New York Yankees News

Yankees' shortstop Derek Jeter scratched with flu
Comment
March 12
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Yankees captain Derek Jeter was scratched from Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Braves with the flu. But the Yankees shortstop might not miss too much. With rain and thunderstorms in the weather forecast for Thursday night and Friday morning, the Yankees face the possibility of having scratching scheduled games against the Braves and Nationals. "I think we're paying," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said, just as raindrops began falling on the tarp covering the infield. "I don't know for how long." Earlier, Jeter reported to the ballpark but was promptly sent home. "Anyone that's had the flu we've sent home," said Girardi, who welcomed back bench coach Tony Pena after he missed ..."
Together, A.J. Burnett and Jorge Posada work late shift for NY Yankees
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March 12
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"When word came down around 8:40 p.m. that rain had canceled the Yankees' game against the Braves on Thursday night, the clubhouse emptied quickly. But A.J. Burnett, scheduled to team up with Jorge Posada, stayed behind to get his work in. With rain pelting George M. Steinbrenner Field, and the stadium nearly deserted, Burnett threw inning game in the batting cages under the stands. His catcher? Posada, who stayed behind, and didn't leave until the session was finished. "The fact that Georgie stayed this late meant a lot anyway," said Burnett, who last season had communication issues with Posada. "Showed you how much he wants to work too, with me. So that meant a lot.""
Yankees' pitchers learn from each other
Comment
March 12
The Journal News
 columnist Sam Borden
"Phil Hughes has always enjoyed discussing the art of pitching so it was natural for him to approach Mike Mussina during spring training of 2006 for a little bit of shop talk. Mussina, who was one of the few pitchers in the major leagues to throw more than four types of pitches with regularity, was happy to sit with Hughes in the corner of the clubhouse and the conversation soon turned to the curveball. Mussina used several different types of curveballs and, at one point, he suggested to Hughes that he try a "spike" grip, where Hughes would fold his pointer finger up so that the nail was pushed into the side of the ball when he threw. "You know what? It worked," Hughes said earlier this ..."
Yankees' Jeter scratched with flu
Comment
March 12
New York Post
 
"Derek Jeter was scratched from the lineup against the Braves due to the flu that is circulating through the Yankees' clubhouse. "We sent him home,'' said Joe Girardi, who never saw the shortstop Thursday. "It's going around, it's either the flu or a head cold. One or the other. He came in and we kicked him out.'' Ramiro Pena would have replaced Jeter in the lineup, but the game was cancelled due to rain."
After second concussion in four months, New York Yankees' Francisco Cervelli to wear special helmet
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March 12
New York Daily News
 
"Goodbye Francisco, hello Gazoo. After suffering his second concussion in four months, Francisco Cervelli has decided to wear a more advanced batting helmet - the same one that has been made mandatory throughout the minor leagues this season. "It's not much different, only the weight," Cervelli said. "It's ugly. Like Gazoo." Cervelli was referring to "The Great Gazoo," the diminutive green alien from "The Flintstones" who had an oversized head. Jorge Posada was the first teammate to crack the Gazoo joke yesterday, but Cervelli seemed to embrace it. Joe Girardi said he encouraged Cervelli to try the new helmet, which is made by Rawlings and designed to be able to soften the impact of a 100 ..."
Phil Hughes, Brett Gardner lead positional races for New York Yankees
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March 12
New York Daily News
 
"When the Yankees opened camp in mid-February, Joe Girardi and his club had several questions to ponder over the course of six-plus weeks. With the Bombers slated to open their season three weeks from Sunday, what better time to see how those hot-button issues have developed halfway into spring training? 1) Joba or Phil ... or neither? Phil Hughes has to be considered the front-runner in the battle to be the No. 5 starter after two decent performances, as Girardi said this week that the stat line won't be the sole determining factor. If it was, then Sergio Mitre and Alfredo Aceves would be leaving both Hughes and Chamberlain in the dust with 11 combined scoreless innings. 2) Who's the left ..."
Yankees glad to have Javier Vazquez while waiting for Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes
Comment
March 12
New York Daily News
 
