The LoHud Yankees Blog

This weekend was a perfect snapshot of why the Yankees had such a difficult decision to make, and why they finally made the done they did.

Ivan Nova was good on Friday. Without his best stuff, Nova allowed one run through five innings. He would have gone out for a sixth, but the Yankees chose to pinch hit for him in an attempt to break the game open.

Nova was good on Friday, but Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia were better on Saturday and Sunday. Colon pitched six scoreless yesterday, Garcia allowed one run through seven innings today, and tonight the Yankees will fly to Cleveland while Nova prepares for a return to Triple-A.

“It’s good to have the hard choice, but it was a tough one,” pitching coach Larry Rothschild said. “He’s grown into being a starting pitcher in the major leagues, and he was learning on the job. He was doing well with it and had progressed, but this should be a bump in the road for him if he keeps going and progresses like he should. Good players get through stuff like this, so hopefully that’s what he does.”

Rothschild said the Yankees talked about several options, but Joe Girardi said it ultimately came down to either a six-man rotation or optioning Nova to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The six-man rotation always seemed a little too far out of the box. The Yankees briefly discussed Nova in the bullpen, but they worried it would hurt his development.

“In a lot of other places he wouldn’t be out of the rotation, but because guys are throwing so well, it just happens,” Girardi said. “He’s not the first guy that has thrown the ball extremely well and has had to go down… Going into spring training would you have said we had an excess of starting pitching? I probably would have said no, but the guys have thrown great. This kid, he’ll be back at some point. We know that.”

All around the Yankees clubhouse, the team seemed to feel badly for Nova. But they also seemed to understand the situation. Every option came with its positives and negatives, but the Yankees wanted to get Phil Hughes back, they wanted to keep all of their veterans in the rotation, and they wanted to keep Nova on an every-five-days schedule.

“It sucks the moves that correspond with it,” Hughes said. “I feel bad for Nova, but I’m real excited to get back. I’m ready, and I feel up for it.”

Here’s Girardi.

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• A lot going on today, huh? The rotation decision, the all-star announcements, the blown save by Mariano Rivera, the errors by Ramiro Pena and finally the Yankees first loss in a week. “When you have two outs in the ninth inning and (Rivera)’s on the mound, you feel pretty good about your chances,” Brett Gardner said. “Things just didn’t work out our way today. We’ve been playing really good baseball. We let one get away from us today, but we can’t let what happened in the ninth inning with two outs change the way we feel about ourselves the last couple of weeks.”

• About Rivera: Russell Martin said it was simply a nice job of hitting by Lucas Duda and Ronny Paulino. He thought those pitches were good, but the Mets did just enough with them. Of course, it started with the Jason Bay walk. “Bay has had some success off of Mo,” Girardi said. “He was going to be somewhat careful and not just throw one down the middle. He missed his spots a little bit and ended up walking him.”

• About Pena: Three errors in Cincinnati last week, then two errors in two innings today. Very strange for a player as good defensively as Pena. I wasn’t in the group when Pena talked, but the consensus seemed to be that Pena was simply trying to get himself in position when the ground ball went through his legs, and the second error was a ball that took a hop and hit the heel of his glove. That one should have ended the 10th inning before Bay had a chance at a game-winner.

• One late-inning bright spot: Gardner’s throw. Outfielders are always taught to never give up on a ground ball that looks like it’s going to be caught, but Martin said he was impressed that Gardner actually stuck with that ball. A lot of outfielders would have quit on the play when it looked like Pena had it. “Just a case of not giving up on it,” Gardner said. “Backing him up in case something happens, and sure enough something did happen. I knew I had plenty of time.”

• Another late-inning bright spot: Boone Logan. The Yankees only lefty has been much better lately, and this time he should have gotten two key outs in the 10th inning. He would have gotten out of the inning — including a Carlos Beltran strikeout — if not for the second Pena error.

• Rivera had converted 26 consecutive saves against the National League, including two in the World Series. It was tied for the second-longest streak of interleague saves (Troy Percival also had 26, Eric Gagne had 29)

• The Yankees were told today’s game was likely to start at 4 p.m., but just before 2, they were told to be ready by 2:30. That didn’t give Garcia enough time to warmup — which tells you something about what he might be like in the bullpen — and that’s why he was just walking out of the bullpen when R.A. Dickey was getting ready to throw his first pitch. “I went to the umpires and I went to Terry Collins and said, ‘Our guy needs more time,’” Girardi said. “‘I don’t know what to tell you but he needs more time. He’s not going to be ready by 2:30.’ And they pushed it back a little bit.”

