Pregame notes: Sticking with the lineup
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Notes on Apr 28, 2010 
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Nick Johnson is hitting .135, Mark Teixeira is hitting .129 and Curtis Granderson hasn’t had a hit in a week, but the Yankees lineup tonight is the exact same as it was on Opening Day.
“The concern is short-term, not long-term,” manager Joe Girardi said.
Girardi said he was happy with Teixeira’s at-bats yesterday — “A couple of walks, he hit two bullets,” Girardi said — and the Yankees remain encouraged by Johnson’s on-base percentage. Girardi said there was some discussion of batting Brett Gardner second tonight, but ultimately they kept Johnson in the spot they expected him to hit when they signed him.
“Nick, like Tex, is a proven hitter,” Girardi said. “And I think it’s important that you stick with your guys because you know that they’re going to come around. You try to go with a set lineup. Maybe if you put Gardy up there, it changes Gardy’s game a little bit because of who’s hitting behind him.”
As for Granderson, he’s stuck in an 0-for-17 slide that is the second longest hitless streak of his career. Granderson compared it to a basketball player who can’t miss a 3-pointer one game and can’t hit one the next, or a golfer who drives one ball straight and hooks the next one.
“Nothing is changing,” Granderson said. “You’re using the same bats. You’re going against some of the same guys you’re facing. Night games and night games, day games and day games. The situations are the same. Whatever reason, sometimes you’ve got the feel, sometimes you lose it a little bit.”
• Girardi said he does not want to catch Jorge Posada four days in a row, and so Francisco Cervelli will catch either tomorrow or Friday.
• Chan Ho Park had another MRI that revealed the same thing as before. “It’s basically still he low, low grade strain but he’s not progressing he way we thought he would,” Girardi said. “Just keep rehabbing him.”
• Girardi said Alfredo Aceves is the only reliever he wouldn’t want to use tonight.
• Randy Winn said his back foot simply slipped on that throw to the plate last night. He’d never had that happen before on a dry field.
• Winn, Johnson, Granderson, Marcus Thames and Boone Logan took the World Series trophy to Bethesda Naval Hospital this morning. Winn said everyone he talked to just wanted to get back with his or her fellow soldiers. “They never waver,” Winn said. “They’re itching to get back. That’s one of the reasons we have to go, to say thank you.”
• Get this, Derek Jeter said he’d never heard of the Sports Illustrated cover jinx until Sweeny Murti, Mark Feinsand and I talked to him about this afternoon. “That thing comes out every week,” Jeter said. “That’s a lot of jinxes.” Of course, Jeter then realized that he and Jorge Posada each made errors last night, the week that they’re on the cover. “So me and Sado were jinxed?” he said.
UPDATE, 6:35 p.m.: Orioles lineup
Adam Jones CF
Nick Markakis RF
Ty Wigginton 2B
Miguel Tejeda 3B
Matt Wieters C
Garrett Atkins 1B
Nolan Reimold DH
Lou Montanez LF
Cesar Izturis SS
Associated Press photos
Jeter’s too funny!
Jeter, Tino, and Mo were on a SI cover. Worked out for the best
Get this, Derek Jeter said he’d never heard of the Sports Illustrated cover jinx until Sweeny Murti, Mark Feinsand and I talked to him about this afternoon. “That thing comes out every week,” Jeter said. “That’s a lot of jinxes.” Of course, Jeter then realized that he and Jorge Posada each made errors last night, the week that they’re on the cover. “So me and Sado were jinxed?” he said.
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That’s hilarious.
Betsy,
It’s because of the injury last year that the Yankees are being very careful with Park. This early in the season is no reason to force the issue so you wait until you get the tightness out before getting him back on the mound.
Sado? A lot of jinxes? Jeter’s hilarious, lol.
NJ is very frustrating because he just appears that he’s more interested in walking than taking the bat off his shoulders.
Granderson? I’m absolutely not worried; he’s just hitting a bump in the road like all players.
This hamstring issue is not good; didn’t Park miss much of last year? If he doesn’t have more than a mild strain, I don’t know why it’s not getting better. It stinks because we could really use Park; unfortunately it does not appear he will be back anytime soon.
I assume Ace’s back is acting up? That’s another reason why the pen, IMO, is iffy.
Craw, I understand that, but this isn’t a matter of the Yankees being careful when he’s really ok; Park is not getting any better.
“Craw, I understand that, but this isn’t a matter of the Yankees being careful when he’s really ok; Park is not getting any better”
I wouldn’t say he’s not getting better just that he’s not progressing like they want him to.
