The LoHud Yankees Blog

By Vincent Z. Mercogliano
vmercoglia@lohud.com
NEW YORK – It’s been a wild season on the West Coast for Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, but the former Yankees legend has remained composed in the face of constant speculation about his job security.

“I had a good training ground, I’ll put it that way,” Mattingly said before Tuesday’s series opener with the Yankees was postponed due to rain. “I think George (Steinbrenner) liked controversy. His thing was, good publicity or bad publicity, its still publicity. I kind of grew up, in a sense, with it. … For me, it prepares you to just weather it and not take it personal.”

Mattingly’s calmness under pressure has helped him navigate his way through a difficult two and a half months with this underachieving Dodgers’ team. Los Angeles sits 10 games under .500 entering Wednesday, but the longtime Yankee first baseman’s manner has not wavered.

Mattingly was known for his business-like approach during his 14 seasons in pinstripes, which convinced the late Steinbrenner to name him as team captain and endeared him to New York fans. Those fans will have to wait one more day to see him manage at Yankee Stadium for the first time, with the Dodgers now set to play a split doubleheader against the Yankees on Wednesday at 1 and 7 p.m.

“Obviously, it’s good to come back,” Mattingly said. “You don’t quite understand the relationship, honestly. I came from a small town, loved playing, came here and just played. I pretty much tried to keep it as simple as that, and they seemed to appreciate that. It was nice for me, because I didn’t have to do anything except play.”

Mattingly is considered to be one of the greatest Yankees of all-time, with a plaque in Monument Park to prove it. He finished his career with a .307 batting average, winning nine Gold Gloves and an American League MVP award in 1985.

Mattingly’s only blemish was never winning a championship. He retired after the 1995 season; just one year before the Yankees began their run of four titles in five years.

“I was a big fan of his,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “He’s been such a big part of Yankee history, and the way he played the game. I’m anxious to hear who gets the louder cheer today – him or (Mariano Rivera), if he comes in the game. I think that’s probably the only one who can measure up to him tonight, and he deserves that.”

Mattingly’s opportunity to continue to chase a championship as a Yankee came prior to the 2008 season after longtime manager Joe Torre was let go. He was one of the three finalists for the opening – along with Girardi and current bench coach Tony Pena – but he was passed over for the job.

“Obviously, you compete and want that job, so there was a little disappointment,” Mattingly said. “I didn’t go through the interview process and all of that not to get it, but I felt like I was treated really well through that process. (General manager Brian Cashman) I thought was great. He was up front and honest with me about everything. To be very honest with you, it was a blessing for me.”

Mattingly followed Torre to Los Angeles to serve as his bench coach, eventually taking over as manager in 2011. And while his star-studded team has been dealing with mounting losses and injuries, he continues to use the lessons learned while playing for Steinbrenner under the bright lights in New York.

“It’s a learning experience,” Mattingly said. “I look at it like a lot of other things. I’m not the first manager that’s had to deal with it, and I’m not going to be the last manager who’s had to deal with it. … It can only stay at that level for so long, and then you either get fired, or you don’t.”

Associated Press photo

According to the Houston Chronicle, the Yankees have traded for former top prospect Fernando Martinez.

Once upon a time, a deal for Martinez would have been a near blockbuster, but these days it’s little more than minor league outfield depth for a team that badly needs it. The Yankees are sending short-season reliever Charles Basford to the Astros (he was a 37th-round pick last year).

As my friend Donnie Collins points out on Twitter, tonight’s Scranton/Wilkes-Barre lineup had utility infielders — Addison Maruszak and Walter Ibarra — in the outfielder corners, plus Class-A fill-in Cody Grice in center. With Thomas Neal and Zoilo Almonte in the big leagues, and Melky Mesa, Brennan Boesch and Ronnier Mustelier on the disabled list, the Yankees need Triple-A outfielders if only to put players where they should be.

Martinez was once a gem of the Mets system, but it’s been pretty bad when given chances in the big leagues. He’s been pretty bad in Triple-A this year, as well, but he at least has a history of some production at that level.

Yankees fans will have to wait one more day to see Don Mattingly manage at Yankee Stadium for the first time.

The official announcement just came through that the Yankees series opener with the Los Angeles Dodgers has been postponed due to rain. The game will be made up tomorrow as part of a split doubleheader. The first game will begin at 1 p.m., with the second game starting at 7.

Associated Press photo

Well, so much for the return of Don Mattingly to the Bronx.

