The LoHud Yankees Blog

Here’s the American League portion of the announcement from Major League Baseball. Charlie Manuel named San Diego’s Bud Black and San Francisco’s Bruce Bochy to the NL staff.

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Joe Girardi has named Angels manager Mike Scioscia and Oakland Athletics skipper Bob Geren as the A.L. coaches. Scioscia, a two-time All-Star as a player, managed the A.L. All-Stars in 2003 and served as an A.L. coach in 2002. Geren, a San Diego native, has led the A’s since 2007 and will be in the A.L. dugout for the Midsummer Classic for the first time.

Girardi’s Yankees coaches – pitching coach Dave Eiland, bullpen coach Mike Harkey, first base coach Mick Kelleher, hitting coach Kevin Long, bench coach Tony Peña and third base coach Rob Thomson – will comprise his staff along with Angels head certified athletic trainer Ned Bergert and Seattle Mariners head athletic trainer Rick Griffin.

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

Baseball’s amateur drafted ended yesterday and already there are reports of the Phillies, Rangers and Rays having already agreed to terms with their top picks. The smart money seems to be on the Yankees following the same path with Cito Culver, who seems excited to sign and get into the organization.

All told, the Yankees took 50 players, 19 from high school and 31 from college

Right-handed pitchers — 21
Left-handed pitchers – 7
Catchers — 4
Infielders — 5
Outfielders — 13

1 (#32) Cito Culver SS
Irondequoit HS (N.Y.)

2 (#82) Angelo Gumbs SS
Torrance HS (Calif.)

3 (#112) Robert Segedin 3B
Tulane University

4 (#145) Mason Williams CF
West Orange HS (Calif.)

5 (#175) Thomas Kahnle RHP
Lynn University

6 (#205) Gabe Encinas RHP
St. Paul HS (Calif.)

7 (#235) Taylor Anderson CF
Woodlawn School (La.)

8 (#265) Kyle Roller 1B
East Carolina University

9 (#295) Taylor Morton RHP
Bartlett HS (Tenn.)

10 (#325) Benjamin Gamel CF
Bishop Kenny HS (Fla.)

11 (#355) Zachary Varce RHP
University of Portland (Ore.)

12 (#385) Daniel Burawa RHP
St. John’s University

13 (#415) Christopher Austin C
Heritage HS (Ga.)

14 (#445) Travis Dean RHP
Newton South HS (Mass.)

15 (#475) Chase Whitley RHP
Troy University

16 (#505) Evan Rutckyj LHP
St. Joseph’s HS (Windsor, Ontario)

17 (#535) Preston Claiborne RHP
Tulane University

18 (#565) Kevin Jacob RHP
Georgia Tech

19 (#595) Kevin Jordan CF
Northside HS (Ga.)

20 (#625) Michael Ferraro LF
University of San Diego

21 (#655) Dustin Hobbs RHP
Yavapai College

22 (#685) Trevor Johnson LHP
College of the Desert

23 (#715) Shane Brown C
Central Florida

24 (#745) Conor Mullee RHP
St. Peters College (N.J.)

25 (#775) Casey Stevenson 2B
University of Calif. – Irvine

26 (#805) Richard James Hively RHP
Santa Ana College (Calif.)

27 (#835) Martin Viramontes RHP
Loyola Marymount University

28 (#865) Josh Dezse RHP
Olentangy Liberty HS (Ohio)

29 (#895) Stewart Ijames LF
Louisville University

30 (#925) Zachary Nuding RHP
Weatherford College

31 (#955) James Gipson RHP
Florida Atlantic University

32 (#985) Kramer Sneed LHP
Barton College

33 (#1015) Michael Hachadorian RHP
San Diego Mesa College

34 (#1045) William Kish RHP
Germantown Academy (Pa.)

35 (#1075) William Oliver RHP
Palomar College

36 (#1105) Nick McCoy C
University of San Diego

37 (#1135) Cameron Hobson LHP
University of Dayton

38 (#1165) James Ramsay CF
Brandon HS (Fla.)

39 (#1195) Jaycob Brugman OF
Desert Vista HS (Ariz.)

