The New York Yankees split the split squad games yesterday. They won the home game against the Baltimore Orioles by the score of 5-3 and lost the road game in Lakeland against the Detroit Tigers by the score of 6-2. Javier Vazquez started the home game and looked pretty good. He gave up a 2 run homerun but other then that was pretty sharp. He pitched 3 innings giving up 4 hits and 2 runs. He also had a walk and a couple of strikeouts. The hitting star of the game was Jorge Posada who had 3 hits and 2 rbi. Here is how the rest of the team did. Alfredo Aceves continued his strong pitching with 4 innings of work. He gave up 3 hits, the only run was a solo homerun. He didn't walk a batter and struck out one. I would say at this point he is in the lead for the 5th starters spot although I don't think he will get it. I think he will end up in the bullpen where he was last season. Royce Ring pitched a scorless inning giving up a hit and Dave Robertson struck out the side, giving up a hit in his one inning of work. The offense saw Nick Johnson continue his hot hitting by going 2-3 with a rbi. Brett Gardner who was leading off, had a hit and a walk. Robinson Cano had a couple of hits and a rbi, Curtis Granderson had a hit and Brandon Laird had a couple of hits. Jesus Montero is a hitting machine, he had a single in the 9th but it didn't count because it was just a extra half inning that didn't have to be played. They only played it to give the Orioles pitcher more work. In the road game Chad Gaudin got the start and wasn't very good, Sergio Mitre finally got hit around a little also. Gaudin pitched 3 innings giving up 5 hits and 3 runs with 1 walk and a strikeout. Mitre pitched 4 innings giving up 5 hits and 3 runs. He allowed a walk and 3 strikeouts. Boone Logan pitched another perfect inning. If the Yankees are thinking of carrying a second lefty he would have to be in the lead at this point. He has not given up a run all spring. Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira each had a couple of hits but the best thing to see was Francisco Cervelli getting 2 hits in his return from a concussion. Nick Swisher had a hit and Alex Rodriguez had a hit and rbi. Austin Romine and Jaime Hoffman each had a hit. I know this is posting the day after but my cable and internet have been out since yesterday evening and I still don't have it back. I am borrowing a computer.

New York Yankees Reserves for Todays Games

The Yankees home game will be televised by the YES network at 1:00PM. Here are some of the guys to watch coming off of the bench in the home game. Jesus Montero-The Yankees top prospect, this kid can really hit. Reegie Corona-He is a natural SS but will play 2B today. Colin Curtis-He has been having a good spring. He will be in the AAA Scranton outfield this season. The Pitchers that are available out of the pen are Royce Ring, Kei Igawa,Alfredo Aceves,Dave Robertson,Wilkens Arias and Jeremy Bleich. Here are the guys coming off the bench in the road game. Austin Romine-He is the other top catcher behind Jesus Montero, he is a very good hitter also but a little better defensively. He isn't as good of a hitter and doesn't have as much power as Montero. Kevin Russo-I mentioned him in my other post as a possible utility guy,he has been having a good spring also. The Pitchers out of the bullpen are Sergio Mitre, Boone Logan,Grant Duff,Amaury Sanit and Zach Segovia. Enjoy the game everyone as it is a horrible day here in the NY area, it is a good day to sit on the couch and watch some Yankees baseball. I have gotten my notes from the press notes, same goes with the lineups. If you want more in detail information please checkout the great Lohud Yankees Blog. Chad Jennings does a great job with it and it can be accessed at http://yankees.lhblogs.com.

Grapefruit League Game 10 and 11-Yankees at Detroit and Orioles at Yankees

The New York Yankees are playing split squad games today. They have been rained out 2 days in a row and this is what they decided to do. The Yankees brought some of the minor leaguers up today just in case although one is scheduled to play. Edwar Gonzalez is scheduled to play. Here are a few quick notes and then I will have the lineups and reserve players for today.

• Kevin Russo will get to play shortstop today, he is trying to make a run at the major league utility job. I am still betting on Ramiro Pena getting that job but you never know what could happen.
• A.J. Burnett, Mark Melancon and Phil Hughes are each scheduled to throw side sessions today.
• Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher will all go on back to back roadtrips. They are going to Lakeland today and Bradenton tomorrow.

Yankees Lineup(Home Game)

Gardner(CF)

Johnson(DH)

Posada(C)

Cano(2B)

Granderson(LF)

Winn(RF)

Miranda(1B)

Laird(3B)

Pena(SS)

Yanks Lineup(Road Game)

Jeter(SS)

Swisher(RF)

Teixeira(1B)

Rodriguez(3B)

Thames(LF)

Cervelli(C)

Hoffman(CF)

Winfree(DH)

Nunez(2B)

Chad Gaudin will start this game and Javier Vazquez starts the home game.