Much of the hype earlier today was focused on a Yankee legend coming home in a different uniform, but a flurry of moves and announcements from the Yankees has deflected the attention back to a story that we’ve gone over many times already this season – the continuing trend of Yankee stars dropping like flies.

“It’s not how you draw it up,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “No doubt about that.”

The first major announcement when I got to the ballpark today was that Mark Teixeira is heading back to the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in the right wrist that caused him to miss the first two months of the season.

“We think it’s at least going to be a week, so our thought process is, ‘Let’s just make sure that we’re not short-handed for a week,’ ” manager Joe Girardi said. “If he’s healthy after a week, he can get a few at-bats in rehab, and then we’ll have him back.”

While the Yankees sound optimistic that this won’t be another extended absence for Tex, Cashman emerged shortly after to inform that media that Kevin Youkilis is in even worse shape. They have discovered a herniated disc in his balky back, which will require surgery. Youk will go under the knife on Thursday, and is expected to miss at least 10-12 weeks.

“Kevin is a heckuva player, and he hasn’t had the chance to show that because of the back,” Cashman said.

• With Tex being officially placed on the DL, Zoilo Almonte has been called up to take his place on the 25-man roster. “He’s a switch-hitter and an outfielder,” Girardi said. “We can give him a start here; we can use him as a pinch-hitter off the bench. There are some different things that he can do.”

• Girardi was pressed about whether Teixeira returned too quickly from his original injury, but he sounded convinced that his first baseman was healthy when he first rejoined the club. (As we found out yesterday, Kevin Long wasn’t quite as confident.) “He was healthy when he came back,” Girardi said. “It could have been just the swings, the games that got to him a little bit. It was inflammation, so inflammation is going to cause some sort of a weakness as time goes on. The more inflamed it goes, the harder it’s going to be. But when he came back, he didn’t have that.”

• Girardi also reiterated that he expects Tex back soon after his 15-day DL stint is over. “I do,” he said. “There’s not really hesitation in my mind that makes me think he won’t be back when the 15 days is up.”

• As for Youkilis, Cashman said that he’ll have a chance to get back to the Yankees sometime late in the season. With the surgery set for Thursday, the 10-12 week timetable could put him back on the field in early September, but he’ll obviously need to play some minor league rehab games before getting back to the big leagues. And Cashman also stressed that 10-12 is the minimum recovery time, so this certainly jeopardizes Youkilis’ season.

• For the time being, Cashman mentioned David Adams as the replacement for Youk, but he also said that he expects Alex Rodriguez to contribute at some point. A-Rod stepped into the batter’s box down in Tampa today, but didn’t actually take any cuts. “He just tracked pitches today,” Girardi said. “I’m sure each day he’ll do a little bit more.”

• In the final roster move of the day (or so we think), the Yankees brought Adam Warren back up and designated Chris Bootcheck for assignment

• Oh, by the way. The tarp is on the field and it’s pouring an hour and a half before first pitch. So there’s that.

Photos from Associated Press

The Yankees have made a flurry of announcements in my short time at the Stadium today. First, it was announced that Mark Teixeira is heading back onto the disabled list with inflammation in his oft-injured right wrist. While the early indications are that the Yankees expect Tex to return shortly after his 15-day DL stint has concluded, the news for Kevin Youkilis is worse. Brian Cashman just told us that Youk has a herniated disc in his back that will require surgery. He will have the surgery on Thursday, and is then expected to miss 10-12 weeks. Simply put, his season is now in jeopardy.

The Yankees brought up switch-hitting outfielder Zoilo Almonte to take Tex’s roster spot, and also brought Adam Warren back up while designating Chris Bootcheck for assignment. I’ll have more on all of this in a little while.

Vin Mercogliano back here from Yankee Stadium filling in for Chad for the night. It’s a big night with Don Mattingly returning to the Bronx for the first time in another uniform, and his press conference will be in about an hour. I’ll have more on that — and all things Yankees — in my pregame notes.

Brett Gardner CF
Jayson Nix SS
Robinson Cano 2B
Vernon Wells LF
Thomas Neal DH
Ichiro Suzuki RF
David Adams 3B
Lyle Overbay 1B
Chris Stewart C

RHP Phil Hughes

Tonight 
RHP Phil Hughes (3-5, 4.89)
vs.
LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (6-2, 2.85)
7:05 p.m., MY9 and MLB Network

Wednesday
RHP Hiroki Kuroda (6-5, 2.78)
vs.
TBA
7:05 p.m., YES Network and ESPN2

There’s a solid chance that the loudest ovation at Yankee Stadium tonight will be for the opposing manager.

