Mo, CC continue to progress as planned

TAMPA, Fla. -- It was another day of positive outings for Mariano Rivera and CC Sabathia, as the Yankees' closer and ace each completed their morning work at George M. Steinbrenner Field with no issues.

Rivera threw 32 pitches in a live batting-practice session, and Sabathia threw BP to hitters for the first time this spring as the rehabbing hurlers continue to hit their checkpoints in preparation for Opening Day.

"The big thing is going to be game situations. That's it," said Rivera, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last May. "I don't think about it at all. I'm running normal like nothing ever happened."

Sabathia said that his left elbow continues to feel normal after he had surgery in October to remove a bone spur, and he has progressed to throwing all of his pitches off the mound. He said his slider could still use some tweaking.

"It's not as sharp as I want it to be, but I've still got a little bit of time," Sabathia said. "I feel pretty good for this time."

Damon says he's interested in returning to Yanks

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Johnny Damon wants the Yankees to know that if they're willing to look at another option for their vacancy in left field, he's ready to pick up the phone and head to Spring Training.

Damon told ESPN Radio's Michael Kay on Monday that he is available to try the pinstripes back on in the wake of Curtis Granderson's right forearm fracture, which is expected to keep Granderson out of action until May.

"You guys know that I would have tons of interest to go to New York," Damon told ESPN 98.7 FM. "I just don't think they would be interested. I'm not exactly sure what happened over the years or something, but they've had plenty of opportunities, and I kept raising my hand wanting to go back. Hopefully this will be a perfect fit; it always had been. Have me for six weeks and send me off my merry way, that's fine."

Asked about the possibility of bringing Damon to camp, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said, "We will focus on what we have at this time."

Damon, 39, said that he would be willing to play for the league minimum and that he would need about three to four weeks to be Major League-ready.

"Money is not an issue," Damon said. "I've made plenty and I understand that I don't have a job right now. I'll go in and I just want to play. You can give me the minimum. That's all I care about, that chance to be in the big leagues. Shoot, the New York Yankees, I loved my time there and I know a bunch of the players loved my time there. It's just a matter of if they want me."

Damon played with the Yankees from 2006-09 before moving on to the Tigers, Rays and Indians. The owner of 2,769 big league hits, Damon batted .222 with four homers and 19 RBIs in 64 games for Cleveland last season.

"I just know the last time I played for them, we won the World Series, so I would think everyone would be happy," Damon said. "But I guess with the lack of negotiations when I was a free agent -- I don't really know what happened. I don't really know why I wasn't back there."

Gardner goes all out in solid day with bat

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Brett Gardner dove into first base to beat out an infield hit in Monday's game against the Orioles, and you could excuse the Yankees' bench for being uncomfortable at the sight.

Fortunately for the Yankees, Gardner bounced back up uninjured, but Gardner said that he heard from "a lot of people" about the dive into first base, which came less than 24 hours after the Yankees lost Curtis Granderson from their starting outfield.

"It's funny because I didn't get hurt," Gardner said. "You know, I've done it countless times. Let's get serious, I broke my thumb sliding feet first three or four years ago. It's a silly game. It's definitely not something I should have done. I'll work on not doing it anymore."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that he was "not crazy" about Gardner's slide and planned to speak to him about it.

"The hard thing is, it's instinctual," Girardi said. "But no matter how many times you tell a guy, I mean, how many times do you think I told Bernie [Williams]? When they're hustling and playing hard, it happens."

Gardner did show a valuable part of his game in a third inning at-bat, dropping a beautiful bunt single down the third-base line against Baltimore pitcher Tommy Hunter. It was the second of Gardner's three hits on the day.

"I feel really good with it, and a situation where [the third baseman is] playing me back, it wouldn't have mattered if he was playing in, probably," Gardner said. "I'm just trying to stay in there, take my time, make a good bunt. It's something I plan on doing a lot of."

Bombers bits

• The Yankees have announced their next round of starting pitchers for Grapefruit League games. Right-hander Jose Ramirez draws the Phillies on Tuesday and left-hander Nik Turley gets the nod against the Orioles on Wednesday. With a split-squad on Thursday, right-hander David Phelps will see the Blue Jays in Tampa and right-hander Brett Marshall gets the Astros in Kissimmee.

• Girardi said that it is "fair to assume" that outfield prospects Tyler Austin and Slade Heathcott will not be considered to open the season in New York. Girardi did say Granderson's injury should create more spring playing time for the duo, however.

• Yankees outfielder Melky Mesa said that even after Granderson's injury, he still plans to leave camp to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Girardi said that he had no issue with Mesa's decision, especially because Yankees bench coach Tony Pena is managing the Dominican squad.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

14.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cervelli competing at catcher with no Minors options

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com | 02/24/2013 6:48 PM ET

TAMPA, Fla. -- Francisco Cervelli was stunned late in last year's camp when he was summoned to the manager's office and informed that he was being optioned to the Minors, but the Yankees will not be able to have that same chat this spring.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said on Sunday that Cervelli is out of Minor League options, so he cannot be sent down without first clearing waivers. Cashman had previously said that he believed Cervelli had an option remaining.