Mets and Yankees Rained out

The New York Yankees were rained out for a second straight day and the New York Mets were also rained out today. There was no news out of Mets camp but Jose Reyes is still a big topic. Everyone is weighing in if this was because of HGH or not and about the Mets just having bad luck and being a poorly run organization. What do you guys think of the Reyes situation??

• The Yankees after 2 rain outs in a row are going to play split squad games tomorrow. Javier Vazquez will start at home against Baltimore and Alfredo Aceves,Dave Robertson and Royce Ring will pitch in relief of him. Chad Gaudin is going to pitch the road game against the Pirates and Sergio Mitre and Boone Logan are also scheduled to pitch. Zach Segovia and Amaury Sanit will also make the trip.

• Here are some quotes about Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. Pitching coach Dave Eiland said "We're looking for certain things, regardless of what day they pitch,whether they pitch the same day or not." He said it isn't just about the numbers, it is the quality of the pitch. It is working ahead in the count, first pitch strikes, command, stuff, how economical are they?? Are there long at bats? Are the balls hard hit? He said you can go out and pitch a few innings with lasers being hit all over the field but give up no hits or runs, that doesn't mean you made good pitches though.

• Here are the position players making the trip tomorrow: Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira,Kevin Russo, Eduardo Nunez,Jorge Vazquez,Nick Swisher,Marcus Thames,Reid Gorecki,Jaime Hoffman,David Winfree,Francisco Cervelli,Jose Gil,Mike Rivera and Austin Romine.

• Curtis Granderson was scheduled to make his first start in left today. Joe Girardi said he did not know if he will be in left tomorrow but knows he will be sharing the outfield with Brett Gardner.

• Cervelli said he felt "nothing" with his head after taking batting practice. He said "We will see tomorrow."

• CC Sabathia is still scheduled to start on Sunday. Mariano Rivera and Damaso Marte are making their spring debuts on Tuesday. Chan Ho Park will throw batting practice tomorrow and make his first appearance next week.

• The minor league games start on March 18th and Joe Girardi said that they will send some of the rotation candidates there to get some innings.

Yankees Rained Out Again

The New York Yankees were on there way to Viera, a long bus ride from Tampa. They got the call to turn back around because the game was called. They had to make adjustments as they have now been rained out 2 straight days. It has been quiet on the news front so far but here is what I know. Andy Pettitte threw a 3 inning simulated game, I know he faced Austin Romine but not sure of who else. He will not get into a game until Wednesday the 17th. Joe Girardi said "He's got four more starts, we will make sure he sees live people." Joba Chamberlain will pitch out of the bullpen behind Andy Pettitte on Wednesday. Phil Hughes will pitch in relief of A.J. Burnett on Tuesday. Joe Girardi was throwing batting practice to his son and one of his sons friends as Pettitte was throwing his simulated game about 30 feet over. I like the fact that Joe Girardi likes having the families and especially kids around, it makes for a more fun and loose clubhouse and I think that is a good thing for the Yankees. I think it helped them get where they did last year and it will continue to help them. It is very stressful with all the media and just being the Yankees.

Yanks Game Rained Out

The New York Yankees game tonight against the Atlanta Braves was rained out. There really wasn't any news coming out of Tampa. A.J. Burnett threw a simulated game indoors tonight to make up for him not being on the mound tonight. There were some changes in the travel roster for tomorrows game which is also weather permitting. Here are the changes in the travel roster for tomorrow: Dave Robertson, Royce Ring and Jonathan Albaladejo have been added. Wilkens Arias,D.J. Mitchell, Christian Garcian and Zach Segovia were taken off of the list. Mariano Rivera is scheduled to get in his first game next Tuesday. The Yankees will get a chance to see old friends Brian Bruney and Chien-Ming Wang tomorrow. Tonight was supposed to be the first of 6 night games this spring for the Yankees. That should be it for tonight, I will be back at it tomorrow hopefully. If the game tomorrow is called it will be early in the morning and I will have that info up. It stinks for the people who were supposed to go to the game because you can't make it up, it isn't like the regular season.

