The LoHud Yankees Blog

First things first, Derek Jeter is in the Yankees lineup, just as Joe Girardi promised.

There was some concern that he might have injured his hand during last night’s game, but when Jeter walked into the clubhouse this morning, Bryan Hoch asked the quick question that every writer in the room needed to ask.

“How are you feeling?”

“About what?” Jeter said.

The weather? Health care reform? Avatar? The Pavement reunion? It seems safe to say the status of his hand is not weighing on Jeter’s mind.
Thanks to the AP for the picture.

• No Johnny Damon, but Austin Jackson and Phil Coke are each on the Tigers’ travel roster for this afternoon’s game in Tampa. I don’t have a lineup yet, but the other big names making the trip are Rick Porcello, Jose Valverde, Miguel Cabrera, Brandon Inge, Carlos Guillen and Gerald Laird, the brother of Yankees infielder Brandon Laird.

• Speaking of Laird, Brandon is back in the lineup after sitting out a few days.

• Yesterday, Girardi said he thought Damaso Marte would be pitching this afternoon. Turns out, Marte is pitching on the road tomorrow. He’ll work in relief of Alfredo Aceves.

• One other very small change of plans: Ryan Pope is not going on the road after all. His name was circled last night to be part of the Yankees traveling squad, but he will instead stay in Tampa to be available for today’s home game.

• Kevin Russo is getting another turn at shortstop this afternoon. He made an error there last night, but the Yankees need to see him at the position to decide whether he can be a utility man in the big leagues.

• Available Yankees pitchers:
At home: CC Sabathia, Mariano Rivera, Jonathan Albaladejo, Ryan Pope, Eric Wordekemper and Royce Ring.
On the road: Sergio Mitre, Chad Gaudin, Jason Hirsh, Amaury Sanit and Zack Segovia.

• Scheduled to play off the bench:
At home: C Mike Rivera, 1B P.J. Pilittere, 2B Eduardo Nunez, SS Kevin Russo, 3B Jorge Vazquez, LF David Winfree, DH Jon Weber.
On the road: C Jesus Montero, SS Reegie Corona, LF Colin Curtis, CF Reid Gorecki, RF Edwar Gonzalez, DH Austin Romine.

• Eight players were added to big league camp for the day, though RHP Wordekemper and OF Gonzalez are the only ones scheduled to play. Other players added to the roster:
At home: C Jorge Liccien, INF Justin Snyder and OF Austin Krum.
On the road: C Ryan Baker, INF Walter Ibarra, INF Jose Pirela, OF Dan Brewer

• He wasn’t listed on either lineup card, but minor league infielder Luis Nunez was also in the clubhouse this morning, so you might see his name pop up in the home game. Probably not, but maybe.

UPDATE, 9:56 a.m.: The Tigers lineup:

Austin Jackson, CF
Clete Thomas RF
Brandon Inge 3B
Miguel Cabrera 1B
Carlos Guillen DH
Gerald Laird C
Wilkin Ramirez LF
Brent Dlugach 2B
Ramon Santiago SS

RHP Rick Porcello

UPDATE, 10:00 a.m.: Scheduled to pitch for the Tigers: LHP Phil Coke, LHP Andy Oliver and RHP Jose Valverde. Also on the trip: RHP Lester Oliveros, RHP Cody Satterwhite and LHP Adam Wilk.

HOME vs. DETROIT

Derek Jeter SS
Nick Johnson DH
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Marcus Thames LF
Jamie Hoffmann CF
Francisco Cervelli C
Greg Golson RF

LHP CC Sabathia

ROAD vs. TAMPA BAY

Brett Gardner CF
Curtis Granderson LF
Nick Swisher DH
Jorge Posada C
Randy Winn RF
Juan Miranda 1B
Ramiro Pena 2B
Brandon Laird 3B
Eduardo Nunez SS

RHP Sergio Mitre

Mark Melancon is almost certainly crowded out of the Yankees bullpen, but he might be simply be following the path of Dave Robertson who opened last season in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and finished it in the World Series. What his destination, Melancon isn’t worried or anxious, he’s just pitching, and pitching pretty well.

The pitching battles that really matter are reaching a new level tonight when Sergio Mitre and Chad Gaudin face the Rays, basically pitching for the right to stay in the fifth-starter competition. The notebook also has items on Damaso Marte, Javier Vazquez, Chan Ho Park, the outfield competition and Alex Rodriguez being out of the lineup.

Apparently there was some momentary concern that Derek Jeter had injured either his wrist or his hand during tonight’s game. I think most everyone not watching the game on television was oblivious, including Joe Girardi.

