The LoHud Yankees Blog

While enjoying my breakfast this morning, I read an interesting story by our good buddies at USA Today on the number of home runs hit at Yankee Stadium so far this year. Not surprisingly, the totals are down from their astronomical heights of a year ago, and the Stadium ranks eighth among all parks in home run output.

I wrote last year that I never quite got the uproar over the amount of homers – after all, home runs are, you know, a part of baseball – but theorizing over why the numbers are down to this point raises a number of possibilities: Some think the tearing down of the old Stadium has affected the wind-tunnel quality of the new park, while others might point to the loss of Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon, two guys who certainly contributed their share.

It’s worth noting, too, that Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez – typically two cogs in the home run hitting machine – have a grand total of four combined, but whatever the reason there’s no denying that Yankee Stadium has less of a pinball-feel so far this season.

Is that a good thing? Anyone out there miss the constant blasts?

The management and health of the older Yankees figure to be an ongoing theme this season. Several have experienced minor problems in this last week, costing them a game or more, including Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Alex Rodriguez.

Andy Pettitte is the latest to experience an issue, having left Wednesday’s 7-5 win over the Orioles after five innings with stiffness that was diagnosed through an MRI as mild inflammation of his left elbow. He had stiffness while warming up as well.

“He probably could’ve stayed in the game,” pitching coach Dave Eiland said. “We didn’t want to do that. He wanted to stay in. But the expression on his face kind of told us the story.” Pettitte had  stiffness in his left forearm while warming up for his previous start, too.

It’s all part of the cost of having aging stars. The Yankees obviously weren’t hot to re-sign two other popular but aging stars, Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon.

It’s up to Girardi to figure out when to give the older folks time off or an extra day between starts.

“I think we’re going to have to manage it,” Girardi said. “Part of what you have to manage is the competitive spirit in them. You have to determine whether it’s just soreness or injury, and does soreness turn into injury. Those are things you have to determine as a manager. It’s usually harder when a guy has mileage. When a guy has mileage, they’ve probably pitched through aches and pains or played through aches and pains.”

Girardi feels Rivera will be available Friday night in Boston. Rivera, who hasn’t pitched in five straight games since experiencing tightness in his left side, thought he could have gone Wednesday. With Posada, Girardi will see how he feels on Friday. He has missed two straight with his mildly strained right calf.

The Yankees’ starting pitching, depth, Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano, and often the bottom of the order (like Brett Gardner at. 346 with 13 steals) have helped them overcome slow starts by Mark Teixeira, Nick Johnson and A-Rod as well as a few injuries. Between those things and all the road swings, 19-8 looks pretty good right now. 

Curtis Granderson isn’t one of the older guys, but, of course, he’s on the DL with that groin he strained on Saturday, perhaps for a month. He is reporting progress, though. The center fielder said he will not make the coming seven-game road trip and just come to Yankee Stadium for treatment. He’s still not sure of the timetable for his comeback.

“I honestly don’t know in terms of (re-starting) baseball activity,” Granderson said. “I know for sure 15 days and we’ll see how everything goes after that. But I’m a lot better from Saturday.”

The Yankees are going to play their lone regular-season series in Detroit starting Monday. Granderson had been looking forward to going back to face his old team. Several family members and friends were supposed to come.

“Maybe we’ll run into them in October,” Granderson said. …

The Yankees took a moment before the game to recognize the passing of Ernie Harwell, the former broadcaster for the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants and mostly the Tigers. He passed away on Tuesday at age 92.