New York Mets lose to Boston Red Sox and start spinning the Reyes News

The New York Mets lost to the Boston Red Sox by the score of 8-2 today at Tradition Field. The more important thing is they once again are without their starting SS for who knows how long. The Mets originally said earlier today that he would be out 28 weeks and his rest will be starting now. They have now said this afternoon that his rest actually started last week. Here we go again, what is it because his agent said he was working out on Monday and Tuesday of this week and they backed that up earlier today but are now backtracking. This is typical Mets, they can't get their stories straight, especially when it has to do with an injury or illness. I don't know what can be done to prevent this, they claimed they were going to better this year with their focus on prevention and recovery. The Mets are already without Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran for at least a month, I am guessing 2 months. I don't think you will see them together until June. Alex Cora is a nice guy and a good backup to have, but he is not a starter, and they will be hurt significantly by this. I wish Jose Reyes the best and hope he gets back on the field soon just because he is a exciting player to watch and the Mets will be better with him on the field. Here is the recap of the game, Mike Pelfrey got the start and pitched 3 innings giving up 3 runs on 4 hits. He did strike out 4 and showed no lingering effects from getting hit on the knee his last start. Tobi Stoner, Pedro Feliciano and Elmer Dessens each pitched a scorless inning. Ryota Igarashi didn't pitch so good, he faced 6 batters in a inning and gave up 2 runs on 3 hits. In the battle for a bench role, Frank Catalanotto was 0-3, he is now batting 125 this spring. Mike Jacobs hit a homerun. I think Jacobs is a guy who will make the team, he has good power off of the bench and can play first base. He actually finished with 2 hits, Alex Cora was 1-1. Chris Coste went 1-2. The Mets will play the Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers tomorrow afternoon at 1:00PM.

Grapefruit League Game 10-Atlanta Braves At Yankees(Weather Permitting)

It is a gray dreary day down in Tampa, there is rain in the forecast. It looks like they will get this game in though. Derek Jeter was in the original starting lineup but was scratched due to flu like symptoms. The Yankees told him to go home so as that he wouldn't pass it on to anyone else. He wasn't going to make the long roadtrip tomorrow so he will have 2 days off. Joe Girardi said he should have him playing in a game on Saturday. Here is the lineup for tonights game and then a couple of quick notes. Yankees Lineup: Winn(DH) Swisher(RF) Teixeira(1B) Rodriguez(3B) Posada(C) Thames(LF) Hoffman(CF) Pena(SS) Corona(2B) The Yankees are scheduled to play the Nationals in Viera which is a long ride, the bus is supposed to leave at 7:45AM but they are calling for bad weather tomorrow. Joe Girardi said that the Nationals are going to call them at 7:30AM if the game is called for tomorrow so they don't have to make the long trip. Here is who is scheduled to go on the trip. Pitchers:Andy Pettitte,Christian Garcia,Boone Logan,Sergio Mitre, D.J. Mitchell,Zach Segovia. Catchers:Francisco Cervelli, Jose Gil, Jesus Montero, P.J. Pilittere,Mike Rivera Infielders:Robinson Cano,Reegie Corona,Nick Johnson,Brandon Laird,Juan Miranda,Eduardo Nunez,Ramiro Pena,Kevin Russo and Jorge Vazquez. Outfielders:Brett Gardner, Colin Curtis,Gorecki, Curtis Granderson,Jaime Hoffman,Jon Weber,David Winfree and Randy Winn. Joe Girardi also announced that he has encouraged Francisco Cervelli to use the helmet with the extra padding. It was the helmet that David Wright was wearing when everyone made fun of him for looking like the Great Mazoo. The thing is I don't care what you look like if you have had head injuries you want to protect yourself as best as you can. There is Joe Girardi audi up at the Lohud Yankees Blog from Sam Borden. Here is the audio. Enjoy the game, it is at 7:00PM on the YES network. I will be back in a little bit with a official game post.

New York Mets Conference Call regarding Jose Reyes

The New York Mets held a conference call at 12:30PM this afternoon regarding Jose Reyes. Omar Minaya was on that call. Here is some of what was said courtesy of Matthew Cerrone of Mets Blog. The Mets issued a statement today to update Jose Reyes condition. The statement said that Jose Reyes does have hypothyroidism. Jose Reyes and his representatives have been informed of the results by the Mets physicians. The current treatment plan is calling for rest, dietary changes, and refraining from athletic activities which is the big one. Doctors will monitor Reyes thyroid levels through blood tests and he will be able to resume baseball activities once they are stabilized. Peter Greenberg who is Jose Reyes agent was also on the conference call. Omar Minaya stated he did not know when the thyroid levels will go back to normal and he has no specific timefram. Peter Greenberg said that he views the diagnosis as good news. He said that Reyes is disappointed that he will be out weeks as opposed to days. Minaya stressed that there is no medication to treat Reyes ailment. Greenberg said that it will likely take 2-8 weeks for levels to stabalize but that the doctors said this is the best possible diagnosis because it is a very treatable illness. Minaya said that when Reyes does return he has to be built up again, as far as running and those type of things. He said this is why he went out and signed Alex Cora this offseason. Reyes will stay at home in New York while he recovers and will see the doctors next week. Greenberg said that Reyes did exercise on Monday and Tuesday but has since learned that he needs to shut it down completely. He will "just watch a lot of movies with his family" for now. Minaya admitted that the reality is that he may miss the start of the season and although he won't say that he will start on the DL for sure the Mets are preparing for that. I can only say that I can't believe this just keeps happening, it is like a circus. I hope that they have everything right now and he will be back sooner then later. I have a feeling though this will turn out to be like a 2 or 3 month thing and you wont see Reyes to at least June either. I will have more on this later on.

