The LoHud Yankees Blog

Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain took their second turns in the fifth-starter derby with mixed results, though Joe Girardi says that stats don’t tell the whole story.

Alex Rodriguez has lawyers working to set up a meeting with federal investigators and A-Rod is looking forward to getting his FBI interview over.

Johnny Damon took A-Rod’s advice and personally reached out to Yankees ownership last winter, but didn’t have Rodriguez’s success. The notebook also has news on Curtis Granderson’s return to Lakeland, Austin Jackson’s new situation and a death in the Yankee family.

• I’ve never quite understood the whole “sign a one-day contract and then retire” thing but that’s what Nomar Garciaparra did today and, according to Johnny Damon, it was a “classy move” by both the Red Sox and Garciaparra. Apparently the wounds from 2004 have healed and, now that he’s retired, we’ll all be seeing Nomar again on ESPN.

When some of us asked Damon which team he would do such a thing with when it came time to retire, he went quiet for a second, then shrugged and said, “I guess my longest tenure is with the Royals – and I haven’t played there in 10 years!”

Amazingly, he’s right – six years in KC, two in Oakland, four in Boston and now four in New York for the well-traveled Johnny.

• Torii Hunter is one of my favorite players – both to watch play and interview – and his overall point about African-American players in baseball is a reasonable one to bring up. It just didn’t come out particularly well, as you can see in this story, and even Hunter knows it.

• Joe Torre is off in Taiwan with part of the Dodgers team so Don Mattingly is the interim manager in Arizona. In an interview this afternoon, Donnie Baseball revealed that the Dodgers have talked with him about eventually becoming Torre’s replacement. Remember when the Yankees were choosing between Mattingly and Joe Girardi? Seems like a long time ago now, doesn’t it?

• Unfortunate situation involving the Rays pitcher David Price today. Seems he was hit on the hand by a shattered maple bat, though he was lucky and will escape needing stitches. “It was more of a scare than anything else,” Price said, according to The AP. “I don’t really remember what happened, to be honest. Tried to make a play on the ball and I guess out of the corner of my eye I saw the bat and just threw my hands up. Could have been a lot worse than what it is right now.”

Joe Maddon said what a lot of people around the game are thinking, likening the maple bat to the Claymore Mine, which was an explosive in use since World War II. Maple bats have shown an incredible propensity toward shattering, and their shards are very, very dangerous. “If we’re going to wait for someone to actually get killed or impaled,” Maddon said, “we’re going to wait way too long. Something has to be done.”

• Finally, Major League Baseball announced PED suspensions for several minor leaguers, including two from the Yankees Dominican Summer League team. Josue Rodriguez and Israel Tolentino will both serve 50-game bans for testing positive.

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That’s it for tonight. Thanks to everyone for reading and commenting on a long day. Back at it tomorrow, though the clubhouse won’t open until around 1:30 p.m. because it’s a night game. Check in early and often, though, for a few other items before we get to Yankees-Braves.

Say what you want about Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes, but the most interesting thing I saw all afternoon was the catch that Curtis Granderson made on Miguel Cabrera in the fourth inning.

I know that the defensive value of Granderson vs. Brett Gardner is a hot debate, but when Granderson went back – all the way back – to the wall to catch Cabrera’s 410-foot laser, it was something to see. I’ve always been fascinated by the over-the-shoulder catch, mostly because I think it’s amazing that outfielders are able to see the ball, then look away to run, then turn around and find the ball again. Granderson said the keys to the play are getting a good jump and, even more, listening the other outfielders.

On that play, Gardner and Marcus Thames both began by screaming at Granderson to go back – since they’re on an angle, they can see just how deep the ball is hit – and then, as he approached the wall, they both shouted to let him know that he had just enough room to make the catch without worrying about hitting the wall. As it turned out, he finished about one stride away from the fence. Perfect.

“That’s one of those things where everything has to go right,” Granderson said. “It’s a play that’s hard to practice.”

Take a listen to the audio. It’s pretty interesting to hear just what goes into making a grab like that.

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That’s it from here. I’m headed back through the traffic to Tampa. Thanks to everyone for reading today.

Joe Girardi has been saying all spring that he’s not going to focus on statistics when it comes time to decide on the fifth starter. There are other things at work, Girardi says, and not all of them are obvious to the average fan. Here’s an example:

Joba Chamberlain has been told work on getting his pitches in on hitters, particularly right-handers. In his meltdown inning this afternoon, Chamberlain tried to come inside to Austin Jackson and watched Jackson hit a single. Then he tried to come in on Ryan Raburn – another single. Then, a few batters later, he tried to come in on Gerald Laird – grand slam to left and his stat line was suddenly disastrous.

Phil Hughes? He’s been told to work on his change-up. While facing Raburn in the fourth inning today, Hughes was in a 1-1 count. Instead of throwing a cutter (which is what he said he might normally do), Hughes threw two change-ups, both of which missed the plate. Now in a 3-and-1 hole, he had to come over with a fastball that Raburn crushed over the left-field fence.