40 (#1225) Michael Gerber CF
Neuqua Valley HS (Ill.)

41 (#1255) Tymothy Pearson CF
Columbia Basin CC (Ore.)

42 (#1285) Michael O’Neill CF
Olentangy Liberty HS (Ohio)

43 (#1315) Kyle Hunter LHP
Kansas State University

44 (#1345) David Middendorf LHP
Northern Kentucky University

45 (#1375) Tyler Johnson OF
Penn State University

46 (#1405) Nathan Forer RHP
Southern Ill. Univ. – Carbondale

47 (#1435) Frederick Lewis LHP
Tennessee Wesleyan College

48 (#1465) Alex Brown RHP
Amphitheater HS (Ariz.)

49 (#1495) Will Arthur OF
Abbotsford Sec. School (B.C.)

50 (#1525) James Rice C
Western Kentucky University

Last night, Mark Teixeira got a hit without swinging the bat.

The game was over and the Yankees were back in the clubhouse when the official scorer in Baltimore changed an E-4 to a single, giving Teixeira a second hit in the game and a 2-for-5 night.

For almost anyone else, a scoring change wouldn’t even be a footnote, but Teixeira is trying to get going again, and little victories matter.

Believe it or not — and you probably will believe it — Teixeira’s current .224 average is his highest of the season, the same as on May 17 when his stats were boosted by a terrific two and a half weeks that included three straight multi-hit games.

“I thought he stayed on the ball longer, and I think he was trying to use the middle of the field,” Joe Girardi said. “His approach was very good (Tuesday), and we’ll just try to build on it.”

Interesting stats from our good friend Pete Caldera: CC Sabathia is 4-0 with a 2.73 ERA against Baltimore this year. Against everyone else he’s 2-3 with a 4.69.

Those numbers are after last night’s game, when Sabathia got on a roll after the third inning and helped carry the Yankees to a 4-2 win. His past four wins have come against the Orioles, and he hasn’t beaten another team since April 16 against Texas.

Two other things in today’s paper: The notebook has items on Brett Gardner, Jorge Posada and Alex Rodriguez.

Jake Thomases writes that five players from the Westchester area were taken in the amateur draft.

Associated Press photo of Derek Jeter from last night’s game.

CC Sabathia looked like his old self through the final four innings tonight. He ended the fifth, sixth and seventh innings on strikeouts, and had his finest moment when he struck out Luke Scott to strand the bases loaded in the seventh.

“He just seems to be a little off,” Joe Girardi said. “He’s just missing by a little bit. Tonight he seemed to find it, and that’s real positive for us.”

Sabathia said his changeup was much better tonight, and his slider was a very real weapon (especially in that Scott at-bat). After some two-out hits cost him in the early innings, Sabathia seemed to settle into a rhythm later in the game.

Sabathia, of course, was understated about the whole thing. He said he was “just trying to make some pitches” and that he needs to pitch to contact more often, but he did seem to find something extra in those last few innings.

“It’s important that you’re able to fight through it when you don’t have your A stuff,” Girardi said. “And I thought CC got better as the night went on. I looked up at one point and he had 15 balls and 15 strikes, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen that from CC. He found a way to get it done, and to me that’s the mark of a very good pitcher.”

Sabathia honestly didn’t have much to say after the game, so here’s Girardi’s postgame session.

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• How bad is it to be an Orioles fan right now? Tonight the O’s had the lead for five innings, the longest they have held a lead since May 25. They are 1-12 since. Yikes.

• Brett Gardner said he believes he’ll get an MRI when the Yankees get back to New York on Friday, but that’s primarily to make sure there’s nothing going on that the x-ray didn’t pick up. When he stole second tonight, Gardner slid into the bag with his left hand and “didn’t feel it at all.”

• Girardi did say Gardner is strictly a pinch runner right now. He said before the game that Gardner could be used for defense, but Gardner can’t throw, so he’ll strictly run for now.

• Robinson Cano is 9-for-12 since Sunday. Three straight three-hit games. “You have to be able to not chase pitches,” he said. “Just wait for my pitch and make a good swing.”

