The LoHud Yankees Blog

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

The Yankees are bringing long reliever Lance Pendleton back to the big leagues. A source indicated this afternoon that Pendleton will be at Yankee Stadium tonight, giving the Yankees another multi-inning reliever.

No word on a corresponding roster move, but my guess would be that Amauri Sanit is involved.

Looks like Donnie Collins is hearing the same thing.

The Yankees managed just one run and four hits in Friday night’s 2-1 loss to the Mets, all off R.A. Dickey, who baffled them with his knuckleball over six innings. But they couldn’t hit Mike O’Connor, Jason Isringhausen and Francisco Rodriguez, either. This was one night after they scored 13 against the Orioles, which was one night after they scored one time in the first 14 innings against Baltimore.

This lineup should be hitting consistently by now, but it hasn’t happened.

“I wish I could explain it,” Derek Jeter said.

The team is batting .224 with runners in scoring position at Yankee Stadium, including .148 in this six-game losing streak at home.

“If you keep putting guys on, eventually it’s going to turn,” Joe Girardi said.

Girardi was asked about possibly tweaking the lineup. Of course, he did that last Saturday, dropping Nick Swisher and Jorge Posada, which led to those repercussions involving Posada.

“The last time I did something, everyone was in an uproar,” Girardi said. “I mean, we just scored (13) runs with that exact same lineup. When you face a knuckleballer, you never know what you’re going to get.”

 The Subway Series crowd was subdued at times.

“When there’ s not a lot of offense, there’s not a lot to cheer about,” Girardi said.

The Yankees will see if they can do better tonight when lefty Chris Capuano starts for the Mets.

The Yankees’ erratic offense was back to struggling again. After scoring 13 runs Thursday night in Baltimore, they managed one run off starter R.A. Dickey in this 2-1 loss to the Mets. The Yankees blamed his hard knuckler.

“That knuckleball was going everywhere, throwing it inside, throwing it outside, up and down,” said Mark Teixeira, who homered in the third but off a Dickey fastball. 

So what’s it really like to try to hit a knuckler?

“It’s been described to me as eating soup with a fork,” Nick Swisher said.

“We really couldn’t tell where it was going.”

It was hard to tell that Dickey had been struggling, having shown up with a 1-5 record and a 5.08 ERA.

The Yankees left seven on base in six innings against Dickey.

Teixeira got caught looking at a knuckler with two on and one out in the fifth. Jose Reyes then robbed Alex Rodriguez with a diving stop on a grounder.

“The play Jose made to end that inning lifted our club up,” Terry Collins said. “I thought it gave our club energy that, ‘Hey we’re still in this game.’ ”

The Yankees couldn’t hit Mike O’Connor, Jason Isringhausen or Francisco Rodriguez, either. Each turned in a 1-2-3 inning. Swisher went down swinging to end the game against K-Rod after fanning in his last two at-bats against Dickey.

“You face somebody throwing 93, 94 after a knuckleballer all game, it kind of feels like 105 miles an hour,” Swisher said.

They ended up wasting a nice start from Freddy Garcia, who gave up the two runs and five hits over seven. Daniel Murphy hit a splitter to the right-field seats for the tiebreaking homer in the sixth.

“I thought it was a good pitch,” Garcia said. “He hit it with one hand. … The ballpark plays really small, but that’s part of the game.”

The Yankees have lost six straight at home for the first time since they dropped eight straight in 2003.

Game two Saturday night features A.J. Burnett and Chris Capuano as the starters.

Yankees lineup

1. Derek Jeter SS

2. Curtis Granderson CF

3. Mark Teixeira 1B

4. Alex Rodriguez 3B

5. Robinson Cano 2B

6. Russell Martin C

7. Jorge Posada DH

8. Nick Swisher RF

9. Brett Gardner LF

Freddy Garcia P

Mets lineup

1. Jose Reyes SS

2. Daniel Murphy 1B

3. Carlos Beltran RF

4. Jason Bay LF

5. Fernando Martinez DH

6. Justin Turner 3B

7. Josh Thole C

8. Jason Pridie CF

9. Ruben Tejada 2B

R.A. Dickey P

Time/TV: 7:08, MY9

Umpires: Tim Timmons HP, Jeff Kellogg 1B, Eric Cooper 2B, Mark Carlson 3B

Weather: 62 degrees, mostly cloudy

Battering the Mets: Derek Jeter is No. 2 all time with a .380 average (117 for 308) against the Mets for players with at least 150 plate appearances. 

Interleague champs: The Yankees begin this latest round of interleague play with the most wins (144) and best winning percentage (.585) in AL vs. NL play.

Bad home cooking: The Yankees have lost five straight at home. They have dropped six straight at home just once since 1990. That came when they lost eight in a row in 2003.

