The LoHud Yankees Blog

YANKEES (87-54)
Brett Gardner LF
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Lance Berkman DH
Curtis Granderson CF
Ramiro Pena SS
Francisco Cervelli C

RHP A.J. Burnett (10-13, 5.15)
Burnett vs. Rangers

RANGERS (78-63)
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

RHP Tommy Hunter (12-3, 3.99)
Hunter vs. Yankees

TIME/TV: 8:05 p.m. / YES Network and MLB Network

UMPIRES: HP Ted Barrett, 1B Alfronso Marquez, 2B Dan Iassogna, 3B Dale Scott

WEATHER: Pretty much the same as last night — temperatures in the high 80s with the wind blowing in — but this time there’s a chance of rain at about 10 p.m. local time.

WHAT GOES AROUND: After the Yankees walked off with a win on Wednesday, the Rangers walked off with a win against the Yankees on Friday. It was the first time this season that the Yankees walked off and were walked off against in back-to-back games. It happened to them twice last season.

PLENTY OF PRODUCTION: The Yankees have baseball’s only set of teammates — Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano — with 90 runs and 90 RBI apiece. They are the only team in the Majors with five players who have scored at least 80 runs this season (Cano, Teixeira, Gardner, Jeter and Swisher).

NEW EXPERIENCE: The Yankees have a total of 12 career at-bats against Tommy Hunter. Curtis Granderson (3-for-4) is the only player in the Yankees lineup with more than two at-bats against him.

UPDATE, 8:29 p.m.: A walk and a two-out single. That’s enough for a 1-0 Rangers lead after one.

UPDATE, 8:35 p.m.: Back in his home state, Lance Berkman just singled in Robinson Cano to tie the game at 1.

UPDATE, 8:47 p.m.: It’s like April all over again. Francisco Cervelli’s big RBI single gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead before Nick Swisher struck out to end the second innings with the bases loaded.

UPDATE, 8:50 p.m.: Kevin Russo and Juan Miranda have been called up. They’ll be here tomorrow.

UPDATE, 8:59 p.m.: Hey look, the Yankees got Julio Borbon out.

UPDATE, 9:07 p.m.: An inning ago, there was action in the Rangers bullpen. Now Tommy Hunter has four straight strikeouts, including the side in the third inning when he burned through Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano.

UPDATE, 9:18 p.m.: Another walk comes back to hurt Burnett. Guerrero drives in the run and ties the game at 2 after three innings.

UPDATE, 9:33 p.m.: Rough couple of nights for Brett Gardner, who stranded eight last night — five in the first three innings — and just struck out with two on to end the fourth inning.

Also, while the Yankees were taking the field for the bottom of the fourth, the video board showed members of the National Guard who are guests at tonight’s game. The crowd cheered and the Yankees stopped what they were doing to turn and cheer. Burnett was seriously on the mound clapping. Teixeira stopped short of the infield to do the same. Pretty neat.

UPDATE, 9:59 p.m.: Well that’s just bad luck. Cano lined out to second, and Mark Teixeira was doubled off to end the fifth inning. Still tied at 2.

UPDATE, 10:01 p.m.: It’s starting to rain. A lot of the crowd is retreating.

UPDATE, 10:02 p.m.: Rain delay. Most of the Yankees are staying in the dugout. That seems to be a good sign.

UPDATE, 10:33 p.m.: The tarp is coming off the field. Play is supposed to resume around 11 Eastern.

UPDATE, 10:52 p.m.: Chad Gaudin getting loose in the pen.

UPDATE, 11:05 p.m.: Another outfield assist for Gardner, Guerrero is out stretching and Gaudin is through a scoreless fifth.

UPDATE, 11:15 p.m.: Francisco Cervelli has reached base seven straight times.

UPDATE, 11:16 p.m.: Something must be wrong with Gardner. Austin Kearns is coming into pinch hit.

UPDATE, 11:25 p.m.: As Ring of Fire plays at the stadium, Boone Logan is coming in with no outs and runners at the corners.