“Nice and very intelligent and a voice that demands attention,” said Granderson, who met a then-retired Harwell a few times while playing for the Tigers from 2004-09. “Not only just Detroit (is sad), but the whole state of Michigan. It’s amazing the amount of comments that people say about this is a Michigan icon, not just a Detroit icon.” …

The Yankees are taking the train Thursday to Boston. ”Guys like it,” Girardi said. “We basically get a whole train to ourselves.” …

The Yankees aren’t feeling pressure to speed up their games with the Red Sox after the criticism ump Joe West leveled the last time they played.  ”We’re there to win games, not get finished in two and a half hours,” Girardi said. …

Good sign: Nick Johnson went 3 for 3 with two walks. It was the first time he’d reached base five times since April 20, 2006, when he was with the Nationals. He lifted his average to 171. Bad sign: David Robertson couldn’t close, giving up two solo shots in the ninth before getting pulled. His ERA is up to 14.21 in nine appearances. He said it’s not really mechanical, that he’s just missing on pitches. “I’m looking to turn it around,” Robertson said. …

The Yankees have won four straight, seven of eight and 12 of 17. They are 12-4 vs. righty starters. They are 9-3 vs. the AL East, including 5-1 vs. Baltimore. They are 10-2 at home, their best start since going 11-1 in 1999. And they have won eight of their first nine series for just the fourth time in franchise history.

This is the latest from the Yankees regarding Andy Pettitte:

MRI results, taken today at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, on Andy Pettitte, revealed mild inflammation of his left elbow. It will be treated conservatively and will be evaluated on a daily basis at this point.

Andy Pettitte pitched only five innings and threw only 77 pitches against the Orioles today, and the reason he checked out early was stiffness just above the back of his left elbow. Pettitte went for an MRI. The Yankees said that it showed mild inflammation of the elbow. They said he will be treated conservatively and be evaluated daily at this point. Joe Girardi had already pushed his next start back, to Tuesday in Detroit – now in question – in part because this isn’t the first arm problem the 38-year-old has had recently.  

It turns out that he also had stiffness warming up for his last start against the White Sox, but that was on the top of his forearm. He didn’t feel during that start after a trainer rubbed it out.

He also felt stiffness warming for this latest start. So the Yankees kept checking with him after each inning. 

“Any time you’re talking about the area around the elbow, you start to worry a little bit,” Pettitte said through a team spokesman before the results came back.

Nick Johnson brought a .134 average to the plate for his first at-bat in the first, but that rose with the flight of the ball, which landed in the second deck in right, just Johnson’s second homer of the season. You have to figure he’s going to hit if he can somehow stay healthy.  1-0, Yankees.

Update, 1:38: Nick Swisher does it again, a shot to the right-field seats. Swisher is now 9 for his last 17. Plate ump Paul Emmel just ejected Orioles pitching coach Rick Kranitz after Brett Gardner took a ball on the first pitch following the homer.

Update, 2:11: The Yankees didn’t get a lot out of that third inning, bases loaded and no one out. A-Rod had that RBI single, but Nick Johnson was out at the plate trying to score as well and did look out on the replay.

Update, 2:21: Andy Pettitte has been so good at working into trouble and then working out of it. And he almost did this time in the fourth. Bases loaded, one out, and he gets Matt Wieters swinging at a high-and-in 89 mph fastball, but he just missed low on a full count to Nolan Reimold to force in the run, 3-1, Yankees. Heading to the last of the fourth.

Update, 2:28: Francisco Cervelli is really impressive in a lot of ways. Handles the bat very well, getting bunts down as we’ve seen in this series. Miguel Tejada made no throw to second on his latest bunt, looked like second baseman Ty Wigginton was a little late getting the bag. Randy Winn just bunted the two runners over, and it was second-and-third, one-out. This was like an NL sequence.  Jeter just brought in the run with a fielder’s choice grounder to short, 4-1.

Update, 2:34: Dave Trembley has seen enough of David Hernandez. He just walked Johnson to put runners at first and second with two outs. Mark Hendrickson, the former New Jersey Net, is coming in to pitch to Mark Teixeira.

Update, 2:37: Well, that didn’t work out too well for Trembley. Teixeira delivered a two-run double to the track in right-center, although Lou Montanez looked like he was going to catch it. It’s 6-1.