Cervelli is competing for the Opening Day catching nod with Chris Stewart, who is also out of Minor League options, as well as prospect Austin Romine, who can be sent back to the Minors without being exposed to waivers.

Asked to handicap the catching race so far, Cashman quipped, "We've got two guys out of options and one guy with an option. I think the two guys are winning."

Gardner now frontrunner for center-field job

TAMPA, Fla. -- It wasn't how the Yankees would have scripted it to play out, but the organization's big spring center-field competition appears to have been settled in just one half-inning.

Brett Gardner became a strong favorite to serve as New York's Opening Day center fielder after Curtis Granderson suffered a fractured right forearm that is expected to keep him out of action until early May.

Gardner played center field in the Yanks' 2-0 loss to the Blue Jays on Sunday and, speaking before the Yankees learned the severity of Granderson's injury, said that he was adjusting well to getting back in center field.

"It was all right; just five innings or whatever," Gardner said. "I felt OK out there. The one ball that got over my head, the ball that [Anthony] Gose hit, I froze for a split second off the bat and I thought I was gonna catch it, but it just kept going."

Gardner was unable to catch up to Gose's third-inning triple off Cody Eppley, but he won't lose any sleep over it.

"I think if I had gotten a really good jump, I still wouldn't have caught it," Gardner said. "I was probably three solid steps from getting to it. It just kept going, but I felt good."

Gardner led off for the Yankees in their home spring opener and, though he acknowledged the club also has legitimate choices like Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki, Gardner hopes that he can also be considered for the top spot in the lineup.

"I'd like to lead off. It'd be silly to say I love hitting ninth, you know?" Gardner said. " ... It's not something I'm really concerned with, but maybe if I have a really good spring it's something they'll consider."

Bombers bits

• Cashman clarified the schedule of Alex Rodriguez's rehab program. Rodriguez is scheduled to be in New York for physical therapy on his left hip from Monday through Thursday but is permitted to travel from Friday through Sunday, as he did this weekend by going back to Miami.

• Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes (bulging disc) started activity in the pool at the club's Minor League complex on Sunday, and is scheduled to have three to five days in the water. Cashman said that Hughes is at least a week from picking up a baseball.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

14.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Gardner now frontrunner for center-field job

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com | 02/24/2013 6:48 PM ET

TAMPA, Fla. -- It wasn't how the Yankees would have scripted it to play out, but the organization's big spring center-field competition appears to have been settled in just one half-inning.

Brett Gardner became a strong favorite to serve as New York's Opening Day center fielder after Curtis Granderson suffered a fractured right forearm that is expected to keep him out of action until early May.

Gardner played center field in the Yanks' 2-0 loss to the Blue Jays on Sunday and, speaking before the Yankees learned the severity of Granderson's injury, said that he was adjusting well to getting back in center field.

"It was all right; just five innings or whatever," Gardner said. "I felt OK out there. The one ball that got over my head, the ball that [Anthony] Gose hit, I froze for a split second off the bat and I thought I was gonna catch it, but it just kept going."

Gardner was unable to catch up to Gose's third-inning triple off Cody Eppley, but he won't lose any sleep over it.

"I think if I had gotten a really good jump, I still wouldn't have caught it," Gardner said. "I was probably three solid steps from getting to it. It just kept going, but I felt good."

Gardner led off for the Yankees in their home spring opener and, though he acknowledged the club also has legitimate choices like Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki, Gardner hopes that he can also be considered for the top spot in the lineup.

"I'd like to lead off. It'd be silly to say I love hitting ninth, you know?" Gardner said. " ... It's not something I'm really concerned with, but maybe if I have a really good spring it's something they'll consider."

Cervelli competing at catcher with no Minors options

TAMPA, Fla. -- Francisco Cervelli was stunned late in last year's camp when he was summoned to the manager's office and informed that he was being optioned to the Minors, but the Yankees will not be able to have that same chat this spring.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said on Sunday that Cervelli is out of Minor League options, so he cannot be sent down without first clearing waivers. Cashman had previously said that he believed Cervelli had an option remaining.

Cervelli is competing for the Opening Day catching nod with Chris Stewart, who is also out of Minor League options, as well as prospect Austin Romine, who can be sent back to the Minors without being exposed to waivers.

Asked to handicap the catching race so far, Cashman quipped, "We've got two guys out of options and one guy with an option. I think the two guys are winning."

Bombers bits

• Cashman clarified the schedule of Alex Rodriguez's rehab program. Rodriguez is scheduled to be in New York for physical therapy on his left hip from Monday through Thursday but is permitted to travel from Friday through Sunday, as he did this weekend by going back to Miami.

• Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes (bulging disc) started activity in the pool at the club's Minor League complex on Sunday, and is scheduled to have three to five days in the water. Cashman said that Hughes is at least a week from picking up a baseball.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

14.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cashman successful with smart, efficient plan

TAMPA, Fla. -- No to Alfonso Soriano. No to Vernon Wells as well. Unless both come gift-wrapped at hugely discounted prices, the Yankees should take a pass. This is a time to stay the course.

