The LoHud Yankees Blog

CC Sabathia was good but Justin Verlander was much better as the Tigers beat the Yankees last night.

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Phil Hughes will be on the mound tonight, looking to win a big-league game for the first time since Sept. 27, 2007.

For obvious reasons, the Yankees need Hughes to be good. But beyond stopping a losing streak, they also need a solid starter to join the rotation until Chien-Ming Wang is ready. I predicted several times during spring training that Hughes would play a significant role with the team. Here’s his chance.

Hughes is 5-7, 5.15 in his career and he’s much better than that. Now would be the time to show it.

I’m scheduled to appear on ESPN2′s First Take this morning around 10:15 a.m. So check that out if you can.

The television trucks were clogging the streets in downtown Detroit yesterday to report more bad news for this devastated area. The decision by General Motors to eliminate the Pontiac brand will cost 21,000 people their jobs.

Over at Comerica Park, GM has already pulled their ads from the stadium because they can’t afford it. The company had sponsored the big fountain in center field since the ballpark opened.

The Tigers had offers from other companies to take over the space. But team owner Mike Ilitch passed. Instead he had the logos of GM, Ford and Chrysler put on the fountain above a sign that says “The Detroit Tigers support our automakers.”

The cost to the companies? Free.

Ilitch explained to reporters last month that his father worked at Ford and he feels he owes it to the Big Three to lend his support. Ilitch is a former Marine and a former Tigers minor leaguer who founded the Little Caesars Pizza chain in 1959. Now one of the wealthiest men in the state, he has renovated much of the area around the park and also owns the Red Wings.

The Tigers, I’m told, are fearing massive drops in attendance this season as many people around here simply can’t afford to attend a game. But Ilitch is doing his part to try and bolster civic pride at a time it’s really needed. You have to respect that.

Jim Leyland, as he often does, put it well.

“Sabathia pitched very well,” he said. “Verlander just pitched better.”

For what it’s worth, the cagey old skipper of the Tigers likes what he sees from the Yankees.

“He’s a great pitcher,” Leyland said of Sabathia. “It’s just a matter of time before he starts racking up wins. They’re a tough team to manage against. They’re about to get a lot tougher in three weeks from what I understand.”

Leyland is talking about the return of Alex Rodriguez, of course. The Yankees have scored three runs in their last 19 innings and are 8 of 51 (.157) with RISP in the last four. Once Rodriguez is back, the lineup will be deeper and presumably more productive.

But bringing back a 33-year-old former steroids user with a bad hip isn’t going to solve the problem of the Yankees looking like a company softball team at times. When you see Jacoby Ellsbury steal home or Curtis Granderson lay down a perfect bunt to start a rally, it’s a reminder of how old and slow the Yankees can look.

This team has good pitching and over time, that pitching will produce. Even the bullpen. But already we’re seeing sore knees (Hideki Matsui), sore shoulders (Johnny Damon) and Jorge Posada running down to first base like he’s pulling U-Haul trailer behind him. Derek Jeter let a groundball up the middle score a run today. By now you’re used to that.

Their “young and athletic” guys are Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera. Cano is 13 of 27 on stolen bases in his career and Melky was benched last summer.

Other teams can make things happen at the plate or in the field. The Yankees seem to have no choice but to wait and hope something does. Their roster is so top heavy with aging and expensive players that an injury or two throws everything off.

Even Mark Teixeira seems to be getting a little frustrated.

“I’m here to produce, not have good at-bats,” he said. “Good at-bats don’t do anybody any good. … We just haven’t gotten the job done. Everyone needs to step up a little bit.”

YANKEES (9-9)
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Matsui DH
Cano 2B
Swisher RF
Cabrera CF
Molina C
Pena 3B

Pitching: LHP CC Sabathia (1-1, 4.81).

Sabathia vs. the Detroit hitters.

TIGERS (10-8)
Granderson CF
Polanco 2B
Ordonez RF
Cabrera 1B
Guillen DH
Laird C
Inge 3B
Raburn LF
Everett SS

Pitching: RHP Justin Verlander (0-2, 9.00).

Verlander vs. the New York hitters.

MOTOWN MOJO: The Yankees are 16-11 against the Tigers the last four seasons, 8-6 at Comerica Park.

OLD FOES: CC Sabathia has made 26 starts against the Tigers in his career. He is 13-9 with a 4.70 ERA. He is 7-2, 3.80 at Comerica Park.

GODZILLA RISES: Hideki Matsui has hit safely in six straight games at 10 of 23. He has raised his batting average to .280.

CANO KEEPS ON: Robinson Cano has a 13-game hitting streak. He has hit safely in all but one game this season.

SWISHER SKID: Nick Swisher is 5 of 31 (.181) in the last eight games. His batting average has fallen from .371 to .286. He has fanned 11 times in those 31 ABs and driven in two runs.

APRIL OF THEIR DISCONTENT: The Yankees are 32-28 in April over the last three seasons.

Back with more later on.

UPDATE, 5:59 p.m.: There are a few things going on …

• Phil Hughes is in town but will not be added to the roster until tomorrow. At that point it will be a fond farewell to Steven Jackson, who has yet to make a bad pitch for the Yankees.

• Johnny Damon said his left shoulder “hurts all over” and he wouldn’t mind a cortisone shot. But he doesn’t want to get any tests done. “I can’t see any good coming of that,” he said. “I’d rather play with some pain.”

• It took 18 games for the Yankees to lose faith in Brett Gardner as Melky Cabrera gets a start against a RHP. Girardi explained that Cabrera was the choice because he’s swinging a hot bat. Gardner has had 186 at-bats in the majors and hit .226 with a .274 OBP. At some point you have to do better than bat if you expect to keep going out there.

