With the nation’s economy in the tank, and our best player on the DL, we could all use a good laugh. So, today’s news is powered by the late, great George Carlin:

• It appears the Yanks are beholden to Ransom:

As for acquiring a fill-in for Rodriguez, Cashman said again on Tuesday that he is not actively searching. “I’m not optimistic about doing anything,” he said. “I’m not going to be proactive in trying to do something.” Cody Ransom, a 33-year-old journeyman, is in line to step in for Rodriguez. “With the team not wanting add payroll, not wanting to hurt the farm system and stuff like that, and we’re going to get Alex back, we’re going to go with what we have in camp,” Cashman said.

• The Captain has been getting to know the BoSox’ Pedroia and Youkilis, and it appears to be a mutual admiration society:

“You get to know guys playing against them, as players,” Jeter said. “But one of the good things about something like this is you get an opportunity to put personalities with the players.” Previously, Pedroia and Youkilis had only spent time with Jeter as part of last year’s AL All-Star team. … “I like to keep it loose and have fun,” Pedroia said after yesterday’s workout at Rogers Centre, where Team USA resumes play tomorrow night, having already clinched a berth in this weekend’s second round in Miami. “I think [Jeter] kind of laughs at me the whole time. He probably thinks I’m crazy.” Youkilis said he has always respected Jeter, but spending the past week with him has taken that admiration to another level. “[Jeter] has been unbelievable, and you see why he’s the captain of the Yankees,” Youkilis said.

• There was a Moose sighting at Steinbrenner field:

The recently retired right-hander was a special guest visitor at Yankees camp on Tuesday, escaping the Pennsylvania cold for a vacation and some fun in the sun. He has no regrets about his decision to walk away from the game. “I’m doing nothing,” Mussina said, grinning. “And when I walked through the weight room, I knew why I’m doing nothing. I feel good being retired.” As he would later reveal, Mussina knew last spring that 2008 would be his final season. There was no point during the offseason that he thought about changing his mind, he said, and even when pitchers and catchers began reporting to Spring Training camps, Mussina found himself content. … Mussina’s former corner locker is now occupied by CC Sabathia, and Mussina greeted his replacement, calling him “Mr. Sabathia” and telling him to keep the space.

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Did you guys watch the Netherlands vs. Dominican Replublic elimination game last night? The game went scoreless into extra innings. The D.R. got a run in the top of the 11th on a walk and a ball the right fielder lost in the lights that was ruled a triple. Then, with Carlos Marmol on the mound, three outs from elimination, the Netherlands’ sent up a pinch-hitter who led off with a double, moved to third on an out, and scored on a single by Gene Kingsale, the right fielder who lost the ball in the top of the inning. In checking Kingsale at first during the subsequent at-bat, Marmol threw wild to first, sending Kingsale, the winning run, all the way to third due to the large foul territory at Hiram Bithorn Stadium. Marmol struck out the batter for the second out, but with two strikes, Yurendell de Caster hit a cue shot down the first base line that defensive replacement Willy Aybar booted, allowing de Caster to reach safely just ahead of Aybar’s throw to Marmol at first and Kingsale to come home with the winning, and clinching run.

My heart is still racing. I haven’t been that wrapped up in a game since the 2004 ALCS.

Oh yeah. Blah blah Yankees blah 7-1.

Lineup:

L – Brett Gardner (CF)
L – Johnny Damon (LF)
R – Xavier Nady (RF)
L – Hideki Matsui (DH)
R – Cody Ransom (3B)
R – Jose Molina (C)
L – Juan Miranda (1B)
R – Angel Berroa (SS)
S – Ramiro Peña (2B)

Subs: Eduardo Nuñez (SS), Kevin Russo (3B), Jesus Montero (C), Shelley Duncan (RF), Austin Jackson (CF), John Rodriguez (LF), Kevin Cash (DH)

Pitchers: Joba Chamberlain, Phil Coke, Kei Igawa, Christian Garcia, Anthony Claggett

Opposition: The non-WBC Reds

Big Hits:

A three-run homer by Shelley Duncan off Jordan Smith in his only at-bat and a solo shot by Juan Miranda (1-for-3) off Nick Masset. Hideki Matsui doubled and walked in three trips. Ramiro Peña doubled and singled in three trips.

Who Pitched Well:

Joba Chamberlain, finally. After failing to reach 90 miles per hour in his first start and walking four of five batters and not getting an out in his last outing, Joba hit 96 mph, struck out three and walked none in three innings. That he also gave up a run on three hits (one a Chris Dickerson triple) was no big deal. Talking to Alex on the phone this evening I said Joba would have to pitch three solid innings for me to get over the concerns I had following his first two outings. Well, he did, so I’m over it.

Kei Igawa pitched two perfect innings and struck out two. He hasn’t given up a run all spring and would be pitching his way into the long-man race if not for the fact that he’s Kei Igawa. Anthony Claggett pitched a perfect ninth striking out two. Christian Garcia pitched around a walk in the eighth and struck out two. Phil Coke struck out three in two scoreless innings, giving up just three harmless singles.

Who Didn’t:

No one.

Battles:

Brett Gardner went 2-for-3, pushing his spring average back over .400. Xavier Nady broke his string of extra-base hits with a single in two trips, though he still hasn’t drawn a walk. Phil Coke dropped his spring ERA blew 2.00 with two scoreless innings.

WBC:

Francisco Cervelli is on his way back to camp as Italy was eliminated from the WBC by Venezuela. Cervelli was praised for his intensity, leadership, and work behind the plate for Team Italy, but went just 1-for-7 with a walk and a strikeout. I don’t doubt that Cervelli could catch in the majors right now, but from what I’ve seen of him, he has some work to do on his hitting.

Robinson Cano and Damaso Marte are also on their way home due to the Netherlands stunning and thrilling upset. Cano went 3-for-13, all singles, with a walk and a K. Marte pitched a pair of scoreless innings, striking out two and allowing only a single.

Derek Jeter is thus the only Yankee remaining in the WBC. He and the U.S. will play Venzuela to determine the Round 2 seeding tonight at 6:30. If they lose, they’re realy going to screw up my plans for Saturday.

