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XPROTEX Softball Gloves

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New York Yankees Team Report

seospecialist — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:18:58 +0000

For so many years, Alex Rodriguez was the face of the Yankees’ postseason failure.

Now he is a symbol of their success.

Rodriguez led the way as the Yankees shed some playoff demons, dominating Minnesota’s pitchers in the Division Series sweep of the Twins.

Now Rodriguez will have to lead the Yankees into another challenge they’ve failed to meet in the recent past — an AL Championship Series against the Angels, who have twice bounced the Yankees from the playoffs in the last decade.

But Rodriguez and the Yankees can’t be as intimidated by the prospect after the three games they just played.

On a night in which Carl Pavano seemed set to frustrate his former team with a strong performance that would have been difficult to picture all those years he nursed injuries in the Bronx, Rodriguez once again stepped up. His home run in the seventh inning broke the shutout and, along with Jorge Posada’s homer later in the inning, catapulted the Yankees to a 4-1 win and a date with the Angels in the ALCS.

“He was big,” manager Joe Girardi said. “Alex had an unbelievable series. … It’s great. I talked about Alex being in a good spot before the playoffs. And he showed it.”

Rodriguez had such an unbelievable series — two clutch home runs, six RBI, all in pressure situations — he made his success seem less unbelievable with each at-bat. The man so often known through his Yankees career for coming up small in October came up big this time.

Along with Rodriguez’s rebirth, the Yankees had one more feel-good story added to a season full of them. If Rodriguez had been questioned loud and long in the big picture, Posada had been the center of attention in the immediate past.

Heading into the series, Posada became a storyline thanks to Girardi’s decision to pair backup catcher Jose Molina with A.J. Burnett. After stirring controversy by expressing his disappointment, Posada capped the series with another clutch hit and an excellent defensive game.

His homer put the Yankees ahead in the seventh. Before that, Posada paired with longtime battery mate Andy Pettitte on a gem in which Pettitte allowed just one run in 6 1/3 innings and struck out seven. After the homer, Posada helped protect the lead, making a snap throw to third to nail Nick Punto after a heads-up toss home from Derek Jeter. Posada also singled in a run in the ninth inning.

“I love what he did tonight,” Girardi said of Posada.

YANKEES 4, TWINS 1: Alex Rodriguez continued to reverse the trend of postseasons past with yet another clutch hit, homering in the seventh inning to tie the game before Jorge Posada added the go-ahead homer a few moments later as the Yankees completed the sweep and won their first playoff series in five years.

Former Yankee Carl Pavano had frustrated his old team from the mound instead of the disabled list for the first six innings, shutting them out and outdueling Andy Pettitte, who had given up an RBI single to Joe Mauer in the sixth. But Rodriguez hit his second homer in as many games and drove in his sixth run of the series to tie the score, 1-1. After Hideki Matsui struck out, Posada homered to give the Yankees the lead. They added two runs in the ninth on RBI singles by Posada and Robinson Cano off of closer Joe Nathan.

The Yankees bullpen fared better, with Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera combining for 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Hughes was aided in the eighth by a sharp play from Derek Jeter and Posada, who nailed Nick Punto at third after he started the inning with a leadoff double. Jeter fielded an infield single and threw home when Punto began racing for the plate. Posada then threw a dart to third baseman Alex Rodriguez for the out.

NOTES, QUOTES

—3B Alex Rodriguez, his teammates and manager had talked about him being in a better frame of mind than previous Octobers throughout the last few weeks, but he showed it during the Yankees’ sweep of Minnesota. Rodriguez tied two games with late homers and drove in six runs in the three games after managing just one RBI in his previous 59 postseason at-bats. “He went out and proved it, with clutch hits,” manager Joe Girardi said. “Game 2 was a monster hit. Game 1, he had big hits. Tonight was a monster hit.”

—LHP CC Sabathia will be set to go in Game 1 of the Championship Series against the Angels, and manager Joe Girardi was grateful for the opportunity to start with his ace in the next round. “It’s good because you can set up your rotation however you want,” he said. Sabathia’s reaction: “I’m excited.”

BY THE NUMBERS: 2 — Number of game-tying home runs in the seventh inning or later that Alex Rodriguez hit in Games 2 and 3 of the Division Series sweep of the Twins.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “This is the first step of what we hope to be many.” — LHP CC Sabathia on the Yankees’ celebration after their Division Series victory over Minnesota.

