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.

 

Game 32. Yanks win 3-2.

The Yanks won a game in which the starting pitcher hit 8th and Vernon Wells had to play the bottom of the 9th at third base.

Such is life with a depleted lineup.

Wells hit a 2-run HR in the first (7), but David Phelps gave up a 2-run HR to Todd Helton (future HOF?) in the second. So it remained until the 9th.

Phelps went 6, 2 R, 3 H, 1 walk and 4 K. ERA to 5.02. Yes, he batted 8th (he never had a MLB AB) and C Austin Romine batted 9th tonight (Romine is now 3 for 25 in his MLB career).

Preston Claiborne had another good outing in his 2nd MLB game with another scoreless inning. (0.00 in 3 IP).

Robertson the 8th, scoreless.  (W. 2-0, 3.55).

In the 9th, Wells singled, stole 2nd and Overbay and Nix walked. With two out and the bases loaded, Boesch got an infield hit for the game-winner.

Because of the various moves made, PH, etc., Wells had to play 3B in the bottom of the 9th and he made a nice play for an out. He never played 3B in the majors before.

Mo got save #12 on the season, #620 of his career to close it out. ERA to 2.03.

Ivan Nova pitched in extended spring training today, could go Monday in the DH vs. Cleveland, but Girardi said Nova was shaky today.

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 17. Yanks lose 8-4, drop to 10-7.

Phil Hughes and Ivan Nova should look over their shoulders. Chien Ming Wang had a good outing yesterday for SWB, and Vidal Nuno did today (see the minors report, to come).

Hughes is 0-2, 6.43 after three starts, and Nova is 1-1, 6.14. It’s still too early to make a move (after all, it’s just April 21) but not too early to suggest that they have to step it up or they could be replaced come mid-May.

Nova struggled today, going 5+, 4 R, 7 H, 4 walks, 5 K in getting a ND. Since his good rookie year of 2011 (16-4, 3.70), he’s gone 13-9, 5.11. Very Burnett-like. A.J. like also in that he has stuff, but the results have you scratching your head. You think it’s not the arm (like A.J.) but what’s between the ears.

Still, Nova had a 4-2 lead going into the bottom of the sixth. I thought he threw enough pitches and would not have brought him out for the sixth. A walk and a double later, my fears were justified, that Nova should have been pulled. He threw 101 pitches in those 5+ innings.

But the bullpen didn’t help. Boone Logan faced one batter. RBI single.

0 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 walks or K, ERA to 3.38.

Phelps came in and didn’t have it. He had a bad outing against Arizona on the 18th and another one today. 3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 2 walks and 3 K. I was surprised Girardi left him out there for more than one inning (it was obvious he didn’t have it) but I guess Girardi wanted to save his bullpen.

So Phelps will be unavailable for a while. Meanwhile, Adam Warren has pitched in just two games this year, and none since April 9th.

But Nova has to step it up. 13-9, 5.11 in his last 31 starts isn’t cutting it. If, say, Nuno (now 2-0, 1.54) or Wang (1 start, 5 1/3 scoreless) is doing well in four weeks and Nova continues to struggle, … then there are replacements.

That goes for the bullpen, too. Mark Montgomery (0-1, 1.12) at AAA entered today with 15 K in 8 IP at SWB. (He didn’t pitch today).

Chris Stewart had a solo HR for the Yanks in the 3rd. Bases loaded walks to Overbay and Nunez brought in two runs in the 5th and Gardner had a SF in the 6th.

Hopefully Nova does better next time. If not, …

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.

Gm 4. Yanks lose to Tigers 8-3.

Once again a Yanks’ starter couldn’t get out of the fifth, and the Yanks lost to the Tigers 8-3 on Friday.

In the four games so far, CC went 5, Kuroda was knocked out in the 2d when he tried to barehand a liner, and Nova went just 4 2/3. Leave it to the oldest starter in the majors, Pettitte, to be the one to go 8 and get the Yanks’ only win so far. The starters have to do better.

Nova yesterday gave up 4 R in 4 2/3, and Boone Logan replaced him and immediately gave up a HR to Prince Fielder (one of his two for the day). Logan went 1/3, 1 run charged to him. Shawn Kelley gave up 3 R in 2 IP and David Robertson mopped up with a scoreless 8th.

Kevin Youkilis hit a 2-run HR for the Yanks, who once again saw a player get battered and have to leave the game with an injury. Kuroda in Game 2 (the liner), Nunez in this game due to a HBP. He has a bruised bicep and is day-to-day.

With all the injuries and guys on the DL now, having more go on the DL is the last thing the Yanks need.

At least they get one guy back. Phil Hughes will make the Saturday start. Game on FOX, 4 p.m.

S.T. Game 24. Yanks outslug Pirates, 11-9

Melky Mesa had a grand slam, and Kevin Youklis homered while going went 2-3 with 3 RBI as the Yanks outslugged the Pirates today, 11-9.

Eduardo Nunez had 2 hits and 2 SB, Brennan Boesch 2 hits, a SB and an RBI, and Mesa also had a SB as did Thomas Neal.