General manager Brian Cashman has come too far to turn back now. His vision of the Yankees is one built on player development, on being smart and efficient, and on not overreacting to every crisis.

He's succeeding. The Yankees are respected throughout the industry for the quality of their scouts and the talent of their instructors. There's a bounty of young talent coming, some of it possibly later this season.

Will this next generation of Yankees be as good as Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera? No, probably not. That's OK, too.

If the Yankees have a productive farm system, they'll always have the cash to fill other needs through free agency. Or maybe that farm system will give them the chips they need to trade for an impact bat or a 200-inning starter.

For two offseasons, Cashman has stocked his roster with free-agent bargains in an attempt to steer the payroll down as baseball approaches a tough luxury tax on Opening Day 2014.

But there are reasons for doing this beyond money. Big-ticket free agents are for adding that final piece to a roster. Every organization must produce its own core of talent. That's true for such smaller-market teams as the Royals and Rays, but it's also true for the Red Sox and Yankees.

Curtis Granderson's broken right forearm is a test for Cashman -- because Granderson's absence, regardless of whether it's for eight weeks or 10 weeks or whatever, has the potential to hurt.

With the departures of Nick Swisher, Raul Ibanez, et al, with Alex Rodriguez's future uncertain and with the best prospects perhaps a year away, the Yankees have no idea how good they're going to be in 2013.

The Yankees were already dealing with a smaller margin for error. They're counting on certain guys -- Pettitte, Phil Hughes, Ichiro Suzuki -- to be healthy and productive. Cashman filled in nicely around the edges with one-year deals for Kevin Youkilis, Travis Hafner, Matt Diaz and others.

Another franchise might call it a transitional year, another step back toward a different way of doing business. That's what it may end up being, but that would be bitterly disappointing.

The Yankees are judged not by progress or getting close, but by how many championships they win. Anything less makes the season a failure, and no other team has these expectations every single season.

Cashman understands and accepts how life in charge of the Yankees works. He also understands the economics. Unlike the days when he used a sledgehammer -- $100 million here, $80 million there -- to construct his roster, he has shopped for bargains, getting guys who he believes have the makeup and the productivity to get the Yankees back to the postseason.

This has been a tough 12 months for his player-development system thanks to a string of injuries and poor performances. This is normal. Even the best scouts are wrong 80 percent of the time.

Sandy Johnson, the legendary talent evaluator who signed, among many others, Sammy Sosa, was once asked if he had a special feeling about the 150-pound teenager.

"I sure did," Johnson said. "I also had a special feeling about 20 or 30 other guys."

On the other hand, there's no other way to build a franchise.

Even with a winter of modest spending, the Yankees have a payroll of around $208 million. Does that sound like a franchise that has gone cheap?

But they have less than $100 million in salary commitments for 2014, so Cashman's dream scenario would be that his best kids -- among them Mason Williams, Tyler Austin and Gary Sanchez -- take steps forward and that his 2014 roster will have more clarity. And if he needs to throw millions at a Tim Lincecum, he'll have the cash to do it.

For now, though, he ought to hang in there with what he has unless a young star -- Chase Headley? Homer Bailey? -- becomes available. Even with all the losses, the Yankees are good enough to make the playoffs for the 18th time in 19 seasons. They're also more vulnerable than they've been in years, but there just are no other answers.

This isn't the time to surrender a bunch of prospects for an older player. Regardless of what happens in 2013, Cashman's plan makes sense. Sometimes the money obscures how good his baseball operation is. It's good enough that the Yankees will not be diminished by this new blueprint. They'll just be succeeding a different way.

Richard Justice is a columnist for MLB.com. Read his blog, Justice4U. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

14.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cervelli's defense impresses in spring opener

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The Yankees still believe their three-headed catching competition may take all of Spring Training to sort out, but Francisco Cervelli definitely made a good first impression in the club's exhibition opener Saturday.

Manager Joe Girardi wants to see strong defensive play from his catchers this spring, and Cervelli answered the call in New York's 8-3 win over the Braves, firing a rocket to second base that nabbed Atlanta's Todd Cunningham attempting to steal in the second inning.

"Amazing. It feels really good," Cervelli said. "I've been working a lot on my throwing, so I'm not surprised. I threw really good in winter ball. I got a lot of people out, and I feel like I'm back to what I used to be in '09."

Girardi said that Cervelli also did a nice job blocking balls behind the plate on Saturday before noting, "I mean, that's a beautiful throw. You can't make it any better than that, so that's a good sign."

Cervelli is vying with last season's backup, Chris Stewart and prospect Austin Romine to serve as the Yankees' Opening Day catcher. Cervelli went 0-for-2 with a walk while Romine had a two-run single, but Girardi said he has urged the catchers not to worry about their offensive statistics.

"I made it clear to them in a meeting [Friday]," Girardi said. "Defense is No. 1 here. We need to play good defense."

Cervelli was disappointed to be demoted to the Minors as camp concluded last season, but said that he eventually came to see the setback as an opportunity to hone his game.