UPDATE, 11:34 p.m.: It’s last night all over again. Here comes Robertson with the bases loaded. Let the quick pitching changes begin.

UPDATE, 11:45 p.m.: Nice play by Robinson Cano helps the Yankees end the sixth inning, but two runs scored on a sac fly and a two-out single off Robertson. Texas has taken a 4-2 lead.

UPDATE, 12:02 a.m.: Pedro Strop is the same Rangers reliever who walked Mark Teixeira with the bases loaded last night. Tonight he’s come in with the bases loaded again, and this time he’s allowed a run on a wild pitch and walked Curtis Granderson to reload the bases. Now Jorge Posada is pinch hitting for Ramiro Pena.

UPDATE, 12:08 a.m.: Of course, Posada grounds into a double play. The Yankees have loaded the bases in three innings, and they’ve put two on in two innings. They have three runs to show for it. Eduardo Nunez now playing shortstop for the Yankees.

UPDATE, 12:22 a.m.: A two-out walk and a two-out single have pushed the Texas lead to 5-3 and chased Robertson from the game. Here comes Albaladejo. There is nothing else I can add that you don’t already know.

UPDATE, 12:40 a.m.: The Yankees have now loaded the bases three innings in a row, and in four of eight innings overall.

UPDATE, 12:42 a.m.: Finally a Yankee gets a big hit in Arlington. Rodriguez doubled down the line, clearing the bases and giving the Yankees a 6-5 lead.

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

Clearly energized and encouraged by Thursday’s start in Trenton, Andy Pettitte said he will pitch for the Thunder on the road Tuesday. He will return to the Yankees rotation on Sunday in Baltimore.

Remember when I said it was a safe bet that Derek Jeter would play today? Nevermind.

Brett Gardner LF
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Lance Berkman DH
Curtis Granderson CF
Ramiro Pena SS
Francisco Cervelli C

Last night, the Yankees used seven relievers to get through 13 innings against the Rangers, but when the game was over, Joe Girardi said he wouldn’t rule out any of his — except Phil Hughes, obviously — a second day in a row.

Fact is, everyone had an off day Thursday and no reliever threw more than 23 pitches last night. The Yankees have an eight-man bullpen tonight, and it’s actually pretty rested.

Jonathan Albaladejo
Last night: Did not pitch
Previous outing: Sunday, third of an inning

Joba Chamberlain
Last night: One inning, 21 pitches
Previous outing: Wednesday, one inning

Chad Gaudin
Last night: One inning plus one batter,  11 pitches
Previous outing: Tuesday, two innings

Boone Logan
Last night: One batter, five pitches
Previous outing: Wednesday, two-thirds of an inning

Sergio Mitre
Last night: Did not pitch
Previous outing: Sunday, 2.2 innings

Mariano Rivera
Last night: Two innings, 23 pitches
Previous outing: Saturday, one inning

Dave Robertson
Last night: One inning, 12 pitches
Previous outing: Wednesday, 1.1 innings

Kerry Wood
Last night: One inning, 13 pitches
Previous outing: Tuesday, two-thirds of an inning

Associated Press photo of Rivera

Last night, the Yankees played baseball for five hours and 12 minutes. In that time, they used 24 different players.

Derek Jeter
Played all 13 innings at shortstop, went 1-for-7 and grounded to first to strand the go-ahead run at third base in the 12th.

Nick Swisher
Started in right, went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run. Lifted for a pinch runner in the eighth.

Greg Golson
Ran for Swisher in the eighth, played right field but never hit.

Colin Curtis
Hit for Golson in the 10th and struck out twice, once with the go-ahead run at third.

Mark Teixeira
Played all 13 innings at first base, went 0-for-5 but did drive in a run with a bases-loaded walk.

Alex Rodriguez
Played all 13 innings at third base, had a team-high three hits and two RBI.

Robinson Cano
Played all 13 innings at second base, had two hits but no RBI.

Marcus Thames
Started at designated hitter, matched Rodriguez with three hits including a double.

Eduardo Nunez
Ran for Thames in the 11th, never got an at-bat.