In 1984, Topps printed its final card for Lou Piniella as a player. Even though he was hitting .302 at the time, Piniella realized that he was blocking the way of younger outfielders in the organization and agreed to retire in the midst of that season. The sweet swing, the reliable hands, and the clubhouse agitation—all prominent features of the longtime Yankee—departed the Bronx to make room for a new wave of outfield youth.

Piniella was one of the last remnants of Gabe Paul’s regime as Yankee general manager. After the 1973 season, Paul sent aging reliever Lindy McDaniel to the Royals for Piniella, who had won the American League’s Rookie of the Year in 1969 but had slumped to a .250 batting average and a .291 on-base percentage during his final season in Kansas City. Paul figured that Piniella had endured an off season, nothing more. Piniella fit Yankee needs precisely—given their lefty-leaning lineup—providing them a semi-regular outfielder and DH who would play against all left-handers and occasionally against right-handers, too. In three of his first five seasons in pinstripes, Piniella hit .305 or better while filling in day-to-day gaps in left field, right field, and at DH. He became a vital complementary piece to the world championship teams of 1977 and ’78, culminating in his miraculous “stop” of Jerry Remy’s sun-screened line drive in the tiebreaking playoff game of 1978.

Aside from his one-hop snare of Remy’s drive, I’ll remember two features of Piniella’s game more than others. First, he owned one of the best opposite-field strokes of any hitter I’ve seen. As he took his stance, he kept his hands back, wrapped almost behind his right shoulder. With his left shoulder tucked in and his back visible to the pitcher, Piniella pushed the ball toward right field with the same kind of ease and precision that most players reserve for their pull side. Then there was his reliability in the field. Though he lacked speed and had nothing more than an average throwing arm, Piniella possessed hands of velvet. If he could reach a fly ball, he caught it. And whenever he pounded his fist into his glove, he was sure to make the play.

(more…)

Today’s news is powered by a view of hip labrum surgery (not for the easily squeamish, but hey … what OTHER baseball website is gonna offer you this?):

• The initial hip labrum surgery for A-Rod was deemed a success.
• Did you know that golfer Greg Norman and ice skater Michelle Kwan have had the same procedure done?  Its part of an excellent article detailing the physiology at play in A-Rod’s surgery.
• First it was pool …. now Girardi has the players “golfing” … on the basepaths.
• Andy Pettitte realizes the pitchers have to step up in the absence of A-Rod.
• The Captain believes the Yanks will survive without Alex … cause …. what choice do they have?:

“We were hit pretty hard last year,” Jeter said. “You’re talking about the combination of Jorge and Hideki, that’s a pretty big chunk right there, two guys in the middle of your lineup.

“But hopefully Al is not going to be gone for long. I don’t know the timetable, but you hope he’s back sooner rather than later.”

Can the Yankees survive without A-Rod?

“We have no choice,” Jeter said. “But we have enough guys on our team that we’ll be all right.”

• Count Wallace Matthews in the camp of “he should have had the whole procedure done now”:

By announcing that A-Rod will undergo a scaled-down surgical hip repair this morning, then be rushed back into the lineup ASAP, the message they are sending out is an SOS.

As in, Save Our Season. How misguided is that?

In the interest of long-term safety, they could have chosen to shut down their $275-million third baseman for four months, allow him to take as much time as he needs to recover, and try to muddle through with the other $190 million or so worth of ballplayers still on their active roster. …

… But the Yankees didn’t do any of those things. Instead, in announcing A-Rod’s fast-track recovery plan, they made an unmistakable announcement of their own: We can’t win without this guy.

Forgetting, conveniently, that in five seasons, they have yet to win a thing with him.

[My take: There are back-handed compliments … and then there are back-handed putdowns.  But I do agree that for the long-term health of A-Rod, having the entire procedure done now in one shot would have been preferred.]

(more…)

The Yankees only drew one walk yesterday afternoon and Ian Kennedy was awful, thus the 6-2 loss to Toronto. Meanwhile, the Netherlands took a 1-0 lead on Puerto Rico into the bottom of the eighth, putting them six outs from a Round 2 berth. Sadly, Puerto Rico rallied to advance instead, but Netherlands has had one hell of a ride. They re-match with the Dominican Republic at 6:30 tonight on the MLB Network. Loser goes home. Lang levensecht honkbal!

Lineup:

L – Brett Gardner (CF)
S – Melky Cabrera (LF)
S – Mark Teixeira (1B)
S – Jorge Posada (DH)
S – Nick Swisher (RF)
R – Jose Molina (C)
R – Angel Berroa (2B)
R – Justin Leone (3B)
S – Ramiro Peña (SS)

Subs: Juan Miranda (1B), Doug Bernier (2B), Eduardo Nuñez (SS), Kevin Russo (3B), Kevin Cash (C), Todd Linden (RF), Austin Jackson (CF), Colin Curtis (LF), Shelley Duncan (DH)

Pitchers: Andy Pettitte, Dan Giese, Ian Kennedy, Steven Jackson, Jonathan Albaladejo, David Robertson

Opposition: The non-WBC Blue Jays.

Big Hits:

Brett Gardner‘s third home run of the spring, a two-run shot off Jays’ prospect Brad Mills. Again, this man had three home runs all of last year, including spring training (when he hit none). Mark Teixeira (2-for-3) doubled. Angel Berroa, who is 9-for-18 with five extra-base hits this spring, doubled in two trips.

Who Pitched Well:

David Robertson pitched a perfect ninth inning. Jonathan Albaladejo preceded him by pitching around a single in the eighth while striking out two. Steven Jackson struck out the only batter he faced. Andy Pettitte struck out two in a scoreless inning and two-thirds, though he did walk one and give up a double to Aaron Hill.

Who Didn’t:

Ian Kennedy got beat about the head and neck, giving up five runs on five hits (including three doubles and a Travis Snider homer), a walk, and two wild pitches in 2 2/3 inings. After a poor outing his last time out, Kennedy said that he had lost the feel for his curveball. Clearly, he didn’t get it back before his appearance today.

Battles:

Starting in center, Brett Gardner went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, while Melky Cabrera, starting in left, went 1-for-3 with a single. Nick Swisher went 0-for-3; he has seven walks, but just two hits this spring, both singles. Xavier Nady, who didn’t play yesterday, has three hits, all for extra bases, and no walks. As a result, Swisher’s line is all on-base percentage, while Nady’s is all slugging. Check it out:

Swisher: .133/.409/.133
X. Nady: .176/.176/.529

Using Gross Production average, which properly weights on-base percentage against slugging and converts the result to the batting-average scale, Swisher is hitting .217 and Nady is hitting .213. That’s a wash, though I would rather have Swisher getting on base regularly than have to wait around for one of Nady’s big hits.