"We are just about at the midway point of spring training, and if there is one issue that has begun to crystallize for the Yankees, it is the inevitability of Joba Chamberlain heading back to the bullpen. After all the babying, all the Joba Rules, all the jockeying back and forth from starting to relieving, one thing hasn't seemed to change: Chamberlain has not been able to maintain that same high intensity level over the first five or six innings of a game as he has when called upon to retire five or six batters in the seventh or eighth. The Yankees, of course, are not about to admit the Great Joba Development has been a failure, but a yield of eight hits and 11 runs over 3-2/3 innings of ..."
Sources: Kevin Towers Joining Yankees
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March 11
AOL.com
 
"Kevin Towers, the former Padres general manager, is joining the Yankees as a special assistant to general manager Brian Cashman, according to two major league sources. Towers willl start with the Yankees next week in Tampa after being introduced on Tuesday. He'll scout amateurs and professionals. Also, he'll be a sounding board to Cashman, a longtime friend. The Yankees will pay him $50,000, according to a Padres official, and the Padres will pay Towers more than $1 million in remaining salary. Towers, who was unavailable for comment, has said he'd like to become a GM again. The Padres have reached the playoffs in five of their 41 seasons. Four of those berths came within the 14-season ..."
For Joba, Hughes, it's not about numbers
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March 11
The Journal News
 
"All throughout spring training, Joe Girardi has sworn that statistics won't be the determining factor in the Yankees' fifth-starter competition. There are so many other things that affect the end results, Girardi has said over and over, so many other things that the typical fan just wouldn't see. Take Wednesday, for example, when the two front-runners for the rotation spot both pitched against the Tigers. Joba Chamberlain started and was knocked around for six runs in 2Ÿ innings, the crescendo provided by a grand slam from Gerald Laird. To the average observer, Chamberlain was just flat-out bad, and Girardi didn't gloss over the fact that his 24-year-old wasn't sharp. What Girardi did say, ..."
A-Rod's attorneys working to set up meeting with investigators regarding Galea
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March 11
The Journal News
 
"Alex Rodriguez said Wednesday that his attorneys are in "healthy" discussions with federal authorities regarding a time for him to meet with investigators looking into tainted Canadian doctor Anthony Galea. In a short interview with reporters, Rodriguez said he anticipates knowing something about a date and time "sooner than later" but continued to maintain that he is not concerned about the situation. "We have a good, healthy attitude about this, so we're going to tackle it," Rodriguez said. "The key thing to remember is that this is an investigation about someone else. I'm here to cooperate." Rodriguez, who last spring admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs earlier in his career, ..."
Damon holds no grudge against Yankees
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March 11
The Journal News
 
"With Johnny Damon still unsigned late into the offseason, Alex Rodriguez suggested Damon try a tact that he had utilized during his own free agency. So, on A-Rod's advice, Damon made personal phone calls to Hal Steinbrenner and other Yankees officials, in an attempt to work out a deal to return. Unfortunately for Damon, he didn't have the same success that Rodriguez enjoyed. The Yankees were on a budget, he was told, and there wasn't room for them to give Damon the contract he thought he deserved. "We kept talking into January," Damon said. "Alex had me call all the people, give it one last shot. So I did. I thought we were making progress, but a lot of wasted time on the phone is what it ..."
Grand homecoming
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March 11
Bergen Record
 
"Greeted by a warm ovation by Tigers fans, Curtis Granderson (2-for-3) singled in his first at-bat and stole second in his first meeting against his old team. "I wasn't really sure what to expect [from the fans]," said Granderson, adding an RBI single and a tremendous over-the-shoulder catch at the track in deepest center field to rob Miguel Cabrera. "I was thankful [for the ovation]. I'm going to miss them." Center field prospect Austin Jackson, part of the package for Granderson, went 1-for-4, and is batting .471 this spring."
Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes struggle
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March 11
Bergen Record
 