Grapefruit League Game 11-Boston Red Sox at New York Mets

Here are the lineups for todays game that actually just started, I am a little late with it. The game is at Tradition Field and on SNY. The big story of the day though is once again the Mets having problems with injury or illness. Jose Reyes it turns out does have hypothyroidism, I will get into that later as they held a conference call, Omar Minaya did more specifically. Mets Lineup: Angel Pagan(CF) Luis Castillo(2B) David Wright(3B) Mike Jacobs(1B) Jason Bay(LF) Frank Catalanotto(DH) Jeff Francoeur(RF) Alex Cora(SS) Chris Coste(C) Red Sox Lineup: Marco Scutaro(SS) Dustin Pedroia(2B) Victor Martinez(C) David Ortiz(DH) JD Drew(RF) Mike Cameron(CF) Jeremy Hermida(LF) Jed Lowrie(3B) Lars Anderson(1B) John Lackey is starting for the Red Sox and for the Mets Mike Pelfrey followed by Pedro Feliciano,Tobi Stoner, Travis Blackley,Ryota Igarashi, Elmer Dessens and Bobby Livingston.

Mets get good News for once even though they lose game

The New York Mets lost to the Atlanta Braves today by the score of 7-6 in 10 innings. The story of the day though was that Jose Reyes appears to be ok and should be back soon. He does not have hypothyroidism according to the Mets and him. He had it temporary for whatever reason but that it isn't a permanent condition. I hope that the Mets didn't screw this one up and everything is ok and he will be back and playing for good. The Mets can't afford to be without him this season. Jon Niese got the start and pitched 2 innings giving up 3 hits and 3 walks with 2 strikeouts. Fernando Nieve pitched 3 innings giving up 4 hits and 3 runs with 2 walks. Bobby Parnell pitched a perfect inning with 2 strikeouts. Nelson Figueroa pitched 2 scorless innings giving up a hit and he had a strikeout. Eric Niessen closed out the pitching with 1 2/3 innings of 1 hit, 1 run ball with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. Daniel Murphy was 2-5 today, Chris Carter was 2-3 with 4 rbi after having 2 homeruns in the same inning the other day. Russ Adams was 2-4 with a walk and rbi and Omir Santos was 1-4. The New York Mets will host the Boston Red Sox tomorrow afternoon at 1:10PM.

Some postgame Yankees Notes

Sam Borden had a interesting post on Joba and Phil Hughes on the Lohud Yankees Blog. If you haven't seen it check it out at http://yankees.lhblogs.com/. He is saying the reason you shouldn't get hung up in spring stats which I for the most part don't do is because there are things you don't know. Joba Chamberlain for instance has been told to work inside this spring so in that bad inning that is all he was doing no matter the results and Phil Hughes has been told work on your changeup and that is what he was doing when he gave up a homerun today. The point is if you say this guy did this and this one did that it doesn't really mean anything because in the season they wouldn't be doing the same thing. The most important thing is for them to stay healthy and get their arm stength up. The Yankees know what they are doing and are going to determine who they feel is the best 5th starter and who belongs in the bullpen. I know there will always be debate but the Yankees are looking at certain things and it isn't just the stats, I have a hunch they want Hughes to be the 5th starter and they know Joba will be good in the 8th inning role and future closer. I think this is how it will wind up and Aceves will fill the role he did last season with Mitre or Gaudin as the longman and the other getting traded or released. There is also audo of both Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes on the Lohud Yankees blog. I forgot to mention this earlier but the Yankees announced yesterday that they will have a Bowl Game at Yankee Stadium. The game will be held on December 30, 2010 and broadcast on ESPN. It will be called the New Era Pinstriped Bowl. Joe Girardi mentioned this morning that today will be the last tune up start, after today he will really start juding the pitchers for the 5th starter spot. Joe Girardi has been using a lot of different lineups over the past few days and said sometime towards the end of spring training he would want his regular lineup together for an extended period of time. March 16th is the day after an off day and Girardi said he will have all his regulars playing. That is supposed to be Mariano Riveras first appearance also of the spring. Andy Pettitte, Javier Vazquez, Damaso Marte and Mariano Rivera all threw in the bullpen today. They stayed behind in Tampa and didn't make the trip. Cervelli caught Pettitte and Alfredo Aceves and I haven't heard otherwise so I am sure it went well and that he should be ready to catch in a game on Friday. Jesus Montero caught Javier Vazquez and Chad Gaudin.

