The LoHud Yankees Blog

Two games going on at the same time today.

Tony Pena is staying in Tampa to manage the home game. Joe Girardi is going on the road to manage against the Blue Jays and watch Ivan Nova pitch.

I’m following Girardi, so I’ll be hitting the road shortly. First, a few quick notes.

• Mariano Rivera will make his spring debut on Sunday. He has a side session today and will probably make his second spring appearance either Wednesday or Thursday. “Mo is one of the few guys you allow him to tell us when he’s ready,” Girardi said.

• Yogi Berra is with the Yankees again today. As Girardi said, he’s been sitting in his usual chair, same as always.

• The Yankees seem encouraged by the way Derek Jeter is swinging the bat. Girardi said he believes Jeter is growing more comfortable with his mechanics. “I think you see it in how hard he hits the ball,” Girardi said.

• Rivera, Bartolo Colon, Sergio Mitre, Manny Banuelos and Brian Anderson are scheduled to throw sides today.

Home game
vs. Atlanta

Off the bench: C Gustavo Molina, 1B Addison Maruszak, 2B Corban Joseph, SS Carmen Angelini, 3B Bradley Suttle, LF Ray Kruml, CF none, RF none, DH Brett Gardner

In the bullpen: Rafael Soriano, Steve Garrison, Joba Chamberlain, Pedro Feliciano, Eric Wordekemper, Andrew Brackman, Hector Noesi and Luis Ayala. My guess is that everyone listed after Feliciano is a backup today.

From minor league camp: C Jhorge Liccien, INF Justin Snyder and OF Abe Almonte are up from minor league camp as backups. Actually, that very well could be Zoilo Almonte. The only thing listed was an outfielder named Almonte.

Road game
vs. Toronto

Off the bench: C Jose Gil, 1B Luke Murton, 2B Kevin Russo, SS Doug Bernier, 3B Luis Nunez, LF none, CF Melky Mesa, RF Dan Brewer, DH Kyle Higashioka

In the bullpen: David Phelps, Romulo Sanchez, Andy Sisco, Ryan Pope, Adam Warren, Daniel Turpen, D.J. Mitchell

From minor league camp: C Mitch Abeita, INF Walter Ibarra and OF Ramon Flores are up from minor league camp to be backups on the bench.

More minor leaguers in camp today. I’ll have the list when I get out of the clubhouse.

HOME
Jeter SS
Jones LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Posada DH
Nunez 2B
Romine C
Maxwell RF
Krum CF

Hughes RHP

AWAY
Granderson CF
Pena SS
Swisher RF
Chavez 1B
Montero C
Belliard 2B
Vazquez 3B
Laird DH
Parraz LF

Nova RHP

Tickets for individual games to see the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium will go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 11 at 10:00 a.m. at yankees.com and yankeesbeisbol.com, and via Ticketmaster phone only at (877) 469-9849 and Ticketmaster TTY at (800) 943-4327. Beginning Monday, March 14, tickets may also be purchased at the Yankee Stadium Ticket Office, all area Ticketmaster outlets and all Yankees Clubhouse Shops.

The 27-time World Champion Yankees will begin their 81-game home regular season schedule on Thursday, March 31 at 1:05 p.m. vs. the Detroit Tigers.

The Yankee Stadium Ticket Office is located outside Yankee Stadium adjacent to Gate 4 on the corner of 161st Street and Jerome Avenue. Beginning Monday, March 14, the Yankee Stadium Ticket Office will be open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. On game days during the season, the Yankee Stadium Ticket Office will be open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until two hours after the scheduled first pitch and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. until two hours after the scheduled first pitch.

As in past years, the Yankees will make available individual-game ticket value programs throughout the 2011 season. A complete list of ticket specials, including game dates, seating locations, and terms and conditions, can be found at www.yankees.com/ticketspecials, by calling (212) YANKEES [(212) 926-5337] or e-mailing tickets@yankees.com. Please note that all ticket specials are subject to availability.