Update, 7:13: Good start for Garcia, just one walk in the first. Garcia was released by the Mets’ organization after just two Triple-A starts two years ago when he was on the way back from shoulder surgery.

Update, 7:20: 1-2-3 first for Dickey. Be interesting to see how the Yankees do against the knuckleball after erupting for 13 runs last night.

Update, 7:24: What was up with that? Robinson Cano threw way wide of first trying to double up Justin Turner. E-4. Turner on second with two outs.

Update, 7:36: Bases loaded, two outs for Gardner here in the second.

Update, 7:39: A-Rod leads off with a double and doesn’t score. Gardner bounces to third.

Update, 7:51: Teixeira just snuck one into the right-field seats in the third, No. 11, his second in two nights. It’s 1-0.

Update, 8:00: Justin Turner is looking like a find for the Mets. He has been very productive lately. Now comes this RBI double in the fourth, and we’re tied.

Update, 8:11: Swisher goes down swinging with one on to end the fourth. The Yankees are 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position.

Update, 8:17: Garcia is on, one run and three hits allowed through his first five innings.

Update, 8:31: The Yankees are struggling in the RISP department vs. Dickey. The first two guys get on in the fifth and then the next three go down. Five complete, 1-1.

Update, 8:34: Daniel Murphy unties it, going down and getting a low pitch and sending it to the right-field seats to open the sixth.

Update, 8:46: Swisher just missed that Turner ground-rule double with a dive near the right-field line. So it’s second and third with two outs. Boone Logan is warming.

Update, 8:48: Thole, having an underwhelming season, grounds to first to end the threat.

Update, 9:00: Russell Martin is stranded at second after a one-out double in the sixth. Somehow I find it hard to blame the Yankees in this game with Dickey’s knuckleball floating well.

Update, 9:07: Good job again by Garcia, two runs, five hits through seven. I believe he’s around 95 pitches.

Update, 9:08: The Yankees can celebrate. Dickey is out of the game. Lefty Mike O’Connor is coming on.

Update, 9:11: Joba is warming up.

Update, 9:19: O’Connor was just as effective as Dickey, 1-2-3 seventh. Garcia is done, Joba is in.

Update, 9:27: Bottom of the eighth now, still 2-1. Jason Isringhausen is coming on in his usual role. If it gets to the bottom of the ninth this way, K-Rod has been invincible since blowing his first save of the season, although he usually makes it an adventure.

Update, 9:34: 1-2-3 for Izzy. K-Rod is warming for the ninth. David Robertson is on for the Yankees.

Update, 9:47: Bottom of the ninth, K-Rod will try to close it out.

Update, 9:56: 1-2-3, Mets win, 2-1.

Greetings, Brian Heyman here for the Subway Series. The tarp is on the field right now, but players have been running and throwing in the outfield. It isn’t raining at the moment.

Alex Rodriguez didn’t get his hip examined today. Joe Girardi said the appointment was cancelled because the Yankees have been putting in a lot of late nights lately and because A-Rod has been feeling fine. He wasn’t sure when he would be examined.

Nick Swisher delivered his first hit with two outs and runners in scoring position, Thursday night in Baltimore, going the other way with a three-run double to left. He drove in four in all. Swisher said he looked at video with Kevin Long and discovered he had been moving a lot while in the batter’s box. Girardi hopes that big hit is the beginning of something for his slow-starting right fielder.

“His right-handed at-bats have been really good all year long,” Girardi said. “Left-handed it’s been a struggle. This might be the thing that gets him going.”

Chris Dickerson sat for a computerized exam for 15-20 minutes in Gene Monahan’s office, testing his memory, shape recognition, reaction time, etc., all thanks to that beaning Wednesday night. Dickerson indicated the test would’ve been difficult for someone without a mild concussion. But he said, “I’m sure I did fine.” He doesn’t expect to have to go on the 7-day DL for concussions. He had a headache this morning but said that’s gone.

“Other than that, I feel fine,” Dickerson said. “My energy is back.”     

Phil Hughes is scheduled to meet tonight with team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad. Hughes will be examined and then the next steps in his throwing program will be determined. Hughes has just been playing catch, the last time from 90-100 feet. He’s hoping to be allowed on a mound this coming week. Hughes said he has been having no problems.

Pedro Feliciano is trying to come back this season and avoid surgery on his shoulder. He said he’s sore but coming along well, “getting strong.” He hopes to throw early in June to see where he’s at.  He had been looking forward to pitching in this Subway Series. “Maybe in the second one, hopefully I’ll be healthy and I’ll pitch again,” he said.

Eric Chavez said he’s been feeling good walking around on that foot that was badly bruised. He hopes to have more of an idea on a timetable in the middle of next week.

