Solo homers by Alex Rodriguez and Juan Miranda weren’t enough for the Yankees to beat the Twins as they fell 4-2. After the game, the Yankees announced their plans for how Phil Hughes will open the season. More below.
Lineup:
R – Derek Jeter (SS)
R – Marcus Thames (DH)
S – Jorge Posada (C)
R – Alex Rodriguez (3B)
S – Nick Swisher (RF)
L – Curtis Granderson (CF)
L – Brett Gardner (LF)
S – Ramiro Peña (2B)
L – Juan Miranda (1B)
Subs: Jose Pirela (SS), Brandon Laird (3B), P.J. Pilittere (C), Edwar Gonzalez (RF), Reid Gorecki (CF), Randy Winn (DH), Reegie Corona (PR)
Pitchers (IP): Phil Hughes (4 2/3), Boone Logan (1/3), David Robertson (1), Joba Chamberlain (1), Chan Ho Park (1), Royce Ring (1)
Big Hits: A solo homer and a double by Juan Miranda, who batted ninth and got a hit in all three of his at-bats accounting for half of the team’s safeties in the game. Among the other three was a solo homer by Alex Rodriguez (1-for-3). Those two solo homers were the total of the Yankees’ scoring in this game.
Who Pitched Well: Chan Ho Park struck out two in a perfect eighth inning. Joba Chamberlain worked a perfect seventh, though he struck out no one. Boone Logan struck out lefty Jason Kubel, the only man he faced. Royce Ring worked around a walk for a scoreless ninth.
Who Didn’t: Phil Hughes struck out five against one walk in 4 2/3 innings, but he also briefly lost the feel for his curve ball and gave up three runs on six hits including a double and a triple. David Robertson gave up two hits in his inning of work, including a solo homer by Brock Peterson.
Nice Plays: Minor league camper Edwar Gonzalez threw out at Peterson third from right field.
Oopsies: A-baller Jose Pirela made a throwing error.
Ouchies: Francisco Cervelli felt some tightness in his left hamstring and had an MRI, but the Yankees don’t think it’s anything serious and are only worried about his running, not his hitting or catching. Mark Teixeira swung a bat on Wednesday and is expected to play in Thursday’s game wearing protection on his bruised elbow. Alfredo Aceves threw off a mound on Wednesday and is expected to pitch in Friday’s game.
Other: The Yankees have decided that Phil Hughes will be on the Opening Day roster, but will stay behind to make two starts in extended spring training before making his regular season debut on April 15 (the Yankees don’t actually need a fifth starter until April 17). The Yankees play a three-game series in Tampa during Hughes’ time in extended spring training, and he will be available as an emergency reliever or spot-starter (in the event of a rain-out) during that series. He will then travel north with the team for the home opening series against the Angels, which will conclude with his first start, so he’ll really only be away from the team only for the season-opening series in Boston. That means there won’t be an extra bullpen slot available on the Opening Day roster unless Aceves’s back forces him to open the season on the disabled list. More importantly, Hughes’ two extended spring training starts won’t count toward his regular season innings limit because they’ll be low-stress innings in a controlled environment, though in reality he’ll only be skipping one regular season start, so he’ll only be saving about six innings off that total, believed to be around 170 innings.
One-upping Chuck Knoblauch, Denard Span fouled a ball into the stands in the first inning and hit his own mother, who was wearing his jersey, in the chest. He immediately ran into the stands to check on her. Fortunately, she was fine.
Cliff - the Reds? really??? wow!!!! ; )
that's really crazy about Span. something i would do... : ~
[1] Funny. Yeah, I had a habit of inadvertently injuring my younger cousins while playing as a kid, so I can relate.
Reds because their best case scenario is better than the Brewers' and I'm pessimistic about the Cubs and doubting the Cardinals as per what I wrote above. I also think the Pirates won't finish in last place. The Reds have a ton of talent and had a lot of things go wrong last year that could go right this year. They also don't have a Taveras/Patterson type to kill their offense anymore and I think while Scott Rolen isn't the future Hall of Famer he once was, he's a huge upgrade over Edwin Encarnacion on both sides of the ball. Also, Joey Votto is one of the best hitters in baseball. I'd have picked him for NL MVP if Pujols wasn't into "I'll pick him until he doesn't do it" territory. I'm also expecting Homer Bailey to finally arrive and think the Chapman signing could work for them in a mid-season call-up El Duque kind of way.
[2] yeah, but...two words: dusty baker! ; )
the reds have been this close for several seasons now, but can't seem to put it together for the entire year. i'm rooting for them to do well. and don't forget jay bruce and alex belth's boy, johnny gomes. they can both do some longball damage.
i dig johnny cueto and i hope chapman is up sooner than later. harang and "brandon", who knows. if healthy, they'll put up 200 innings, double digit W's and rack up some K's. too bad they lost volquez. (edinson's medicine, haha!)
it's a shame about rolen's injury history. he's gets a bad rep for being a tool, but i've always been a fan. votto is a monster!
well, the nl central is certainly up for grabs - as is the al - hopefully cincy gives it a good, solid run. i pass their double A park in Chattanooga whenever i play there. nice place.
paradiddle-diddle paradiddle-diddle paradiddle...
[2] oh yeah, HOMER Bailey. what a name for a pitcher! right up there w/ Kevin SLOWEY and Grant BALFOUR! yikes!!! ; )
[2] Oh, doh. I don't explain the Cardinals above, I do it in a post that's going up tomorrow (though only briefly).
[4] Nice. Not a Josh Outman among them.
[6] speaking of funny pitcher names... one of the 'zines i picked up this offseason, commemorating the Yanks' WS victory, was Lindy's Sports Presents... in the back, there are 1-page summaries of our previous 26 championships.
when i was reading 1937, we had 3 pitchers in Game 4, by the first names of: Bump, Ivy & Kemp. for a split second, i thought how weird those old names were, then quickly thought: well, we now have a - Carsten, Joba, Royce & Boone!
[7] No Royce or Boone, hopefully.
[8] well, yeah. but i needed to round up weird names and Chien-Ming is in da capitol!
"A-baller" Pirela did make a throwing error on a tough play deep in the hole but he made a sweet catch and throw (good angle, soft quick hands) on Edwar Gonzalez's relay from right to help erase the runner at third who was late tagging at 2nd on a subsequent play (Laird did a nice job straddling the bag and laying the tag down). Gonzalez seems to have been around forever; it was nice to see him get some run yesterday. He had a bad looking 'k' but showed his nice arm. He's 27 so his prospect days are probably gone.
[9]
I'm still partial to Urban Shocker
I once nailed my mom in the head with a golf tee shot (let's just say it was a BIT off course). It got her in the back of the head, fortunately.
When your biggest ouchie is worrying about the backup catcher's running, I'd say you're in good shape.
Looks like the weather won't be too bad in Boston for the opening series.