• Here’s the link for purchasing individual game tickets.

• This is a couple of days old, but Marc Carig did a nice job profiling slugger Jorge Vazquez. It’s hard to imagine Vazquez beating Eric Chavez for a spot on the Opening Day roster, but he’s certainly making an impression. The Yankees brass seem to believe in the bat.

• Former Yankees reliever Steven Jackson has signed with the Dodgers. Jackson has some big league time with the Pirates. When he’s getting ground balls, he’s a legitimate bullpen option.

• MLB Trade Rumors has a Q&A with former Yankees first-round pick Gerrit Cole, who didn’t sign with the club is now a standout at UCLA. “You never want to say ‘no’ or give the impression that I was throwing it in their face or anything like that, because that’s not what it was about,” Cole said.

• One talent evaluator says Carl Pavano has been the best pitcher in the Grapefruit League this spring.

• Jeremy Ruby has resigned as general manager of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. It’s a big loss for that franchise. Ruby was basically the guy who worked directly with the players and coaching staff, and he was well liked in the clubhouse. He’s a good guy from a good baseball family. Best of luck at Abington, Jeremy.

Associated Press photos, that’s Nick Swisher at the top, Derek Jeter and Russell Martin in the middle

CC Sabathia was scheduled for four innings this afternoon. He wound up pitching five scoreless and still didn’t reach his pitch count. Going head-to-head against Phillies ace Roy Halladay, Sabathia was back to his old self after a rocky start his last time out against the Nationals.

“That’s pretty much the CC we’re used to seeing,” manager Joe Girardi said.

Sabathia said he was sharp enough to work on some specific things today, throwing changeups when he was down in the count and mixing in some first-pitch two-seamers. His delivery was “cleaner,” he said.

“I have the pause in my delivery,” Sabathia said. “I was kind of floating, drifting through it (last time) instead of just staying there, gathering, and then going. We worked on that in the bullpen, and I was conscious of it in the bullpen here today and trying to translate into the game.”

• Sabathia was hit in the thigh by a comebacker but stayed in the game. He didn’t even let the medical staff check him during the game, though he did have it wrapped afterward. “I’ve got a lot of meat down there,” he said.

• This early in spring training, and the two starting pitchers — Sabathia and Roy Halladay — combined for 11 scoreless, walkless innings. “Look at the two starters we’re looking at,” Girardi said. “You don’t see it a lot (this early), but if it’s going to happen, it’s usually two starters like that.”

• Warner Madrigal was scheduled to pitch today, but he felt some soreness in his arm. “He might be shut down for a few days,” Girardi said. Madrigal is coming back from surgery, but Girardi said today’s soreness was in a different spot.

• Dave Robertson faced one hitter this afternoon, which was the plan. Robertson threw 31 pitches his last time out and Girardi just wanted to get him in the game for one hitter. Of course, that one hitter tripled.

• After Robertson, Rule 5 pick Robert Fish had a rough sixth inning. He got three outs, one of which was a sac fly and one of which was a pickoff. John Mayberry Jr. hit a two-run home run off him, one of three hits against Fish.

• Mark Prior allowed his first runs of the spring. The Phillies scored three runs against him, but two were unearned because of an error by Justin Maxwell. Prior gave up two walks and an RBI double.

• The Yankees had a total of four hits today, on apiece by Brett Gardner, Russell Martin, Ramiro Pena and Jorge Posada. All of those hits were singles.

• In his spring debut, Ronnie Belliard went 0-for-2. Given the way Eric Chavez is hitting — and the way Jorge Vazquez is hitting for that matter — it’s really difficult to imagine Belliard doing enough to make this roster.

• Brett Gardner will get one at-bat as a designated hitter tomorrow, then he’ll make the road trip to play center field on Saturday.

• Girardi said he’s planning to go on the road for tomorrow’s split squad game against the Blue Jays because he wants to see Ivan Nova pitch. He’ll leave someone else to manage the home game and watch Phil Hughes. Why not have Nova pitch at home? Hughes has already made two starts on the road, and he’s locked into a rotation spot. He gets to stay home this time.

