We Want You as a New Recruit

It may be sung to CC Sabathia in the off-season, but for now it's just because the Yankees rookies went through their hazing on Friday night. Normally this would take place after the last home game, but with all of the festivities and a late night last Sunday, things were put off until Boston. The players were dressed as the Village People, though they didn't have enough uniforms for players such as Phil Coke.

Unfortunately, there was also a lack of photographs. From left to right - Francisco Cervelli as the leather clad biker, Juan Miranda as the cop, Humberto Sanchez is "in the Navy", and Al Aceves as the Indian. Not pictured, Brett Gardner as the construction worker, and David Robertson as the cowboy.

Not their best work, but not bad.

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Thunder Sweep SeaDogs

The Trenton Thunder finished off the rival Portland SeaDogs, 5-4 tonight, to complete a three game sweep in the first round of the Eastern League playoffs. Colin Curtis drew a bases loaded walk to snap a 4-4 tie in the top of the ninth as the Thunder won their third straight game. In addition to his walk, Curtis had two singles, a double, triple, and two RBI.

The Thunder tied the game in the eighth when Francisco Cervelli was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Mike Dunn retired the SeaDogs in order in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the win for Kevin Whelan. Whelan struck out five of the six hitters he faced.

It was the second straight come from behind win in the series for Trenton. Thursday night the Thunder trailed Clay Buchholz and the SeaDogs 3-0 in the sixth inning when Austin Jackson hit a game tying 3-run home run. It would stay that way until the eighth when P.J. Pillitere's third hit of the game drove in what proved to be the game winner. Wil Arias picked up the win while Jose Valdez recorded the final two outs for a save.

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Minor League Recap - 6/17

The New York-Penn league opens action tonight. The Staten Island Yankees, also known as the "Baby Bombers" open on the road with the Mets rookie team, the Brooklyn Cyclones. This year's manager is Pat McMahon. The roster includes some of this year's draft picks including 2nd baseman David Adams. Click here for the complete roster.

Kei Igawa (7 IP 3 ER) put together a strong start, but the Scranton Yankees couldn't hold a 3-1 lead and lost 4-3, in 10 innings, to the Norfolk Tides. Nick Green homered and Justin Christian had a 3-hit night. Shelley Duncan had the rare distinction of walking all four times he came up.

The Trenton Thunder had last night off. They begin a 3-game series tonight in Harrisburg, PA against the Senators.

The Tampa Yankees rallied for a 3-2 win over the Clearwater Threshers in 11 innings. Down by a run in the 9th, Seth Fortenberry doubled and later scored the tying run on a Clearwater error. It was Fortenberry playing hero again in the 11th when he belted his 5th home run of the season to win it for the Yankees. Ivan Nova allowed 4 hits and struck out 7 in his 6.2 innings pitched and the bullpen combo of Josh Schmidt, Wil Arias (3-0), and Jon Hovis (5th save) blanked the Threshers over the final 5 innings.

The game also marked the return of catcher Francisco Cervelli, who was injured in the spring training collision with Rays infielder Elliot Johnson. He was 0-4 in his return behind the plate.

The Charleston RiverDogs and the South Atlantic League are on their All-Star break.

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Round 2

Joe Girardi may not have thought there would be carry over from Sunday's home plate collision, but oh yes there was. Shelley Duncan slid spikes high into Rays 2nd Baseman Akinori Iwamura, touching off a bench clearer. Rays right fielder Jonny Gomes tackled Duncan and the benches emptied.

Both Duncan and Gomes, as well as Yankees coaches Bobby Meacham and Kevin Long were ejected from the game.

Yankees starter Heath Phillips was having a rough enough inning, having allowed 2 runs, when he was ejected for hitting the Rays Evan Longoria.

Girardi vehemently argued the call and he probably had a point since the ball barely hit Longoria, and the Rays already had two men on base.

Unfortunately there was no live TV or radio coverage of the game.

Source: PeteAbe


Follow up from Peter Abraham, with clubhouse quotes.

Iwamura has a cut on his thigh from Duncan’s spike. “Duncan himself knows it wasn’t a fair play,” he said.

Johnny Gomes: “It was premeditated on his part. … I know it’s not the Yankee way. You rarely see the Yankees do stuff like that.”

Duncan: “I just went hard into his glove. I was just going in hard. There was no malicious intent.”

From Yankees.com

"I just think [Duncan] tried to inflict pain on Aki," Gomes said. "That just comes second nature. I was taught all the way from T-ball to have a teammate's back.

"It's a baseball field. There's fans and kids watching. I had to let [Duncan] know that's not going to fly."

This clearly isn't over.