"At this stage of camp, Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes haven't been harshly judged by the faulty execution of certain pitches. The Yankees want Chamberlain to work on pounding fastballs inside, and he paid for it Wednesday as Detroit's Gerald Laird crushed a grand slam to cap a six-run third inning. Later in the game, Hughes fell behind in the count by throwing two consecutive change-ups - a pitch he's determined to develop. If this were the regular season, Hughes might have followed with a cutter instead of the fastball that Ryan Raburn rocked over the left-field fence at Joker Marchant Stadium. But there's always a tinge of regret for any delivery that fails to meet its mark."
A Tiger in new (pin)stripes
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March 11
Detroit Free Press
 
"Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter weren't on the Yankees' traveling squad Wednesday for Curtis Granderson's first game against the Tigers. So Granderson lost one option for getting back to the Yankees' base. After a recent exhibition road game, he rode back with them to camp in Jeter's car. "At first glance, you think, 'Do I call home and tell my friends who I got a ride with?' " Granderson said. Granderson had his own day to call home about Wednesday. Granderson went 2-for-3 with a walk and made an excellent, retreating, run-saving catch in centerfield on Miguel Cabrera. He played 5 1/2 innings in the Yankees' 9-8 victory. When he came to bat to lead off the game, he received a nice ovation."
Curtis looks grand in center
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March 11
New York Post
 
"There are voices in the Tigers' organization who believe Curtis Granderson isn't a true center fielder. Try telling that to Miguel Cabrera. Granderson made a sensational back-to-the infield grab on Cabrera's long drive to center in the fourth inning of yesterday's 9-8 Yankees victory over the Tigers. "Things have to happen, you have to have somebody hit and then you have to go back," said Granderson, who went 2-for-3. "I got one today and I was able to haul it in.""
A-Rod reps discuss dubious doc
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March 11
New York Post
 
"Just because Alex Rodriguez's lawyer huddled with the Feds yesterday and he continues to believe the investigation is about Dr. Anthony Galea, that doesn't mean the fog surrounding his involvement with the Toronto doctor has lifted. After a week of saying there was nothing new, Rodriguez said yesterday his mouthpieces were talking to the Feds. "My attorneys are working with the authorities as we speak about scheduling issues," Rodriguez said before a morning workout at George M. Steinbrenner Field. "I intend to cooperate." After the workout Rodriguez said he hadn't been updated by his lawyers about a date or location. The Yankees are off on Monday. "We don't know if it's going to be up ..."
Hairs, Johnny — now a Tiger
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March 11
New York Post
 
"Johnny Damon did a round of hugs with former Yankees teammates yesterday by the batting cage at Joker Marchant Stadium. Asked later about it, he said, "Secretly, they all miss me." He then smiled and said, "Openly they all hate me." Damon still is the life of the baseball party, even though he is a Tiger. He signed a one-year deal for $8 million following his Yankees divorce. He was scratched from yesterday's game because of turf toe, but he said he could have played if this were a regular season game. He said he plans on playing at least 140 games, maybe 150. As for his split with the Yankees, he said, "I'm OK with it. I wish I could have walked away after four championships. I'm just ..."
Just say you stink, already
Comment
March 11
New York Post
 columnist Kevin Kernan
"The Yankees are throwing around excuses like Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes are throwing around gopher balls. You can make spring training work for you in any fashion you want, and right now the Yankees are in that Kum Ba Ya stage. That's fine, I get it, they don't want to rush to judgment in the Race for 5. I don't want to either. But it's time to start judging what's really going on here and not live in a pitching fantasy world. After an unimpressive first outing, Chamberlain collapsed in the third inning yesterday in a 9-8 win over the Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium. He surrendered six runs, the monster blow being a grand slam to Gerald Laird. Over 3 2/3 innings this spring, ..."
Chamberlain falls further behind in race for No. 5
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March 11
New York Post
 
