The LoHud Yankees Blog

Joe Girardi just said he has not talked to Alex Rodriguez today. As far as he knows, Rodriguez is not back from the doctor’s office.

Rodriguez met with Dr. Ahmad, and Girardi wrote the lineup assuming he wouldn’t have Rodriguez available. Girardi said there’s a chance Rodriguez could show up feeling 100 percent with a green light from the doctor, and in that case Girardi would play him tonight, but Girardi doesn’t seem to expect that to happen.

“I think we’re all a little bit worried,” Girardi said.

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Jorge Posada DH
Francisco Cervelli C
Ramiro Pena 3B
Kevin Russo LF

Just a few minutes ago, Posada was on the field going through catching drills with Tony Pena. Posada first played catch with Pena, who gradually worked his way farther and farther from home plate, eventually getting to second base and beyond. Pena then pitched to Posada, who caught the ball in a catcher’s crouch, then popped to throw to another coach at second. When Posada was actually crouching behind the plate, Joe Girardi stood no more than four feet away to get a good look.

UPDATE, 3:41 p.m.: Brett Gardner is going to hit for the first time in two days.

Consider this a very small version of Guess The Lineup.

As you’re well aware, Alex Rodriguez had to be pulled from last night’s game because of lingering discomfort in his groin. Of course there’s a chance Rodriguez will show up at Yankee Stadium this afternoon feeling 100 percent, but Joe Girardi has acknowledged that his clean-up hitter might need a day or two (and let’s face it, if he’s going to need a day or two, taking those days against Houston isn’t a bad idea). The question is, if Rodriguez isn’t in the lineup, who’s the cleanup hitter?

Last night, Girardi mentioned Nick Swisher and Jorge Posada as candidates, but to me the choice is crystal clear. It’s gotta be Robinson Cano, right? You might remember the last time Rodriguez needed  day off, Cano stepped into the clean-up spot for the first time in his career and went 3-for-4 with four RBI. Granted, that was before Posada came off the disabled list, but I think the answer remains the same.

The bottom of the order moves up one spot — Posada bats fifth to split the lefties Cano and Curtis Granderson — and Swisher stays in the No. 2 hole. Is there a better way to handle it?

Associated Press photo

Tonight
LHP Andy Pettitte (7-1, 2.47)
vs.
RHP Brett Myers (4-3, 3.01)
7:05 p.m., YES Network

Saturday
RHP Javier Vazquez (5-5, 5.63)
vs.
LHP Wandy Rodriguez (3-8, 4.95)
1:05 p.m., YES Network

Sunday
RHP Phil Hughes (8-1, 2.71)
vs.
RHP Brian Moehler (0-2, 6.12)
1:05 p.m., YES Network

In his career, Andy Pettitte has faced every team but two: The Yankees and the Astros. Tonight he’ll cut that list to one, and that’s probably where it will stay.

Associated Press photo of Pettitte with Francisco Cervelli.

Pretty cool picture to start the day. That’s Derek Jeter running at Camden Yards before last night’s game.

The Yankees went home last night, and I’m right behind them this morning. A quick train ride back to the city, and I’ll be back at the stadium tonight. For now, I wanted to pass along some good stuff happening over at the blog Respect Jeter’s Gangster.

RSG has teamed with the Children’s Health Fund to raffle tickets to a Yankees-Red Sox game for the cost of a donation to a good cause. Check out all the details right here. Basically, you donate a flat amount or sign up for the Yankees Home Run club, and your name gets entered in the raffle for two tickets to the August 8 game at Yankee Stadium.

If you want more pictures, don’t forget about our daily Yankees online gallery.

When Luke Scott hit that sixth-inning fly ball, he slammed his bat to the ground. Everyone in the ballpark seemed to think it was a routine fly, but Nick Swisher just kept going back. From the grass, to the track, the wall, Swisher jumped but couldn’t make the catch and Scott had an easy triple.

“I thought he popped it up, then I saw his reaction,” A.J. Burnett said. “Next thing I knew he was on third.”

Miguel Tejada followed with an RBI double and the Orioles had their 4-3 lead.

Swisher said he’d like to see a replay. He thought he had it until the ball was rolling away. That triple and the two-run first inning — when Brunett hit three batters including one who struck out on the pitch — seemed like the low points of the game, but Burnett was more upset about the Scott Moore home run in the fifth.

“It was pretty much a middle cut,” he said. “We all know what they do with them when they middle cut. I can deal with hitting guys in the foot, I guess, because the hook was down and in. I got one swing on it, so that’s kind of funny.”

Given the A-Rod injury and such, it’s probably more important to hear Joe Girardi’s postgame interview than Burnett’s. Here’s Girardi.

