The LoHud Yankees Blog

The Yankees need to send a scout to see this kid.

Ryan Pennell of Rye Neck HS in Westchester struck out 21 yesterday in a seven-inning game. The 6-foot-3 lefty had two get 23 outs in the game because two of the strikeout victims reached when the ball got away from his catcher.

Pennell is 7-0 with a 0.29 ERA with 112 strikeouts in 49 innings. Josh Thomson had the story in the paper this morning.

Three rookies played big roles as the Yankees topped the Blue Jays.

Derek Jeter was out again and will likely miss tonight’s game as well. This notebook also has updates on Hideki Matsui, Chien-Ming Wang, Brian Bruney and Phil Coke.

The Yankees play the series finale tonight against the Jays and will have CC Sabathia on the mound.

Some unknown Yankee played a nice prank on Brett Gardner tonight.

The gritty, gutty rookie hit the first home run of his career tonight. When he got back to the clubhouse, he found the ball in his locker, already inscribed.

“First career home run, solo shot off Sam Richman for Brett Garder. 05-14-09.”

Of course, it was a two-run shot off Scott Richmond for Brett Gardner on 05-13-09. “I hope that’s not really the ball,” Gardner said.

No worries. Brett Tomko tracked down the trophy and official team inscriber Gene Monahan will wrote nicely on it later on tonight.

Meanwhile Brian Bruney shaved his head after throwing his bullpen. With the tats and bald noggin, he looks like the meanest bouncer in a biker bar.

It sounds like Jeter will be out tomorrow.

YANKEES (15-17)
Damon DH
Swisher RF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Cabrera LF
Gardner CF
Pena SS
Cervelli C

Pitching: LHP Andy Pettitte (2-1, 3.82).

BLUE JAYS (23-12)
Scutaro SS
Hill 2B
Rios RF
Wells CF
Lind DH
Rolen 3B
Millar 1B
Barajas C
Bautista LF

Pitching: RHP Scott Richmond (4-1, 3.29).

TIME/TV: 7:07 p.m., YES.

STREAKING THE WRONG WAY: The Yankees have lost 7 of 9 and 11 of 17.

EASTERN INFLUENCES: The Yankees are 5-12 against division foes.

DAMONIC: Johnny Damon is 15 of 33 with 15 RBI and 10 extra-base hits. He has at least one exra-base hit in eight straight games.

RAMIRO WANTS TO STAY: Rookie infielder Ramiro Pena has 11 hits in his last 33 ABs.

MAKE A PLAY: The Yankees are 2-13 when they make an error.

RUN TROUBLES: The Yankees have been outscored by 25 runs this season. Only four teams in baseball have a worse run differenttial: San Diego (-42), Washington (-35), Arizona (-32) and Baltimore (-26).

PETTITTE POWER: Andy is 17-11, 4.19 in 35 career starts against Toronto, 12-5, 4.04 in the Rogers Centre.

SWING AND A SWISH: Nick Swisher is 3 for 25 with 14 strikeouts.

Back with more later.

UPDATE, 3:58 p.m.: No lineup yet. They’re waiting on Jeter.

UPDATE, 4:48 p.m.: Jeter has not swung a bat since Sunday. He hopes to play tomorrow. … Bruney threw off the mound just now, all fastballs. He felt fine. He’ll repeat that Friday.

UPDATE, 6:06 p.m.: There is an ear-splitting alarm going off in the Rogers Centre and has been for the last 15 minutes. They’re investigating an emergency. Meanwhile, the Yankees are taking BP.

Injury updates: Phil Coke’s back “locked up on him” yesterday and he is out today. … Girardi said that Jeter is available for defense, which is like me being available for the 100-yard dash. … Matsui could pinch hit. … Wang’s next start will be in the minors, Girardi did not know where.

Meanwhile, the Yankees are sending out a lineup that looks about right for a game on March 17 in Dunedin, not May 13 in Toronto. What a mess.

UPDATE, 6:26 p.m.: U.S. Olympic sprinter Lolo Jones was on the field for batting practice. You might remember she was leading the 100 hurdles in Beijing when she clipped a hurdle and finished seventh. Anyway, she’s a very attractive woman and the players were falling over themselves to say hello to her.