ROSTER REPORT

—C Jorge Posada got serenaded by his teammates with a chant Yankees fans back in the Bronx made more popular. “Hip, Hip Jorge!” teammates screamed as they sprayed him with champagne after Posada hit the go-ahead homer in the clinching game of the Division Series sweep of Minnesota. Posada had been the center of attention after getting benched in Game 2 for backup Jose Molina, but he came through with one of the biggest hits of the series while also catching a game in which Yankees pitchers allowed just one run. Posada also did a good job of deflecting controversy for the second round of the postseason when he said he doesn’t care if Jose Molina continues to catch A.J. Burnett. “It doesn’t make a difference to me,” Posada said. “I’m just going to be ready whenever they want me.”

—LHP Andy Pettitte threw another gem for the Yankees in the postseason and said the factors that made people think he would not return to New York for the chance to do so actually made him do just that. Pettitte threw 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball, allowing just three hits and striking out seven in the Yankees’ 4-1 Division Series-clinching win over Minnesota but was an afterthought in the offseason because of the addition of CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. The high-profile pitchers left little cash for Pettitte, who had to swallow his pride to take a pay cut in an incentive-laden deal. No matter, he said. “That’s why I wanted to come back here,” Pettitte said of Sabathia and Burnett signing. “I knew if we had those two horses and if you could add me with them — and hopefully I could stay healthy — I felt like we could get to the postseason.”

—SS Derek Jeter is known for his many clutch hits in October, but this time he came through with a crucial defensive play in the Yankees’ series-clinching win over the Twins. Jeter fielded an infield single in the eighth and caught Nick Punto racing for home. The Yankees captain fired to catcher Jorge Posada and Punto slipped, prompting Posada to snap a throw to third, where Alex Rodriguez tagged out the runner and ended the threat. “When I caught it … I saw Punto out of the corner of my eye, so I just waited for him to commit to going home, then tried to get it to Jorge,” Jeter said.

—RHP Joba Chamberlain pitched another 2/3 scoreless innings in relief — helped by a great defensive play by Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada — and should most likely get used to that role in the next round. The New York Post has reported the Yankees will keep him in the bullpen against the Angels and use ace CC Sabathia on short rest or RHP Chad Gaudin in Game 4.

—2B Robinson Cano struggled with runners in scoring position all season but contributed a clutch hit in the ninth inning to help the Yankees put away the Twins. Cano added an RBI single to give the Yankees another insurance run in the 4-1 win that clinched the Division Series sweep.

MEDICAL WATCH:

RHP Chien-Ming Wang (right shoulder strain and bursitis) went on the 15-day disabled list July 5, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on July 31. He had season-ending surgery July 29.

OF Xavier Nady (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 15, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on July 21. He began a rehab assignment with Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on June 24, but he experienced a setback June 25. He had season-ending Tommy John surgery July 8.

ROTATION:

LHP CC Sabathia

RHP A.J. Burnett

LHP Andy Pettitte

RHP Chad Gaudin

BULLPEN:

RHP Mariano Rivera (closer)

RHP Phil Hughes

LHP Phil Coke

RHP Dave Robertson

RHP Alfredo Aceves

RHP Joba Chamberlain

LHP Damaso Marte

CATCHERS:

Jorge Posada

Jose Molina

Francisco Cervelli

INFIELDERS:

1B Mark Teixeira

2B Robinson Cano

SS Derek Jeter

3B Alex Rodriguez

INF/OF Eric Hinske

INF/OF Jerry Hairston Jr.

OUTFIELDERS:

LF Johnny Damon

CF Melky Cabrera

RF Nick Swisher

DH Hideki Matsui

OF Brett Gardner

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New York Yankees 4, Minnesota 1

seospecialist — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:14:45 +0000

Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada hit seventh-inning solo home runs and the New York Yankees went on to beat Minnesota 4-1 Sunday, sweeping their playoff series.

The two homers off Twins starter Carl Pavano — Rodriguez’s to right field, Posada’s to left — erased a 1-0 Twins lead.

New York added two more runs in the ninth on RBI singles by Robinson Cano and Posada.

The Yankees advance to the American League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Angels, who also swept their division series, defeating the Boston Red Sox 7-6. Game 1 is scheduled for Friday at New York.

Joe Mauer singled in Minnesota’s run in the sixth inning.

Andy Pettitte was the winning pitcher, allowing a run and three hits over 6 1/3 innings. Pavano took the loss, yielding five hits, including the home runs, in seven innings.