• Alfredo Aceves was knocked around today, allowing four hits and three earned runs through 2.1 innings for the Red Sox.

Associated Press photos of Sabathia meeting with Russell Martin and Jorge Posada, and of Girardi talking to Tony Pena

Jorge Posada was supposed to be an infielder. Back in 1991, his first season as a professional, he caught only 11 games. He played 64 games at second base.

“It’s been a long time,” Posada said. “Obviously your setup and stuff, and (what to do) when the ball gets to the zone, you remember all that stuff. It’s not going to go away.”

This afternoon, Posada started at first base for the Yankees. He started a double play when he snagged a line drive — “Self defense,” he said — and he picked a ball out of the dirt when Ramiro Pena made an off-target throw. He was solid.

“It’s very different,” he said. “It’s a process, especially with guys on base and balls hit in the outfield and stuff, where you have to be. Doubles, where you have to be. All that stuff. It doesn’t come instinctively – or whatever that word is – to me.”

The Yankees aren’t likely to need Posada at first base very often this season, if they need him there at all. Mark Teixeira doesn’t take many days off, Nick Swisher can play the position, and the Yankees are likely to carry a reserve who specifically plays the infield corners. Giving Posada some time at first just adds to the comfort level and gives the Yankees that option.

Also, the fact he played first base before he caught this spring is a clear indication that Posada really isn’t an everyday catcher any more.

“I’m clear with what’s going on,” he said. “I understand what’s going on, and I’m looking forward to DHing. I really am. I want to have a good year, and think of all the positives that I can contribute. I really want to concentrate on that. The team wants me to be a DH, I have to be a DH.”

Here’s Posada.

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Associated Press photo

After falling in the Yankees clubhouse this afternoon, Yogi Berra is “resting comfortably” at a local hospital.

“I walked in there and saw him (in the clubhouse),” manager Joe Girardi said. “It appeared that he tripped, and he landed on his rear end, which is probably the best place you can actually land. He did not want to go to the hospital, but we’ve got to make sure (he’s alright). When he left, he was in good spirits, and he was laughing. And he’s still that way.”

Berra told some of the players that he didn’t want his wife to find out about the fall because he was afraid she’d make him come home.

“The EMTs came in and then they sat him up, and then he was sitting in a chair, answering every question,” Girardi said. “When you go through that, they’re going to ask you questions repeatedly, a number of times. They’re going to take your blood pressure a number of times. He wasn’t really excited about that, but he was in good spirits, and we’re hoping he gets out soon.”

As you might imagine, Berra is a wildly popular figure in Yankees camp — “As great of a player (as he was), he’s that great of a person,” Brian Cashman said — and the players were all excited to hear any sort of news about how he’s doing. A member of the Yankees security staff is with Berra at the hospital and relayed that Berra said he’s “feeling fine” and “hoping to be released later today.”

Here’s Cashman talking about how he found out about the fall and about the impact of having Berra in camp.

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UPDATE, 4:16 p.m.: Berra has been discharged from the hospital.

Associated Press photo

YANKEES (6-5-2)
Brett Gardner LF
Russell Martin C
Jorge Posada 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Curtis Granderson CF
Jesus Montero DH
Ronnie Belliard 3B
Ramiro Pena SS

LHP CC Sabathia (0-0, 9.64)
Sabathia vs. Phillies

PHILLIES (7-6)
Jimmy Rollins SS
Shane Victorino CF
Placido Polanco 3B
Ben Francisco LF
John Mayberry Jr. 1B
Delwyn Young RF
Carlos Ruiz C
Matt Miller DH
Josh Barfield 2B

RHP Roy Halladay (1-0, 0.00)
Halladay vs. Yankees

TIME/TV: 1:05 p.m., not on television

WEATHER: Tarp came off the field a little more than an hour ago. It’s still cloudy, but it looks like we’ll have a game. Wind is blowing from right to left.