UPDATE, 6:44 p.m.: Chien-Ming Wang’s next start will be Sunday for Scranton against Columbus. Girardi said they were impressed with his slider last night but want to see more consistency from his sinker.

UPDATE, 7:13 p.m.: An inauspicious start for the Yankees as they leave two runners on base,

Swisher has fanned 15 times in his last 26 at-bats.

UPDATE, 7:31 p.m.: Bad, bad decision by Cano. Meanwhile, the Yankees are 2-13 when they make an error.

UPDATE, 7:39 p.m.: Melky stayed hot with a double then Brett Gardner hit a home run, the first of his career. He now has one more than David Ortiz this season.

UPDATE, 7:44 p.m.: Damon has had an extra-base hit in nine straight games. We’re trying to figure out the last player to have done that.

UPDATE, 7:51 p.m.: Wow, five extra-base hits in this inning and a 4-1 lead. It’s an offensive explosion for the Yankees given their recent woes. Now Pettitte needs to stop walking guys and give them seven innings.

UPDATE, 8:08 p.m.: Take your time with that oblique, Derek. Can’t take any chances. Ramiro has SS covered just fine. Just fine.

What a catch.

UPDATE, 8:34 p.m.: Damon is 17 of 36 with 12 extra-base hits.

UPDATE, 9:02 p.m.: Brett Gardner, halfway to the cycle.

UPDATE, 9:06 p.m.: Yankees have three triples in a game for the first time since April 5, 2003 when Bernie Williams, Alfonso Soriano and Raul Mondesi each had one at Tampa Bay.

UPDATE, 9:41 p.m.: Nice work by Pettitte, who allowed one earned run. Those four walks cost him another inning, however.

I’d like to point out that Angel Berroa warmed up the pitcher while Cervelli was getting his gear on. Maybe that is why he is still on the roster. He was using a mitt he got from Bill Dickey.

UPDATE, 10:06 p.m.: Nice work by Aceves. Now Albaladejo will get some work in.

UPDATE, 10:16 p.m.: It’s 8-2 and Albaladejo walks two of the first three batters he faces. Fantastic.

A few notes: The eight extra-base hits were the most this season for the Yankees. … Swisher is 3 for 30 with 16 K’s. … Check later for a wrap-up.

The Blue Jays are 74-49 (.601) since Cito Gaston took over last June. Only the Angels (73-47, .608) have been better since then. In Toronto, Gaston is seen as the savior of a moribund franchise.

Meanwhile, the Yankees are 104-90 (.536) under Joe Girardi and have spent a grand total of nine calendar days higher than third place in the last two years.

The Yankees start play today 6.5 games out of first. If they’re 10 out on June 1, what happens then? The last thing Brian Cashman wants to do is change managers in the middle of the season. Girardi is not responsible for injuries and the mass decline of the relievers and those are the two biggest issues. The talent level of the roster at the moment is shockingly low. The Yankees are loaded with AAA and AAAA players.

But if the Yankees don’t get started in the right direction soon, something has to give.

Back later with the lineups.

The fans came to boo A.J.Burnett and were cheering Roy Halladay at the end as the Blue Jays beat the Yankees last night.

Derek Jeter missed his first game of the season. This notebook also has updates on Chien-Ming Wang, Johnny Damon, Brian Bruney and Jorge Posada.

Sam Borden writes that the new Yankee Stadium can be redeeemed. But do the Yankees care to make the necessary changes?

A.J. Burnett’s last five starts:

32 innings
32 hits
23 runs
23 earned runs
17 walks
21 strikeouts
5 home runs
0-1, 6.47 ERA.
Yankees are 2-3 in those games.

This is the A.J. Burnett people feared when the Yankees committed five years to him. A pitcher who can blind you with his talent, but in the end does not really get the job done.

Burnett said all the right things last night, blaming himself and vowing to do better. But he has been saying that for a few weeks now. Last night was his chance to show New York something and he didn’t do it.

Meanwhile, Derek Lowe is 5-1, 3.80 for the Braves. The Braves badly wanted Burnett and settled for Lowe. At the moment, they’re pretty happy that’s how it worked out.