Mariano Rivera recorded four outs for the 35th save of his playoff career.

The game was the last in the Metrodome. The Twins will play in a new facility, Target Field, starting next season.

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Red Sox sweep Twins in day-night doubleheader

admin — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:47:56 +0000

BOSTON (AP)—Brad Penny pitched six solid innings after Tim Wakefield won a rain-shortened complete game, and the Boston Red Sox finished a doubleheader sweep of the Minnesota Twins with a 7-3 victory Wednesday night.

Wakefield (2-1) tossed a five-hitter for his second consecutive complete game in the opener, a 10-1 victory that was called after seven innings because of rain. Kevin Youkilis , Nick Green and Mike Lowell each hit a two-run homer.

Penny (2-0) allowed two earned runs in the finale of the day-night doubleheader as the Red Sox extended their winning streak to seven games after a 2-6 start. Jeff Bailey hit a three-run homer and David Ortiz had a two-run double against Francisco Liriano (0-4).

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Yankees Team Report

admin — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:45:40 +0000

Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera are among the most decorated players in Yankees history. On Tuesday, they made a piece of Major League Baseball history as well.

Pettitte tossed seven strong innings to earn the win and Rivera recorded the save with a scoreless ninth as the Yankees beat the A’s 5-3 at Yankee Stadium. It was the 57th time a Pettitte victory was saved by Rivera, which ties the duo for first place all time with Bob Welch and Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley, who combined on 57 wins for the Athletics from 1988 through 1994.

Rivera is sure to follow Eckersley into the Hall: The diminutive right-hander has lost little, if any, of his trademark dominance even as he approaches his 40th birthday. Rivera had perhaps his most impressive season ever last year, when he surrendered a career-low 41 hits and six walks in 70 2/3 innings, posted a 1.40 ERA—just shy of his career low of 1.38—and converted 39 of 40 save opportunities. He’s 4-for-4 on save opportunities this year and has yet to allow a run or issue a walk in six innings.

Pettitte showed signs of fading last year, when he finished with his second-highest ERA ever (4.54) and posted a 5.35 ERA after the All-Star break. Pettitte’s resume is similar to the one fashioned by Welch, who went 211-146 with a 3.47 ERA over 17 big-league seasons and fell off the Hall of Fame ballot after just one year.

But Pettitte, in his 15th big-league season, has 217 wins—fourth most among active pitchers and one more than Curt Schilling, who is considered more likely than not to reach the Hall—and a 3.88 ERA in the most hitter-friendly era ever. He was a core member of the Yankees’ four world championship teams from 1996 through 2000 and is 14-9 with a 3.96 ERA in 35 postseason starts.

And Pettitte is still adding to his credentials. He lasted seven innings for the third time in three starts Tuesday and has a 2.53 ERA with just two walks in 21 1/3 innings. Perhaps he’ll add another line to his resume Sunday, when he and Rivera get their first chance at surpassing Welch and Eckersley in the record books.

YANKEES 5, A’S 3: Johnny Damon had an RBI single during a four-run second inning and added a solo homer in the sixth as the Yankees won in the Bronx. Damon, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui had two hits each, while Brett Gardner had a two-run single in the second and robbed ex-Yankee Jason Giambi of an extra-base hit with a spectacular catch in the first inning. Andy Pettitte allowed two runs in seven innings, and Mariano Rivera earned the save with a scoreless ninth.

Notes, Quotes

• RHP Chien-Ming Wang, who has an ERA of 34.50 after three starts, will have his next turn in the rotation skipped and will head to the Yankees’ minor league complex in Tampa, where he will throw 100 pitches in an extended spring training game Thursday as he and the Yankees try to get him untracked. Pitching Thursday would put Wang in line to pitch for the Yankees next Tuesday, but manager Joe Girardi told reporters he wasn’t sure who would start for the Yankees that night against the Tigers.

• OF Johnny Damon appeared in his 2,000th career game Tuesday. Damon has appeared in at least 141 games every season since 1996, his first full year in the bigs, and has made just one trip to the disabled list.

By The Numbers: 20—Homers hit by the Indians (11) and Yankees (nine) in the first four games at the new Yankee Stadium—the most ever hit in the first four games at a stadium in major league history.

Quote To Note: “(It’s) like a painting you’ve been staring at a long time. And now it’s different. Still great. But different.”—Yankees captain Derek Jeter, talking to the New York Daily News about switching from the old Yankee Stadium to the new one.

