Pregame notes: Javy in, Jeter staying put
Posted by: Sam Borden - Posted in Misc on Sep 01, 2010 
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As you’ll hear if you listen to the audio of Joe Girardi’s press conference, the manager didn’t even wait for a question to announce the news that Javier Vazquez is returning to the rotation. Jason Zillo asked who wanted to start and Girardi said, “Why don’t I start?” before telling the media that Vazquez will replace Dustin Moseley as Saturday’s starter.
Asked to explain his decision, Girardi said Dave Eiland has worked with Vazquez on his leg kick which, ostensibly, will allow Vazquez to stay “on top of” his pitches more effectively. Girardi pointed to how Vazquez responded to being skipped earlier this season as an encouraging sign (in addition to the crispness he’s shown in his last two relief outings) and said, “I don’t sense that he’ll need another one of these” when asked if he was concerned about Vazquez twice needing extra time off to get his velocity back.
That doesn’t mean, however, that Girardi is committing to this particular version of his rotation. Phil Hughes has innings limits; A.J. Burnett has been (incredibly) erratic; Andy Pettitte is throwing a bullpen session as I write this and his health remains a question mark. There are, obviously, a number of moving pieces.
“We might skip someone at some point or we might give a guy a shorter outing at some point,” Girardi said. “This is not permanent. I’m just saying this is what we’re going to do now.”
• Much like some of you asked during today’s live chat – go here to watch a replay of it – Girardi was asked about the possibility of Derek Jeter being moved down in the order. His answer, essentially, was a variation on “don’t hold your breath.”
“I don’t see it happening,” Girardi said. “We still see him as a top of the order guy.”
• Is A.J. Burnett pitching for his job at all tonight? “That’s not a thought in my mind,” Girardi said. “A.J. is a guy that we need, and we need him to pitch at a high level so it’s important that we get him going.”
• Brett Gardner is just getting a day off; look for Curtis Granderson to get one soon, too.
• Alfredo Aceves will throw for Trenton tomorrow and, performance-wise, “he’s just not up to where we believe he can be yet,” Girardi said. In other injury news, Lance Berkman was activated, Damaso Marte was shifted to the 60-day DL and Nick Johnson is still out for the year.
• For those interested in locker-room geography, Greg Golson and Jonathan Albaladejo are now set up on the right-hand wall right when you come in the door to the clubhouse, near where Aceves’s locker is. There’s an empty locker next to Golson which, one imagines, will be used for another call-up at some point. Chad Moeller is across the room, on the left side, in between Gardner and Austin Kearns. He’s actually using Johnson’s old locker.
Here’s the audio from Girardi:
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Thanks for the update. I had been wondering why Brett Gardner was not in the lineup.
Is Moeller aware of the injury hex attached to Johnson’s locker and anything else Johnson such as uniform numbers, which Johnson has had two of this year (26 and 36). I’d ask for another locker….perhaps closer to the trainer’s room.
Glad to see Javy back in the rotation.
Just was looking at the standings, and had a random observation.
Of the 8 postseason teams from last year, 5 are virtually out of it this year: Angels, Sox, Dodgers, Rockies, Cards … and none of having particularly good years. Well, the Sox are doing well all things considered.
The Phillies would qualify if the season ended today, but are no locks at this point.
My point is, we take the Yankees play for granted and rationalize impatience and shortsightedness with having “higher standards”.
Most teams can’t put sustained play-off quality seasons together one year to the next, and we’re looking at 15 of 16, and the ONE year it didn’t happen they were still pretty good.
Just sayin’
Knowing the dedication of Yankee fans, I have to ask: Is there a map somewhere of locker room positions? I would assume someone at some time would have to make one.
It would be nice for the Tin Man to try just a LITTLE bit tonight to earn some of that ridiculous money they are paying him. Its about time he gives his team a chance to win one of his starts.
I need all the Andy Pettitte updates you can provide Chad! It’s much appreciated.
It appears to be a pretty good chance of a saurday Double header in the Bronx. As of right now, a 90% chance of rain on Friday.
***Saturday***
I would not have made this move. For one, 2 relief outings are not sufficent to convince me that Javy’s back. I understand why the move was made, but if Javy struggles again, which I wouldn’t be surprised if he did, is Joe going to yank him againz? I would have waited for another go around before putting Javy back in the rotation.
That said, Moseley did a very fine job – better than I expected- and I’m sure he will do a fine job as long man.
I can see this being a bit of a 3 man battle for 2 spots in the playoff rotation………the person left out would go to the pen for the ALCS. I wonder, however, if the Yanks advanced but one of the other pitchers didn’t pitch well, whether the pitcher in the pen for the ALDS would be sufficiently stretched out to start in the ALC
Stuckey
your random observation very neatly goes along w/ my feelings as a Yankees fan. I want the Yankees in the play offs every year, but for the other play off spots, I like when other teams get the opportunity to represent. I am happy to see Texas in there this year, and was hoping either Detroit or the White Sox would be as well.
I don’t pay as much attention to the NL, but I am glad that it looks like a whole different set of clubs making the play offs this year.
I wonder, however, if the Yanks advanced but one of the other pitchers didn’t pitch well, whether the pitcher in the pen for the ALDS would be sufficiently stretched out to start in the ALC
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They’re only missing 2 weeks.