He had no idea there was an issue until the announcers brought it up during his in-game interview.

“I didn’t know about it until they said it in the fifth inning,” Girardi said. “I didn’t notice. He got a hit after that.”

Girardi said Jeter is fine.

“He’ll play tomorrow,” Girardi said.

Here’s the pregame audio from Girardi. It’s a lot better than the two-minute postgame session.

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• Nice debut from Chan Ho Park, who pitched a hitless fifth inning. “His outing was so short I forgot he even pitched,” Girardi said. “Eight pitches. And that’s the way he’s looked on the side, his live BPs, his simulated (games), he’s looked like that the whole time he’s been here.”

• Boone Logan struck out the only batter he faced — who happened to be a guy named Carl Crawford — as he continues to make a strong case to be a second lefty in the bullpen. “He’s a guy that we thought highly enough to want to get him in the trade,” Girardi said. “I saw him in Chicago as a broadcaster and liked his arm. We’ve asked him to make some minor adjustments and he’s worked hard at it and he’s thrown the ball pretty decent.”

• Javier Vazquez got through just three innings on 60 pitches and said he was surprised when pitching coach Dave Eiland told him he was at his limit. “I told Dave after I came out that I actually felt like I could keep going,” Vazquez said. “I knew that I wasn’t (staying in the game), but I felt pretty good today.”

• Colin Curtis (that’s him in the AP photo on the right) hit another big home run this spring. I don’t think he can make this team, but he can make an impression.

• Aside from Romulo Sanchez’s wildness in the fourth inning, Girardi said he was impressed by all of his pitchers. Mark Melancon allowed a run, but allowed only one hard-hit ball through two innings. That one hard-hit ball happened to be a lead-off triple.

• Nick Swisher now has a six-game hitting streak.

• Ryan Pope has been added to the travel squad for tomorrow.

• That’s what you get, Zech Zinicola! The pitcher who hit Francisco Cervelli in the head this spring was a Rule 5 pick, and he was returned the Nationals today.

YANKEES
Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Nick Swisher RF
Jorge Posada C
Robinson Cano 2B
Marcus Thames DH
Randy Winn LF
Juan Miranda 1B
Ramiro Pena 3B

RHP Javier Vazquez

RAYS
Jason Bartlett SS
Carl Crawford LF
Ben Zobrist RF
Carlos Pena 1B
Willy Aybar 3B
B.J. Upton CF
Pat Burrell DH
Sean Rodriguez 2B
Dioner Navarro C

LHP Carlos Hernandez

TIME/TV: 7:05 p.m., YES Network

WEATHER: Some clouds, but ultimately a sunny sky and blue sky. Temperatures will be in the upper-50s.

UMPIRES: HP Eric Cooper, 1B Marty Foster, 2B Mark Carlson, 3B Andy Fletcher

ON THE LINE: None of the fifth starter candidates will be pitching out of the bullpen, instead the Yankees will get their first look at Chan Ho Park… Marcus Thames, Randy Winn and Brett Gardner also have another chance to get three at-bats or so, trying to improve their numbers. Joe Girardi said this afternoon that Gardner is indeed the favorite to open the season as the Yankees third outfield starter.

UPDATE, 6:51 p.m.: A few notes from this afternoon’s session with Girardi.

• Girardi has said every fifth starter candidate will get a chance to pitch at least once more before being eliminated from the race. It’s possible either Chad Gaudin or Sergio Mitre could be knocked out tomorrow. “It’s conceivable,” Girardi said. “It’s not necessary.”

• The Yankees would like to make a decision on the fifth starter by the end of next week, but they could push it until the final week of spring training. “If everyone pitches great, we might run them all out again,” Girardi said.

• Trainer Steve Donohue told Girardi that Damaso Marte is “better than he thought he would be.” Marte will probably pitch tomorrow at home.

• The final job on the bench is pretty much between Marcus Thames and Jamie Hoffmann. Girardi once again mentioned David Winfree as someone the Yankees are interested in, but that right-handed outfield role will probably come down to Thames or Hoffmann. “Those are the two main guys we’re looking at right now,” Girardi said.

• For those of you trying to guess the lineup every day, most guys are not going to play three days in a row at this point. That’s why Alex Rodriguez, for example, is out of the lineup today. “He played two days in a row,” Girardi said. “That’s kind of where we’re at right now. Two days in a row and then we’ll work to three eventually.” Girardi didn’t say so, but it does seem that some guys might have to play three in a row for tomorrow’s split squad.

