Pregame notes: Martin impressed by Pettitte’s bullpen
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Notes on Mar 20, 2012 
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It wasn’t listed in the clubhouse, but Andy Pettitte did in fact throw a bullpen today.
“As good of a bullpen as I’ve caught all spring from anyone,” Russell Martin said. “I don’t know what the velocity was and what his arm strength feels, but as far as executing pitches, it was pretty impressive.”
Joe Girardi didn’t even watch the bullpen, but Mike Harkey stood in the box for the last few pitches so that Pettitte could work on a few sequences. Pettitte stopped briefly in the clubhouse after he pitched only to say that it went well and he felt good. He said his adrenalin picked up after a couple of pitches because that’s when Martin got behind hte plate.
“I’d never caught him before so I had no knowledge of him,” Martin said. “I had no base of what I’m used to seeing from him. I was just going in there like a 2-year-old kid not really knowing what’s going to happen. … He looked great. He threw all his pitches and he just kept executing pitch after pitch after pitch. I think it’s just a matter of him getting his pitch count up right now. It’s just one bullpen, but it was a really good one.”
• Brandon Laird, D.J. Mitchell, David Phelps and George Kontos have been optioned to Triple-A.
• Derek Jeter told Girardi that he feels fine today, but Girardi is still a little cautious because of last year’s calf injury, and so he’s giving Jeter three more days before putting him in a game. He’ll condition and take batting practice inside today, then do conditioning and BP on the field tomorrow, then do the same plus running the bases on the dirt Thurday and finally play on Friday.
• If this were the regular season, Girardi said Jeter probably would have missed a couple of games with the calf injury, but not this much time. “If it was the regular season, he might play today,” Girardi said. “I probably would have let him go through everything, and he might play today. Because it’s not, I don’t have to do that.”
• Obviously things are fine with Russell Martin, Nick Swisher, Robinson Cano and Eduardo Nunez. All of them are in the lineup today.
• Freddy Garcia’s bullpen went as expected and Girardi said he’ll check with Larry Rothschild to find out whether Garcia might be ready to pitch in Friday’s game.
• Dave Robertson also came through today’s bullpen with no problems. The Yankees have decided to have him throw a batting practice later this week, but he should be in a game after that.
• Girardi said there’s at least a chance Pettitte will be able to get into a game before the Yankees break camp, but he acknowledged that Pettitte’s final streps of preparation will come away from the big league coaching staff. Girardi wil rely on others to tell him when Pettitte is ready. “The people that are going to see him have seen him before,” Girardi said. “They’re going ot have something to judge him on, where he was in 2010 to where he is now. I don’t think their emotions are going to get in the way. I really don’t. These are guys that have been doing it a long time and have put clubs together and understand the importance of making sure their decisions are right.”
• Girardi on Michael Pineda heading into tonight’s start: “I understand why everyone’s asking the questions. People want to see (velocity). People want to see 95, 96. But for me the bottom line is outs. … I get concerned about him trying to do too much and maybe sometimes trying to answer what he would perceive that I’m worried about, and that’s why I’m putting the notion out there. I’m worried about outs. I’m not worried about velocity.”
• With several long relief options now reassigned to minor league camp, the leading candidates for the last spot in the Yankees bullpen seem to be all of the second lefties still in camp. Are the Yankees planning to carry a second lefty at this point? “We could,” Girardi said. “I think you have to see how the starters shake out and do you have enough length out of a enough guys down there that you feel, if a guy gets knocked out early, are you covered? I think those are the things that you’re concerned about. It’s nice to have a long guy and then another guy that you feel can give you multiple innings. You don’t have to have that, but it’s nice.”
• Branden Pinder is up for the day from minor league camp, but it’s not likely he’ll actually get in the game. Random guys named Rivera and Soriano seem to be the priorities.
• Today’s long list of sides: Pettitte, Garcia, Robertson, Dellin Betances, D.J. Mitchell, Kevin Whelan, David Phelps, Joba Chamberlain, Ivan Nova, Hiroki Kuroda and CC Sabathia.
• Brad Meyers is throwing BP tomorrow.