"I just tried to cover all the little holes that I used to have in the past," Cervelli said. "I've been working so hard. I want to hit, too, but the priority here is the defense."

Cervelli said that he felt his throwing peaked at the big league level in 2009, in part because he had trouble adjusting to not playing every day. The result was that Cervelli said he developed bad habits of rushing throws and jumping at pitches before they reached his glove.

He also experienced a rash of passed balls last year at Triple-A, seeming so upset by the demotion to the Minors that his parents, Manuel and Damelis, traveled from their home in Venezuela to trail their son around the league for three weeks.

"When they saw the situation, I told them, 'I'm fine,' but they're 50-something years old so they do whatever they want," Cervelli said. "They showed up in Buffalo. They said, 'We're here, so what are we going to do now? We're going to follow the bus everywhere we go so you better play better, and that's it.'"

Cervelli has worked with Minor League catching instructor Julio Mosquera to tighten the defensive aspects of his game, and after playing in winter ball, Cervelli believes he reported to camp with the necessary tools to win the everyday catching job.

"Right now, I look at the past and I think it was [for] the best," Cervelli said. "Maybe last year, the first two months in Triple-A was bad. The frustration, you don't understand it in the moment, but when you have a little time and you think a little fresh, you realize things happen for a reason -- and always a positive reason."

Jeter runs infield for first time since broken ankle

TAMPA, Fla. -- Yankees captain Derek Jeter ran on the infield dirt Saturday at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the first time he has done so since breaking his left ankle last October.

"He ran the bases a bit, slowly," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said after New York's 8-3 Grapefruit League victory over the Braves in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. "He's at least outside, doing some running, so that's good."

Jeter has said that he expects to be ready for the Yankees' April 1 opener against the Red Sox in New York, but he is about two weeks behind the rest of the team's position players in his preparation.

The Yankees expect Eduardo Nunez to receive the majority of the early spring reps at shortstop, with Jeter first being eased into duty as a designated hitter later in camp.

Rotation candidate Phelps effective in first start

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Yankees right-hander David Phelps had little reason to complain after turning in his first Grapefruit League start of the year on Saturday.

Phelps threw two scoreless innings in New York's 8-3 victory over the Braves, scattering three hits and getting a little help from his defense as the hurler's spring bid for the rotation officially began.

"I was really happy with the way I commanded my fastball," Phelps said. "That was one of the biggest things that I wanted to do, come in today and get ahead of guys with my fastball. I felt we were able to do that today."

Manager Joe Girardi said that he was pleased in Phelps' ability to throw first-pitch strikes. Right fielder Zoilo Almonte helped Phelps out in the first inning, throwing out Atlanta's Reed Johnson at third base on a Freddie Freeman single, and catcher Francisco Cervelli gunned down Todd Cunningham attempting a steal of second base to end the second inning.

"Results are always going to matter to me, but as of right now I'm happy my arm felt good," Phelps said. "I felt my stuff is where it needed to be for right now. I'm really satisfied with the way the ball was coming out. That's one of the biggest things for me, is just the ball is coming out, keeping it down and hitting my spots. That's really important for me."

Phelps was 4-4 with a 3.34 ERA in 33 games (11 starts) as a rookie with New York last season and enters Spring Training projected to fight with Ivan Nova for the fifth slot in the Yankees' rotation.

"I'm not coming into the spring trying to beat somebody out for the spot," Phelps said. "I'm just trying to go out and continue what I was doing last year and have some success, and hopefully build my confidence up and get ready for the season to be ready to pitch in whatever role they ask me to."

Bombers bits

• Yankees right-hander Nick Goody, a sixth-round selection from Louisiana State University in last year's First-Year Player Draft, hobbled into the clubhouse on crutches following a minor traffic accident on Friday. Goody was diagnosed with a sprained right ankle and was sent for an MRI on Saturday.

• Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes continues to feel better after being diagnosed with a bulging disc in his upper back, Girardi said. Hughes has been taking anti-inflammatories and is expected to begin a regimen of underwater agility training at the team's Minor League complex on Sunday.

• Almonte hit the Yankees' first home run of the spring, an opposite-field two-run shot off the Braves' Jordan Walden. Girardi said that he is "excited" about Almonte, a switch-hitting corner outfielder who played last season at Double-A Trenton.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

14.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Jeter runs infield for first time since broken ankle

TAMPA, Fla. -- Yankees captain Derek Jeter ran on the infield dirt Saturday at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the first time he has done so since breaking his left ankle last October.

"He ran the bases a bit, slowly," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said after New York's 8-3 Grapefruit League victory over the Braves in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. "He's at least outside, doing some running, so that's good."

Jeter has said that he expects to be ready for the Yankees' April 1 opener against the Red Sox in New York, but he is about two weeks behind the rest of the team's position players in his preparation.

The Yankees expect Eduardo Nunez to receive the majority of the early spring reps at shortstop, with Jeter first being eased into duty as a designated hitter later in camp.