UPDATE, 8:02 p.m.: Sorry for the lack of updates tonight. My deadlines are early and I’ve been frantically writing for the newspaper. After some miscommunication with Jorge Posada — both went after a ball in front of the plate, but neither ultimately fielded it — Vazquez has escaped a two on, two out jam in the third and has so far allowed one run through three innings. I assume most of you are watching on TV, but if you’re not, Derek Jeter’s two-out, two-run double has given the Yankees a 2-1 lead.

UPDATE, 8:20 p.m.: Javier Vazquez is finished, Romulo Sanchez is in. Vazquez went 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. He threw 60 pitches, 38 strikes.

UPDATE, 8:33 p.m.: So, Romulo Sanchez. He wasn’t very good. Loaded the bases for Boone Logan, who struck out Carl Crawford to end it, but not before a passed ball scored a run. Rays lead it, 3-2.

UPDATE, 9:13 p.m.: Ladies and gentlemen, Colin Curtis! Three run home run has put the Yankees back in front, 5-3. If those offseason adjustments are going to make this sort of difference, Curtis could really push for a big league call-up this season. The upper levels are thin in the outfield, and Curtis could easily begin to stand out. A lot of talent there, just hasn’t led to big numbers in the minors.

UPDATE, 9:18 p.m.: Mark Melancon is in to pitch for the Yankees in the seventh. Every starting position player is out of the game.

It’s is a remarkably slow day here in Yankees camp. The BYU-Florida game was the center of attention in the clubhouse as players filtered in for the past hour or so.

If there is any news today, I guess it’s the fact Alfredo Aceves will start Saturday’s game against Houston. Yesterday, Joe Girardi said he wasn’t sure whether Aceves would start on Saturday or pitch in relief on Friday.

Friday’s split squad has CC Sabathia starting at home against Rick Porcello. Sergio Mitre will start on the road against Dan Wheeler, with Chad Gaudin pitching in relief.

• Nick Swisher has a five-game hitting streak, Jorge Posada has gone 8-for-11 in his past four games and Robinson Cano has a hit in six of eight games, with multiple hits in four of them.

• Available to pitch today: Javier Vazquez, Chan Ho Park, Dave Robertson, Dustin Moseley, Mark Melancon, Romulo Sanchez and Boone Logan.

• Scheduled to play off the bench: C Austin Romine, 1B Jon Weber, 2B Reegie Corona, SS Kevin Russo, 3B Eduardo Nunez, LF Colin Curtis, CF Greg Golson, RF Reid Gorecki, DH P.J. Pilittere.

• Tomorrow’s split squad at home: Francisco Cervelli, P.J. Pilittere, Mike Rivera, Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter, Nick Johnson, Alex Rodriguez, Kevin Russo, Mark Teixeira, Jorge Vazquez, Greg Golson, Jamie Hoffmann, Marcus Thames, Jon Weber and David Winfree.

• Tomorrow’s split squad on the road: Jesus Montero, Jorge Posada, Austin Romine, Reegie Corona, Brandon Laird, Juan Miranda, Eduardo Nunez, Ramiro Pena, Colin Curtis, Brett Gardner, Reid Gorecki, Curtis Granderson, Nick Swisher and Randy Winn.

• The Yankees will almost certainly add some position players from minor league camp for tomorrow’s games. Basically, the starting outfield is going on the road and the starting infield is staying here.

• Pitchers going on the road tomorrow: Sergio Mitre, Chad Gaudin, Jason Hirsh, Amaury Sanit and Zack Segovia.

• Tampa Bay’s lineup tonight:

Jason Bartlett SS
Carl Crawford LF
Ben Zobrist RF
Carlos Pena 1B
Willy Aybar 3B
B.J. Upton CF
Pat Burrell DH
Sean Rodriguez 2B
Dioner Navarro C

LHP Carlos Hernandez

UPDATE, 3:21 p.m.: Pitchers who traveled with Tampa Bay: RHP Jeff Bennett, RHP Joe Bateman, RHP Richard De Los Santos, RHP Mike Eckstrom, LHP Heath Phillips, RHP Heath Rollins and RHP Dale Thayer.

Also, according to the Rays media notes, the team has already optioned Desmond Jennings, Jeremy Hellickson and Jake McGee to minor league camp. Tim Beckham has also been reassigned there. They’ve named James Shields as their Opening Day starter.

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Nick Swisher RF
Jorge Posada C
Robinson Cano 2B
Marcus Thames DH
Randy Winn LF
Juan Miranda 1B
Ramiro Pena 3B

Javy Vazquez is on the mound.

Just a reminder that individual game tickets go on sale tomorrow at noon. Here’s the full press release from the Yankees.

