The LoHud Yankees Blog

1. Jeter SS
2. Swisher RF
3. Texeira 1B
4. Rodriguez 3B
5. Cano 2B
6. Posada DH
7. Jones LF
8. Martin C
9. Gardner CF
Burnett P

The Yankees and Twins will have to find a mutual open date to make up this rainout since MLB usually wants the whole 162-game schedule played. This is Minnesota’s first and last scheduled trip in, and today is the series finale. The teams will stay on turn with their pitchers, so it will be A.J. Burnett and Francisco Liriano pitching.

Freddy Garcia, who was going to finally make his debut as the fifth starter Wednesday night, won’t be starting for a while longer. Joe Girardi was talking about a week from this Friday. That would be April 15 here in the opener of the Texas series. That would be 16 days between starts, since Garcia last pitched in the exhibition finale March 29. Garcia said he would be available out of the bullpen today and may pitch a simulated game early next week.

“Disappointed, but that’s the way it goes,” Garcia said. “They make a decision to put me in the bullpen tomorrow. If I don’t pitch, I’ll have to wait. The good thing is I’m feeling good. The time will come. Hopefully it’s good.”

Brian Cashman, the man who said he wasn’t in favor of signing Rafael Soriano and that Pedro Feliciano was “abused” by the Mets, had a serious and lighthearted view on the Soriano mini-firestorm over not meeting with the media in the wake of Tuesday night’s eighth-inning meltdown.

Both Cashman and team president Randy Levine called Soriano’s agent, Scott Boras, to tell him what was going on, and that the Yankees would be speaking to Soriano. Cashman said they wanted to be proactive. Boras told Soriano has to meet with reporters not matter what happens in the games, and Soriano apologized the media.

“Listen, there’s a whole laundry list of people having to be accountable,” Cashman said. “They don’t have to be accountable all the time. It’s also OK not to talk to people if they’re not in the best frame of mind. It just can’t be that way most of the time. … Dealing with the press is important, and it’s an aspect that’s important also on behalf of teammates. A lot of little things can add up to be a big thing down the line that nobody needs, especially him.”

Cashman also said: ”It’s hard not to make a mistake. I make them. I’ve learned some days it’s best not to talk, believe me. So I should pull an exit. I guess Soriano needs to be more available and I need to be less available. Right? Maybe I’ve ‘abused’ my platform, talking to the press too much.”

The game will not start on time. The tarp is on the field, although it’s not raining hard.

Update, 7:38: It’s raining pretty good now. So we wait. This is the Twins’ only scheduled trip in. If it’s called, maybe they could have a day/night doubleheader tomorrow. We’ll see what happens.

Update, 7:49: The game is rained out. No makeup date has been determined.

Brian Heyman here again today at Yankee Stadium.

Rafael Soriano stood at his locker and apologized to the media for not speaking after he did the heavy lifting in blowing CC Sabathia’s masterpiece in the eighth inning. He said he was just upset about what had just happened and didn’t want to speak. His agent, Scott Boras, told him that he needs to face reporters no matter what happens. Joe Girardi talked to him as well.

Girardi was peppered with questions about his bullpen moves in the eighth and ninth. I’ll tell you, none of them really seemed out of the ordinary to me. The only thing that went wrong was they didn’t work. Soriano said he was having problems with balance, so he walked three in that inning, matching a career high. As far as his role, Soriano said he’ll pitch any inning that Girardi wants.

Derek Jeter isn’t in the lineup, but Girardi said nothing is wrong, just giving him a rest. Russell Martin is getting to sit at the start as well. And A-Rod is the DH. Eric Chavez is playing third. 

Mark Teixeira donated $1 million today to help Harlem RBI and its partner, DREAM Charter School, build a charter school facility, among other things in East Harlem. Fans can donate $10 at www.dreamteam25.org or text “RBI” to 50555.

1. Gardner LF
2. Granderson CF
3. Teixeira 1B
4. Rodriguez DH
5. Cano 2B
6. Swisher RF
7. Chavez 3B
8. Nunez SS
9. Molina C
Garcia P

First, good news for you Subway Race fans. The regular subway cars will be back tonight after an agreement between the Yankees and the MTA.

Second, good work by Mark Teixeira who continues to work closely with Harlem RBI. This afternoon, Teixeira will hold a press conference to discuss his latest contribution and fundraising initiative. If you contribute, you could be chosen to have lunch with Tex. Here’s the announcement from the Yankees.

NEW YORK YANKEES’ MARK TEIXEIRA LAUNCHES ‘DREAM TEAM’ TO LEVEL THE FIELD FOR EAST HARLEM KIDS
All-Star First Baseman Calls On Fans To Help Underprivileged Children

(Yankee Stadium, New York) – April 6, 2011 New York Yankees first baseman, Mark Teixeira, today announced that he has made a $1 million donation to East Harlem charity Harlem RBI, and he is calling on his fans to help raise additional funds through his Dream Team campaign.

