New York Yankees Saturday notes

The New York Yankees are mourning the loss of Carmen Berra.  She is Yogi Berra's wife and she

passed away on Thursday night after complications from a stroke.  Here is the official

announcement from the Yankees.  "On behalf of the entire New York Yankees organization, we offer

our deepest condolences to the Berra family,"  Hal Steinbrenner said in a statement.  "Having

known Yogi and Carmen for so long, it is almost impossible to imagine two people who

complemented each other better then they did.  We will always remember Carmen's smile and

sense of humor, and her kindness and genrosisty will be dearly missed."

Vidal Nuno last started a game on Sunday, he threw a simulated game on Friday.  There aren't as many starts as there used to be and he eventually will get sent down to minor league camp.  He will make a start though when half of the team is in Panama for the legends series honoring Mariano Rivera. 

It looks like the travel squad for Panama is starting to take shape.  Dean Anna said he has been asked to go.  We know Derek Jeter is going, Dave Robertson said on Friday that he is going.  CC Sabathia, Brian McCann, Brett Gardner, Carlos Beltran and Alfonso Soriano are all going also apparently.  We should find out the full travel roster this week. 

Mark Teixeira didn't take live BP on Friday but he is scheduled to play in the game on Saturday.  Adam Warren and Matt Daley each threw bullpens on Friday.  Michael Pineda came out of the bullpen to pitch his first two real innings of the spring.  He looked really impressive last night giving up a hit and striking out four.  The scouts had him at 91-93 with a good sharp slider.  He looked confident and really healthy according to the reports.  This is a great sign for the Yankees and if he is their fifth starter that is a huge plus for them. 

Brendan Ryan is being shut down for about a week.  He has soreness in his oblique, the tests came back clean but the Yankees just want to be cautious.  The first spring cuts are probably going to come a little later this year.  Girardi said the Yankees will probably wait until after the trip to Panama.  There are a bunch of split squads in a row so they want those guys to be in camp in Tampa to get through those games while the other half of the team is playing in Panama. 

Adam Warren and CC Sabathia will start the two games in Panama.  Jeter was 2-2 with a walk in Friday nights game.  He has now reached base in five straight plate appearances.  Tanaka next game will be a simulated game on Tuesday.  Nova will pitch on Saturday, Sunday will be Phelps, off day on Monday, Tanaka sim game on Tuesday with CC pitching the real game.  Kuroda will pitch Wednesday, Pineda at home on Thursday and Nova on the road.  Phelps Friday, Nuno Saturday at home and Warren in Panama with Tanaka in Florida on Saturday and CC in Panama. 

Kuroda allowed one hit, one walk and struck out five in his second spring start.  It looked pretty good to me but he wasn't happy with it.  "I struggled with my precise control today, so that caused a high pitch count."  He said "I think I was too cautious and trying to get both corners, but it didn't really work."  He threw 52 pitches and 30 for strikes.  He only lasted 2 2/3 innings. 

David Robertson was working on his changeup on Friday night.  He threw two of them and said he would like to incorporate that pitch a little more this season.  He always had it and used it more in 2012 then last season.  Alfonso Soriano played right field for the first time in his career last night.  The first ball that was put in play was of course at him.  He caught it and also hit a deep fly ball to left in his first at-bat.  He was 0-3 but this time only had one strikeout. 

The New York Yankees defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-3

The New York Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday afternoon.  The game took

place at Brighthouse Field in Clearwater, Florida.  The final score was 4-3 Yankees.  The game got

started after a 90 minute delay and featured the spring debuts of Mark Teixeira and Alfonso

Soriano. 

Derek Jeter also started in the game and had two hits, Masahiro Tanaka started the game and

pitched well again. 

Tanaka pitched three innings giving up two hits and a run.  He struck out a batter.  Bruce Billings pitched two innings giving up two hits and two runs with a walk and three strikeouts.  Chris Leroux pitched an inning giving up a hit with two strikeouts.  Burawa pitched an inning picking up the win.  He gave up a hit, Fred Lewis pitched a perfect inning and a third and Mark Montgomery picked up the save getting the last two outs. 

Derek Jeter had two hits, Adonis Garcia had a hit and an RBI and Yangervis Solarte had a hit and drew a walk.  Corban Joseph drew a walk, Gary Sanchez had a hit and Kelly Johnson had two hits.  Brian Roberts drew a walk, Jose Pirela had a hit and an RBI and Scott Sizemore had a hit and drew a walk.  Ramon Flores had a hit and two RBI. 

Jeter, Sizemore and Pirela each hit a double and Flores hit a homerun.  The Yankees were 1-9 with runners in scoring position and left ten men on base.  Johnson had a stolen base and Garcia had an outfield assist.  The Yankees will play at home on Friday night against the Detroit Tigers. 

New York Yankees news and notes

The Yankees have some roster openings this spring.  It isn't always the case, some of the young guys

have a chance to break camp and head north.  The Yankees have bullpen positions open and the

fifth starter in the rotation.  They also have utility type and technically second and third although

they expect Kelly Johnson and Brian Roberts to play a lot.  Dellin Betances is one of the young guys

trying to make the team. 

Betances had been a starter all through the minors until last year where he was converted.  He did well as a reliever and has impressed this spring.  I would be on him being in the Yankees bullpen this year.  Betances is a big guy and sometimes it is harder for those guys to get their mechanics in order.  He has done that as a reliever and his biggest problem has been solved.  Control was his main issue but doesn't seem to be much of an issue at this point. 

