Pinstripe Posts

Chasing A-Rod

Just came back from over the causeway in Tampa, where Alex Rodriguez took 84 swings (10 home runs) and gave Tuesday night as his target for returning to the Yanks' lineup.

A-Rod said that if he gets 12 at-bats during two extended spring training games this weekend, he'll be fine. And he intends to return as a third baseman immediately, not a DH -- a sentiment already expressed by Joe Girardi.

There were a handful of fans watching A-Rod at the minor-league complex on Himes Avenue, maybe six in all. After BP, A-Rod told the pleading fans that he'd sign for them by the main gate, after a scheduled meeting with Dr. Allen Miller, a Tampa-based club physician.

About 20 other A-Rod fans were already at the main gate, sweating under the hot Tampa sun, waiting for a glimpse of Rodriguez. But a smattering of minor-league Yankees had already witnessed him up close. And their eyes followed him everywhere.

One prospect peered through a chain link fence on the adjacent Field 3, just to watch A-Rod take some easy batting practice swings on Field 2. 

A-Rod update

Alex Rodriguez won't be activated here at St. Pete on Thursday night, and he's not going to play in the Subway Series this weekend. After his latest MRI, A-Rod's strained right quad "is still not where it needs to be,'' Joe Girardi said.

Since A-Rod won't play this week, according to Girardi, figure that his earliest return date is next Tuesday, against the Orioles at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees want to have A-Rod's latest MRI compared to his original MRI (from Apr. 30) to better view his progress.

Meanwhile, he'll continue to conduct baseball activity at Tampa. Today, our pal Mark Didtler of the Associated Press baked in the hot sun to watch A-Rod field exactly 34 grounders, and conduct eight minutes of outfield wind sprints, along with 87 swings. OPD reports that A-Rod homered to all fields, but he did not dispense any Hall-of-Fame quotes.

Basically, the leg is coming along, he doesn't know when he'll play, and he might be arriving here before tonight's game is over.

PS: It's Kennedy vs. Rays on Thursday, and Rasner will open the Subway Series on Friday.

Don't get stung

After more than a decade of futility, bad design and poor pitching, the Rays are - at long last - very dangerous ball club. Do you really want Kei Igawa facing these guys?

No sir. Let Darrell Rasner have the ball on Thursday, and give Ian Kennedy his comeback start on Friday night against the Mets. The big stage at the Stadium, and all the intensity of the Subway Series shouldn't matter. In fact, it could further serve to sharpen Kennedy's focus.

Anyway, that's what we'd do. We'll find out soon enough about the rotation, and A-Rod's MRI today. Stay tuned.

Greetings from Gate A-70

As we await the scribes shuttle that will take us to Tampa - where most of us could declare residency - here's a few more snippets from Detroit.

On Saturday, Jason Giambi completely ran through third base coach Bobby Meacham's stop sign, and was an easy out. Giambi's explanation was priceless: "Once the train gets going...no brakes.''

This morning, there was a single glazed donut on a clubhouse table as the Yankees filed in. The Detroit visiting clubhouse is one of the junk food capitals of the AL, but only nuts, gum and granola bars were present, due to manager Joe Girardi's edict.

Giambi immediately sensed a trap. But soon, the players discovered the pastry stash, somewhere in the lounge. One veteran infielder sidled up to a reporter with a chocolate donut, neatly hidden between two styro-foam bowls.

He had successfully taken his prize past lounge/clubhouse border, proud of its disguise. "It could be a fruit cup. No one would know!'' He was saving it until after the game, which was never played.

Later on, Mike Mussina - the club's candy king - wasn't secretive at all about the donut discovery. "I had two,'' he said.

Au revoir, Detroit

But we'll be back again, on July 24. Or Sept. 1, whichever date MLB decides. (yes, Labor Day was originally an off date for both the Yankees and Tigers. Nice work).

