Tagged: Francisco Arcia
Eovaldi, Headley Help Yankees Blank Astros
GAME 28
YANKEES 7, ASTROS 0
KISSIMMEE – Chase Headley pounded out three hits, including his third home run of the spring, and drove in three runs to support Nathan’s Eovaldi’s strong 4 2/3 innings of shutout baseball as New York blanked Houston on Sunday at Osceola County Stadium.
Headley got the Yankees’ offense started against right-hander Scott Feldman (0-2) with a two-out solo home run in the third inning that hit the top of the right-field field wall and bounced over. He later broke the game wide open in the sixth with a two-out, bases-loaded single off right-hander James Hoyt that drove in two runs to cap a four-run rally and extend the Yankees’ lead to 7-0.
Meanwhile, newly acquired right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (1-1) continued a string of impressive appearances this spring by shutting down the Astros on just three hits. He did not walk a batter and he fanned five.
For the Yankees it was their second consecutive road shutout of the spring. On Friday, the Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 10-0 in a game called in the sixth inning due to rain.
With the victory the Yankees improved their Grapefruit League record to 15-12.
FIELD FOCUS
The Yankees have historically leaned towards trading away young pitchers and acquiring veteran pitchers on the north side of 30.
There are many examples of young pitchers the Yankees traded before they became stars like Jose Rijo, Doug Drabek, Ted Lilly and Ian Kennedy. Just this winter the Yankees traded David Phelps and Shane Greene. It is just something for which Yankee fans have grown accustomed.
The script got flipped, however, when veteran infielder Martin Prado and Phelps were packaged to the Miami Marlins in a trade for first baseman and outfielder Garrett Jones, Eovaldi, a 25-year-old right-hander, and a promising 22-year-old right-hander Domingo German.
Basketball coaches always say that you can’t teach size and baseball managers say accordingly that you can’t teach a pitcher velocity. Eovaldi has a gifted right arm that possesses outstanding velocity. His fastball can reach as high as 98 miles per hour.
In fact, FanGraphs.com ranked Eovaldi’s fastball as the fourth highest in velocity last season among major-league pitchers. The oddity was Eovaldi led all National League pitchers in hits allowed (223) and he only managed 142 strikeouts in 199 2/3 innings.
His 6-14 record and 4.37 ERA also would have you scratching your head after you saw that sizzling heater of his.
So Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild did some tinkering with Eovaldi’s fastball and his secondary pitches this spring to bring his hits allowed down and raise his strikeout totals. In short, they want him to take the next step in being a dominant pitcher.
After Sunday’s sterling effort, it appears that Eovaldi – with Rothschild’s help – is doing just that. In Eovaldi’s four spring appearances (three starts) he is 1-1 with a team-best 0.66 ERA. He has yielded just one run on 10 hits with no walks and 14 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings.
If you add a potentially dominant Eovaldi to 26-year-old right-hander Masahiro Tanaka and 26-year-old right-hander Michael Pineda then you might have an excellent trio of young starters to build a team around.
But don’t just take my word on Eovaldi. You can hear it from a fellow graduate of his from Alvin High School in Alvin, TX, who was watching Eovaldi on Sunday in his role as an executive advisor to the Astros – some guy named Nolan Ryan.
“I haven’t watched him in person, only on television, but I’ve followed him ever since he’s been in high school,” Ryan told reporters. “I really think that the better part of his career is still ahead of him.”
The Yankees might just have something special in this young Eovaldi. And the best part is he is not 34 years old and past his prime.
PINSTRIPE POSITIVES
- I really ripped this team for how bad they looked on Saturday at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, FL, against the Baltimore Orioles in a 10-2 loss. But they bounced back nicely on Sunday and scored seven runs and collected 11 hits and drew seven walks. But he oddity this spring is that the Yankees are 8-5-1 and have outscored their opponents 77-44 on the road while they are 7-7 and have been outscored 64-46 at home. This may be because the young players have been doing most of the hitting this spring and they are playing more on the road.
- In addition to Headley’s three hits, the Yankees got another stellar effort at the plate from Rob Refsnyder. The 24-year-old second baseman was 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs scored and an RBI. Refsnyder is now 12-for-35 (.343) with five doubles, one home run and five RBIs. He is ticketed for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and he does need to get better in the field, but this young player has all the makings of a great hitter.
- Esmil Rogers, 29, may have blown his opportunity to be the team’s No. 5 starter this spring. But he still has some value in the bullpen. Rogers looked sharp in retiring all five batters he faced and he fanned two of them.
NAGGING NEGATIVES
I will not nitpick this one. If you toss shutout ball and score seven runs there is not much there to fix.