Roster Report

The Yankees certainly absorbed their share of embarrassing moments during a week in which they went 4-3 against the Rays and Indians. The Yankees’ three losses were by a combined margin of 47-11 and were “highlighted” by Nick Swisher’s mound debut in a 15-5 loss to the Rays, a 12-2 drubbing by the Indians in the first game at the new Yankee Stadium and a 22-4 rout by the Indians two days later in which the Yankees gave up a team-record 14 runs in the second inning. There are plenty of concerns about Chien-Ming Wang, who was the losing pitcher in two of the routs, as well as the bullpen leading up to set-up man Brian Bruney and closer extraordinaire Mariano Rivera. But A.J. Burnett displayed dominant stuff in a pair of starts and the Yankees are averaging 5.4 runs per game even though the likes of Mark Teixeira (.206) and Hideki Matsui (.194) have started slow.

Player News:

• OF Xavier Nady learned he would not yet need season-ending Tommy John surgery on his injured right elbow. Nady, who was hurt while throwing the ball a week ago against the Rays, will spend the next three weeks rehabbing his arm before he begins hitting. If Nady encounters no hiccups, he’ll return to the lineup as the designated hitter to minimize the stress on his elbow. Nady underwent Tommy John surgery at the end of the 2001 season.

• DH Hideki Matsui had fluid drained from his troublesome left knee Thursday. Matsui, who underwent surgery on the left knee following last season, was out of the starting lineup for five straight games last week but is back.

• RHP Brian Bruney’s run of perfection ended when he gave up a run on two hits in the eighth inning of the Yankees’ 5-3 win over the Athletics. Entering the game, Bruney had retired 20 consecutive batters in his last seven appearances, including 12 by strikeout.

Medical Watch:

OF Xavier Nady (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 15. He will try to rehab the injury without surgery.

DH Hideki Matsui (left knee surgery in September 2008) won’t play in the field before June.

3B Alex Rodriguez (arthroscopic right hip surgery in March 2009) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He resumed baseball activities April 13 and could be back as soon as late April. He could have more extensive surgery during the offseason, although he is indicating that might not be necessary.

Rotation:

LHP CC Sabathia

RHP A.J. Burnett

LHP Andy Pettitte

RHP Joba Chamberlain

RHP Chien-Ming Wang

Bullpen:

RHP Mariano Rivera (closer)

RHP Brian Bruney

LHP Damaso Marte

LHP Phil Coke

RHP Edwar Ramirez

RHP Jose Veras

RHP Jonathan Albaladejo

RHP Steven Jackson

Catchers:

Jorge Posada

Jose Molina

Infielders:

1B Mark Teixeira

2B Robinson Cano

SS Derek Jeter

3B Cody Ransom

INF Ramiro Pena

Outfielders:

LF Johnny Damon

CF Brett Gardner

RF Nick Swisher

DH Hideki Matsui

OF Melky Cabrera

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Cabrera’s HR ends 1st homestand at Yankee Stadium

admin — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 02:42:07 +0000

NEW YORK (AP)—Melky Cabrera turned on a fastball and sent it soaring into the right-field stands, down an entryway in the bleachers that sparked remaining fans to sprint for the sought-after souvenir.

After all the homers at the new Yankee Stadium over the past week, the first homestand in the $1.5 billion ballpark just had to end with a home run. And not just any homer, but the first game-ending shot in the stadium’s brief history.

Cabrera’s 14th-inning drive, the fifth home run of the game, concluded a 4-hour, 57-minute marathon Wednesday, a 9-7 Yankees win over the Oakland Athletics. It was the 26th home run at the stadium, one more than the previous record for the first six games at a major league venue. That had been established at Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium in 1955, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“I understand everybody’s making a big deal out of home runs,” Yankees captain Derek Jeter said. “Melky’s ball would have been out of anywhere. It’s not like there’s cheap home runs being hit.”

The switch-hitting Cabrera connected from both sides of the plate, also homering in the second batting right-handed against Brett Anderson after a drive by Hideki Matsui . Jeter also homered for the Yankees, whose four homers raised their homestand total to 14.

“The last one would have gone out anywhere,” Oakland manager Bob Geren said.

Beaten out by Brett Gardner for New York’s center-field job during spring training, Cabrera is 4-for-16 with four homers and six RBIs in the new home. He flung his batting helmet a few steps before crossing the plate and getting mobbed by teammates.