Via Chad Jennings, here is what Brian Cashman had to say about Chien-Ming Wang after watching him pitch:

“The urgency is to make sure we get Wang to where he needs to be, so this whole episode becomes a distant memory and he can be taking the ball every five days in New York and doing what he does best, which is running out 200-plus innings and 18 wins a year. The urgency is that we do right by him, and if we do that, then he’ll do right by us.”

“A lot of times you don’t see veterans getting much out of that to a certain extent. Hitters are swinging at everything, so it’s a little difficult to get a read off of all that stuff. The adrenaline’s not there, so getting him up in an environment like this where you’re playing in a stadium at Triple-A and getting to face significantly better hitters. The hitters will tell you how he’s doing and I don’t think anyone hit him all that hard outside of that one off the ankle, so those are all good signs.”

“I think everybody should assume that we’ll keep going down here unless we decide otherwise, so if you want to look for an assumption, that’s the way to go.”

“He’s definitely heading in the right direction. He’s much better. He had great mound presence, showed some great tempo. Threw strikes. I thought his slider was terrific. He did a great job. I was concerned when he got hit by that line drive on the meat of the calf. I know he took a pretty good shot there, but I was able to talk to our staff in game. I came out of the stands and we just watched him inning-by-inning after that. As long as his mechanics were good and it wasn’t going to affect him we were going to keep going with him. He got his work in, which was great. Today was a good day.”

Wang was hit by a line drive in the fourth inning but struck out to complete his work.

No decision has been made on Chien-Ming Wang, who threw six shutout innings in AAA tonight. It sounds like he might make one more start there then be slotted into the rotation.

“I felt very good today,” Wang said. “Mostly I can keep my sinkers down. I can feel the difference. Stronger, better balance. Of course I want to get back as soon as possible. But it’s really not my call. If they as me to pitch one more time here, that’s all I can do.”

As for Derek Jeter, he said the oblique started bothering him last week on the homestand. He hopes to play tonight.

“It’s just sore but it hasn’t gotten any better,” Jeter said. “I’ve pulled that muscle before and been on the disabled list two or three weeks. I’m trying to avoid that.”

Matsui said he could have stayed in the game and that his hamstring issue was more of a cramp. “I’m fine,” said after the game. “It feels better.”

As for the game, there’s not much to say. You can’t give up two runs and expect to beat Halladay, never mind five.

The Yankees are now 6.5 out after 32 games. They were three out after 32 games last season. They’re 6-11 in the last 17 games and 5-12 against the East. It’s still early, but it isn’t that early.

YANKEES (15-16)
Gardner CF
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui DH
Cano 2B
Cabrera RF
Cash C
Pena SS

Pitching: RHP A.J. Burnett (2-0, 5.26).

Burnett vs the Toronto hitters.

BLUE JAYS (22-12)
Scutaro SS
Hill 2B
Rios RF
Wells RF
Lind DH
Rolen 3B
Overbay 1B
Barajas C
Snider LF

Pitching: Roy Halladay (6-1, 3.29).

Halladay vs. the New York hitters.

Time/TV: 7:07 p.m., My9.

STAT OF THE DAY: In his only previous start against the Blue Jays, A.J. Burnett allowed one run over nine innings. That was back on June 9, 2001.

THE TEACHER AND THE STUDENT: This game is a certified big deal in Toronto, as big as any Leafs practice anyway. Burnett is not a popular fellow after opting out of his contract and signing with the big, bad Yankees. Until last season, Burnett had a rocky time in Toronto. Halladay was a major influence on him and the two are close friends. You can bet each right-hander badly wants to win.

Halladay is 12-2 in his last 18 starts against the Yankees.

ROY’S THE BOY: Zach Greinke has done some marvelous things this season. But Halladay remains the gold standard of American League starters. He is 58-24 over the last four seasons. It’s worth noting that he was 18-17, 4.95 over the first 49 games of his career. Those expecting instant excellent from pitchers like Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes, take note.

BURNETT’S BEEN BAD: After winning his first two starts for the Yankees, A.J. Burnett is 0-0, 6.66 over the four starts that followed. His line: 24.1 innings, 25 hits, 18 earned runs, 13 walks, 18 strikeouts, five home runs.

CANO COMING ON: Is Robbie Cano over his skid? He is 4 of 12 with three extra over the last three games.