"Joba Chamberlain says he knows the deal when it comes to the fifth starter's spot in Joe Girardi's rotation. Now he has to start pitching like it. "I understand what's at stake," Chamberlain said after getting spanked by the Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium yesterday in a 9-8 Yankees victory. "You got to get better. You can't worry about what [the competition] is doing. There is a sense of urgency but not a panic button." Chamberlain is correct: Two outings into spring training isn't time to panic. Chamberlain's body of work — since walking off a Texas mound with a shoulder problem on Aug. 4, 2008, that forced him to miss a month — has been pedestrian. In 42 games (31 starts), Chamberlain ..."
Granderson wows Yankees, former Tigers teammates with spectacular catch
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March 11
New York Daily News
 
"Former Tiger Curtis Granderson had two hits, made a great catch and received a warm ovation from Tigers fans during the Yanks' 9-8 exhibition victory over Detroit Wednesday. "I wasn't really sure what to expect," Granderson said. "It's spring training; they kind of cheer for everybody. I was thankful for it. I had a good time here." Granderson's 2-for-3 day snapped him out of a 1-for-12 skid to start the spring, but his running grab on Miguel Cabrera's deep fly to center seemed to please him the most."
Chamberlain can count himself out of New York Yankees rotation if decline continues
Comment
March 11
New York Daily News
 
"If you believe Joe Girardi, the race for the Yankees' fifth starter is just beginning. But if Joba Chamberlain keeps pitching the way he has in his first two outings, it could be over sooner rather than later. Chamberlain was roughed up for six runs in 2 1/3 innings, giving up all six in a messy third of the Yankees' 9-8 win over the Tigers. Chamberlain opened the game with two scoreless frames, but said he felt fatigued in the third, eventually giving up a grand slam to Gerald Laird to cap his second tough outing. Chamberlain was tagged for five runs in 1-1/3 innings on Friday against the Rays. "I gave up six runs, but there's a lot of things I did good and a lot of things I did wrong," ..."
ankees Curtis Granderson, Johnny Damon take trip down nostalgia road
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March 11
New York Daily News
 
"Kind of a bittersweet reunion day at Tigertown Wednesday with Curtis Granderson returning to the only spring home he had known over his first 10 years of professional ball and Johnny Damon , Austin Jackson and Phil Coke exchanging warm hugs with their former Yankee teammates. Here they were, all maintaining how truly happy they are in their new digs, but still privately wondering how and why it all came to this. For what it's worth, most of the fans in the Bronx and Detroit are probably wondering the same thing: Why would Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski trade away the 28-year-old Granderson, one of the most popular and productive players in Detroit, for a package of largely ..."
Johnny Damon made one final attempt to stay with New York Yankees on advice from Alex Rodriguez
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March 11
New York Daily News
 
"On the advice of Alex Rodriguez, Johnny Damon made a last-ditch effort to stay with the Yankees by placing a call to Hal Steinbrenner in January. Unlike A-Rod, however, Damon didn't get the answer he wanted, eventually signing a one-year, $8 million deal with the Tigers. "Alex had me call all the people, give it one last shot. So I did," Damon said. "I thought we were making progress, but a lot of wasted time on the phone is what it ended up being." Damon, 36, said he was "never going to beg for a deal," noting that he probably would have done so with the Red Sox in 2005 if that was his nature. "I always let the teams be on their own timetables," Damon said. "Maybe because I'm that way, I ..."
Before Yankees-Tigers, Old Teammates to See
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March 11
New York Times
 