Jerkface, I still wouldn’t to be starting in the ALCS after not having thrown more than one inning at a time in the ALDS. If Phil is in the pen for the ALDS, he’d be a one inning guy; Javy or AJ? Probably the same, though I guess Javy esp would be like a long man
I don’t think putting Vazquez back into the rotation is going to work any better than the last time he came back but I have learned in the past 3 years not to question Joe Girardi when it comes to pitching staffs. He really has no choice at this point but to hope that Javy comes back to form. With Hughes/Pettittle and Burnett basically unreliable, he’s going to need another horse behind CC to carry the staff down the stretch. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more effective manager when it comes to pitching. He still has a little work to do with his lefty/righty over-management during games but I don’t think anyone has the right to question his pecking order. What he has done with his bullpens each year with the Yankees is as close as one gets to magic.
St. Louis has finished getting swept by Houston. The Cards have really tanked, and the Padres are in a lot of trouble, too. Losing 6 straight. They’re lucky that SF has only gained 1 game on them in the last 10 games. The Rockettes have gained 4.
“I don’t think putting Vazquez back into the rotation is going to work any better than the last time he came back ”
Actually, it worked very well for a couple of months last time. And given there is just a month left, they only need it to work half as well.
The Astros have been playing better much better lately. They swept the Phillies too. I would have expected the opposite after losing Berkman and Oswalt. Anyone pay enough attention to know why?
Moeller..say a prayer. In fact say many of them!
Rob Dibble will no longer be calling Nats games. Shocking!
Why don’t the beat writers ask Jeter if he should be moved down? I know someone asked A-Rod if he should when he was struggling. They even asked Tex.
Matt Kemp sure looks like he’s using the Manny Ramirez style of getting out of town. He’s on first base and Loney drives in 1 run with a liner off of the wall. One problem, Kemp missed 2nd base and instead of being on 3rd with one out, he ends up at 2nd and Loney gets stuck at 1st. Next batter hits into a DH, instead of a run scoring and two outs. Innings over. This is in the 8th inning of a 3-1 game.
Asd -
I took a tour of the new stadium last season, and they allow you to look into the locker room but not to actually go inside it (unlike the tour of Petco Park, where we actually sat on the furniture – but, that MAY have been the visitors locker room, I’m not sure. Anyway, my long-winded point is there is not enough time for a mere visiting fan to make a map. But surely, some kind-hearted journalist could do it???
(And no pictures were allowed)
pat -
Ha!
And Dibble won’t change.
>Doreen September 1st, 2010 at 5:56 pm
Asd -
I took a tour of the new stadium last season, and they allow you to look into the locker room but not to actually go inside it (unlike the tour of Petco Park, where we actually sat on the furniture – but, that MAY have been the visitors locker room, I’m not sure. Anyway, my long-winded point is there is not enough time for a mere visiting fan to make a map. But surely, some kind-hearted journalist could do it???
(And no pictures were allowed)
===========
Too bad. I would love to see a current version of this: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/i.....RAPHIC.gif
“Why don’t the beat writers ask Jeter if he should be moved down? I know someone asked A-Rod if he should when he was struggling. They even asked Tex.”
Because he is a part of the Core 4.
Ledger_Yankees RT @MazzLedger: Eiland on andy it went well
1. Say what you want (and many do) – but Joe and Dave Eiland have done a very good job, I think, of managing the pitching staff, many of whom have a few miles on their arms, in order to get maximum performance from the group. They’ve gotten them and the team thru the ups and downs of injury, fatigue, and slumps to the best record in all of MLB. Not a shabby job, I think.
Contrast that to the job done by many other managers, including the reknown Dusty Baker and Joe Torre, to name just two. I’m not saying Joe’s the greatest, but he’s done his job with the starters and bullpen. This is the most important job of a manager, that and handling the clubhouse. Getting the most out of your talent is how you win.
2. GB – really, about Kemp and the Dodger game? It’s really falling apart there in LaLa land. As we were saying yesterday, while Kemp may have great talent, Cash will likely do his due diligence in checking out the character and brain issues there. There’s just too much at stake not to.
thanks Erin, that is good news!
Ok, good news on Andy
Did Girardi officially state that Vazquez is replacing Moseley in the rotation, or just that he’s back in the rotation? I ask, because if the Tin Man gets shellacked again tonight, I’d assume it’s possible that he’d be the one who might be out of the rotation.
“Why don?t the beat writers ask Jeter if he should be moved down? ”
Because they are afraid of him.
?Why don?t the beat writers ask Jeter if he should be moved down? ?
If that average keeps heading down and slips under .260, one of them might become emboldened enough to ask.
pat -
I think you are absolutely correct !!!!
New Post- Pettitte: It’s a great day
2. GB – really, about Kemp and the Dodger game? It’s really falling apart there in LaLa land. As we were saying yesterday, while Kemp may have great talent, Cash will likely do his due diligence in checking out the character and brain issues there. There’s just too much at stake not to.
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Joe, not sure what is going on out there in La, but, they are not playing like a Torre/Bowa run team. Say what you will about Torre’s managing skills, but, his teams over the last 20 years were always fundamentally sound. This team has picked up a lot of bad habits, and they remind me a lot of one player that loses interest in playing.