The LoHud Yankees Blog

Reassigned to minor league camp this afternoon, Jesus Montero hit .375/.444/.625 in just eight at-bats in big league camp. He had a total of one walk and three hits, two of them doubles, but the Yankees don’t need much more to believe in his bat. He’ll open the season in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, hoping for a call-up that may or may not come before the end of the season.

What was this experience like? Did you feel like this was a chance to get to know these guys in case the call-up comes this season?
Montero: I’ve been here for three years already and everything is feeling really good. Right now I get to know everybody. Now they know me more than a couple of years ago. They know me more than a couple of years ago and I feel a lot better with the team. I’m ready for the opportunity. I’m waiting for the opportunity to be in the big leagues, this year or next year.

You hear all of these questions about staying behind the plate. How important is it to you that you stay there?
Montero: It is important for me because I want to catch in the big leagues. I want to catch all my life. I’m preparing myself for catching. I’m going to try to do my best behind the plate. I’m going to try to help the pitchers all the time. Try to win games… It feels good for me. I’m really happy with my position. For me, it’s the best to be behind the plate.

Is most of what you’re working on right now just the mechanics of the throw to second?
Montero: It’s just routines, trying to do the same thing every day. I’ve been doing that for three years or four years with the Yankees. Everything has been the same. Just try to work a little bit on everything. Blocking. Second base. All of that.

How do you describe your hitting approach?
Montero: My plan is just to hit the ball hard. That’s it. And see what’s going to happen when I hit the ball. I just try to relax and I have confidence, a lot of confidence all the time. I just try to feel good. I try to hit the ball hard, and that’s it.

Do you feel, right now, confident that it’s going to happen, that you’re going to get to the big leagues?
Montero: Oh yeah. I think this year I’m going to be there. I’m going to do the best in Scranton, so this year, I’m going to say, I’m going to be there.

On the day the Yankees were rained out, they also sent out the most highly touted prospects in camp.

Catchers Jesus Montero and Austin Romine packed their bags this afternoon, having combined for just 19 at-bats spread across eight games apiece.

“(Montero) has made strides in his catching,” Joe Girardi said. “He’s made strides in shortening his arm stroke. He can really hit. He’s just a young man like Romine. They just need to go play and mature and learn the finer points of catching, and the pitcher-catcher relationship. I was impressed with both of them. Their work. Their willingness to learn. Their ability to take what you give them and try to apply it in a game. Impressive.”

Here’s Girardi’s session with the media this afternoon. This was before the Yankees figured out their plan for tomorrow, so the first few minutes are Girardi talking the Yankees trying to come up with a plan.

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• Speaking of catchers, Joe Mauer has agreed to a $184-million contract extension with the Twins. He’ll be there through 2018.

• Today’s lineup had Curtis Granderson in center field. Girardi once again said he would prefer not to move Granderson around after the season starts. He wants to make a decision this spring and stick with it. “You’d like to be able to leave him in one spot, but I’m not saying that we have to,” he said. “You look at the combination of people and how they play together, not necessarily this guy’s better here.”

• Girardi on Nick Swisher’s adjustments at the plate: “Just took some of the movement out and it seems to have made a difference. He’s looked great at the plate. Left-handed and right-handed, very pleased. It could pay some big dividends.”

• This has obviously changed, but these were the pitchers scheduled to make the trip to Clearwater tomorrow: Joba Chamberlain, Damaso Marte, Chan Ho Park, Dave Robertson, Royce Ring, Jonathan Albaladejo and Mark Melancon. Four of those are now pitching in tomorrow’s intrasquad game, and there probably won’t be innings for the other three A.J. Burnett and Phil Hughes are making the trip.

• This also might change because of today’s rainout, but here are the position players who were scheduled skip the trip to Clearwater: Jorge Posada, Mike Rivera, Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter, Nick Johnson and Alex Rodriguez. Every outfielder was scheduled to make the trip.

• Here’s a cool AP picture of Greg Golson. It’s obviously from yesterday. There wasn’t that much sun today.

The Yankees have a pitching plan for tomorrow.

There will be an intrasquad game here at George M. Steinbrenner Field tomorrow morning. The Yankees haven’t announced who the hitters will be — probably a mix of minor leaguers — but these will be the pitching assignments:

Team 1: Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and Damaso Marte

vs.

Team 2: Joba Chamberlain, Chan Ho Park and Dave Robertson

The rest of the Yankees will travel to Clearwater to play the Phillies. A.J. Burnett will start that game with Phil Hughes pitching in relief.

The Yankees made four of their most significant cuts today, sending Jesus Montero, Austin Romine, Colin Curtis and Reid Gorecki to the minor league complex.

But that’s not why things are a mess.

The Yankees literally don’t know what they’re going to do tomorrow. They have seven pitchers who need to pitch, and only nine innings to play against major league hitters. Joe Girardi said the Yankees are currently calling different teams and might try to pull off split squad games tomorrow. They might also play  B game at Steinbrenner Field. If nothing else, the minor league exhibition schedule has started, so that’s an option.

“It’s a mess, kinda,” Girardi said. “We don’t have it completely ironed out.”

A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, Mariano Rivera, Chan Ho Park and Damaso Marte all need to throw. Girardi said adding a game on Tuesday — a scheduled off day — wouldn’t solve the problem because they want to keep everyone on schedule, or at least as close to on-schedule as possible. He acknowledged that in the long run, a little rain in the middle of March isn’t going to disrupt the season, but…

“Right now, it’s a little pain in the rear.”