Be afraid: with Cody Ransom starting at third, the Yankees will need a reserve infielder. Among all the players in camp, Angel Berroa currently trails only Gardner in total bases and home runs, and leads all players in hits, more than half of which have gone for extra bases.

On the mound, David Robertson and Jonathan Albaladejo both pitched well. Dan Giese gave up a single and a two-run homer to Russ Adams, but nothing else in 2 1/3 innings, striking out two along the way.

Here’s a quick look at the relievers battling for the last four spots in the bullpen:

Jose Veras: 3.00 ERA, 3 IP, 3 BB, 6 K
Robertson: 2.25 ERA, 4 IP, 1 BB, 6 K
Albaladejo: 2.45 ERA, 3 2/3 IP, 1 BB, 3 K
Phil Coke: 3.00 ERA, 3 IP, 0 BB, 1 K
Melancon: 0.00 ERA, 4 IP, 2 BB, 4 K
S. Jackson: 3.86 ERA, 4 2/3 IP, 1 BB, 4 K
Dan Giese: 6.58 ERA, 8 1/3 IP, 2 BB, 6 K
A. Aceves: 7.36 ERA, 3 2/3 IP, 2 BB, 2 K
B. Tomko: 2.57 ERA, 7 IP, 1 BB, 5 K

Edwar Ramirez has yet to pitch in a game due to shoulder bursitis.

Giese’s ERA is inflated and Aceves has pitched only twice (the first bad, the second good). A lot could happen within that group in the next four weeks.

Cuts:

Pitchers Kanekoa Texeira, J.B. Cox, George Kontos, Eric Hacker, and Wilkin De La Rosa were reassigned to minor league camp. Andrew Brackman was optioned to Single-A Charleston. Of the first group, Cox will land back in Triple-A, and Kontos and Hacker might join him depending on how quickly Scranton’s rotation fills up, but Texeira, who is likely ticketed for Double-A Trenton, is the pitcher to watch. As for Brackman, he posted a 5.56 ERA and 1.44 K/BB in eight starts in the Hawaiian winter league this offseason. Those starts and his three spring innnings (3 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 0 K) are the only action he’s seen since making 13 starts for NC State in 2007. He has some work to do.

Ouchies:

Mariano Rivera threw 30 pitches in the bullpen and said he felt “tremendous.” Jorge Posada made a dozen throws to second base and said he “felt great.”

Italy upset Canada in the Pool C “losers” game, so Francisco Cervelli will be away from camp for an extra day as Italy takes on Cervelli’s native Venezuela in a double-elimination game at 5pm tonight on ESPN2. Cervelli went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout in the game against Canada.

Which reminds me, I failed to include the WBC Yankee stats from yesterday. Here they are:

Derek Jeter: 0-for-2 with a walk
Robinson Cano: 1-for-3 with a walk

To help pass the time until Opening Day, let’s see what you know about college hoops.  Join up in the first (hopefully annual) “Bronx Madness” tourney. Its free to play, and is hosted by Yahoo! Sports Tournament Pick’em!

To accept the invitation, just follow this link. For reference, here’s the group information.

Group ID#: 42001
Password: banter

We are using a slightly modified scoring system, as described below.  In addition to points for each correct pick,  for any correct picks where the underdog wins, you will receive bonus points equal to the winning team’s seed minus the losing team’s seed, multiplied by the seed bonus values below.

We aren’t offering any prizes, but maybe we’ll put the winner’s name on the sidebar … Enjoy!

An open letter to A-Rod’s handlers …

To whom it may concern:

In light of recent events where Alex Rodriguez has spoken to the media, in both controlled and extemporaneous settings, it is my belief that you should consider a gag order for your client/relative. (New York Times columnist Harvey Araton agrees.) Certainly, you’ve read the analysis of his press conference performance in this space and elsewhere, and are aware of the dent your client/relative’s credibility has taken. This past week, his comments about Jose Reyes would have been fine if he hadn’t added these 13 words: “I wish he was leading off on our team, playing on our team.” In fact, it spurred the Daily News to run a Top 10 list of dumbest A-Rod quotes last Wednesday.

Now, with the labrum tear in his hip — naturally, people will jump to conclusions that it’s steroid-related, despite reports to the contrary — there are greater questions to ponder. Why do the partial surgery as opposed to getting the whole thing done? Is this short-term solution best for the long term? What led to that decision? Is Alex in consistent pain? Does the hip hurt after extended periods of rest? Sleep? How about walking up and down stairs? While cortisone shots would help, would they have an adverse effect on the healing process? Inquiring fans want to know, provided he can tell us something without inadvertently offending someone and then issue an apology through a publicist. Maybe the Yankees don’t want him to speak and potentially say anything incriminating. Judging from the commentary of how the organization has handled his hip injury over the last 10 months, you have to wonder if Brian Cashman and the rest of the brass are not fully committed to nine more years of Alex Rodriguez in a Yankee uniform.

We know Alex is going to be a target. He’s the highest paid and arguably most talented player in professional baseball. In general, Yankee fans are concerned about his health, mainly because it’s impossible to replace the production he can provide in the lineup. He’s still the most important piece to their offense. We want to see Alex recover, get back on the field and help the Yankees win their first World Series since the turn of the century. What we don’t want to see is him speaking to the media, fumbling his words and giving us more reasons to liken him to Manny Ramirez with a different type of insanity. Some fans are already at that point.

Maybe Bernie Williams is right; time away from the team, and the game, will be good for him.

We hope so.

Regards,
Will Weiss

______________________________________

ELSEWHERE …
• Harvey Araton espouses on the First Amendment, A-Rod, and Selena Roberts in a column published last Monday. For anyone entering Journalism School or interested in reporting and mass communication/media theory, this is a must-read. [Props to Diane Firstman for the recommendation.]

• With A-Rod out, the shift in Yankee coverage is shifting toward C.C. Sabathia and Mark Teixeira. This makes sense, since both will be under even more pressure to perform, now that the team will be without Rodriguez for an extended period of time.

