Pregame notes: Nix sent for MRI on hip flexor
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Sep 29, 2012 
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Eduardo Nunez might have a playoff roster spot locked up.
Jayson Nix has been sent to New York for an MRI on his left hip flexor, which became sore after making a play to his left on Thursday.
“He didn’t mention it Thursday night, he mentioned it yesterday,” Joe Girardi said. “There’s a possibility we may not have him for a while, and that’s why Nuney becomes all the more important.”
Nunez is back at shortstop this afternoon to give Derek Jeter a break on this turf, and Girardi said he has no plans of playing Nunez at other positions in preparation for returning to a utility role. Girardi said he “absolutely” expects Jeter, Robinson Cano and Alex Rodriguez to be available to play the field every day in the postseason, so Nunez would be strictly a backup at second and short (Eric Chavez would backup at third).
“This is a kid that, when we first brought him up, he played very well at shortstop,” Girardi said. “We know that Jeet needs a day off on the turf. We have to be smart here, we can’t hurt Jeet, so he’s going to have to get it done. … I have (seen improvements from Nunez in the field). We think his ability to turn the page is important, and we think he’s improved on that too.”
• Obviously Robinson Cano’s X-rays came back clean with no break. He showed his left hand in the clubhouse pregame, and it really didn’t look swollen at all. He said it’s fine, but he was initially worried when the pitch hit him. “I’m sure he has a little bit of soreness,” Girardi said. “But there’s not broken bones so we don’t have to worry about that.”
• No matter what the MRI shows, Nix will not rejoin the Yankees here in Toronto. If he’s healthy enough to play, he’ll simply rejoin the team in New York on Monday.
• Of course Jeter will downplay the bruised ankle no matter what, but there is a sense that he’s feeling a little better lately. “I think he’s moving better than he was,” Girardi said. “But it’s still something we have to monitor every day.”
• Girardi said he’s expecting 95-100 pitches from Pettitte today, “depending on how he’s doing.”
• Mark Teixeira will play his instructional league game today. As far as I know — and as far as Girardi knows — it hasn’t happened yet.
• Russell Martin is sitting because it’s a day game after a night game. Girardi said he wanted to give Martin one of these days off in the final week, and this one simply made the most sense.
• Girardi said he absolutely will not rest players if the Yankees clinch a wild card spot but not the division. He’ll keep playing guys as usual as long as the division is in doubt.
• Speaking of which, there’s a chance the Yankees could clinch a playoff spot — wild card — while Girardi is at dinner tonight. “Maybe I’ll have dessert,” Girardi said.
Associated Press photos
- YESTERDAYS A-ROD O-METER -
1-5\1R\3LOB
And thanks for clearing it up.
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Well, I was going to throw in decorative. But, that would be a side note, did not apply in text.
another toy (nix) was taken away from girardi. the decision to start nix instead of chavez getting worse by the day.
Tar – YES (631) and 722, DTV.
interesting splits … must be lefty sees his change up well… I rem romero had a good curve ball.. he must use his cu a lot against righties.
Playing on tuf is generally easier (fielding) than playing on grass. Its just harder on the body. That should help Nunez.
“interesting splits … must be lefty sees his change up well”
I think its more that he just doesn’t use it as much against lefties….its his best secondary pitch and lefties sort take it away somewhat because down and in is the happy zone for a lot of LH hitters……
“Playing on tuf is generally easier (fielding) than playing on grass. Its just harder on the body. That should help Nunez.”
unfortunately the fans behind first base need to be on their toes on either surface
that make sense blake, kind of Chris Hammond type with better repertoire.
Love the Girardi verbiage. Says he “absolutely expects Jeet, Cano, and A-Rod to be “AVAILABLE” to play the field everyday in the post season. Well yea, A-Rod has been “AVAILABLE” to play the field all thru the regular season, yet Girardi chose to DH him time-and-time again. The question is, is Girardi gonna play A-Rod defensively throughout the playoffs? I’m no Sherman guy, but he had the balls to challenge Girardi, and Girardi immediately went to Defcon 1. The media covering the Yanks needs to grow a couple.
For a few games that are left forget all the turf-grass stuff. We gotta play well. That’s the bottom line. Give Nunez the chance, I guess, and see what happens. He might be the hero of the game, who knows ?
Some like to say that early season games aren’t so bad to lose, that there’s a long way to go, that they don’t count like the end of the season. Well, would we like to have a hand full of those early losses right now ?
A homer in the first counts the same as in the 7th-9th.