Joba not good, Phil Hughes appears to be in the lead

The New York Yankees defeated the Detroit Tigers today in Lakeland. Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes both pitched renewing the 5th starter battle. Joba was not very good giving up 5 hits and 6 runs in 2 1/3. He breezed through the first 2 innings and then ran into trouble in the 3rd. He gave up 4 consecutive hits and a grand slam. He also had 3 walks and a strikeout. Phil Hughes came out of the bullpen and pitched pretty well. He gave up 1 run and 3 hits in 2 2/3 innings with 0 walks and 2 strikeouts. I think the Yankees want Hughes to be the 5th starter and Joba to be in the pen and so far Hughes hasn't done anything to not win the 5th starter job. The interesting thing to me is that Sergio Mitre and Alfredo Aceves are pitching the best, I do think they could also both end up in the pen with Gaudin getting traded but we will see what happens. Jason Hirsh is a darkhorse but he threw another perfect inning today with 2 strikeouts. He has made several appearances without giving up a run and has a bunch of strikouts this spring. Andrew Brackman pitched a inning giving up 2 hits and a run with a strikeout. Grant Duff got the win pitching a scorless inning and giving up a hit. Ryan Pope got the save pitching one inning and giving up a hit but he had 2 strikeouts. Mark Teixeira had a homerun today, his first of the spring. He finished the day with 2 hits, a rbi and walk. Curtis Granderson has started to get his bat going the last couple of days. He was 2-3 with a walk and rbi in his first appearance against his old team. Johnny Damon did not play for the Tigers as he sat out with turf toe. Greg Golson was 1-2 with 2 rbi, Colin Curtis was 1-2 with a rbi. Jaime Hoffman was 1-2 and Brett Gardner was 1-2 with a walk. David Winfree was 2-2 with a rbi and Mike Rivera was 1-3 with a rbi. Jorge Vazquez was 1-2 with 2 rbi and Reegie Corona was 2-2. The Yankees will take on the Atlanta Braves tomorrow night under the lights in Tampa. A.J. Burnett will get the start against Jair Jurrjens.

Grapefruit League Game 9-Yankees at Tigers

The New York Yankees are traveling to Lakeland today to play the Detroit Tigers. Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes will both be pitching tomorrow. Here are some morning notes and the Yankees lineup. Alex Rodriguez had a update on his situation with meeting with the federal investigators. Here is what he said "They're working to schedule something that allows me to cooperate, and get my work in." Alex Rodriguez would prefer for the meeting to take place in Tampa and the Yankees have a off day on Monday so that should work but we will see. A-rod said he is looking forward to hearing from his lawyers sooner then later and is looking forward to getting this behind him. He said "I think the key thing to remember about this, it is a investigation about someone else. I don't really focus on that, I am focused on our team and Boston on Opening Day." He also added that his hip feels good and that he is not trying to overdo it this spring. He will have to see surgeon Mark Philippon and take some picture of the hip at some point in the future. He doesn't think that will happen until the All Star break or at some point when the Yankees are out west. Yankees Lineup: Granderson(CF) Johnson(DH) Teixeira(1B) Cano(2B) Thames(RF) Gardner(LF) Rivera(C) Vazquez(3B) Pena(SS) I will have some more later on from Joe Girardi this morning. The game is not televised but I will have a recap and any other notes later on today also so check back for all the action taking place today in Yankees Land.

Still awaiting outcome with Jose Reyes as Mets lose

The New York Mets lost to the Houston Astros at Tradition Field today by the score of 8-4. Johan Santana got the start and went 1 2/3 innings giving up 6 hits and 4 runs. He walked one, his problem was being up in the zone, his velocity was ok. I wouldn't worry about a guy like him, much like CC with the Yankees they have rough outings in the spring and there is no reason to panic, these guys know what they are doing and know what they have to do to be ready for the season. Clint Everts, Travis Blackley, Elmer Dessens and Sean Green each pitched perfect innings. Johan Santana had this to say courtesy of Matthew Cerrone on his metsblog.com "I was a little bit off with my mechanics, releasing the ball. The good thing is I felt good." Adam Rubin has a blog at the Daily News and he has more quotes from Johan. Offensively Ike Davis continued to tear it up with a solo homerun and Gary Matthews Jr. who is hitting 429 this spring had 3 hits and scored a couple of runs. I guess he was serious when he said he could be the leadoff guy. It is still early and I personally still think that Reyes should be the leadoff guy but if and when he comes back the Mets seem comitted to him in the 3 hole. I guess if that is the case Matthews is the leader for leadoff right now. The New York Mets will travel to Disney World to take on the Atlanta Braves at 1:00PM tomorrow.