In both cases, the end results are ugly. But in both cases, the Yankees know that their pitchers were following instructions and trying make themselves better in the long run. Talking about Hughes and his change-up, Girardi said, “I think it comes down to, ‘Does he trust what we’re saying?’ And I think he does.”

My personal opinion is that, regardless of whether it’s based on results or something else, Hughes is firmly in the lead for the fifth starter job. I think the Yankees want him to be a starter long-term and, to this point, he hasn’t done anything that would cost him the spot. Either way, the Yankees are looking at both Chamberlain and Hughes as important pieces for their future – which is why they’re paying attention to a lot more than just the final spring training statistics.

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If you’re interested in more from Hughes and Chamberlain, check out some of the audio below.

Here’s Hughes:

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And here’s Chamberlain:

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YANKEES
Curtis Granderson CF
Nick Johnson DH
Mark Teixeira 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Marcus Thames RF
Brett Gardner LF
Mike Rivera C
Jorge Vazquez 3B
Ramiro Pena SS

Pitching: Joba Chamberlain (9-6, 4.75 ERA in 2009)

TIGERS
Austin Jackson CF
Ryan Raburn RF
Ryan Strieby 1B
Miguel Cabrera DH
Carlos Guillen LF
Gerald Laird C
Jeff Larish 3B
Scott Sizemore 2B
Adam Everett SS

Pitching: Armando Galarraga (6-10, 5.64 ERA in 2009)

TIME/TV: 1:05 p.m., No TV

WEATHER: Beautiful Florida weather. Clear skies, temps are in the 60s and 70s. Great day for baseball.

UMPIRES: HP Mark Wegner, 1B Joe West, 2B Jerry Layne, 3B Mark Carlson

WHAT’S ON THE LINE: Joba Chamberlain gets the start and then Phil Hughes will pitch right behind him as the two front-runners in the Fifth Starter Derby are on display. Joe Girardi said he’s not putting too much stock in results yet, but this is the last “warm-up” before evaluations begin getting serious.

HELLO, OLD FRIEND: The New York writers spent some time in the Detroit clubhouse before the game, and Johnny Damon was talkative as usual. There wasn’t a whole lot new from him – as you all know, there were a TON of stories written about him over the past month – but he did say that he holds no ill-will towards either the Yankees or his agent, Scott Boras, for how things went down. Some Yankees fans may be mad at Boras, but Damon sure isn’t. “I trusted Scott since I was 16 years old,” he said. “He knows what he’s doing.”

Damon isn’t in the lineup today because he’s suffering from a stubbed toe he picked up while playing with his kids in the backyard at home. I’ll post a few more comments from Damon later.

A-JAX: After talking to Damon, a few of us chatted with Austin Jackson. Since I know he’s a blog favorite, I’ll post the audio below. Jackson said he wasn’t disappointed when he learned he was traded and is excited about likely reaching his dream of being an every-day big leaguer.

He’s also pleased to be hitting leadoff, where power production won’t be an issue. He did say he misses some of his buddies from the Yanks minor leagues, including Colin Curtis who – you may remember – hit a walkoff homer the other day. “I called him after that!” Jackson said.

Here’s the audio:

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UPDATE, 1:14 p.m.: Nice start for Granderson, singling after getting a nice ovation from the Tigers fans. Yankees get nothing though and now it’s Joba time.

UPDATE, 1:19 p.m.: Good-looking change-up by Joba to get Jackson looking at strike three. That’s a pitch Joba said the other day that he’s trying to work on in spring. He follows that up by walking Raburn, though.

UPDATE, 1:32 p.m.: Jorge Vazquez ropes a ball down the left-field line and Brett Gardner – speedster extraordinaire – comes all the way around to score. It’s 1-0 Yankees.

UPDATE, 1:42 p.m.: It’s spring training so they just called Jeff Larish’s grounder a single but I think Mark Teixeira would say he should have had that one. Either way, one on and two out.

UPDATE, 1:43 p.m.: No damage done. Grounder to third ends the inning. Joba has allowed one hit and one walk through two.

UPDATE, 1:47 p.m.: Hey, it’s Phil Coke! And there’s Mark Teixeira absolutely murdering a pitch over the left-center field fence. Coke has a new look – long hair, hairy beard – but, apparently, similar results. It’s 3-0 Yankees.

UPDATE, 2:03 p.m.: Joba, Joba, Joba. That’ll do it for Chamberlain, who trudges off after giving up two singles, a walk, another single, another walk and then a grand slam to Gerald Laird on a 1-0 pitch. Not ideal. Phil Hughes now on to start his work.

UPDATE, 2:37 p.m.: Hughes isn’t exactly impressing. He gave up an absolute rocket solo homer to Ryan Rayburn and then – after a single from Ryan Strieby – watched Miguel Cabrera smoke a fly ball to center that Granderson caught with his back to home plate. Total circus catch on a ball that went about 410 feet. Hughes did escape with only one run charged.

UPDATE, 3:19 p.m.: Clubhouse open so I’ll be back in a bit.

