of the blog over to my Journal News colleague and good pal, Kevin Devaney Jr. So any posts from here on out will be from him.

Enjoy the game.

UPDATE, 11:30 a.m.: The news from Chad Jennings in Scranton is that right-handed reliever Anthony Claggett has been called up to New York. We’ll find out soon what the corresponding move is.

Claggett arrives in New York a day after Gary Sheffield hit his 500th homer for the Mets. Claggett was one of the prospects the Yankees received for Sheff.

UPDATE, 2:17 p.m.: Juan Miranda was sent back for Claggett. The reason Robertson can’t come back is that once a player is sent down, he has to remain in the minors at least 10 days before coming back — unless he’s replacing somebody being put on the DL.

UPDATE, 3:06 p.m.: Hey, Kevin Devaney here. I’ll be taking over for Pete for the rest of the day as he gets a well-deserved day off.

Some notes from the pregame:

— Girardi said he’s been texting ARod a lot over the last few days. Rodriguez is “doing wonderfully” in Tampa during his rehab but is still has a long way to go. “There’s a lot of things he still has to do before he’s ready to get into a game,” said Girardi, who then listed everything from fielding bunts, balls in the hole, sliding, etc., etc.

— Jorge Posada was not pleased about being removed late in yesterday’s game for Jose Molina. The move was a defensive one by Girardi, which was a blow to Posada’s ego. “He’s the manager,” Posada said. “I guess I’ve still got to prove myself.”

Posada is obviously coming back from surgery on his shoulder last July. He said he’s feeling good and showed good arm strength in throwing out Grady Sizemore attempting to steal yesterday.

Teams are going to be testing Posada behind the plate the way the Rays did last week. With Wang on the mound today, expect the Indians to, as well. When you have a 37-year-old catcher coming off surgery, you have to be cautious and Girardi is. Posada expects he’ll come out for Molina late in close games for the forseeable future.

— Xavier Nady was in the MRI machine, according to Girardi, while we were talking to the manager at 1 o’clock. The results aren’t available yet but could be after the game. Obviously, this incredibly slow process has a purpose as the Yankees are taking every step to possibly avoid surgery on Nady’s elbow.

UPDATE, 3:21 p.m.: I strongly encourage you to tune into the Fox broadcast early today to listen to Nick Swisher read the Yankees lineup. I was standing near the camera outside the dugout today and heard roars of laughter throughout. It should be pretty entertaining.

Also, when I arrived at the clubhouse this morning, Swish was sitting on the floor in front of his locker cutting out pictures of himself with gigantic scissors. “I’m making a collage,” he said as he pointed up at the bare walls around his locker.

UPDATE, 3:50 p.m.: WANG IS BACK! Well, maybe it’s too early to say that. But that was a solid first inning, especially the sinker to strike out Sizemore. The strikeout, by the way, matched his season total and the scoreless inning dropped his ERA from 28.93 to a more repsectable 23.82.

UPDATE, 3:55 p.m.: By the way, it’s the bottom of the first and there’s plenty of good places to sit on the lower level. That, or some of these rich folks came to the game dressed as empty seats.

UPDATE, 4:12 p.m.: It’s bad enough for Wang to give up a home run there. But an opposite field shot to the deepest part of the park, and to Shin-soo Choo? Yikes. Choo went with the pitch and really drove it out there, so give him some credit. Still, Wang can’t give back the lead like that.

UPDATE, 4:16 p.m.: Who said Yankee fans aren’t making noise in the new stadium? They’re booing Wang right now very loudly. It’s 4-2 in the top of the second and Sizemore is up. Can’t turn the lineup over this easily, even this one.

UPDATE, 4:24 p.m.: I don’t know what this looks like on TV, but it looks like the Indians hitters are teeing off on Wang. Victor Martinez was sitting on that pitch and couldn’t have hit it harder. Here comes Girardi… and here come the boos for Wang. Now can everyone worry? Something is clearly wrong.

UPDATE, 4:34 p.m.: Wang’s line: 1.1 inn, 8 H, 8 ER, 0 BB, 1 K; 52 pitches/34 strikes.

UPDATE, 4:40 p.m.: First career grand slam for Asdrubal Cabrera, who only needed to hit the ball 6 inches over the fence to get it. You’re all talking about “jet streams” going out to right field, and I dismiss that because the Yankees get to benefit from that, too. But that was a joke of a home run.

UPDATE, 4:43 p.m.: 14 runs on 13 hits, including three home runs. All in a tidy 37 minutes where 17 batters came to the plate and only one pitching change. I can’t imagine the Yankees have ever had a worse inning than what we just witnessed.

UPDATE, 4:46 p.m.: Right on cue, Yankees PR guy Jason Zillo announced the 14 runs and 13 hits were the most the Yankees have ever allowed in a single inning. They’re confirming that with the Elias Sports Bureau. The 14 runs matched a franchise-record for an inning by Cleveland.

UPDATE, 4:50 p.m.: You’re all bringing up Halladay. Don’t forget about this guy (click for link).

UPDATE, 4:56 p.m.: Another note on Cleveland’s 14-run inning: The last team to score 14 runs? The Red Sox on June 27, 2003. To make you feel better, it was in the first inning against the Marlins and Carl Pavano started the game. Damon went 5 for 7. OK, now let’s never speak of the 14-run inning again.

UPDATE, 5:30 p.m.: Amazing to think it but this game could be worse. Edwar Ramirez gets three straight outs with the bases loaded. Jeter’s out of the game.