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Yankees vs. Rays - March 12

The Yankees and Rays meet for the first time since the controversial home plate collision this past Sunday, but Joe Girardi doesn't expect any carry over to today's game. There will be one change to today's lineup though- Andy Pettitte has been scratched from his start due to mild tendonitis above his left elbow.

Kat O'Brien - Newsday

Asked his level of concern, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said, "Low. He could have went today." (Mrs. MM points out that it should be, 'he could have gone today")

Here are today's linueps courtesy of Yankees.com. Heath Phillips will get the start in Pettitte's place. Andy Sonnastine gets the nod for the Rays.

NYYankees
Cabrera,CF
Cano,2B
Abreu,RF
Duncan,1B
Posada,C
Matsui,DH
Ensberg,3B
Betemit,SS
Porter,LF

Tampa Bay
Iwamura, 2B
Crawford, LF
Pena, 1B
Upton, CF
Floyd, DH
Gomes, RF
Longoria, 3B
DiFelice, C
Bartlett, SS

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Girardi Still not Bowled Over by Play

Though he said that he doesn't feel the play will carry over to any of their future meetings, Yankees manager Joe Girardi was still clearly ticked yesterday about the collision at home plate Saturday that will cost catcher Francisco Cervelli up to 2 months of playing time.

"It's just disheartening in a spring training game," Girardi said. "I just don't understand it."

But the incident won't change Girardi's own philosophy.

"I've told my players that I don't want them running into catchers in spring training because I don't want them or someone else to get hurt," Girardi said. "We'll continue to play the game hard, and in my mind, play the game the way I want them to play it."

Rays manager Joe Maddon still stood by his words yesterday and continued to not understand Girardi's viewpoint.

Source: NY Daily News

"This does not deserve any legs," Maddon said. "It was an issue that occurred yesterday in a game, it was a hard baseball play; the issue is based on whether you should do that in spring training or not, so it's a philosophical difference."

Maddon even made light of the situation when he was asked if he planned to talk to Girardi about the incident before Wednesday's game. "I've always liked Joe," Maddon said. "If he would like to have a conversation, I'd like to talk about politics, I'm good with global warming, I'm good with a lot of different topics on a daily basis. I like iTunes, I download some stuff off iTunes, I like different restaurants, I like red wine. I have a lot of different areas I can go conversationally."

Don Zimmer agreed with Maddon's take on things.

Source: NY Post

"The plate was blocked and our guy bowled him over," Zimmer, a Rays senior advisor, told reporters in St. Petersburg.

"What's that got to do with spring training? That's the way to play the game."

"I'm talking about a guy who's like a son to me. I can't believe that he went after it the way he did," Zimmer said. "And being a catcher on top of it. You block the plate.

"If I slide into him and break a leg, nothing is said. Instead of breaking my leg I bowl him over and it's not the right play? Well, to me it's the right play, spring training or no spring training. Play the game the right way.

"To me, our kid played it the way he thought it was right, and I think it was right. I'm surprised they made such a big thing out if it. I was dumbfounded. Of all people, I mean Girardi's a tough guy, a tough catcher. I don't know what spring training has got anything to do with it."

Reporters looked to a neutral party, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, when the Yankees visited Ft. Myers yesterday. Gardenhire took the diplomatic route, saying that he agreed that a play like that should not take place in spring training, but he also understood playing the game aggressively and hard.

Reporters of course also approached Shelley Duncan, who is known for his hard nosed style of play. Duncan said he never would have thought to run over a catcher in spring training...until now.

Source: NY Daily News

What it does is it opens another chapter of intensity in the spring training ballgames," Duncan said Sunday about the incident in Saturday's game between the Yankees and Rays. "They showed what is acceptable to them and how they're going to play the game, so we're going to go out there to match their intensity - or even exceed it." Will the young Yankee, known for his all-out style, take a different approach if he has a chance to collide with one of the Rays' catchers on Wednesday? "I don't know," Duncan said. "That will be determined in between third and home."

While there may not be a collision at the plate, that doesn't mean that someone won't take over Scott Proctor's role and plunk a Rays hitter. We shall see.

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Moose Loose as Yanks Drop 4th Straight

The Yankees lost their 4th straight game Saturday afternoon, 4-1 to the Rays, but Mike Mussina made positive strides towards getting ready for the regular season. Mussina, an umpire's questionable call preventing him from completing 3 full innings, left after 2.2 innings, having allowed a run on 2 hits. He also walked 2 batters and struck out 5.

The veteran right-hander allowed a windblown solo home run to Jonny Gomes in the 2nd, but was in control of all his pitches, and had a fastball that was clocked consistently at 89 mph. Mussina was quite pleased with his day.

"You try to throw up a zero every time you pitch, whether you want to admit it or not," Mussina said. "You erase it when March is over, but you want to get everyone out, the same way you would if it was July. The first step in doing that is being able to control where the ball is going."