• Robinson Cano, by the way, seemed especially upset at the sudden game time announcement. The Yankees didn’t take batting practice today, and Cano felt they didn’t have time to get ready. “You could see how it went the first three innings,” he said.

• When Russell Martin was called out between second and third, Girardi argued that he was never tagged. The third-base umpire thought he was tagged, and when he asked the second-base umpire, the second-base ump said Martin was out of the baseline.

• Regardless of Jeter’s return, Girardi is hopeful that Eduardo Nunez will be available tomorrow. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow and we’ll make a decision,” Girardi said. For whatever it’s worth, Nunez thought he could have played today.

• Mark Teixeira on the Home Run Derby: “I’d been texting with David (Ortiz) a little bit. I told him if I was on the team we’d talk, but if I’m not on the team, I’m not going to go to the Home Run Derby. It’s just too long of a trip and I’m going to spend those days with my family.”

• Would Curtis Granderson want to take that spot? “If no one else is left and I’m the last one left, then I’ll do it,” Granderson said.

• CC Sabathia wasn’t upset at not making the all-star team. “Not at all,” he said. “I wasn’t going to pitch anyway.” Sabathia said, since he won’t be able to pitch, he won’t go as a replacement player.

• Obviously the Yankees were rooting for Dave Robertson to make the team, and they’re still hoping he can find a way to get on the roster. “He’s definitely pitched like an all-star,” Martin said. “He’s the guy I want on the team. I think he can get anybody out.”

• As I’m posting this, Jeter is 0-for-1 with a walk, strikeout and throwing error. The important thing seems to be that the weather is letting him play, which seems to keep him on track to play tomorrow. Always nice when the minor league teams have special uniforms when a big-name guy is on a rehab assignment. I once watched Cole Hamels pitch wearing a pink t-shirt for Mothers’ Day. Literally, the uniforms for the day were pink t-shirts with numbers that were falling off some guys’ backs. Hilarious.

Associated Press photos

A few very quick postgame notes. I’ll have more later.

• As expected, Phil Hughes will start Wednesday in Cleveland. He’s moving directly into Ivan Nova’s rotation spot. He’ll throw an extra bullpen tomorrow to get ready.

• The Yankees discussed several options, but Joe Girardi said the decision ultimately came down to either using a six-man rotation or optioning Nova to Triple-A. “I thought he handled it like a man and a professional,” Girardi said. “And I think he’ll go about it the right way.”

• Mark Teixeira said he doesn’t want to participate in the home run derby if he’s not on the all-star team. It wasn’t a snobbish thing, he just feels like an all-star should be in the derby. He said he wasn’t surprised that he missed the cut. “Probably the three best players in baseball play first base in the American League,” he said. He’s hoping Paul Konerko gets on the team.

• Freddy Garcia made that late walk out of the bullpen because the Yankees found out a little before 2 p.m. that the game was going to start at 2:30. Until that point, the Yankees heard it would be a 4 p.m. first pitch. Garcia didn’t have time to go through his usual warmup routine, but Girardi talked to the umpires and basically Garcia was told to take his time and get himself ready.

• Derek Jeter should be just about to start his Double-A rehab game. The plan is still to have him with the team in Cleveland tomorrow.

Freddy Garcia gave the Yankees seven strong innings, and an eight-inning sacrifice fly gave them a late lead, but Mariano Rivera blew the save in the ninth and Ramiro Pena’s error cost them in the 10th. The Mets walked off with a 3-2 win in the Subway Series finale. One out away from a one-run win, Rivera walked a batter, gave up a single and coughed up the tying run on Ronny Paulino’s pinch hit single to right. Brett Gardner’s throw to the plate kept the Mets from winning it a batter later, but in the 10th, Pena made his second error in as many innings, opening the door for Jason Bay’s walk-off single.