• Great play by Cano to hold Nick Markakis to a single in the seventh inning, and a great diving play by Kevin Russo to take away a double in the eighth. Girardi called Russo’s catch one of the keys to the game. “That’s what I’m out there for is to contribute to the team however I can,” Russo said. “Whether it’s on offense, defense, whatever. That’s what I’m out there to do and I’m glad I could contribute.”

• The Yankees have won 10 in a row against Baltimore.

• Change of plans for Orioles. Instead of Jeremy Guthrie starting tomorrow’s series finale, Jake Arrieta will make his major league debut. He was a fifth-round draft pick in 2007 and had a 1.85 ERA through 12 games with Triple-A Norfolk.

• Bad stat for the Yankees: They were 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position and left 11 men on base. Cano and Francisco Cervelli had the only RBI hits of the night.

• Speaking of Cervelli, Sabathia said he was basically just throwing whatever Cervelli called from the third inning on.

• Reggie Jackson has been in town for this series.

• When Mark Teixeira reached first on an error in the sixth inning… that call has been changed to a hit. That makes him 2-for-5 for the night.

• Jose Tabata singled in his first big league at-bat tonight for the Pirates. He finished the game 2-for-4 with a run. Tyler Clippard pitched a hitless inning for Washington in that game.

Associated Press photos of the Yankees outfield (Russo, Swisher and Granderson), Jeter and Cano.

CC Sabathia has faced the Orioles four times this season. He’s pitched at least seven innings each time, he’s never allowed more than three runs and always gotten the win. Missed scoring opportunities threatened to end that winning streak tonight, but Robinson Cano’s third hit of the night was a much-needed RBI single and the Yankees got away with a 4-2 win. It was Cano’s third straight three-hit game and Sabathia’s second straight win.

Associated Press photo of Sabathia

YANKEES (36-22)
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada DH
Curtis Granderson CF
Francisco Cervelli C
Kevin Russo LF

LHP CC Sabathia (5-3, 4.14)
Career vs. Orioles

ORIOLES (16-42)
Julio Lugo 2B
Miguel Tejada 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Ty Wigginton 1B
Luke Scott LF
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
Garrett Atkins DH
Cesar Izturis SS

RHP Chris Tillman (0-1, 7.71)
Career vs. Yankees

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

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

WEATHER: Chance of rain all night. Looks like we’ll start on time, but the forecast is a bit dicey.

REMEMBER HIM?: Former Yankees top prospect Jose Tabata will make his major league debut with the Pirates tonight. Pittsburgh will also unveil it’s own pitching prospect, Brad Lincoln, against the Nationals. Safe to say, he won’t get nearly the buzz of Strasburg.

THAT GUY FROM THE DOCUMENTARY: Remember the PBS documentary Baseball? I have it at home. On VHS. The guy who made it, Ken Burns, is here t throw out the first pitch. If you haven’t seen the series, I highly recommend it. Great stuff, including a lot of interviews with the great Buck O’Neil.

SLUGFEST NUMBERS: Saturday night’s HBO broadcast of the Stadium Slugfest was the highest rated boxing main event on the network this year. He had a 3.9 rating.

WOMAN OF THE YEAR: Assistant GM Jean Afterman was honored today as a Women in Sports and Entertainment Woman of the Year at the organization’s annual luncheon.

UPDATE, 6:52 p.m.: Brian Cashman just confirmed that Brett Gardner’s x-rays were negative. That’s good news. Giving credit where it’s due, I believe Mark Feinsand had the news first.

UPDATE, 7:20 p.m.: The Yankees just officially announced the Gardner news. Negative x-rays and so far a scoreless game.

UPDATE, 7:55 p.m.: The Orioles have the early lead with a second-inning run off Sabathia. Back-to-back two-out singles by Garrett Atkins and Cesar Izturis. Hard to see that coming.

UPDATE, 8:10 p.m.: Three straight two-out singles have given the Orioles a 2-0 lead. On the third hit, Kevin Russo didn’t help by throwing home on the play, letting the runners advance to second and third.

UPDATE, 8:26 p.m.: The Yankees got a run on Curtis Granderson’s sac fly, and the rain has started to fall pretty hard here at Camden. So far no tarp. It’s 2-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth.