Tickets for individual games to see the defending World Champion New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium will go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 19 at noon at www.yankees.com and www.yankeesbeisbol.com, and via Ticketmaster phone only at (877) 469-9849 and Ticketmaster TTY at (800) 943-4327. Beginning Wednesday, March 24, tickets may also be purchased at the Yankee Stadium Ticket Office, all area Ticketmaster outlets and all Yankees Clubhouse Shops.

As in past years, the Yankees will make available individual-game ticket value programs throughout the 2010 season. A complete list of ticket specials, including game dates, seating locations, and terms and conditions, can be found at www.yankees.com/ticketspecials, by calling (718) 293-6000 or e-mailing tickets@yankees.com. Please note that all ticket specials are subject to availability.

E-Saver Games – Fans can register at www.yankees.com/esaver to receive weekly e-mail ticket offers for E-saver Games available only to Yankees e-mail subscribers.

$5 Games – For select games during the 2010 season, fans can purchase tickets in select areas of the Terrace and Grandstand Levels and Bleachers for $5. Tickets for $5 Games may be purchased in advance or on the day of the game. (Excludes all Premium Games*.)

Family Games – Families can enjoy specially priced tickets on designated Monday through Thursday games in April, May and September. Tickets may be purchased in advance or on the day of game. (Excludes all Premium Games*.)

Senior Citizen Games – Senior Citizens (60 and older) can purchase $5 tickets in designated seating locations for select Monday through Thursday games. Tickets may be purchased ONLY on the day of the game at Yankee Stadium Ticket Windows outside Yankee Stadium, adjacent to Gate 4, subject to availability. All tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis. A valid form of identification must be presented at the time of purchase. (Excludes all Premium Games*.)

Student Games – For select games during the 2010 season, students who present their valid high school or college ID cards when purchasing tickets can receive one half-price ticket in designated seating locations. Tickets may be purchased ONLY on the day of the game at Yankee Stadium Ticket Windows outside Yankee Stadium, adjacent to Gate 4. (Excludes all Premium Games*.)

Youth Games – All fans 14 and younger, when accompanied by an adult, can purchase half-price tickets in designated seating locations for Saturday games. Tickets may be purchased ONLY on the day of the game at Yankee Stadium Ticket Windows outside Yankee Stadium, adjacent to Gate 4. (Excludes all Premium Games*.)

* The term “Premium Games” is defined as the Opening Day game, the Old-Timers’ Day game (July 17 vs. Tampa Bay) and all games played against the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets.

The 27-time World Champion Yankees will begin their 81-game home regular season schedule on Tuesday, April 13 at 1:05 p.m. vs. the Los Angeles Angels.

The Yankee Stadium Ticket Office is located outside Yankee Stadium adjacent to Gate 4 on the corner of 161st Street and Jerome Avenue. Beginning Wednesday, March 24, the Yankee Stadium Ticket Office will be open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. On game days during the season, the Yankee Stadium Ticket Office will be open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until two hours after the scheduled first pitch and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. until two hours after the scheduled first pitch.

GROUP TICKETS:

Groups of 20 or more are eligible to take advantage of a variety of group ticket discounts. For complete group ticket information, please visit www.yankees.com, call the Yankees Group Sales Department at (718) 293-6000 or e-mail groups@yankees.com.

In order to keep pace in the Yankees fifth-starter competition, Joba Chamberlain needed to pitch well on Wednesday. He responded with four good innings. Joe Girardi singled out three things that made a difference — better pace, better mechanics, better command — all of which led to Chamberlain’s best outing of the spring.

Before Chamberlain got in the game, Andy Pettitte made his first spring start and looked sharp for his first time facing live hitters. The notebook also has items on Damaso Marte’s not-so-good debut, a few outfielders getting some hits and the pitching scheduled for the next few days.

You know that Opening Day is getting ever closer when the NCAA tournament starts up, and poring over brackets is a nice way to pass those final few weeks until baseball begins. In that vein, I offer two options that are appealing for different reasons:

1. Visit www.lohud.com/brackets to set up an account and fill out your bracket for this year’s tournament. See how well you do against several Journal News sports staffers – including Chad and me – and if you’re good enough to somehow put together a perfect bracket you’ll win $10,000. (Which you should probably use to start-up your new fortune-telling business.)

2. According to an e-mail from Curtis Granderson’s PR man, anyone who donates at least $1 to Granderson’s Grand Kids Foundation via Paypal will receive an invitation into his NCAA bracket challenge. The top 10 final bracket scores will win Curtis Granderson autographed prizes, including bats, balls and photos. The link to donate is right here.