Associated Press photo

YANKEES (50-31)
Brett Gardner LF
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Russell Martin C
Ramiro Pena SS
Freddy Garcia RHP

RHP Freddy Garcia (7-6, 3.28)
Garcia vs. Mets

METS (41-42)
Angel Pagan CF
Justin Turner 2B
Carlos Beltran RF
Daniel Murphy 3B
Jason Bay LF
Lucas Duda 1B
Josh Thole C
Ruben Tejada SS
R.A. Dickey RHP

RHP R.A. Dickey (4-7, 3.77)
Dickey vs. Yankees

TIME/TV: 1:10 p.m., YES Network and TBS

WEATHER: Rainy. We could be here for a while today.

UMPIRES: HP Bob Davidson, 1B Ted Barrett, 2B Jerry Layne, 3B Brian Knight

JETER DID IT TOO: According to Elias, Eduardo Nunez is the fourth Yankees rookie shortstop to have at least three hits in back-to-back games in the expansion era. Frank Bauer did it in 1970, Andy Stankiewicz did it in 1992 and — yes — Derek Jeter did it in 1996… The last Yankees shortstop other than Jeter to have four hits in a game was Luis Sojo in 1998.

THE GM TURNS 44: Today is Brian Cashman’s 44th birthday.

ON THIS DATE: On July 3, 1922, Bob Meusel hit for the cycle for the second time in his career. He remains the only Yankee to hit for the cycle three times in pinstripes.

UPDATE, 2:36 p.m.: Never saw this before, Dickey was ready to throw his first pitch, but Freddy Garcia, Russell Martin and Larry Rothschild had just walked out of the bullpen and were still making their way across the outfield. Everything was suddenly put on hold while the Yankees starter walked to the dugout.

UPDATE, 2:51 p.m.: Two-out double, two-out single, and the Mets are on the board with a 1-0 lead in the first.

UPDATE, 3:13 p.m.: Fear the knuckleball! Yankees are hitless through three innings. Mets still leading 1-0.

UPDATE, 3:16 p.m.: Good pitch to Dickey, but he managed to get just enough bat on it to slap a single up the middle.

UPDATE, 3:35 p.m.: Yankees finally got a base runner in the fourth. Granderson walked and stole second, but he was left stranded and the Yankees were left with this 1-0 hole.

UPDATE, 3:42 p.m.: Garcia gets a double play and is through the fourth inning, still 1-0 Mets.

UPDATE, 3:49 p.m.: Double by Cano. RBI single by Swisher. The Yankees are on the board in the same way the Mets got on the board. It’s 1-1 in the top of the fifth. Still no outs and Swisher at first.

UPDATE, 4:06 p.m.: After taking the lead, the Yankees stranded the bases loaded in the top of the fifth. Garcia responded with a lightning quick bottom of the fifth, and now the Yankees are into the Mets bullpen in the sixth. Dickey is out after five innings and 85 pitches.

UPDATE, 4:31 p.m.: Turns out Dickey came out with an injury after slipping in the fourth inning.

By the way, that Martin play is pretty much the Reyes play all over again. Hard to tell even on replay whether the glove got him.

UPDATE, 4:39 p.m.: Garcia is through seven innings, allowing one run on six hits and no walks. Yankees need some runs.

UPDATE, 4:44 p.m.: Gardner was hitless in his past 13 at-bats before that triple into the right-field corner. I’ve said it before, I really love watching elite speed in the game of baseball. Whether it’s a play in the outfield or a guy running the bases, speedy players are just fun to watch in this game.

UPDATE, 5:17 p.m.: Sac fly gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead, Robertson stranded two runners in a scoreless eighth and now it’s up to Rivera to get the save and finish the sweep.

UPDATE, 5:31 p.m.: Mariano Rivera had converted 26 straight save opportunities against the National League before allowing a two-out, game-tying rally this afternoon. Ramiro Pena nearly cost the Yankees with an error, but Brett Gardner fielded the ball behind him and threw a strike to home plate to get the potential winning run out. Tied at 2 heading into the 10th.

UPDATE, 5:39 p.m.: The Mets are intentionally walking pinch hitter Jorge Posada to face all-star Russell Martin. Cano’s triple has given them a chance to jump back into the lead.

UPDATE, 6:01 p.m.: Impressive job by Boone Logan, but Pena’s second error in the past two innings has loaded the bases with two outs in the 10th. Here’s Noesi to try to get the final out of the inning and keep this thing going.

