The LoHud Yankees Blog

YANKEES (3-5-1)
Brett Gardner LF
Russell Martin C
Nick Swisher RF
Curtis Granderson CF
Jorge Posada DH
Eric Chavez 1B
Jorge Vazquez 3B
Eduardo Nunez SS
Ramiro Pena 2B

RHP A.J. Burnett (0-0, 0.00)
Burnett vs. Phillies

PHILLIES (5-5)
Shane Victorino CF
Placido Polanco 3B
Jimmy Rollins SS
Ryan Howard DH
Ben Francisco RF
Ross Gload 1B
John Mayberry LF
Carlos Ruiz C
Wilson Valdez 2B

RHP Roy Oswalt (0-0, 4.50)
Oswalt vs. Yankees

TIME/TV: 1:05 p.m., YES Network

WEATHER: It looked kind of rainy this morning, but the clouds seem to be moving out and the sky is pretty blue at this point. Light breeze blowing in from center field.

UMPIRES: HP Vic Carapazza, 1B Marty Foster, 2B Mark Carlson, 3B Dan Iassogna

ON THE LINE: Burnett will make his second spring start, another chance to ease some of the concern that came with his rough 2010… Eric Chavez is getting another start at first base, while the guy who’s suddenly catching everyone’s eye — Jorge Vazquez — gets a start at third… Russell Martin is catching back-to-back days for the first time.

WHO DOESN’T LOVE A SOPRANO SAXOPHONE? Kenny G will perform the National Anthem. That’s… unexpected. Truthfully, I’ve never really listened to Kenny G, but I have to think he’ll do a nice job.

OUT OF THE BULLPEN FOR THE YANKEES: Joba Chamberalin, Pedro Feliciano, Hector Noesi and Mark Prior will be the first four of the pen. Luis Ayala could clean up the ninth inning.

BULLPEN FOR THE PHILLIES: RHP Vance Worley, LHP Ryan Feierabend, RHP Drew Naylor and RHP Brian Bass.

TOMORROW’S TRAVELERS TODAY: Forgot to include this in the morning notes.

Pitchers who will be making the trip to Orlando: Brian Anderson, Dellin Betances, Andrew Brackman, Robert Fish, Freddy Garcia, Warner Madrigal, Dave Robertson, Romulo Sanchez, Daniel Turpen, Eric Wordekemper

Players who will not be making the trip to Orlando: Francisco Cervelli, Russell Martin, Ronnie Belliard, Robinson Cano, Eric Chavez, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Colin Curtis and Andruw Jones.

UPDATE, 1:36 p.m.: Eduardo Nunez’s first spring home run is a three-run shot off Oswalt for a 3-0 Yankees lead in the second inning. Meanwhile, A.J. Burnett has sent the side down in order through the first two innings.

UPDATE, 1:56 p.m.: Nine up, nine down for Burnett. Meanwhile, Granderson just sent a rocket over the wall in right field, a two-run shot that has given the Yankees a 5-0 lead.

UPDATE, 2:03 p.m.: RBI single by Chavez, except Posada missed third base on his way home, and he was called out. Strange moment. It was 6-0 for a while, but now it’s back to 5-0 after three innings.

UPDATE, 2:36 p.m.: Here come the minor leaguers. After Chavez’s second hit of the game — an RBI single in the fifth — Luke Murton is in to pinch run with a 7-0 Yankees lead.

If there was a silver lining to last night’s Yankees loss, it was that the Rays spent the night blowing a lead in Baltimore and losing to the lowly Orioles. In front of the First Lady, no less.

So the Yankees division lead stayed the same, but he most significant news of the night might have come a little before midnight when Buster Olney reported that the Rays were talking about a trade to acquire right fielder Jayson Werth from the Phillies. The deal could be a blockbuster, because Ed Price is reporting that the Phillies are also talking to the Astros about adding Roy Oswalt.

With that, I’m on my way back to Yankee Stadium. It’s as if I never left.