The LoHud Yankees Blog

YANKEES (90-58)
Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Eric Chavez 3B
Jorge Posada DH
Russell Martin C
Brett Gardner LF

LHP CC Sabathia (19-8, 2.93)
Sabathia vs. Blue Jays

BLUE JAYS (75-74)
Mike McCoy SS
Eric Thames LF
Jose Bautista RF
Edwin Encarnacion DH
Adam Lind 1B
Brett Lawrie 3B
Colby Rasmus CF
J.P. Arencibia C
Kelly Johnson 2B

RHP Dustin McGowan (0-0, 9.00)
McGowan vs. Yankees

TIME/TV: 7:07 p.m., MY9

WEATHER: The dome opened about four hours ago. It’s a little chilly outside, but ultimately a perfectly nice night for a ball game. This roof will close if conditions take a turn for the worse.

UMPIRES: HP Jerry Meals, 1B CB Bucknor, 2B Dan Iassogna, 3B Dale Scott

NOT AN IDEAL OFF DAY: On Thursday, the Yankees had their first scheduled off day since August 22. They left Seattle at midnight and landed in Toronto at 6:55 a.m. By the time they got through customs and arrived at the team hotel, it was approximately 8:45 a.m. They don’t have another off day scheduled this season.

CLOSE CALLS: The Yankees have had seven of their past 10 games — including five games on this road trip — decided by one run. They are 20-22 in one-run contests this season, going 8-13 in such games on the road.

TOUGH SCHEDULE: The Yankees are in the midst of playing 33 games over the final 32 days of the season from August 28 to September 28. They’re playing on 31 of those days and have gone 12-7 thus far.

UPDATE, 7:19 p.m.: Looked like Cano never got a handle on the ball. No grip meant a bad throw, and the Yankees couldn’t turn the double play that would have ended the first inning without a run. Instead, it’s a 1-0 Blue Jays lead.

UPDATE, 7:24 p.m.: That’s a nice throw by Bautista, and Cano’s out trying to stretch a single to a double. Cano’s trouble really started with the fact Bautista played the bounce off the wall so perfectly.

UPDATE, 7:45 p.m.: You don’t see Gardner take third unless he’s certain he can get there. Without a hit, the Yankees now have Gardner at third with two outs (he walked, then stole second and third).

UPDATE, 8:08 p.m.: The Yankees twice managed to avoid grounding into double plays, and Nick Swisher was able to take advantage with a two-out RBI double that scored Cano from first base and tied the game at 1.

UPDATE, 8:11 p.m.: Chavez follows with his second homer of the year and it’s 3-1 Yankees

UPDATE, 8:19 p.m.: For whatever reason, seeing it live, I thought that ball went over Gardner’s glove. It obviously didn’t, and Gardner’s leaping catch at the way has ended a scoreless bottom of the fourth. Still a 3-1 Yankees lead.

UPDATE, 8:46 p.m.: Two-out three-run double by Adam Lind, and now Sabathia is back in trouble with runners at the corners and Colby Rasmus at the plate. It’s now a 4-3 Blue Jays lead in the fifth. Sabathia is already approaching 100 pitches.

UPDATE, 8:59 p.m.: Swisher again, this time with a two-out single to score Cano from second and tie the game at 4 in the sixth.

UPDATE, 9:12 p.m.: Sabathia has loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, and his night is finished. No 20th win this time.

UPDATE, 9:59 p.m.: Soriano strikes out the side in the seventh, now Robertson has stranded the bases loaded in the eighth. Still tied at 4 heading into the ninth.

Two days ago, Joe Girardi said he would put Alex Rodriguez’s name in tonight’s lineup, and adjust only if Rodriguez struggled in batting practice. Today, Girardi changed his mind.

“He took swings in the cage, (and) he felt pretty good,” Girardi said. “We just decided he probably wasn’t going to play both of these games, today and tomorrow, so why don’t we just see how he feels tomorrow after taking his swings and taking a round of BP out here (on the field)? Then we either get him tomorrow or maybe the next day.”

