Pregame notes: “It is a little tricky, but it doesn’t hurt”
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Notes, Podcast on Aug 05, 2011 
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Ivan Nova went running through Boston with strength coach Dana Cavalea today. He wasn’t sure of the exact route, but at one point he was running along the river and over a bridge. For whatever reason, Nova seemed to enjoy telling that story. Mostly, he’s just happy he’s still with the team.
Until he’s told otherwise, Nova is going through his usual routine, preparing as if he’s going to start in five days. That seems at least vaguely possible, because his fifth day would be Tuesday, and Phil Hughes won’t be able to start that day if the Yankees use him out of the bullpen this weekend.
“We’ll decide if we plug in Nova another day or what we decide to do,” Joe Girardi said. “Our focus right now is to make sure we get through these three days and that we have enough pitching… (Hughes would be available) if we needed some distance out of a guy and we had used the other guys and our bullpen was a little light, Sunday would be his fifth day.”
It’s a bit of a strange situation, because the Yankees don’t want to give CC Sabathia too much extra rest, but they like the idea of giving Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia a few extra days. Girardi said it’s hypothetically possible that the Yankees could skip one of those starters entirely one turn through the rotation, giving them “a mini All-Star break.” Nova could help make that possible.
“It is a little tricky, but it doesn’t hurt every once in a while for those guys to have an extra day,” Girardi said. “At this time of the season with the innings that they’ve logged, it doesn’t hurt. Bart’s been in uncharted water if you look at the last five years and Freddy is on pace to blow by what he’s thrown at any point in the last five years. We just want to make sure that our pitchers are staying strong and that they’re healthy.”
The Yankees are hesitant to move Nova into the bullpen because he’s never pitched in that role, and also because they want him as a starter. There’s value, Girardi said, in having a guy like Nova waiting as a sixth starter.
“The concern about not having someone built up that has experience in Triple-A is the one thing you always worry about,” Girardi said. “Hypothetically, let’s say you send Nova to the bullpen and you lose his ability to be a starter and give you 100 pitches. What if somebody goes down or you need a spot start? Then you’re talking about calling up someone that has no experience. As close as our race is, every game is extremely important.”
Basically, it’s still up in the air, but Nova gives the Yankees options, and they like that. What’s next is still unclear, but right now, Nova’s not going anywhere.
Here’s Girardi’s pregame press conference.
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• Girardi wanted to maximize his right-handed hitters against Jon Lester, that’s why Jorge Posada is in there and Brett Gardner is not. Lester has allowed a .205/.268/.274 slash line against lefties and a .240/.322/.415 against righties. “I just thought, I’m going with my right-handers,” Girardi said. “Jorge had good at-bats off of Lester last time we faced him – a couple of knocks – and that’s what I’m doing.”
• It was actually Lester’s start against the Yankees in June that Girardi’s thinking of — Posada went 3-for-3 filling in for Mark Teixeira — but the point still stands. Posada was out of the lineup the last time the Yankees faced Lester. Andruw Jones homered off Lester that day. Gardner went 0-for-4 that day.
• There’s also this regarding the decision to sit Gardner: “We had talked about giving him maybe a day at some point during this 10-day stretch,” Girardi said. “He played both games of the doubleheader in the field and he’s been running all over the place. With what Jorge’s done off of Lester, I thought today was a pretty good day to do it.”
• Girardi said there’s nothing new about Alex Rodriguez. The intensity of his workouts increased today, but there’s still no scheduled day for him to begin batting practice or to go on a rehab assignment. “I think you have to start see him start to take BP and run the bases and then you have a much better idea,” Girardi said.
• One more quick note on Nova, who impressed everyone with his slider last night: “I wasn’t throwing it too much here because I don’t really have the confidence to throw it,” he said. “Once I got sent down, I think it was the right moment to start working on it, and I work hard on my slider down there in Triple-A and I’ve got the confidence. The first time that I pitched in Triple-A I struck out 10 guys too, mostly with the slider. You have more confidence in that pitch, and situations that you have to use it, you have to use it. Especially days like yesterday, they can’t hit it, so I don’t see why I’ve got to go to other pitches if they can’t hit my slider.”