BOMBER BANTER
Alex Rodriguez made his major-league debut as a first baseman on Sunday and handled three chances flawlessly in his three innings of work. Manager Joe Girardi envisions Rodriguez as potential fill-in at first base behind starter Mark Teixeira and Jones. “Catching the ball, I’m not worried about that. I’d think he’d be pretty good around the bag, even scooping, because you get a lot of those hot shots at third base,” Girardi told reporters. . . . Teixeira suffered a right knee contusion on Sunday playing in a minor-league game at the Yankees’ complex in Tampa. Teixeira left the game immediately and was limping afterward. But he told reporters that he was “fine.” . . . Shortstop Didi Gregorius received treatment and said there was improvement in his strained left wrist that he sustained in Saturday’s game against the Orioles. Gregorius said he is sure he will be ready to play on Opening Day. . . . The Yankees released right-hander Scott Baker but they hope to re-sign him to a new minor-league contract. Baker, 33, originally was signed to a deal that would have forced the Yankees to pay him a retention bonus. The Yankees would like Baker to sign a minor-league deal without the bonus. That is the same basis they re-signed right-hander Jared Burton on Sunday. Burton, 33, had been released three days ago. He only pitched in four games this spring because he suffered a strained lat. In addition to the Burton signing, the Yankees also optioned right-hander Bryan Mitchell to Scranton and sent right-hander Kyle Davies to minor-league camp. The team also optioned outfielder Ramon Flores to Triple-A and re-assigned catchers Francisco Arcia and Kyle Higashioka, infielders Cole Figueroa and Jonathan Galvez, outfielder Slade Heathcott, left-hander Jacob Lindgren and right-hander Nick Rumbelow to minor-league camp.
ON DECK
The Yankees will take the day off on Monday before resuming their final week of spring training games on Tuesday at CenturyLink Sports Complex in Fort Myers, FL, as the Yankees play the Minnesota Twins.
Tanaka will make what will be his final spring appearance before he opens the season on April 6 at Yankee Stadium against the Toronto Blue Jays. Tanaka is 1-1 with a 1.74 ERA in his three spring starts.
The Twins will counter with left-hander Tommy Milone, who is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in four starts.
Game-time will be 1:05 p.m. EDT and the game will be broadcast by the MLB Network.
Flores’ Walk-Off Blast Propels Yanks Over Tigers
GAME 23
YANKEES 9, TIGERS 8
In a pattern that is all to familiar the “Baby Bombers” once again snatched victory from the jaws of defeat on Tuesday.
Ramon Flores laced a three-run homer just barely over the right-field wall in the bottom of the ninth inning to bring New York all the way back from an 8-2 deficit to a walk-off victory over Detroit at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.
Flores, with the Tigers one pitch away from victory, connected on an inside fastball off right-hander Rafael Dolis (0-2) for his second home run of the spring to cap a four-run rally in the final frame.
Trailing 8-5, Aaron Judge started the rally by drawing a walk and stealing second base. John Ryan Murphy followed with a one-out RBI single.
Ali Castillo drew a two-out walk and Flores sent what was left of the crowd of 10,921 happy with his game-winning shot.
Diego Moreno (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth to get credit for the victory.
The Yankees improved their Grapefruit League record to 13-9.
FIELD FOCUS
When discussing the Yankees talented young players it is as if Flores is an afterthought.
That is probably because the 5-foot-10, 190-pound outfielder is not blessed with tremendous power (36 career home runs in the minors) or blazing speed (59 stolen bases). His career minor-league average is a rather ordinary .271.
But somehow when you put it all together Flores remains a viable young prospect at 22. (He will turn 23 on Thursday.)
His dramatic home run against the Tigers on Tuesday is not real surprising in that Flores has two home runs and five RBIs this spring despite the fact he is hitting just .172 (5-for-29).
Flores was considered one of the hottest prospects in the Yankees’ organization after his 2012 season as he hit a combined .303 with seven home runs and 41 RBIs in 132 between Class-A Tampa and Double-A Trenton.
But he has been kind of running in place since then. He batted just .260 at Trenton in 2013 and had an injury-plagued season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2014.
Though he will not make the 25-man roster this spring, Flores remains a pretty important player for the Yankees heading in the 2015 season. The reason is that should any of the Yankees’ outfielders sustain an injury, Flores likely would one of the first players the Yankees would look to call up.
That suits Flores just fine. He would love to get a chance to prove what he can do in the majors. He really opened some eyes on Tuesday.
PINSTRIPE POSITIVES
- Give the young Yankees credit for bringing the Yankees back from a 8-2 deficit as the game entered the bottom of the seventh. The Yankees managed to bat around against left-hander Kyle Ryan and the Tigers. Chris Young doubled, Didi Gregorius slashed an RBI double and Slade Heathcott was hit by a pitch. Jonathan Galvez drew a walk to load the bases. Francisco Arcia drove in a run with a RBI groundout and after, another walk loaded the bases, Kyle Higashioka drew a bases-loaded walk off right-hander Buck Farmer, who had replaced Ryan. This three-run rally set up the game-winning rally in the ninth.