Today's rain out was mercifully decided at just after 1 p.m., and Mike Mussina said the Yanks wouldn't have a problem playing on Labor Day -- as long as it's Labor Day. Because, on Sept. 2, the Yanks begin a nine-game road trip to Tampa, Seattle and Anaheim, with no off dates.

The Yankees play home day games on July 23, and Aug. 31, so travel going to Detroit is not a problem. The Yanks have a three-game series at Boston starting July 25, but they come right back home on the 28th.

While the July 24 date might be preferable for the Yanks, it might not be the case for Detroit. The Tigers have a day game at KC on July 23. On Labor Day, the Tigers would be in the middle of a nine-game home stand.

If the game is made up on July 24, it would be in conflict with the rule about teams not being required to play more than 20 straight dates. But Mussina indicated that the Yankees might waive that right.

"We'd rather have a night game in July than a night game on Labor Day,'' Mussina said. But if MLB were to reschedule the makeup as a day game, either date would work.

New cleanup man

If we play today at Detroit - and it's a long shot based on this lousy forecast - today's cleanup hitter will be none other than Derek Jeter. "To me, it doesn't make any difference,'' Jeter said.

He's done it before, once: July 10, 1999, vs. the Mets. Jeter went 0-for-4, with an intentional walk. Today, Jeter's being used to break up the Yanks' lefty bats vs. LHP Nate Robertson.

Joe Girardi's next chance to use Jeter as the No. 4 hitter would come on Thursday, vs. Scott Kazmir - and that's if Alex Rodriguez isn't activated from the DL. A-Rod will get another MRI on his quad tomorrow, and the Yankees will have a better idea when to activate him. They're hoping to activate him by Friday, vs. the Mets.

Sunday in Detroit

There's rain on the way. A lot of it. This game is officially in jeopardy. Make alternate plans. We'll be here - and hopefully not all night, like last year, when a 7:05 p.m. game started around 11, and we were hailing cabs at 4 a.m.

We caught the tail end of Shelley Duncan's second appearance on FOX, as he taped the opening lineup segment. When he got to Jason Giambi, Duncan said: "He's a legend in all 50 states.''

After he mentioned Darrell "Razz-a-ma-taz'' Rasner, Duncan convulsed in laughter. Is there anyone better at this stuff than him? Fox might have to consider giving him his own series.

Not O-Kei

As far as Joe Girardi knows, the plan calls for Kei Igawa to start Wednesday night at Tampa Bay. So, Igawa has four days to come up with another 2-3 mph on his fastball, and find his changeup. Shouldn't be a problem.

At this rate - no joke- Carl Pavano has a better chance of making more starts in '08 than Igawa. Our pal in Tampa, Mark Didtler, reports that Pavano is still throwing on flat ground. One of these days, Pavano will meet the mound.

Girardi said it would be a great story if Pavano contributed in the second half and won six games. And the next meeting of the Eternal Optimists Club will be held Thursday at old Tiger Stadium.

A few of us stopped into the Tigers clubhouse to check in with Gary Sheffield. He talked some about missing the intensity of New York. Just like Darryl Strawberry, Sheff liked to be motivated by a crowd or a controversy. He wanted the white hot spotlight.

Most of Sheff's controversies were self-created, whether it was something he said, or a contract squabble. He's always had an opinion, about everything - sometimes a real goofy one. And his comments about Joe Torre last year were just off the wall.

But one-on-one, Sheff can be a very likeable guy, and he's been a good teammate. When it was suggested that the Yankees could use a right-handed hitter right now, Sheffield, smiled and said, "They got rid of me!''

Welcome to the .500 Club

Good evening folks, and welcome to the .500 Club. Mr. Kennedy will check your Yankee jacket and cap, and Mr. Bruney will take your order.

An MRI, with a shot of cortisone? Perfect. We have a vintage Sheffield 2005, in our cellar.

Tonight's special is "Posada under glass.'' And our headliner, A-Rod, will be taking ground balls any minute.

*(finger-snap)* Mr. Hughes? Show these nice people to their table.