• Though he’s not affiliated with the YES Network anymore on a full-time basis, Jim Kaat shared his thoughts on the PED issue with Kevin Kernan of the Post, and proved once again why he’s one of the classiest individuals you’ll ever meet.

• Maybe this is being nitpicky, but did anyone else notice that the flag patch on the right sleeve of the United States’ World Baseball Classic team’s uniforms had the stars on the wrong side? (It was in the upper right corner, instead of upper left.) Neither Dave O’Brien nor Rick Sutcliffe noticed it on the ESPN broadcast. And nothing I read as far as game coverage noticed the gaffe.

NEXT WEEK: What should the key stories be as we count down to Opening Day, and how would you like to see them covered? Send your submissions here.

Until then …

Over at SI.com, I take a look at how the loss of Alex Rodriguez though as late as mid-May will effect the Yankees bottom line of wins and losses and conclude that they’ll get by just fine with Cody Ransom at third base for a few weeks. Any one remember Erick Almonte?

It’s not unheard of for a team to be unfazed by the loss of one of its stars for a month or so. The Yankees themselves have survived similar blows in the past. In 2003 Derek Jeter separated his shoulder on a collision at third base on Opening Day and was out until May 13. The Yankees went 25-11 (.694) with Jeter on the shelf and had a three-game lead in the East when he returned. Last year the Rays lost Evan Longoria for a month down the stretch after he suffered a fractured wrist, but went 19-11 (.633) without him and maintained their lead in the East. The previous year the Phillies lost Chase Utley to a broken hand for a month late in the season, but went 17-10 (.630) in his absence and maintained their virtual tie with the Mets atop the NL East. All three of those teams won their division.

Powered by the memory of Joe DiMaggio, who passed away 10 years ago yesterday, here’s the news:

• As you most likely know by now, A-Rod and the Yanks have decided to proceed with a lesser form of hip surgery on Monday.

The decision eliminates the option of Rodriguez treating the injury with rest and rehab and playing through the season without surgery. But this operation will not completely correct the hip.

“The surgery that will just repair the labrum tear right now would shorten his rehab,” Cashman said. “Then, following the conclusion of the season, going in and repair the remaining aspects that need to be repaired.”

• ESPN’s Stephania Bell has a detailed explanation of the anatomy being poked and prodded:

Surgery to repair the labrum alone, without addressing any underlying bone issues, results in a shortened time frame. During surgery the damaged piece of labrum is either repaired or resected (removed), depending on the extent and location of damage. Since the labrum does provide some protection for the joint surface itself, surgeons aim to preserve as much of the healthy tissue as possible. Following surgery, the athlete is required to go through a “protective” phase, during which the amount of weight-bearing is limited to allow the tissue to heal, and range-of-motion and strengthening exercises are increased incrementally. Later in rehab, the athlete returns to weight-bearing exercises, which then get more complex in scope (meaning they start to look sport-specific — baseball-type exercises, in Rodriguez’s case — as opposed to basic leg-strengthening exercises). Once the athlete has demonstrated sufficient strength and stability, he can return to sports drills and eventually return to play. Complete recovery from a labral resection or repair typically ranges from 10 to 16 weeks. This scenario allows Rodriguez to return for the majority of this season, with the announced second surgery in the postseason to address any bone issues.

[My take: I realize I’m a bit of a novice when it comes to orthopedic surgery, but wouldn’t it be better to “go in” just once and get it all over with?  My thought is if the Yanks had a more-than-competent replacement at third, they would have had Alex go for the “complete” procedure now, rather than do it in two trips.]

• Rodriguez’s surgery is fueling plenty of rumors, including one involving the Royals:

Alex Rodriguez’s decision to undergo surgery on his hip is fueling rumors that the Yankees are interested in Mark Teahen as a temporary replacement at third base.

Royals officials, for now, are brushing off the speculation, and general manager Dayton Moore has long maintained that Teahen is more valuable now to the club than in previous years because of his versatility.

“What I’m hoping,” one Royals official said, “is they sign (second baseman Mark) Grudzielanek. That way, we get a (compensatory) draft pick.”

• Tidbits from PeteAbe:
  • Matsui may bat cleanup during A-Rod’s absence.
  • A.J. Burnett didn’t realize he was dealing at 98 on the gun during his last start.
  • Girardi is thinking of Cody Ransom, and ONLY Ransom, as an internal replacement for A-Rod.

(more…)

The Yankees drew ten walks and clubbed six extra-base hits in the process of doing to the Tigers what Team USA did to the Tigers-heavy Venezuelan team in the WBC. The USA won 15-6. The Yanks won 12-3.

Lineup:

S – Melky Cabrera (CF)
L – Johnny Damon (LF)
S – Nick Swisher (1B)
L – Hideki Matsui (DH)
R – Xaver Nady (RF)
R – Cody Ransom (3B)
R – Jose Molina (C)
R – Angel Berroa (SS)
R – Doug Bernier (2B)

Subs: Juan Miranda (1B), Eduardo Nuñez (2B), Ramiro Peña (SS), Justin Leone (3B), Austin Romine (C), Colin Curtis (RF), Brett Gardner (LF-CF), Austin Jackson (LF), John Rodriguez (DH)

Pitchers: A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes, Brian Bruney, Andrew Brackman, Eric Hacker, Mark Melancon

Opposition: The non-WBC Tigers.

Big Hits:

A three-run homer by Angel Berroa, who also doubled in his three at-bats and drove in four runs. A solo homer by Xavier Nady (1-for-3). A triple by Ramiro Peña (1-for-2). Doubles by Cody Ransom (2-for-2 with a stolen base) and Eduardo Nuñez (1-for-2). Jose Molina also went 2-for-2 with two walks.

Who Pitched Well:

In his Yankee debut, A.J. Burnett allowed just a single in two scoreless innings, though he struck out no one. Phil Hughes then threw three hitless innings striking out four, though he also walked two. Eric Hacker pitched a perfect eighth inning. Mark Melancon pitched around a walk in the ninth.

Who Didn’t:

Brian Bruney gave up a single, a walk, and a two-run homer to Busta Will Rhymes in the sixth.