Betances is only 25 years old and appears to be much more comfortable.  He has pitched 5 1/3 innings this spring which are the most on the team.  He has allowed one hit and two walks with four strikeouts.  Betances said this "I think it's just more time on the mound.  Instead of having to wait every five days, I get to pitch every two, three days: maybe every day when its back-to-back.  I feel like the more time I have on the mound, I feel like the more consistent I'm able to be with my delivery and that's, I think, the key for me." 

Eduardo Nunez had a big day on Wednesday.  He was 3-3 with a double and single but more importantly he played a good second base.  Nunez said he is just trying to prove he can play.  He is hitting 364 through 11 at bats.  There really isn't much question about his offense though, it is his defense that has been the question mark.  Nunez worked out with Robinson Cano again this winter.  He said he did spend time working out at second as well as short and third.  This winter included more second then usual though.  He figured after Cano signed with Seattle that he would need to be able to play second to be on the team. 

Yangervis Solarte is a utility guy who is having a great spring.  He had another hit on Wednesday and made his second start.  He has eight total hits and an average of 667 this spring.  Mark Teixeira will make his spring debut on Thursday. 

There are no injuries to report which is good because last year it started early in the spring.  Teixeira and Jeter were both hurt as well as Curtis Granderson.  They have only had Tex recovering from his wrist surgery and Soriano being sick this year. 

CC Sabathia was supposed to throw a simulated game on Thursday but he didn't on the field due to rain.  I am not sure if he ended up doing it inside.  Manny Banuelos is scheduled for an inning on Saturday.  It will be his first time facing opposing hitters since having Tommy John surgery in 2012. 

Tyler Austin hit off a tee on Thursday morning.  He said it felt great.  He has been easing back into baseball activities since experiencing right wrist soreness earlier in the spring.  Scott Sizemore is scheduled to play again on Thursday off the bench.  David Phelps had a side on Thursday.  He and CC were the only pitchers scheduled to do non-game work on Thursday. 

The New York Mets are swept in split squad games

The New York Mets played two games on Wednesday.  They lost 11-5 to the Washington Nationals

and 5-2 to the Miami Marlins in ten innings.  In the Nationals game Jenrry Mejia started and pitched

ok.  Kirk Nieuwenhuis had two hits, Zach Lutz had two hits and two RBI and Taylor Teagarden had a

hit and an RBI. 

Mejia pitched two innings giving up a hit and an unearned run.  He walked two and struck out three.  Kolarek pitched two innings giving up three hits and a run with two strikeouts, deGrom pitched two innings giving up a hit and striking out two and Church pitched an inning giving up two hits and two runs with a walk and three strikeouts.  Mazzoni pitched an inning taking the loss and giving up five hits and seven runs with two walks and a strikeout. 

Juan Lagares had a hit, Brandon Nimmo had a hit and Nieuwenhuis had two hits.  Wilmer Flores drew two walks, Campbell had two hits and Lutz had two hits and two RBI.  Teagarden had a hit and an RBI, Seratelli had a hit and two RBI, Nieuwenhuis and Campbell each hit a double.  Lutz hit a homerun and the Mets were 2-10 with runners in scoring position.  The Mets left six men in scoring position.  Mejia committed an error and Centeno had a passed ball. 

In the Miami game Dillon Gee started and pitched pretty good.  Jose Valverde made his second appearance.  Eric Young Jr. had two hits in the game. 

Gee pitched 2 1/3 innings giving up four hits and a run with a strikeout.  Carlos Torres pitched three innings giving up three hits and an unearned run.  He walked one and struck out one.  Ryan Reid pitched 1 2/3 innings giving up two hits, Joel Carreno pitched a perfect inning striking out the side and Valverde pitched a perfect inning with a strikeout.  Gonzalez Germen pitched an inning giving up two hits and three runs with two walks and a strikeout.  He took the loss. 

Young had two hits, Chris Young had a hit and Cesar Puello had  a hit.  Josh Satin had a hit, Anthony Recker had a hit and an RBI and Matt den Dekker had an RBI and drew a walk.   

The Mets will play in Kissimee against the Houston Astros on

The New York Yankees were defeated by the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4

The New York Yankees were defeated by the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon.  The final score was 5-4 and the game took place in Port Charlotte, Florida.  Adam Warren started for the Yankees and he pitched well.  Dellin Betances continued to impress out of the bullpen.  Brett Gardner had a hit and two RBI and Eduardo Nunez had three hits. 

Warren pitched 2 1/3 innings giving up four hits and a run.  He struck out two.  Betances pitched 1 2/3 innings giving up a walk and striking out two batters, Robert Coello pitched 1/3 of an inning giving up three hits and four runs.  Matt Daley pitched 2/3 of an inning giving up two hits and he struck out one, Yoshinori Tateyama pitched two innings giving up a walk and striking out two and Jim Miller pitched a perfect inning with two strikeouts. 

Gardner  had a hit and two RBI, Antoan Richardson had a hit and Nunez had three hits.  Zealous Wheeler had a hit, Ichiro Suzuki had a hit and Russ Canzler had a hit, an RBI and drew a walk.  Kelly Johnson had an RBI, Yangervis Solarte had a hit and Zoilo Almonte had a hit.  Jose Pirela had a hit, Nunez and Wheeler each hit a double.  The Yankees were 2-12 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base. 
The Yankees will play in Clearwater against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday afternoon.  Masahiro Tanaka will make his first spring start and  it will be his second appearance.  Mark Teieira and Alfonso Soriano will both make their spring debuts in the game.