Basically, Rodriguez was only going to play one of these first two games in Toronto, so the Yankees decided to shoot for tomorrow and use today to test the thumb in batting practice. Girardi said he’s hoping to have Rodriguez tomorrow — he plans to put him at third base, not DH — and playing tomorrow won’t rule out playing Sunday.

Girardi said Rodriguez hit with his hands separated very slightly, and that took some of the pressure off the left thumb.

“Let’s try to get this thing as healthy as we can get it so when he does come back maybe he doesn’t have another setback,” Girardi said. “I can’t tell you that’s going to happen. You could wait two weeks and you could have another setback, but let’s try to be as patient as we can.”

The Blue Jays did switch starting pitchers from lefty Brett Cecil to right-hander Dustin McGowan, but Girardi said that had no impact on his decision to sit Rodriguez. It was all about giving him an extra day and shooting for tomorrow instead.

“You start talking about time and there’s not a lot of time left in the season,” Girardi said. “Timing and him feeling comfortable, that’s the important thing. It’s been six days since he’s had an at-bat, and everything’s been interrupted, so that’s a concern too. You want to get him as many at-bats as you can to get him going.”

• Robinson Cano didn’t even seem to limping as he walked around the clubhouse this afternoon, and he laughed when someone asked whether he’d be playing. “That’s one thing I don’t think people talk enough about is Robbie’s toughness,” Girardi said. “We’ve seen him hit (by a pitch) plenty of times where we thought he wouldn’t play the next day or even stay in the game, and he does.”

• Cano said he’s not going to wear any extra protection on the field because he doesn’t want his foot to feel extra tight.

• Girardi hasn’t set a rotation for the upcoming Tampa Bay series, but A.J. Burnett will start one of those games. “We haven’t quite made the rotation or Tampa yet, how we’re going to do it, but somewhere in that series (Burnett will pitch),” Girardi said. “I just don’t know exactly how we’re going to do it yet.”

• CC Sabathia is once again going for his 20th win. “Great night to get it, it really is,” Girardi said. “We talk about winning series, and series are always easier to win when you get the first game.”

• Girardi said he hasn’t thought about bumping Rodriguez from the cleanup spot, but he did acknowledge that there’s a chance Rodriguez won’t return with the same sort of power the Yankees have come to expect from him. “We’ll just see the days that he plays where we are,” Girardi said. “I haven’t really thought much about that. My concern is just getting him back healthy.”

• Francisco Cervelli was reevaluated today and he’s still experiencing concussion symptoms. He has another doctors visit and a series of tests planned for Monday or Tuesday. “I think you have to prepare that he won’t be (available for the playoffs) only because it’s so unpredictable,” Girardi said.

• With Cervelli no closer to a return, Girardi said he’ll have to give other guys — Jesus Montero, Jorge Posada or Austin Romine — some reps behind the plate. It’s necessary to rest Martin during long stretches, but it’s also necessary because one of them will likely be the backup in the postseason. “If you’re fortunate enough to get into the playoffs, conceivably Russell could catch every game,” Girardi said. “But you want them as familiar with your pitching staff as possible in case something were to happen.”

• Apparently Brett Cecil does his cooking with Freddy Garcia. Cecil was scratched from today’s start because he cut his finger cleaning a blender. “It changed our third baseman and took Andruw Jones out and Montero out,” Girardi said.

• Cecil was replaced by Dustin McGowan, who was looking like a pretty good young pitcher before injuries cost him almost all of three seasons. This is only his second start this season. “He had outstanding stuff before he got hurt,” Girardi said. “And I saw him start against Baltimore and he still got up to 96. His fastball is there. I don’t know if he sits quite as high on a consistent basis as he did. Just have to see how he throws. I don’t think his stuff has changed all the much since he came back. Sometimes the hardest thing when you come back from injuries is consistency and command, that’s what you’ve got to watch.”

