The LoHud Yankees Blog

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Brett Gardner LF
Francisco Cervelli C
Ramiro Pena 3B

LHP Andy Pettitte

Boone Logan is still here and there doesn’t seem to be anyone new in the clubhouse. It at least looks like there was no pregame player move.

Good to see Chad Huffman has his name on his locker now. He didn’t when he was first called up.

A total of 25 athletes who played or trained at the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy in Compton were taken in this year’s first-year player draft, including the Yankees second-round pick Angel Gumbs, who was a member of the MLB UYA tournament team and batted .495, with 47 runs and 22 RBI for Torrance High School. It’s pretty cool when stuff like this actually plays out with tangible results.

“It is most gratifying to see so many outstanding student-athletes that have come through the Academy selected in the MLB first-Year Player Draft,” said Jimmie Lee Solomon, executive vice president of baseball development, in a press release. “While this is just a part of our work at the Academy, it is very rewarding to witness the success of these young men.”

Also from the release: Prior to the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft, 75 student-athletes have been drafted and 49 have signed professional contracts with Major League organizations. More than 100 Academy student-athletes have gone on to participate in collegiate baseball and softball programs.  

MLB is committed to providing opportunities to play baseball and softball to young people in urban America through the establishment of the Major League Baseball Urban Youth academies. In addition to the Academy in Compton, MLB has established and is operating an Academy in Houston and has recently signed agreements to build another in Hialeah, Fla.

Here’s the announcement from the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center.

To help celebrate the end of school, the Yankees’ 2009 World Series trophy will be on display at the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center all day on Thursday, June 24.

All visitors are welcome to take a photo next to the sterling silver Tiffany-created trophy, which was cradled by the likes of Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera after the Yankees won their 27th world championship last fall.

The World Series trophy will be on display from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Museum, which is on the campus of Montclair State (NJ) University.

Wondering outloud is rarely a good idea in the morning, but here we go…

Boone Logan gave the Yankees all they could have asked for last night. He faced a Phillies lineup that spent the first three-plus innings teeing off on A.J. Burnett, and Logan held them hitless through two and two-thirds. He walked one, struck out three and at the very least gave the Yankees a chance to come back.

But I can’t help wondering if Logan might be on his way back to Triple-A.

No one has told me that a move is coming, but 33 pitches means Logan won’t be available for at least a day. After tonight’s game, the Mets will come to the Bronx with only one significant left-handed threat (Ike Davis). Chad Gaudin was also burned out last night — three hitless innings — so it might make sense to swap Logan for a long man.

Romulo Sanchez hasn’t pitched for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre since Monday, and both Mark Melancon and Jonathan Albaladejo would be available if the Yankees wanted a guy for an inning or two.

Just a thought.

There was a mixed bag on the injury front after the Yankees’ 6-3 loss to the Phillies. Joe Girardi wondered why Alex Rodriguez wasn’t running full speed between first and second in the ninth on his RBI double. Was he being cautious or feeling pain in his hip/groin? A-Rod said he felt fine in this game, working as the DH.

“In a four-run game, I didn’t think there was the need of going all out,” he said.

While Jorge Posada made it through nine innings in his second start behind the plate in three games, he said his right foot was paining him late in the game. He came out after eight Sunday against the Astros in his first start back there since May 16 when he suffered the hairline fracture.

“I can’t lie to you guys,” Posada said. “It gets tender toward the end. I think it just gets tired. I’ll keep an eye on it and keep treating it. … I just hope that it keeps getting better. I don’t want to be a half-time player.”

A.J. Burnett dropped his third straight start, allowing six runs in 3 1/3. Fastball command seems to be the issue. Posada said he was part of the problem, too.

“I haven’t caught him (lately),” Posada said. “I take most of the blame. We couldn’t get on the same page. I wanted him to establish his four-seamer, and it seemed like he was falling behind on some of the hitters.”

Plus, Burnett didn’t break quickly to cover first on his last batter, so Mark Teixeira had no play and Chase Utley had a gift infield hit. “We’ll take care of it,” Joe Girardi said.

Otherwise, the Yankees had to give credit to Jamie Moyer after he gave up two runs and three hits and fanned five over eight. Derek Jeter thought it was probably a combination of the 47-year-old lefty throwing so softly and having good location.

“He’s been doing it for a long time, a really long time,” Jeter said. “He never throws the ball over the plate. He hits his spots. He’s had a lot of success doing that throughout the years. He could probably pitch another 10 years like that.”

Robinson Cano belted his team-high 14th homer. He has hit safely in nine straight games and 26 of 28, batting .422 with 12 doubles, five homers and 25 RBI over that 28-game stretch.

It will be Andy Pettitte vs. Kyle Kendrick to close the series Thursday night. That’s it from here.

Update, 7:31: This is an interesting matchup, ancient slow-tossing lefty Jamie Moyer vs. hard-throwing right A.J. Burnett. So far, score one for slo-pitch softball. Moyer “fired” a 1-2-3 first, ending it by freezing Mark Teixeira with an 80 mph pitch,  and Burnett has given up an RBI single to Greg Dobbs here in the second. So it’s 1-0.  Burnett’s command doesn’t look too sharp. He has already walked two and hit one.