“If Mo gets in the game, maybe he can overtake him,” Joe Girardi said.

Don Matthingly is back in town. It’s the first time the Dodgers have ever played a regular-season game at Yankee Stadium, and the matchup of two iconic franchises will be highlighted by the return of one iconic first baseman.

“Donnie is one of the greatest Yankees that has ever played, and one of the greatest teammates that has ever put on that uniform,” Girardi said. “I know that I’ve always loved him and appreciated what he’s done, and the fans have seen a lot more than I have. I think it will be a great day for him.”

The Yankees seem more than happy to relinquish the spotlight for a while.

“Donnie, himself, was and will always be a Yankee,” Brian Cashman said. “A tremendous Yankee. Fans obviously love him. When he left here and went to the Dodgers, the new stadium got built ,and I remember Donnie coming back on an off-day or earlier in the morning before a game at Citi Field. He came over here to get a tour of the facility on an off-day or the day of a game situation. He wanted to get a chance to look at the new Yankee Stadium. So I know he’s been here. … He’s coming back, obviously, as manager of the Dodgers and life-long Yankee who’ll always be a Yankee. I just hope we can beat him. I hope we take every game that we’re playing these guys, and I know that he feels the same way. Listen, Yankees fans haven’t gotten a chance to show him the love, so he’ll get it when they introduce his name.”

Of course, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Mattingly was almost managing in Yankee pinstripes rather than Dodger blue.

“It was extremely difficult; the process was difficult,” Cashman said. “There were extensive interviews. Our entire baseball operations team put these guys through a pretty extraordinary interview process. I had, obviously, three candidates (Mattingly, Girardi and Tony Pena). … Part of the criteria that was already set up was people who had worked with me, had worked here, understood the politics here, understood New York. Being the manager of the New York Yankees involves a lot more than just managing game strategy. It’s also trying to manage the press, trying to manage the expectations that come with being a Yankee, the pressures of winning, the politics of the front office.

“… I felt someone from that group was going to emerge from that group and be successful, and I believe I made the right selection. Joe Girardi has been a great asset for us. It was a very tough call. The only thing that, for Donnie, was difficult, was that at the time he had never managed before. That’s a hard hurdle to get over when you’re trying to put forward a team that’s trying to win now. We’re trying to win immediately, and that’s an area where Donnie — he knows the game inside out, he had the right personality and demeanor, he has the resume as a former player, he knows the ups and downs and the struggles and players can easily relate with him on that. The area that was a very difficult hurdle for him at the time — and obviously he doesn’t have that anymore to deal with — is obviously at the time, he hadn’t managed a game in the big leagues.

“So was I going to be in a position to be comfortable enough to turn over 200 million dollars worth of assets to someone who hadn’t done that before in game? That was obviously something he was going to have to overcome in the interview process compared to Joe and Tony. But he, without a doubt, was worthy. He was there for a reason. For the Dodgers, I think he was a great selection by tapping him. Now he’s a finished product and ready to go, and like every team in baseball, if he has all his assets going and healthy, they have a chance to run with a real strong, championship-caliber situation, and that’s what they’re trying to get when they get all their horses back.”

Associated Press photos

This afternoon, it was morning. For me, anyway. I spent most of the off day in California, jumped on the Brian Cashman conference call at noon Pacific Time, put the basics on the blog and then headed north on the 405 to catch a flight back to New York. I’m actually in the air right now.

In the scramble of catching a flight, put the basics of Cashman’s conference call on the blog using the notes I was taking during the call. Here are the extended quotes on some of the bigger topics of discussion.

On the long-term concern for Mark Teixeira…
“Like before the season started, when this injury hit, he’ll either get through it or he’ll have to have surgery. The MRI showed no new tear, it’s not a re-injury there; it’s inflammation of the tendon. But is this something that’s a recurring theme because of the previous injury that’s going to prevent him from being all he can be? If that’s the case, he’ll have to have surgery. That’s not a long-term concern; it would be a this-year concern. It could be as simple as it got inflamed, we have to calm it down and then turn him loose and he doesn’t have an issue going forward, or it’s a much broader issue that has every relevance to that injury and it’s not going to survive. I can’t tell you. I don’t think anybody honestly can tell you right now. The experts looking at the MRI diagnosed it as an inflamed tendon, and clearly it’s related to the injury he had in the spring. Is it something that’s going t prevent him from playing? Is it something that’s going to eventually force him to have the surgery? I can’t rule any of that stuff out.”

