Pregame notes: On a day off, Girardi stands by Jeter
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Notes, Podcast on Sep 11, 2010 
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Derek Jeter sat on the couch in the Yankees clubhouse this afternoon watching the Michigan-Notre Dame football game. At halftime, he finally stood up. He seemed to be moving better than last night, his banged up knee not causing the same limp.
“It’s fine, I am fine,” he said.
But he’s not playing. Not tonight, anyway. Joe Girardi said the decision had more to do with last night’s game being so long, and not so much to do with Jeter’s numbers being so low or his knee being hurt.
“I don’t think there’s any question that he’s struggling,” Girardi said. “You always have that decision, does he need a day off to get back on track or does he need to keep playing to get back on track, and you never really know the answer. Today’s day off is more that we played five hours and 15 minutes last night.”
Said Jeter: “You don’t go in a different direction by not playing. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but you don’t get hits if you’re not in the game.”
Of the Yankees regulars, it’s pretty easy to make the case that Jeter has been the ninth-best hitter this season (Curtis Granderson has a lower average, but he’s also hit for much most power). Despite those numbers, Girardi has not moved Jeter out of the top two spots in the lineup, and it sounds like he has no plans of ever doing so.
“My confidence in Derek hasn’t wavered,” Girardi said. “… There’s a ton of faith. I surely wouldn’t bet against him that he’s not going to finish up strong and be the Derek Jeter that we know he can be.”
Here’s Girardi speaking pregame. The bulk of it is about Jeter.
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• Asked if Jeter would have today off if he’s gone 4-for-7 instead of 1-for-7 last night, Girardi said: “Him or Alex probably would have gotten one today.” Girardi said it’s possible Alex Rodriguez will get a day off tomorrow. Girardi had already announced that he planned to give A-Rod one day during these six games in a row against Texas and Tampa Bay.
• Girardi said he still hadn’t checked with Mariano Rivera, but otherwise every reliever is available tonight. Girardi will talk to his closer first, but it sounds like it’s possible Rivera will be available again tonight.
• The plan for Jorge Posada has not changed. He’s available to pinch hit tonight, and he’ll probably catch tomorrow.
• Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has been eliminated from the playoffs, which means more September call-ups are on their way. I’ve heard two names, but I’m working to confirm. Girardi said only that there would be additional call-ups, but he didn’t want to announce them until he was certain the players themselves had been told.
• Andy Pettitte knows way more than he ever expected about the Eastern League playoffs. “My team down there apparently wrapped up their series,” he said, in reference to Trenton clinching the first round last night. Pettitte knew that Altoona had a two-games-to-one lead in the other Eastern League series, and he’s started plotting where he’ll need to be on Tuesday. “I’ve been looking at maps trying to figure out how far everything is from New York,” he said.
• Pettitte said he could pitch in the big leagues if he had to, but seemed perfectly fine with the Yankees decision to get him a little more stretched out. “I felt like I was going pretty good in the first inning (Thursday),” he said. “But I guess I just loosened up a little bit more because I could tell the last couple of innings that my stride – where the dirt is — I could tell that I was getting a little bit farther out. My command I thought was pretty good. My breaking stuff was fairly descent I thought. My changeup was a little inconsistent, but it’s always been inconsistent.”
• Maybe looking to get something going, A.J. Burnett has cut off all his hair.
UPDATE, 7:38 p.m.: Texas lineup
Elvis Andrus SS
Michael Young 3B
David Murphy LF
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Nelson Cruz RF
Ian Kinsler 2B
Mitch Moreland 1B
Matt Treanor C
Julio Borbon CF
Associated Press photo of Jeter
Deep down I think it’s Jeter’s hair.
It’s the new doo.
She (Minka) talked him into it.
Like Samson and Delilah.
good move
Love the way Andy talked about “my team” referring to Trenton. Love. It.
Rhapsody in Blue -
For the last at least 2 years I cannot tell you how many times I’ve read here that Jeter should change his hair style, that it was out of style and he need to do something different. And now he has!
Be careful what you wish for…
The inescapable fact is that the status quo is unacceptable. No words can change that.
“I don’t think fans can influence any outcome in baseball. Swish hit the HR becaues he put a good swing on the ball; had he struck out, would he have said the fans didn’t cheer enough?”
I don’t know Betsy. I certainly can’t know whether Swish would have hit that run were he in front of 6,000 fans not making a sound but there is a reason they call the fans the 10th player. Screaming, cheering fans have to help the adrenaline rush just a little, and that adrenaline rush to a player just might be a touch of magic.
How many times do we hear players from other teams say they love playing at Yankee Stadium? I don’t think they’re only referring to the acoutrements.