“The manager showed enough confidence that he puts me in when he has to,” Cabrera said through a translator. “Anywhere the manager wants to use me, I’m going to be ready.”

New York’s latest outburst obscured another shaky outing from CC Sabathia , 1-1 with a 4.81 ERA in four starts since signing a $161 million, seven-year contract to join the Yankees as a free agent. New York won four of six on the homestand, getting outscored 32-6 in the two losses to Cleveland and winning the remaining games by a combined 27-18.

“We had some interesting games, to say the least,” was manager Joe Girardi’s assessment.

There were 481 pitches, of which 225 were thrown by New York. Jose Veras (1-1), the seventh Yankees pitcher, had career highs of 46 pitches and 3 1-3 innings.

Veras gave up a tiebreaking double to Jhonny Peralta in the April 16 stadium opener. He walked his first batter in this one, Jason Giambi , and went to a 2-0 count on Matt Holliday before inducing a flyout. That was the first of a streak of 10 straight outs, capping 7 1-3 innings of scoreless, three-hit relief for New York’s bullpen.

“I let my team down the first game,” he said.

Dan Giese (0-2), claimed off waivers from the Yankees two weeks earlier, allowed the winning homer one out after Nick Swisher ’s leadoff walk. On Saturday, Giese gave up a game-ending, two-run homer to Toronto’s Lyle Overbay in the 12th inning of a 4-2 loss.

“It’s pretty frustrating,” Giese said. “Coming to a new team, you want to establish yourself.”

Sabathia feels much the same way. He allowed seven runs—six earned—six hits and four walks in 6 2-3 innings with two strikeouts, and he was booed by the crowd that seemed far smaller than the 43,342 announced on the rainy afternoon.

In 24 1-3 innings, he’s walked 14 while striking out just 12.

“I’m just trying to be too fine,” he said, “trying to throw right to the corners.”

Kurt Suzuki put the A’s ahead with a three-run homer in the second, a drive reaffirmed by umpires following a video review that determined there was no fan interference with left fielder Johnny Damon . On Sunday, Jorge Posada ’s homer to right was upheld, a drive on which the Indians claimed a spectator reached over, as Jeffrey Maier did on Jeter’s key home run against Baltimore in the 1996 playoffs.

“They are on top of it,” New York’s Mark Teixeira said of the fans. “It’s going to happen a lot, unfortunately, but that’s the way they built the stadium.”

After Jeter homered for a 5-4 lead in the fourth, Sabathia gave up an RBI single to Mark Ellis in the sixth.

Jeter hit an RBI double off Michael Wuertz in the bottom half and scored on Teixeira’s single, but Sabathia allowed his first two runners to reach in the seventh, then gave up Giambi’s run-scoring grounder. Following a trip to the mound by Girardi to check on his pitcher, Sabathia stayed in and allowed Holliday’s tying single.

New York Yankees’ Hideki M…
AP – Apr 22, 6:31 pm EDT

Giambi also scored on Jack Cust ’s third-inning infield grounder, when Jeter threw home only to find that Posada had vacated the plate to back up first.

“It’s my fault,” Posada said.

New York could have built a lead in the seventh after loading the bases with no outs, but Russ Springer struck out Cabrera and retired Gardner and Jeter on popups.

All the home runs are likely to generate continuing debate. Seventeen went to right field, raising suspicion that there might be a wind tunnel.

“It will take many more games to test and prove the wind theory,” Accuweather.com said. “There is the tremendous human factor to be considered; pitching and batting skills of both the Yankees and visiting teams.”

Notes

Gardner’s broken bat Tuesday night that went into the stands was taken by Jacob Smith, the 10-year-old cousin of MSNBC broadcaster Keith Olbermann. At the old Yankee Stadium in 2000, Olbermann’s mother, Marie, was hit by an errant throw from Yankees 2B Chuck Knoblauch. … Monday’s rainout was rescheduled for July 23 at 7:05 p.m. … Oakland rested 3B Eric Chavez against Sabathia.

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‘Nothing new’ in Dodgers, Manny talks

admin — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 16:24:55 +0000

TUCSON, Ariz. — There was little movement in the Manny Ramirez talks on Saturday, although Scott Boras, the agent for Ramirez, and Ned Colletti, the Dodgers general manager, exchanged several telephone calls.