BLUE JAYS
Mike McCoy SS
Eric Thames LF
Jose Bautista RF
Edwin Encarnacion DH
Adam Lind 1B
Brett Lawrie 3B
Colby Rasmus CF
J.P. Arencibia C
Kelly Johnson 2B

Associated Press photos

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Eric Chavez 3B
Jorge Posada DH
Russell Martin C
Brett Gardner LF

Tonight
LHP CC Sabathia (19-8, 2.93)
vs.
LHP Brett Cecil (4-9, 4.37)
7:07 p.m., MY9

Saturday
RHP Bartolo Colon (8-9, 3.55)
vs.
RHP Henderson Alvarez (1-2, 3.09)
1:07 p.m., YES Network

Sunday
RHP Freddy Garcia (11-7, 3.71)
vs.
RHP Dustin McGowan (0-0, 9.00)
1:07 p.m., YES Network

Today will be the day that the Yankees get their third baseman back. That’s Joe Girardi’s hope, anyway. He’s planning to put Alex Rodriguez in the lineup for tonight’s series opener in Toronto. If Rodriguez struggles in batting practice, then he’ll adjust accordingly, but for now Girardi’s planning to play A-Rod.

“I don’t want to mislead you guys,” Rodriguez said on Wednesday. “I haven’t touched a bat in five days. Maybe he has more confidence in me, but hopefully that kind of works out.”

The Yankees haven’t had a full-strength Rodriguez since mid-June when his knee began bothering him, leading to surgery and a stint on the disabled list. In his first game back from the knee injury, Rodriguez sprained the thumb and was once again a diminished player. He said his timing hasn’t been an issue, but it’s been a while since he was able to put any “ authority” into his swing.

“I think I was to the point that I had to stop because I wasn’t able to do my job,” he said. “To say it’s going to feel 100 percent, it’s not going to do that until next spring, but that’s fine… This time of the year, there’s not one guy in this clubhouse that is not playing with bumps and bruises. And that’s what I want to upgrade to.”

With the bullpen rested by an off day, Russell Martin returned from a bruised thumb and Nick Swisher back from elbow tendonitis, Rodriguez is the last significant piece the Yankees need to get back.

If he can return tonight, playing somewhere close to his expected production, Rodriguez will be a significant boost to a lineup that’s been inconsistent recently. He is almost certainly going to end his streak of consecutive 30-homer, 100-RBI seasons, but he’s hoping a strong finish will makeup for that.

“There’s no question that we’re in a franchise that, the most important month is October,” Rodriguez said. “Obviously with a good performance and the team attaining it’s goal, then I think everyone would agree that everything would be forgotten.”

Associated Press photos

The Yankees announced today that they’re holding a pregame ceremony in honor of Roger Maris hitting his 61st home run in 1961. Here are the details.

The New York Yankees will hold a special pregame ceremony on Friday, September 23, to honor the 50th anniversary of Roger Maris setting a then-Major League record with 61 home runs in 1961.

The Yankees ask that fans take their seats by 6:20 p.m. with ceremonies slated to begin at 6:30 p.m., prior to the Yankees-Red Sox game scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m.

Joining the Yankees for the day’s celebration will be the families of Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle, as well as former teammates.

The group will be introduced as part of an on-field ceremony emceed by actor Billy Crystal. In addition, Roger Maris’ bat as well as the 61st home run ball – on loan from the Baseball Hall of Fame – will on the field during the ceremony. Following a video tribute, the Yankees Foundation will present a donation to the Roger Maris Cancer Center in Fargo, N.D.

Cheryl Howard, daughter of Yankees All-Star catcher Elston Howard who was a teammate of Maris’ from 1960-66, will sing the national anthem.

Assuming a 11-man pitching staff in the postseason, the Yankees will have to trim two pitchers who played fairly significant roles during the regular season. They’ll trim a six-man rotation down to four, and if they move both leftover starters into the bullpen, there won’t be much room left.