• Maybe looking to get something going, A.J. Burnett has cut off all his hair.
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OK, Chad-time to get the camera out. I need a picture of this.
RiverAveBlues The Yanks are going to call up the entire Scranton pitching staff tomorrow so they can outdo Ron Washington.
Good for Joe Girardi. I’ve seen him do some pretty courageous things, things that weren’t always popular with the player(s) involved – but he did them. Sitting Jeter is just one.
Okay, without even knowing the pitching matchup I am going to go out on a limb and say AJ is going to pitch a fine game. I think he’s going to be close of the AJ we thought we were getting when he came to the Yanks.
If he has a shaky inning or two, he’ll settle down and get past it.
I have an idea! If you want to make general AJ pitching predictions, I’ll make a chart and post it at game time. Then we can see who came closest.
I like when I have free time!
more on the way? how bout some lefties in the pen, Juan Miranda, who else?
Tricia…..Acoutrements ??? Flashy word !!!!
Girardi bends over backwards to support Jeter and the payback he gets is an ungracious qoute from Jeter. Why can’t Jeter just say the break will be good or something along those lines? Instead the spoiled brat makes a little passive aggressive remark. Hey Jeter…its true you don’t get hits if you aren’t in the game…but with you its also true that you don’t get hits even if you ARE in the game. Pompous, egocentric, pampered brat.
How do we not have a picture of a hairless AJ?
That should read “close to the AJ we thought we were getting”
I’m even going to give him a grade. B+/A-
Sitting Jeter for one game is courageous? Heh.
“Tricia…..Acoutrements ??? Flashy word !!!!”
Well you know that they say about lawyers. In the end, all we have is words! However, I majored in journalism so have always kind of liked working with words.
Let’s see if cutting his hair off will make Burnett any less stubborn. Fastball – fastball – curve in the dirt. No changeup necessary to throw off the hitters.
A.J.’s not shiny head bald, but it’s pretty close to Brett Gardner’s hairstyle.
All right, I’m off for the evening.
Go Yankees!!
And Trisha-I’m thinking along the same lines you are-I have a feeling AJ will have a good game tonight. Hopefully we’re right!!
Said Jeter: “You don’t go in a different direction by not playing. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but you don’t get hits if you’re not in the game.”
Despite those numbers, Girardi has not moved Jeter out of the top two spots in the lineup, and it sounds like he has no plans of ever doing so.
—
They’re a great pair. Completely oblivious.
Ok Jete, you’re completely health, rest won’t help. That means you’re just flat out sucking with no excuse.
But don’t worry, Joe will never move you from 1/2!
I sometimes wonder if jeter’s personal life us weighing him down. Dump the ball -n- chain, Jeter.
Trisha,
It will be fun to see how tough a grader you are.
Name registration sure hasn’t diminished the kookamonga count here.
m,
I have thought of that too.
• Maybe looking to get something going, A.J. Burnett has cut off all his hair.
——————————————————————
Electroshock therapy?
SAS – well the B+/A- is only going to hold up if he has the kind of game I am predicting/hoping he’ll have! I promise that I will do a different assessment at the end if he doesn’t perform as I expect(ed) and will grade him accordingly.
Here’s some skinny on Tommy Hunter. This is CBS Sports analysis:
Tommy Hunter (12-3) struggled early as the AL West-leading Rangers lost their fourth straight Monday. Texas has lost six in a row to Toronto since a win on opening day, getting outscored 48-24 in that span. Hunter, who had won his previous three starts, allowed seven runs and seven hits in seven innings. updated 9/6/02
And here is the fantasy analysis on whether or not people who have him should play him:
Hunter looked like a safe play this week, winning his past three starts, but the power-happy Jays beat him up pretty good, unfortunately. Hunter gets another start this week and has another potent offense to face this Saturday against the Yankees. Consider him a risky option in that matchup. Another bad outing will make him a must-sit for Fantasy Week 24 (Sept. 13-19).
“I sometimes wonder if jeter’s personal life us weighing him down. Dump the ball -n- chain, Jeter.”
mel, I said the same thing a few days ago and some posters pointed out that he had the same squeeze last year and did just fine. My thoughts are that the scope of the relationship has changed between last season and this season and Jeter perhaps for the first time has something in his life that means as much to him as the game of baseball – if not ore.
Just some thoughts. BTW, we are not only in thinking this way. Read just about any article on his struggles and read the comments after and you will find a lot of readers thinking the same thing.
should read “if not more”
AJ Bustnett
lol the Texas crew is doing the slowest job I’ve ever seen in covering the infield