Battles:

Melky Cabrera went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks, but also was both caught stealing <i>and</i> picked off first base. Brett Gardner went 0-for-3. Nick Swisher walked three times in four trips. Xavier Nady homered in three trips. The OBP/SLG schism continues.With Alex Rodriguez having arthroscopic surgery, Cody Ransom is no longer fighting for the utility infielder job. He has the starting third base job. That could mean Angel Berroa, who had a big day as mentioned above, could make the team as the reserve infielder. If Brian Cashman is going to make a move, it shouldn’t be for a fill-in third baseman, it should be for a better utility man. Phil Hughes isn’t fighting for anything given that the rotation is full, but he’s making damn sure that he’s the first guy to get the call if any of the five starters blows a gasket. Mark Melancon hasn’t given up an earned run this spring in four innings.

Is it just me, or does it seem the Yankees can’t ever get through spring training without a significant injury to a key player?

Now that I’ve whined about the latest Yankee woes, let’s put the hip injury to Alex Rodriguez in proper perspective. In regards to recent history, major spring injuries are really nothing new to the franchise. While A-Rod will be spared surgery and the disabled list, at least for the moment, several prominent Yankee players of the past have not been so fortunate during the six weeks that constitute spring training. Injuries, along with suspensions, have become a common theme.

*During the spring of 1986, the Yankees’ prized off-season acquisition, left-hander Britt Burns, began experiencing pain in his hip. The news could not have turned out worse. Doctors diagnosed Burns with a degenerative hip condition, one that would require a complete hip replacement. Expected to fill a much-needed void as a legitimate No. 1 starter, Burns never pitched a game for the Yankees. The hip replacement ended his major league career at the age of 26. With Burns shelved, Dennis Rasmussen stepped up and delivered a career year (including 18 wins), as the Yankees finished second, five and a half games behind the Red Sox. With a healthy Burns, the Yankees would have made that pennant race very interesting.

*Three years later, the Yankees received another devastating blow when they learned that Dave Winfield would need back surgery. Although the injury did not end Winfield’s career, it did wipe out his entire season before it even began. The Yankees tried to fill the breach by concocting trades for Mel Hall and Steve Balboni, but those measures helped only slightly as an already flawed Yankee team stumbled to a record of 74-87, the franchise’s worst mark of the 1980s. After recovering from his back operation, Winfield would appear in only 20 games for the Bombers in 1990 before being dealt to the Angels for past-his-prime right-hander Mike Witt.

*This one did not involve injury, but it had the same effect. In March of 1992, the Yankees learned that Pascual Perez had been suspended for one year because of a failed drug test. The flaky right-hander would miss the entire season—and would never again appear in a major league game. Perez likely would have made little difference for the rebuilding Yankees, who would finish with a record of 76-86 as an AL East also-ran.

*During spring training in 2000, MLB announced that Darryl Strawberry had failed a mandatory drug test, resulting in a one-year suspension. Not only did the “Straw Man” miss all of 2000, but he never again played in a major league game, in part because of an ongoing battle with cancer. The Yankees didn’t miss a beat, however. With a deep bench and a healthy supply of DH’s and outfielders, the Yankees won the AL East in 2000 on their way to a third consecutive world championship.

*In 2007, Chien-Ming Wang landed on the disabled list because of a spring training hamstring pull. Wang did not require surgery, but would miss a handful of starts at the beginning of the season before recovering to log 19 wins and nearly 200 innings. (Andy Pettitte also missed Opening Day because of an achy back, but did not have to hit the DL.) Wang’s spring setback turned out to be a harbinger of things to come, as the Yankees endured a wave of injuries to starting pitchers in April and May. The Yankees recovered, somehow, to win 94 games and make the playoffs in Joe Torre’s last season at the helm…

***

In some ways, A-Rod’s injury could not have come at a worse time (unless it had happened in the middle of a pennant race). If the Yankees had suspected Rodriguez’ hip was a real concern six weeks or even a month ago, they could have chosen from several credible options on the free agent market. Ty Wigginton would have been a terrific pickup, while Joe Crede would have been a decent, though risky, alternative (because of his bad back). At this point, there is nothing left on the third base shelf, unless the Yankees consider the possibility of converting one of two free agent second basemen. The underrated Ray Durham and the ageless Mark Grudzielanek are still unemployed, but neither wants to retire. If Durham has enough of an arm to make the third-to-first throw, he could be an option at the hot corner, perhaps a platoon partner for Cody Ransom with A-Rod moving to DH. If Rodriguez can gut out the entire season at third, Durham could still be useful as a bench player, backing up A-Rod and Robinson Cano, while serving as an emergency outfielder. Furthermore, his presence would not preclude the Yankees from making a larger deal, for someone like Adrian Beltre or Garrett Atkins, should Rodriguez have to miss the entire season.

In terms of immediate trade possibilities, let me suggest two low-priced alternatives. My first choice is Braves backup Martin Prado, a slick fielder who is also skilled at reaching base, could fill a potential gap at third base and then assume an important bench role if A-Rod returns later. Prado, 25, can play both third and second. The Braves need outfield and relief help, two areas of depth for the Yankees. (How about Melky Cabrera and Dave Robertson?) Another choice is Dallas McPherson, who is buried behind Jorge Cantu on Florida’s depth chart. McPherson, 29, has defensive limitations and will never be the player that the Angels once forecast, but he has Death Valley power and draws walks. A left-handed batter, he could platoon with Ransom during an A-Rod absence. A Grade-C pitching prospect would likely be enough to entice the Marlins…

***

Former Yankee Tom Sturdivant died last Saturday at the age of 78, the cause of his death not immediately revealed. Though not a household name, Sturdivant made his mark in New York during the 1950s. He’s probably best remembered for throwing a devastating curveball, which earned the right-hander the nickname “Snake,” reflecting the pitch’s extreme and sudden movements. (Strangely, learning about Sturdivant’s nickname made me think almost immediately of “Snake Pliskin,” the hero of Escape From New York.) At his peak, Sturdivant emerged as an important part of Yankee pitching staffs that helped the team win three straight pennants and one world championship from 1955 to 1957. In 1956, Sturdivant won Game Four of the World Series—the game that everyone forgets because it directly preceded Don Larsen’s perfect game.

After a terrific two-and-a-half-year run, Sturdivant hurt his arm in 1958, rendering him to mere journeyman status. Pitching mostly in relief, he bounced around both leagues, making stops in Kansas City, Boston, Washington, Pittsburgh, Detroit, and then a return engagement in New York—this time with the expansion Mets. He called it quits in 1964, ending a ten-year career with a won-loss record of 59-51 and a respectable ERA of 3.74.