After finishing up with the daily A-Rod update, we’re headed over to Lakeland for what should be an interesting afternoon of baseball. Word is that Johnny Damon is NOT in the Tigers lineup, but he’ll surely get to meet and greet his former teammates. More importantly, Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain will be taking the mound for the Yankees, with each slated to throw about three innings or 50 pitches. Andrew Brackman is among the other pitchers on the trip, and Austin Romine and Juan Miranda are also on the roster for the day.

Joe Girardi said that while these starts are certainly important in the fifth-starter derby, this is really the last “tune-up” start before he’ll really start judging the pitchers. “The next start, not including this one, is when you got to start making evaluations,” Girardi said.

We’ve seen a variety of different lineups over the past week or so, and at some point toward the end of spring training Girardi wants to get his “regular” lineup together for an extended period of time. If you’re looking for a preview of what that lineup will be – and I know everyone who plays “Guess the Lineup” on a daily basis is always looking for an edge – than pay close attention on March 16. That’s the first game after the Yankees off-day and Girardi said it’s a good bet he’ll have all his regulars playing. That day could also be the first time Mariano Rivera pitches in a game.

As I get ready to head for the car, the Yankees who are staying behind have come outside and started their stretching in right field. Andy Pettitte is throwing in the bullpen today, as is Javier Vazquez, Damaso Marte and Rivera. Francisco Cervelli will catch Pettitte (as well as Alfredo Aceves a few minutes later), and Jesus Montero will be catching Vazquez. Montero will also catch Chad Gaudin’s side session.

That’s pretty much it from here. Check back all afternoon for updates from Lakeland.

Alex Rodriguez offered an update on his situation this morning, saying that his lawyers have begun working with federal investigators to schedule a time for A-Rod to be interviewed about his involvement with tainted Canadian doctor Anthony Galea. “They’re working to schedule something that allows me to cooperate, and get my work in,” A-Rod said.

Rodriguez’s preference is for the interview to take place in Tampa – other interviews with players have been conducted near spring training sites – and the Yankees do have an off-day coming up on Monday, so that could be an easy answer. A-Rod said he anticipated hearing from his attorneys sooner than later and is looking forward to getting the matter behind him. “I think the key thing to remember about this is that it’s an investigation about someone else,” he said. He added, “I don’t really focus on that. I’m really focused on our team and on Boston Opening Day.”

In non-PED news, Rodriguez said his hip is feeling good and that he’s been careful not to overdo it this spring. He’ll have to see surgeon Marc Philippon for a follow-up and likely “take some pictures” of the hip at some point in the future, but doesn’t think that will have to happen until the All-Star break or some time when the Yankees are out west.

Yankees at Tigers

Granderson CF
Johnson DH
Teixeira 1B
Cano 2B
Thames RF
Gardner LF
Rivera C
Vazquez 3B
Pena SS

Pitching: Joba Chamberlain

Curtis Granderson is certainly focused on being successful as a Yankee, but he also realizes there are more important things in life than baseball. The son of two teachers believes so strongly in the value of education that he even wrote a book about it.

CC Sabathia had a rough outing against the Pirates at Steinbrenner Field, and the Yankees ace will spend the next few days working on a mechanical adjustment. The notebook also has news on the Alex Rodriguez-Dr. Galea saga, Hal Steinbrenner’s view on contracts, Francisco Cervelli’s noggin, Chan Ho Park’s posterior and a few other assorted items.

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Should be a pretty interesting day today in Lakeland, with the Yankees seeing old buddy Johnny Damon and – more importantly – the latest episode of “The Phil and Joba Show” taking place. I’ll have the lineup up when the clubhouse opens and plenty of updates throughout the day. So check back early and often.

A few things I noticed while surfing around the inter-webs:

• Major League Baseball is responding to the rash of bad calls made by umpires last postseason by firing umpire … supervisors. No, not umpires. Umpire supervisors. Interesting.

It was funny earlier today when the announcement about the umpires in the Yanks-Pirates game was made. Apparently Marty Foster – you might remember him – was supposed to be on the game but was a late scratch due to illness. “Yeah,” one writer quipped, “the Yankees put poison in his food.”

• I mentioned earlier that the football bowl game at Yankee Stadium will be called the “Pinstripe Bowl,” and also voiced my support for changing it to the “Big Apple Bowl” (or even the “Gotham Bowl,” which is what it used to be half a century ago). Anyway, at the news conference Hal Steinbrenner reiterated that doesn’t believe in contract extensions. “People just have to understand that everybody does business in a different way and I just don’t believe in contract extensions,” Steinbrenner told reporters in the Bronx. “And that’s throughout the organization, no matter who it is. And hopefully nobody takes that personally because it’s just business.”

Although he’s refused to negotiate, Hal did say that he’s reached out to Joe Girardi, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera to let them know that he hopes they’ll stay in the organization.

• Bad news for the Twins (and many people who participate in keeper fantasy leagues): Joe Nathan could be done for the year and the Twins don’t have a whole lot of internal options. Jon Rauch? Ugh. Could this be the year the Royals rise in the Central? Probably not. But it sure does make life a little easier for Johnny Damon and the Tigers.