Cervelli's defense impresses in spring opener

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The Yankees still believe their three-headed catching competition may take all of Spring Training to sort out, but Francisco Cervelli definitely made a good first impression in the club's exhibition opener Saturday.

Manager Joe Girardi wants to see strong defensive play from his catchers this spring, and Cervelli answered the call in New York's 8-3 win over the Braves, firing a rocket to second base that nabbed Atlanta's Todd Cunningham attempting to steal in the second inning.

"Amazing. It feels really good," Cervelli said. "I've been working a lot on my throwing, so I'm not surprised. I threw really good in winter ball. I got a lot of people out, and I feel like I'm back to what I used to be in '09."

Girardi said that Cervelli also did a nice job blocking balls behind the plate on Saturday before noting, "I mean, that's a beautiful throw. You can't make it any better than that, so that's a good sign."

Cervelli is vying with last season's backup, Chris Stewart and prospect Austin Romine to serve as the Yankees' Opening Day catcher. Cervelli went 0-for-2 with a walk while Romine had a two-run single, but Girardi said he has urged the catchers not to worry about their offensive statistics.

"I made it clear to them in a meeting [Friday]," Girardi said. "Defense is No. 1 here. We need to play good defense."

Cervelli was disappointed to be demoted to the Minors as camp concluded last season, but said that he eventually came to see the setback as an opportunity to hone his game.

"I just tried to cover all the little holes that I used to have in the past," Cervelli said. "I've been working so hard. I want to hit, too, but the priority here is the defense."

Cervelli said that he felt his throwing peaked at the big league level in 2009, in part because he had trouble adjusting to not playing every day. The result was that Cervelli said he developed bad habits of rushing throws and jumping at pitches before they reached his glove.

He also experienced a rash of passed balls last year at Triple-A, seeming so upset by the demotion to the Minors that his parents, Manuel and Damelis, traveled from their home in Venezuela to trail their son around the league for three weeks.

"When they saw the situation, I told them, 'I'm fine,' but they're 50-something years old so they do whatever they want," Cervelli said. "They showed up in Buffalo. They said, 'We're here, so what are we going to do now? We're going to follow the bus everywhere we go so you better play better, and that's it.'"

Cervelli has worked with Minor League catching instructor Julio Mosquera to tighten the defensive aspects of his game, and after playing in winter ball, Cervelli believes he reported to camp with the necessary tools to win the everyday catching job.

"Right now, I look at the past and I think it was [for] the best," Cervelli said. "Maybe last year, the first two months in Triple-A was bad. The frustration, you don't understand it in the moment, but when you have a little time and you think a little fresh, you realize things happen for a reason -- and always a positive reason."

Rotation candidate Phelps effective in first start

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Yankees right-hander David Phelps had little reason to complain after turning in his first Grapefruit League start of the year on Saturday.

Phelps threw two scoreless innings in New York's 8-3 victory over the Braves, scattering three hits and getting a little help from his defense as the hurler's spring bid for the rotation officially began.

"I was really happy with the way I commanded my fastball," Phelps said. "That was one of the biggest things that I wanted to do, come in today and get ahead of guys with my fastball. I felt we were able to do that today."

Manager Joe Girardi said that he was pleased in Phelps' ability to throw first-pitch strikes. Right fielder Zoilo Almonte helped Phelps out in the first inning, throwing out Atlanta's Reed Johnson at third base on a Freddie Freeman single, and catcher Francisco Cervelli gunned down Todd Cunningham attempting a steal of second base to end the second inning.

"Results are always going to matter to me, but as of right now I'm happy my arm felt good," Phelps said. "I felt my stuff is where it needed to be for right now. I'm really satisfied with the way the ball was coming out. That's one of the biggest things for me, is just the ball is coming out, keeping it down and hitting my spots. That's really important for me."

Phelps was 4-4 with a 3.34 ERA in 33 games (11 starts) as a rookie with New York last season and enters Spring Training projected to fight with Ivan Nova for the fifth slot in the Yankees' rotation.

"I'm not coming into the spring trying to beat somebody out for the spot," Phelps said. "I'm just trying to go out and continue what I was doing last year and have some success, and hopefully build my confidence up and get ready for the season to be ready to pitch in whatever role they ask me to."

Bombers bits

• Yankees right-hander Nick Goody, a sixth-round selection from Louisiana State University in last year's First-Year Player Draft, hobbled into the clubhouse on crutches following a minor traffic accident on Friday. Goody was diagnosed with a sprained right ankle and was sent for an MRI on Saturday.

• Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes continues to feel better after being diagnosed with a bulging disc in his upper back, Girardi said. Hughes has been taking anti-inflammatories and is expected to begin a regimen of underwater agility training at the team's Minor League complex on Sunday.

• Almonte hit the Yankees' first home run of the spring, an opposite-field two-run shot off the Braves' Jordan Walden. Girardi said that he is "excited" about Almonte, a switch-hitting corner outfielder who played last season at Double-A Trenton.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

14.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rotation candidate Phelps effective in first start

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Yankees right-hander David Phelps had little reason to complain after turning in his first Grapefruit League start of the year on Saturday.