Jorge Posada
Hit for Nunez in the 13th, lining out to second base with the go-ahead run on base.

Austin Kearns
Started in left field, went 1-for-3 before being lifted against a right-handed reliever.

Curtis Granderson
Pinch hit for Kearns in the seventh and wound up with more plate appearances than the starter.

Francisco Cervelli
Started at catcher, caught eight of 13 innings, went 1-for-1 with three walks.

Lance Berkman
Hit for Cervelli with two outs in the ninth, singled but was left stranded.

Chad Moeller
Replaced Cervelli at catcher,  doubled in his first at-bat but flied out with the bases loaded in the 13th.

Brett Gardner
Started in center field, moved to left when Granderson entered the game, went 0-for-4 with a walk and a sacrifice bunt.

—

Javier Vazquez
The Yankees starting pitcher, lasted five-plus innings and was in line for the win until Nelson Cruz’s game-tying home run in the eighth, charged with four runs, one of which came after he left the game.

Boone Logan
Walked the only batter he faced in the sixth inning.

Dave Robertson
Retired all three batters he faced without the ball leaving the infield,  let one run score on an RBI ground out.

Kerry Wood
Pitched a perfect seventh.

Joba Chamberlain
First pitch of the eighth inning was a game-tying home run, retired three of the next four batters he faced, stranded a walk.

Phil Hughes
Pitched a perfect ninth with a strikeout, first relief appearance of the year.

Mariano Rivera
Pitched the 10th and 11th, allowed one hit with two strikeouts, threw 20 of 23 pitches for strikes.

Chad Gaudin
Took the loss, after a scoreless 12th gave up a walk-off home run to the first batter he faced in the 13th.

Associated Press photo of Kearns

Derek Jeter is a realist when it comes to his numbers. He’s hitting .260 with three weeks left in the season. Even if his average climbs between now and October, it’s never going to fit with his career totals.

“At this point in the season, you’re really not going to do too much to change where you are,” he said. “Now you just try to get a good swing going. We’ve got three weeks left, I believe and then the postseason hopefully… It’s just all about a feel. Sometimes you go up there and you just find it. I’m still searching.”

Jeter thought he was coming around during the previous home stand, but last night he was 1-for-7 with an infield single and a crushing ground out when the go-ahead run was a third base with one out in the 12th inning. It was a bad night for most of the Yankees hitters, but Jeter’s grounder might have been the low point for the offense.

“It was one of those days,” Jeter said. “That’s all you can do. The situation I’m in right now, I can’t bring all the games together. You just try to take it one game at a time. I felt good at home. Today it wasn’t so good.”

It’s hard to imagine Jeter going anywhere at this point. Joe Girardi seems committed to Jeter at the top of the lineup, and there’s almost no chance either Ramiro Pena or Eduardo Nunez is going to take shortstop away from him. The Yankees need Jeter to hit.

“There are times when you don’t feel good at the plate but you still find ways to get hits. I haven’t been doing that,” he said. “Any time you scuffle it seems like ball you hit good, they catch. Balls you don’t hit good, they catch. Balls you don’t hit, they catch. That’s just how it goes. I wish I had an explanation for it.”

Here’s Jeter speaking last night early this morning.

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A few things went right for the Yankees on Friday night and into Saturday morning, but a few things went very wrong and those things cost them the game.

“Any time you have an opportunity to win a game and you don’t do it, you look at the missed opportunities,” Derek Jeter said. “We come right back later today and play again. You just can’t let this one affect you.”

The Yankees stranded 18 base runners. They had the go-ahead run at third base one out in the 12th inning, but Jeter grounded to first and Colin Curtis struck out swinging. They had the go-ahead run at third again in the 13th, but Jorge Posada lined out to second and — after a walk loaded the bases — Chad Moeller flied out to center.

“We left a lot of guys on base,” Jeter said. “When you’re playing good teams and you get those opportunities, you’ve got to find a way to get them in. We weren’t able to do that.”