They should have pulled the trigger on Cameron, who has a 172 OPS+ so far.

• Ramiro Pena is playing 3B in place of the defensively challenged Angel Berroa. That should be a permanent move. Pena is not likely to hit but at least he can field.

• Chien-Ming Wang will throw a side tomorrow and then they’ll figure out what comes next for him.

• A-Rod has yet to slide, which is the last step before he gets into a game. Those of you in Charleston, Trenton or Scranton hoping that the circus comes to your town can forget it. Girardi said that all of Rodriguez’s work would come in Florida, including any games.

A-Rod ran the bases for the third time in five days in Florida, and also added situational drills when taking grounders at third. He hit 13 homers on 89 swings in regular batting practice.

“Feels good,” Rodriguez said. “I’m taking it one day at a time.”

UPDATE, 6:28 p.m.: Here is Joe Girardi’s pre-game media session in the dugout:

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UPDATE, 6:31 p.m.: Joba Chamberlain, man of the people, is signing down in right field. Swish also signed for an old guy who held a sign saying he had a ball signed by Steve Swisher, Nick’s dad.

UPDATE, 7:15 p.m.: Don’t know if television showed this or not. But when Damon made a throw to second to try to get Polanco, he spun around afterward and appeared to be in pain. He also was flexing his shoulder throughout the rest of the inning.

It would not be shocking if Damon had to come out of the game.

UPDATE, 7:20 p.m.: Cano has now hit in 14 straight. At least he got the memo about getting off to a good start.

UPDATE, 7:28 p.m.: Damon went back out to left. He doesn’t look comfortable throwing but it’s not like throwing is a big part of his game.

Meanwhile, Verlander looks very sharp.

UPDATE, 7:59 p.m.: The Nick Swisher Era was fun while it lasted. He is now 5 of his last 33 with 13 Ks.

Meanwhile Verlander is throwing 99.

UPDATE, 8:01 p.m.: The Yankees are 7 of their last 45 (.155) with RISP. Melky just chased a high heater to end the inning.

UPDATE, 8:09 p.m.: Wow, CC just filthy that inning as he fans the side using all his pitches.

CC through 4: 4 3 1 1 0 3

Verlander through 4: 4 4 0 0 0 6

Heck of a game. Both guys are dealing.

UPDATE, 8:15 p.m.: There is one way the Yankees win this game. Somebody needs to pop a two-run homer out then CC pitches 8 and Mo saves it. It’s hard to see them mounting a rally against Verlander tonight.

UPDATE, 8:38 p.m.: That is, obviously, a huge run. CC had two strikes on Polanco and couldn’t put him away.

4-0 with Verlander pitching the way he is? Yikes.

UPDATE, 8:49 p.m.: Angel Berroa makes that play — if the runner falls down.

Seriously, Angel Berroa? What is the point of having him on the roster? Suck it up until A-Rod gets back, play the kid and that’s that.

UPDATE, 8:55 p.m.: Verlander is at 99 pitches as he starts the eighth inning.

UPDATE, 8:57 p.m.: Ramiro Pena is the man.

UPDATE, 9:02 p.m.: Well, here is their shot. Runners on first and second, no outs and Verlander is out of the game after 110 pitches.

UPDATE, 9:16 p.m.: Yankees 0 for their last 23 with RISP.

UPDATE, 9:22 p.m.: There is no quit in those Yankees as they have a rally cooking against Fernando Rodney. Those missed opportunities earlier in the game could haunt them.

UPDATE, 9:24 p.m.: I’m sure there are slower and less athletic teams than the Yankees out there. But I can’t think of any. The Giants?

The Tigers gladly traded the double play for a run there.

This is Steven Jackson, a right-handed pitcher. He joined the Yankees on April 19 and has been on the roster for seven games.

He has yet to pitch, however, despite other members of the bullpen displaying varying levels of ineptness.

If you have seen Jackson, contact Joe Girardi immediately at 1-800-CREW-CUT.

Made it to Motown. Next stop is the hotel and a bed. That request for an early check-in better pay off.

Jacoby Ellsbury and the Red Sox stole their way to a victory against the Yankees.

Mark Melancon made a successful debut in the majors. Much is expected of him.

Johnny Damon is banged-up. This notebook also has an update on CC Sabathia, some history that was made and other tidbits from a busy weekend.

Tonight: LHP CC Sabathia (1-1, 4.81) vs. RHP Justin Verlander (0-2, 9.00), 7:05, YES.

Tuesday: RHP Phil Hughes (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Edwin Jackson (1-1, 2.77), 7:05, YES.

Wednesday: RHP Joba Chamberlain (0-0, 3.94) vs. RHP Rick Porcello (1-2, 3.75), 7:05, YES.

Here we are at Gate A-21 of the Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell International Airport in Boston. Having stayed up all night after the Yankees game, I’m within minutes of sitting in my seat, falling asleep and then getting to Detroit and sleeping again.

My late night in Boston was pretty boring. I stayed at Fenway Park doing some work and getting blog posts ready for later today. Then I read the excellent coverage of the Patriots draft by Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe.

I drove around for a while listening to music, returned my car and had a cranberry juice. It was quite an exciting morning. But I do feel good about having saved Gannett Co. Inc. money on what would have been a useless hotel room. As a shareholder, I believe I should get a raise.

Anyway, that’ll be it from me for a while. Thanks to everybody who followed along and offered advice along the way. Check back in later today from Detroit.