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

Tonight
RHP Freddy Garcia (2-3, 3.22)
vs.
RHP R.A. Dickey (1-5, 5.08)
7:05 p.m., My9 / MLB Network

Saturday
RHP A.J. Burnett (4-3, 3.99)
vs.
LHP Chris Capuano (3-4, 4.78)
7:10 p.m., FOX

Sunday
RHP Ivan Nova (4-3, 4.33)
vs.
RHP Mike Pelfrey (3-3, 5.11)
1:05 p.m., YES Network / TBS

With the Subway Series beginning tonight, I exchanged questions and answers with Howard Megdal of the LoHud Mets Blog. He asked me about the Yankees and I asked him about the Mets, trying to get some feel for each team heading into tonight’s opener.

For the Mets…

Q: The Mets are playing without David Wright and Ike Davis. Having a DH will let them use Fernando Martinez, but is that enough to make this a dangerous lineup?

Howard: Well, yes and no. Keep in mind that both Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes have been remarkably productive so far this year. And Justin Turner has 10 RBI in the past five games. So if Jason Bay’s strong Thursday was anything like a breakthrough, they should have no problem scoring runs this weekend. But long term, If Bay and Davis are out for long periods of time? Color me skeptical that Turner continues at a Hack Wilson pace.

Q: Last year R.A. Dickey seemed to take a significant step and become a viable big league starter. Was that a one-year-only experience? What’s not working for him this year?

Howard: So far, everything. He’s lost confidence in the knuckleball several times this season, to the point that he’s gone away completely from the pitch, mid-game, that he threw overwhelmingly last season. If Dickey isn’t throwing his knuckleball for strikes- and his low walk rate while throwing the pitch last season was the source of his success- it hurts his effectiveness. But if he stops throwing the knuckleball generally, he doesn’t have big league stuff. That cannot be an option for him.

Q: The Yankees defense has stumbled lately, and the Mets have enough speed to be aggressive. Could they use their speed to force the issue and make the Yankees sink or swim with their defense?

Howard: They can to an extent, though keep in mind that other than Reyes, the Mets are missing their two best base stealers in Wright and Angel Pagan right now. Jason Bay has been known to sneak a steal here and there. Carlos Beltran doesn’t have a stolen base this season. His stolen bases are in the same place Alex Rodriguez’s are at this point- in the past.

Q: Obviously the Mets rotation is a bit of a mess and their lineup is missing two key pieces, but the bullpen actually seems fairly reliable. Are the first five or six innings the key to this series?

Howard: Consider that the Mets have had a lockdown bullpen since April 16, and are scoring runs at a reasonably decent clip (at seventh in the NL entering Thursday, but fourth as recently as Tuesday). The starting rotation didn’t have a pitcher with an ERA+ over 84 entering Thursday, though Dillon Gee, of all people, broke through that dubious barrier with his shutout Thursday. It’s not just the key to the series, for the Mets — assuming they get Davis, Wright and Pagan back reasonably soon — it is the key to the whole season.

Q: Will Jose Reyes still be with the Mets on August 1? On June 1?

Howard: Well, you know, besides this. On June 1, yes. On August 1, I just don’t think they’ll have the financial flexibility to do it. I think the idea that Sandy Alderson somehow doesn’t know the value of Reyes because he doesn’t walk as much as Rickey Henderson is ludicrous. Alderson knows that a shortstop hitting as well as any in baseball, about to turn 28, is immensely valuable. It is simply the poor fortune of Mets fans that Reyes is hitting free agency this year, rather than 2012 or 2013, when the team is likely to have a lot more financial clarity.

For the Yankees…

Q: Curtis Granderson, after a career of remarkable futility against lefties, has a 1.176 OPS against them this season, with seven home runs in 40 at-bats. Has he figured something out, do you think, or is this just a small sample size issue?

Chad: He started to figure something out late last season when he and hitting coach Kevin Long made a series of mechanical changes to his swing. At this point, I think the sample size is large enough to suggest a legitimate change, not a mere coincidence. He hasn’t been hitting these home runs off junkball lefties, either. In the past week he’s taken David Price and Jon Lester deep.

Q: What exactly is wrong with Phil Hughes, and what can the Yankees expect from him this season?

Chad: Right now the Yankees are hoping the whole saga can be explained by a bit of inflammation (and possibly last year’s workload). The Yankees seem to be hoping for a mid-June return. He’s in the early stages of a throwing program right now and still needs to get off a mound and into a few rehab appearances before being activated. At this point, it’s too early to know whether the time off has actually done any good.

Q: How much patience will the Yankees show with Nick Swisher?