Chad Gaudin gave up the game-winning Nelson Cruz home run in the 13th, but arguably the more crushing home run was the one Cruz hit in the eighth. Joba Chamberlain tried to start the at-bat with a slider. He wanted to throw it for a strike, but this was too good of a strike.

“It was a pitch we felt like we could go in and get ahead and then try to expand later,” Chamberlain said. “… We thought that was a good plan of attack from there, and he jumped at it. He hadn’t swung at the first pitch any of the other at-bats, so we just felt like that was a good one to try to expand from there, but we obviously didn’t get to that point.”

Here’s Chamberlain speaking after the game.

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• Joe Girardi actually said he wouldn’t rule out using any of his relievers tomorrow. The only Friday night reliever who absolutely won’t pitch on Saturday is Phil Hughes. Even Mariano Rivera — after two innings on just 23 pitches, 20 for strikes — isn’t necessarily out of the mix. “There are a lot of times a closer will throw 25 pitches in an inning,” Girardi said. “I wouldn’t say that we won’t have him. We’ll see.”

• As for his use of setup men — Dave Robertson in the sixth, Kerry Wood in the seventh and Chamberlain in the eighth — Girardi said the order was based entirely on matchups. That’s more or less the way he’s been doing it since Wood arrived at the trade deadline. It worked perfectly except for the one pitch to Cruz.

• On the missed call in the second inning — when Ian Kinsler was clearly tagged out on a stolen base attempt — Jeter said second-base umpire Alfonso Marquez told him the tag wasn’t made. Jeter said he made it. “That was so long ago,” Jeter said. “That was four hours ago. Three hours ago? I don’t even know. It happens. People make mistakes. We had a lot of opportunities.”

• Jeter fouled a ball off his knee, but obviously said he never considered coming out of the game. He was walking with a noticeable limp, but said his knee felt “good.” Seems like a safe bet that he’ll play tomorrow.

• Javier Vazquez was not happy tonight. He didn’t pitch too badly — some weak hits and the bad call at second hurt him — but he was still pulled after just 88 pitches. “I’m not surprised, but I’m disappointed again,” he said.

• Phil Hughes said he will probably throw two light side sessions between now and his start on Wednesday. “I was just hoping to get in whenever,” he said. “I’d rather get in the game and throw a side tomorrow. I was fine with it. Ninth inning of a tied game, but you just throw strikes and it went alright.”

• The only team before the Rangers to use 11 pitches in a game was Seattle in 1992. That game was against Texas. The Rangers previous high of 10 pitchers in a game came on September 1, 1993, and Darren Oliver was one of those pitchers in his major league debut. Oliver also pitched tonight. That’s pretty insane.

• The combined 19 pitchers set an American League record and was one away from tying the Major League record. The previous high in the AL was 18 pitchers in a Yankees-Blue Jays game on September 22, 2007.

• Vazquez got a strikeout tonight, and has now recorded at least one strikeout in 349 consecutive appearances, matching Dwight Gooden for the third-longest streak since 1920. The longest is Nolan Ryan (382) followed by Randy Johnson (351).

• Alex Rodriguez had a two-run double off C.J. Wilson for the Yankees first two runs. He was 0-for-12 in his career against Wilson until that hit.

• Mark Teixeira reached 100 RBI with a bases-loaded walk in the sixth.

• Boone Logan walked the only batter he faced, but that batter didn’t score giving him a 23rd consecutive scoreless appearance. That’s a the second longest for a Yankees pitcher since 1920.

Associated Press photos of Chamberlain, Girardi and Vazquez

YANKEES (87-53)
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Marcus Thames DH
Austin Kearns LF
Francisco Cervelli C
Brett Gardner CF

RHP Javier Vazquez (10-9, 5.01)
Vazquez vs. Rangers

RANGERS (77-63)
Elvis Andrus SS
Michael Young 3B
David Murphy LF
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Nelson Cruz RF
Ian Kinsler 2B
Mitch Moreland 1B
Bengie Molina C
Julio Borbon CF

LHP C.J. Wilson (14-6, 3.10)
Wilson vs. Yankees

TIME/TV: 8:05 p.m. / YES Network

UMPIRES: HP Dale Scott, 1B Ted Barrett, 2B Alfronso Marquez, 3B Dan Iassogna

WEATHER: Temperature right around 90 degrees for first pitch, dipping into the mid to low-80s during the game. A few clouds overhead, but nothing to be concerned about. Wind is blowing out to left field.