- Gregorius’ RBI double in the seventh came off a left-hander. The knock on Gregorius is that he was incapable of hitting lefties. But manager Joe Girardi is giving Gregorius the chance to prove he can hit them. Thus far, the 25-year-old shortstop is 4-for-13 (.308) against left-handers this spring and he is (5-for-20) .250 against right-handers. It is now appearing that Girardi will not use a platoon of Gregorius and Brendan Ryan at shortstop.
- Brett Gardner took a more aggressive approach on the bases on Tuesday and he ended up with his first two stolen bases of the spring. However, Gardner was also cut down in the first inning trying to take third on a fly ball off the bat of Chase Headley. Center-fielder Anthony Gose stunned Gardner on a perfect throw to Nick Castellanos at third for a double play.
NAGGING NEGATIVES
- Esmil Rogers was making his last start as a contender for the No. 5 starter position and things did not go well for the 29-year-old right-hander. He was tagged for six runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts in three innings. The reason only one run was earned was due to his own error in the second inning on high chopper off the bat of Jose Iglesias. That opened the floodgates to a two-run single by Ian Kinsler and a two-run double by J.D. Martinez.
- Stephen Drew actually did get a single in the fourth inning off starter Anibal Sanchez, which is wonderful because Drew entered the contest batting .161. But Drew either is crazy or he was not paying attention when Gose cut down Gardner. Trying to stretch the single into a double, Drew ended up a dead duck at second on a perfect throw from Gose. It was not a very bright play, Drew.
ON DECK
The Yankees will play host on Wednesday to the New York Mets.
Masahiro Tanaka will start his third contest of the spring. He is 1-0 with 0.00 ERA. His positioning also has him lined up to open the season for the Yankees on April 6 at Yankee Stadium against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Mets will counter by starting right-hander Rafael Montero, who is 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA in two appearances this spring. This will be his first start.
Game-time will be 1:05 p.m. EDT and the game will be broadcast nationally by the MLB Network and locally by the YES Network.
Pirates Use Power To Down Yankees Split Squad
GAME 5
PIRATES 3, YANKEES (SS) 1
Tony Sanchez cracked a two-run home run in the second inning and Jeff Decker added a mammoth solo shot to lead off the fifth inning on Friday as Pittsburgh edged a New York split squad on a chilly night at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, FL.
The Sanchez homer came off Yankee starter Chris Capuano (0-1). Jeff Locke (1-0) started for Pittsburgh and got credit for the victory. Wilfredo Boscan pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn a save.
The Yankees, who were limited to only five hits, scored their lone run in the eighth inning when Eddy Rodriguez doubled, advanced to third on a hit by Francisco Arcia and then scored on a single by Jake Cave.
PINSTRIPE POSITIVES
- Carlos Beltran made his spring debut in right field and he drew a walk and struck out twice in his first action since undergoing surgery on his right elbow last September. Beltran reported no problems. “The good thing is I am pain-free,” Beltran told reporters.
- Right-handed reliever David Carpenter made his spring debut and he pitched a scoreless inning, striking out one batter. Carpenter, 29, was acquired along with left-hander Chasen Shreve from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for former No. 1 pitching prospect Manny Banuelos.
- Cave, 22, is speedy outfield prospect with a decent bat. He is making the most of his early chances and he is batting .400 in the early going. The non-roster invitee batted ..294 with seven homers and 42 RBIs in 132 games in two minor-league stops last season.
NAGGING NEGATIVES
- Capuano gave up two runs on three hits and no walks while fanning four batters in two innings. Sanchez tagged him for a two-run shot over the right-field bleachers. Though Capuano was better than the result indicated, he still needs to make sure to keep the ball inside the yard.
- Pirate pitchers fanned the Yankees 12 times, including two each by Beltran, Jacoby Ellsbury and Jonathan Galvez. At times it appeared the Yankees were mailing this one in because of the temperatures, which dipped into the high 50s with a stiff breeze.
- Brian McCann was 0-for-2 with a walk and still has not had a hit this spring. It is still early and it is doubtful manager Joe Girardi is too concerned. But with the Yankees struggling to hit it would be nice if McCann, Beltran and Mark Teixeira would get untracked soon.
BOMBER BANTER
CC Sabathia pitched a 20-pitch batting practice session on Thursday and Masahiro Tanaka faced live hitters in a simulated game on Friday. The Yankees are encouraged by the progress of both starters and they are expected to be ready by Opening Day. . . . Alex Rodriguez played his second game of the spring as the team’s designated hitter and went 0-for-2 with a walk.
ON DECK
The Yankees are on the road on Saturday to face the Houston Astros at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee, FL.
Journeyman right-hander Scott Baker, a non-roster invitee, will start for the Yankees. Baker, 33, was 3-4 with a 5.47 ERA in 25 games (eight starts) with the Texas Rangers last season.
The Yankees’ starting infield of Teixeira, Gregorius, Stephen Drew and Chase Headley are expected to make the trip.
The Astros will start right-hander Dallas Keuchel. Keuchel, 27, was 12-9 with a 2.93 ERA in 29 starts with the Astros last season.