• Today’s available pitchers: Michael Pineda, Mariano Rivera, Rafael Soriano, Boone Logan, Cory Wade, George Kontos, Clay Rapada, Mike O’Connor, Juan Cedeno, Cesar Cabral and Branden Pinder.
• Today’s second string: C Francisco Cervelli, 1B Eric Chavez, 2B Ramiro Pena, SS Doug Bernier, 3B Jayson Nix, LF Bill Hall, CF Justin Maxwell, RF Colin Curtis, DH Raul Ibanez
• Traveling to Port Charlotte tomorrow
Pitchers: Cesar Cabral, Juan Cedeno, Phil Hughes, Mike O’Connor, Clay Rapada, Adam Warren
Catchers: Jose Gil, Russell Martin, Gustavo Molina
Infielders: Doug Bernier, Robinson Cano, Bill Hall, Brandon Laird, Jayson Nix, Eduardo Nunez, Ramiro Pena, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Jorge Vazquez
Outfielders: Colin Curtis, Chris Dickerson, Cole Garner, Raul Ibanez, Justin Maxwell, Dewayne Wise
Associated Press photos
Pett looks fit!!!!!
Count me among the confused regarding the Montero-Pineda trade.
Given the Yankees knew Andy was thinking about coming back and had already signed Garcia plus had Kuroda in their sights, you have to believe that Montero, with even 300 ABs, helps the Yankees more in 2012 than Pineda.
The only logical answer is that the Yankees don’t hold Montero in the same esteem as many of the posters on LoHud and decided to dump him for the best young pitcher they could find as quickly as possible.
That is their decision to make, of course, we as fans have to live with it.
Martin looks like he is also fitter than last year.
I don’t think I have ever seen a comment from Martin where he did not say he was ‘impressed’ with a pitchers bullpen session. I want an unbiased opinions…
MG,
Maybe it was the fact that we have a great line of catchers in the minors and they figured that they would not have a problem with offense. I mean obviously the offensive production would be less than if Montero was here but the difference isn’t gonna make you win or lose a ring. Just my opinion.
“The only logical answer is that the Yankees don’t hold Montero in the same esteem as many of the posters on LoHud and decided to dump him for the best young pitcher they could find as quickly as possible.”
Kinda what it seems like …..we have to hope they are right
“I want an unbiased opinions…”
From whom?
“Kinda what it seems like …..we have to hope they are right.”
Why?
He’s a Mariner now.
The trade happened.
Smart money is making your peace with it now (and by “now”, I mean 2 months ago) and not constantly adjust your “feelings” on it based on evolving Pineda/Montero stats.
“Why?”
Uhm…..because if Montero is great and Pineda isn’t that would be kinda bad no?
MG March 20th, 2012 at 4:58 pm
GreenBeret7 March 20th, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Philadelphia just took another hit. Mike Martinez, their back-up shortstop and second baseman has a broken foot.
—————-
He was on first base with 2 out in the 7th (I think) and almost didn’t score on a triple to deep center and was noticeably limping around the bases, I guess that is the reason.
————————————————————————————————————————-
sounds like Chavez last year on his triple. Martinez is injury prone…made of glass, I guess.
There’s no way Andy’s going back out there with anything less than his A game. The dudes as accountable as they come.
Honestly when I heard about this on Fri my initial reaction was WTF Andy? We got too many young arms that need MLB innings as it is.
But the 2012 Yankees are better with Andy taking the mound every 5 days.
GreenBeret7 March 20th, 2012 at 5:21 pm
MG March 20th, 2012 at 4:58 pm
GreenBeret7 March 20th, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Philadelphia just took another hit. Mike Martinez, their back-up shortstop and second baseman has a broken foot.
—————-
He was on first base with 2 out in the 7th (I think) and almost didn’t score on a triple to deep center and was noticeably limping around the bases, I guess that is the reason.
————————————————————————————————————————-
sounds like Chavez last year on his triple. Martinez is injury prone…made of glass, I guess.
———————————-
the batter was almost at 3rd by the time Martinez scored, there is no way that should have happened with two out so it made no sense to me at the time.