Phelps threw two scoreless innings in New York's 8-3 victory over the Braves, scattering three hits and getting a little help from his defense as the hurler's spring bid for the rotation officially began.

"I was really happy with the way I commanded my fastball," Phelps said. "That was one of the biggest things that I wanted to do, come in today and get ahead of guys with my fastball. I felt we were able to do that today."

Manager Joe Girardi said that he was pleased in Phelps' ability to throw first-pitch strikes. Right fielder Zoilo Almonte helped Phelps out in the first inning, throwing out Atlanta's Reed Johnson at third base on a Freddie Freeman single, and catcher Francisco Cervelli gunned down Todd Cunningham attempting a steal of second base to end the second inning.

"Results are always going to matter to me, but as of right now I'm happy my arm felt good," Phelps said. "I felt my stuff is where it needed to be for right now. I'm really satisfied with the way the ball was coming out. That's one of the biggest things for me, is just the ball is coming out, keeping it down and hitting my spots. That's really important for me."

Phelps was 4-4 with a 3.34 ERA in 33 games (11 starts) as a rookie with New York last season and enters Spring Training projected to fight with Ivan Nova for the fifth slot in the Yankees' rotation.

"I'm not coming into the spring trying to beat somebody out for the spot," Phelps said. "I'm just trying to go out and continue what I was doing last year and have some success, and hopefully build my confidence up and get ready for the season to be ready to pitch in whatever role they ask me to."

Cervelli's defense impresses in spring opener

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The Yankees still believe their three-headed catching competition may take all of Spring Training to sort out, but Francisco Cervelli definitely made a good first impression in the club's exhibition opener Saturday.

Manager Joe Girardi wants to see strong defensive play from his catchers this spring, and Cervelli answered the call in New York's 8-3 win over the Braves, firing a rocket to second base that nabbed Atlanta's Todd Cunningham attempting to steal in the second inning.

"Amazing. It feels really good," Cervelli said. "I've been working a lot on my throwing, so I'm not surprised. I threw really good in winter ball. I got a lot of people out, and I feel like I'm back to what I used to be in '09."

Girardi said that Cervelli also did a nice job blocking balls behind the plate on Saturday before noting, "I mean, that's a beautiful throw. You can't make it any better than that, so that's a good sign."

Cervelli is vying with last season's backup, Chris Stewart and prospect Austin Romine to serve as the Yankees' Opening Day catcher. Cervelli went 0-for-2 with a walk while Romine had a two-run single, but Girardi said he has urged the catchers not to worry about their offensive statistics.

"I made it clear to them in a meeting [Friday]," Girardi said. "Defense is No. 1 here. We need to play good defense."

Cervelli was disappointed to be demoted to the Minors as camp concluded last season, but said that he eventually came to see the setback as an opportunity to hone his game.

"I just tried to cover all the little holes that I used to have in the past," Cervelli said. "I've been working so hard. I want to hit, too, but the priority here is the defense."

Cervelli said that he felt his throwing peaked at the big league level in 2009, in part because he had trouble adjusting to not playing every day. The result was that Cervelli said he developed bad habits of rushing throws and jumping at pitches before they reached his glove.

He also experienced a rash of passed balls last year at Triple-A, seeming so upset by the demotion to the Minors that his parents, Manuel and Damelis, traveled from their home in Venezuela to trail their son around the league for three weeks.

"When they saw the situation, I told them, 'I'm fine,' but they're 50-something years old so they do whatever they want," Cervelli said. "They showed up in Buffalo. They said, 'We're here, so what are we going to do now? We're going to follow the bus everywhere we go so you better play better, and that's it.'"

Cervelli has worked with Minor League catching instructor Julio Mosquera to tighten the defensive aspects of his game, and after playing in winter ball, Cervelli believes he reported to camp with the necessary tools to win the everyday catching job.

"Right now, I look at the past and I think it was [for] the best," Cervelli said. "Maybe last year, the first two months in Triple-A was bad. The frustration, you don't understand it in the moment, but when you have a little time and you think a little fresh, you realize things happen for a reason -- and always a positive reason."

Jeter runs infield for first time since broken ankle

TAMPA, Fla. -- Yankees captain Derek Jeter ran on the infield dirt Saturday at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the first time he has done so since breaking his left ankle last October.

"He ran the bases a bit, slowly," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said after New York's 8-3 Grapefruit League victory over the Braves in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. "He's at least outside, doing some running, so that's good."

Jeter has said that he expects to be ready for the Yankees' April 1 opener against the Red Sox in New York, but he is about two weeks behind the rest of the team's position players in his preparation.

The Yankees expect Eduardo Nunez to receive the majority of the early spring reps at shortstop, with Jeter first being eased into duty as a designated hitter later in camp.

Bombers bits

• Yankees right-hander Nick Goody, a sixth-round selection from Louisiana State University in last year's First-Year Player Draft, hobbled into the clubhouse on crutches following a minor traffic accident on Friday. Goody was diagnosed with a sprained right ankle and was sent for an MRI on Saturday.

• Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes continues to feel better after being diagnosed with a bulging disc in his upper back, Girardi said. Hughes has been taking anti-inflammatories and is expected to begin a regimen of underwater agility training at the team's Minor League complex on Sunday.

• Almonte hit the Yankees' first home run of the spring, an opposite-field two-run shot off the Braves' Jordan Walden. Girardi said that he is "excited" about Almonte, a switch-hitting corner outfielder who played last season at Double-A Trenton.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Jeter gradually ramping up spring workouts

TAMPA, Fla. -- On the eve of the Yankees' first Grapefruit League game, Derek Jeter provided a brief update on his progress as he works his way back from offseason surgery on his left ankle.

Jeter has been taking regular batting practice and taking ground balls with the rest of his teammates, but he still has not run the bases. He doesn't know exactly when he'll begin doing so, but he has been running indoors, as he's on a different workout program than the rest of the team.

Jeter has been doing more agility drills and more running, gradually ramping up his workouts the same way he'd do any other year.

"I've been stepping it up every day," Jeter said. "Every day is more and more. I've been increasing the workload since I started."

Jeter has said several times that he will be ready to start come Opening Day, and he repeated that on Friday.

"You have to be smart. ... We've still got close to 40 days," he said. "There's no reason for me to go out there and jump all around and do things that I shouldn't be doing at this particular point."

Girardi sets travel roster for Grapefruit opener

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Yankees have set their travel roster for Saturday's Grapefruit League opener, against the Braves in Lake Buena Vista. As manager Joe Girardi said on Thursday, the starting lineup will include first baseman Mark Teixeira, second baseman Robinson Cano and infielder Eduardo Nunez behind starter David Phelps.

Catchers Francisco Cervelli and Austin Romine, both battling -- along with Chris Stewart -- for two spots on the roster, will make the trip, with Cervelli getting the start. Also hopping on the bus will be outfield candidates Juan Rivera and Matt Diaz, and corner infielder Dan Johnson.

Phelps is expected to throw two innings or 35 pitches, and he will be followed in some order by right-handers Brett Marshall, Mike O'Brien, Kelvin Perez, Branden Pinder and Chase Whitley, and left-hander Nik Turley.

Girardi is eager to see Cervelli and Romine finally get behind the plate in a game situation. He admitted earlier this week that they couldn't do much to put themselves in position to win a roster spot in drills, although he cautioned once again that he won't judge their performances too closely this soon.

"You want to see the competition," Girardi said. "They've got to get their bodies physically in shape. They've got to get their timing down offensively, get to know the pitchers. They're going to catch a lot of pitchers early on that they don't know."

Jay-Z, Timberlake to perform at Stadium in July

TAMPA, Fla. -- Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake announced a summer tour on Friday that will bring them to Yankee Stadium on July 19.

The "Legends of the Summer" stadium tour will visit 12 cities in North America, with the first stop at Rogers Centre in Toronto on July 17. The tour will visit, among other locations, Chicago, San Francisco, Baltimore and Boston before wrapping up on Aug. 16 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami.

Tickets for the shows, save the Yankee Stadium performance, will go on sale to the public on Thursday at LiveNation.com. The on-sale information for the New York show will be announced soon, according to a LiveNation release announcing the tour.

Bombers bits

• Right-hander Phil Hughes said on Friday he is "way better" and noticed a "significant" difference in the way his back feels compared with earlier in the week, when he was sidelined with a bulging disk in his upper back. Hughes expects to finish his anti-inflammatory medication over the next two days and perhaps begin working out in a pool as early as Sunday.

"I think you've got to see him get on the mound to feel that you're through it and that it's not going to be an issue that pops up all the time," manager Joe Girardi said. "I think we have to see him get on the mound, but that's a good sign."

• CC Sabathia threw another bullpen session and Andy Pettitte pitched batting practice on Friday morning, and Girardi reported that both outings -- as well as right-hander David Robertson's BP session -- went well.

• Having previously announced that right-handers David Phelps and Adam Warren will start the Yankees' first two Grapefruit League games, Girardi said on Friday that lefty Vidal Nuno and right-hander Jose Ramirez will start the next two.

Adam Berry is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @adamdberry. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

14.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Jay-Z, Timberlake to perform at Stadium in July

TAMPA, Fla. -- Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake announced a summer tour on Friday that will bring them to Yankee Stadium on July 19.

The "Legends of the Summer" stadium tour will visit 12 cities in North America, with the first stop at Rogers Centre in Toronto on July 17. The tour will visit, among other locations, Chicago, San Francisco, Baltimore and Boston before wrapping up on Aug. 16 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami.

Tickets for the shows, save the Yankee Stadium performance, will go on sale to the public on Thursday at LiveNation.com. The on-sale information for the New York show will be announced soon, according to a LiveNation release announcing the tour.

Girardi sets travel roster for Grapefruit opener

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Yankees have set their travel roster for Saturday's Grapefruit League opener, against the Braves in Lake Buena Vista. As manager Joe Girardi said on Thursday, the starting lineup will include first baseman Mark Teixeira, second baseman Robinson Cano and infielder Eduardo Nunez behind starter David Phelps.