No game today. They just cancelled it because of rain.

Back with more in a bit.

It’s raining pretty hard right now. This might pass quickly enough to play ball, but right now it’s pretty ugly and it’s hard to imagine the game starting on time, if it starts at all.

YANKEES
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Johnson 1B
Jorge Posada C
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Curtis Granderson CF
Randy Winn LF
Francisco Cervelli DH

RHP A.J. Burnett

TIGERS
Brandon Inge 3B
Johnny Damon LF
Magglio Ordonez RF
Miguel Cabrera 1B
Carlos Guillen DH
Don Kelly CF
Gerald Laird C
Scott Sizemore 2B
Adam Everett SS

RHP Justin Verlander

TIME/TV: 1:05 p.m./YES Network

WEATHER: Not good. Forecast calls for rain all afternoon.

UMPIRES: Only three listed for today’s game: HP Mark Wegner, 1B Andy Fletcher, 2B Toby Basner

ON THE LINE: Phil Hughes is pitching out of the bullpen, still trying to make his case for the last spot in the Yankees rotation. He was terrific his last time out… The Tigers brought two left-handed pitchers, so Curtis Granderson could get another at-bat against a lefty… Marcus Thames and Jamie Hoffmann each have the day off.

UPDATE, 12:39 p.m.: Northwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald is at the stadium today. He’s a good friend of Joe Girardi and brought his family to check out spring training. Girardi went to Northwestern, hence the connection. Fitzgerald was a heckuva player back in the mid-90s.

UDATE, 12:41 p.m.: While we’re waiting for the game to start, check out Marc Carig’s Q&A with Kevin Towers.

Johnny Damon is in the Tigers lineup for this afternoon’s game at George M. Steinbrenner Field. He’s playing left field and batting second. Damon didn’t make Detroit’s previous trip to Tampa.

Of course, the weather will have to cooperate for Damon to actually play against his old teammates.

Right now, the tarp is on the field and the forecast says there’s a 60 percent chance of rain at first pitch. There’s an 80 percent chance of rain by 3 p.m.

• Austin Jackson is not in the Tigers lineup, but he is on the travel roster, so we could see him in the later innings. Phil Coke is also scheduled to pitch for Detroit.

• Jason Hirsh and Dustin Moseley have been reassigned to the minor league complex. My guess is that the entire Triple-A rotation is now across the street: Hirsh, Moseley, Zach McAllister, Ivan Nova and Romulo Sanchez.

• Sergio Mitre is tied for fifth in the Grapefruit League in innings pitched (14) ad tied for sixth in strikeouts (also 14). Alfredo Aceves is tied for second in the league with 14.1 innings.

• According to the game notes, Andy Pettitte’s minor league start on Monday will be an intrasquad game: Lower-level minor leaguers vs. upper-level minor leaguers.

• Scheduled to pitch for the Yankees: A.J. Burnett, Mariano Rivera and Phil Hughes.

• Also available to pitch for the Yankees: Zack Segovia, Amaury Sanit and Josh Schmidt (up from the minor league complex).

• Scheduled to play off the bench: C Francisco Cervelli, 1B Juan Miranda, 2B Ramiro Pena, SS Reegie Corona, 3B Brandon Laird, LF Jon Weber, CF Greg Golson, RF David Winfree, DH Austin Romine.

• Cervelli will start the game at DH, then move to catcher.

• Detroit’s scheduled pitchers: RHP Justin Verlander, RHP Joel Zumaya, RHP Jose Valverde, LHP Phil Dumatrait, LHP Phil Coke and RHP Josh Rainwater.

• Detroit’s lineup:

Brandon Inge 3B
Johnny Damon LF
Magglio Ordonez RF
Miguel Cabrera 1B
Carlos Guillen DH
Don Kelly CF
Gerald Laird C
Scott Sizemore 2B
Adam Everett SS

RHP Justin Verlander

Thanks to the AP for the picture.

Derek Jeter SS
Nick Johnson 1B
Jorge Posada C
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Curtis Granderson CF
Randy Winn LF
Francisco Cervelli DH

RHP A.J. Burnett

The Yankees best hitter this spring has been a 32-year-old with no major league at-bats and very little chance of breaking camp with the team. Jon Weber has dedicated his life to baseball, and he’s still waiting to play on its biggest stage.

Alfredo Aceves is still trying to win a spot in the Yankees rotation, but his case took a step backward on Saturday when he was roughed up against the Astros. The notebook also has items on the upcoming rotation plans, Curtis Granderson’s wrist and Kevin Russo’s time at short.

My drive from Kissimmee back to Tampa took about an hour and a half, and by the time I got to my hotel, the University of Kansas had been knocked out of the NCAA Tournament. This was obviously great news for a Missouri graduate.

For Yankees fans, the good or bad of the upset might depend on your thoughts on C.J. Henry.

Back in 2005, the Yankees made Henry a first-round pick in one of the best drafts in recent memory. They took him 17th overall, taking a chance on his athleticism. They soon traded him to Philadelphia but signed him back as free agent, only to watch him walk away to play to basketball with his brother at Kansas.

Henry averaged 3.1 points per game as a little-used guard this season. He hit 58.3 percent of his shots, but as we’re learning in spring training, there’s a lot to be said for sample size.

His basketball numbers aren’t impressive, but neither were his baseball numbers: .222 career batting average, 313 strikeouts and 57 errors, 38 of them during his one season at shortstop.