The LoHud Yankees Blog

YES Network is debuting a new series tonight at 7 p.m. It’s called Yankees Baseball Daily, and the debut episode features the first part of a two-part interview with Brian Cashman. As you might expect, the postseason performance of guys like Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher is part of that conversation.

“We made the choices we felt were best for (Rodriguez) as an individual to put him in this position to succeed,” Cashman says in the interview. “And it just never happened. He was never able to be in a position where you felt good that he was back from all of (the injuries), whether it was health or timing, or both. You hoped that it’s just ready to turn the corner at any moment, but that corner never came.”

Part Two of the Cashman interview — conducted by Jack Curry — will air during tomorrow night’s episode, also airing at 7 p.m.

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Looking for more Yankees on TV tonight… There have been a lot of Yankees connections so far on Studio 42 with Bob Costas this winter. Tonight’s episode airs at 9 p.m. on MLB Network, and the guest is Billy Crystal, who discusses the 10th anniversary of his movie 61*.

According to the Network, Crystal talks about his relationship with Mickey Mantle, his relationship with George Steinbrenner and his one spring training at-bat with the Yankees in 2008.

Crystal also tells this story about making 61*.

I knew where everything was. (I would say), “This should be like that, no this guy batted that day, this guy pinch-hit.” I didn’t even have to look at stats, I knew everything, and it was the perfect kind of movie for me to do because it was something I loved and it was something I knew I could do well.

Ross Greenburg, who was my partner in the movie at HBO, took the film down to Gainesville, Florida to show the Maris family for the first time. I was in California on a scoring stage with Mark Shaiman doing the music for the movie and I knew they were watching it and I was really nervous about that. The phone rings in the booth and it’s Ross and he says, “Somebody wants to talk to you.” So I said, “Who is it?” He said, “Roger’s mother.” I go, “Hello?” And she goes, “You got it right,” and hung up. Just hung up. So I said, “I think we can continue, I think we’re okay.”

So much good has happened for the movie. …  It was put into the Baseball Hall of Fame, stuff I never would have imagined. I thought I was going to get there as a player, but that still might happen. For this to be honored and to be put into the film archives at the Hall of Fame, it was something that was sort of meant to be, I think.

Yankees prospect David Phelps has been named the Arizona Fall League Pitcher of the Week. He won each of his starts last week, steadily building solid numbers after a sloppy first few outings in Arizona.

A 14th-round pick in 2008, Phelps should be on the radar. He had a 3.19 ERA in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, but he was sent to Arizona because an injury limited him to 107.1 innings through 18 outings. He’s in that mix of pitchers — with Adam Warren, D.J. Mitchell, Hector Noesi, etc. — who could compete for a long-relief or back-of-the-rotation job in spring training.

In the Fall League Phelps is 2–2 with a 4.55 ERA and 22 strikeouts against nine walks. He allowed nine runs total in his first three starts, but has allowed just five runs in his four starts since.

After a 16-win season that pushed him into the No. 2 spot in the Yankees postseason rotation, Ivan Nova has finished fourth in the American League Rookie of the Year voting. Jeremy Hellickson of the Tampa Bay Rays won the award with 17 of 28 votes.

Nova received one first-place vote, five second-place votes and 10 third-place votes. With a large field of candidates, Nova was mentioned on more than half of the ballots.

First basemen Mark Trumbo and Eric Hosmer finished second and third. Nova finished ahead of Michael Pineda, an early favorite for the award.

Craig Kimbrel won in the National League. He was a unanimous selection.

Full results can be found at BBWAA.com.

Associated Press photo

On his way up the ladder, Ivan Nova was never the biggest name in the Yankees minor league system. Not even close.

At one point he was such a low priority that he was lost — and quickly returned — in the Rule 5 draft. At this time last year, if you’d been told the Yankees would have a Rookie of the Year candidate, the better bet might have been Jesus Montero.

But Nova kept getting better, and then he kept winning games. Crowded out of the big league rotation in July, he returned from Triple-A and won his next seven starts. He finished the season 16-4 with a 3.70 ERA and the No. 2 spot in the postseason rotation.

“I wasn’t thinking at the beginning I was going to be the second starter in the playoffs,” Nova said before making his postseason debut. “I always want to win. It’s what I like. Like I said one time, anytime I got the lead, I have to protect that lead, and I have to go for the win.”

When the Rookie of the Year is announced this afternoon, Nova might not be the winner — Jeremy Hellickson seems to be the favorite in a fairly wide-open field — but Nova will certainly be in the mix. And he belongs in the mix.

“I really think this game is not about (being a) prospect,” Nova said. “It’s all about doing your job.”

Associated Press photo

You know the younger Yankees are starting to make a name for themselves when they’re doing random charity appearances like this one. Here’s the press release. 

On November 15, 2011, New York Yankee Brett Gardner will join the Advil Congestion Relief Project at PS 130 Elementary School in the South Bronx to unveil a newly decongested library with improved access to computers and books.