Game-time will be 1:05 p.m. EST an the game will be broadcast live on WFAN radio in New York through MLB Radio.
Phils Spoil A-Rod’s Return In Yanks’ Home Opener
GAME 2
PHILLIES 3, YANKEES 1
Odubel Herrera went 3-for-4, stole three bases and scored two runs to spark Philadelphia to a victory over New York and spoil their 2015 Grapefruit League home opener at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, FL, on Wednesday.
Non-roster right-hander Kevin Slowey (1-0) started for the Phillies and pitched two scoreless innings to earn the victory. Justin De Fratus weathered a late Yankee rally that fell short to earn a save. Newly acquired right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (0-1), making his first start for the Yankees, was tagged with the loss.
FIELD FOCUS
The buzz around Alex Rodriguez started early with ESPN actually cutting away from their regular programming to show the former three-time American League Most Valuable Player taking batting practice even though they were not televising the game.
Rodriguez, 39, also drew a rousing chorus of cheers and a small smattering of boos during pregame introductions and before his three at-bats. He did end up providing the fans with a bit of a show in going 1-for-2 with a walk in his three plate appearances.
After a 17-month absence due to a 162-game suspension from Major League Baseball for being involved in a performance enhancing drugs scandal, Rodriguez was just grateful just to be back on the field.
“This is as much fun as I’ve had in a long time in spring training,” Rodriguez told reporters. “I’m just feeling really good that I get to play the game that I love.”
A-Rod batted second and was the team’s designated hitter.
In his first plate appearance against Slowey. Rodriguez took two rusty looking swings before shooting a soft line drive into left for a single. In the third inning against right-hander Paul Clemens he ended the inning by hitting into a force play.
He completed his day in the sixth with the Yankees trailing 2-1 and two on and nobody out against right-hander Ethan Martin. Most of the announced crowd of 9,673 urged Rodriguez on as he worked a walk on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases.
Kyle Higashioka was sent out to pinch-run and Rodriguez’s first day back was done.
Rookie catching prospect Gary Sanchez followed with a sacrifice fly that scored the Yankees’ only run of the game.
Rodriguez told reporters after the game that he did hear the boos but was pleased by the cheers. “Once you hit rock bottom, anytime you hear a few cheers these days, it’s a pleasant surprise,” he said.
Girardi said he tentatively plans to start Rodriguez at DH again on Friday at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates. But there also is a chance he could play the field. Either way, Rodriguez is just glad to put the suspension behind him and just play baseball again.
PINSTRIPE POSITIVES
- Though he was the losing pitcher, Eovaldi did look good in his debut. He gave up a run on two hits with no walks and one strikeout in 31 pitches over two frames. The 25-year-old former Miami Marlins right-hander did strike out Maikel Franco to start the second inning with a split-finger fastball, a pitch the Yankees would like Eovaldi to feature more this season.
- Left-hander Andrew Miller also made his Yankee debut by pitching in the third inning. Though he gave up a single and two stolen bases to Herrera in the inning, Miller was able to strike out Freddy Galvis and Domonic Brown before retiring Ryan Howard on a groundout to keep Herrera at third base. Miller, 29, was signed as a free agent this winter and he is expected to compete with right-hander Dellin Betances for the closer role.
- Since he was drafted in the first round in 2009, Cito Culver has always shown an ability to field but his bat has held him back. Culver, 22, made a spectacular play going deep into outfield grass in left and throwing in time to get Darin Ruf by a step.
NAGGING NEGATIVES
- The Yankees did not get a very good day out of Stephen Drew, who is penciled in as the team’s starting second baseman – though he has played only 34 games there. All of those came with the Yankees last season after he was acquired from the Boston Red Sox. Drew was retired on two weak infield grounders and on defense he committed a fielding error on the first play of the game. Later, he threw a routine chance into the dirt and only a agile scoop from first baseman Mark Teixeira saved him from another error.
- The Yankees seemed to sleepwalk offensively throughout the afternoon. They managed only five hits and drew two walks off some pretty ordinary Phillies pitchers. The Yankees recorded a total of five 1-2-3 innings.
- The Yankees had the bases loaded with no outs in the sixth and, after Sanchez’s sac fly scored the first Yankee run, catcher/first baseman Francisco Arcia grounded into a double play to shut down the best chance the Yankees had to score multiple runs all day.
BOMBER BANTER
Right-hander Masahiro Tanaka threw a 30-pitch bullpen session in Tampa on Wednesday and told reporters that he is nearly ready to pitch in a Grapefruit League game. Tanaka, 26, is trying to recover from a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Manager Joe Girardi said Tanaka will throw again in a simulated game and could make his first start in a game late next week. . . . For the first time in 20 seasons, Derek Jeter was not playing shortstop for the Yankees. Didi Gregarious, 24, made his debut with the Yankees and went 0-for-1 with a walk. Gregorious was obtained from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a three-team trade that included the Detroit Tigers. “It was an amazing feeling, I’m not going to lie,” Gregorius told reporters. “It was amazing for me just wearing the pinstripes, to go out there with all my teammates.” . . . Before the game, the George M. Steinbrenner High School band performed. The Yankees then introduced former Yankee greats who are assisting the team as special instructors such as Goose Gossage, Reggie Jackson, Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez and Hideki Matsui.
