Game 47. Yanks win 9-4, but Grandy breaks a bone… again

Are you kidding me? Curtis Granderson must feel jinxed. On his first at bat of a spring training game, he is hit by a pitch, breaks a bone, and misses the first 38 games of this season.

Now, in Game #47, he gets hit by a pitch again, and this time breaks a finger.

Another 4 weeks or more on the DL.

Like I mentioned, are you kidding me?

The Yanks did win 9-4 as David Phelps was brilliant for five innings before faltering.

Even he almost went on the DL. A liner caught Phelps on the forearm in the eighth inning, but fortunately it was just a bruise.

It looks like Boesch will be back to replace Granderson (they should also bring up Neal to replace Francisco while they are at it).

Meanwhile, Teix could be back in a week (what that does for Overbay is anyone’s guess. It’s hard to have Teix, Overbay AND Hafner all on the same team. One could DH, one could play 1B, but as for #3? And Hafner is NOT going to play the field).

It seems like Youk could be back soon too. Since Youk plays 1B and 3B, you also wonder about Overbay (27 RBI) (and for that matter, David Adams, who has been great since his callup, .323).

Nova has been activated but will be in relief until further notice. Betances (who didn’t get into a MLB game) was sent down.

Also, Nunez and Joba are about ready.

There will be VERY interesting roster decisions to be made in the next two weeks or so.

I do hope Phil Hughes was closely observing Phelps tonight. For often, Hughes, who most likely has better stuff, gets less out of an outing than Phelps does.

Phelps retired the first thirteen men he faced.

He went 7 2/3, 4 R, 6 H, 0 walks, 3 K. (W, 3-2, 3.96).

Logan 1/3, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 1 K, 1.88.

Kelley finished up. 1 R, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 0 K. 5.03.

The Yanks jumped out in front with 3 in the 2nd. Overbay doubled in two and Nix singled in Overbay.

Brett Gardner HR’d (4, surprising) in the 4th to make it 5-0.

In the fifth, Granderson got his injury on the HBP, and Adams and Overbay singled. A walk to Nix forced home a run, Stewart singled in another. Even CANO was plunked, forcing in another run. Thank goodness Robbie was OK.

Phelps struggled after the five and the 8-0 lead, but the Yanks did a run in the 7th on a triple by Nix and a WP.

 

The minors today. Joba starts rehab.

AAA: SWB got hammered, 10-2. They fall to 20-18. Joba started to get his rehab work in, 0 R, 2 H, in 1 IP. Caleb Cotham 6 R in 4 IP. Betances, now a reliever, 1 R in 2 IP. Clay Rapada (7.36) 3 R in 1 IP. 3 H, RBI LF Zoilo Almonte. 3 H, rbi 1B Luke Murton. Dave Adams, due up (maybe tomorrow for 3B?) 2 hits, .316.

AA: 5-3 loss for Trenton. Zach Nuding (1-5, 3.24) 4 R in 4 IP. RF Tyler Austin 2 hits.

High A: Tampa lost 7-2. Cesar Cabral off the DL, one scoreless IP. 3B Anderson Feliz 3 hits.

Low A: 3-2 win for Charleston. Dan Camarena 1 unearned run in 5 IP. 2 H, 2 RBI C Pete O’Brien. (.330).

Joba to the DL

Cervelli, Teix, Youk, A-Rod, Jeter, Granderson, Pineda, Cesar Cabral, Nova,

…now add Joba. He goes on the 15-day DL with an oblique strain.

No replacement yet.

Gee, I’m wondering if I missed someone. The way things are, I may have.

A M*A*S*H* unit.

And from the LOHUD blog:

Michael Pineda pitched in extended spring training today and was at 93, up to 95 mph. Cashman sounds encouraged.

Chien-Ming Wang is not a candidate to replace Chamberlain.

Corban Joseph has been optioned to Triple-A to make room for Chris Nelson.

Gm. 23. CC brings “c” game but Pronk brings “A” game. Yanks win 5-4.

CC was just average, giving up 4 R, 3 Er, in 8 IP, but Travis Hafner drove in 4—all vs. lefties— as the Yanks won 5-4 on Saturday.

CC gave up a run in the 3rd and two in the 4th (one on a Bautista HR) to fall behind 3-0 after 3 1/2.

But Travis Hafner, making a rare start against a lefty, tied the game with a 3-run blast in the bottom of the 3rd. HR #6 tied the game.

Brett Lawrie HR’d in the 6th to put Toronto up 4-3 but the Yanks got two in the 7th.

With one out, Robbie Cano doubled. Vernon Wells singled to tie the game and that man again, Travis Hafner, tripled in the eventual game-winner.

CC gutted it out for 8, despite struggling. 8 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 9h, no walks and 4K. He goes to 4-2, 3.35.

Mo was unavailable today. We have to remember that he is 43 and needs rest. Joba in the 9th for the save. It wasn’t easy (life w/out Mo) but 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 walks, 1 K for Joba. Save #1 and ERA to  3.86.