Anyone who watched the Yankees snooze against the Braves this afternoon instead of the USA’s nail-biting win over Canada in the WBC missed out big time. For what it’s worth, the Yanks lost 3-1.

Lineup:

L – Johnny Damon (LF)
S – Melky cabrera (CF)
S – Mark Teixeira (1B)
L – Hideki Matsui (DH)
R – Xavier Nady (RF)
R – Cody Ransom (SS)
R – Justin Leone (3B)
S – Ramiro Peña (2B)
R – P.J. Pilittere (C)

Subs: Shelley Duncan (1B), Doug Bernier (2B), Eduardo Nuñez (SS), Kevin Russo (3B), Kyle Anson (C), Todd Linden (RF), Austin Jackson (CF), John Rodriguez (LF), Austin Romine (PH), Jorge Posada (DH)

Pitchers: Chien-Ming Wang, Brett Tomko, Phil Coke, Kanekoa Texeira, Wilkin De La Rosa, Michael Dunn

Opposition: The non-WBC Braves starters.

Big Hits:

The Yankees scattered six singles. No one had two. No one even reached base more than once. Justin Leone singled in the only Yankee run of the game with two outs in the fourth.

Who Pitched Well:

Chien-Ming Wang and Brett Tomko both turned in similar three-inning performances, both allowing one run on a solo homer (Casey Kotchman off Wang, Greg Norton off Tomko), two other hits, no walks and striking out five between the two of them. Wang threw 27 of 33 pitches for strikes, an absurd 82 percent. Michael Dunn pitched a perfect ninth striking out one.

Who Didn’t:

No one, really, but Phil Coke gave up a solo home run to lefty Brandon Jones, as well as another hit, in his lone inning of work and didn’t strike anyone out. That was the worst Yankee pitching performance of the day.

Battles:

I doubt Phil Coke‘s inning is going to hurt him much, but worry that Brett Tomko‘s outing will help him in the long-man battle. Melky Cabrera went 0-for-2 with a walk. Xavier Nady went 0-for-3. Cody Ransom went 1-for-3.

Ouchies:

Hideki Matsui went 1-for-2 in just his second game of the spring and will start again tomorrow. Jorge Posada remains on schedule to catch next weekend. Jesus Montero had no lasting effects from his groin strain the other day. He’s fully available.

WBC:

Derek Jeter doubled and singled in the USA’s win over Canada. Jimmy Rollins pinch-ran for him in the fifth, Davey Johnson’s subtle way of using Rollins as a defensive replacement with the USA leading in the game. For more on the Jeter-Rollins quandry for Team USA, see my liveblog at SI.com.

Robinson Cano went 1-for-5 in the Dominican Republic’s stunning 3-2 loss to the Netherlands. Damaso Marte pitched a perfect inning in that game.

Francisco Cervelli flied out in his only at-bat in Italy’s 7-0 loss to Venezuela.

Follow the USA v. Canada game with me over on my SI.com liveblog.

Today’s news is powered by a trip in the wayback machine, offering bloopers from the station that used to carry the Yanks …

• PeteAbe reports that while Brian Cashman has stated the Yanks have not made a decision on whether A-Rod will have surgery, however:

Alex is staying in Colorado for “the foreseeable future.”

Said Cashman: “The stiffness is the beginning of the process. Eventually there is going to be pain. … You have to be realistic. We could be on the verge of having an incident. … What’s best for him is what’s best for us.”

• The Times lays out the possible surgery/recovery timetables:

Later, Cashman acknowledged that Rodriguez could make the injury worse by playing without surgery. “Oh, that’s absolutely a possibility,” Cashman said. “The worse the tear, the more complicated the surgery.”

If Rodriguez chooses to play, it is likely that he would have regular magnetic resonance imaging tests to see if the condition is worsening.

If Rodriguez has surgery to treat only the torn labrum, he could return in four to six weeks. But if there is an underlying bone problem in the hip joint that needs to be repaired, the likely rehabilitation period would be four months.

• The specialist who saw Rodriguez earlier this weeks thinks Alex “could” play through it:

In a Thursday conference call with the Yankees and other parties, Dr. Marc Philippon, the specialist, described for others how the surgery would work. But there also was an indication, during the call, that there is a “75 to 80 percent chance” Rodriguez could get through the 2009 season playing through the discomfort.

• Ian O’Connor thinks an A-Rodless Yankee team might not be so bad, in a way:

Why? Because an extended A-Rod absence would swing open a door of delicious opportunity, that’s why.

The Yankees could go back to being the Yankees. They could go back to being the team that won four championships in five years with reliable pitching and a harmonious band of position players that didn’t need a slugger whose favorite teammates are Me, Myself and I.

“It was all about the team for us,” Tino Martinez said. “There were no real stars. You had Bernie [Williams] and [Derek] Jeter, but not superstars. We just figured out ways to get a lead and win games. “Position by position, this year’s team has much more physical talent than we did. It’s a way better team than our championship teams. But we knew how to come together, and that’s the trick.”

[My take: But you still have to put runs on the board at some point …]

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The Yankees won their first game since February 26, beating Justin Verlander and the Tigers 7-3 with the help of new ace CC Sabathia.

Lineup:

L – Brett Gardner (CF)
L – Johnny Damon (LF)
S – Nick Swisher (1B)
S – Jorge Posada (DH)
R – Shelley Duncan (RF)
R – Cody Ransom (3B)
R – Jose Molina (C)
R – Angel Berroa (2B)
S – Ramiro Peña (SS)

Subs: Juan Miranda (1B), Doug Bernier (2B), Eduardo Nuñez (SS), Kevin Russo (3B), Jesus Montero (C), John Rodriguez (RF), Austin Jackson (CF), Colin Curtis (LF), Kyle Anson (C)

Pitchers: CC Sabathia, Alfredo Aceves, Steven Jackson, Jose Veras, Anthony Claggett, David Robertson

Opposition: The Tigers’ B-team.

Big Hits:

Five doubles, one each by Cody Ransom (1-for-3), Johnny Damon (1-for-2, BB), Jorge Posada (1-for-3), Jose Molina (2-for-3), and Jesus Montero (1-for-1). Ramiro Peña went 2-for-2, stole a base, and delivered a sacrifice bunt.