ON DECK
The Yankees will travel to Bradenton, FL, on Thursday to face the Pirates at McKechnie Field.
Right-hander Esmil Rogers is scheduled to start for the Yankees. Rogers, 29, was 2-0 with a 4.68 ERA in 18 games with the Yankees after being picked up as a free agent from the Toronto Blue Jays. Outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner are scheduled to make the trip.
The Pirates will counter with veteran left-hander Francisco Liriano, who was 7-10 with a 3.38 ERA in 29 starts last season.
Game-time will be 1:05 p.m. and the game will not be telecast. However, it is available live from station KDKA in Pittsburgh through MLB Radio.
Pineda, Soriano Allow Yankees To Swarm Red Sox
GAME 22
YANKEES 8, RED SOX 1
TAMPA – It was buzzing all day long at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Tuesday and the day ended for the Red Sox much like Irwin Allen’s 1978 disaster horror film “The Swarm.”
Michael Pineda turned in 4 1/3 innings of shutout baseball and Alfonso Soriano drove in four runs – three of them on his first home run of the spring – as New York made like busy little bees and unmercifully stung Boston in front of a sellout crowd of 11,032 and national television audience.
Pineda (2-0) made a serious pitch for the team’s No. 5 starter’s job by yielding just four hits, did not walk a batter and struck out five. The 25-year-old right-hander, who has not pitched in a regular-season major-league game since the 2011 season due to a torn labrum in his right shoulder that required surgery, threw 45 of his 60 pitches for strikes and now has 14 strikeouts in nine scoreless innings this spring.
Meanwhile, the Yankees bugged left-hander Felix Doubront (0-1) for 3 2/3 innings in which Doubront was tagged for seven runs on 10 hits and three walks.
The Yankees scored a single run in the first on a two-out RBI single by Soriano and they added four runs in the second inning, keyed by a two-run single Mark Teixeira.
With the Yankees up 5-0 with two out in the fourth, Carlos Beltran singled and Teixeira drew a walk, which ended Doubront’s afternoon. Soriano then laced right-hander Brandon Workman’s fourth delivery over the left-field wall to put the game out of reach at 8-0.
Amid the frenzy of the crowd when these two storied rivals meet there actually was a real buzz that caused a seven-minute delay of the game in the third inning.
A massive swarm of bees along the left-field line was first noticed by Red Sox left-fielder Mike Carp, who informed the umpiring crew. Groundskeepers took to the field armed with the bug spray cans to drive the swarm away so the game could resume.
“Not a big fan of bees flying around my head,” Carp said. “It’s just one of those things I’ve never seen happen – or, I’ve seen it happen, but it’s never happened to me. I’m sure they’ll get their laughs on ESPN tonight.”
Boston’s lone run of the game came in the seventh inning off right-hander David Herndon. Jonathan Herrera scored Corey Brown on an RBI single.
The Yankees raised their Grapefruit League record to 11-9-2. The Red Sox fell to 8-11.
PINSTRIPE POSITIVES
- For all intents and purposes, Pineda has won the No. 5 starting job even if manager Joe Girardi is not ready to make it official. Girardi said a decision would not be made until Sunday, which coincidentally is the day Pineda is scheduled to make his next start. I have said from the beginning of spring training that if Pineda was healthy he would get the job because David Phelps and Adam Warren are capable of working out of the bullpen and Pineda is not. In addition, Vidal Nuno has more value as a starter at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he can summoned should there be an injury to a starter during the season.
- Soriano spent the first two weeks of the spring trying to regain his strength after a long battle with a persistent flu. It seems he is rounding back into form because he hit the ball hard all day long. Soriano will be a key member of the team because he provides 30-homer power from the right side of the plate.
- Brett Gardner and Francisco Cervelli both continued their hot hitting of late. Gardner was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and he has raised his spring average to .313. Meanwhile, Cervelli is hitting like he is possessed. He was 2-for-3 on Tuesday and he is batting an even .500 on the spring. I am not sure a fire extinguisher would cool him off.
NAGGING NEGATIVES
Hmmm! It was a beautiful sunny day, Pineda was absolutely dazzling, the Red Sox No. 5 starter Doubront was shelled and we got to see the Bosox get swarmed by thousands of bees. How could there be anything negative in any of that?