• Yankees Low-A starter Steve Evarts has been suspended 50 games after testing positive for a performance enhancing substance. I’m not sure I’d ever heard the name until today. He had a 5.65 ERA in seven starts for Charleston. He’s a lefty originally drafted by the Braves and signed by the Yankees in December.
RED SOX
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Adrian Gonzalez 1B
Kevin Youkilis 3B
David Ortiz DH
Carl Crawford LF
Jarrod Saltalamacchia C
Josh Reddick RF
Marco Scutaro SS
Associated Press photos
Betsy August 5th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
Hughes to the pen tells you that it’s Nova who is staying in the rotation……..
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It’s just for one weekend. The decision is not binding…or is it?
Hughes is available in the pen on his throw day, Andy Pettitte/Wang/Mussina have all done that before.
Bret, it’s an awful decision IMO. I have no idea what Phil can or can not, will or will not bring to the table this year, but if they want to find out, they need to let him start. I fully expect him to pitch in Fenway because when isn’t there an emergency? This “they want to keep Nova as a starter” stuff is silly – there’s no reason he couldn’t pitch out of the pen in an emergency. I’m not saying he should, though. I’m just saying that either Phil IS or is not a starter. Let someone else pitch those emergency innings. I do think it tells you that their priority is Nova and his development …….which is fine.
luis August 5th, 2011 at 6:31 pm
Fantasygame101,
Let me expand on the issue…..I always liked AJ, i think he tries his best everytime out, he is a very good teammate, but deep down i think he doesn’t have the ability to become the starter everyone envisioned him to be….Maybe you are right and he has exchange velocity for control or his stuff is diminished and he can’t get away from mistakes like he used to….But in any case you are right it’s frustrating to say the least.
Nova can’t pitch out of the bullpen because its not his throw day.
That’s not exactly what Chad wrote and what Joe said. If it was just Phil being on his throw day, he’d pitch an inning and still be available for his next start. Joe said that Phil would be able to give them innings – that means, his next start would be out. That’s not just pitching out of the pen on your throw day.
Betsy August 5th, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Let someone else pitch those emergency innings. I do think it tells you that their priority is Nova and his development …….which is fine.
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Interesting take.
Betsy,
I agree with you that they shouldn’t keep Hughes bouncing from SP to BP, but if he can throw his BP sesion in a game i’m not against it either
Betsy August 5th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
Hughes to the pen tells you that it’s Nova who is staying in the rotation……..\
************
The absolute lack of baseball acumen is just mind boggling. Hughes was NOT moved to the pen.
Hughes can be a serious weapon coming out of the pen this weekend.
Hughes is only available 1 day, his throw day, and only in an emergency. He hasnt been moved to the pen.
Bret, they had to choose and I thought they’d choose Nova………but I always hated the notion that “well, Phil was in the pen before and he could do it”. It’s stupid.
Luis, it’s not about his throw day – if it were, Joe wouldn’t be talking about Phil giving them length. If it were about his throw day, he would maybe throw one inning and still be able to start. They are talking about needing innings from someone, somewhere………
What this tells me is that Hughes is only being considered an option because he is available for it, Nova is not because his throw day isn’t during this series.
Jerkface, I just explained why it’s not a matter of him throwing one inning on his throw day.
If Garcia dies in the 1st inning, Hughes will pitch. If Garcia pitches normally, Hughes won’t. He only threw 65 pitches last outing.
And i have explained why Hughes is not going to the pen, but continue to think otherwise.
I think it’s fairly obvious why Phil to the pen – in fact the Yankees were clear about it. Phil has experience there and Nova does not. And it’s just for this weekend.
Seems to me that Yankees are behind both their young guys, Nova and Hughes, but will do what they need to do to win THIS YEAR.
Can’t make everyone happy, but the people actually involved in this situation seem to be handling things very well. Can’t say the same for some people who have really nothing invested in this.