CC has rough Day

The New York Yankees lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates by the score of 12-7 this afternoon in Tampa. CC Sabathia got the start for the Yankees and he was not sharp at all. He pitched 2 1/3 innings giving up 7 hits, 5 runs and 1 walk with 2 strikeouts. Royce Ring pitched a perfect inning with a strikeout and Romulo Sanchez pitched 1 1/3 shutout innings giving up a walk and he had 2 strikeouts. Boone Logan had been pitching exceptionally well until today. He gave up 2 hits and 2 runs in 1 1/3 innings. He also had a walk and a strikeout. Hector Noesi who is a minor league prospect got hit hard giving up 3 hits and 4 runs, 3 of them were earned in 1 inning. Nick Johnson led the offensive attack with a pair of homeruns, maybe he is settling into that DH role. I think if he can stay healthy he is going to have a good year. He is a on base machine and I think he will try to pull the ball more and will hit more homeruns. I can see him hitting 25 homeruns this year. Jon Weber was 2-3 with 2 rbi. He is a guy I had never even heard of until the Yankees picked him up and he is having a unbelievable spring hitting over 700. He has basically no chance of making the Yankees but maybe someone else will want him and make a trade or he will provide good depth in the minor leagues. Jorge Posada went 2-2 with a rbi and a walk. Curtis Granderson was 1-3 and Nick Swisher was 1-2 with a rbi. Swisher leads the team in rbi. He also had a walk. The Yankees are now 3-5 in the exhibition season. They will take on the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland. It will be a interesting day with Johnny Damon facing his old team the Yankees and Curtis Granderson facing his old team the Tigers. I am sure there will be interviews with Damon and Granderson, so I expect to have a lot tomorrow morning and afternoon.

Grapefruit League Game 8-Pittsburgh Pirates at New York Yankees

Here are a couple of quick notes and the Yankees lineup for todays game at 1:00PM. It will be televised on the YES network. A-rod said he feels at ease over the canadian doctor. He said he isn't talking because he has been told to keep quiet, but he basically was indicating he has done nothing wrong and it will all go away. I do believe in this case it is much to do about nothing but we will see what unfolds after he meets with the FBI. It really is at this point more if the Yankees will do anything to him at all for being treated by the doctor without their permission, if that is true. Francisco Cervelli was back today and said he felt pretty good. He joked about having a hard head, he has had 3 other concussions which at the age of 24 is pretty scary. The Yankees won't let him play a game until at least friday to be cautious. He is determined to play on Friday so I am sure he will do that. There is audio up on the Lohud Yankees Blog http://yankees.lhblogs.com/ Have a listen to Francisco, the Cisco Kid. Yankees Lineup: Jeter(SS) Johnson(DH) Posada(C) Rodriguez(3B) Granderson(CF) Swisher(RF) Winn(LF) Miranda(1B) Russo(2B) CC Sabathia will make the start. I will probably have some more later on but it may not be to after the game.

New York Mets Recap

The New York Mets defeated the Florida Marlins in Jupiter by the score of 11-2 today. John Maine made his first start of the spring and went 2 2/3 innings giving up 1 run and 2 hits. He also struck out 4 and threw 21 of his 39 pitches for strikes. Jenrry Mejia was impressive again pitching 3 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits and striking out one. He threw 27 of 33 pitches for strikes. He really seems to be on the fast track but I hope the Mets don't rush him, the best thing to do is send him to the minors and if he pitches great down there for a couple of months and you need a guy in the majors then bring him up. R.A. Dickey pitched 2 1/3 innings giving up 2 hits with 1 walk and a strikeout, he did not allow a run. Ryota Igarashi pitched 1 inning giving up 2 hits and a run with a strikeout. Pedro Feliciano pitched a perfect inning with 2 strikeouts. The Mets offense was led by Chris Carter who had 2 ninth inning homeruns. Fernando Martinez was 2-5 with a rbi and Jason Bay was 1-3 with a rbi. Rod Barajas hit a solo homerun and Ike Davis continued his hot hitting going 2-3 with 2 rbi. He did have his second straight game with a error though. It looks like he will have to work on his defense but his hitting has been amazing. The Mets will take on the Astros tomorrow afternoon at 1 at Tradition Field. The game will be televised on SNY. If you want to read some quotes from John Maine check out Adam Rubin of the Daily News blog or go to http://metsblog.com and you can access it through there.