Update, 2:50: Sergio Mitre is warming in the bullpen as the Yankees bat here. Pettitte has only worked five, allowing one run and six hits, although there has been at least one on base in all but one inning.

Update, 2:52: Pettitte is indeed done.

Update, 2:56: Pettitte only threw 77 pitches. So Girardi is either saving bullets for another day in a one-sided game or something’s up. We’ll see after the game.

Update, 3:07: Johnson finally looks like his old self at the plate. He has still been patient, drawing two walks. But he’s turned on a couple of fastballs, driving one for that homer in the first and the other to the track in right-center for a double in the sixth.

Update, 3:27: That was quite a two-run shot by Ty Wigginton off Mitre, to the second deck in left. It’s 6-3. Damaso Marte is coming in to pitch. It’s 6-3. Wonder who will work the ninth. Girardi wanted to stay away from Rivera and Chamberlain.

Update, 3:50: It’s no longer a save situation with Johnson’s RBI single in the eighth. David Robertson got the final out of the eighth and will start the ninth.

Update, 3:59: Girardi is staying away from Rivera and Chamberlain and this inning has become an adventure. David Robertson gave up solo shots to Matt Wieters and Nolan Reimold, and it’s 7-5. Now it’s Boone Logan’s turn to pitch with two outs to go. Alfredo Aceves is warming up.

Update, 4:09: After two walks sandwiched around one out, it’s Aceves’ turn to close.

Update, 4:13: Aceves got Wigginton to fly to right for the save. Yankees win, 7-5. Also, Johnson’s RBI was just taken away in the eighth. It’s a single and an error on Wigginton at second to allow the seventh run to cross.

Greetings, Brian Heyman here at Yankee Stadium today for the series finale.

From the pregame interviews, Mariano Rivera says he feels good and is ready to go again, but Joe Girardi said he would prefer not to use him today if possible. Then his closer would have tomorrow’s off day to rest as well before the Boston series commences at Fenway on Friday night. The manager also said he doesn’t want to use Joba Chamberlain today in the wake of him saving games the last two nights. So who will close if there’s something to close? Girardi talked about mixing and matching.

Girardi said Jorge Posada was feeling a little better, but more will be known about the state of his strained right calf on Friday “when we get him moving around.”

In a TV note, the July 10 and 11 games against Seattle are going to be the first-ever MLB 3D telecasts for those with DIRECTV HD who have 3D TV sets and reside in the YES home coverage area that includes New York State, Connecticut, north and central Jersey and northeast Pennsylvania.

 OK, the lineups:

Yankees

1. Derek Jeter SS

2. Nick Johnson DH

3. Mark Teixeira 1B

4. Alex Rodriguez 3B

5. Robinson Cano 2B

6. Nick Swisher RF

7. Brett Gardner CF

8. Francisco Cervelli C

9. Randy Winn LF

Andy Pettitte P

O’s

1. Adam Jones CF

2. Ty Wigginton 2B

3. Nick Markakis RF

4. Miguel Tejada 3B

5. Garrett Atkins 1B

6. Matt Wieters DH

7. Nolan Reimold LF

8. Craig Tatum C

9. Julio Lugo SS

David Hernandez RHP

Update, 12:31: Adam Jones has been scratched with a right hip strain. So Lugo will hit first and Lou Montanez will be added to the lineup and hit ninth.

Behind big contributions from their backup catcher and shortstop, plus another terrific start from A.J. Burnett, the Yankees beat the Orioles 4-1 on Tuesday. Francisco Cervelli had three hits, Ramiro Pena drove in two runs and Burnett fired 7.1 innings without an earned run.

Cervelli will likely be back in the lineup tonight because Jorge Posada isn’t expected to return until Friday at the earliest. The notebook also has items on Greg Golson being called up, Chan Ho Park making progress and a Sleepy Hollow woman winning the Yankees Honorary Bat Girl contest.

First things first, A.J. Burnett was terrific tonight. He pitched into the eighth inning, struck out eight and threw some great curveballs. The guy has been a monster, and tonight was one of his best starts of the year.