"Curtis Granderson was jogging toward the Yankees' clubhouse after batting practice Wednesday when he felt a tug on his left arm. Johnny Damon wanted to say hi. "It threw me off," Granderson said. "I wasn't expecting him to be right there." They shook hands and shared a brief embrace, wishing each other well, before parting ways. They had other people to see. This nook of Joker Marchant Stadium, situated behind picnic tables and palm trees along the right-field line, served as the prime gathering spot for Granderson, Damon and the three other players - Marcus Thames, Austin Jackson and Phil Coke - who switched teams during the off-season to reunite with old friends and teammates."
Yankees star Alex Rodriguez says meeting with feds coming soon
Comment
March 10
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"As Alex Rodriguez briefed reporters on Wednesday morning about his upcoming interview with federal investigators, the cell phone sitting on the top shelf of his locker buzzed. "Is that them?" an observer asked. Rodriguez, who has maintained that he's at peace with the matter, let out a laugh. Not them. Still, he expects for his meeting with federal agents investigating a controversial doctor suspected of breaking anti-doping laws to take place soon. "I think sooner rather than later," said Rodriguez, whose attorneys have been working over the last few days to schedule a sit down. "I don't want to say exactly when but they're having healthy talks and we're going to address this." Rodriguez ..."
Nick Johnson homers twice
Comment
March 10
Bergen Record
 
"After sending hitting coach Kevin Long a text message apologizing for his "awful" 0-for-2 on Monday, Nick Johnson hit two home runs to right field in his two at-bats Tuesday. Having helped correct a flaw in his back foot, pivoting instead of collapsing, Johnson is able to handle inside pitches better. "I think there's a lot of damage he can do," Long said. "I know there's going to be more power…he should hit for a higher average." Johnson also said he was able to keep loose between at-bats. He missed four games after his back stiffened up Thursday. CC just so-so CC Sabathia complained of "terrible" location. "[I'm] still struggling with my delivery. It's going to take awhile," Sabathia ..."
Sabathia unhappy with start
Comment
March 10
The Journal News
 
"CC Sabathia tried to be realistic. He tried to have some perspective. It was only spring training, after all. These games don't even count. It didn't really work. Sabathia gave up five runs and seven hits in 2Ÿ innings against the Pirates on Tuesday, and afterward he was more than a little disappointed. "Everything was up — belt-high and above," he said. "It's pretty easy to hit when it's like that. I always say results don't matter until I give up eight runs in two innings to the Pirates." But wait, one writer said, you only gave up five runs. "It should have been eight," Sabathia replied. Joe Girardi said he wasn't concerned about Sabathia, who had a similarly bad outing against the ..."
Granderson excels as an educator, too
Comment
March 10
The Journal News
 
"It was the summer of 2006, and John Fuller was on the phone with Curtis Granderson. Fuller, who owns his own public relations company, was looking to find out what Granderson — his new client — was hoping to get out of their relationship, and he was surprised by what he heard. Most athletes talk to PR guys about more media opportunities. Or endorsements. Or, if they're cutting to the chase, more money. Granderson had a different focus. "I want to work with the schools in Detroit," Granderson told Fuller. "Can you get that done?" He was serious. Both of Granderson's parents were educators in the Chicago public schools system, and his sister is a professor at Jackson State University in ..."
Rangers obtain reliever from Yankees
Comment
March 10
Dallas Morning News
 
"The Rangers added another arm to their bullpen, acquiring right-hander Edwar Ramirez from the New York Yankees for cash considerations. The Yankees had designated Ramirez to clear a roster spot for Chan Ho Park. Ramirez, who turns 29 on March 28, split the 2009 season between Triple-A and the Yankees. With New York, he appeared in 20 games and was 0-0 with a 5.73 ERA."
Hal: no extensions, no exceptions
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March 10
New York Post
 
"Hal Steinbrenner stayed true to his nature, and contrary to his father's, yesterday when asked about the news that Alex Rodriguez had been treated by Dr. Anthony Galea, the Canadian doctor who has admitted administering human growth hormone. "There's nothing more to say than we said last week," Steinbrenner said. "We didn't know Alex was seeing this doctor, and we've been told he's going to cooperate with the authorities and answer some questions for them. And until that's done, there's nothing to add." Galea said on Monday that he had been visited by Rodriguez while the third baseman recovered from last year's hip surgery, but that he only prescribed anti-inflammatories. Steinbrenner was ..."
Yankees' Aceves becomes inside man
Comment
March 10
New York Post
 