GREAT AFTER EIGHT: The Yankees walk-off win on Wednesday was the team’s fifth win when trailing after eight innings. According to Elias, that ties Detroit and Toronto for the most such wins this season.

ANOTHER LEFTY: The Yankees face lefty C.J. Wilson tonight. They are 19-8 in their past 27 games against left-handed starting pitchers. They’re hitting .271 against lefties this season, the second-highest vLHP average in the American League behind Detroit. Their 56 homers are the most off left-handers by any team in the big leagues.

1 TO 11: Javier Vazquez needs one win to reach 11 for the season. This would be his 10th 11-win season, putting him in a group with Andy Pettitte (15), Jamie Moyer (15), Tim Hudson (11), CC Sabathia (10) and Tim Wakefield (10) as the only active pitchers with double-digit 11-win seasons.

UPDATE, 8:47 p.m.: Bases loaded, Brett Gardner went down swinging to end the second inning. C.J. Wilson’s command hasn’t been great, but he was able to get out of that jam without a run.

UPDATE, 8:55 p.m.: Amazing thing is how long it took the Yankees infield to realize Kinsler had been called safe on that steal attempt. He looked out by a foot from the press box, and the replay made it look like more like a foot and a half.

UPDATE, 8:59 p.m.: The blown call has cost the Yankees a run, and now it’s 1-0 Rangers.

UPDATE, 9:10 p.m.: Have I mentioned that they hate Alex Rodriguez in this stadium? A-Rod just doubled in two runs to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead in the third.

UPDATE, 9:16 p.m.: Three straight two-out singles by Thames, Kearns and Cervelli have pushed the Yankees lead to 4-1 still in the third.

UPDATE, 9:19 p.m.: Trenton just wrapped up it’s first-round sweep, meaning the Yankees are assured of having an affiliate playing on Tuesday for Andy Pettitte’s next rehab start. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lost today — a 1-0 game, wasting a good start from Kei Igawa — and now need to win two in a row to stay alive.

UPDATE, 9:27 p.m.: The Yankees have chased Wilson from the game after three innings. Here comes Matt Harrison.

UPDATE, 9:32 p.m.: Well I was positive Swisher’s ball was out of the park. Positive. I was also wrong. Pretty nice catch by Borbon, who covers a lot of ground out there in center.

UPDATE, 9:45 p.m.: Borbon got a ball just past Mark Teixeira for a two-run double that has pulled the Rangers within 4-3 in the bottom of the fourth. A walk and a hit batter didn’t help matters. Vazquez had retired seven straight before a one-out walk started this rally.

UPDATE, 10:24 p.m: A bases-loaded walk gave the Yankees an extra run, but Alex Rodriguez struck out with the bases loaded to end the sixth and leave the Yankees in front 5-3.

UPDATE, 10:40 p.m.: Borbon’s fourth RBI of the night — a career high — has pulled the Rangers within 5-4.

UPDATE, 10:41 p.m: Robertson let one inherited runner score, but it’s hard to fault a guy who just got three outs without letting the ball leave the infield.

UPDATE, 11:00 p.m.: Kerry Wood in to pitch the seventh. Does that mean Phil Hughes is going to pitch the eighth?

UPDATE, 11:07 p.m.: After a 1-2-3 seventh for Wood, Chamberlain is up in the bullpen.

UPDATE, 11:28 p.m.: First pitch from Chamberlain is a solo home run by Nelson Cruz. We’re tied in the eighth. From my friend Marc Carig, the last time Chamberlain pitched in the eighth inning with a one-run lead, he coughed up a grand slam to Jose Lopez.