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• Some discussion about whether Alex Rodriguez should have been in the lineup in the first place given the fact his groin was already bothering him. Girardi said it’s not especially unusual for a player to feel tight before first pitch and trust that the game will loosen up the muscles. Rodriguez said he thought about taking himself out of the lineup, but he’d gotten loose the past two nights and believed it would happen again.

• Jorge Posada said he believes he could catch this weekend, but he’s not sure the Yankees are going to let him. “Everything feels good,” he said. So what’s left for him to do behind the plate? “Play in a game,” he said.

• Two passed balls tonight: “The second one was my fault,” Burnett said. “I missed a sign. The first one just got away.”

• Girardi said it was Burnett’s fastball command that hurt him tonight. Burnett said the curveball was his problem in the first inning, but after that the curveball was good for him. “You’ve got to get ahead,” he said. “Getting behind, an aggressive team will get ya.”

• Who bats cleanup if Rodriguez can’t play tomorrow? “We’ll make that decision tomorrow,” Girardi said. He mentioned Cano, Posada and Swisher as candidates. He said Teixeira will stay in the No. 3 hole.

• Two quick tidbits on Rodriguez: This is the first he remembers having soreness on the right side since his surgery, and he said the hip feels fine, it’s only the groin that bothers him.

• Depressing Orioles stat of the night: This was their first multi-run first inning since May 22.

• Mark Teixeira was 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and a strikeout. His batting average is now a season-high .226.

• Curtis Granderson hit his third triple of the season.

• Chan Ho Park has been better lately. Tonight he pitched a hitless inning with two strikeouts.

• Derek Jeter has now reached base in 28 straight games, the longest streak in the major leagues this season. That guy is so washed up!

Associated Press photos of Swisher, Jeter and Teixeira, and Moeller’s play at the plate.

Alex Rodriguez said he felt some stiffness in his groin before batting practice, then again a few minutes before first pitch. He assumed it would loosen up when he got in the game, but that never happened.

“It’s hard to describe,” he said. “I’m going to see Dr. Ahmad tomorrow in the morning in New York and see what he thinks.”

Rodriguez said he feels no pain, only a nagging stiffness. He’s felt it the past few days, but it’s always gone away after he’s warmed up. Before today’s game, he told Ramiro Pena to be ready, and when Adam Jones singled through the left side of the infield in the first inning, Rodriguez knew he was done.

“Not only do I make the play, it’s a routine play,” he said. “It’s a play that you make 10 out of 10 times. I just locked up. At that point, I pointed at Nino.”

Rodriguez wouldn’t speculate on whether the problem is related to last year’s hip surgery, but it is on the same side. He said he’s still hoping to play tomorrow.

Here’s Rodriguez’s postgame interview.

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Associated Press photo of Rodriguez signing autographs before the game.

Joe Girardi said there’s no pain but Alex Rodriguez was pulled with stiffness in his groin.

There’s a chance he’ll need a few days off. Rodriguez will see a doctor tomorrow.

YANKEES (37-22)
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada DH
Curtis Granderson CF
Marcus Thames LF
Chad Moeller C

RHP A.J. Burnett (6-3, 3.72)
Career vs. Orioles

ORIOLES (16-43)
Corey Patterson LF
Miguel Tejada 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Ty Wigginton 1B
Luke Scott LF
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Scott Moore 2B
Cesar Izturis SS

RHP Jake Arrieta (NR)
Major League debut

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

UMPIRES: HP Sam Holbrook, 1B Greg Gibson, 2B D.J. Reyburn, 3B Gerry Davis

WEATHER: Yesterday was a little touch-and-go with the weather but today is much nicer. It’s not supposed to get out of the 80s until after the game.

10-0 AGAINST THE O’s: The Yankees have won 10 straight against the Orioles, which matchers their most consecutive wins against the O’s since the club moved to Baltimore prior to the 1954 season. If the Yankees win tonight, the 11-game winning streak against the franchise will be the longest since 1941 when the Orioles franchise played in St. Louis as the Browns.

LEAGUE OF HER OWN: On Friday, 85-year-old Lavonne “Pepper” Paire will attend the Yankees game against the Astros as a special guest of the Yankees. She was a 10-year veteran of the All-American Girls Professional League.

MORE ABOUT CANO: I think I could write a pregame note about Cano every single day this season. Today’s note is this one: He has 88 hits through the first 59 games. According to Elias, the last Yankees with 88 or more hits through 60 games was Derek Jeter who had 89 in 1999.

JETER STREAKING: Speaking of Jeter, he’s reached safely — hit, walk or HBP — in 27 straight games, tying Evan Longoria for the longest active streak in the Majors. Kevin Youkilis also had a 27-game on-base streak earlier this season.

UPDATE, 7:27 p.m.: Burnett has faced six batters and hit three of them. Two official hit by pitches, and another batter who was actually hit on a strikeout pitch. Orioles lead 1-0.