UPDATE, 8:40 p.m.: Between innings, the Camden Yards public address crew just played Circles by Soul Coughing. It was terrific. Meanwhile, the Yankees couldn’t take advantage of Kevin Russo’s lead-off single and still trail 2-1.

UPDATE, 8:55 p.m.: The Yankees have something brewing here in the sixth. Mark Teixeira reached on an error, then got to third when Luke Scott misplayed a single to left. Runners at the corners. No outs. Cano at the plate.

UPDATE, 9:00 p.m.: When in trouble, trust Cano. He’s 9-for-11 in the past three games — thank you Mark Feinsand — and just tied the game with an RBI single. Jorge Posada followed by driving in the go-ahead run (should have been a double play, but the Orioles threw it away). It’s now 3-2 Yankees with one out and a runner at second.

UPDATE, 9:35 p.m.: Francisco Cervelli and CC Sabathia are monumentally pumped. Huge strikeout to leave the bases loaded and kept the one-run lead intact.

UPDATE, 9:40 p.m.: Gardner pinch running after Posada’s walk.

UPDATE, 9:50 p.m.: Gardner steals a bag, Cervelli singles in the run and I’m feeling like I’m back in Scranton again. Nice work by the two young Yankees. It’s a 4-2 lead.

A lot of pregame talk about Brett Gardner, partially because there’s not much else going on with the Yankees right now, and partially because there’s really no way of knowing what’s wrong with his thumb until he gets that x-ray.

“Obviously I’m concerned about it because it’s something that I had a problem with before,” he said. “I don’t expect it to be broken, but I didn’t expect it to be broken last year either. Hopefully I just strained it a little bit or tweaked it a little bit and I’ll be back in there tomorrow.”

Joe Girardi said he considers Gardner to be an option off the bench for defense or pinch running, and although Gardner will get an x-ray before the game starts, Girardi’s not sure he’ll know the results before the first pitch.

“He’s talked about it’s happened 20 or 30 times and it’s come back,” Girardi said. “It didn’t come back (this time) and that’s a concern.”

Gardner said the thumb is just sore. Not overly painful, but certainly sore. He said it’s hard to compare it to last year because he found out immediately after last year’s game that it was broken and it was quickly immobilized. This time he’s only had it wrapped, so he’s been able to move it around. He did some hot and cold treatment on it this afternoon, and it felt better afterward.

“Hopefully I’ll just be day to day,” Gardner said.

• Jorge Posada gave a one word evaluation of how he feels after catching drills yesterday. “Good,” he said. Girardi said the Yankees never planned for him to go through drills today. He will instead go through drills on back-to-back days for the first time Thursday and Friday.

• Obviously Alex Rodriguez’s sore groin is not longer a significant issue, but Girardi said he will continue to look for opportunities to get Rodriguez and Derek Jeter out of lopsided games in the late innings.

• Oddly enough, CC Sabathia’s past three wins have all come against Baltimore. “We know that he can get on a roll and be really, really good,” Girardi said. “I think we build off his last start and continue forward.”

• Pretty cool to see Eddie Murray in the Yankees clubhouse before the game. Jeter was one of the first to shake his hand. “Mr. Murray,” he said. “How are you?” Nick Swisher got Murray’s autograph on a baseball. “That’s a ball right there,” Swisher said. Safe to say, Swish was pumped to meet the Orioles Hall of Famer. One of the best switch hitters of all time.

• Girardi on the Strasburg debut: “My hope for this kid is that he can enjoy it,” Girardi said. “That there’s not so much attention on him, and so many demands on his time, that he can’t enjoy what he’s experiencing right now. What he did last night was special, but that first day in the big leagues for anyone is special. That rookie year is a lot of fun, and you learn a lot, and I hope he can do all of those things.”

• Girardi said he’s heard that the game will be played, with some scattered rain possible throughout the night. Right now the tarp is off the field. Looks like we’ll at least start on time.

Associated Press photo of Gardner.

Brett Gardner is getting x-rays on his left thumb before today’s game.

“It doesn’t feel as good as I hoped it would,” he said.

Gardner said it doesn’t feel quite the same as last season, bconcerned little concerned.