UPDATE, 11:45 p.m.: Phil Hughes warming for the Yankees. He’ll pitch the ninth. Girardi said before the game that if Hughes gets loose, he’ll almost certainly come into the game. It would be interesting to see him do that if the Yankees actually take the lead here.

UPDATE, 11:58 p.m.: Looks like Hughes remembers how to do this relief thing.

UPDATE, 12:22 a.m.: Bryan Hoch has all you need to know about the powers of Mariano Rivera. Hoch and Rivera were sitting together on a morning flight to Dallas.

UPDATE, 12:51 a.m.: Tying run at third — thanks to Chad Moeller of all people — but Derek Jeter grounded to first and Colin Curtis went down swinging. Now it’s Chad Gaudin in to pitch the bottom of the 12th.

UPDATE, 1:03 a.m.: The Rangers have established a new club record for pitchers used in a game. Scott Feldman is No. 11.

UPDATE, 1:06 a.m.: Infield single by Rodriguez, clean single to right by Cano and now Jorge Posada is up with runners at the corners and one out in the 13th.

UPDATE, 1:13 a.m.: Chad Moeller gave the Yankees a chance to take the lead earlier in this game. Now he’s up with the bases loaded in the 13th.

UPDATE, 1:16 a.m.: Moeller flied to center and we’re still tied. Still Gaudin on the mound.

Even when had a mild headache and some trouble sleeping Tuesday night, Jorge Posada never believed he had a concussion. He’s had concussions before — three of them, the said — and this never felt like a concussion.

“It’s not like I haven’t experienced it before,” he said. “You get the headaches. You get a little foggy and stuff. I haven’t felt like that this time… I didn’t experience anything different from a normal headache.”

Gene Monahan, though, has diagnosed Posada with a very mild concussion. Not enough to cause significant concern, but enough that the Yankees don’t want to risk him taking another foul ball to the head in the next 48 hours. For now, Posada is available to pinch hit. If he hits, though, he won’t stay in the game to catch. The Yankees are all too aware of what’s happened with Justin Morneau and Jason Bay this season.

“Right now we’re probably looking at a couple of days (off) and then possibly catching him on Sunday,” Joe Girardi said. “Our concern is if he gets hit again, do we lose him for an extended period of time?”

Girardi said it’s more likely Posada would get hit by a foul tip than a wild pitch — Girardi was knocking on wood when he said it — which is why the Yankees feel OK with him at the plate, but not behind it. Posada said he could catch if necessary. The Yankees don’t want to take that chance.

• The Yankees plan to have Andy Pettitte make another rehab start on Tuesday. They haven’t announced a team he’ll be pitching for, but Scranton/Wilkes-Barre would open the championship round at home on that day. Tampa would also play at home that day if their series goes five games. Trenton would be on the road.

• If every minor league affiliate is eliminated before Tuesday, the Yankees would have two choices: Have Pettitte throw a sim game or put him in a big league game. “I would lean probably more toward a simulated game now that I’m thinking about it, but my mind could change,” Girardi said. “I would like to get his pitch count up a little more and have him feel more comfortable.”

• Pettitte would be cleared for five innings or 80 pitches in his next rehab start.

• Phil Hughes is available out of the Yankees bullpen tonight. “Tonight and tonight only from what I understand,” Hughes said. If he doesn’t get in the game, Hughes will throw an extended bullpen tomorrow. If he does get in the game, Girardi said it will be to start an inning and he will not under any circumstances pitch more than one inning.

• Girardi on what was different the last time Javier Vazquez started compared to his strong outings out of the bullpen: “He just didn’t have quite the same command. His fastball was coming back a little bit. His fastball was much truer in his bullpen outings than it was the other day (as a starter).”

• Elvis Andrus is back in the lineup for the Rangers, his first game since Saturday. He’s been out with a hamstring injury. The Rangers also have Ian Kinsler back at second base. He was out the last time the Yankees were here.

RANGERS
Elvis Andrus SS
Michael Young
David Murphy LF
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Nelson Cruz RF
Ian Kinsler 2B
Mitch Moreland 1B
Bengie Molina C
Julio Borbon CF

Associated Press photos of Posada and Pettitte