UMPIRES: HP Phil Cuzzi, 1B Mark Carlson, 2B Andy Fletcher, 3B Dan Iassogna

ON THE LINE: Sabathia’s spot is not in question, and neither is Dave Robertson’s. None today’s other pitchers are realistic candidates to break camp on the big league roster. The bottom third of the lineup has the most on the line today. Jesus Montero is trying to keep his spot at the top of the backup catcher pecking order, Ronnie Belliard is trying to make up for lost time, and Ramiro Pena is trying to fend of Eduardo Nunez for the utility job.

OUT OF THE BULLPEN FOR THE YANKEES: Sabathia should go four innings. Dave Robertson, Mark Prior, Brian Anderson, Eric Wordekemper and Ryan Pope are the next five pitchers listed, so they’ll probably handle innings five through nine.

BULLPEN FOR THE PHILLIES: RHP J.C. Ramirez, RHP Michael Stutes, RHP Michael Schwimer, RHP Justin De Fratus and LHP Antonio Bastardo.

SLIPPERY CONDITIONS: Joe Girardi said he has no concerns about sending his ace to the mound on a day when the field’s been wet most of the morning. “I’m sure the field’s in good shape,” he said. “They’re sending out Roy, so I don’t think they’d jeopardize him.”

WILL HE ARGUE THE CALL? Former umpire Jerry Crawford is throwing today’s ceremonial first pitch.

YOGI OK AFTER FALL: Yogi Berra fell in the Yankees clubhouse this morning and was taken to an area hospital, but the Yankees report that Berra is perfectly fine and alert. He was taken to the hospital strictly as a precaution.

UPDATE, 1:15 p.m.: The Yankees were sent down in order in the top of the first. The bottom half started with a grounder to second — Posada handled the quick toss from Cano just fine — and now Victorino has reached on an infield single on a sharp grounder to third. Belliard went to his right to knock down the ball, but he couldn’t make the play. It was legitimately tough.

UPDATE, 1:16 p.m.: Hip hip, Jorge! Line drive to first, Posada snags it and tags the runner for an inning-ending double play. Make Teixeira the DH!

UPDATE, 1:27 p.m.: A comebacker hit Sabathia in the thigh, but he made the play for the second out of the second inning. When Girardi, Rothschild and the Yankees training staff started walking to the mound, Sabathia quickly waved them away. They didn’t even make it to the first-base line. The big man is fine.

UPDATE, 1:46 p.m.: Russell Martin is not taking it easy on that knee. He just tried to stretch a single into a double and was thrown out at second base. Say this for the guy, he’s a gutsy, all-out player.

UPDATE, 2:26 p.m.: Sabathia went five scoreless and said the difference between this start and his previous start had to do with the pause in his delivery. He was “drifting through” last time.

UPDATE, 2:36 p.m.: Yogi is “feeling fine” and hoping to be out of the hospital later today.

It’s not unusual for a hitters to borrow one another’s bats from time to time. Especially in spring training, players like to try different things, and might take an at-bat with a heavier bat or a longer bat just to see how it feels.

This spring, Eric Chavez has been borrowing some of Brett Gardner’s bats, and Chavez is hitting .474 with a lot of sharp line drives.

“He’s taking all my hits,” Gardner said.

Of course, Gardner’s not exactly having a bad spring so far. With his adjusted, two-handed approach, Gardner is batting .286 with a .500 on-base percentage and .571 slugging. He said he’s been comfortable with the mechanical change, but he’s been drawing so many walks that he hasn’t taken quite as many swings as he’d like.

Gardner leads the team with six walks. A sign that his two-handed swing actually is leading to more consistent contact: He’s struck out only once.

• Colin Curtis was diagnosis with a shoulder subluxation. What does that mean? “I don’t know,” Curtis said. He was kidding. Basically, Curtis partially dislocated his shoulder. Looks like he’ll be rehabbing for a month.