The fundraising campaign will help the organization build a state-of-the-art facility for the children that Harlem RBI and its partner DREAM Charter School serve each year. The groundbreaking project will include a 450-seat public charter school facility, a new community center, 87 units of low income housing and a rebuilt public park, and will serve as a model of urban development in one of New York City’s toughest neighborhoods. Fans of the four-time Gold Glove Award winner will be able to take part in this exciting campaign by joining Teixeira’s Dream Team online or via text.

“I’ve seen firsthand how Harlem RBI and DREAM Charter School are making dreams real for East Harlem kids. I’m calling on my fans to help build a home and resource for this vibrant community,” said Teixeira. “When fans donate to my Dream Team, they will also have the opportunity to spend part of the day with me at Yankee Stadium.”

Harlem RBI, an academic and baseball/softball program which focuses youth on gaining college acceptance, recently opened a DREAM Charter School in 2008. Teixeira joined the Harlem RBI Board of Directors in 2010 and has gotten to know the organization’s work by participating in workshops and programs with Harlem RBI’s youth, motivating them to reach their potential and realize their dreams. Harlem RBI is part of the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program, which is the Major League Baseball youth initiative designed to provide opportunities to play baseball and softball, to encourage academic success and to teach the value of teamwork and other important life lessons to underserved young people, ages 5 to 18, from urban communities.

Nine lucky donors to the fundraising campaign will be selected to have lunch with Teixeira, along with a behind-the-scenes tour of Yankee Stadium, on-field recognition with Teixeira and suite tickets to a Yankees game. Interested fans can visit www.dreamteam25.org to join Teixeira’s Dream Team or text “RBI” to 50555 to make a $10 donation to the campaign. Teixeira will personally document the campaign’s progress on his new social media sites, which include a Facebook fanpage site, www.facebook.com/teixeiramark25 and his Twitter account, @teixeiramark25.

MARK TEIXEIRA & HARLEM RBI
Mark Teixeira, the New York Yankees first baseman, and Harlem RBI entered into a strategic partnership in May 2010 when the two-time MLB All-Star and 2009 World Series champion became a member of Harlem RBI’s Board of Directors. Teixeira will serve as the honoree with Howard Lutnick from Cantor Fitzgerald/BGC Partners at Harlem RBI’s annual 2011 Bids for Kids Gala at Cipriani on June 6, 2011.

In addition, as the Honorary Chair of Harlem RBI’s $20 million Capital Campaign, Mark assists Harlem RBI by participating in various events to support the organization, including activities with Harlem RBI youth. He will work with Major League Baseball to connect with RBI programs nationally through in-stadium appearances with fellow Major League Baseball players and seek to support local RBI programs around the country.

TEX’S DREAM TEAM
As a member of Harlem RBI’s Board of Directors and as the Honorary Chairman of the Capital Campaign, Teixeira has stepped up to the plate in support of Harlem RBI and DREAM, personally committing $1 million in support of this project. Teixeira’s goal is to engage the public to join his Dream Team to collectively meet or exceed his gift. Nine lucky supporters will have unique access to Teixeira, joining him for lunch and a tour of Yankee Stadium, enjoying batting practice on the field prior to a game, then receiving suite tickets to the Yankees game that evening. In addition, he will work to secure additional supporters over the coming months to join him in his efforts to level the field and build the future for East Harlem youth.

HARLEM RBI AND DREAM CHARTER SCHOOL
Harlem RBI, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is celebrating its 20th year of service, began in 1991 when a group of volunteers transformed an abandoned, garbage-strewn lot into two baseball diamonds for the youth of East Harlem. Since then, Harlem RBI has grown to serve more than 1,000 boys and girls, ages 5-21, with year-round academic, sports and enrichment programs. Harlem RBI’s comprehensive approach to youth development replaces the barriers inner-city youth typically face with concrete opportunities to build the skills and confidence needed to graduate high school, matriculate to college and break the cycle of poverty. Since 2005, 97% of Harlem RBI seniors have graduated high school, 93% of seniors have been accepted into college and 99% of participants have avoided teen parenthood.

In 2008, after 17 years of working in East Harlem and producing exceptional results, Harlem RBI opened DREAM Charter School. DREAM’s mission is to educate East Harlem children through a comprehensive K-8 program that builds a community of passionate, lifelong learners. DREAM is a model learning community with high expectations, a strong culture of care and a vision of student success and excellence. Today the school serves 200 students and will grow one grade each year until it reaches capacity at 450 students, grades K-8.

Associated Press photo

Last night’s 5-4 loss in 10 to the Twins turned into a story about the bullpen melting down, overshadowing how good CC Sabathia was. You can’t waste starting pitching like that, especially when you have a 4-0 lead going to the eighth.