But it’s hard to ignore the backups. Of the Yankees four runs, two were scored by Francisco Cervelli and two were driven in by Ramiro Pena. Joba Chamberlain’s not exactly a backup, but he pitched another scoreless ninth inning while filling in for Mariano Rivera.

“Contributions by everyone tonight,” Joe Girardi said. “Guys that don’t necessarily play every day doing big things for us to win games, and that’s what a complete team does.”

As I’m sure you know, Cervelli was 3-for-3 with a triple, a bunt single, a sacrifice bunt and a tumbling catch into the Yankees dugout. “He’s maturing before our eyes,” Girardi said. “He did all the little things that you expect him to do, and did them as you can do them.”

Pena was hitless, but with the infield back, he grounded up the middle for an RBI in the third inning, and with the infield in, he drove a sac fly to right field in the eighth. “I know I don’t have that hit that I want,” Pena said. “But I’m just trying to do my job.”

Pena and Cervelli have combined for 12 starts this season, and they’ve started together twice. The Yankees are 8-2 with them in the starting lineup.

“We always say, if I’m on base, do something, or if you’re on base, I’m going to help you,” Cervelli said. “We feel so excited because we know we’re backups here and when we get a chance to play, it’s something special. Los compadres. That’s it.”

Here’s Cervelli.

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And here’s Pena.

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• Burnett was at last happy with his curveball. That’s been a huge pitch throughout his career, but he hasn’t really had it working this season until tonight. “It was outstanding,” Girardi said. “Those are the things that I used to wake up and not want to see in 2008. He had that type of curveball today.”

• Funny line from Burnett about pitching to the energetic Cervelli: “He came to the mound a couple of times and I can’t help but smile at some of the stuff he says.”

• Girardi said he was happy with the way Cervelli went about that play along the rail of the dugout. He saw Cervelli sprint over, then take his time working around the steps. He said he was happier with the catch than the triple.

• Chamberlain said he wasn’t sure he would be the closer tonight. “I watched his bullpen and it looked pretty good actually so I was like, Ok, just go back to being normal.”

• The bottom of the order continues to produce for the Yankees. Two RBI and three of the team’s four runs were scored by the 7, 8 and 9 hitters.

• Girardi didn’t know about the passing of Tigers announcer Ernie Harwell until he was asked about it after the game. Girardi got choked up almost immediately and left the press conference wiping away tears. “It’s a sad day for baseball,” Girardi said. “I was fortunate enough to go to the ballpark when I believe I was with Florida and he read his poem about what baseball is. It’s special. He was a wonderful man, always great to me and he’ll be dearly missed. It’s not just a sad day in Detroit, it’s a sad day in baseball.”

Associated Press photos.

The Yankees won again on Tuesday, beating the Orioles 4-1 and locking up their eighth series win of the season. A.J. Burnett was brilliant through 7.1 innings. He struck out eight and allowed only one unearned run, giving him a second straight win against the Orioles and a second straight start without an earned run. Catcher Francisco Cervelli, though, stole at least some of the spotlight with a three-hit game that included a triple, a bunt single and a tumbling catch into the Yankees dugout. For a second straight day, Joba Chamberlain got the save.

Associated Press photo.

YANKEES (17-8)
Derek Jeter DH
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Marcus Thames LF
Brett Gardner CF
Francisco Cervelli C
Ramiro Pena SS

RHP A.J. Burnett (3-0, 2.43)
Career vs. Orioles

ORIOLES (7-19)
Adam Jones CF
Nick Markakis RF
Matt Wieters C
Miguel Tejada 3B
Ty Wigginton 2B
Luke Scott LF
Garrett Atkins DH
Rhyne Hughes 1B
Cesar Izturis SS

LHP Brian Matusz (2-1, 4.40)
Career vs. Yankees

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

UMPIRES: HP Bruce Dreckman, 1B Paul Emmel, 2B Gary Darling, 3B Bill Hohn

WEATHER: Pretty amazing day here in the Bronx. Perfect blue sky and temperatures in the 70s. There was some wind blowing out earlier, but that seems to have died down quite a bit.