"After being treated for a back problem in January, taking it slow at the start of camp and feeling stiffness in the area yesterday after pitching brilliantly Monday, Alfredo Aceves was told by Joe Girardi not to go outside. "He has had back issues from time to time," Girardi said. "He was a little stiff so I told him to stay inside. I told him to take it easy the day after he pitched. He did all his core work inside." Four scoreless and hitless innings against the Pirates on Monday in Bradenton put Aceves in the middle of the No. 5 starter derby, which continues today with favorites Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain against the Tigers in Lakeland."
CCen this before
Comment
March 10
New York Post
 columnist Kevin Kernan
"Perhaps CC stands for carbon copy. In his second start last spring, CC Sabathia was hammered all over Joker Marchant Stadium in a 7-4 loss to the Tigers, surrendering five runs on six hits over 12/3 innings. History repeated itself yesterday when Sabathia was crushed again, surrendering five runs on seven hits, including a home run and three doubles over 21/3 innings in a 12-7 loss to the Pirates at Steinbrenner Field in his second spring training start. "I was terrible," Sabathia said. That's not the worst part. The worst part is that he was expecting a call from his mother, Margie, wanting to know why he pitched so poorly. "My mom will be all over me. She worries, she's always like ..."
CC Sabathia struggles as New York Yankees lose to Pittsburgh Pirates, 12-7
Comment
March 10
New York Daily News
 
"A year ago, CC Sabathia gave up five runs against the Tigers in the second inning of his second spring start, prompting the typical questions that seem to accompany every high-profile, big-money free agent who signs with the Yankees. Can he handle New York? Will the Yankees regret giving him so much money? Is the pressure getting to him already? Sabathia wasn't worried. His mother, Margie, on the other hand, was slightly alarmed. "She just thinks that every time I get two strikes on a guy he should be struck out," Sabathia said, only half-joking. Margie couldn't have liked what she saw Tuesday, as the Pirates knocked Sabathia around for four runs in the first inning before he recorded an ..."
Francisco Cervelli returns to Yankees, ready to play again after concussion
Comment
March 10
New York Daily News
 
"Francisco Cervelli was back in the Yankees clubhouse Tuesday, ready to resume physical activity after suffering a concussion over the weekend. Cervelli saw a neurologist on Monday, passing all the necessary tests. He'll catch a bullpen session Tuesday and take some batting practice, then increase his activity Wednesday. He's expected to return to game action on Friday. "It's not dizzy or a headache, I just feel like there's not a lot of energy," Cervelli said. "It's better than yesterday, so I think tomorrow I'll be 100 percent.""
Yankees unleash Nick Johnson's hitting power
Comment
March 10
New York Daily News
 
"The issue with Nick Johnson is always going to be staying out of the trainers' room, as we were reminded last week with that early back strain. As such his two home runs yesterday don't make him any less of a gamble for the Yankees, for GM Brian Cashman. But they sure did make you sit up and take notice. Twice he hammered the ball over the right-field wall in no-doubt-about-it fashion, and even if Pirates righthander Charlie Morton isn't exactly Roy Halladay, you couldn't help thinking: That didn't look like Nick Johnson. As a lefthanded hitter he's always had a lot more Tony Gwynn in him than Ken Griffey Jr. He's not exactly a slap hitter, but Johnson has made a career of hitting the ball ..."
Mark Newman, New York Yankees senior vice president of baseball operations, arrested for DUI
Comment
March 10
New York Daily News
 
"Mark Newman, the Yankees' senior vice president of baseball operations, was arrested here Monday night, charged with driving under the influence. According to police records, Newman refused to take a blood-alcohol test. He was released after several hours on $500 bail, The Associated Press reported."
Yankees set to see Johnny Damon and Detroit Tigers
Comment
March 10
New York Daily News
 
