Pregame notes: “I thought it was best to give him today”
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Notes on Sep 07, 2010 
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I saw a lot of rehab assignments during my time in Scranton. It’s pretty standard to have the big leaguer play four or five innings in his first few games, then seven and finally nine. There might be some DH days before he even gets on the field. It’s a slow process.
It’s a process Alex Rodriguez didn’t go through.
“Had he only taken like five or six days off, he would have been in there today,” Joe Girardi said. “Or maybe 10 days off (he would be in there), but having three weeks off and then going and playing two days without really doing a rehab, I just felt the one thing I don’t want is him to be a little bit fatigued at this time and then go out and injure something. We have to balance it.
“Could I have run him through four days? We could have thought about it, but I didn’t think it was a good idea. Could I have played him tonight and not tomorrow? Could have, but I’d rather have him not take two days off where he would have Wednesday and Thursday off, and then go play Friday. So I thought it was best to give him today.”
Rodriguez came off the disabled list two days ago, so this seems incredibly early to give him a day off. He has shown no signs of trouble, but that’s not the point. The point is to be cautious, which is standard.
Was there consideration of a rehab assignment? “We talked about it and we felt he would be ready to go, that we could put him into games and we felt he would be productive,” Girardi said. “He has been.”
Will he play six days in a row in Texas and Tampa? “I don’t know,” Girardi said. “We’ll have to wait and see, and see how hot it is in Texas and how we’re doing. I would think when we get through that next day off (the Thursday after the Tampa series) I should be able to play him six or seven days in a row.”
Can Rodriguez play at 100 percent effort right now? “My guess is if Alex had to go 100 percent, he would go 100 percent,” Girardi said. “We didn’t bring him back thinking he wasn’t healthy. We brought him back thinking he was healthy and ready to go, but there hasn’t been a ball hit in the gap where he’s had to go from first to home or a hard single hit where he’s had to go from second to home. We just haven’t had that situation. I feel pretty good about him running at 100 percent.”
• Yesterday, Girardi seemed certain Andy Pettitte would need two rehab starts. Today he hedged a little bit. “I would like him to show me that he’s ready to pitch, but then I still have to make a decision,” Girardi said. “I would prefer that he pitches extremely well and then my decision is difficult. It’s just something that we’ll talk to our training staff and everyone involved to see what we believe is best.”
• Girardi was asked about using Mariano Rivera for more than three outs down the stretch: “We’ve used him more than three outs during the course of the season,” Girardi said. “Ao I wouldn’t be opposed to doing it during the next three and a half weeks we have left. If we feel there’s a need to do it, I’ll do it.”
• Is Girardi surprised his ace has never reached 20 wins? “A little bit,” he said. “There’s a lot of things that have to go right to win 20 games; it just can’t be dominant pitching. When you’re a guy like CC, most of the time you’re going to be matched up against the ace and you’re going to lose some games 2-1, 3-2 or 1-0 in some difficult contests. You also have to remain healthy, and he’s been able to do that. I am a little surprised he hasn’t won 20 games before.”
• Mark Teixeira was named the AL Player of the Week. From the MLB announcement: Teixeira reached base safely in each of his seven games played last week and guided the Yankees to six wins as the team maintained its lead atop the A.L. East standings. The 30-year-old switch-hitter led the A.L. with a .476 (10-for-21) batting average, eight RBI and a .633 on-base percentage, and tied for the league-lead with three doubles, 19 total bases and a .905 slugging
percentage.
• Pretty interesting pitching matchup for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s second game of the postseason: SWB David Phelps (4-2, 3.07) vs. COL Zach McAllister (9-12, 5.29).
• Donnie Collins has the full Triple-A playoff rotation.
UPDATE, 6:23 p.m.: Orioles lineup
Brian Roberts 2B
Felix Pie LF
Nick Markakis RF
Ty Wigginton 1B
Adam Jones CF
Nolan Reimold DH
Craig Tatum C
Robert Andino SS
Josh Bell 3B
Associated Press photo of Rodriguez
Actually, 5 potential games for AJ is very optimistic on my part.
Some of those games are going to come on the golf course if AJ pitches that often
Yes, Mike Scioscia complained because the schedule benefited us. If the schedule benefited them or the Red Sox, Scioscia wouldnt have complained. You can guarantee that.