I have seen NOTHING that shows me that the Yankees priority is Nova. Their priority is WINNING. Their priority is maximizing whatever they have in whatever way they need to.
This is not a personal thing.
Well we obviously see the situation completely differently………Phil should not be throwing anything more than an inning out of the pen (in an emergency) so that he misses his next start.
Question to the board:
How many pitches a starter throws in a BP session??
Betsy,
Is there another player you can comment about, other than Hughes?
And, also, it is Phil’s throw day and not Nova’s.
Yes.
tomingeorgia -
She will comment on other players, but only in relation to Hughes.
It is all Hughes all the time. And has been for some time. And it’s usually negatively biased.
And no matter what the Yankees do with Hughes it is wrong.
And whatever Hughes does it is never enough.
If he does throw more than 1 inning so what? It doesnt make him a reliever. If he throws 5 innings out of the pen they just start him next turn. If he throws 1 or 0 innings out of the pen he starts Tuesday.
The Yankees didnt announce Hughes as the tuesday start for funsies. He is available 1 day, because of a specific concern the Yankees have, and only in an emergency. If Noesi doesnt get used by sunday its likely he is ahead of Hughes.
You’re making something out of nothing.
Tom, it’s none of your *** business. Why don’t you spend 24 hours a day on here and track my comments. I don’t give a crap about your issues – this was just posted and it’s a relevant topic. If you don’t like it, tough. Deal with it.
When Girardi explains himself he makes a lot more sense than some of you.
It’s all hands on deck. Nova just threw 100+ pitches. Phil is available on Sunday. Nothing about today or tomorrow even though Phil pitched on Tuesday.
Getting the most RH bats in there is logical when you factor in the fact that Gardner could use a little rest.
I wouldn’t read too much into Hughes being available in the Pen. The Yankees and Red Sox typically run through their pens in these series. So it’s nice to have another pitcher available.
One thing that haven’t been mentioned……Garcia is throwing on sunday, maybe they are afraid how his stuff will translate against a patient line up……Remember what happened the last time he pitched against them??
Sunday would actually put Hughes on turn. So seriously, shut up. If he comes in to clean up Garcia’s mess he’d be pitching on turn and probably allowed to throw a substantial amount of pitches.
West Coast Yankee Fan says:
August 5, 2011 at 6:36 pm
The absolute lack of baseball acumen is just mind boggling. Hughes was NOT moved to the pen.
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You’re just a buffoon.
Pitching on tuesday is Hughes going on 6 days rest
If Hughes pitches Sunday they can throw Nova on Tuesday and keep both on regular rest
Why in the world wouldn’t the Yankees consider Hughes as a potential option out of the bullpen on Sunday night? They have absolutely nothing to lose by doing so. If he pitches one inning, he still starts Tuesday. If it’s a few innings, in relief of Freddy, then he misses a turn and goes thereafter. It doesn’t fundamentally alter anything, for either the Yankees this season, or Phil Hughes in his career.
The Red Sox would do the same if they had a similar situation with their starters. Why not?
Bret, it’s an awful decision IMO. I have no idea what Phil can or can not,
==========================
Typical kneejerk reaction.
Phil is there in case Freddy gets shelled, in which case, Phil on regular rest, can phill in and go 6,7, or 8 innings, if need be.
Since he is stretched out, he is the only one who could perform this task.
# West Coast Yankee Fan August 5th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
Betsy August 5th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
Hughes to the pen tells you that it’s Nova who is staying in the rotation……..\
************
The absolute lack of baseball acumen is just mind boggling. Hughes was NOT moved to the pen.
========================================
When one wakes up from their hibernation and watches a ballgame instead of reacting to hyperbole they develop acumen.
“The concern about not having someone built up that has experience in Triple-A is the one thing you always worry about,” Girardi said. “Hypothetically, let’s say you send Nova to the bullpen and you lose his ability to be a starter and give you 100 pitches. What if somebody goes down or you need a spot start? Then you’re talking about calling up someone that has no experience. As close as our race is, every game is extremely important.”