BOMBER BANTER
Starting center-fielder and former Red Sox Jacoby Ellsbury was held out the lineup on Tuesday due to tightness in his right calf. Girardi said that Ellsbury will be held out of games scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday also. Though the injury is not considered serious, the Yankees want to make sure the injury has healed completely before Ellsbury returns to game action. . . . Girardi said that right-hander Masahiro Tanaka will make his next start on Saturday when the Yankees travel to Fort Myers, FL, to face the Minnesota Twins. . . . Outfielder Mason Williams, the teams’ No. 2 rated prospect, was among 12 players cut from the squad beforeafter Tuesday’s game. Outfielder Ramon Flores was optioned to Triple A while the others were reassigned to minor-league camp. The other players are: pitchers Bruce Billings, Robert Coello, Brian Gordon and Chase Whitley; catcher Francisco Arcia and Pete O’Brien; infielders Corban Joseph and Jose Pirela; and outfielders Williams and Tyler Austin.
ON DECK
The Yankees will travel to Champion Stadium in Lake Buena Vista, FL, on Wednesday to take on the Atlanta Braves.
Right-hander Ivan Nova (1-1, 5.40 ERA) will make the start for the Yankees. Former Braves catcher Brian McCann will head a group of players including Derek Jeter, Beltran, Gardner and Soriano that will make the trip.
The Braves will counter with right-hander David Hale (0-1, 4.50 ERA).
Game-time will be 1:05 p.m. EDT and the game will be broadcast by MLB Radio.
Nuno Stars But O’s Edge ‘Watered-Down’ Yankees
GAME 18
ORIOLES 2, YANKEES (SS) 1
Jonathan Schoop scored pinch-runner Jemile Weeks on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning to break a 1-1 tie as Baltimore edged a New York split squad on Saturday at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, FL.
Non-roster outfielder Delmon Young opened the seventh with a double of right-hander Mark Montgomery (0-1). Weeks pinch-ran for Young and stole third to set up Schoop’s scoring fly ball.
Korean right-hander Suk-min Yoon (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning of relief in his first major-league appearance to get credit for the victory. Evan Meek pitched the ninth inning to earn his second save of the spring.
With most of the Yankees’ best players either in Panama participating in the two-game Legends Series or resting at the team’s spring complex in Tampa, FL, the Yankees – who brought 13 players who were not on their 40-man roster or who were not invited to spring training – scored their lone run of the game on a leadoff homer in the sixth inning by Francisco Arcia off Orioles starter Chris Tillman.
Tillman had held the Yankees scoreless on two hits and two walks and struck out five in five innings before Arcia’s blast chased him from the game.
The Yankees, meanwhile, got four strong innings of shutout baseball from 26-year-old left-hander Vidal Nuno. Nuno yielded only a hit and a walk while he fanned three batters against an Orioles lineup that included starters Nick Markakis, J.J. Hardy, Nelson Cruz and Chris Davis.
Unfortunately for the Yankees, the Orioles tied the score with two out in the sixth when Davis launched his third home run of the spring off right-hander Danny Burawa.
The Yankees’ Grapefruit League record slipped to 8-8-2. The Orioles improved their record to 10-5.
PINSTRIPE POSITIVES
- Nuno made a strong case for the fifth spot in the rotation with his effort on Saturday. Nuno threw 38 of his 59 pitches for strikes and only reached three-ball counts on three hitters. Nuno spotted his fastball well and mixed in his off-speed pitches more to keep the Orioles off-balance. Though Michael Pineda is expected to get the No. 5 spot, Nuno showed he deserves some consideration. His spring ERA is now down to 1.50.
- Brian Roberts was one of the few starters to make the trip and he had a great day against his former teammates. Roberts was 2-for-3 and he also contributed a fine defensive play in the sixth inning to rob Cruz of a single. Roberts, 36, may not be Robinson Cano but he is a fine second baseman as long as he can stay healthy.
- Ramon Flores was 2-for-3 on Saturday, including a double and single. Flores, 21, is hitting only .217 this spring but, after a season where he hit .260 with six homers and 55 RBIs in 136 games at Double-A Trenton, he will have a chance to develop this season at Triple A.
NAGGING NEGATIVES
- It may be time for Ichiro Suzuki to admit that his days in baseball are waning. He was 0-for-3 on Saturday and he is 3-for-24 (.125) this spring with only three singles and two RBIs. He has not really stung the ball much this spring either. Though the Yankees might be open to trade Suzuki, it is hard to see if there would be any suitors for his services. Suzuki is in the final year of two-year contract with the Yankees and he is slated to be the fifth outfielder this season.
- After getting off to a quick start with the bat this spring, Austin Romine has been slumping of late. Romine, 25, batted cleanup and was 0-for-2 with a walk on Saturday. He is 5-for-25 (.200) with no RBIs in 11 games. Though Romine is a superior defensive catcher, his weak bat makes it almost certain that Francisco Cervelli will win the backup catching job. Romine likely will be sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
- Burawa learned a valuable pitching lesson on Saturday. With two out in the sixth, Davis came up the plate for his last at-bat with his team trailing 1-0. Obviously Davis was thinking about hitting a home run to tie it. Burawa, 25, opted to pitch aggressively to Davis instead of making him hit pitches out of the strike zone. His 1-1 fastball was thigh high and Davis drove it deep to left-center and over the wall. If he had walked Davis, Burawa would then have pitched to Steve Pearce, a journeyman who had four homers last season. Davis hit 53. Duh!