Yankees sweep split squad games

The New York Yankees played a split squad affair today and won both games. They took on the Philadelphia Phillies in Tampa and won by the score of 7-5. They defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton by the score of 6-0. The 5th starter battle is between 5 men Joe Girardi has promised even though most feel it is really only between Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain. If Joe Girardi is true to his word we got a real battle on our hands. Sergio Mitre pitched his second straight strong outing yesterday and now today Alfredo Aceves who was a intregal part of the bullpen last year was outstanding. He pitched 4 perfect innings with 3 strikeouts, that is his second straight strong outing. This was the game in Bradenton and here is how the rest of the pitchers fared. Ivan Nova pitched 2 innings giving up 1 hit and 1 walk with a strikeout. He didn't allow a run. Zach McAllister pitched 2 hitless, scorless innings with a walk and Jason Hirsh finished it out with a perfect inning. Hirsh is also pitching well and trying to make it as a longshot. It wasn,t that long ago that he was a top prospect. The offense had A-rod go 1-3 with 2 rbi,s and jon weber go 2-2 with 2 rbi. Eduardo Nunez was 2-2 with a rbi. He is a ss prospect who the Yankees are high on but of course Derek Jeter is in front of him. Greg Golson was 1-2 and Randy Winn was 1-3. Juan Miranda was 2-4 with a rbi. Before the Yankees signed Nick Johnson there was talk that he could be the DH, he has done nothing but hit in the minor leagues and he is probably too good for AAA anymore but who knows if he could hit in the majors. He is having a good spring so far so the Yankees will have their eye on him if Nick Johnson gets hurt or is ineffective. The game at home in Tampa was highlighted by Javier Vazquez, he gave up a leadoff homerun but that was it. He struck out 4 in 2 innings and really looked sharp after the leadoff batter. He featured pretty much everything, fastball, changeup and his curves. Jon Albaladejo bounced back in that he didn't give up a run in 1 inning but he did give up 3 hits. Dave Robertson had a rough outing, he pitched 2/3 of an inning giving up 3 hits, 2 runs and 2 walks. Amaury Sanit pitched 1 1/3 innings giving up 2 hits and 0 runs with 2 strikeouts. Christian Garcia pitched 2 innings giving up a hit, run and walk with 2 strikeouts. Zach Segovia and Kevin Whelan were the other pitchers who appeared in the game. Segovia went 1 1/3 innings giving up 3 hits and 1 run. Whelan faced 2 batters and got them both out with a strikeout. Offensively Jorge Posada was 1-2 with a walk, Robinson Cano was 2-2 with 2 rbi and a walk. Nick Swisher was 2-3 with 3 rbi. Kevin Russo was 2-3 with a walk. He has a chance to be the utility outfielder and is playing well since coming back from illness. I still think Ramiro Pena will make the team though. The Yankees will play the Pittsburgh Pirates tomorrow afternoon at 1:00PM on the Yes Network.

Grapefruit League Games 6 and 7(split squad)Yankees at Pirates and Phillies at Yankees

The New York Yankees will play 2 split squad games today. They will play at home against the Phillies and at the Pirates. There aren't too many notes yet this morning, Mariano Rivera and Damaso Marte did throw batting practice this morning. They each had no issues and will throw bullpens on Thursday. Mariano Rivera is now scheduled to get into a game on March 17th which is a 7PM home game against the Astros. Chan Ho Park was also supposed to throw today but he was out with what Joe Girardi called a sore glute. This invokes bad memories of Carl Pavano but we will see what happens. If the Yankees are really relying on Chan Ho Park they will be in trouble so I wouldn't worry about that so much. I should have information on Francisco Cervelli later on this afternoon or evening. Here are the 2 Yankee lineups for todays games. Yankees Lineup(Home vs Phillies) Gardner(CF) Johnson(DH) Teixeira(1B) Posada(C) Cano(2B) Swisher(RF) Thames(LF) Russo(3B) Pena(SS) Javier Vazquez makes his first start of the spring. He is scheduled to be followed by Mark Melancon, Royce Ring, and Dave Robertson. Yankees Lineup(Road vs Pirates) Jeter(SS) Granderson(CF) Winn(RF) Rodriguez(3B) Miranda(1B) Rivera(C) Hoffman(LF) Pilittere(DH) Corona(2B) Alfredo Aceves makes the start. He is scheduled to be followed by Jeremy Bleich, Zach McAllister, Grant Duff and Ivan Nova.