===================
Like Hector Noesi?
Joe, I just don’t agree……….but no problem.
Bety, you’re the only person in the world that could see a discussion about Rumpelstiltskin and figure that it’s an open invitaion to start a Hughes rant. You don’t know the difference between a baseball pitcher and a picture of a baseball.
I think this decision blows.
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Nothing like the King’s English…
I hope Freddy doesn’t get shelled on Sunday. That’s my worry. But if he does, I trust Hughes out of the pen. Hughes best big game performance came out of the pen in the playoffs against the Cleveland Indians.
Lol. ‘Hyperbole’ seems to be the word of the day.
So is ‘Hughes’.
It’s all part of the ‘process’.
You don’t know the difference between a baseball pitcher and a picture of a baseball.
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Bravo!
Guys, please let her be
Disagreeable is another word for the day.
Send AJ out to Seattle to prepare for his next start on Wednesday….problem solved.
Betsy – I understand your point of view, I just happen to disagree. No problem.
You don’t know the difference between a baseball pitcher and a picture of a baseball.
*****************
And don’t forget command and control.
kneejerking is not the same as disagreeing, Joe.
Just as a general point – it’s ok to disagree with someone without that person being demonized. It happens.
People in Washington should learn that lesson.
Let’s go Yankees!
blake August 5th, 2011 at 6:58 pm
Send AJ out to Seattle to prepare for his next start on Wednesday….problem solved.
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LMAO!!
Joe fromLI,
Spot on!!
So it’s been 3 days straight now I have been treating my dog’s flea problem with diatomaceous earth powder. They’re still surviving somehow and depositing eggs in his fur. There are far less than originally but still enough to continue to reproduce. One female can lay up to 40 eggs. Diatomaceous earth powder is supposed to kill fleas within 72 hours and the eggs. They’re finding a way to hide out on the parts of him where the fur is deepest and the powder flakes off by force of gravity. It’s like they know…
Anyone ever use the stuff?
I’m giving him a flea bath tomorrow then one more treatment of diatomaceous earth powder when he’s dry. Then weekly treatments.
Joe, that’s not possible on this board. You better agree with everyone or else you better duck from the daggers being aimed at you. Fortunately, I’m an expert at ducking some of these losers with poor aim
Fleas live in earth powder
I put diatomaceous earth in my pool filter.
Fortunately, I’m an expert at ducking some of these losers with poor aim
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i doubt you’re an expert at anything except starting trouble.
why do you irritate more than anyone here?
then you disappear for days when called on it.
why not fight back and explain your side logically?
or are you above that?
you won’t, you keep living a life of avoidance…
?????
Diatomaceous earth powder is composed of trace minerals that stick to the exoskeleton of the flea and cause a slow painful death. The powder is basically a complex of calcium, iron, zinc and other minerals that make up fossilized algae. I want them DEAD!
Brett,
You should also use flea killing stuff in your house, probably you killed the ones in his fur, but some will jump in the house or garden. Bath the dog the same day you do the house and garden
Tom in NJ,
This is food grade. No chemicals added. Humans can drink it to flush parasites out of the intestines. It’s basically calcium precipitate along with other trace metals. The sharp edges of the tiny metal fragments stick into the flea like little daggers. The pool stuff is dangerous to inhale and dangerous for dogs.
Luis,
I bombed his bedding and my bedding in the powder. First I blasted all the eggs in the clothes dryer and then put the powder on both his bedding and my bed. There are no rugs in the house – just hardwoods. These fleas are finding places to avoid the powder I think. It’s amazing. We’ll see how it goes as the treatments progress. I’m not exactly expecting miracles.
Sorry I thought earth powder was hippie slang for dirt.
Can you get medical grade DE bret?
Tom in N.J.
I’ve never heard of medical grade DE but I wouldn’t hesitate to drink the food grade if I had parasites. Some just drink it to cleanse the intestines while they are in perfect health. I’m curious to see what would happen.
Come on Posada… I want my foot in my mouth