• Gardner has yet to play center field this spring, but he’ll probably be there on Saturday. “I don’t feel like I need to,” Gardner said. “But it wouldn’t hurt.”

• Speaking of defensive assignments, Jorge Posada gets his first spring start at first base today. “It just gives us more options,” Joe Girardi said. The Yankees are planning to carry an extra corner infielder — and Nick Swisher can play first — but the Yankees want to give Posada a little bit of time at first, just in case they need to use him there this season.

• Putting Posada in the field seems to be a good sign for his surgically repaired knee. “His knee has not been a hindrance at all,” Girardi said.

• Robinson Cano is on this trip so he can get some time in the field with Ramiro Pena. Girardi said he also wants Cano to get some time with Eduardo Nunez at short, and he wants Derek Jeter to get some time with Pena and Nunez at second.

• The tarp is on the field here in Clearwater, but it seems likely we’ll have a game. These fields drain very well, and the rain seems to have stopped.

• Available in the bullpen: Dave Robertson, Mark Prior, Brian Anderson, Eric Wordekemper, Ryan Pope, Romulo Sanchez, David Phelps, Robert Fish and Daniel Turpen.

• Off the bench: C Gustavo Molina, 1B Brandon Laird, 2B Kevin Russo, SS Doug Bernier, 3B Bradley Suttle, LF Jordan Parraz, CF Justin Maxwell, RF Daniel Brewer, DH Austin Romine

• Tomorrow’s travelers today: With a split squad, most of the Yankees regulars are staying in Tampa for tomorrow’s home game. The only everyday travelers going to Dunedin are Curtis Granderson and Nick Swisher.

Pitchers on the road tomorrow: Warner Madrigal, D.J. Mitchell, Ivan Nova, David Phelps, Ryan Pope, Romulo Sanchez, Andy Sisco, Daniel Turpen, Adam Warren and Eric Wordekemper

Players on the road tomorrow: Jose Gil, Kyle Higashioka, Jesus Montero, Ronnie Belliard, Doug Bernier, Eric Chavez, Brandon Laird, Ramiro Pena, Kevin Russo, Jorge Vazquez, Daniel Brewer, Curtis Granderson, Melky Mesa, Jordan Parraz and Nick Swisher.

PHILLIES
Jimmy Rollins SS
Shane Victorino CF
Placido Polanco 3B
Ben Francisco LF
John Mayberry Jr. 1B
Delwyn Young RF
Carlos Ruiz C
Matt Miller DH
Josh Barfield 2B

RHP Roy Halladay

Associated Press photos of Gardner and Posada

Raining pretty hard right now, but in theory, this is the Yankees lineup.

Brett Gardner LF
Russell Martin C
Jorge Posada 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Curtis Granderson CF
Jesus Montero DH
Ronnie Belliard 3B
Ramiro Pena SS

CC Sabathia

So far, tonight’s Bartolo Colon start has been the worst outing in this four-man rotation competition, and even Colon wasn’t too bad.

It’s too early to make too much of it, but rotation results have been encouraging this spring, and Brian Cashman said it’s entirely possible the Yankees have all the pieces of their Opening Day rotation already in camp. Cashman said he wouldn’t rule out adding a pitcher before the end of March, but right now an addition doesn’t seem likely.

“I’m not encouraged (by the market),” Cashman said. “I’m only saying there’s a chance because who knows what’s going to happen between now and then? There’s nothing hot. I’ve got nothing going on. Zero. That type of activity doesn’t usually take place right now.”

Colon had a rocky second inning, but that came after he struck out the side in the first inning and before he pitched a scoreless third and fourth. All told, Colon allowed two runs through four innings, striking out seven and walking none.

“I’ve been a little bit more surprised about Colon than (Freddy) Garcia,” Joe Girardi said. “Freddy, I saw Freddy pitch last year so I had a pretty good idea of what he was going to do. Bartolo, the movement on his fastball surprised me a little bit. I’m not surprised with his command and I’m not surprised with the changeup. The breaking ball is a little bit better than it was in the past.”