“We spoke,” Colletti said in a text message late Saturday afternoon. “[It was] cordial and informative. [We're] still talking.”

Earlier in the day, Boras told MLB.com in a telephone interview that “right now there’s nothing new.”

Boras’ last offer was for a non-deferred two-year deal worth $45 million — $25 million for 2009 and $20 million for 2010 with an opt clause in favor of Ramirez after the 2009 season. Prior to that, he had also floated the idea of a two-year deal worth $55 million if deferred over five years.

Boras said he was still awaiting a response to his latest proposal.

The Dodgers’ last offer, rejected by Boras, was two seasons at $45 million deferred over five years with no interest: $10 million each for the first four years and $5 million to be paid out in the fifth year.

Colletti didn’t travel Saturday with the Dodgers, who defeated the Rockies, 13-5, at Hi Corbett Field, staying behind at the Camelback Ranch complex for scheduled baseball operation meetings.

Owner Frank McCourt is expected to be in Phoenix on Sunday for the opener of the new ballpark at Camelback Ranch. The Dodgers play the White Sox, the two teams that share the complex.

McCourt conducted the meeting on Wednesday at his Dodger Stadium office that included Boras and Colletti at which the Dodgers mapped out their latest proposal, their fourth since November, including the offer of salary arbitration that Ramirez turned down.

Earlier in the day, Boras told MLB.com in a telephone interview that “right now there’s nothing new.”

Boras said he was still awaiting a response to his latest proposal.

Colletti didn’t travel Saturday with the Dodgers, who defeated the Rockies, 13-5, at Hi Corbett Field, staying behind at the Camelback Ranch complex for scheduled baseball operation meetings.

Owner Frank McCourt is expected to be in Phoenix on Sunday for the opener of the new ballpark at Camelback Ranch. The Dodgers play the White Sox, the two teams that share the complex.

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A-Rod’s MLB meeting may be on hold

admin — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 15:38:24 +0000

TAMPA, Fla. — The Yankees will have two buses gassed and ready to hit the road on Sunday morning. Alex Rodriguez is planning to be on one of them.

A meeting that had reportedly been set for Rodriguez to meet with Major League Baseball officials may be in jeopardy, as A-Rod is currently in the lineup batting cleanup for an exhibition contest against the Cincinnati Reds at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla.

“I should be, unless I hear otherwise,” Rodriguez said. “I’m on the road trip — 9 o’clock bus.”

Rodriguez has admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs during his three seasons with the Texas Rangers from 2001-03. MLB intends to speak with Rodriguez about security issues and his past involvement with performance-enhancing drugs, a meeting that will likely take place in Tampa.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that Rodriguez is looking to push the date of the meeting back. Sunday was to be Rodriguez’s final game with the Yankees before he reports to the Dominican Republic squad for the World Baseball Classic.

“I think that Alex is hoping that it’s possibly not tomorrow, a later date,” Girardi said. “He talked to me a little bit today about it, that he’s hoping it’s not tomorrow.”

Rodriguez’s name remained circled on a travel roster posted in the Yankees’ clubhouse, and Girardi said he was weighing whether to use Rodriguez at third base or as a designated hitter — not considering the idea that Rodriguez would be absent.

But Girardi could not be 100 percent certain that Rodriguez — 0-for-1 with a sacrifice fly in Saturday’s 7-3 loss to the Twins — would be in uniform for the first pitch on Sunday.

“I’m sure if they made him meet at 1 o’clock, I guess there’d be a chance,” Girardi said. “Right now, I’m expecting him to be able to play.”

Though the meeting is intended to be non-disciplinary in nature, The Associated Press reported that Rodriguez will be accompanied by a personal lawyer and representative from the MLB Players Association.

The New York Times reported on its Web site early Sunday morming that Rodriguez will be interviewed by Rob Manfred, Major League Baseball’s executive VP of labor relations & human resources, and members of MLB’s department of investigations.

According to The Times, the officials want to know who provided Rodriguez with performance-enhancing drugs and whether that person had access to Major League clubhouses.

Officials also want to know about Rodriguez’s relationships with Angel Presinal, a trainer banned from big league clubhouses, and with his cousin, Yuri Sucart. A-Rod said Sucart repeatedly injected him with a banned substance that was brought into the United States from the Dominican Republic.

Sucart was spotted after an exhibition game on Wednesday in Dunedin, Fla., picking up Rodriguez in a burgundy sport utility vehicle. After that incident, the Yankees informed Rodriguez that Sucart was no longer welcome at ballparks during Spring Training and the regular season.

