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14-13-3
2007-03-31 21:14
by Cliff Corcoran

That's the Yankees' final spring record after going 0-1-1 against the Tigers in their final two exhibition games. Since the 25-man roster was set in advance of those games (posted again below the fold for those who missed it), I won't bother with my usual game wrap, instead, here are some items of interest from the final two days of Yankee camp:

  • Kei Igawa allowed three runs on six hits and no walks (though he did hit a batter) while striking out three and needing just 72 pitches to get through six innings in his final start of the spring yesterday.
  • Andy Pettitte threw 66 pitches over four innings against the Blue Jays' double-A team on Friday allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out three. Pettitte said he was "good and gassed" at the end of the outing, his first game action in two weeks. Pettitte hasn't had any continuing back pain, but team trainers have told him not to run between starts just yet, which, in addition to a simple lack of work, is partially to blame for his lack of stamina. He'll likely pitch no more than five innings on Wednesday, though with Tuesday's off-day, he'll yield to a fully-rested bullpen.
  • Mike Mussina needed just 71 pitches to hold the Blue Jays' triple-A squad scoreless over seven innings on Friday. He allowed just four hits and struck out five.
  • Kyle Farnsworth, Scott Proctor, Luis Vizcaino, and Mariano Rivera each threw a scoreless inning. Farnsworth allowed the only hit, Rivera the only walk, each struck out one save for Rivera who struck out two.
  • After finding out he had made the team, Brian Bruney went out and gave up three runs on three hits in his lone inning of work on Friday (though he didn't walk anyone either).
  • In yesterday's game, Johnny Damon went 2 for 2 with a triple, Josh Phelps hit his fourth home run of the spring, and Wil Nieves went 2 for 2 with a pair of singles.
  • Andy Phillips has cleared waivers and will open the season with triple-A Scranton. He played all of Friday's game at second base going 1 for 4 with a run scored.
  • No decision yet from Ron Villone regarding accepting a minor league assignment from the Yankees. If he does accept, he'll have another opportunity to opt out of his contract if he is not called up by the end of April.
  • Humberto Sanchez and Jose Veras have both been placed on the major league 15-day disabled list. Sanchez will stay in extended spring training to continue his rehab from the elbow soreness that kept him out of action all spring. Veras is recovering from surgery to have a bone spur removed from his pitching elbow and is expected to miss two to three months.

25-man Roster:

1B – Doug Mientkiewicz (L)
2B – Robinson Cano (L)
SS – Derek Jeter (R)
3B – Alex Rodriguez (R)
C – Jorge Posada (S)
RF – Bobby Abreu (L)
CF – Johnny Damon (L)
LF – Hideki Matsui (L)
DH – Jason Giambi (L)

Bench:

R – Josh Phelps (1B)
S – Melky Cabrera (OF)
R – Miguel Cairo (IF)
R – Wil Nieves (C)

Rotation:

R – Carl Pavano
L – Andy Pettitte
R – Mike Mussina
L – Kei Igawa
R – Darrell Rasner

Bullpen:

R – Mariano Rivera
R – Kyle Farnsworth
R – Scott Proctor
R – Luis Vizcaino
L – Mike Myers
L – Sean Henn
R - Brian Bruney

DL: R – Chien-Ming Wang, R – Jeff Karstens, R – Humberto Sanchez, R – Jose Veras

Comments
2007-03-31 22:10:42
1.   joejoejoe
Yeah! The bullpen should be very, very good and I really think Igawa and Phelps will make big contributions. The greybeards are hungry. This team has me excited. Play Ball!

OT: I don't know what this video is from ESPN Classic but it's very cool - a compilation of great Yankee moments and shots of NYC. - http://tinyurl.com/2t273p

2007-03-31 23:28:04
2.   Rich
http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/117540606394320.xml&coll=1&thispage=2

Ron Villone, who was released by the team after posting a 14.40 ERA this spring, has not yet accepted the Yankees' offer of playing at Triple-A Scraton/Wilkes-Barre.