The Yanks go to 14-9. Hughes starts Sunday, game on TBS.

Gm 22. Costly victory for Yanks, 6-4.

The Yanks won 6-4 tonight, but it was a costly victory.

On the very first batter of the game, Francisco Cervelli took a foul off his hand. X-rays revealed a broken hand and he’ll be out six weeks. Figure on (with rehab) 8 weeks, meaning the end of June. Austin Romine was called up from SWB to replace Cervelli.

Cervelli has to be heartbroken. He was off to a good start, seemed to finally be the #1 catcher, and had 3 HR already. I expected 3 HR all year from him, not 3 in the first 21 games of the season.

Not only that, Ivan Nova had to leave after just 2+ innings due to an elbow injury. He’ll have an MRI tomorrow. The Yanks can 1) move Phelps (more on him in a bit) into the rotation and bring up someone or 2) leave Phelps where he is in long relief and bring up Wang or Vidal Nuno. Me, I’d leave Phelps where he is and bring up Nuno, who was great in S.T., won the best rookie in camp award and who has started out 2-0, 1.54 in 4 starts this year at AAA (23 1/3 IP, 26 K, just 2 walks. Besides, having three lefties in the rotation [CC, Andy and Nuno] doesn’t seem too bad).

Juan Encarnacion hit two HR off the Yanks tonight, one in the 2nd off Nova. The Yanks tied it in the bottom of the inning on a bases loaded forceout by Nunez, who is down to .164.

Nova gave up a HBP and a single to start the third, then was pulled because of his injury. Phelps (W, 1-1, 5.29) replaced Nova and gave up a single for a run, but he was great tonight.

Nova 2+ IP, 2 R, 4 H, 0 walks and 2 K, ERA to (ugh) 6.48. You don’t want anyone to get hurt, but, and I hate to say this, maybe this can be a blessing in disguise. I mean, 6.48 is 6.48.

Phelps went 4, 1 R, 2 H, 2 walks and NINE strikeouts. His only blemishes were the single that let in Nova’s run (inherited) and giving up Encarnacion’s 2nd HR of the game to cut the Yanks lead to 4-3.

Meanwhile, after the single that Phelps gave up made it 2-1, the Yanks tied it in the bottom of the third on a Vernon Wells SF.

The Yanks went up 4-2 in the fifth on an RBI triple by Lyle Overbay, then Overbay scored on a WP. Toronto is killing itself defensively so far this season. Consider this. The Yanks won 6-4 tonight. One Yankees run scored on a WP. Another on a PB.

Encarnacion’s 2nd HR of the game made it 4-3 in the sixth, but Toronto gave the Yanks a gift run in the 7th. Cano doubled, was moved to third by Wells and scored on that PB I mentioned. Give Wells credit for going the other way to advance Cano to third. 5-3 Yanks.

Joe went formula for the last 3 innings. Joba D-Rob and Mo.

Joba pitched a scoreless 7th.  1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 0 K.  4.32.

Juan Batista homered off  D-Rob (1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 0 K, 3.12)  in the 8th to cut it to 5-4, but Brett Gardner HR’d (3) in the bottom of the 8th to put the Yanks up 6-4.

Can you believe Brett the Jet has 3 HR? (or that Cervelli has 3?)

Save #8 on the season and #616 of his career wasn’t easy. Toronto loaded the bases on Mo before he got a K for the final out.  1 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 2.00.

Gm 21. 3 HRs lead Yanks’ comeback, 5-3.

It didn’t look good early on, as Hiroki Kuroda gave up a 2-run HR in the first and a solo HR in the 2nd. Down 3-0 after 1 1/2.

Then the Yanks came back with 3 HR of their own to win 5-3.

Down 3-0 in the 2nd, Wells hit a solo HR (6) to put the Yanks on the board. Cano (7) hit a 3-run HR in the third, and Cervelli (3) hit a solo HR in the fourth.

I’m shocked that the Cisco Kid has 3 HR already. I’d have predicted that for the whole year.

Give Kuroda credit. After that shaky start, he settled down and gave up no more runs. 6 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 1 W, 3 K when it looked like he’d be knocked out early. He’s now 3-1, 2.79.

Once Kuroda gave 6, Girardi went formula. Joba 7th (4.91), D-Rob 8th (2.35) and Mo the 9th (2.25). Three scoreless innings. Save #7 for Mo this year is #615 of his career.

Derek Jeter met the media today and ascertained he’d be back this year.

On the down side, Francisco is now 3 for 29. Ugh.

Gm 16. Yanks win in 11, 5-3

It’s a shame Hiroki Kuroda didn’t get the win, for he was dominant today. He left with one out in the eighth, one on, and a 3-0 lead. David Robertson blew the lead before the Yanks came back to beat Toronto in 11, 5-3.

Kuroda went 7 1/3, 1 R, 3 H, 1 walk and 7 K as he lowered his ERA to 2.35. So far the big three of Kuroda (2-1), CC (3-1, 2.57) and Pettitte (3-0, 2.01) have been great.