Ivan Nova tossed 3 scoreless innings before losing his effectiveness. He went 5, 4 R, 6 H, 1 walk and 4 K. David Robertson pitched a scoreless inning.

Branden Pinder gave up 1 r in 1 IP, Matt Tracy 4 R in an inning of work and Chase Whitley pitched a scoreless inning.

Earlier in the day, the Yanks released Matt Diaz. It’s looking like Clay Rapada may not make the Opening Day Roster (shoulder bursitis) but that doesn’t mean (per LOHUD) that Girardi would automatically take a lefty like Nuno. Instead it could be another righty like Jim Miller, Chase Whitley or Shawn Kelley.

The way Dan Johnson is going, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is released soon.

S.T. Game 18. Strong pitching continues as Yanks win 3-1.

Ivan Nova tossed four scoreless innings, and Brett Marshall gave up one unearned run in 3 2/3 as the Yanks beat the Rays in a spring training game today 3-1.

The Yanks are now 6-12 in S.T. (including the loss to the D.R. WBC team).

Josh Spence tossed 1/3 scoreless innings, and Matt Tracy finished with a scoreless inning.

Thomas Neal had two hits and Bobby Wilson drove in two runs.

In the WBC today, Robbie Cano had 3 hits, a single, double and solo HR, as the D.R. beat Italy.

S.T. Game 13. Life after Mo?

Granted he probably won’t make the team, but Kelvin Perez gave us a glimpse of what life could be like after Mariano Rivera.

It was announced earlier today that there will be a press conference Saturday, at which time Mo is expected to announce that this season will be his last.

The Yanks lost 7-6 to St. Louis today, giving up 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th.

Singles by Ichiro and Cervelli gave the Yanks a run in the first. In the second, they went up 2-0 with the help of an error by St. Louis after Ronnier Mustelier was HBP and stole second.

The Cards got a run back in the third. Ivan Nova went 3, gave up that one run, 3 h, 1 walk and 2 K.

Brett Marshall didn’t do too badly for three innings, giving up a HR to Pete Kozma to tie the game in the fifth. The Yanks got a run back in the sixth to go back up 3-2. Cervelli walked, Stewart singled and Mustelier had an RBI groundout.

But Marshall may have run out of gas after 3. He (4 IP, 3 R, 5 H, 0 walks and 3 K) gave up a 2-run HR to Daniel Descalso in the bottom of the seventh. 4-3 Cardinals.

Singles by Dan Johnson, Thomas Neal, a PB and an RBI single by Austin Romine tied it up in the 8th.

The Yanks then scored two in the 9th to go up 6-4. Addison Maruszak doubled and scored on a single by Ramon Flores. After a WP, J.R. Murphy doubled in Flores to make it 6-4.

Matt Tracy tossed a scoreless 8th, then Kelvin Perez came in for the 9th.

Kolten Wong tied it up with a 2-run HR, then some bad defense (again) helped cost the Yanks the game.

Zoilo Almonte and Dan Johnson made errors, and Adron Chambers single won the game for the Cardinals, 7-6.

As I wrote a few days ago, the Yanks need to tighten up their defense. Johnson, for one, has been brutal (2 errors yesterday, 1 today), and right now, he may be Teix’s replacement.

Perez 1/3 IP, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 H, 0 walks, 1 K.

Josh Spence 2 batters—the error by Johnson and the GW single.

The Yanks S.T. record falls to 3-10. Nova did well, Marshall was OK until that 4th inning.

The defense needs to tighten up.

…. and we got a glimpse of life without Mo. It’s so easy to take the great one for granted. He made it look so easy.

S.T. Game 9: Nova, Stewart, Gardner lead Yanks to 10-3 win.

Brett Gardner continued his hot spring with 2 hits and 2 SB, Ivan Nova had a sharp debut and Chris Stewart homered as the Yanks beat the Tigers 10-3 today in their spring training game. It snapped a 7-game spring training losing streak for the Yanks.

If Gardner takes what he’s done so far into the regular season, he’ll be a sparkplug. He’s hit in every game he’s played in so far. Ichiro was 0 for 3 today but he’s had a good spring so far too.

Prospects Tyler Austin was 1 for 1 with 2 rbi, Corban Joseph was 1 for 2 with 2 RBI, and Luke Murton had a hit and an RBI.

Robbie Cano also added a hit and an RBI.

Nova threw two scoreless innings, David Aardsma gave up a run in his inning as did Clay Rapada. After Shawn Kelley’s scoreless inning, Mark Montgomery gave up a run in his inning of work. Matt Daley, Francisco Rondon and Jim Miller finished up, all with a scoreless inning of work.

Nova pounded the strike zone, throwing 22 of his 27 pitches for strikes.

The Lower Hudson Journal reports that the first cuts have been made:

· RHP Corey Black · RHP Matt Daley · RHP Nick Goody · RHP Shane Greene · RHP Bryan Mitchell · RHP Zach Nuding · RHP Mike O’Brien · RHP Ryan Pope · 1B Kyle Roller

 

Players are now leaving teams for the WBC, so the next few weeks could get funky.