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Yankee 4, Pirates 3
2007-03-03 17:43
by Cliff Corcoran

A three-run eighth inning rally delivered the Yankees' third spring victory in as many games, with the youngsters who combined to produce the winning run being part of the first round of cuts afterwards.

Lineup

S - Melky Cabrera (CF)
R - Derek Jeter (SS)
L - Hideki Matsui (LF)
R - Alex Rodriguez (3B)
S - Jorge Posada (C)
R - Josh Phelps (1B)
R - Jose Tabata (DH)
R - Miguel Cairo (2B)
R - Kevin Thompson (RF)

Pitchers: Mike Mussina, Matt DeSalvo, Kyle Farnsworth, Scott Henn, Jeff Kennard, Jose Veras

Subs: Eric Duncan (1B), Andy Cannizaro (PR/2B), Ramiro Peña (SS), Marcos Vechionacci (PR/3B), Ben Davis (C), Francisco Cervelli (C), Brett Gardner (CF), Kevin Reese (PR/LF), Angel Chavez (DH)

Opposition: The last-place Pirates B-squad.

Big Hits: A solo homer by Posada and doubles by Matsui and Thompson (both 1 for 2 with a walk); in his only at-bat, Vechionacci singled home Peña for the winning run with one out in the eighth.

Who Pitched Well: Kyle Farnsworth pitched a perfect fifth.

Who Didn't: No one pitched especially poorly, but collectively the other five pitchers allowed 13 baserunners in eight innings and recorded only one strikeout. Mussina, DeSalvo, and Kennard each allowed a run, Moose on a home run by Brad Eldred.

Battles: Phelps walked and singled in three trips, but he was thrown out trying to stretch the single into a double when the ball after seeing the ball ricochet of third base. Ben Davis went 0 for 2.

Cuts: After the game, the Yankees demoted the game-winning infield combo of Marcos Vechionacci and Ramiro Peña, two slick fielders who will spend the season trying to hit their way out of A-ball, catchers Francisco Cervelli, P.J. Pilittere, and Omir Santos, and righty starter Steven White. Cervelli did not get a turn at-bat in yesterday's game and Pilittere, Santos and White saw no game action at all. White, who is still working his way back from a tweaked neck, threw a bullpen session from half-way up the mound yesterday and received praise from Guidry and Torre on his way to minor league camp. He's expected to throw from the top of the mound in his next session. All of the reassigned players were non-roster invitees.

Notes: Yesterday's game was the first of six broadcast on WCBS radio. Since all regular season games are on WCBS I don't indicate it on the sidebar, but since only five more of the spring tilts will be narrated by the dulcet tones of John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman, I'll indicate the radio broadcasts in the upcoming schedule. Today, Carl Pavano pitches for the actual Yankees for the first time since his infamous butt-bruising inning last spring.

Reading: Tyler Kepner blogs about Scott Proctor, Sweeny Murti appreciates Mike Mussina (as do I).

Comments
2007-03-04 02:13:07
1.   thelarmis
reading - and i appreciate you, cliff! thanks for all you and alex - and the new guest writers - do here at the banter! : )

GO YANKS!!!

2007-03-04 04:31:26
2.   C2Coke
1 I second that 100%. Thanks again.
I will be out all day but I know exactly where to go to catch up on the headlines about Pavano(no matter how he does) tonight.
2007-03-04 04:51:14
3.   mikeplugh
C'mon Glass Carl. Let's make this a good start brother. I'm behind you as long as you're giving it your best shot.

Who the hell am I talking to? Echo... Echo...

2007-03-04 06:21:26
4.   Sliced Bread
NJ papers have a Q&A with Hughes here:

http://tinyurl.com/yoxd6s

Have to say it was great to hear "the dulcet tones" (nice Cliff!) of John & Suzie in the car yesterday.

Running errands with the wife and kids to Home Depot, Bed, Bath & Whatever, Stop N' Shop (you know, all the chain stores in paradise) even my wife who yawns and rolls her eyes at exhibition baseball agreed that the first Yankees radio broadcast of the season signaled the approach of long, warm, golden days to come.

Although it became a tougher sell for me when she started hearing unfamiliar Yankee names like Vechionacci, DeSalvo, Tabata etc.

No sights and sounds of the Pavano game for me today, and too bad since it's an event you sorta have to see to believe.

2007-03-04 07:13:39
5.   yankz
4 What doesn't Phil Hughes have going for him? His girlfriend is a massage therapist? Hopefully that means fewer strains.
2007-03-04 07:25:05
6.   The Mick 536
This week, between Guidry talking about how he communicates with Igawa and the Proctore article, I increased my understanding of the art of pitching. I also recommend Cone's book which he wrote with Roger Angell.

Today, sadly, I will bite my nails, separating myself from the academic, as Pavano actually has to deal with the 60 feet-6 inches, instead of just explaining what he wants to do when he picks up the ball.

2007-03-04 10:26:30
7.   yankz
An 18 year old batting cleanup for the Yankees. Sweet.
2007-03-04 12:49:11
8.   markp
Did anyone watch the game on MLB-TV? Some info would be greatly appreciated.
2007-03-04 12:55:08
9.   thelarmis
4 unfortunately, you need to sign up to read pages 2 & 3 of the article. too bad...

glass carl got thru 2 innings. not great, but not injured...as far as we know. pete abe has the lodown at the lohud.

2007-03-04 15:29:46
10.   Cliff Corcoran
Game wrap posted above.
2007-03-04 20:54:35
11.   joejoejoe
Moose's almost no-hitter in Fenway was the best regular season game I've ever watched on TV. It was like Jordan going into the Garden and dropping 55 in the Knicks gym. The Red Sox fans were rooting against the no-hitter on every pitch and it was a competive game with the outcome in doubt throughout. I remember the interview with Moose after that game (referenced by Sweeney Murti) but you can't fault Mussina for giving one word almost non responsive answers - that game had to be draining and Mussina is bright enough to know he had something historic ripped from his grasp. In the books it's just another one hitter but if you saw it it was beautiful - better than Wells', Gooden's or Rags' no-hitters.

Given decent health Mussina is going to get 300 wins as a Yankee. Glavine got 39 wins at age 38-40 and Moose is on a much beter team and has better stuff.

2007-03-05 06:19:07
12.   Rob Middletown CT
That game was awesome... and gut-wrenching when Carl freaking Everett broke it up, on a 0-2 count with 2 down in the ninth. Arg.

Mussina was utterly brilliant in that game (and overall that season. He probably should've won the Cy that year). They couldn't touch him, and that team could hit a bit. To do that, up at Fenway, was impressive as hell.

Moose gets the thumbs up from me. He always has. It does seem like some people focus on some of his lesser performances and ignore some of the great games he's pitched. The highlight being in Game 7 of the '03 ALCS, of course. The alternative was displayed for all to see the following year - instead of a guy who puts out the fire and holds the other team down, we got Javy Vasquez to serve up the grand salami. That could've happened in the "Boone" game too, but Moose didn't let it.

2007-03-05 07:23:01
13.   jayd
And a great Moose Quote from the Sweeney Murti piece:

That day, Mussina gave me perhaps the best line I've ever gotten from a player, and maybe ever will get. He said to me, "We can put on the uniform, and we can play in the Stadium, but we're not the Yankees unless Derek Jeter is playing shortstop." Can't say it any better than that, can you?

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