The third-place finisher in last year’s AL Cy Young voting looked in Cy Young form.

The lefty could be 2-0 already instead of having two no-decisions. He gave up three runs in six innings against the Tigers on Opening Day, and then improved in his second start, showing great command of his fastball in the cold while working on a two-hit shutout through seven. Sabathia put down the final 17 Twins that he faced.

“I feel a lot better this year,” Sabathia said. “I’ve been able to command my pitches and use both sides of the plate. … I’m still struggling with my changeup a little bit, but we’ll work on that in the bullpen.”

Sabathia took everything in stride, from Joe Girardi pulling him after 104 pitches (“I know Joe and how he is early in the season. He’s just trying to protect us.”) to Rafael Soriano and David Robertson blowing his four-run lead (“The bullpen is really the strength of our team. Nine times out of 10 they’re going to come in and shut the door.”).

Now Sabathia will look for his first win Sunday night in Boston against the team perceived to be the AL East favorite — the conclusion of the early three-game showdown. The Red Sox are off to a slow start, losing all four of their games.

“I’m looking for it to be fun,” Sabathia said. “It’s always fun. It’s exciting to hook up with those guys. It’s just another big series. You always want to win the games in your division. That’s the first step in winning the division. It starts on Friday night.”

There are still two games to go against Minnesota. Tonight, if the forecasted showers don’t get in the way, Freddy Garcia will make his Yankees regular-season debut, his first chance to show that they made the right choice in naming him the fifth starter over Bartolo Colon.

Rafael Soriano had his first bad game in New York as a Yankee, leading to this 5-4 loss to the Twins in 10, and then compounded it by failing to come into the clubhouse to explain it all to the reporters waiting for him at his locker.

Accountability will be important, possibly in the eyes of his teammates as well. But throwing strikes will be more important, and the closer turned setup man had poor command, walking three, including one with the bases loaded, and giving up a single to help blow the 4-0 lead for CC Sabathia in the eighth.

The four runs allowed matched a career worst for Soriano as a reliever. The three walks matched the most he’d ever given up as a starter or reliever.

Sabathia had thrown 104 pitches in throwing his two-hit shutout through seven. Then Girardi pulled him.

“What’s the point of arguing?” Sabathia said. “He makes the decisions. That’s what I like about Joe.”

So why Soriano in a 4-0 game?

“Soriano is my eighth-inning guy,” the manager said. “By no means is a four-run game in the bag, as we just saw.”

As for the idea that closers don’t have the same intensity in nonsave situations, Girardi said of Soriano, “It’s too early to judge that. That’s something we’ll have to evaluate as we go on.”

If that’s the case, he needs to find his intensity. He won’t be closing here unless Mariano Rivera needs an occasional rest. Soriano signed a three-year, $35 million deal, not that GM Brian Cashman wanted to sign him. But Soriano has an opt-out clause after each year.

It should be pointed out that he was excellent in his first two outings, both scoreless eighths, including in Monday night’s series-opening victory.

It should also be pointed out that the Yankees stopped hitting again after the second inning, picking up two singles in the final eight innings.

In the first two innings of the first two games in the series, they have eight runs and seven hits, including four homers. After that, they have no runs and six hits.

Mark Teixeira, who belted his fourth homer in five games, a three-run shot in the first, didn’t want to make excuses. But he did mention it was hard to feel his hands and feet as the game went on, that it wasn’t good hitting weather.

The windchill was 36 late in the game. Now in the open press box at 12:40 in the morning, the windchill is 33 and you can hear the flags on top of the stadium rippling in the stiff breeze.   

“It was a rough night conditions-wise,” Teixeira said. “Let’s get it out of our system and move on.”

The forecast is for a chance of showers tonight. But if the weather cooperates, it will be Freddy Garcia on the mound in his Yankees debut and ex-Yankee Carl Pavano going for Minnesota.

April 5

Yankees lineup

1. Derek Jeter SS

2. Nick Swisher RF

3. Mark Teixeira 1B

4. Alex Rodriguez 3B

5. Robinson Cano 2B

6. Jorge Posada DH

7. Russell Martin C

8. Andruw Jones LF

9. Curtis Granderson CF

CC Sabathia P

Twins lineup

1. Denard Span CF

2. Tsuyoshi Nishioka 2B

3. Joe Mauer C

4. Delmon Young LF

5. Michael Cuddyer 1B

6. Jason Kubel DH

7. Danny Valencia 3B

8. Jason Repko RF

9. Alexi Casilla SS

Brian Duensing P

Umpires: Brian Gorman (crew chief) HP, Larry Vanover 1B, Tony Randazzo 2B, Dan Bellino 3B

TV/Radio: YES/WCBS 880

Weather: (Hint: I’m wearing my down jacket and I’m still cold) 45 degrees (38 with the windchill), partly cloudy

Twin struggles: The Twins have now lost 12 of their last 14 regular-season games  and 18 of 20 overall to the Yankees, including six straight over the last two postseasons.

