The LoHud Yankees Blog

At one point this afternoon, I turned to Sam and asked if I should take a picture of the Yankees stretching and then post it to the blog with a note reading, “This is what happened today.”

Reality is, there wasn’t a lot going on during this afternoon’s workout at Yankee Stadium. We got some more comments about the Molina/Burnett/Posada triangle, but nothing outrageous. Posada said he’s not “jumping for joy” but seemed at peace with the whole thing, Molina said he’s happy to be playing and Joe Girardi said the decision is his and he’ll have to live with it. All of that seemed fair enough.

Girardi wouldn’t give us anything definitive about tomorrow’s lineup, but he strongly suggested Hideki Matsui will DH and Melky Cabrera will play center field. Barring some sort of Jerry Hairston shocker, that leaves the lineup fairly predictable.

I wish there were some sort of big, breaking news to report, but it’s probably best for the Yankees that today was a fairly quiet day at the stadium.

You can bet it will be loud again tomorrow.

Over the past few days, Jose Molina has answered a lot more questions from a lot more reporters  than he’s seen pretty much all season. Courtesy of Chad, here’s a few excerpts from his chat with the media today:

Question: How does it make you feel that A.J. prefers pitching to you?

Answer: “I don’t think it’s A.J.’s decision. It’s the manager. We are here to play and get in the game when Joe says. We really are a team here so we root for each other. He put me in the lineup, (so) I’m going to play.”

Question: Have you talked to Jorge about this situation?

Answer: “We haven’t had much time to talk. We really don’t have much time in the playoffs. We have love for each other. I don’t think there’s anything wrong about all this. I think Jorgie just wanted to play, you can respect that.”

Question: Is it awkward at all?

Answer: “I will say and I will keep saying the same – the manager is Joe, he writes down a name and I’ll play. I’m ready. If Jorgie don’t like it, that’s him. You guys have to ask him about that, not me. But Joe is the manager. He puts me in the lineup, I’ll play.”

Question: What does A.J. have to do to have success tomorrow?

Answer: “Just calm down. Don’t worry about it. It’s a lot of fun here. A lot of times when he gives up runs, he gets mad on the mound so I say, don’t give up any more and we win the game. We score a lot of runs. You give up one run with this team, it’s nothing pretty much.”

No surprise that much of the Joe Girardi and A.J. Burnett press conferences focused on the never-ending saga of who will be the starting catcher for the Yankees in Game 2. One thing is for sure: Girardi knows the gravity of his decision but said he’s confident in his choice and will “have to live with” it.

In terms of news value, there wasn’t much; the closest thing was when Girardi wouldn’t commit to catching Jose Molina with Burnett for the rest of the postseason, saying that the Yankees would cross that bridge if and when they come to it. Here’s the audio.

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Burnett did his best to deflect the issue on to himself, repeatedly mentioning that he’s had success with Posada (as well as Molina) and saying that he’s the one who is ultimately responsible for whether he pitches well or poorly – not the guy behind the plate. Here’s his audio.

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UPDATE, 3:36 p.m.: Just something I noticed as I was researching a column for tomorrow: The last time the Yankees started a catcher other than Posada in the playoffs was Oct. 7, 2005, when John Flaherty caught Randy Johnson.

How’d it work out then? Johnson allowed five runs and nine hits in three innings and the Yankees lost to the Angels, 11-7 (check out the box here). Obviously Girardi is hoping for a better result this time.

I always find it a little strange to watch a team like the Yankees going through its usual pregame workout – stretching, throwing, batting practice – during an off day when the stadium is completely empty. The music is playing, the scoreboards are on, the media is here …. and there’s a ton of empty seats. It’s sort of like rattling around a big old house.

Anyway, the Yankees are on the field – A-Rod is taking his turn in the cage right now – and they’re going through their paces. Although these workouts are kind of routine, they’re also pretty important; by the time they get to Sunday, the Yankees will have played a grand total of three games in seven days, so they’re doing whatever they can to stay sharp.

Joe Girardi and A.J. Burnett will be meeting the media around 2:15 p.m. Back with much more later.

Lots of audio for you this morning from the enemy. Obviously, the focus shifted throughout the three separate press conference, but here’s a quick overview:

— Nick Blackburn will start Game 2 vs. A.J. Burnett. He was asked about his experience in big games (Blackburn started the one-game playoff in 2008, a 1-0 loss, and bested Zack Grienke on short rest on Saturday) and how he will possibly navigate through the parade of mashers put forth by the Yankees.

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— Next up was Ron Gardenhire, or Gardy, a down home quote machine. The first thing you’ll hear him joke about actually happened: seven writers were stuck in the elevator for about 20-25 minutes. Luckily, I wasn’t one of them. I heard the elevator grind to a halt as I walked down the stairs to the basement level. Needless to say, some of the stranded laughed it off, others not so much. Gardy made light of it, as you’re about to hear.

During his presser, Gardenhire explained the real reason the Yankees dominate the Twins, and it has nothing to do with mystique or sorcery. “That’s a good ballclub they’ve got over there,” he said. Who can argue that?

Gardenhire also coined a nice phrase for why the Yankee lineup has seemed to prevail over his team as their games wear on. He said it is a “continuance of pressure” that wears away at you throughout the course of the game.

The Minnesota manager was also asked about the growing strength of the Yankee ‘pen, now armed with Joba Chamberlain. “They can make a start last six innings,” he said.

More here from Gardenhire, who, at the end, officially announced Carl Pavano as the Game 3 starter:

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— Lastly, there was a joint press conference with Jason Kubel and Denard Span. Span said “I don’t think anyone believes in a hex,” but the Yankees dominance over the Twinkies dominated the conversation.