It’s not that they traded Montero, it’s that they traded him for a pitcher.
“Uhm…..because if Montero is great and Pineda isn’t that would be kinda bad no?”
No. Not the first part anyway.
Pineda’s performance is the only thing relevant to the Yankees.
WHATever Montero does, be it go to the All-Star campaign or get busted down to AA, it won’t affect the Yankees team ERA, their team slugging %, their defensive rank, their run differential, their W-L record, etc, one iota, expect in head-to-head competition.
Give me one tangible affect Montero’s performance will have on the fortunes of the NY Yankees and their goals other than making fans “feel” better or worse about it?
Unbiased opinions.
If you’re looking for unbiased opinions about Jesus Montero, just read LOHUD. Totally objective right here.
“It’s not that they traded Montero, it’s that they traded him for a pitcher.”
———
Let’s wait and see how things unfold.
That pitcher might be pretty darn good.
It’s possible that both teams will be happy in the end.
BD
It’s not even that I don’t think Pineda won’t be good or even very good. It’s that I think their offense is vulnerable as Jeter and A-Rod move toward 40, and Montero was probably their best chip to find a replacement for one of them, and/or a player to spell them at a very high level while extending their careers. I like Nunez, but he has never shown that kind of ability.
Stuckey,
Sure….but that’s the “I hope they are right part”……
Feliz left early with shoulder stiffness today.
1001 times now.
It’s never going to end. Someone will always bring up the trade.
Rich,
I completely understand your POV and it’s a very valid one. Without question, Cashman has gambled here and he has acknowledged that gamble.
Mark Feinsand ? @BloggingBombers
Girardi on Pineda and the velocity issue: “He has hit 93. It’s not like he’s thrown 86 to 88 to 89 but the bottom… http://www.sulia.com/c/new-yor.....ce=twitter
Girardi on Pineda: “Let’s just let the kid pitch and see what he does. That’s my thought. I don’t want to get too…
Jeter takes BP today and runs tomorrow
Houston seems to be trying to move everyone over league minimum.
Scott Miller ? @ScottMCBS
@Royals: #Royals acquire C Humberto Quintero and OF Jason Bourgeois from Astros for minor lg lefty Kevin Chapman and PTBNL
Some day, they’ll find a sucker for Meyers and rodriguez
With regard to Chad’s blog content, I come first for Yankee information which he provides more than any other source. He certainly has opinions, but don’t we have plenty of them among we readers?
This is often the first website I visit. I suppose that is the best evidence of it’s value to me. It could also suggest I should think of non-Yankee things more often. But, I digress.
Thanks, Chad.
Rich in NJ,
No argument there.
At this point, just gotta wait and see how things work out. If the pitching is as great as I think it can be, they can absorb some injuries on offense or less production from guys as they age.
We’ll see…
Hello again,
Ys guy,
Interesting story….thanks for sharing it…it´s even cooler than being a journalist!!
Yankeefem,
Como estás?, espero que bien. Yes, i heard about the oppo shot
, over the 385 sign? , thats power
I thought today’s game was gonna be on ESPN but I was wrong.
Bourgeois posted a .294/.323/.357 line with 31 stolen bases last year, while playing all three outfield positions and appearing at second base. The 30-year-old will be arbitration eligible for the first time after the 2012 season.
GB-
31 SB in 238 ABs. Give him a full season and he’ll challenge for the SB title.
Could the Royals now be inclined to trade one of their other OF’ers for a starting pitcher? Hmmm?
MTU,
Don´t you get MLB.com?, it should be there….By the way, i hope everything turns out ok with your loved ones. If you want to come to see Canaima, just get the plane ticket, the rest is on me.
Got to go, later guys
Luis-
I do get Mlb.TV but is still don’t have the feeder cable to run it to a larger screen.
The Internet bandwith around here isn’t all that great to begin with so that’s an additional complication.
Thanks for the offer. It is very generous. The return is true too. get a plane ticket to Utah and you can visit with us.
It is on Mlb.com broadcast thru YES @7:05 vs Pitt
Could be, trader.