Milestones: Alex Rodriguez needs one RBI to pass Rafael Palmeiro (1,835) and tie Ken Griffey Jr. (1,836) for 13th on the all-time list. Jorge Posada needs one hit to tie Phil Rizzuto for 14th on the Yankees’ all-time hits list with 1,588.

Golden moment: Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano and Mark Teixeira all received their 2010 Rawling Gold Glove Awards in a pregame ceremony. The trophies will be on display on the 200 Level, across from the team museum, tomorrow from 5 p.m. through the end of the seventh.

3,000 Watch: Jeter begins the game 72 hits away.

Update, 7:13: Good start for Sabathia, a 1-2-3-4 first with just a walk in there.

Update, 7:20: Homer No. 4 for Mark Teixeira, three-run shot to the left-field seats. The Yankees are picking up where they left off with Brian Duensing in the ALDS.

Update, 7:36: Good job by Sabathia to get out of trouble after two singles with one out in the second.

Update, 7:43: Nice debut for Andruw Jones, solo homer to left here in the second. He’s the 13th Yankee in the expansion era to homer in his first plate appearance for the team.

Update, 8:03: Through three, and it’s 4-0.

Update, 8:10: Sabathia looks in complete control. That’s eight Twins in a row now that he has put down. So it’s 4-0 going to the last of the fourth.

Update, 8:36: Sabathia now has a two-hitter through his first six innings, hard to envision the Twins coming back. Amazing how the Yankees beat them just about every game. But we’ll see what happens.

Update, 8:52: David Robertson is warming with Sabathia at 102 pitches now with two outs in the seventh.

Update, 8:53: If that’s it for tonight for Sabathia, that was quite an impressive show. He retired his last 17 batters. It’s 4-0 heading to the last of the seventh.

Update, 9:01: Rafael Soriano is warming.

Update, 9:08: Soriano will take the eighth.

Update, 9:20: Soriano has walked two, and there’s one out. Robertson and Boone Logan are warming.

Update, 9:21: Single, bases loaded for Tsuyoshi Nishioka.

Update, 9:23: K looking, 92 fastball. Now Joe Mauer.

Update, 9:26: Bad job by Soriano, walking Mauer to force in the run. Robertson is coming in.

Update, 9:32: Well, tie game, bloop three-run double to right by Delmon Young. Never thought this about 10 minutes ago.

Update, 9:40: Mariano for the ninth, tied 4-4.

Update, 9:49: Mariano did his job, 4-4, last of the ninth.

Update, 9:56: Extra innings. Boone Logan on for the 10th. The windchill is down to 36 and the temp to 44 here. Amazing Sabathia is getting his second no-decision.

Update, 9:58: Luis Ayala is warming. Logan is still on his first batter.

Update, 10:02: First and third, no outs against Logan.

Update, 10:04: Mauer RBI single, 5-4. Horrendous night for the pen. Ayala’s turn.

Update, 10:24: Joe Nathan closes it out, fanning Jeter to end it. Yankees fall, 5-4. Terrible loss.

Joe Girardi is going with a slightly different lineup tonight as you might have seen in the previous post. He decided to give Brett Gardner a seat on the bench with lefty Brian Duensing starting for the Twins and insert Andruw Jones in left in his place. Jones will hit eighth. And Derek Jeter, as planned, will bat leadoff against the lefty.

Girardi planned to sit Gardner or Granderson in this game and on Thursday when lefty Francisco Liriano starts the series finale. Gardner was off to just a 2-for-15 start with one walk at the top of the order, although Girardi said he wasn’t displeased with his at-bats in two of the last three games.

With Jones here as the righty-hitting fourth outfielder, Girardi said he will look at a number of different factors as to when to play him and sit Gardner or Granderson, including matchups.

“It’s a feel, but it’s calculated,” Girardi said.

Jones hit just .230 in 107 games last year with the White Sox, although he had 19 homers and 43 RBI. His average against lefties was .256. He said he’s hoping to be more consistent here and hit .270, .280 despite the sporadic use.   

“I think last year I started really hot and went a week without playing and I started not feeling comfortable no more,” Jones said. “The average started dropping. But I think the power is still there. I hit a few home runs. … I think especially when you hit down in the bottom of the lineup, all those guys who get on base in the middle of the lineup, you have to go out there and produce and bring them in.”

Girardi had praise for how Russell Martin has done so far. And he said he wasn’t sure if he would use Joba Chamberlain in tonight’s game after his appearances in three of the first four games.