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Pirates 3, Yankees 2
2007-03-23 11:38
by Cliff Corcoran

Colter Bean's first poor outing of the year landed both him and the Yankees a loss.

Lineup:

L - Johnny Damon (CF)
R - Wil Nieves (C)
L - Bobby Abreu (RF)
L - Hideki Matsui (LF)
L - Doug Mientkiewicz (1B)
R - Chris Basak (3B)
R - Angel Chavez (2B)
R - Miguel Cairo (SS)
R - Darrell Rasner (P)

Pitchers: Darrell Rasner, Sean Henn, Colter Bean, Luis Vizcaino

Subs: Andy Phillips (1B), Carlos Mendoza (SS), Todd Pratt (C), Raul Chavez (C), Bronson Sardinha (RF), Kevin Reese (CF), Tim Battle (PR/LF), Josh Phelps (PH), Kevin Howard (PR)

Opposition: Most of the Pirates starters, save for batting champ Freddy Sanchez.

Big Hits: Bobby Abreu (1 for 3) doubled and scored in the fourth.

Who Pitched Well?: Rasner struck out five in 4 2/3 innings, walking none. He did however allow seven hits, and a Chris Basak error led to an unearned run. Sean Henn pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings, striking out one. Luis Vizcaino pitched a perfect eighth.

Who Didn't?: Colter Bean had his first stumble of the spring, allowing two runs on three hits in the seventh and taking a loss. Of course, he also struck out two and still hasn't walked anyone.

Oopsies: Chris Basak booted a ball leading to an unearned run. It was his second error of the spring.

Ouchies: Chien-Ming Wang's hamstring cramped up on him during running drills. Wang was not sent for tests, which suggests a cramp is all it was. He reportedly had a hamstring issue during the first week of camp as well. Andy Pettitte stretched a bit and tossed a ball around in lieu of making his scheduled start.

Battles: Both Josh Phelps and Andy Phillips singled in their lone at-bats. Neither Todd Pratt, nor Raul Chavez got a hit in their only at-bats. In fact, adding in Wil Nieves' performance, the Yankee catchers were 0 for 5. That said, Torre has been talking about Nieves' health recently as if it's his job if he's healthy. Sean Henn was perfect. Colter Bean gave up his first runs of the spring.

Notes: Mike Myers allowed an unearned run in two innings in a minor league game yesterday. T.J. Beam was reassigned to minor league camp.

Comments
2007-03-23 21:19:04
1.   C2Coke
I'd like to think that the players are taking turns getting small injuries so that they'll all be great in the season. Abreu seems to be the living proof of that.
2007-03-24 00:56:51
2.   Jim Dean
Good to see Minky back to limbo.

2 for 29.

Fun times!

2007-03-24 05:47:21
3.   The Mick 536
No hitting. Not a problem? What does Joe do with Minky.
2007-03-24 07:11:25
4.   yankz
Bad, bad news. Wang headed to the DL. Via LoHud.
2007-03-24 07:35:23
5.   wsporter
4 Damn. Grade 1 – out about a month. A comment related that Robby was out 8 weeks with a similar injury last year. I guess we can only hope it's closer to 4 than 8.

We simply have too damn much pitching in the organization!

2007-03-24 08:03:01
6.   joejoejoe
4 It can be a blessing in disguise. Remember when El Duque got called up due to injury?

Pavano moves up to #4 and will now get regular work. If Meat is decent his value spikes and the Yanks can make a deal sooner rather than later or keep him because he doesn't suck. If he sucks he has no business being on the team and Cashman can eat the contract and trade him for a bag o' balls.

2007-03-24 12:08:13
7.   Eirias
This Wang news is horrible. If only someone had thought to stock our farm system with more right-handed arms.
2007-03-24 12:11:10
8.   Simone
I just saw the bad news about Wang. I'm going to be positive. At least, this happened at the beginning of the season and with any luck, Wang recovers in a timely manner.
2007-03-24 12:13:18
9.   Eirias
In all seriousness though, while this may be bad news, a Grade 1 hamstring strain is not all that horrible. It is bad in that a pitcher needs his legs to generate power, but this could have been much worse.

Also, as someone pointed out on LoHud, this automatically restricts Wang's innings this year, giving his arm a breather.

2007-03-24 12:57:03
10.   Shaun P
9 I like the idea of Wang getting rest. Hopefully the team gets off to an OK start, so that Wang doesn't rush back, and then injure something else. Yanks probably don't a 5th starter until late April, but I bet Rasner and Karstens both go north with the team now.

7 I almost fell out my chair, I was laughing so hard!

2007-03-24 12:59:34
11.   Shaun P
Stinks that Wang misses out on the Opening Day start. I'm guessing Moose will get it now, unless Pettitte is all healed up.
2007-03-24 13:03:32
12.   RIYank
Bad -- might cost the team two wins in April.

Silver Lining: 9 and 10 said what I was thinking, that this limits the stress on his arm so we'll have a more effective Wang in September.

Sadly: Wanger now has essentially no chance to win 20.

2007-03-24 13:11:24
13.   jayd
Isn't this what starting pitching is these days? You might get one or two years of 220 innings out of a guy before he's out for a while -- and those guys are few and far between. Better to have 5, 6 or even 7 starters with 160 innings a piece. Which is what we seem to have....No way Andy or Moose gets through the year without a trip to the DL. The whole secret is having your three best ready and gunning for the post season. This is the best pitching staff in the AL east.

I still want Johan my Johan in pinstripes. But that's a separate thing...

2007-03-24 13:47:22
14.   joejoejoe
Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue!
2007-03-24 14:02:07
15.   rilkefan
14 Hey joe^3, was that you I saw recently commenting at Digby's?
2007-03-24 14:44:01
16.   joejoejoe
15 That's me. I'm a dirty hippie as well as a Yankee fan.
2007-03-24 15:09:54
17.   tommyl
Pavano is currently projected as the opening day starter. I am not joking, I really wish I was.
2007-03-24 15:52:19
18.   rilkefan
16 I think that's "dirty f'in' hippie". I mostly hang out at ObsidianWings myself.

17 That would be a nice insult to Moose after his call-out of Pavano. But what the hey - might as well get his first start over with.

2007-03-24 15:56:26
19.   rilkefan
0 It's too bad - I was all set for Bean to have a scoreless ST and not make the team so I could experience what Jim Dean feels when his coffee gets cold.
2007-03-24 16:08:30
20.   tommyl
18 I think it has more to do with what schedules they are on. For Moose to pitch opening day he'd have to either skip a ST start or pitch on short rest. Joe doesn't want to do either. He's right, opening day is just one game.
2007-03-24 16:35:17
21.   rilkefan
20 - wasn't serious above. I'm a Pavano optimist in any case.
2007-03-24 17:09:04
22.   Chyll Will
21 Then that "What Would Lemon Call Him?" thread from several days ago must have really hurt your feelings...
2007-03-24 19:38:09
23.   OldYanksFan
Some news on Bobby.
http://tinyurl.com/37fv2a
2007-03-25 06:48:43
24.   C2Coke
I had a day to digest the new development. Wang's injury will be fine, and I am perfectly ok with him taking a few more weeks. However, I am still having a little trouble getting over the irony of Pavano starting...

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