By the way….Marmol just went down with a hand injury. No word and extent or how long.
YT-
They should be able to manage with Broxton and Collins I would think.
Is Andy’s presser on YES? I am instead looking at Francesa.
Seems like good news on all fronts, except Jetwr taking longer than I’d like.
GB7,
Maybe Houston is thumbing their nose at Selig and his soft salary floor. Berkman said that Selig extorted Houston into agreeing to the AL move.
” Give me one tangible affect Montero’s performance will have on the fortunes of the NY Yankees and their goals other than making fans “feel” better or worse about it?”
He could hit massive bombs off of Yankee pitching, which would be nooooo bueno!
This is a possibility whether one is in the USA or Mexico.
stuckey March 20th, 2012 at 5:28 pm
“Uhm…..because if Montero is great and Pineda isn’t that would be kinda bad no?”
————
Extremely bad if that happens. Forget about fans bringing it up it would be on one of those all time worst trade lists.
Nick-
Did you feel the Earthquake where you were ?
A 7.4 in the Acapulco area.
Nick, are you implying that Montero’s 385 foot oppo homerun yesterday is what caused that 7.6 earthquake?
Nick, I understand you moved?
Obviously I require your new mailing address..
Chad,
Great pix today. The top one looks like Andy is tossing the ball with his right hand. Took me a while to realize it’s Joba’s pitch.
Caption contest for the Pettitte/Joba picture.
My entry: “Stop it, Andy! That tickles.”
Nick in SF
I think I figured you out.
You work for the secret service and are down there watching out for one of Obama’s girls. :LOL:
“Extremely bad if that happens. Forget about fans bringing it up it would be on one of those all time worst trade lists.”
And what would be bad… why..?
I’m concerned with making the postseason.
You’re concerned with lists?
Pettitte says he thinks he can be ready in three weeks. Rothschild tells him to back off.
MTU-
Was referring to the Royals need for a starting pitcher. The pitcher, Kevin Chapman that they gave to the Astros has a >5.0 ERA in the two seasons in the minors.
Bourgeois posted a .294/.323/.357 line with 31 stolen bases last year. Now could the Royals trade one of their other OF’ers for a starting pitcher?
*7.4
Anyone? Andy Presser being televised?
Why would a guy from SF move all the way to Mexico just for the Earthquakes ?
Makes no sense.
“Why would a guy from SF move all the way to Mexico just for the Earthquakes ?”
Because there are some activities that are enhanced when the earth moves???
Nah, that can’t be it…
YT-
Who’s your target ?
MTU,
he wanted to be close to and In-n-Out, Mexican style. In one end and quickly out the other. Loves those Toro-Burgers. One should always remember…never eat oriental food from a place next door to a pet shot or animal shelter and never buy mexican syle burgers from a place next to a bull fighting ring.
Rich-
Maybe Nick is that guy in the Dos Equis commercials ?
“The most interesting Man”.
It’s true, I got fed up with the Blogger Battles and moved to Mexico.
I’ve relearned the lesson, however, that you can run but you can’t hide. So I will be returning to the States soon.
I guess your question means you have still not processed your payment, Stuckey. Mexican sad face.
I didn’t feel the earthquake but others nearby did. I’m about 200 km up the coast, near Zihautanejo.
GB-
The Gringos who sought gold in Mexico obviously did not understand what Montezuma and the Aztecs were really all about or they would never have gone.
yankeefeminista
Pretty rough ending for your Penguins the other day.
Maybe Nick is that guy in the Dos Equis commercials ?
——————
Earthquakes have their own Richter scale for his bowel movements……
#rejected commercials
Nick-
I hope you are enjoying El Sol y el Mar, some cold Cervezas, and mucho Bonita Chicas.
You lucky perro.
MTU
“Maybe Nick is that guy in the Dos Equis commercials ?”
You know what troubles me about that guy? He says: “Stay thirsty, my friends.”
What kind of person wants their friends to be thirsty?
stuckey March 20th, 2012 at 6:15 pm
“Extremely bad if that happens. Forget about fans bringing it up it would be on one of those all time worst trade lists.”