Postseason locks
CC Sabathia, Freddy Garcia, Ivan Nova, Bartolo Colon, Cory Wade, Boone Logan, Rafael Soriano, Dave Robertson, Mariano Rivera

Making his case: Phil Hughes
Most likely, Hughes has a spot locked up. The question is whether that spot will come in the rotation or the bullpen. Hughes hasn’t pitched in relief this season, but he’s had great bullpen success in the past. His overall numbers out of this year’s rotation are ugly, but he’s looked much better lately, including a 2.25 ERA in two September starts. He could slide into a versatile bullpen role – capable of long relief or key late-inning outs — or he could be a pivotal starter in the middle of the postseason rotation.

Veteran in an unusual spot: A.J. Burnett
Actually, after last year, Burnett’s spot isn’t all that unusual. It just seems unusual given his contract and his raw talent. Burnett could once again be crowded out of the postseason rotation, and if he is, he could slide into something of a mop-up role. Or, if the Yankees lose faith completely, he could fall out of the mix completely. What’s keeping Burnett in the mix – possibly for a rotation spot – are two good outings in the month of September, including one strong start against the Red Sox. After Tuesday’s three-inning dominance, Burnett is a true wild card on this staff.

New guy with a chance: Hector Noesi
Pushed into the big league bullpen out of necessity, the rookie Noesi has become the Yankees go-to long man, and he’s pitched well in that role. He’s done nothing to lose his spot – he had a 1.46 ERA in his past eight outings before a rough one last Wednesday — but the possibility of moving two starters into the bullpen leaves little room for another long-man, or any sort of reliever for that matter. Noesi has pitched well, but he could be crowded out of the mix in the postseason.

Role players to consider: Luis Ayala, Aaron Laffey
Ayala’s already had a larger impact than anyone might have imagined when he signed a minor league deal this offseason. He’s been with the team since Opening Day – except for a brief disabled list stint – and he’s pitched to a 1.80 ERA, but he’s still a low-man in the pecking order, and he’s not stretched out enough to be a true long man. Laffey could give the Yankees a second left-hander, and they’ve been giving him some opportunities, but he hasn’t been overwhelming since coming over from Seattle.

My guess
The rotation will be decided in these last two weeks. I think Sabathia, Nova and Garcia have the strongest holds on starting spots, but only Sabathia is an absolute guarantee. I think it’s too early to guess at the rotation, but I think an 11-man pitching staff will have the same names regardless of which four are labeled as starters. I think Hughes and Burnett will both be on the staff, with Noesi, Ayala and Laffey let out of the mix.

Associated Press photos

As usual, most of the Yankees postseason roster is easy to predict. Unusually, there is at least one significant spot in the lineup that’s still up for grabs.

Postseason locks
Russell Martin, Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Brett Gardner, Curtis Granderson, Nick Swisher, Andruw Jones, Eric Chavez and Eduardo Nunez.

Making his case: Jesus Montero
Wednesday was his second three-strikeout game of the week, but Montero has also shown the power and advanced approach that made him the team’s top hitting prospect. Right now, he seems to be the team’s primary designated hitter, or at least their regular DH against left-handers. Especially with Francisco Cervelli hurt, Montero seems to be playing his way onto the roster.

Veteran in an unusual spot: Jorge Posada
It’s hard to imagine the Yankees would actually keep Posada off their postseason roster. If nothing else he’s a veteran switch hitter who can DH or come of the bench to catch and play first base. Of course, he’s also started just one game and played in only two others since the end of August. Does Posada’s diminishing role open the possibility of sacrificing his spot in favor of carrying two rookie catchers, or did Saturday’s emergency work behind the plate convince the Yankees that Posada can be the de facto backup catcher?

New guy with a chance: Austin Romine
Cervelli’s concussion and the fact the Yankees like Romine’s defense behind the plate means Romine has a chance to make the postseason roster despite spending almost the entire year in Double-A, with no big league call-up until injuries left the Yankees desperate and short-handed. Romine making the team might depend on how fully the Yankees trust Montero and Posada behind the plate, and whether they think they need more than an emergency backup behind Martin.