Chad: Quite a bit, I think. He’s hit lefties pretty well, but right-handers have been a disaster for him. Last season was too much of a step forward to ignore, and the Yankees don’t have a everyday-type outfielder in the upper levels of their minor league system. Andruw Jones and Chris Dickerson can get some platoon-type at-bats, but ultimately the Yankees need Swisher to get going. Even if his average doesn’t reach last year’s level, his patience and power should make him an impact hitter.

Q: Will the Yankees promote any of the Killer Bs this season if there’s a need at the major league level? How about David Phelps?

Chad: Right now the rotation is actually a strength. Andrew Brackman has struggled in Triple-A, while Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances are still in Double-A and almost certainly won’t skip a level. One or more could step into a big league role much later this season, but it’s hard to see them playing a significant role in the near future. David Phelps and D.J. Mitchell — and even Carlos Silva — seem like more likely options right now.

Q: Bigger problem for the Yankees: rotation issues, or the relative strength of the division?

Chad: Strength of the division, no doubt. The rotation has held it together, and if things start to fall apart now, the Yankees will have Phil Hughes working his way back, plus a Triple-A rotation full of talented young pitchers who now have enough experience to play a big league role if necessary. The rotation might not be able to keep this pace all season, but the Rays and Red Sox are still a greater concern.

Associated Press photos

Maybe I’m wrong, but I think the Subway Series is different in the city than in the clubhouse. For New York fans, it’s a big deal. For the Yankees and Mets, it’s an interleague series that certainly means less than last weekend’s series against the Red Sox. I think the players get a little bit caught up in the Boston rivalry, but certainly not every player gets too wrapped up in Yankees-Mets.

“You’re supposed to feel something different?” tonight’s starter, Freddy Garcia, said. “I don’t know. It’s another game, man. Maybe the fans, but I think the players, they just go out there and try to do their job. I see it that way. I know it’s the Subway Series, but that’s the game.”

Joe Girardi said he sees it a little differently.

“I think they feel it to a certain extent,” Girardi said. “You’ve got to walk around the city. You’ve got to walk around places, and you don’t want to hear someone ribbing you, that’s for sure.”

—

Speaking of the Subway Series in the city, Delta Airlines — a fine company that would make me very happy with a first-class upgrade for my Seattle flight next week — is hosting the Delta Dugout this weekend at Madison Square Park. Mark Teixeira and David Wright are scheduled to be there today at noon. Here are the other details from the Delta PR team.

The three-day fan experience includes player appearances by current and former Yankees players, live game viewing, a special music performance from Yankees legend Bernie Williams and silent auctions featuring signed Yankees memorabilia benefitting Harlem RBI, in association with Mark Teixeira. It will also offer an array of games for baseball enthusiasts, including batting cages and fast pitch competitions, as well as a photo booth, special Delta games and Yankees ticket package giveaways throughout the weekend. Fans will also enjoy ballpark-style concessions and specialty food and beverages, including a special “Delta Dugout hotdog” featured at the Shake Shack throughout the weekend.

Friday, May 20, 11 am – 10 pm, Opening Day
• 11 am – 7 pm: Gaming Village and Delta Sky360 Lounge: Batting Cages, Fast Pitch, Custom Photo Booth, Delta Destination Challenge, Plane-Ko, Silent Auction, Kids Corner, Dugout Trivia, Specialty Concessions, Giveaways
• 7 pm: Live Viewing of Yankees-Mets series opener with great giveaways, including travel packages from Delta, baseball gear and tickets to future Mets and Yankees games

Saturday, May 21, 11 am – 10 pm
• Noon: Home Run Derby Challenge with Josh Thole & Fast Pitch Challenge with Joba Chamberlain
• 11 am-6pm: Gaming Village and Delta Sky360 Lounge: Batting Cages, Fast Pitch, Custom Photo Booth, Delta Destination Challenge, Plane-Ko, Silent Auction, Kids Corner, Dugout Trivia, Specialty Concessions, Giveaways
• 3 pm: Mr. Met Meet & Greet
• 5:15 pm: Bernie Williams Special Pre-game Concert
• 7 pm: Live Viewing of Yankees-Mets series, game two, with great giveaways, including travel packages from Delta, baseball gear and tickets to future Mets and Yankees games

Sunday, May 22, 10am-4pm
• 11 am: The 3rd Annual Fan Flair Challenge at the Delta Dugout with phenomenal giveaways to the “most spirited” outfitted Mets and Yankees fan including game tickets, baseball gear and more!
• 10 am – 4 pm: Gaming Village and Delta Sky360 Lounge: Batting Cages, Fast Pitch, Custom Photo Booth, Delta Destination Challenge, Plane-Ko, Silent Auction, Kids Corner, Dugout Trivia, Specialty Concessions, Giveaways
• 1 pm: Live Viewing of Yankees-Mets series finale, with great giveaways, including travel packages from Delta, baseball gear and tickets to future Mets and Yankees games

Associated Press photo