TEX’s MESSAGE: A pre-game ceremony will recognize Mark Teixeira’s $100,000 donation to Harlem RBI’s Future Fund, supporting college-bound Harlem RBI seniors. Harlem RBI is an organization that works with inner-city youth to provide opportunities to play and learn.

MORE ON TEIXEIRA: Mark Teixeira hit .136 with nine RBI and 11 hits in 22 games in April. Through three games in May he’s hitting .462 with six hits and three RBI.

BEST OF THE BEST: In his career, Derek Jeter has scored 172 runs and collected 277 hits against the Orioles. That’s more hits and runs than any other active Major Leaguer against Baltimore. Alex Rodriguez leads all active players with 50 home runs and 163 RBI against the Orioles.

UPDATE, 7:24 p.m.: That was Derek Jeter’s 443rd double, moving him past Don Mattingly for sole possession of third place on the Yankees’ all-time list.

UPDATE, 7:36 p.m.: Did anyone else notice the crazy this Tejada did with his bat after that fly ball to right? He spun it around his head like some sort of crazed Jedi. I’m sure it was completely meaningless, but I’m also sure it was weird.

UPDATE, 7:52 p.m.: Sac bunt by Izturis — who the Yankees simply could not get out in Baltimore — and then the whole thing went ugly for the Yankees. Burnett’s throwing error has given the O’s a 1-0 lead with runners at second and third and no outs.

UPDATE, 8:03 p.m.: That looked like the good A.J. After a single, walk and error, Burnett struck out the top of the Orioles order to strand runners at second and third. As an aside, I never get tired to watching Cervelli get fired up behind the plate. That guy gets pumped when his pitcher does something like that.

UPDATE, 8:05 p.m.: Seriously. Cervelli just tripled and didn’t show nearly as much emotion as he did when Burnett got that final strikeout in the top of the inning. He might even have shown more emotion when Burnett got a strikeout to end the first inning.

UPDATE, 8:07 p.m.: Cervelli played 313 minor league games in his career and tripled only three times, none since 2007. He just scored on a ground out by Pena to make it 1-1.

UPDATE, 8:20 p.m.: Cervelli! Making the catch in the dugout right next to former catchers Joe Girardi and Tony Pena. I’ll say it again: He’s just a ton of fun to watch.

UPDATE, 8:44 p.m.: Yankees starter throws one away. Orioles starter throws one away. Let’s call it even. And let’s call it a 2-1 Yankees lead.

UPDATE, 8:59 p.m.: Is this what everyone is talking about when they mention the good A.J.? I think so.

UPDATE, 9:08 p.m.: Bunt single? I think the mayor just declared May 4 to be Francisco Cervelli Day in New York City.

UPDATE, 9:41 p.m.: Now that Thames has his last at-bat, Golson is in to play center field and Gardner has shifted to left.

UPDATE, 9:45 p.m.: Burnett waved to the crowd as he came off the field with one out here in the eighth. He got a much deserved ovation for yet another dominant start. Damaso Marte is in to face Matt Wieters.

UPDATE, 9:49 p.m.: Marte has done his job, now here comes Alfredo Aceves to face Miguel Tejada. It’s odd, but this really doesn’t feel like a two-run game. Burnett has been so dominant, it really feels like the Yankees are winning by at least six runs.

UPDATE, 9:54 p.m.: I don’t know if Golson will ever cut down on the strikeouts enough to be a productive big league hitter, but there’s a lot to be said for a guy who can go get the ball in the outfield. His catch at the wall just ended the eighth with the Yankees still ahead 3-1.

UPDATE, 9:56 p.m.: It’s Chamberlain getting loose in the bullpen. Looks like Girardi is going to avoid Rivera again tonight.