"Spring training games rarely have intriguing story lines, but when the Yankees travel to Lakeland Wednesday to face the Tigers, there will be no shortage of things to watch. In case you forgot, Johnny Damon plays for the Tigers, so he'll see some of his former teammates for the first time since signing with Detroit. And Curtis Granderson is on the travel roster for this trip, marking his first appearance against his old team. Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain will make their second appearances of the spring, trying to match the recent performances of Sergio Mitre and Alfredo Aceves in the race for the No. 5 starter spot."
Rangers obtain reliever from Yankees
Comment
March 10
Dallas Morning News
 
"The Rangers added another arm to their bullpen, acquiring right-hander Edwar Ramirez from the New York Yankees for cash considerations. The Yankees had designated Ramirez to clear a roster spot for Chan Ho Park. Ramirez, who turns 29 on March 28, split the 2009 season between Triple-A and the Yankees. With New York, he appeared in 20 games and was 0-0 with a 5.73 ERA."
Yankees VP charged with DUI
Comment
March 10
New York Post
 
"Mark Newman, a Yankees senior vice president in charge of the minor leagues, was charged with a DUI late Monday night. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Web site, the 60-year-old Newman was arrested at 10:56 p.m. on northbound Dale Mabry Highway in Tampa. Newman, who has been with the organization for 22 seasons, was released after posting a $500 cash bond."
Hal Steinbrenner: No contract extensions, no exceptions
Comment
March 9
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Yankees managing partner Hal Steinbrenner on Tuesday publicly stated his franchise's stance on contract extensions: it's not personal, it's business, no exceptions. Speaking with reporters in New York, Steinbrenner reiterated the team's standing policy of not talking contract extensions in-season, even as future Hall of Famers Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera enter the 2010 season in the final years of their deals. Manager Joe Giradi, who guided the team to its first world championship in nine years, shares the same boat. "People just have to understand that everybody does business in a different way and I just don't believe in contract extensions," Steinbrenner said. "And that's throughout ..."
Yankee Stadium to host Pinstripe Bowl
Comment
March 9
MLB.com
 
"In its first year of existence, Yankee Stadium hosted the gamut of "firsts": first regular-season game, first playoff game, first World Series. Now, the Yankees' home will experience a new first, of the non-baseball variety, a college football bowl game. Yankee Stadium will play host to the inaugural New Era Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 30, 2010, the Yankees announced at a news conference on Tuesday morning, held in conjunction with the Big 12 Conference, the Big East Conference, ESPN and New Era. "We're very excited to be hosting the Pinstripe Bowl," Yankees managing partner Hal Steinbrenner said. "Two great football conferences, the Big 12 and the Big East. ... We all know the old tradition ..."
Nick Johnson returns
Comment
March 9
Bergen Record
 
"After missing four games because of a stiff lower back, Nick Johnson (0-for-2, walk) returned to the lineup in the Yankees' 7-5 win over the Phillies. "No grab, no nothing," said Johnson, who flied out twice as the designated hitter. "I've just got to keep doing the exercises I've been doing [to] stay loose." Last Thursday, Johnson caught a spike on artificial turf during batting practice, tweaking his back. Given his elaborate injury history, "Anytime he gets hurt … red flags go up," said manager Joe Girardi."
A few weeks in, Javier Vazquez already senses different vibe about NY Yankees
Comment
March 9
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Whether Yankees pitcher Javier Vazquez succeeds in his second stint in the Bronx will hinge on too many factors to count. But after only a few weeks back in the Yankees clubhouse, the right-hander who will be key to providing depth to the Yankees starting rotation, can already sense one important element going in his favor, and it's one that didn't exist in 2004. "I think it's a better atmosphere here than the first time I was here," Vazquez said on Monday, after he looked sharp in his first Grapefruit League start of the spring. "It feels different." For the Yankees, who over the last two seasons have paid attention to clubhouse chemistry when acquiring new talent, it's an early ..."
Nick Johnson makes painless return to NY Yankees lineup
Comment
March 9
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"The first Nick Johnson Injury Crisis of 2010 ended with little fanfare on Monday afternoon when the Yankees' designated hitter went 0-for-2 with a walk in his team's 7-5 victory against the Phillies. "Things felt fine," said Johnson, who battled stiffness in his lower back. "No grabs. No nothing. I loosened up before. Felt nothing." Johnson said he's dealt with the issue by sticking to exercises designed to keep his muscles loose, especially between at-bats. On Monday, he rode the exercise bike and threw medicine balls to stay limber. Because Joe Girardi wants Johnson to develop a between at-bats routine -- important for those who have had success playing as full-time designated hitters -- ..."
Rivera throws batting practice
Comment
March 9
The Journal News
 