Rodriguez said that his plan is to play in the game on Sunday and then drive across the state with Dominican Republic teammates Robinson Cano and Damaso Marte to Jupiter, Fla., where the club is setting up camp for the Classic. He said that leaving Yankees camp for the tournament would be a nice break.

“It’s a lot more intense than Spring Training, I will say that,” Rodriguez said. “As far as baseball, anytime there’s international play — it’s kind of like NCAA basketball, a double-elimination bracket — the intensity obviously gets up to a level that’s probably a little bit higher than the Major Leagues.”

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Johan Santana a question mark for opener

admin — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 15:35:31 +0000

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — If Johan Santana is unable to start the Mets’ first game — and the chance of that has increased at least marginally since he developed tightness in his pitching elbow — his love for his country may be the genesis of the problem. Patriotism could be the reason, pitching coach Dan Warthen said Saturday morning after Santana laid out a scenario that might push his first exhibition-game start into the third week of March.

Warthen believes Santana’s desire to pitch for his native Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic prompted the Mets’ primary starter to “push too hard” to prepare, and that the tightness that Santana now feels behind his left elbow is a result of the push.

“As patriotic as he is,” Warthen said, “I believe he really wanted to pitch for his country. They only have two big things [in Venezuela] — soccer and baseball. And, in baseball, Johan is the cheese.”

Warthen acknowledged Santana’s readiness for the Opening Day assignment against the Reds in Cincinnati on April 6 may become compromised by the delay. The pitcher already is behind other starters in preparing for the season and is likely to be further behind before he begins to make progress.

Warthen did not dispute a timetable that would have the pitcher’s first start happen after March 10. But Santana, who has yet to pitch to a batter, said he needs to pitch batting practice three times before he makes a start to regain command of his pitches. And the first batting practice session is not yet scheduled.

The plans Saturday morning as Santana disappeared into the trainer’s room for treatment were to have him throw a light bullpen session Sunday, and, if he emerged from that without negative effects, to schedule him for a batting practice session. That session would likely come after at least two days off. And each subsequent BP would come after at least two days’ rest, and probably more.

The bullpen session and two days off after it, three batting practice sessions with only two days’ rest between them, plus three days’ rest before the first start, would push that start to March 14. And Warthen acknowledged Santana might require more rest than that equation provides. Starting on March 15, and then pitching every fifth day thereafter and increasing the workload by one inning (or 15 pitches) each time out wouldn’t allow Santana to make six starts and still have time to recover for Opening Day.

Warthen said he wants Santana to have thrown about 90 pitches in a game before his first in-season start; Santana used 80 as the number.

So, Santana’s pitching April 6 already appears to be in question. The pitching coach didn’t want to make a prediction, but Warthen did allow this: “A little dicey.”

Warthen said he hasn’t discussed the situation or the possible effect of preparing for the World Baseball Classic with Santana.

“I’m going by 40 years experience and what I know of Johan,” he said, though Santana didn’t agree with the coach’s thinking.

Warthen has shared his theory with manager Jerry Manuel, who made the decision, according to Warthen, to “take [decision making] out of Johan’s hands.”

Santana had maintained a desire to pitch in the Classic even when others suggested the Mets eventually would ask him to excuse himself because of the knee surgery he underwent Oct. 1. The club never said no, but the Classic eliminated Santana because of the high cost of insuring a player coming off surgery.

The club was quite comfortable with the decision. Its $137.5 million investment in Santana already has paid dividends. He placed third in the National League Cy Young Award voting last season, having won 16 games and having led the league in ERA and innings. But five seasons remain on the contract.

The basis for the Mets’ caution is self-evident.

“We won’t be pushing him,” Warthen said.

Later, Manuel indicated the Mets’ objective is to make sure Santana makes all the starts the club had planned, as if to say the timing of his first start — Opening Day or at some point later in the first week — is not critical.

Manuel said Friday the club’s general course of action in this scenario is to be “extra, extra, extra” cautious. Santana said he expects to meet with Manuel, Warthen and, probably, the trainers Sunday. Manuel had left for Lakeland, Fla., — a 150-mile bus ride — by 8 a.m. ET Saturday.

The tightness, the pitcher said Saturday, was in his triceps tendon. The Mets have not ordered any tests for the pitcher. And Warthen noted that Santana is a particularly strong and well-conditioned athlete, which will accelerate the process of preparation — once it begins.