On whether the Yankees would consider using Teixeira as a right-handed hitter…
“I haven’t thought about it. I would tell you this: I would think that if it’s something that is going to prevent him from playing, that would make him a part-time player, I’d rather he just go get it fixed (with surgery). Up until him pulling himself from the game because he was having issues, there’s been no conversations that have been conveyed to our medical staff, our doctors, front office, that he was having any issues at any time.”

On Kevin Long’s comments about Teixeira…
“It’s alarming in the fact that K-Long would say that to the group of the reporters, but he never said that prior to that. This is a lot of times how things work out when things go bad, things get said that, if K-Long felt that way, he should have been saying that from day one, but we never heard that from K-Long. Before anyone asks, am I mad at Kevin Long because of that? No. But do I think that that commentary jibes with Kevin Long’s comments internally in that clubhouse regarding this player prior to him going down? The answer absolutely is not. So sometimes in the situation where people have a chance to say something publicly it’s a lot different, or you have a conversation with somebody saying why are you saying that today when you never said any of that in any day prior to this. That’s the only way I can answer that. So if K-Long said that, he’s a monk, because he kept his mouth shut the whole time.”

On the long-term concern for Kevin Youkilis…
“Back issues usually don’t get better. They can, but they’re very debilitating and hard to get a handle on. It’s definitely a concern. As of right now, I’m not planning on him until they tell me I can plan on him. He’s going to see (Dr.) Watkins and we’ll get an update on that. I can’t say I’m expecting bad news, good news or any news, but I just know he’s not the player that he can be because of the back right now. Are we going to be in a position to get that player back at some point throughout this season? It would be nice, but just don’t know what the issue is and what’s possible. The early process of what he’s been dealing with, the full expectation was that the time out would help and he would be back. That obviously hasn’t happened. Medicine is an inexact science, it’s trial and error. They can see something, they can work through it, but again, when people continue to fail in a rehab process, then you’re dealing with a much more concerning issue.”

On whether Youkilis’s back issue was a concern this winter…
“He passed his physical, came in through flying colors, and that’s with a history of back issues and certainly having a full diagnostic workup. And (there was) a comfort level of knowing the White Sox offered him a two-year deal and that’s where he just came from.”

On whether Cashman has looked into trade upgrades for the offense…
Man, I’ve been active already. I feel like up until recently we’ve been getting a new player in here — they weren’t relatively big splashes, but it just feels like from mid-Spring Training on, we’ve been on overdrive mixing and matching stuff. I’m always open for business if it feels like they’re incremental upgrades or significant ones. The opportunity for significant upgrade trades obviously don’t usually take place until after the June draft. We’re past that date, so I think the atmosphere should be right about there. Activities in terms of conversations have definitely increased where clubs have turned their attention to: ‘All right, what are you guys looking to do? Who do you need? Who’s available?’ Every GM is kind of cataloging the available players and team needs. From that, obviously something can transpire over time with a few more conversations. Listen, because of the injuries that have hit us from the winter and March, we’ve been active and open to try to do something that would make sense for us. I think we’ve done a lot, and we’re going to continue to try to do a lot. We’ll see where it takes us.”

On the reports on Michael Pineda…
“The reports have been really good. He’s had a very good rehab process without issues. His velo has been topping out at 94, topping out at 95, sitting at 92. Today he was up to 94, sat at 92, or today, he was up to 95, sat at 93. I think, over time, you’re going to get a chance to see more — if there’s more there — as he gets stretched out, but that’s where he’s at so far.”

It was suggested that the Yankees had at least somewhat salvaged the road trip…
“It wasn’t a good West Coast trip at all, actually; 4-6 makes it sound better than it felt. That’s because we got swept in Oakland, and especially with the 18-(inning) loss, then the extended losing streak into Anaheim for two, it puts a lot of distance between what you did in Seattle before you got into Oakland and Anaheim. We’re glad we’re off the West Coast. There are obviously a lot of ups and downs throughout the season, and that was not an enjoyable trip.”

Associated Press photos

The Yankees have released an updated list of signed draft picks. The players highlighted in grey have officially signed. We learned today that Ian Clarkin has agreed to a deal, but it’s not yet official.