Kicking off in New York City, the Advil Congestion Relief Project will visit communities to provide literal congestion relief to real problems ranging from undersupplied schools, congested traffic lanes and more.

The Advil Congestion Relief Project is also looking for additional communities in need of relief.

Participants can visit CongestionReliefProject.com to share the congestion relief the community needs for the chance to win a prize worth up to $30,000 for the community.

Baseball’s annual end-of-the-season awards are being unveiled beginning on Monday. Here are the dates of each announcement, beginning with Rookie of the Year in each league.

Monday, November 14
American League and National League Rookie of the Year

Tuesday, November 15
American League Cy Young

Wednesday, November 16
American League and National League Manager of the Year

Thursday, November 17
National League Cy Young

Monday, November 21
American League Most Valuable Player

Tuesday, November 22
National League Most Valuable Player

Last week was not the week that Jorge Posada officially ended his career with the Yankees, but it was certainly the week that he admitted it’s over.

“I knew that was my last game after that playoff,” he said at Thursday’s night’s charity event for Joe Torre’s foundation. “That’s why I was so emotional. That’s why it was tough for me that day to really walk out of that clubhouse. I might never see it again… That was my last time being at home. It’s tough.”

Certainly Posada has built a legacy with the Yankees. How would he like to be remembered?

“I gave it all on the field,” he said. “Sometimes we’re not better than others, but to tell you the truth, I played to win. I wanted to win every game, and that’s the way I was taught.”

The rest of the week in review…

• A checkup by Dr. Christopher Ahmad revealed no more forearm strain for Ivan Nova, and he was given full clearance.

• The Yankees spring training schedule was announced. It finishes with a home-and-away series against the Mets.

• Cuban-born center fielder Yeonis Cespedes became an overnight internet sensation. “We’ve evaluated him in the workouts as well as any international tournaments he’s participated in that we could be in,” Brian Cashman said.

• Mariano Rivera, Dave Robertson and Gene Monahan were all given BBWAA New York chapter end-of-the-season awards.

• Cashman participated in a winter coat drive, Joe Girardi helped pack care packages for the military and Posada’s foundation celebrated its 10th year.

• The Yankees re-signed minor leaguers Ronny Marte and Reegie Corona.

• Former Yankees center fielder Melky Cabrera was traded to the Giants for Jonathan Sanchez. Cashman said he was never interested in a trade for Sanchez.

• The Orioles settled on Dan Duquette as their new general manager. Yankees amateur scouting director Damon Oppenheimer was considered a candidate.

Associated Press photo

The March of Dimes has chosen Mark Teixeira and the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team as its Sportsman and Sportswomen of the Year.

Abby Wambach and Hope Solo will accept on behalf of the soccer team at the March of Dimes New York Division’s 28th Annual Sports Luncheon on Wednesday, November 30 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. The Sports Leadership Award will go to Dr. Mark Emmert, NCAA President, and Steve Bornstein, NFL Network President/CEO, will be given the Corporate Leadership Award.

Joe Girardi was previously named the March of Dimes Sportsman of the Year.

From the March of Dimes press release:

Teixeira, first baseman for the Yankees and a two-time All-Star, has batted over .300 three times since his rookie season in 2003. After several outstanding seasons with the Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves, Teixeira was introduced as a Yankee in January 2009. He went on to lead the American League in both home runs with 39 and RBI’s with 122, and helped the Yankees capture their 27th World Series title with a win over the over the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies.

An outstanding fielder, Teixeira has won four Gold Glove Awards and three Silver Slugger Awards, and holds the major league record for most games with a home run from both sides of the plate, with 12. Teixeira is also active in charitable work, specifically with his Mark Teixeira Charitable Fund that provides scholarships to high schools in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Associated Press photo

Yesterday morning — before he began filling care packages and before he began an official interview session with the media — Joe Girardi was just a guy talking about football. He was telling a story about his son, Dante, throwing a touchdown pass, and he was trying to decide if he’d have time to get Dante to Yankee Stadium for this afternoon’s game between Army and Rutgers. Girardi thought he’d be able to make it sometime after kickoff.

It might not be the most unique site for a sporting event, but it is pretty neat to see Yankee Stadium setup for a football game (Girardi assured me it was worth seeing, so I took a look for myself yesterday). Today’s game has extra meaning because it’s the first meeting between these two teams since Eric LeGrand was paralyzed.

Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. Here are a couple of Associated Press shots of the field.

Associated Press photos

I posted this last night, but just wanted to give a quick reminder for those of you in the area.

Jesus Montero will be at the Last Licks location in Scarsdale — the address is 8 Palmer Avenue — from noon to 2 p.m. today to sign autographs and meet fans.

Obviously Montero’s one of the most popular topics of conversation around here. He also seems like a nice guy for such young kid with a ton of attention heaped on his shoulders. If you’re around. go say hello to the big guy.