CITO’S THE MAN: The Blue Jays are 73-49 under Cito Gaston since he took over last manager last June 20.

A-ROD UPDATE: Alex Rodriguez is 2 for 11 with a home run, a walk and a strikeout in three games since coming off the disabled list.

SWISHER SINKS: In the seven games he has played since getting hit on the right elbow by a pitch, Nick Swisher is 3 of 23 with 12 strikeouts.

BACK ON THE MARK?: Is Mark Teixeira easing out of his slump? He is 7 of 29 (.241) with seven RBI in the last seven games.

JOHNNY B. GOODE: Johnny Damon is 13 of 31 (.419) over the last seven games with five home runs and 15 RBI. He has homered six times in the last 10 games.

GOT MELKY: Melky Cabrera is 19 of 52 (.365) in the 14 games since he became a starter again. He has only three RBI in that stretch, however.

Back later with more.

UPDATE, 4:40 p.m.: Jeter was scratched. No word why as of yet.

UPDATE, 5:01 p.m.: Jeter has an oblique pull.

UPDATE, 5:28 p.m.: Bruney will throw off the mound tomorrow. … Posada is in Florida amping up his rehab. … Brian Cashman is en route to Scranton to see Wang.

UPDATE, 6:37 p.m.: Here is a photo of Nick Swisher’s new haircut. It’s an internet exclusive. He said somebody who reminded him of Zohan cut it for him yesterday. He’s quite thrilled.

As for the other news: Bruney feels great and is anxious to get on the mound tomorrow. It’s uncertain whether he’ll need a rehab stint or not. They could do a simulated game during the homestand. … Jeter was injured on Friday or Saturday. It doesn’t seem too serious, but for him not to play, there’s definitely something wrong. His comment via a team spokesman: “I’m a little sore right now. Obviously I’m not in the lineup but I hope to be in there tomorrow.”

In terms of minor-league news: Obviously Wang starts tonight. Austin Jackson is third in the IL with a .432 OBP. … Alan Horne starts tonight for Trenton. … Andrew Brackman had a solid outing for Charleston last night (8 7 2 2 1 9) in a no decision. Brett Marshall starts tonight. … Jeremy Bleich on the hill tonight for Tampa.

No audio tonight. There was a speaker in the dugout making all sorts of noise and we could barely hear Girardi.

Enjoy the game.

UPDATE, 7:13 p.m.: A.J. got booed when he went out to the bullpe, when he walked in and when he went to the mound. They’re booing before every pitch.

This will be a nice test for him. Do you shut them up or do you crumble?

UPDATE, 7:31 p.m.: Alex needs to make that play. He backed up on it and let it play him. He’s usually a lot better than that.

The fans here are all over A.J. Lots of “A.J. sucks” chants. Can’t blame them. He opted out, left $24 million on the table and signed with a division rival. If a Yankee did that and signed with Toronto, people in New York would be all over him.

UPDATE, 7:34 p.m.: Pena can pick it. He’s fun to watch in the field. Playing him on the turf plays to his strengths. If Jeter has to be out, it might as well be here.

UPDATE, 7:55 p.m.: Burnett just lost his no-hitter. But Chien-Ming Wang has no-hit Charlotte through four innings in Scranton. His velocity also seems to be up.

Chad Jennings is following the game closely on his blog.

UPDATE, 8:04 p.m.: 2-0 Jays as Burnett is having a bad inning and still doesn’t have an out. Rolen’s double on a 1-2 count may have given Halladay all the run support he needs against a depleted Yankees lineup.

UPDATE, 8:21 p.m: Matsui out with a tight right hamstring. … Meanwhile, Halladay has retired the last 13 Yankees in order without breaking a sweat. Eight have been on grounders, three by strikeout.

The only ball to get to the outfield was Damon’s and he was thrown out at second.

UPDATE, 8:44 p.m.: Damon is pretty amazing. 15 of 33 with 10 extras. … Wang is done in Scranton: 6 3 0 0 3 6. 82 pitches / 49 strikes.

UPDATE, 8:47 p.m.: The Rogers Centre fans are chanting “steroids” at Alex and a fan just threw a foul ball he hit back on the field.

But he slaps an RBI single into left field. That’ll show them. Well, not really.