Who Pitched Well:

In his first game action as a Yankee, CC Sabathia allowed two hits and one unearned run in two innings of work. The run came after Shelley Duncan turned a pop-up into a double and Angel Berroa booted a ball. Sabathia struck out two, and got his other four outs on the ground. Alfredo Aceves allowed a single and a walk in 2 2/3 scoreless innings. David Robertson struck out the side in order in the ninth. Jose Veras struck out two in the seventh allowing only a walk. Anthony Claggett pitched around a single in the eighth.

Who Didn’t:

Steven Jackson gave up two runs on a pair of singles and a walk in an inning and a third.

Battles:

Cody Ransom, who is now battling to be the Yankees’ replacement third baseman, went 1-for-3 with a double. Angel Berroa went 1-for-3 and made his third fielding error of the week (though his first official boot as the other two came against WBC teams in games that don’t “count”). Scary thought: if Ransom does become the third baseman, does that make Berroa the utlity infielder? Doug Bernier and Kevin Russo have one hit between them this spring. Eduardo Nuñez hasn’t hit in A-ball yet, and Ramiro Peña hit .266/.330/.357 in Double-A last year? Justin Leone doesn’t have the glove for the job. Then again, neither does Berroa. It’s worth noting that the slick-fielding Peña has been getting a lot of starts with Rodriguez, Jeter, and Cano away from camp.

Brett Gardner went 1-f0r-3 and made a great catch in center. Nick Swisher walked in three trips. Jose Veras‘s decision to skip the WBC to solidify his bullpen job is paying off. David Robertson is coming on strong as well. If the season started today, the pen would likely be Rivera, Bruney, Marte, Veras, Coke, Robertson and a long man, though I’d rather the Yankees take Albaladejo or Melancon. As for the long-relief competition, Alfredo Aceves threw his hat back in the ring with his outing yesterday, though the five-day gap between his appearances suggest the  Yankees are prepping him to startin Triple-A and focusing on Dan Giese and (sigh) Brett Tomko as the long-relief candidates.

More:

Mariano Rivera will join the Panamanian WBC team over the weekend for ceremonial purposes only. Panama’s game against Puerto Rico follows the US v. Canada matchup that I’ll be liveblogging for SI.com starting at 2pm today. (Was that plug subtle enough?)

I’m going to be covering the World Baseball Classic for SI.com over the next few weeks. My coverage starts today with previews of all 16 teams. You can check those out here:

Pool A: Japan, Korea, Chinese Taipei, China
Pool B: Cuba, Mexico, Australia, South Africa
Pool C: USA, Venezuela, Canada, Italy
Pool D: Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Netherlands, Panama

The first two games in Pool A have already happened, with Japan beating China 4-0 and Korea defeating Chinese Taipei 9-0. China and Chinese Taipei, who battled for 12 innings in their Olympic showdown last year before China came away with their first-ever win in international competition, will play tonight at 10:30, and the loser of that game will be the first eliminated from the tournament.

Things really get going after that, with Japan vs. Korea kicking off a slate of five games tomorrow, including Team USA’s opening game against Canada.

I’ll be livebloggin the USA’s game for SI.com tomorrow at 2:00, and will liveblog nearly all of the USA’s games in this tournament. Be sure to check those out, as well as my overview of the tournament and the rules changes:

The top two teams from each pool advance to Round 2, and it would be a major upset if any of the “second division” teams — Chinese Taipei, China, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Italy, Panama, Netherlands — were to advance at the expense of any of the “first division” teams — Japan, Korea, Cuba, Mexico, USA, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico. . . . With the weak half of the teams eliminated, the competition should really start to heat up in Round 2. It will take just nine days for the elite eight to yield a champion via the final at Dodger Stadium on March 23.

I’m likely a bit biased because I’ve been emersing myself in the tournament for the last week or so in preperation for doing this coverage, but the innagural WBC was more popular than expected, and I think as each tournament gives the next more backstory (such as the USA’s Round 2 exit and Korea’s three games against Japain in 2006), those stories will begin to overshadow complaints about the format or the players who aren’t participating. In just the second go-around, I can really see this thing catching on, not just in Asia and Latin America, where it’s already a big deal, but here in the U.S. as well. After all, it’s passionate, high-stakes baseball being played by some of the best players in the world.

Today’s news is powered by an MRI machine, and this video …

• Jack Curry covers the recent history of A-Rod’s hip health:

When Rodriguez underwent a magnetic resonance imaging procedure for his right quadriceps last May, General Manager Brian Cashman said the results showed an incidental irregularity in his hip. …

But after the finding, the Yankees were seemingly lax about examining Rodriguez’s hip again. Rodriguez, the highest-paid player in baseball, did not have another M.R.I. on his hip during or after the season. Cashman said the irregularity on Rodriguez’s M.R.I. was an insufficient reason to pursue additional testing.

Still, considering how valuable Rodriguez is and how closely the Yankees typically supervise players, they could have ordered an M.R.I. last October to determine if the irregularity had developed into something more significant. The Yankees have $275 million invested in Rodriguez. An M.R.I. costs a few thousand dollars. Cashman said that was unnecessary because Rodriguez did not have a documented injury, often has stiff legs and never reported any pain.

• Tom Verducci writes of the Yankees’ achilles heel … the age of their big stars:

The Yankees have a 37-year-old catcher coming off shoulder surgery (Jorge Posada), a shortstop who turns 35 in June (Derek Jeter), a 39-year-old closer (Mariano Rivera), a 35-year-old outfielder (Johnny Damon), another outfielder who turns 35 in June (Hideki Matsui) and now a 33-year-old third baseman with a problematic hip. None of those position players except Jeter played 150 games last year.

• The Post sizes up possible short-term replacements (both internal and external) for Rodriguez.
• Ken Davidoff thinks the A-Rod hatred might just vanish come Opening Day:

A hip injury has to cause a tremendous concern for the Yankees. However, let’s take a leap and say that this is a condition from which A-Rod can recover, and be something close to his old self.

If A-Rod can return to the Yankees’ lineup sometime in May, then perhaps he’ll actually be appreciated for the positives he brings to the table. Rather than the negatives.

Right now, when everyone is tied in the standings at 0-0, it’s easy to hate the guy. To pick on him for daring to offer praise to Jose Reyes, of all things.

