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Yanks 3, Devil Rays 1
2007-03-02 20:16
by Cliff Corcoran

The Yanks remain undefeated and the Yankee starters remain perfect through four spring innings. The details:

Lineup:

L - Johnny Damon (CF)
R - Derek Jeter (SS)
L - Jason Giambi (DH)
R - Alex Rodriguez (3B)
L - Hideki Matsui (LF)
L - Robinson Cano (2B)
S - Melky Cabrera (RF)
L - Doug Mientkiewicz (1B)
R - Wil Nieves (C)

Pitchers: Andy Pettitte, Darrell Rasner, Scott Proctor, Chris Britton, Ron Villone, Colter Bean, Kevin Whelan

Subs: Josh Phelps (1B), Alberto Gonzalez (2B), Andy Cannizaro (SS), Chris Basak (3B), Todd Pratt (C), Bronson Sardinha (RF), Brett Gardner (CF), Kevin Thompson (LF), Eric Duncan (PR/DH)

Opposition: The last-place Devil Rays' starters followed by a full compliment of subs.

Big Hits: Chris Basak's three-run, eighth-inning homer was responsible for all three Yankee runs. Alberto Gonzalez, subbing at second after subbing at short in the opener, went 2 for 2. Jason Giambi (0 for 1) drew his third walk in four spring plate appearances.

Who Pitched Well: Andy Pettitte pitched two perfect innings, recording one K and three groundouts on 20 pitches (15 strikes). Darrell Rasner followed by allowing just one hit in two shutout innings, recording a K of his own and getting four of his remaining outs on the ground. Colter Bean pitched a perfect eighth inning, striking out one and getting two groundouts. Chris Britton allowed one hit while otherwise matching Bean's performance.

Who Didn't: Ron Villone gave up a pair of hits and made a throwing error in his one inning, resulting in the only Devil Ray run. Ironically, he earned the win when Basak homered in the following frame.

Battles: Following strong performances by Jeff Karstens in the intrasquad game and Ross Ohlendorf in the opener, Darrell Rasner turned in one of his own. Wil Nieves and Todd Pratt both went 0 for 2. Josh Phelps went 1 for 2. His hit was creamed off the left-field wall, but ricocheted back so hard that he was held to a single.

Notes: Today's 1:15 start against the Pirates at home will be WCBS's first Yankee broadcast of the year. The station just signed a multi-year extension with the Yankees.

Comments
2007-03-02 22:07:32
1.   Rich
Torre's nonsensical affinity for veteraness™ aside, Villone better not make this team.
2007-03-02 22:41:37
2.   monkeypants
I hope keeps hitting--he could prove useful off the bench or in a platoon role (and ideally he would eventually displace Minky), but he won't make the roster without an overwhelming spring.
2007-03-03 03:12:31
3.   Yu-Hsing Chen
Andy Phillips have the shittiest luck i've seen in a while, two strait years with major family accidents/sickness when he has a chance to make the bigs?
2007-03-03 05:30:52
4.   Sliced Bread
Not as if Posada has never caught Pettitte before, but I'm somewhat surprised he didn't work with Andy yesterday, his first innings and all.

1 Yes, there do seem to be more appealing options, even if they are not lefty vets.

Along those lines (sarcasm on):
Did Joe witness Alberto Gonzalez's two hits, or was he looking at Cairo wondering how to get him more outfield work?

Game on the radio today! Oh, to hear Suzyn's voice again!

2007-03-03 07:03:45
5.   Cliff Corcoran
4 It was a road game. It's not unusual for teams to leave their starting catchers behind for spring training road games. Heck, the Twins did it on Thursday.
2007-03-03 07:36:56
6.   The Mick 536
Chris Basak? Where did he come from? Best I could find showed him as a Met.

Two SBs against the backerbackers.

One hit from the big boys.

2007-03-03 07:37:49
7.   Sliced Bread
5 True, though St. Pete is but a cab ride from Legends.

Bring on the vocal stylings of Sterling & Waldman!

2007-03-03 08:04:55
8.   Cliff Corcoran
6 Mick, check out my campers post (linked under Suggested Reading on the sidebar). Basically, Basak was the Mets Andy Cannizaro, but became a mL free agent this winter and is now taking Cannizaro on head-to-head for the job of triple-A middle infielder with no real hope of playing in the majors.
2007-03-03 08:05:02
9.   Yankee Fan in Chicago
Hey, what's up with Dice-K?

I've noticed that his first appearance was pitching batting practice solely against minor leaguers, then his first game appearance was against Boston College -- and the lead-off batter teed off on a first-pitch fastball.

Are the Sawx worried about him or something?

They've got to let him face big leaguers eventually, right?

2007-03-03 08:07:52
10.   Cliff Corcoran
9 Nothing's up with anybody on March 3. Perhaps the Red Sox have decided to ease him into things. No harm in doing that with a pitcher in which they've invested so much.
2007-03-03 08:12:35
11.   Yankee Fan in Chicago
10 Yeah, I know, I've just been tweaking Sawx fans about it.

I do wonder tho why they're concerned about easing him in.

They let him throw over 100 pitches in a warm-up session, and then they won't even let him throw batting practice to the bog league team? The Yankee minor league pitchers are getting more experience than Dice-K at this point.