I think not using Aceves has more to do with him pitching last night than any sort of back issue.
By the way, I told Phil Hughes that I apparently have a bias against him. “Ever since that time I blew you off in Scranton,” he said. Pretty funny.
(sorry for the off-topic repost, but…)
CB, no idea you were a Barca fan, and I’ve always thought of you as so discerning….! (Don’t believe the hype!!)
Seriously though, all this Cesc talk (perpetrated by the pathetic, agenda-driven Spanish sports press, and repeated ad nauseam by the mediots here in England) is a non starter. Where would he play??
At Arsenal he is the much loved captain, the fulcrum of a team who, with less injuries and more luck, will win the title again soon. In Barcelona there’s no way he even makes the first 11. What’s the point of rusting on the bench there? Ask Henry and Hleb.
Eventually I’m sure he’ll go there, but only when Xavi has lost his powers. Powers which, incidentally, seem to still far eclipse Cesc’s….
repost:
Did anyone catch Valentine on BBT yesterday?
He did this great comparison between Hughes & Sheets (why Sheets, I don’t know).
Anyway, the whole point was that Phil really hides the ball well. You don’t see it until he releases it, at which point it’s too late.
They showed the side by side views and Sheets showed the ball in 3 different spots before it was released.
And Chris Singleton indicated that the difference was important because the amount of flesh on the underpart of your arm that is showing could tip you to the kind of ball that’s on its way.
It was nice, Valentine was quite jacked about Phil’s ability there. lol.
Betsy – Hughes rules (pleading the Fifth) April 28th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
I assume Ace’s back is acting up?
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What makes you think that?
“I assume Ace’s back is acting up? That’s another reason why the pen, IMO, is iffy.”
Well, then there’s the fact he pitched 2 innings last night…
Do you always assume the worst?
People also need to realize this early in the season that there are other motivations at play for Girardi when it comes to the bullpen.
Not every move he makes and not every guy he brings in is going to be the guy who gives you the absolute best chance to win that night.
He needs to find out who he can trust and in what situations as the roles in the bullpen at this point are still largely undefined. Also, given the nature of relievers you really do not know what you are going to get from year to year.
It might cost the team here and there early in the season but later in the year and in the playoffs when it matters, it will pay dividends.
To be honest some of his moves so far have been paid far too much attention. Last night the team just did not show up in any aspect of the game and even if Logan was not the perfect move, the Yankees still should have won that game.
“Do you always assume the worst?”
I think you already know the answer to that question.
Jerry Manuel:
” The way we’re going right now. I could probably go in the game and get a few outs”
Right – Ace can’t go back to back; that’s hardly a good thing.
Chad, lol – Phil has a sense of humor. By the way, do you know if Phil approached Jim Palmer or if Palmer approached Phil?
Nick
I’m guessing you’ll see him at Mariano Day or Derek Jeter Day before you’ll see him at a day of his own.
LGY – exactly. It’s a long season, and Joe has to keep October in mind, not just an April night in Baltimore.
M, no, sob – I missed it.
So what if I assume the worst? It doesn’t affect you, does it?
The box score showed Ace pitched 2 innings last night? That right there should preclude Ace from being used.
Also, I didn’t have any access to the tv yesterday and I had no idea Ace pitched two innings..
CB
Yea, you cant miss clear scoring opportunities (if that’s what it was) in a match you need 2 goals in.
Hmm, I guess I’m less angered now by the red card now.
When you said, “same net result”, I thought you meant the “loss”, but I checked the match report, and Motta already had one yellow card, which is obviously what you meant.
I think a bit of discretion could have been used, and no card given on Motta at all, but I definitely could have seen a 2nd yellow card and sending off anyways.
So, all in all, it really wasnt as cheap as I originally made it out to be.
__
That said, Im going to have to disagree with you. I will take a win for any of my teams any way we get it. Nothing sours a win for me.
After the amount of times the teams I follow have been cheated, Ill take any cheat (like the Mauer double) that goes in our favor!
I would even advocate my teams cheating to win, as Bill Belichick was able to be rewarded with 3 Super Bowls for cheating.
As George Steinbrenner once said and I whole-heartedly agree, “Winning is second only to breathing”
Besty,
Ace pitched 2 innings last night and threw 30 pitches. Not many relievers are pitching the next day unless you have no one else to go to or it is the playoffs. There is no reason to push him after 2 innings last night.
You take out the one game against Texas where he gave up the 3R HR and he has given up 1 run in 7 1/3 innings.