UPDATE, 5:49 p.m.: I know I’m not Pete Abe, but after reading your comments I have some thoughts.

First, one loss, even one this bad, isn’t the end of the world. The Brewers lost today, too. And whether you lose 1-0 or 16-2, it’s all the same in the standings. If the Yankees have any pride, and you know guys like Jeter, Posada, and Swisher do, they’ll come out tomorrow and thump Carl Pavano around the way he deserves to be.

Second, Claggett deserves a little slack. Yes, eight runs in 1.2 innings is dreadful. But we spoke to the kid before the game and he was clearly wide-eyed. He talked about driving into the city last night and seeing the New York City skyline and how “it hit me” that he was in the majors. I’m not saying you should ease up because he’s a nice guy. But he got thrown to the wolves in the second inning in a total no-win situation.

As I wrote that, by the way, the Indians just tacked on a couple of more homers.

UPDATE, 6:24 p.m.: What would be worse? Losing by 18 runs today or getting beat tomorrow by Carl Pavano? Just curious.

UPDATE, 6:30 p.m.: Just a quick stat:

Yankees starters ERA: 6.39
Yankees starters ERA minus Wang: 3.38

That’s what 23 earned runs allowed in six innings will do to your team’s numbers.

UPDATE, 6:37 p.m.: They’re doing the YMCA and the crowd is really into it. It’s reason No. 4,582 that the real fans are on this blog and not in the stadium.

UPDATE, 6:47 p.m.: There’s a one in a million chance you catch a foul ball at a game. But there’s a one in a billion chance that the idiot throws it back onto the field near players. What’s going on here? Moronic.

UPDATE, 7:00 p.m.: Apparently the jet streams have shifted to left field. Travis Hafner just fisted an opposite-field homer down the line to left. Home run count for the Indians today: 6.

Chants of “We want Swisher” have come up in the crowd.

UPDATE, 7:03 p.m.: There have been 17 home runs in three games at the new Yankee Stadium. Citi Field might not see 17 all year.

UPDATE, 7:16 p.m.: Forgot to post this during the game. Fateful words of the day, as said by Yankee manager Joe Girardi:

“You don’t manage thinking about who your long reliever is going to be.”

UPDATE, 7:18 p.m.: Worst loss in Yankees history: Aug. 31, 2004: a 22-0 loss at home to the Cleveland Indians.

Derek Jeter’s home run lifted the Yankees over the Indians. Mike Dougherty has the story.

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Spotted this over on The Big Lead and had to share. Pretty funny.

News on two former Yankees:

Gary Sheffield just hit No. 500. Hall of Famer of not? Now there’s a good question.

Doug Mientkiewicz has a separated shoulder that will require surgery and is on the DL.

Meanwhile the mighty SWB Yankees pounded Rochester 11-0 to improve to 9-0. Phil Hughes fanned six over 5.2 innings before the pitch count got him Angel Berroa homered, which was great as several of his grandchildren were in the stands watching.

Neil Best of Newsday talked to Yankees president Randy Levine about how the backstop net at the new Stadium obscures certain camera shots.

“We don’t think it’s a very significant factor here at the Yankees,” Levine said. “I know some of you in the media might think so. But we’re not hearing it. There’s been a lot of attention to the high home shot; I think way too much attention . . . We think, with respect, you guys have made a lot more of it than there really is.”

This blog had that story first and the complaints came directly from two YES employees. As for whether fans being upset, I will happily print out any or all of the 100+ e-mails I have received on the subject. Or the Yankees can page through the comments on this blog, Bronx Banter, Was Watching or any of the other reputable blogs out there.

While the Yankees say that it’s a safety issue, many new parks do not have this problem. And more care should have been put into accommodating the cameras given how many people have been priced out of attending games.

In just two weeks, there were several changes made to the Stadium. Hopefully more are on the way including figuring out how best to rig that now-infamous net.

————

UPDATE, 9:47 p.m.: A reader named Cheryl just sent me this e-mail: “What difference does it make whether they have a net there anyway? Nobody is sitting in those expensive seats. A foul ball wouldn’t hurt anybody!!!

Hilarious. And true.

There were two reasons today was successful for the Yankees: They won, of course. And Joba Chamberlain threw 93 pitches and didn’t come away limping or clutching anything.

The primary goal for young Mr. Chamberlain this season should be to throw at least 160 innings and not spend one day on the disabled list. There will be some days when he throws seven innings, strikes everybody out and looks like Walter Johnson and others when he throws 4.2 innings like he did today and looks like Jason Johnson.

Joba needs to learn how to be a starter in the big leagues and that means learning how to survive when you can’t spot your fastball. Or when its cold. Or when it’s hot. Or when the umpire is lousy. He just needs to pitch.

Using him for one inning at a time is like having a Ferrari and only driving it a block at a time. The Yankees need to figure out what Joba can do and the only way to do that is to let him pitch every five days.

He’s going to have some rocky games. But as long as he is piling up innings and pitches, he’s conditioning himself for next season, when he can throw 180 innings. Or 2010 when he can throw 210. Aces don’t just float down from baseball heaven one day, they are developed.

“We talk to him about it all the time, learning from your mistakes and developing a routine between starts. It’s a learning process,” CC Sabathia said. “He’ll be a lot better at this time next season. That’s always how it works. That first year, you learn a lot.”

————

Meanwhile, undefeated Scranton opens at home tonight and Phil Hughes will be on the mound. Shelley Duncan will be batting cleanup.

Follow the game on Minor League Baseball.com.

Chad Jennings also is on the scene and will be blogging.