And what would be bad… why..?
I’m concerned with making the postseason.
You’re concerned with lists?
——————–
Not concerned about lists just brought it up since some ppl get so easily annoyed when the trade is mentioned.
So it wouldn’t be bad if Montero turned out to be a very good player while Pineda became a bust lol yea ok.
good point Rich.
I hope the cheap SOB gets herpes, and that Puma turns on him.
MTU-
This young OF would be nice, but would cost mucho
http://kansascity.royals.mlb.c.....='ALL‘
Try again??
http://kansascity.royals.mlb.c.....='ALL‘
MaineYankee March 20th, 2012 at 6:26 pm
yankeefeminista
Pretty rough ending for your Penguins the other day.
_____
Yep. But they played 3 road games in 4 days, so I have to give them a break. They were dragging at the end there, but got 7 points out of 8. At least Sid and Letang continue to be healthy.
“I hope the cheap SOB gets herpes, and that Puma turns on him.”
Gotta go. Enjoy Pineda’s outing tonight!
YT-
How much “mucho” ?
Did Maine get added to NCAA hockey tourney?
MTU March 20th, 2012 at 6:32 pm
good point Rich.
I hope the cheap SOB gets herpes, and that Puma turns on him.
————————————————————————————————————————-
Yes, but mosquitoes don’t bite him out of respect. so, there’s that.
Some video from Andy presser: http://www.tout.com/m/xy169y
Why didn’t YES show it?
So it wouldn’t be bad if Montero turned out to be a very good player while Pineda became a bust lol yea ok.
___________________
Would be bad if Pineda became a bust, because it would negatively impact the Yankees. But as of 2 months ago, Jesus Montero’s performance became no more relevant to the Yankees as any of the other 725 ML players NOT on the Yankees roster.
Part of the divide on this issue is due to the fact that some fans honestly can’t understand how others would take this view.
GB-
Small consolation.
“His words are so heavy they would break a lesser Man’s jaw.”
translation : He must be really full of sh*t.
Gracias, amigos. I think the slogan for me would be more like “his mosquito bites have their own mosquito bites.”
I just snapped a photo so you all can see exactly what I see now. Those are my toes!
http://m.flickr.com/photos/924.....855172702/
Guy looks like a bad mockup of Ricardo Montalban.
yankeefeminista March 20th, 2012 at 6:36 pm
Did Maine get added to NCAA hockey tourney?
——————————————–
Yes.
They are 11th.
I hope Abbott can return for the tourney.
Nick,
Couldn’t take the chance of looking.
nick-
C’mon dude. Nobody gives a crap about your smelly feet.
Where’s the chicks and the Corona ?
The Yankees wouldn’t have traded Montero for Pineda if they had signed Pettitte in December. That signing just would have stopped things with Kuroda.
No I think part of the divide is people feel the Yankees dealt from a position of weakness when it comes to the lineup. We’re running out Ibanez who appears to be done.
Sorry, *Still WOULD HAVE traded Montero for Pineda.
Almost game time.
I’ll catch you all later for the post game analysis.
Maybe by then Nick will have upped his game too and we can see what Mexico is really all about ?
Nick in SF -
Looks like paradise. Enjoy!
Is the game on yes?
VN-
Next time Nick needs to bring me along so I can help him with his Photography.
It needs serious work.
Yes, game is on YES.
T/Y
MTU -
I really wan’t to get a good look at pineda’s changeup.
This is a family blog, gotta keep my photos G rated. Adios!
Nick,
Not a bad place to be!! enjoy it!
MTU,
Thanks for the invite as well
Nick in SF……Cal gets hammered and you retreat to the beaches of Mexico for R & R, very nice my man !!!!
Frankie Pililere is watch some hs team in arizona and they clocked the 3rd baseman’s throw Mitch Nay, to first at 87 and 88 MPH.
No word yet on Marmol’s hand injury.
Interesting that the A’s new closer is not Brian Fuentes, but Grant Balfour
Pat M
In your playing days in the minors did you meet a guy named Barry Roderick?
He was in the Twins org.