Neither the pitcher nor general manager Omar Minaya expressed concern. “I’m totally confident Johan Santana knows when he has to be ready,” Minaya said.

Santana used the word “hopefully” several times as he discussed his circumstances. That word hadn’t been included in his comments in previous days. He was certain then that “This is nothing to worry about it.”

However, Santana said “Hopefully, next week I’ll start facing hitters” Saturday morning. And — more ominously — he said “I’m fine. It’s just that the tightness is not something normal for me.”

Before leaving Saturday afternoon, Santana indicated he had experienced more tightness that usual.

When Santana mentioned Opening Day, he said, “Hopefully, I’ll be ready for April 6.”

Marty Noble is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Dodgers blow by Padres

admin — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:30:36 +0000

Six-run first inning helps LA trim magic number to three

LOS ANGELES — Joe Torre gathered his club Tuesday night for a pregame meeting and therapy session. The Dodgers responded with a six-run first inning and a 10-1 blowout of the Padres, combining with Arizona’s loss to cut the magic number to clinch the National League West to three with five games to play.

Over the weekend, the Dodgers lost two of three to the Giants (getting blanked Sunday), while the D-backs trimmed the lead to two games by winning their last three, including Monday, when the Dodgers were off.

“I felt tension Sunday, for whatever reason,” Torre said. “I didn’t feel it was worrying about Arizona creeping up, but the fact we were trying to get something done and thinking too much instead of playing the game and that can get in the way.

“The only thing I said is to try to be aggressive. The other day in the 1-0 game, it looked like we were tentative. I remind them to be aggressive and be who you are instead of trying to do everything right and try not to make mistakes.”

You could say it worked, as the first seven Dodgers hitters against rookie San Diego left-hander Wade LaBlanc reached base, including a two-run hustle double by Manny Ramirez and a three-run homer by Nomar Garciaparra, getting his first start since spraining his knee last week as the replacement for James Loney.

“To jump on them early was huge,” Garciaparra said.

The two RBIs gave Ramirez 51 since he was acquired, joining Carlos Beltran as the only players to have at least 50 RBIs in both leagues in the same season.

The Dodgers were able to coast from that first-inning windfall for their biggest margin of victory since April 30. Chad Billingsley struggled with his rhythm, enough that pitching coach Rick Honeycutt made two trips to the mound in the first three innings.

But Billingsley’s fastball got him by to beat the last-place Padres, pitching six innings to improve his record to 16-10. Billingsley also drove in a pair of runs with a squeeze bunt and RBI single. His 3.17 ERA is seventh in the league and his 199 strikeouts are second. In his past seven starts at Dodger Stadium, he’s 6-0 with a 1.65 ERA.

“Coming out and scoring six runs really allowed me to relax a little more and kind of work on things and try to get my rhythm back,” said Billingsley, who is in line to start Game 2 of the playoffs next week. “I was really trying to stay relaxed out there and keep a good rhythm.”

In the fifth inning, Blake DeWitt sealed it with a three-run homer, shaking out of a 3-for-17 slide. Russell Martin, batting .200 in the 14 preceding games, reached base four times with a pair of hits and a pair of walks.

“It would be nice [to wrap up at home],” DeWitt said. “If it doesn’t happen, you’ve just got to keep playing.”

The Dodgers still have a chance to clinch by Thursday, the regular-season home finale against Padres ace and Dodgers killer Jake Peavy, if the D-backs cooperate. Or they can do it themselves.

“We have to win the next three and put this thing to sleep,” said Torre, not expecting help.

Sounds simple enough.

“The calm he brings, it has an effect,” said Andre Ethier, moved into the cleanup spot by Torre to provide added protection for Ramirez. “Some guys might not really pay attention to where the team’s at in the bigger scheme and there might be more anxiety than necessary. Maybe we don’t realize how good a situation we’re in right now.

“He [Torre] addressed it. He told us not to let that out of our frame of mind. We had the off-day and we see Arizona win and we start to feel pressure and uneasiness because they won and we can’t do anything about it. He addressed it today and told us it wasn’t as bad as it seemed. We’re the ones in the good situation to be in.”

The huge lead allowed Torre to rest his regular relievers and follow Billingsley to the mound with a trio of rookies — James McDonald (graduate of the Los Angeles RBI program), Ramon Troncoso and Scott Elbert — each throwing one scoreless inning.

Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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