A.J. Burnett will start tomorrow. Ivan Nova has been optioned to Triple-A. No official word on Phil Hughes, but logic dictates that he’ll start in Nova’s place on Wednesday.

The Yankees seem to have made their rotation decision, at least for the time being.

“It’s really hard to find anything that any of them have not done well,” Joe Girardi said.

Hughes packed for Cleveland and prepared for Scranton. He did his usual between-starts work this weekend — a regular bullpen on Friday, light bullpen Saturday — and would be ready to start tomorrow. Nova threw a bullpen today, so he was on schedule to start Wednesday.

The Yankees announced the Nova decision just a few minutes ago, long after Girardi met with the media and said no decision had been made. He said the Yankees were going to have a decision by the end of the day, but they wanted to wait as long as possible, just in case the decision was made for them. It’s hard to say right now whether this is a long-term situation, or if this is simply a decision to get the Yankees through the all-star break.

“I don’t think it’s possible to make a wrong decision,” Girardi said. “It’s just a tough decision. There’s human being involved here that you have to talk about emotionally and physically and how they’re doing. We’re in no need to rush to make a decision.”

• The tarp is still on the field. No word on when this game might start.

• Rain is also in the forecast for Trenton, where Derek Jeter is supposed to play another rehab game tonight. If he’s rained out, would Jeter still be able to join the Yankees tomorrow? “I don’t have an answer for that,” Girardi said.

• Eduardo Nunez said his tight right hamstring feels much better today. He was hoping to play. “I feel sad,” he said. “I don’t play today, and I can play.”

• No tests are planned for Nunez. He felt the tightness on his second double yesterday and stayed in the game.

• Bartolo Colon told Girardi that he feels normal today. Feels like a regular day after a start. No added soreness coming back from the injury.

• Girardi said he wouldn’t significantly alter Jeter’s playing time because of the calf injury. “When a guy comes back healthy, he’s supposed to be healthy,” Girardi said. Girardi also said he would have no problem with Jeter playing in the all-star game.

UPDATE, 1:14 p.m.: Russell Martin and Mariano Rivera were voted onto the all-star team by the players. Ron Washington’s choices were Michael Cuddyer, Matt Wieters, Gio Gonzalez, David Price, C.J. Wilson, Aaron Crow and Jose Valverde.

Price, Wilson and Valverde were his only choices from teams that already had a representative.

METS
Angel Pagan CF
Justin Turner 2B
Carlos Beltran RF
Daniel Murphy 3B
Jason Bay LF
Lucas Duda 1B
Josh Thole C
Ruben Tejada SS
R.A. Dickey RHP

Associated Press photos

Looks like the Yankees made their rotation decision.

Ivan Nova has been optioned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to open a roster spot for Lance Pendleton.

My guess would be that Phil Hughes will start Wednesday. Obviously Pendleton is here to give to the Yankees an extra long man.

Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez and Curtis Granderson have been named all-star game starters.

Alex Avila moved ahead of Russell Martin in fan voting, so Martin won’t be in the starting lineup.

Still waiting for reserves and pitchers.

UPDATE, 12:13 p.m.: Mariano Rivera has been named an all-star.

UPDATE, 12:15 p.m.: CC Sabathia was not named to the team. Looks like Dave Robertson did not make it either.

UPDATE, 12:18 p.m.: Russell Martin is on the team as a reserve.

Still no word on a move, but it looks like Lance Pendleton will be active. Pendleton said he’s not sure what the move is. The Yankees told him to go to the big leagues and he said OK, no questions asked.

Brett Gardner LF
Curtis Ganderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Russell Martin C
Ramiro Pena SS
Freddy Garcia RHP

Not sure why, but Lance Pendleton just walked in the Yankees clubhouse. No word on a move.

Derek Jeter is expected to be back tomorrow, and for today, Eduardo Nunez is out with a tight hamstring.

Joe Girardi said Nunez played through it yesterday, but he won’t play today. Ramiro Pena will be at shortstop. Otherwise, no lineup just yet.

“I’m waiting on some guys to come in,” Girardi said.

While you’re waiting for today’s Subway Series finale, be sure to read Ben Shpigel’s case for Dave Robertson to make the all-star team. Good stuff.