He is the least of our worries. There are very few relievers in baseball that can give you 2 or 3 quality innings like Ace can on a consistent basis.
pat: you may be right. Nonetheless,someday he’ll be back on that field as an invited guest.
Dano: good to see you. Don’t let these Catalan symps bully our team!
Gotta go, I have a rendezvous with Jamon a la Javy.
Chad-
LOL.
LGY, I didn’t know that, thanks. Then I was wrong – no big deal.
The rookie blogger and the sophomore pitcher having some fun.
One last thing: has anyone considered that Chad might be a Belle & Sebastian fan?
“In the mud on your knees
Trying hard not to please
Anyone all hlthe time
Being a rebel’s fine
But you go all the way to being brutal”
Rereading Chad’s notes, I realize it was the new Yankees who got to bring the trophy to Bethesda. I think that’s really nice.
The only Belle and Sebastian I know was a cartoon that aired on Nickelodeon in the 80′s,lol. I doubt anyone else remembers that…
You know, I did just get a little bit into Belle & Sebastian.
Not sure about the Palmer-Hughes thing. Sorry.
I was just going to comment about how the Phillies are fighting really had to avoid being swept on a getaway day.
But the Gigantes just tied it up in the bottom of the 10th.
Chad, no need to apologize, thanks!
Betsy,
My bad. I posted that before you said you did not realize Ace pitched 2 last night.
Nick in SF in Petaluma, CA April 28th, 2010 at 6:42 pm
One last thing: has anyone considered that Chad might be a Belle & Sebastian fan?
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Game Post up
Oh Dano-
Cruel, cruel man! Your points of course are rational and on the mark. But caught in the hazy fog of loss what is there to guide us now, caught in our modern circumstance, better than… a shiny new object?
Has the Lohud game thread taught you nothing!
In seriousness, I know ultimately Cesc probably has no real place to play right now until Xavi loses a step or three… from the way he’s playing now.
The team could use more goal scoring from midfield though to diversify the attack some. However, no team can have everything and while Cesc would provide some of that diversification there’s no good way to get him onto the pitch.
It’ll be interesting to see how barca responds.
in someone’s tagline, you’ll know it’s a club member.
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“Trish, are you planning on coming to NY this spring?”
Betsy, absolutely! You, Fran, and I will have a blast.
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“To use Matthew?s language, a monkey would NOT have made some of the moves Torre made towards the end of his tenure, particularly in 2004 and his treatment of A-Rod.”
“Torre?s bullpen management sucked. Lineup construction is a wash because its hard to mess up. I like Girardi?s overall attitude better. Torre walked to the mound slow.
Girardi so far doesn?t seem to have alienated certain players, and has worked to foster a better clubhouse atmosphere. That is worth something right there.”
“I think Girardi owns at bullpen management, agree to disagree.”
“Girardi has real human empathy. Torre is a sociopath.”
“Unfortunately, when it came to playoff time Torre made several indefensible moves that cost the team big time. Moves that any other manager in baseball would have been fired for.
The 2004 ALCS was about as bad as it can get for a manager, batting Alex 8th, leaving Joba on the field with the midges are just a few that pop into my head right now.
Those Yankee teams were not greatly constructed, but the manager got in the way in a major way several times. He also created an almost toxic environment for certain players in the clubhouse and one of those players was Alex, who was the best player on the team since he arrived.”
Agree with those observations. In addition, it was widely known that anyone who crossed Torre was a marked man. Wells and Nelson immediately come to mind.
I think Torre’s biggest weakness was his bullpen management. I think Girardi excels in that area. I also love that Girardi spreads the work around. I have to say that sometimes reading the forum does make me chuckle in terms of that. At any given point in time I can read someone deriding Girardi for not playing a specific player. When he does play the specific player and the player doesn’t do a good job, people deride Girardi for using the player! The poor guy can’t win!
I love his energy. I won’t lie.
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Erin, Tom B and CR9 – you guys haven’t given me your addresses for the taffy. If you’d rather do it another way, I could always send it as far as the Lohud paper in care of one of the guys and you can give your addresses to them, and they could send it on, if they wouldn’t mind.
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If you want game updates from Toronto, Tampa, or anywhere else, I will be happy to provide them. If you don’t want them, I will be happy not to provide them. Just speak the word.
GO YANKEES!!!
GO JAYS!!!
GO OAKLAND?
I just finished reading the SI article on the core four. I was a good read if you have 10 to 15 minutes to spare. what im saying you will make the time.
Great Job by Tom Verducci.