Yankees Daily

Triple A

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees beat the Buffalo Bisons by a score of 3-1. Starting for Scranton was Dan Giese and he gave up no runs on 3 hits in 6 innings of work with 9 strike outs for the win. His era for the year is a miniscule 0.86 but the only problem with Giese is that he’s 31 years old. Replacing Giese in the 7th inning was Heath Phillips and he gave up 1 earned run on 1 hit. Scott Patterson pitched a perfect 8th inning. Jose Veras pitched a perfect 9th inning for his 6th save of the season. The hitting star of the night for Scranton was first baseman Shelley Duncan who went 2 for 3 with 1 run scored and 3 rbi’s along with one, big, home, run, BOMB.

• Scranton/WB Recap – Scranton/Wilkes Barre Yankees official
• Scranton/WB Box Score – Scranton/Wilkes Barre Yankees official

Double A

The Trenton Thunder squeak past New Britain Rock Cats by a score of 2-1. Starting for the Trenton Thunder was George Kontos and he gave up 1 earned run on 4 hits in 6.1 innings. He received a no decision. Replacing Kontos was Zachary Kroenke and he gave up no runs on 1 hit in .2 innings. Kroenke got the win. Bo Hall pitched a perfect 8th inning. Eric Wordekemper saved the game in the 9th after getting into some trouble. He gave up no runs on 2 hits and gave up a walk. The hitting star of the night for Trenton was Matt Carson who went 2 for 3 with 1 run scored and 2 rbi’s along with one, big, huge, home, run, BOMB.

• Trenton Thunder Recap – Trenton Thunder Official
• Trenton Thunder Box Score – Trenton Thunder Official

A Adv.

The Tampa Yankees beat the Fort Myers Miracle by a score of 4-2. Starting for Tampa was pitching sensation Eric Hacker and he gave up 2 runs on 4 hits in 7 innings of work. Two of the runs were unearned because of a fielding error by second baseman Damon Sublett. Hacker got the win. Replacing Hacker was Grant Duff in the 8th inning and he gave up no runs on 2 hits. Jonathan Hovis pitched a perfect 9th for his 3rd save of the season. The hitting stars of the day worth mentioning for Tampa were left-fielder James Cooper, center-fielder Seth Fortenberry and third baseman Luis Nunez. Cooper went 2 for 4 with 1 run scored and 1 rbi. Fortenberry went 2 for 4 with 1 rbi. Nunez went 2 for 4 with 1 run scored.

• Tampa Yankees Recap – Tampa Yankees Official
• Tampa Box Score – Tampa Yankees Official

Class A

The Charleston RiverDogs blew past the Columbus Catfish by a score of 5-3. These RiverDogs are unstoppable. Starting for the RiverDogs was Dellin Betances and he gave up 2 runs on 2 hits in 6 innings but 1 run was unearned because of a throwing error by first baseman Brandon Laird. Betances received a no decision. Jesse Hoover replaced Laird in the 7th inning and blew the lead giving up a solo home run. He gave up 1 earned run on 2 hits in 2 innings. Even though Hoover blew the game, he received the win. Pitching the last inning for the save was Jonathan Ortiz and he struck out the side. Ortiz has 7 saves on the year with a 2.08 era. The hitting stars of the night for the RiverDogs were mentioning were first baseman Brandon Laird, catcher Jesus Montero and DH Wady Rufino. Laird went 1 for 4 with 2 runs scored and 2 rbi’s along with one, big, home, run, BOMB. Montero went 2 for 4 with a rbi and is batting .374 on the year. Rufino went 1 for 3 with 1 run scored and 2 rbi’s along with a huuuge, big, home, run, BOMB.

• Charleston RiverDogs Recap – Charleston RiverDogs Official
• Charleston RiverDogs Box Score – Charleston RiverDogs Official

I got this off of Bryan Hoch’s blog. It’s a picture of George Steinbrenner with his daughter, Jennifer Steinbrenner Swindal.