Update, 7:39: Burnett got a 93 mph fastball up and out over the plate, and Shane Victorino lined it to right-center for a bases-clearing triple — 4-0. This is the third straight start in which Burnett has allowed at least four runs.

Update, 7:47: Robby Cano just hit an 81 mph Moyer fastball deep to the bleachers in right-center, so it’s 4-1. Perhaps this is going to be a high-scoring game on both sides. We’ll see.

Update, 7:54: Burnett got another 93 mph fastball up, and Ryan Howard pummeled it over the fence in left-center to make it a four-run margin. 

Update, 7:56: Burnett is sure snapping the Phillies out of their collective slump. Another 93 fastball down the middle, and Jayson Werth went the other way to the right-field seats. It’s 6-1.  Boone Logan is warming up.

Update, 8:18: What is it with these Yankees pitchers not covering first? CC Sabathia forgot last night and now A.J. Burnett is late getting over there after a nice stop by Mark Teixeira and he has no play on Chase Utley. It was Burnett’s last batter. He was booed off the mound. Logan is in with runners on first and third and one out.

Update, 8:39: At least Logan looks sharp. The lefty, who was just recalled yesterday, has retired five of his six batters. He said yesterday that he cleared his mind and was pitched more aggressively in Triple-A after struggling with the Yankees and being sent down.  It’s 6-1 after 4 1/2.

Update, 8:45: That’s homer No. 9 for Jorge Posada – 6-2.

Update, 9:01: Got to hand it to Jamie Moyer. He’s got a two-hitter through six, allowing just those two solo homers. Chad Gaudin is on for the Yankees to start the seventh.

Update, 9:59: Moyer gave up two runs and three hits over eight. Brad Lidge gave up an RBI double to A-Rod in the ninth, but he fanned Posada as the potential tying run to end it. Phillies win, 6-3. It’s the end of the Yankees’ four-game winning streak and nine-game home winning streak.

The main pregame topic of discussion around the Yankees  involved Alex Rodriguez. Joe Girardi said the reason he’s the DH and not playing third is because he didn’t like what he saw from A-Rod’s lateral movement when he took grounders on Tuesday. The manager doesn’t have a timetable yet when Rodriguez will be back at third.

Carlos Ruiz isn’t catching for Philadelphia because he has a sore ankle. The Phillies have lost 15 of 21. Manuel said they’ll start winning again when they start hitting again.

“Ever since I’ve been here, we’ve had pitching problems,” Manuel said. “We’ve always been an offensive team.”  

Here’s the Phillies’ lineup:

1. Shane Victorino CF

2. Placido Polanco 3B

3. Chase Utley 2B

4. Ryan Howard 1B

5. Jayson Werth RF

6. Raul Ibanez LF

7. Greg Dobbs DH

8. Brian Schneider C

9. Wilson Valdez SS

Jamie Moyer P

UPDATE, 6:36 p.m.: Chad here. Just wanted to update to say the 2012 all-star game has been awarded to Kansas City. It will be KC’s first all-star game since 1973. I realize the Royals are no good, but Kansas City really is a great city.

Alex Rodriguez is back in the Yankees lineup at designated hitter.

Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada C
Curtis Granderson CF
Kevin Russo 3B
Brett Gardner LF

RHP A.J. Burnett

According to Kevin Levine-Flandrup, covering the draft for Pinstripes Plus, the Yankees have reached an agreement with first-round pick Cito Culver. Levine-Flandrup sites a source he spoke to this morning who says the deal is done pending a physical and Culver’s graduation.

In minor league news a little closer to New York, after outfielder David Winfree was released last night, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees sent infielder Matt Cusick to Trenton, apparently to open a spot for a minor league free agent.

Can’t help wondering how much longer it will be before Scranton makes another move, sending a player to New York to replace Chad Moeller.

At this time last year, Brett Gardner had already lost his starting job in the Yankees outfield. His numbers weren’t horrible — .276 average with a .354 on-base and 12 steals in 14 attempts — but he was being outplayed by Melky Cabrera.

Now that Cabrera is in Atlanta, the Yankees have been counting on Gardner to be better. They’ve needed him to be a little more consistent, a little more productive, and he’s been exactly what the Yankees needed.

When Gardner has decided to swing, he’s rarely missed. When he’s decided to steal, he’s rarely been caught. He’s hit three home runs, one shy of his total from his last three minor league seasons combined.

Last night it was Gardner who got the Yankees started with a two-run triple against the mighty Roy Halladay. He was 2-for-3 with a walk, his fourth two-hit game in his past eight.

Marcus Thames is on the disabled list, Randy Winn is playing in St. Louis and the Yankees fourth outfielder is either a career minor league infielder or a guy with four major league at-bats, all of which came Sunday. Production from Gardner has been a must, and he’s come through.

Is that enough to take Carl Crawford off the Yankees radar this winter? Probably not, but it might make it easier to make pitching the primary target.