This game may also have ramifications later in spring training or during the regular season. That's because Tampa prospect Elliot Johnson steamrolled Yankees' catcher Francisco Cervelli in a 9th inning play at the plate, breaking Cervelli's right wrist in the process.

Johnson was on 1st base when Willie Aybar doubled to left. Cervelli blocked the plate with his left leg as he caught the relay that came in from Jason Lane and Wilson Betemit. Seeing he would probably be out with a slide, Johnson barreled in to the catcher. Johnson defended his actions after the game.

"I'm not trying to hurt anybody, especially in a Spring Training game," Johnson said. "I hope he doesn't lose his job. But I'm trying to show these guys what I can do. I'm just trying to score the run. Looking back on it, I'd have to say I'd probably do the same thing."

The opposing managers had opposing views; Joe Girardi was clearly agitated after the game and didn't hold back his opinion with reporters.

"I think it's uncalled for," Girardi said. "It's Spring Training. You get people hurt, and that's what we've got -- we've got Cervelli hurt. I know they had an incident four or five days ago. I'm all for playing hard, but I don't think it's the time when you run over a catcher in Spring Training."

Girardi also mentioned that one of his players had earlier asked him if such a play was acceptable and Girardi strongly told him, "Absolutely not."

Rays manager Joe Maddon applauded his team's aggressive play. Earlier this week, Carl Crawford ran over Houston Astros catcher Humberto Quintero.

"I loved the hardball," Maddon said. "We're playing it hard, we're playing it right. It was a bang-bang play at the plate. I couldn't tell exactly where the catcher was in regard to the plate. He was trying to score a run right there, and that was part of the game."

With 19 regular season meetings and 2 more contests this spring, there is definitely an opportunity for the Yankees to retaliate. It remains to be seen whether or not Johnson will play those remaining spring games or make the Rays regular season roster.

The injury topped off a tough day for Cervelli, who earlier had been hit with a David Price 97-mph fastball above the left elbow. Price was impressive in his professional debut, striking out the side (Shelley Duncan, Lane, Betemit) after hitting Cervelli.

The Yankees managed just 5 hits on the day, with Jason Giambi picking up the only RBI. Chris Britton, Kyle Farnsworth, and Jon Albadalejo combined for 3.1 scoreless innings, but Jeff Karstens and Ross Ohlendorf gave up 3 runs (2 earned) in 3 innings of work.

NY Yankees	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Damon, LF	3	0	1	0	0	1	1	.333
Lane, LF	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	.267
Jeter, SS	3	0	0	0	0	1	2	.214
Betemit, SS	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	.235
Abreu, RF	2	0	1	0	1	0	0	.533
1-Castro, B, PR-2B	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	.200
Rodriguez, A, DH	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	.444
a-Miranda, PH-DH	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000
Giambi, 1B	3	0	1	1	0	1	4	.333
2-Christian, PR-CF	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Cano, 2B	3	0	0	0	0	1	5	.500
Tabata, J, RF	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000
Ransom, 3B	3	0	0	0	0	2	2	.167
Green, 3B	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Molina, C	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.083
Cervelli, C	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.333
Anson, C	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.333
Cabrera, CF	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	.417
Duncan, 1B	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	.467
Totals	32	1	5	1	2	11	18
a-Grounded out for Rodriguez, A in the 6th. 1-Ran for Abreu in the 6th. 2-Ran for Giambi in the 6th.
BATTING 2B: Damon (4, Garza). TB: Damon 2; Abreu; Rodriguez, A; Giambi; Cabrera. RBI: Giambi (5). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cano 2; Ransom 2; Jeter. Team LOB: 7. FIELDING PB: Anson (1). Outfield assists: Lane (Johnson, E at home).

NY Yankees	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Mussina	2.2	2	1	1	2	5	1	9.64
Britton	1.1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00
Farnsworth	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3.00
Karstens (L, 1-1)	2.0	3	1	1	1	1	0	1.80
Albaladejo	1.0	0	0	0	1	1	0	2.45
Ohlendorf	1.0	3	2	1	0	0	1	3.38

HBP: Cervelli (by Price).
Ground outs-fly outs: Mussina 3-0, Britton 1-2, Farnsworth 1-2, Karstens 2-3, Albaladejo 1-1, Ohlendorf 1-1.
Batters faced: Mussina 12, Britton 4, Farnsworth 3, Karstens 10, Albaladejo 4, Ohlendorf 5.
Inherited runners-scored: Britton 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Mark Carlson. 1B: Marty Foster. 2B: Andy Fletcher. 3B: Dan Iassogna.
Weather: 62 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 15 mph, L to R.
T: 3:07.
Att: 10,869.

Sources: Yankees.com

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