New York Mets Game Recap

The New York Mets defeated the Washington Nationals today in Port St. Lucie by the score of 6-5. Oliver Perez got the start and wasn't very good. He pitched 3 innings giving up 7 hits and 5 runs. He also had 1 walk and 2 strikeouts. Hisanori Takahashi made his debut and pitched brilliantly, he went 3 innings giving up a hit, 0 runs and had 6 strikeouts. Pat Misch finished off the game pitching 3 innings giving up 3 hits, 0 runs and had 3 strikeouts. Ike Davis continued his hot spring with 1 hit in 1 at bat. The offensive star was Omir Santos who hit a inside the park grand slam. The outfielder fell down and that was how a catcher could achieve that plus it is spring training. Luis Castillo had a hit and David Wright had a hit and rbi. Jason Bay was 0 for 2 with a walk. He still has not got his first hit and I am sure he wants to get that out of the way soon. Chris Coste had a hit and Alex Cora had a hit and rbi. The Mets will travel to Jupiter to play the Marlins tomorrow afternoon at 1:05PM. The only news coming out of today was that Mike Pelfrey had a X-ray of his knee and it was negative. The Mets need good injury news as they still are waiting for Francisco Rodriguez to come back from pinkeye and are hoping for the best with Jose Reyes. Reyes will find out Wednesday what is going on with him and hopefully be back on Thursday. Carlos Beltran of course is out with a knee injury to at least May.

New York Yankees Recap and postgame Notes

The New York Yankees were beat badly once again today. The final score was 11-0, Sergio Mitre got the start and pitched well going 3 innings giving up 2 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk and he had 3 strikeouts. Chad Gaudin pitched 2 innings giving up 3 hits and 3 runs with a walk and 2 strikeouts. The real Kei Igawa decided to show up, he gave up 4 hits and 5 runs in 1 inning of work. Ryan Pope pitched a perfect inning and D.J. Mitchell gave up 4 hits and 3 runs in 1 inning. The offense was pretty silent once again. Jesus Montero continued to make the most of his appearances going 1 for 1 with a double. He is hitting 667 so far in the spring. This guy really is the real deal, he can just flat out hit and that will carry him to the majors. The Yankees aren't going to be able to keep him down for too long. Robinson Cano was 2 for 3 being the only Yankee with a mulitple hit game. Brett Gardner had a bunt single, that is a good sign because he needs to do more of that and utilize his running game. Mark Teixeira and Marcus Thames each went 1 for 3, Ramiro Pena and Brandon Laird each went 1 for 2. There weren't many postgame notes from this one as it was a long day and a long trip. Joe Girardi said he spoke with Francisco Cervelli and that he sounded pretty good, he will see a neurologist tomorrow. That is a big test and if he is cleared he should be back by mid week. Brett Gardner said he has always been challenged since he got drafted and that just makes him better and more eager to win a job. He said competition makes him better and he guesses the others better also. The Yankees have a split squad affair tomorrow, they will play in Bradenton against the Pirates and at home against the Phillies. I will have the lineups and some notes up tomorrow morning.

Grapefruit League Game 5-New York Yankees At Minnesota Twins

The New York Yankees are taking the long bus ride down to Fort Myers today to face the Twins. Sergio Mitre will get the start, Chad Gaudin will also pitch continuing the battle for the 5th starter spot. Here are some quick pregame notes as there wasn't much going on this morning and the Yankees lineup.

• Francisco Cervelli will be examined today by a team doctor at the minor league complex. The minor leaguers are taking their physicals today. He will see a neurologist tomorrow, the Yankees are being extra careful with him which is a good thing. If everything goes well he will hopefully be back by Tuesday or Wednesday.

• Tony Pena is not with the team today as he has the flu. He will see a doctor and I hope it isn't what Joba had and it will spread through the team.

• Joe Girardi wasn't too concerned with Andrew Brackman struggling with his command yesterday. He said "His mechanics are a lot cleaner then they were." Chan Ho Park will throw live BP tomorrow along with Mariano Rivera and Damaso Marte. Park could get into a game by next weekend if not sooner.

• The Yankees have a split squad tomorrow and Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson and Randy Winn are among the players heading to Bradenton to face the Pirates. Alfredo Aceves will get the start. Javier Vazquez will get the start at home against the Phillies.

Yankees Lineup:

Brett Gardner(CF)

Nick Swisher(DH)

Mark Teixeira(1B)

Robinson Cano(2B)

Marcus Thames(LF)

Jaime Hoffman(RF)

Mike Rivera(C)

Ramiro Pena(SS)

Brandon Laird(3B)

The game is not being televised at all today. You can follow along at http://yankees.lhblogs.com/ or at http://mlb.com/ The Lohud Blog does a good job with the updating of what is going on during the game. I will have the postgame recap, notes and comments as always so check back later on tonight.