Vernon Wells hit a solo HR in the 2nd (5) and Kevin Youkilis got a gift 2-run single in the fifth. With men on 2nd and 3rd, Youk hit a liner that should have, but wasn’t, caught by 3B Brett Lawrie.

So Kuroda had that 3-0 lead, but Robertson blew it. 2/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 2 walks and 2 K. ERA to 3.18.

Joba (5.68), Logan (1.69) and Kelley (W, 1-0, 8.22) all got two outs apiece in keeping it tied up.

In the top of the 11th, Wells and Cervelli singled. With two on and none out, Ichiro attempted to bunt the runners over. Aaron Loup, Toronto’s pitcher, went for the force at third, but third baseman Brett Lawrie (who misplayed Youk’s ball earlier) was playing the bunt and couldn’t get back to third in time for Loup’s throw. The ball went into LF and both runners scored. 5-3 Yanks and Enter Sandman.

Toronto’s defense has been lousy.

Mo picked up save #5 for the year and #613 of his career with a scoreless 11th. He gave up a leadoff double, but then got a lineout and 2 K to lower his ERA to 1.50.

The Yanks are now 10-6 after a 1-4 start.

Gm. 14. Hughes good, Phelps not as Yanks lose 6-2 in 12.

The Yanks lost in 12 to Arizona tonight, 6-2 to snap their three game winning streak.

After two poor outings, Phil Hughes had a good one, giving up 2 R (2 solo HR, natch) in 7 IP. Hughes is a fly ball pitcher in Yankee Stadium, which is a problem. He’ll give up the HR. But two solo ones tonight…. if only the bats were working. We can only hope that Hughes gives this kind of outing every time out from here on in.

Robbie Cano got a HR in the 6th (5) to cut it to 2-1, but the Yanks missed their chance to win the game in the bottom of the 8th. Down 2-1, they had the bases loaded with one out. Cano and Youk both struck out.

The Yanks lineup against lefty pitching, to me, seems weak. They didn’t get any help today from the news that Derek Jeter has a small crack (fracture) in that ankle of his and won’t be back until after the All-Star break… meaning after he turns 39. I really wonder… can he ever play SS again (look at the age and injury again), or when he does come back (and I think it is safe to wonder if ever) will he strictly be a DH?

Anyway, they blew a golden opportunity in the 8th, only to see Cervelli tie it in the bottom of the 9th with his 2nd HR. But Cervelli got called for catcher’s interference not once, but TWICE in this ballgame.

Boone Logan (2/3) and Joba (1 1/3) kept Arizona at two, and David Robertson (1) pitched a scoreless inning. David Phelps got out of big trouble in the 11th, but blew it in the 12th, giving up 4 R, 3 ER. Ex-Yank Eric Chavez sealed the deal with a 3-run double.

Gm 12. Robbie’s blast carries Yanks, 4-2.

Robbie Cano’s 3-run HR in the 4th carried the Yanks to a 4-2 win tonight. It was Robbie’s 4th HR of the year.

Ivan Nova struggled, and although he got the win, he struggled. He went the minimum five, 2 R, 7 H, 2 walks and 6 K. He threw 94 pitches in the 5 IP.

Boone Logan went 1 1/3, Joba 2/3, David Robertson 1. All scoreless.

Mo came in and got save #611 of his career, #3 for the year.

Pat Summerall, former NFL player and great broadcaster, died today at the age of 82. Summerall was himself an alcoholic, as Mantle was (the two were good friends). Despite going sober in 1992, Summerall still needed a liver transplant in 2004.

Game 10. HRs plague Hughes as Yanks lose 5-3.

Maybe he needed more spring training. After all, Phil Hughes was plagued by back issues and never did receive the rehab start or two that he may have needed at the end of S.T.

Maybe it was the two rainouts that threw him off his rhythm, or the unexpected start today (one day notice) because of Andy Pettitte’s back spasms. Hughes was too “strong.”

Whatever, it was not a good showing as Hughes went just 3+ innings, gave up 9 hits, three of them HRs (his bugaboo—he gave up 35 of them last year), and 5 runs. He walked two and struck out no one as the Yanks lost 5-3. With the loss, Hughes drops to 0-2, 10.29.

Dave Phelps was great in relief, pitching 4 scoreless and keeping the Yanks in the game. He struck out six in those 4 IP, gave up just one hit, and if Hughes and/or Nova continue to struggle, Phelps could replace them in the rotation. Joba and Robertson each pitched a scoreless inning.

Hughes gave up a run in the first, and another in the second. The Yanks tied it in the second on a HR by Hafner (3) and a single by Overbay. But Hughes gave up two runs in the third and another in the fourth.

Vernon Wells closed out the scoring with a HR (3) in the sixth.

With Nunez unavailable due to a bruised wrist, the Yanks had a strange defensive alignment for the 9th inning after Boesch PH for Nix in the bottom of the 8th. Cervelli moved from C to 2B, Cano slid over from 2B to SS and Stewart went in to catch.

With the loss, the Yanks drop to 5-5. Sunday’s game is the ESPN night game.