Yeah, this is life at the .500 Club. Only, nobody's having a swingin' time. You want to see baseballs fly out of the park? Hail a cab to Fenway.

These Yankees would be fortunate to hover around .500 until - at least - Alex Rodriguez returns. Next Thursday against Tampa Bay, or Friday night vs. the Mets, could be the date - as long as A-Rod's next MRI comes up clean.

But here's the real fear: With this starting pitching, are the Yankees just a really expensive .500 club? That jolt of reality can strike hard, especially after a rare Chien-Ming Wang loss (and another anemic night with the bats).

Plus, the rest of the AL just keeps getting better.

Last year, the Yankees were 30-11 vs. Central clubs. This year, they're 5-10, and 2-4 vs. Cleveland. Yikes.

He's human

There was a brief moment in the Yankees' post-game clubhouse where Joe Girardi offered a word of encouragement to Joba Chamberlain - right before the cameras went on, and the writers descended.

Chamberlain left a fastball over the plate, and David Dellucci did what he was supposed to do with it, Joba said. Then, he mentioned that the fellow across the room - Mariano Rivera - had given up a homer or two and managed to survive. Chamberlain will be OK, too.

But it was sure stunning to see that ball leave the park - for Chamberlain, and for everyone watching. And yet, the walks were the silent killer. When Chamberlain walked the leadoff man, it was only the second time he'd ever done it as a major leaguer.

And it was a freaky thing to cough up another Pettitte lead to Cleveland, considering this was a rematch of the Lake Erie Midge Game 2, ALDS, with Fausto Carmona going for the Indians. Rafael Perez even got the win in relief, as he did that night at Jacobs/Progressive Field.

By the way, that Ian Kennedy line tonight against Charlotte - 7.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB - prompted Girardi to say that IPK would be "back,'' but did not give a timetable. Kennedy will be at Scranton for at least one more start. But this start obviously got the attention of Kennedy's superiors, and really puts the pressure back on Rasner and Igawa - who has yet to throw a big-league pitch in '08.

Just wild

As you opened the Yankees' clubhouse door, there it was - sitting just to the left, near a pillar: a giant stuffed wild turkey. Obviously, it was the work of a professional taxidermist. And, also obviously, its owner was Kyle Farnsworth.

Yup, bagged it himself, Farnsworth said later. You get the feeling that a trip through Farnsy's game room might contain a few of these formerly living creatures. Anyway, it was quite a pre-game conversation piece. Matsui came by and petted its feathers.

It was still sitting there, on its pedestal, on the floor, when Farnsworth left the ballpark today. But it's too big to mount in his locker. Either way, the Yankees are 1-0 with 'The Turkey' in their midst. If they win tomorrow, Girardi might not let Farnsy take it home yet.

Derby Day

Before we give our annual Derby selections, here's what the Yankees ought to do this weekend: Give Mel Stottlemyre (now Seattle's pitching coach) a very deserved Stadium moment, and let him do one of those "official'' scoreboard countdowns.

Even though he didn't leave on the best of terms, I can't see how the Steinbrenners could sternly object to giving Mel this moment. The Mariners are also back in three weeks (thanks to a schedule as baffling as the weather), so the Yanks have a second opportunity to do something nice, fitting and right for one of their own.

Speaking of the Steinbrenners, a few months ago they probably figured to have a horse in today's race. But Majestic Warrior didn't pan out. Once again, with all respect to John Rowe, our resident horse expert, here are my picks.

1. Visionaire

2. Pyro

3. Col. John

4. Big Brown

Anyway, that's my four-horse exacta box.

If Mike Mussina wins today, he ties Red Faber (a Hall of Famer) and Jack Morris (who should be in the Hall) with 254 career wins. Is Mussina Hall worthy? His win and strikeout totals would have been higher had he pitched in the NL, but I still think he falls short. The anti-Triple Crown (no Cy Young, no 20-win season, no World Series ring) is a good argument starter.