Fact is, who the heck is Mike Scioscia anyways. MLB would have done it anyways – regardless of whether Scioscia complained or not. MLB only does what MLB wants to do – and that is detriment the Yankees.
Why do you think MLB wants to have that MLB/Japan Series after the World Series.
WHY?
Because the Red Sox have ZERO chance of ever catching the Yankees in World Championships. They will always be second-class or third-class – or better yet, low-class.
So MLB wants a new championship to be created so that way the Red Sox can hold the record for some title, even if it is just a made up meaningless title – like the waste of time WBC.
repost from end of last thread-
AJ will get his chance this month in the remaining games against playoff teams Tampa and Texas, and against a slugging team Toronto, and probably Boston.
Although I have little faith in him, he’s got 4, maybe 5 more starts to earn his bloated salary.
Last time I checked, CC beasted down the stretch in MIL on 3 days rest and crushed the playoffs for us last year on 3 days rest.
And he is still alive, and stronger than ever.
He would only pitch on short rest a total of 6 times if every series went its max distance. And by pitching CC more often you’re lowering the risk of series going a full amount of games.
If you don’t pitch CC 8 times in the playoffs you’re not very bright, given the alternatives.
If AJ has to start, it cannot be anything other than Game 4. That way, one game in each round maximum.
Jerkface-
You make a strong argument, but I don’t see it happening. Maybe we can go with 3 starters and bullpen by committee, using some combo of Nova, Mitre, Vazquez thru the first 6 innings, with Robertson, Logan, Wood, Joba, and Mariano finishing off the rest. LOL.
Greg Golson was out working on his secondary lead and jump with Mick Kelleher.
CR9
Do you ever stop with your conspiracy theories? Enough with your delusional posts.
Give t a rest.
At this point, it looks to me like you skip AJ in a 5-game series, and go with CC, Andy, and Hughes, unless there’s no rest day.
In a 7-Game series, you use either AJ or Javy in Game 4, depending on who’s done better lately.
It’s sad given what they’re paying AJ, but I don’t see how you can trust him to do more than that after the way he’s pitched since May.
Give t a rest.
Give it a rest.
I just can’t get behind any plan which tries to increase AJ burnetts postseason role. Or Javier Vazquez.
The plan was for CC to start on short rest in all 3 rounds last season.
The only reason it didn’t happen was because the Yankees wrapped all 3 series up quick enough so they didn’t have to do it as often. He only pitched twice on short rest last year, because his 2nd start in the ALDS and 3rd start in the ALCS/WS never came.
The Yankees were fine with doing it last season and it will be no different this season.
RMS – CR9 is a seriously demented individual. It’s best to ignore him.
Its more realistic to expect Girardi to pitch CC on short rest than pitch someone like Ivan Nova in the postseason.
I understand Girardi’s cautious stance with Alex but when a player is seeing the ball well, I hate to see them sit.
Interesting FanGraphs series, “crowdsourcing” FA contracts. Today they did none other than Mr. Derek Jeter.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs.....rek-jeter/
Just wanted to say, “Good luck to CC”.
(pat-just a thought, but maybe Girardi consulted his fat binder, and saw the W-L record when Alex didn’t play
)
So I’m sitting on the side of the road waiting on wrecker to come toe my car…just completely died at a red light…won’t jump…won’t do anything..I think the alternator is bad. Sucks!
Go Yanks.
This is great: pcaldera A-Rod was told last night he’d be rested. Plead case to Joe last night, this a.m., + this p.m. ‘Went 0-for-3,’ A-Rod said. He’s OK with it.
Enjoy the game everyone!
Go CC
Blake-
A Ferrari with a bad alternator. Never happens.
My posts just make too much sense. And you have a hard time wrapping your heads around the anti-Yankee bias. I understand – I used to want to believe that things were fair also.
Alternator?
Cars still have those?
It’s been a long time.
Jeers-
Blake’s Testarossa must be a real lemon.
Maybe Girardi is keeping Alex out of the lineup to test the the idea of the Yankees winning when he isn’t in the lineup. Remember the talking head “experts”were talking about how well the Yankees were doing with Alex out of the lineup.
I used to call a ‘tow truck’ when I had a car. What about you guys/gals?