Catchers Francisco Cervelli and Austin Romine, both battling -- along with Chris Stewart -- for two spots on the roster, will make the trip, with Cervelli getting the start. Also hopping on the bus will be outfield candidates Juan Rivera and Matt Diaz, and corner infielder Dan Johnson.

Phelps is expected to throw two innings or 35 pitches, and he will be followed in some order by right-handers Brett Marshall, Mike O'Brien, Kelvin Perez, Branden Pinder and Chase Whitley, and left-hander Nik Turley.

Girardi is eager to see Cervelli and Romine finally get behind the plate in a game situation. He admitted earlier this week that they couldn't do much to put themselves in position to win a roster spot in drills, although he cautioned once again that he won't judge their performances too closely this soon.

"You want to see the competition," Girardi said. "They've got to get their bodies physically in shape. They've got to get their timing down offensively, get to know the pitchers. They're going to catch a lot of pitchers early on that they don't know."

Jeter gradually ramping up spring workouts

TAMPA, Fla. -- On the eve of the Yankees' first Grapefruit League game, Derek Jeter provided a brief update on his progress as he works his way back from offseason surgery on his left ankle.

Jeter has been taking regular batting practice and taking ground balls with the rest of his teammates, but he still has not run the bases. He doesn't know exactly when he'll begin doing so, but he has been running indoors, as he's on a different workout program than the rest of the team.

Jeter has been doing more agility drills and more running, gradually ramping up his workouts the same way he'd do any other year.

"I've been stepping it up every day," Jeter said. "Every day is more and more. I've been increasing the workload since I started."

Jeter has said several times that he will be ready to start come Opening Day, and he repeated that on Friday.

"You have to be smart. ... We've still got close to 40 days," he said. "There's no reason for me to go out there and jump all around and do things that I shouldn't be doing at this particular point."

Bombers bits

• Right-hander Phil Hughes said on Friday he is "way better" and noticed a "significant" difference in the way his back feels compared with earlier in the week, when he was sidelined with a bulging disk in his upper back. Hughes expects to finish his anti-inflammatory medication over the next two days and perhaps begin working out in a pool as early as Sunday.

"I think you've got to see him get on the mound to feel that you're through it and that it's not going to be an issue that pops up all the time," manager Joe Girardi said. "I think we have to see him get on the mound, but that's a good sign."

• CC Sabathia threw another bullpen session and Andy Pettitte pitched batting practice on Friday morning, and Girardi reported that both outings -- as well as right-hander David Robertson's BP session -- went well.

• Having previously announced that right-handers David Phelps and Adam Warren will start the Yankees' first two Grapefruit League games, Girardi said on Friday that lefty Vidal Nuno and right-hander Jose Ramirez will start the next two.

Adam Berry is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @adamdberry. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

14.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Stress-free' Posada enjoying life as retiree

By Adam Berry / MLB.com | 2/22/2013 3:25 P.M. ET

TAMPA, Fla. -- Jorge Posada walked around George M. Steinbrenner Field on Friday morning wearing a Yankees uniform and catcher's mitt. He was on the field among a few of his former teammates for Mariano Rivera's batting practice session -- behind the mound, not the plate -- and batting practice itself.

Seeing Posada here is reminiscent of last Spring Training, when Andy Pettitte showed up for a few days of camp, an appearance that turned into a full-scale comeback. Manager Joe Girardi made the same connection, and said, "I don't rule anything out anymore."

But as strange as Posada felt heading into the coaches' locker room, he has neither the desire nor the intention to make a comeback of his own.

"I don't think I could. I don't think I can," Posada said. "It's the everyday thing. It's the grind of a long season, and I don't think I could do that. ... I'm happy with where I'm at. I'm not second-guessing myself. I know I can't play the game. In my mind I think I made the right decision.

"I'm stress-free. It's fun. I'm having fun."

Posada, who came to camp as a guest instructor after an invitation from Hal Steinbrenner, will be with the Yankees for a few more days, and he'll be back again at some point this spring. He likes the idea of being a part-time instructor and enjoys the process of teaching young catchers, but he doesn't have any interest in getting back into baseball in any full-time capacity right now.

"You retire to be home, and you don't want to be here for a month and a half," he said. "We're talking still [about a role with the Yankees], trying to figure out what we're going to do. So we've got time to do it now that I'm here, so we're going to sit down and talk."

Shortstop Derek Jeter, a close friend of Posada's, said it didn't feel too odd to see Posada as a guest instructor. The two have kept in contact and seen each other since Posada retired before the 2012 season, and Jeter has already dealt with the "awkward" situation of seeing several former teammates -- Bernie Williams, Tino Martinez and so on -- appear in camp as guest instructors.

But Jeter and Rivera said it was good see their former teammate back among the Yankees, whether he's playing or not.

"Any time that we have a guy that does what Jorge's doing, people are going to speculate," Girardi said. "And I think it's fair to do. Jorge's a guy that loved to play the game."

Adam Berry is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @adamdberry. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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