If the situation changes, could the trade market heat up at the end of March?

“Usually with bad contract guys, out of option guys, that type of stuff,” Cashman said.

• If the Yankees don’t add a starter, they probably won’t add anyone this spring. The lineup is set, the bullpen is deep and Cashman said he’s happy with the bench options. “I don’t think we have to go outside camp unless we have injuries looking for bench help,” he said. “We have the potential of a real good bench going forward to open the season.”

• Colon started his outing by striking out the side in the first inning. “Usually I try to pace myself, but today I went hard right from the very beginning,” he said. “Today I just felt very strong.” Colon allowed two runs in the second inning, but Girardi was impressed that the outing didn’t snowball and Colon pitched a scoreless third and fourth. “You want to see a guy be able to shut it down and get back to making pitches,” Girardi said.

• Rafael Soriano pitched a scoreless inning in his spring debut. Girardi said this could be the best bullpen since he came to New York. “Our bullpen in 2009, at the end, was special,” Girardi said. “With Hughesy down there and Marte back and Robertson, the strides that he made. Joba. Ace. That was pretty good. I think this bullpen has a chance to be better.”

• Girardi was impressed by Soriano’s debut. “I didn’t really expect a whole lot different than that,” Girardi said.

• Eduardo Nunez played left field tonight and caught the only ball hit to him. “It was weird, but good,” Nunez said. The Yankees want Nunez and Ramiro Pena to get a little bit of outfield time this spring, preparing themselves to play there in a pinch this season.

• Nunez also had another hit, raising his spring average to .375. He also got his fifth stolen base.

• Russell Martin and Andruw Jones each hit their first Yankees home runs tonight. The Yankees started seven players likely to make the Opening Day roster, and all seven had a hit. The Yankees won 4-2.

• Manny Banuelos made his third scoreless appearance of the spring. Nice work by Andrew Marchand on this piece about Mariano Rivera’s impressions of the young lefty. Safe to say, the Yankees closer is impressed. Girardi said before the game he thought Banuelos would go three innings, but the Yankees changed their mind and gave him two innings. Banuelos would have pitched three innings if Colon had lasted just three innings, Girardi said.

• Gustavo Molina had a root canal today.

• There’s a chance of rain tomorrow. If that happens, Girardi said CC Sabathia will probably throw a simulated game in the indoor cages. If not, Sabathia will matchup against Roy Halladay in Clearwater.

• Speaking of Clearwater, Ronnie Belliard is scheduled to make the trip. He could get in his first game tomorrow.

• Just a random observation: I hadn’t talked to Melky Mesa much this spring, but talked to him a little bit today. The guy’s a ball of energy, laughing and smiling, even when he’s in the game. He’s definitely one of those “I just love to play the game” kind of guys.

• After today’s paintball outing, someone asked Girardi if he’s still hoping to have a players outing in spring training. “I don’t know,” Girardi said. “We’ll see. A lot of times during the beginning of the season we’ll watch the Final Four together as a team. This was a year that was a little bit different (in spring training). I’ve had some ideas in my mind about things that I could do, but it seems like time gets short sometimes.”

• The Yankees finally posted tomorrow’s travel roster for Clearwater, and it includes one regular infielder — Robinson Cano — traveling with the regular outfielders. It also includes every healthy catcher, including Jorge Posada.

Pitchers who will be making the trip: Brian Anderson, Robert Fish, Warner Madrigal, David Phelps, Ryan Pope, Mark Prior, Dave Robertson, CC Sabathia, Romulo Sanchez, Andy Sisco, Daniel Turpen and Eric Wordekemper.

Players who will not be making the trip: Colin Curtis, Greg Golson, Andruw Jones, Eric Chavez, Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez and Francisco Cervelli.

Associated Press photos of Colon, Bernie Williams and Tino Martinez. Williams threw out the first pitch, Martinez is in camp as a guest instructor.