• Steinbrenner takes a look around – Bryan Hoch – Bombers Beat

Yankee Bloggers - They find info I miss.

• A-Rod and Steroids: To Care or Not to Care? – Dave & Aziz Nekoukar – Pride of the Yankees
• ESPN’s top 50 players over next 5 years – Highlander Origins
• Breaking News: Jose Canseco’s New Book Sucks – Respect Jeter’s Gangster
• Our Predictions – Respect Jeter’s Gangster
• A not-so-exclusive secret about Yankee Stadium – Ben K. – River Ave. Blues
• LaTroy Hawkins says it best – Ben K. – River Ave. Blues
• Lavin materials prove true – Ben K. – River Ave. Blues
• The idiots are taking over – Mike A. – River Ave. Blues
• The Evan Longoria Demotion Debate – Ben K. – River Ave. Blues
• Profiling the Big Three – Ben K. – River Ave. Blues
• Yankee Country T-Shirts – Greg Cohen – Sliding Into Home
• Excerpts From Canseco’s Vindicated – Greg Cohen – Sliding Into Home
• Gary Thorne just made a fool of himself – Jim Johnson – The Bronx Block
• The Triumphant Return of Felix Heredia – The Chuck Knoblog
• Spring Training Updates; Minor League News – The Yankees: Minors to Majors

  Reading Break

• While You Were Sleeping… – This Purist Bleeds Pinstripes
• Don’t worry Derek, its just Spring Training…. Right?! – Yankee Stadium Insider
• Pettitte aiming for games 3 or 4; Heredia returns? – Ben K. – River Ave. Blues
• No time table for Sheppard’s return – Ben K. – River Ave. Blues
• The dumbest thing I have ever read in my life – Mike A. – River Ave. Blues
• Yanks bench seemingly set – Ben K. – River Ave. Blues
• George King is Still High – Greg Cohen – Sliding Into Home
• Woodward Released - Greg Cohen – Sliding Into Home
• New Stadium Update: The Windows are Being Installed – Greg Cohen – Sliding Into Home
• Canseco to A-Rod: “Call me a liar” – Peter Abraham – LoHud

Andy Pettitte believes he will be able to start in one of the first 5 games next week. He will throw a bull pen session today and if he comes out of the session feeling good, the earliest he will pitch will be next Thursday.

• PETTITTE: I’LL BE READY TO GO IN FIRST WEEK – GEORGE A. KING III – NY Post

Jason Giambi has more motivation to play well because he’s in a contract year and he’d like to come back especially since the Yankees hold a 22 million dollar option. Giambi is slimmer than last year and is in great shape. Alex Rodriguez and Tino Martinez feel that Giambi is going to have a big year but I beg to differ. I have a feeling he’ll land on the DL because most people that took steroids do.

• JASON’S SLIM CHANCE – Kevin Kernan – NY Post
• Joe likes Jason’s legs; must really like his bat – Kat O’Brien – Newsday

Andy Pettitte is bothered by a bad back and may miss the start of the season. He was experiencing back spasms Thursday night and woke up the next morning and felt his back stiffen. With one week before the season starts, Joe Girardi has a decision to make. He has 8 players vying for 3 bull pen spots. 5 players have spots locked up already and that is Mariano Rivera, Joba Chamberlain, LaTroy Hawkins and Kyle Farnsworth. Joe Girardi believes a long man in relief is very important but could break camp with no lefty in the bull pen. Billy Traber has been pretty good as of late. The three players vying for long relief are Jeff Karstens, Kei Igawa and Darrell Rasner. Joe Girardi says that all three are in the mix. Ross Ohlendorf, Brian Bruney, Chris Britton and Scott Patterson are all competing for the final spot in the bull pen.