Role players to consider: Chris Dickerson, Greg Golson, Ramiro Pena
A left-handed outfielder, a right-handed outfielder and a utility infielder. All three are familiar around the Yankees clubhouse, and all three could provide speed and defense off the bench. Pena is probably redundant with Nunez having a spot locked up, and the choice might come down to Dickerson and Golson, a choice between a right-handed hitter and a left-handed hitter, each of whom brings a similar skill set to the bench. Carrying one of these three likely means losing either Montero, Posada or Romine.

My guess
In a five-game series, the Yankees take their chances with Martin as their top guy behind the plate, choosing to carry Montero and Posada as backup options, but leaving Romine or Cervelli off the roster. Dickerson takes the last spot on the bench, serving as a defensive replacement and pinch runner.

Associated Press photos

How much do you believe in three innings? Enough to believe that, just maybe, A.J. Burnett actually has found something this time?

Completely overshadowed by Mariano Rivera’s 600th save, Burnett showed something more than effectiveness on Tuesday night. He was legitimately dominant for three innings, striking out seven of the last 11 batters he faced and showing the kind of aggressiveness that he so often talks about.

“The first three innings he struggled,” Joe Girardi said. “The last three innings, he was as good as he’s been. And he made a little adjustment out there where, he just kind of went after it. He kept his hands in the same place that Larry had talked about, but he gave a little bit more more of a turn. It just really seemed to help him.”

A little more than two weeks ago, Larry Rothschild worked to simplify Burnett’s mechanics. The hands were held closer to the body, and Burnett’s turn was less extreme. The result was arguably Burnett’s best start of the second half, a two-run outing in Boston.

On Tuesday, after struggling to get lose and comfortable, Burnett created a kind of hybrid delivery. He went back to his old turn, and without meaning to, still managed to keep his hands close.

“We talked in between innings and it’s a happy medium between what we worked on and how I used to throw,” he said. “It just didn’t feel like it was coming out right. It didn’t feel normal. I eventually said, ‘That’s enough.’ The changes that we made allowed me to stay calm with the hands, the way I used to throw. Everything stayed the same as if I was there. I started different and had my turn, but my hands weren’t going everywhere. They were in a position where I could repeat my pitches.”

As the Yankees figure out what to do with their pitching staff in the postseason, it’s easy to consider Burnett to be the most obvious odd man out (one solid start in Boston and three terrific innings in Seattle don’t carry a ton of weight). But if he does this twice more in the next two weeks — against significantly better lineups — would that be enough to convince Girardi and the Yankees that Burnett’s become the hot hand, one they should ride into October?

“It’s a big confidence boost,” Burnett said. “It’s big. The bottom line is I was able to make that adjustment and keep my team in the game. I had some runners on and never brought down, never broke confidence, and I was making pitches when I needed to.”

Here’s Burnett speaking after Tuesday’s start.

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Associated Press photo

Without question, the Yankees feel-good story of the week has been Mariano Rivera. He’s an easy man to appreciate, and when he reaches a milestone like 600 career saves, his teammates love to speaking glowingly about what he means on the mound, in the clubhouse and away from the field.

But yesterday, Joe Girardi was asked about Rivera’s potential impact on unfamiliar ground.

Rivera wants to play center field in a game, just once. Girardi knows it, and he didn’t dismiss it.

“I’ll think about that when he tells me he’s near the end,” Girardi said. “It’s something I would definitely think about. That’ll get me in trouble, won’t it?”

Maybe not. Rivera shags fly balls in center field all the time during batting practice — “He’s incredible,” Girardi said — and this season we’ve seen Jorge Posada get an inning at second base. Late next season, if Rivera’s announced that he’s retiring at the end of his contract, and the Yankees have the division wrapped up, and they find themselves in the ninth inning of a meaningless blow out… Would you put him out there?

“Maybe I’d try to do it for one hitter,” Girardi said. “A guy who hits a lot of ground balls, strikes out a lot… And there would be nobody on base where he’d have to make a throw.”

Associated Press photo