But when the Yankees open the season April 6 in Baltimore, and Cody Ransom is playing third base, we’ll get the full appreciation for the 7.1 Wins Above Replacement Player that A-Rod put up in 2008, a down year for him.

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The Yankees managed just four hits against the pitching-deprived Team Canada. Meanwhile, the first five men in the Canadian order reached base against Joba Chamberlain as Canada scored sixth in the top of the first. There was no scoring after that as Canada won 6-0

Lineup:

S – Melky Cabrera (CF)
S – Nick Swisher (LF)
S – Mark Teixeira (1B)
L – Hideki Matsui (DH)
R – Xavier Nady (RF)
R – Cody Ransom (SS)
R – Angel Berroa (3B)
S – Ramiro Peña (2B)
R – Kevin Cash (C)

Subs: Juan Miranda (1B), Doug Bernier (2B), Eduardo Nuñez (SS), Justin Leone (3B), P.J. Pilittere (C), Todd Linden (RF), Austin Jackson (CF), Colin Curtis (LF), Jorge Posada (DH)

Pitchers: Joba Chamberlain, Jonathan Albaladejo, Kei Igawa, Brian Bruney, Christian Garcia, J.B. Cox

Opposition: The big-hitting, weak-pitching Team Canada.

Big Hits:

Xavier Nady (1-for-3) and Doug Bernier (1-for-2) both doubled of reliever T.J. Burton, a Double-A reliever from the Indians’ system. The Yankees had just two other hits, both singles.

Who Pitched Well:

Kei Igawa struck out two while allowing just a single in three scoreless innings. Brian Bruney pitched a perfect sixth striking out two. J.B. Cox pitched a perfect ninth striking out one. Christian Garcia allowed a single and a walk in two scoreless innings, striking out two and getting his other four outs on the ground.

Who Didn’t:

Joba Chamberlain faced five batters. Four of them walked, the other, Russell Martin, singled. With that, Chamberlain was pulled from the game. He told Pete Abe after the game that he felt great and that the problem was purely mechanical, but this comes after he he topped out at 88 miles per hour on the YES gun in his poor first outing.

Battles:

Melky Cabrera went 0-for-3. Cody Ransom drew two walks in three trips. Angel Berroa singled in three at-bats and booted a ball at third base. Fortunately for him, both of his errors have come in exhibitions against WBC teams, so neither will show up on his official spring training stat sheet. Xavier Nady doubled in three trips. Nick Swisher drew two walks in three trips and stole a base. Those two are playing to their strengths to an extreme degree. Neither is getting many hits, but Nady’s are all for extra bases and Swisher is drawing a lot of walks, so that the former’s stat line is all slugging and the latter’s is all on-base percentage. Jonathan Albaladejo gave up a run on three hits (including a Matt Stairs double) and two walks in two innings and didn’t strike anyone out.

Ouchies:

Hideki Matsui made his first appearance in a game this spring and went 0-for-2 as the DH. Mariano Rivera and Edwar Ramirez both threw in the bullpen. Both sessions went well. Oh,and one of the guys named Rodriguez hurt his hip or something, but I can’t seem to find a report on it.

Scratch that surgery thing.

Per Pete Abe, Brian Cashman has said that Alex Rodriguez not only has a cyst on his hip, but a torn labrum in the joint, but instead of having surgery, which would knock him out for four months, he’s going to try to play through it like Chase Utley and Mike Lowell did last year.

The cyst was large and the hope was having it drained will lessen the stiffness Rodriguez felt.

They’re going to cut down on his time in spring training in the hopes he can get through the season.

. . . Cashman refused to say what degree the tear was.

This is actually worse news than the surgery had been. Losing Rodriguez for the first six weeks of the season would have been acceptable had he come back at full strength and hit like he can the rest of the way, and if the Yankees had resisted making an unnecessary move to fill third base for those six weeks and simply given the job to Cody Ransom.

Instead, Rodriguez will be playing the 2009 season at less than full strength. Consider that Lowell, who was the same age last year that Rodriguez will be this year, played in just 34 games in the second half of last season and hit just .225/.286/.357 in those games, while Utley, after a hot start, hit just .273/.363/.472 from May 6 through the end of the season, well below his established level. If Rodriguez can repeat Utley’s line, that will be better than any alternative the Yankees could scare up at this late point, but one wonders how much of that reduced production Rodriguez would give back in the field if his shrinking range is further pinched by his sore hip.

The Yankees could have Rodriguez go under the knife in the hopes of returning around the All-Star break, but he’d be starting from scratch at that point, and a setback in his rehab could wipe out his season. Better to have him play through it, albeit with increased rest. The Yankees can survive this, but it’s not good news, and we’ll still be talking about it next year as he’ll need off-season surgery even if he makes it through the season.

Update: Pete Abe has audio of Cashman briefing the press. Cash says the Yankees noticed an irregularity in Alex’s right hip when Rodriguez had an MRI following his quad pull early last season, but it was not accompanied by any symptoms (pain, lack of motion, etc.). Rodriguez first reported some stiffness, but not pain, in the hip last week, prompting an MRI that detected the cyst, prompting the visit with Dr. Marc Phillipon in Colorado, who diagnosed the torn labrum. Rodriguez has had the cyst, which was caused by the labrum tear, drained and will see if the decreased pressure reduces his symptoms.

Today’s news is powered by “Will it Blend?”

• MLB.com is reporting that Rivera will have his first bullpen session Thursday.  PeteAbe says Rivera will be throwing from the “Carl Pavano Memorial Half Mound”.

[My take: Pete can get a-hold of one every once in a while … ]

• PeteAbe also got some news from Hughes (Phil) on his newly-improved curve:

Hughes explained that he’s throwing his curve with the same arm speed as his fastball. So instead of a big loop (picture Mike Mussina’s curve), it goes to the plate on a straighter plane but still has some action as it gets there. It’s how A.J. Burnett throws his curve.

Hughes devoted a lot of time in the Arizona Fall League to working on that particular pitch. “It’s hard to change because you get used to throwing a pitch a certain way,” he said. “In games, you tend to go back to what is comfortable. But they’ve been staying on me to throw the power curve more. I have to trust it and I do.” …

Hughes also has changed the grip on his change-up. He throws it like a splitter.

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