• Pettitte might not be able to make first start for Yankees – Peter Abraham – Journal News
• A look at who’s vying for spots in Yankees’ pen – Kate O’Brien – Newsday
• HENN MAY GO ON DL – GEORGE A. KING III – NY Post
• THERE’S NO NEED TO RUSH PETTITTE – Kevin Kernan – NY Post
• E-MAIL FROM TAMPA – Kat O’Brien – Newsday
• No clear favorites in Yanks relief race – DAN GRAZIANO – Star-Ledger
• Yankees notes – Pete Caldera – Bergen Record
  

Bryan Hoch answers questions about the Yankee’s bull pen and their starting pitching.

• Mailbag: Who will be in the bullpen? – Bryan Hoch – Yankees Official

We know that Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Alex Rodriguez are certain locks to make the Hall of Fame but what about Bobby Abreu, Johnny Damon, Mike Mussina and Jorge Posada? I, Sean Serritella believe you have to dominate your sport and be the best of the best for good portion of your career. Joel Sherman of the NY Post gives his take on Bobby Abreu, Johnny Damon, Mike Mussina and Jorge Posada and if he believes they are hall worthy.

• TOUCH ‘EM HALL? – Joel Sherman – NY Post

The Insta-Celeb

Joba might be great on the mound and bubbly off of it but his fame and celebrity hasn’t changed him and his humbleness factors into him being a popular figure of the Yankee organization.

Chamberlain has never been to Disney World. His father, Harlan, worked at a prison and raised two children without a wife, and he could never afford a family vacation. Chamberlain did not fly on an airplane until he was 18.

Because of reasons like this, Joba will take a family of five from his hometown of Lincoln Nebraska with him to Disney World.

• Yankee Joba Chamberlain, a ‘Big Kid’ at Heart – TYLER KEPNER – New York Times
• College Prep – Ed Price – Star-Ledger
• Klapisch: Blue days ahead for Torre? – Bob Klapisch – Bergen Record
• Yankees tickets on sale this morning – Peter Abraham – Journal News
• TINO WANTS NO BULL WHEN YANKS, USF CLASH – GEORGE A. KING III – New York Post
• SPRING TRAINING: E-MAIL FROM TAMPA – KAT O’BRIEN – Newsday
• Goose: Mo still great, Papelbon is future great – KAT O’BRIEN – Newsday
• Yanks won’t rush Mariano Rivera – Mark Feinsand – New York Daily News
• Hank Steinbrenner, in another outspoken moment, denounces Red Sox Nation – ESPN
• Steinbrenner vows to ‘restore order’ – Bryan Hoch – Yankees Official

Mike Mussina feels that being healthy will get him over the worst season of his career from 2007 and he’s happy that Joe Girardi assured him a spot in the rotation for the upcoming season.

“It’s not an accident that he has over 200 wins,” Girardi said. “Moose knows how to pitch, so we’re counting on him.”

Mussina never went public with his ailments last season because he felt the team needed him to pitch through them after the Yankees went through 14 starting pitchers.

• Mussina eager to embrace good health – Ed Price – Star-Ledger
• Yanks notes – Pete Caldera – Bergen Record
• Mussina thinks he can still pitch – Peter Abraham – Journal News
• Yankees’ intrasquad game an ugly affair – Peter Abraham – Journal News
• SPRING TRAINING: E-MAIL FROM TAMPA – KAT O’BRIEN – Newsday
• Rotation spot for Yanks’ Mussina lifts confidence – KAT O’BRIEN – Newsday
• Matsui prepared to yield to Yankees’ needs – KAT O’BRIEN – Newsday
• MOOSE IN LOOP – GEORGE A. KING III – New York Post
• Mattingly manages to remain hopeful - John Harper – New York Daily News
• Mike Mussina starting over – MARK FEINSAND – New York Daily NewsNotes:
• Ex-Yank now a spring foe – Bryan Hoch – Yankees Official
• Yankees closer Mariano Rivera not expected to make spring debut until at least Wednesday – MSG
• PETTITTE: JUST LET ME PLAY – GEORGE A. KING III – New York Post