ON DECK
The Yankees split squad returns to George M. Steinbrenner Field on Sunday to play host to the Atlanta Braves.
Free-agent right-hander Masahiro Tanaka will make his second start of the spring for the Yankees. Catcher Brian McCann and Mark Teixeira are also scheduled to play in the game.
McCann’s former team will start right-hander Julio Teheran. Brothers Justin and B.J. Upton, Jason Heyward and Andrelton Simmons are scheduled to make the trip for the Braves.
Game-time will be 1:05 p.m. EDT and the game will be broadcast by the YES Network and MLB Radio through WFAN (660-AM/99.1-FM).
Bronx Bombers Bust Out Longball On Blue Jays
GAME 5
YANKEES 8, BLUE JAYS 2
During the course of the 2013 season the nickname Bronx Bombers did not fit at all. This spring training training it looks like the moniker definitely applies.
Eduardo Nunez, Carlos Beltran and John Ryan Murphy each connected for home runs on Sunday as New York pounded Toronto at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium in Dunedin, FL.
Nunez unloaded for a two-run homer to left-field off right-hander Todd Redmond and Beltran followed with his first home run as a Yankee and of the spring to give the Yankees a 4-1 lead.
Murphy’s blast came in the eighth inning off right-hander Neil Wagner after leadoff singles by Antoan Richardson and Yangervis Solarte that extended the Yankees to their final 8-2 margin.
Minor-league right-hander Bryan Mitchell (1-0) gave up two hits, no walks and struck out three batters in his two innings of relief to get credit for the victory. Redmond (1-1) was saddled with the loss.
The Yankees have now won their past three Grapefruit League contests and are 3-2. The Blue Jays have the same record.
PINSTRIPE POSITIVES
- There is no doubt that the catching position currently is the strongest position on the Yankee roster and Murphy’s three-run blast on Sunday added to the group’s impressive spring. Brian McCann, Francisco Cervelli, Kevin Romine, Gary Sanchez, Francisco Arcia and Murphy are a combined 12-for-32 (.375) at the plate with three homers and eight RBIs. Perennial All-Star McCann, obviously, will be the starter. But a real competition has erupted between Cervelli, Romine and Murphy for the backup spot. Sanchez and Arcia are heading back for minor-league seasoning.
- Nunez’s home run proved to be the game-winner and it came at a good time for the 26-year-old infielder. Nunez is battling to be part of a platoon at third base with Kelly Johnson. The problem for Nunez is his shaky fielding and the fact that 27-year-old Dean Anna is playing like he does not want to go back to the minor leagues. Anna played third base on Sunday while Nunez played short and Anna went 1-for-2 with an RBI single in the second inning. Anna is hitting .375 in the early going and he has been impressive in the field.
- Solarte, 26, and Adonis Garcia, 28, also have been impressive this spring. Solarte, who can play second, short and third, added another two hits in two at-bats on Sunday and he is 6-for-7 (.857) with two home runs and five RBIs. Garcia, who can play third base and the outfield, was 3-for-4 with two runs scored on Sunday and he is 5-for-8 (.625) with two RBIs. Neither seems to have a shot to make the Opening Day roster, of course. But they are opening a lot of eyes with their play.
NAGGING NEGATIVES
Nunez and Corban Joseph committed errors and the pitchers gave up 10 hits but that would really be nitpicking. There is not much to complain about when the team gets three big home runs and wins by six.
BOMBER BANTER
Fresh off his much ballyhooed major-league debut on Saturday, Masahiro Tanaka learned from manager Joe Girardi on Sunday that he will make his next start on Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater, FL. Tanaka, 25, threw two scoreless innings against the Phils, yielding two hits, no walks and striking out three. . . . Mark Teixiera will make his first start of the spring on Thursday or Friday, Girardi told reporters on Sunday. The 34-year-old first baseman is coming off surgery to repair his right wrist and he is working back into the lineup slowly. . . . Meanwhile, outfielder/designated hitter Alfonso Soriano probably will not make his spring debut until early next week due to a very bad case of the flu. Soriano was scheduled to play on Sunday but he told trainers he was still feeling dizzy and weak. . . . The long awaited spring debut of right-hander Michael Pineda is scheduled for Friday. Pineda, 25, pitched two innings of a simulated game in Tampa, FL, on Sunday. Girardi plans to use Pineda for three innings in relief of Hiroki Kuroda against the Detroit Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Pineda is in the four-man mix for the last spot available in the Yankees’ rotation. He has not pitched in the major leagues since 2011, having missed two full seasons recovering from surgery to repair a torn labrum.
ON DECK
The Yankees return home to Tampa to play a contest on Monday against the Washington Nationals.
Right-hander Ivan Nova will make his second appearance of the spring while shortstop Derek Jeter, outfielder Brett Gardner, second baseman Brian Roberts and McCann are all expected to start.