UPDATE, 7:30 p.m.: It’s 2-0 Baltimore. Not the best start for Burnett.

UPDATE, 7:32 p.m.: Probably not good news. Ramiro Pena is pinch hitting for Alex Rodriguez.

UPDATE 7:38 p.m.: A foul ball was just lined into the press box, going perfectly between Bryan Hoch and I. Seriously, it split the uprights of our laptops. Meanwhile, Cano has a one-out double in the second inning.

UPDATE, 7:40 p.m.: Curtis Granderson gets one into the corner with two outs to score Cano and pull the Yankees within 2-1.

UPDATE, 7:55 p.m.: Welcome to the big leagues kid. You can’t walk Chad Moeller up here. Moeller scored from first on Derek Jeter’s double, Jeter took third on the throw home and Nick Swisher gave the Yankees the lead with a sac fly to right. It’s now 3-2 Yankees.

UPDATE, 8:40 p.m.: Scott Moore’s first home run has tied the game at 3.

UPDATE, 8:56 p.m.: The flags indicate absolutely no wind here at Camden, but that ball from Luke Scott just kept carrying to right field. Nick Swisher tried to make a leaping catch at the wall, missed it, and Scott got a triple.

UPDATE, 9:18 p.m.: Two outs and runners at first and second, Cervelli is pinch hitting for Pena here in the seventh inning. Would Girardi be willing to keep Cervelli in the game at third base?

UPDATE, 9:24 p.m.: Cervelli struck out and Girardi made the move that makes the most sense. Russo will enter the game at third, and Cervelli will stay in to catch.

UPDATE, 9:40 p.m.: Remember when Jake Arrieta seemed infinitely hitable in the second and third innings? That seems like a long, long time ago. Even against this bad Baltimore bullpen, the Yankees have been held scoreless since the third inning. They’ve had some chances, but a 4-3 lead stands with Chan Ho Park coming out to pitch the bottom of the eighth.

Joe Girardi had three key injury updates, and all of them seem to be good news for the Yankees.

Brett Gardner
“Gardy is better today,” Girardi said. “Geno was encouraged by that. Maybe we’ll have him this weekend.”

Gardner is still limited to pinch running tonight, and he will go for a precautionary MRI when the team gets back to New York tomorrow. “Just to make sure,” Girardi said. “We want to be absolutely 100 percent sure that we’re able to see everything we need to see.”

Jorge Posada
“He had a good day today,” Girardi said. “He caught a side. Did some other things. He’s throwing. He’s obviously progressing the way we want. As far as having a target date of when he would catch, we’ll just take it day-by-day and we’ll see.”

Girardi won’t announce a date, but he said he does have a day in mind when he’d like to get Posada back behind the plate for a game. It’s tricky, though, because they won’t have a chance to rehab him, so they have to make sure he does enough side work to be ready for nine innings. The plan is for Posada to do more work behind the plate tomorrow, but if the team gets back to New York especially late, they’ll give Posada tomorrow off and go back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday.

Alfredo Aceves
“He’s still just doing rehab with a therapist,” Girardi said. “Geno wants to talk to the doctor tomorrow and see if he can start doing more with us.”

The hope is that “doing more” will include throwing. At the very least, Girardi seems hopeful that Aceves is ready to take the next step toward rejoining the bullpen. “He’s a guy that we have missed because he gave us so much versatility,” Girardi said.

• This will be Chad Moeller’s third straight start with A.J. Burnett on the mound. “It seemed to click right off the bat as far as our first game, he went eight and struck out eight,” Moeller said.

• When Moeller caught Burnett the first time, he came away impressed with Burnett’s two-seamer. Moeller said today that he usually just calls for a fastball and lets Burnett decide which one to throw. Moeller can call for one or the other, but he usually leaves it up to the pitcher.

• Girardi said he would use Kevin Russo as a defensive replacement for Marcus Thames in left field.

• Speaking of Russo, today he opened a box from Under Armour. It had his first set of spikes that came with his name stitched onto the shoes. Pretty cool.

• Girardi’s scouting report on Orioles starter Jake Arrieta: “He’s a guy with four pitches. Has very good stuff. Good velocity. Good curveball. You look at his hits per innings in the minor leagues and there aren’t a lot of hits per innings, but there are a couple of walks. Some of the tape that I watched, he pitched up in the zone for us it’s important that you lay off the pitch up in the zone because that’s usually either a swing and a miss or a pop up.”

• Andy Pettitte has already left for New York. He’s starting tomorrow and went home to make sure he doesn’t get in too late.

UPDATE, 6:14 p.m.: Orioles lineup.

Corey Patterson LF
Miguel Tejada 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Ty Wigginton 1B
Luke Scott LF
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Scott Moore 2B
Cesar Izturis SS

Associated Press photo of Gardner sliding into home.