One thing to note on the audio: In most cases, Kubel answers the question first, followed by Span.

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Hey folks, I’m here at a hung over Yankee Stadium, which remains a little rough around the edges so soon after last night’s Game 1 of the ALDS. The grounds crew and maintenance workers are at work, cleaning up the field and the stands in advance of today’s 1 p.m. Yankee workout.

As Sam said, I’m here all morning covering the Twins, who should begin their media obligations in about 15 minutes. Ron Gardenhire and Game 2 starter Nick Blackburn are scheduled to speak, as are Denard Span and Jason Kubel.

Check back later for news items and audio of Gardenhire. I’ll be sure to post it as soon as I can. The Yankee clubhouse opens at noon. The club is expected to work out from 1-2:15. The Twins will not work out today.

Since I know that there is SO much work being done by Yankee fans trapped in their offices during the playoffs, I wanted to offer yet another way to “take a break”: Follow us on Twitter.

In addition to updating automatically every time there’s a new blog post, @LoHudYankees will also have original Tweets from Chad, Josh and me. Josh, in particular, has been all over it and putting up some great stuff. So check it out.

Also, if you are on Facebook, you can become a fan of this blog and get links to each post there. We have 2,200+ blog fans there.

UPDATE, 11:06 a.m.: Jeff Marx here (aka Jeff the tech guy). I noticed in the comments that a couple people were asking about an Iphone app. You can point your Iphone/safari browser to the blog, and you’ll get an Iphone-optimized version of the blog. That is another device you can use to follow this blog and kill time at work. You can email me at jmarx@lohud.com with questions about the Iphone/mobile site or any other technical issue.

CC Sabathia pitched, Derek Jeter hit and the Yankees won the first postseason game at new Yankee Stadium last night. Chad Jennings has the story for us.

My column is about how Alex Rodriguez exorcised some demons by finally delivering a postseason RBI. Hard to believe, but A-Rod’s postseason drought with men on base started five years and 17 games ago. Last night was a big weight lifted for him.

Hideki Matsui blew the game open with a monstrous two-run homer and it was a nice change of pace for him, too; he’d been 15-of-64 in the postseason since Game 4 of the ’04 ALCS. Josh Thomson has that story.

The Twins had a grueling 24-hour stretch end with defeat. This notebook also has news on a (very brief) relief appearance from Joba Chamberlain, a decision on the Twins Game 3 starter (Carl Pavano!), the make-up of the Yankees series roster and a milestone for Jeter.

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I wrote it last night but it bears repeating: You all have been amazing the past two days. The amount of participation on Tuesday – when there was no game – was overwhelming and yesterday was simply fantastic. Chad, Josh and I are going to keep doing what we can to make this the No. 1 stop for Yankees fans and we truly appreciate all your support.

The Twins are not working out today – they could use the sleep – but Ron Gardenhire and a few players will be speaking to the media later this morning. Josh will be there and will blog any news and notes. The Yankees then have a workout starting a little after 1 p.m. and Chad and I will be in the house for that. Keep checking back for updates all day.

Not a lot of Jay-Z sightings at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees games.

That’s one of several differences between this and every other day of work in my life.

Here’s what stuck in my mind about this game: What if it had gone the other way? Winning one game of the Division Series is tiny in the big picture of the New York Yankees, but can you imagine losing this game? Can you imagine losing after missing the playoffs last season? After giving big money to C.C. Sabathia and sending him to the mound for the opener? After Derek Jeter — of course it was Derek Jeter — tied it with that two-run homer in the third?

A lot of people will be sleeping easier because of this game, and they should be. Sabathia looked like an ace, Alex Rodriguez had a pair of two-out RBIs and three young guys came out of the bullpen and put up zeros.

Two quick notes…

Both Sabathia and Jorge Posada said the passed balls were because of miscommunication. “The first one was my fault,” Posada said. “We were trying go inside with a guy at second base and I thought I called something and it was my fault the first time. The next one, I’m on the mound and I told him what I wanted him to throw, and when I got to the plate he threw a different pitch.”

Also, Joe Girardi said he might have left Phil Hughes in to finish the eighth, but those grinding at-bats from Orlando Cabrera and Joe Mauer had his pitch count already up to 24 with one out in the inning. “I thought it was a great chance to get Coke in and get a chance to get Chamberlain in,” Girardi said. “But Phil Hughes is our eighth-inning guy.”

Prepare your pot shots. According to a report on MLB.com, Carl Pavano will, in fact, oppose Andy Pettitte in Game 3.

I caught up with the American Idle in the Twins clubhouse after tonight’s game. He took the pregame booing like a man. “I was here Opening Day with Cleveland so I got hammered a lot worse (then),” Pavano said. “Hey, I don’t blame them. I’d boo me too after the four years I spent here. No one was more disappointed in the lack of production I had here than me.”

The Yankees paid Pavano $39.95 million for four years and he started just 26 games. Despite the obvious hard feelings, Pavano actually pitched well against his old team this year. Both starts were no decisions but he pitched 13.1 innings and allowed four runs on 11 hits (2.70 ERA). He also struck out eight and walked just one.

He will enter the start 5-4 with a 4.64 ERA as a Twin, including a victory on short rest in Sunday’s do-or-die regular-season finale.

Pavano relishes the chance to defeat the Yankees. Again.

He pitched twice against the Yanks in the 2003 World Series and allowed just one run in nine innings, including eight frames of one-run ball in the series-turning Game 4 victory. (The Marlins won in 12 innings on Alex Gonzalez’s walkoff homer off Jeff Weaver.)

“Of course,” he said. “Who wouldn’t? Not just because of the history I have. I’ve already done it once with the Marlins. And I want another chance at it.”