# blake September 7th, 2010 at 6:08 pm
So I’m sitting on the side of the road waiting on wrecker to come toe my car…just completely died at a red light…won’t jump…won’t do anything..I think the alternator is bad. Sucks!
Go Yanks.
————–
If it won’t jump then its more likely a blown fuse. If the car cranks but doesn’t turn over it could be no spark or no fuel going to the engine.
Good luck blake.
MTU,
I have a photo on my phone of an NYPD motorcycle cop pulling over a Ferrari.
I don’t know why but I thought it was cool. Harley Davidson vs. Ferrari.
Jeers-
“I don’t know why but I thought it was cool.”
Are you leaving out the part where the sexy babe exits the vehicle in the matching red leather oufit ?
Could that be why you snapped a photo.
Betcha she didn’t get a ticket.
LGY,
.
Tow trucks probably work better but I still prefer a toe truck myself
yogi,
It jumped twice but then wouldn’t jump anymore…won’t even turn over or do anything now. None of the electronics work. Battery is dead as a hammer……
Off to a meeting but I just want to say this. Not that posters don’t recognize it but the Yankees play in, by far, the toughest division in the majors. They mentioned it on EEI yesterday and it really hit me when they said that it was possible that two teams could win 100 games or more this season. They also said that Toronto and Baltimore, in a weaker division, could probably contend. I absolutely agree with that. The AL East is one bad ass division!
GO YANKEES!!!
GO RAYS!!!
GO NATS!!!
I want the Rays to take 2 out of 3. It’s as close as to the flattening effect that there is. Let the Sux languish and not have any ideas of getting a head of steam. Nobody on this forum wants to deal with the possibility of a three-team go round, even though it isn’t going to happen. Even the idea of it isn’t good for the health of this forum.
GO NATS!!!
pat & m -
I just want to say – both of you are so grounded, and I look forward to the commentary from both of you, whether or not you agree with each other, or whether or not I agree with either of you.
blake, its possible that the alternator blew out, but that shouldn’t keep you from starting. What kind of car is it?
I like the older cars much better than these computerized models we have today. Far too many things can go wrong and you can’t do much with them.
Blake it does sound like your alternator or generator is done. Hope you get home safe and sound.
C
MTU,
Thanks for the goodies. I don’t know how to open them though.
Also, it was my grandson I went to see. He just got a bed. Now he is a Jumping Jack. (Jack is his name)
Am I the only one who is have such an adverse reaction to Venus Williams choice of clothing??????
“So I’m sitting on the side of the road waiting on wrecker to come toe my car…just completely died at a red light…won’t jump…won’t do anything..I think the alternator is bad. Sucks!”
The same thing happened to me once. Some old grizzled dude stoped to help me out. He grabbed a rubber mallet and smacked the alternator once. The car started right up.
What a great place this LoHud is.
Doctors, Lawyers and Mechanics.
SAS-
There should be a “link” with each. Just click on that and you should be able to view the photos.
Too bad you and GB could never get together on your grandkids arranged marriage.
SAS -
That is so cute.
I remember when my girls were little, we used to drive to Orlando, and we stayed a night in a “ho-tel” on the way, and the first thing they would do is jump on the bed. It makes me smile to think about it.
Tomorrow is my older daughter’s last day/night here, and I’m losing it.
Maine-
Farmers, Hikers, Military experts, ex-baseball players, convicts.
Oops! scratch that last one.
MTU
I have limited typing skills.
LGY -
Tow truck. Never heard the term “wrecker.” Is it regional??
No, Doreen, you’re not the only one. Unfortunately, those that take issue with her clothing are just close-minded individuals. Venus owns her own fashion line and does a phenomenal job of advertising here work. She deserves all the credit in the world, and not to be questioned by such close-minded people!
Doreen
It’s a redneck term.
I saw an amazing car at the service station today. It was an old Mercury – I don’t know the year, but probably a 60′s car. It reminded me of a car my grandmother drove, but she didnt’ drive a Mercury. It was gorgeous – 2-door, big, like a boat, but elegant and had so much character. I wanted to talk to the driver, but I didn’t.
Well, the sparkles are too much, and the fact that she has to adjust herself constantly is ridiculous. If I were an opponent I’d object because the clothing is a distraction.
If she’s going to design clothes to wear to play tennis, they should probably be more functional than flashy. If she was going for clothing to wear to pose for ads advertising tennis, they’re great.