Villone said last night he was "leaning" toward accepting the offer, and that he would make a final decision today.

2007-04-01 06:30:36
3.   C2Coke
1 I don't know where I found the confidence but I never had any doubt that Igawa is gonna be way better than Wright.

In Phelps's case, I applaud him for a great spring training, but unless he keeps performing, a great spring training can only get him two weeks to a month on the team. So best wishes to him!

2 He's probably still waiting to see if any other team will make an offer. And I'd said, based on the news reports of his indecision, there isn't much.

2007-04-01 09:11:19
4.   yankz
I know this is blasphemy, but I went to ESPN.com today to check out the time for the first game. And then I saw Jayson Stark's column about why the Tigers were going to win it all this year. Curiosity got the better of me, so I started reading. It wasn't terrible, and then I got to the part labeled "Lineup." Check out his first argument about why the Tigers lineup is stacked:

http://tinyurl.com/332j72

Hint: He had an OPS+ of 68 with Detroit last year.

My word verification was "Bud roolz." Did everyone get that?

2007-04-01 09:11:43
5.   yankz
Oh, I see.
2007-04-01 09:37:26
6.   Aviezer
What, don't you know that Sean Casey is a gritty veteran who once showed Karim Garcia some thngs.
2007-04-01 11:43:13
7.   OldYanksFan
Well, seeing as Detroit had an outstanding, balanced team last year, with excellent young pitching, and Sheffield is indeed just the type of punch their lineup needed, it's no stretch to imagine they will have a very good team this year.

However, we will beat them in the PS.

I am not overly impressed with our Starting pitching. I think we will get what we expect from Pavs and Iggy, but I worry about the health and productivity of our 1-3. They could be very good... but if they were just a bit better then average, nobody can be that shocked. I hope they prove me wrong.

PeteAbe has some posts in the paper. Because he is an insider, his blog is must reading. But his preview of the Yankees is pretty shallow and I believe he understates the Red Sox as rivals. He is funny at times, but his analysis doesn't compare to this and some other Yankee Blogs.

He also predicts the Yankees 2008 and 2009 lineups. Would love to hear what some of you folk think about it.

oh. Ha ha ha. 'Cowboyup' was mine. Thank God it's what-it-is

2007-04-01 12:10:41
8.   yankz
7 I agree that Detroit is a very good team, my pick to win the difficult Central, but Stark sounds like a moron describing Sean Casey as some kind of offensive force.
2007-04-01 12:11:07
9.   yankz
These are hilarious- my verification is "djarodbff"
2007-04-01 12:16:54
10.   rsmith51
Casey was a force in the playoffs last year.

.432 .447 .730

Small sample size, of course.

While he is better than Minky, I wouldn't want him on my team.

2007-04-01 14:05:07
11.   joejoejoe
7 Pete Abraham has the Yanks getting Johan Santana, Mark Teixeira, and Jeff Francoeur in the upcoming years. I'd like to see Santana in pinstripes but I can't see the Yankees dishing out a 7 year/$150 million dollar deal for an SP and that is what it will take to net Santana.
2007-04-01 14:30:11
12.   rsmith51
11 I understand Santana and Teixeira, but don't understand Francoeur. With Damon and Matsui signed for 3 more years and Melky waiting in the wings, I don't think they are in the market for an OF.
2007-04-01 14:33:58
13.   rsmith51
12 Also a RH hitting OF who never walks would probably not do very well in Yankee Stadium.
2007-04-01 17:53:33
14.   Rich
Abraham's 2008 infield is suboptimal, to say the least.
2007-04-01 18:25:17
15.   OldYanksFan
14 Absolutely. Looking at 2008-2010, it shows how important ARod is to us being a dominant team in the future. Considering an aging Giambi, ARod is important to the team for many reasons, but especially as a power bat.

PeteAbe also seems to think Abreu has a limited future in NY.

I, for one, hope the good fans of NY don't drive ARod out.

2007-04-01 18:27:12
16.   yankz
Joe Morgan: "You know I don't care about statistics."

I'm guessing he's heard of the site.

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