"Mariano Rivera works at his own pace. The Yankees closer has been through enough spring trainings — this is his 16th as a big-leaguer — to know just how much work he needs and just how many pitches he must throw to be ready in time for Opening Day. While most other healthy pitchers are into games by now, Rivera continued his deliberate preparation on Monday, throwing live batting practice to hitters for the first time this spring. Rivera worked on a back field before the Yankees faced the Phillies, and threw 34 pitches from behind a protective screen. He described facing hitters as "delicious," adding that "it was great." The Yankees tentatively have Rivera scheduled to throw again on ..."
Vazquez returns to Yanks a different pitcher
Comment
March 9
The Journal News
 
"It wasn't exactly the symmetry that Javier Vazquez was looking for on Monday, but his latest first pitch in a Yankees uniform looked a lot like his last first pitch in one. Six years after surrendering a first-pitch grand slam to right field to none other than Johnny Damon during Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS, Vazquez returned to game action with the Yankees by watching Jimmy Rollins hit his opening offering over the right-field fence, too. This time, of course, the reaction was a little different. Instead of being crushed, Vazquez could only shake his head and smile before getting a new ball and going back to work as he prepares for his second tour in the Bronx. After watching Rollins round the ..."
Yankees impressed with Kendrick's stuff
Comment
March 9
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"At least one Yankee was impressed with what he saw out of Kyle Kendrick during the Phillies' 7-5 loss yesterday at George M. Steinbrenner Field. After Jorge Posada sent a weak grounder to first base on a first-inning changeup, the veteran turned to fellow catcher Carlos Ruiz and complimented the offspeed stuff he saw coming from the mound. If the exchange between Posada and Ruiz wasn't evidence enough of Kendrick's improvement from a year ago, the three scoreless innings he tossed certainly were. The young righthander, who has a chance of making the Opening Day roster either as a starter or a long reliever, retired nine of the 10 Yankees he faced, six of them on offspeed pitches. In ..."
Alex's close again with old pal Jeter
Comment
March 9
New York Post
 columnist Kevin Kernan
"The bond of winning a championship together has created a tighter bond between Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter. They drove here together yesterday from Tampa for the Yankees' split-squad 6-0 win over the Pirates. And they left together. Before the game they played catch and long toss together, ran together in the outfield and even walked into the clubhouse together along the right-field line at 12:01 after they were done with their early work while a group of Yankees were still taking batting practice. "They've definitely grown closer," one Yankee official told me. They are laughing and joking together more, and during Sunday's workout in Tampa they spent a lot of time talking in short ..."
New attitude at Vaz's locker
Comment
March 9
New York Post
 
"Much has been made of how CC Sabathia altered the culture of the Yankees' clubhouse with his outgoing personality and by treating everybody with respect. So you can imagine the difference Javier Vazquez sees in the room from his first trip through The Bronx in 2004. Two lockers to Vazquez's left is Sabathia's. Six years ago, the irascible Kevin Brown and the darkness that followed him was to Vazquez's right. "It's a better atmosphere from the first time," Vazquez said yesterday after he worked two innings in his spring debut against the Phillies at George M. Steinbrenner Field, where he gave up one run, one hit (a leadoff homer to Jimmy Rollins) and fanned four in the Yankees' 7-5 victory. ..."