2007-03-03 08:46:10
12.   Jeteupthemiddle
1 I'm not opposed to Villone making the team in the slightest.
2007-03-03 10:03:03
13.   Rich
12 If Myers makes the team as well (basically for the sole purpose of facing Ortiz), that means that Bruney or Britton won't. If, as Torre has said, he wants a long reliever on the roster (Karstens? UGH), neither will.

Since I believe that ability trumps handedness, I would rather have two young hard throwers than two LOOGYs who are approaching 40.

Karstens, given his tendency to give up so many FBs, is disaster in waiting.

2007-03-03 10:09:42
14.   Yu-Hsing Chen
13 Rich, i dunno, i've seen too many kids with crazy stuff that gets blown away in the majors for a long time before they suceed (if they succeed at all) i don't think you would like to watch those struggles during a Yankee season. of course both Bruney and Britton have had some sucess at the MLB level already, but i'm just pointing to ur point on ability trumps handedness /expereience and all
2007-03-03 10:26:32
15.   Rich
14 I would agree that ability includes poise, but as you pointed out, both Bruney and Britton have had success in MLB.
2007-03-03 10:29:31
16.   jayd
1 12 Yeah, this anti-Ron Villone stuff has to stop. Can't you focus more on A-Rod? I thought Villone did pretty good last year until his arm gave out. A lot better to have experience with a guy and know how far he can go.
2007-03-03 10:30:14
17.   Yu-Hsing Chen
15 yeah, its a questionable decision, but i'm not sure how it would pan out, and i suppose having the ability to stash a couple of power arms in the minors until you need them have their merits considering the typical wear and tear on a bullpen.
2007-03-03 10:36:14
18.   markp
Is there anywhere to listen to the ST games on internet radio?
2007-03-03 10:39:32
19.   Rich
16 You want to compare Villone to A-Rod?

In the words of John McEnroe: "You cannot be serious."

A-Rod is one of the best players in MLB, Villone is barely above replacement level.

v. L: .179 .279 .330 .609
v. R: .289 .395 .438 .833

This team does not need two LOOGYs.

If you want Villone, Myers has to go.

2007-03-03 10:44:38
20.   Yu-Hsing Chen
A-rod struck out with a man on second... BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :P
2007-03-03 11:27:51
21.   Cliff Corcoran
19 I don't believe he was serious.
2007-03-03 11:44:16
22.   markp
In re radio, never mind I got the MLB radio package. (For some reason I really need a serious baseball fix this spring.)
Some interesting things in today's broadcast. Wouldn't it be funny that Henn, after being written off by 99.9% of Yankee fans finally gets it together and becomes a loogy/LH set-up guy?
It looks like Phillips isn't in their plans. I know it's really early, but unless he's hurt, him not getting a single PA in 2 1/2 games may be significant.
2007-03-03 11:46:20
23.   Yu-Hsing Chen
22 Phillips is on leave due to a car accident his mother was in, so it's not that he's not in the plans, it's that god is playing some terrible jokes on him (two years in a role he have immediate family members that need tending during ST, ouch)
2007-03-03 11:57:32
24.   markp
OK-forgot about that.
2007-03-03 12:36:01
25.   Jeteupthemiddle
I like Britton and I like Bruney, but I also think Villone has his merits.

He did a fairly decent job last season, and I like to think he can duplicate some of last season again.

Also, if Villone is on the team, you know he will be used, where as if Britton or Bruney are on the team, they may just hang out in the back of the bullpen and do nothing for days at a time (hense the reason we need 12 pitchers).

The added benefit is that both Britton and Bruney and any other reliever trying to make the team has options and can ride the shuttle if need be.

2007-03-03 12:49:51
26.   yankz
Does anybody know the website for the WCBS broadcast? I know it's really late, but the homepage takes you to the news broadcast.
2007-03-03 15:54:09
27.   Jeteupthemiddle
For future reference, you can't listen the Yankee games online.

It is part of the deal with mlb radio.

2007-03-03 17:37:27
28.   Cliff Corcoran
20 Please don't use words that long, you stretch the screen. If you want to post a long "noooo" or "booo" or whatever for effect, put some spaces in it so that the text wrap can handle it.
2007-03-03 18:15:42
29.   yankz
27 Oh, darn.

We have to get this thread up to 50 comments to fix the toaster.

2007-03-03 18:19:35
30.   Rich
The problem with having two LOOGYs on the roster is that it puts a greater strain on the other relievers because they can only be used against lefties.

Of course, Torre won't use Villone as a LOOGY despite his disparate splits, which may well be a bigger problem than having two LOOGYs.

2007-03-03 19:13:02
31.   Jeteupthemiddle
Except that for about two months last season, we would be in here screaming at the television and Torre that "Villone is not a LOOGY so just freaking USE him already!"

I remember dozens of such rants.

2007-03-03 20:44:42
32.   Rich
Given the way Every Day Proctor was wearing down in June, I plead guilty, but even though Villone has always (or at least since 2002) been significantly more effective against LH batters, advancing age may have rendered him even less effective v. RH batters.

At the beginning of last season, however, the Yankees didn't have two hard throwers like Bruney and Britton. Now that they do, it just seems like a waste of their talent to have them both begin the season in AAA.

2007-03-04 13:39:02
33.   Bama Yankee
20 TinyBOO.com is your friend... ;-)

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