Daily Archives: March 23, 2009

Japan and Korea play one last time in the WBC, this time to crown a champion. Once again, I’ll be liveblogging all of the action for SI.com over on FanNation. Also, check out my preview of the game on SI.com’s main baseball page.

My apologies for not recapping the Yankees’ 5-0 loss to the Rays yesterday. The big news from that game was that Damaso Marte pitched around a walk for a scoreless fifth inning and said he felt good afterwards. Less significantly, Kei Igawa finally gave up a run, Brett Gardner was finally caught stealing, and Robinson Cano went 2-for-3 as the DH. Meanwhile, Jorge Posada caught CC Sabathia in a minor league came and threw out three of four attempting basestealers, saying his shoulder felt 100 percent, which was the best news of all.

This afternoon, the Yankees lost to the Phillies 8-3.

Lineup:

S – Jorge Posada (C)
L – Johnny Damon (LF)
S – Mark Teixeira (1B)
R – Xavier Nady (RF)
L – Robinson Cano (2B)
R – Cody Ransom (3B)
S – Melky Cabrera (CF)
S – Ramiro Peña (SS)
R – Chien-Ming Wang (P)

Subs: Juan Miranda (1B), Doug Bernier (2B), Eduardo Nuñez (SS), Angel Berroa (3B), Jose Molina (C), Nick Swisher (RF), Brett Gardner (CF), Austin Jackson (LF), John Rodriguez (PH)

Pitchers: Chien-Ming Wang, Brian Bruney, Dan Giese, Brett Tomko

Big Hits:

Mark Teixeira doubled in three at-bats. Ramiro Peña went 2-for-3.

Who Pitched Well:

Brett Tomko pitched around a single for a scoreless eighth inning. His spring ERA is 1.46. Chien-Ming Wang gave up just one run in his first four innings, then was pulled after the first two runners reached base in the fifth.

The Yankees had wanted Wang to pitch in a minor league game in Tampa so as to avoid having to bat against the Phillies, but the Tampa game was rained out, as the Triple-A game in Dunedin. Wang and Jorge Posada traveled from Tampa to Dunedin to Clearwater, arriving just minutes before game time. Two of the runs Wang allowed came as he tired in the fifth. As for his hitting, under instructions not to swing. Wang struck out looking three times, though Phillies starter J.A. Happ started him off 3-1 and 2-0 in his first two at-bats according to Pete Abe.

Who Didn’t:

Dan Giese gave up three runs on four hits, including a two-out, two-run home run by Miguel Cairo. Brian Bruney allowed the two runner he inherited from Wang to score, then gave up two of his own on a Raul Ibañez double and a Matt Stairs homer, though he also struck out two in his lone inning of work.

Battles:

The big news is that Kei Igawa was reassigned to minor league camp and Joe Girardi has said that Xavier Nady is leading the right-field battle. Nady had an RBI single in two at-bats this afternoon and, more importantly, drew his first walk of the spring. Nick Swisher went 0-for-1. Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner both singled (in three and two at-bats respectively), though Gardner was thrown out stealing.

Roster moves:

Kei Igawa was reassigned to minor league camp. As well as he pitched this spring, don’t expect to see him in the majors at any point this season unless it’s with another team.

As Diane reported this morning, the Yankees have reacquired catcher Chris Stewart, who went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in one start behind the plate for the Yankees last year. The 27-year-old Stewart is a career .188/.235/.229 hitter in 54 major league at-bats and a .256/.318/.363 hitter over seven minor league seasons. Originally drafted by the White Sox in 2001, he spent 2007 in the Rangers’ organization, last year in Triple-A Scranton, and had been back with the Pale Hose this spring before the Yankees acquired him for “future considerations,” which could be a player to be named later or cash. The return for Stewart will be insignificant, but even that seems a waste given that Stewart is actually a less productive catching option than Kevin Cash.

We’ve had a last-minute dropout (note to that person: I totally understand), so if you want to get into tonight’s Banter Battle 2009 fantasy baseball draft, go here.

(Edit: someone has snapped up the opening … thanks)

League ID#: 112369
Password: cashman

Otherwise, we’re still on for 8:30 pm Eastern.

Much to discuss . . . so let’s go:

• Could Kei Igawa be pitching his way towards a trade, to a team that wants him?:

Including a three-inning outing against Team Canada on March 5, Igawa has scattered seven hits in seven spring appearances, striking out 11. The outcome has drawn interest — during the Yankees’ game at Fort Myers, Fla., on Friday, professional scouts in attendance were said to be asking specifically about Igawa.

“He’s had a heck of a spring,” Cashman said. “He seems assertive, he’s moving fast and he’s throwing strikes. He’s always had good stuff. His command hasn’t been there. Now he’s showing stuff with commitment.”

Some of Igawa’s success may be due to the fact he is facing some batters who will not begin the season on big league rosters. There is little left to prove at the lower levels for Igawa, who was 14-6 with a 3.45 ERA in 26 games (24 starts) for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last year.

• Jorge Posada is showing further progress in his recovery from shoulder surgery:

In the surest sign yet that Jorge Posada’s surgically repaired right shoulder will be prepared for Opening Day, the Yankees catcher unloaded strong throws to cut down three baserunners on Sunday.

Continuing to strengthen his shoulder, the 37-year-old Posada received CC Sabathia in a Minor League game against Pirates prospects, nabbing three of four potential basestealers with clean tosses to second base.

“You can’t compare what I was feeling last year,” Posada said. “I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t make three throws like that. It’s good to be back.”

• CC Sabathia seems to be adjusting quite well to his new teammates:

Beginning the process to combat Spring Training downtime, the left-hander stepped into a role of group organizer, his cohesive personality drawing the Bombers together for dinners and courtside seats at Orlando Magic games.

“I don’t know if I’m a leader,” Sabathia said. “I like to hang out with my teammates. I like to get to know them. Going to Magic games and going out to eat, I just feel like that’s something guys on the same team should always do. If I’m a leader in that regard, I guess. But I’m just trying to get to know my guys.”

• Richard Sandomir writes about Jim Kaat’s return to the broadcast booth.
• At LoHud, PeteAbe posts a Q&A with Joba Chamberlain, with the questions coming from readers, including this snippet:

Kirsten writes:: Your career has moved at a much faster pace, more so than that of most younger players. If you could go back and give advice to your 2007 self, what would you say?

Joba: “Slow things down. They’re so … especially in New York, things are going so fast. I did a terrible job my first year of slowing things down. Not so much on the field but probably off the field. You’ve just got to be happy for the situation but slow a lot of things down.”

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