The Nationals will counter with 27-year-old left-hander Ross Detwiler, who was 2-7 with 4.04 ERA in 13 starts with the Nationals last season. He is battling right-hander Tanner Roark, who also is slated to pitch on Monday, for the No. 5 spot in the team’s rotation.
Game-time will 1:05 p.m. EST and the game will be broadcast live nationally by the MLB Network and locally by the YES Network.
Canzler Among 26 Spring Yankee Camp Invitees
With pitchers and catchers due to report in less than two weeks (Feb. 14) and the full squad coming in on Feb. 19, the New York Yankees have invited a total of 26 players to spring training.
Nine players have been signed to minor-league deals including right-hander Bruce Billings, infielder Russ Canzler, right-hander Robert Coello, right-hander Brian Gordon, right-hander Chris Leroux, outfielder Antoan Richardson, infielder Scott Sizemore, infielder Yangervis Solarte and infielder Zelous Wheeler.
Canzler (29 games), Coello (28), Sizemore (160) and Leroux (63) all have previous major-league experience. In addition, left-hander Matt Daley, infielder Corban Joseph and right-hander Jim Miller also received invites after spending time with the Yankees last season.
Among the position players with major-league experience, the infielders Canzler, Sizemore and Joseph will get opportunities to actually make the squad this spring.
If Canzler’s name is familiar it is because he was on the Yankees’ original spring training roster last season before he was designated for assignment to clear a roster spot for Travis Hafner. Canzler, 27, was then picked up by the Baltimore Orioles and he was later sent to their Triple A affiliate in Norfolk.
He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 13 and spent the rest of the season at Triple-A Indianapolis. Combined at the two stops, Canzler hit .252 with 12 home runs and 62 RBIs in 125 games.
Canzler is valuable utility player in that he can play both corner infield and outfield spots.
In his 29 games in the majors, he is a .271 hitter with three home runs and 12 RBIs.
The Yankees see the 6-foot-2 right-handed power hitter as a possible platoon at third base with left-handed-hitting Kelly Johnson and a fill-in for Mark Teixeira at first-base. The fact Canzler also can play the outfield would be a definite bonus.
Sizemore, 29, on the other hand, is primarily a second baseman who figures to be in line as a backup infielder at second, shortstop and third base.
The right-handed-hitting Sizemore, a product of the Detroit Tigers’ minor-league system, was dealt to the Oakland Athletics in 2011. In 160 games, Sizemore has hit .238 with 14 homers and 60 RBIs.
Sizemore elected to become a free agent this winter after knee injuries limited him to just two games since 2011.
Joseph, 25, is product of the Yankees’ minor-league system and he made his major-league debut with the Yankees on May 13 during a doubleheader with the Cleveland Indians. Sizemore was 1-for-6 in the two games.
Primarily a second baseman, the lefty-swinging rookie can also play third base.
In 47 games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Joseph hit only .239 with six homers and 19 RBIs. He was placed on the disabled list on May 31 and missed the remainder of the season with a right shoulder injury that required surgery.
With Brian Roberts entrenched at second and Johnson penciled in at third, Joseph’s chances of making the major-league roster in 2014 are virtually nil. The Yankees also have veteran backups such as Brendan Ryan and Eduardo Nunez ahead of him as well as second base prospects Dean Anna and Jose Pirela knocking on the door.
Of the pitchers, Miller has the best shot to make the team after spending most of the 2013 season at Triple A, where he was 3-5 with a 3.55 ERA and six saves in nine chances in 43 games.
In one game with the Yankees, Miller, 31, had a 20.25 ERA in 1 1/3 innings. Miller also has pitched for the Orioles, the Colorado Rockies and the A’s in his career.
The list of 26 invitees also includes outfielder Mason Williams, right-hander Danny Burawa, outfielder Tyler Austin, right-hander Chase Whitley and left-hander Fred Lewis. All five were selected by the Yankees during the 2010 First-Year Player Draft.
Williams, 22, is the team’s No. 2 prospect, and Austin, 22, is the team’s No. 3 prospect.
The organization’s Minor-League Pitcher of the Year in 2012, right-handed reliever Mark Montgomery, also was invited.
The other invitees include: Catchers Pete O’Brien, Francisco Arcia and Jose Gil; outfielder Adonis Garcia; infielder Pirela; right-handers Yoshinori Tateyama and David Herndon; and left-hander Francisco Rondon.
The 26 invitees brings the number of players invited to camp to 66, which is 18 fewer than in 2014. Among the 26 players are 13 pitchers, three catchers, six infielders and four outfielders.
Phelps Sharp But Yankees Fire Blanks At Braves
GAME 11
BRAVES 2, YANKEES 0
TAMPA – Jordan Schaffer led off the game with a double and later scored on a Justin Upton groundout as Atlanta shut out New York on Tuesday at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Paul Maholm (1-1) and four Braves relievers held the Yankees to five hits. David Phelps (1-1) pitched four strong innings in his bid for a rotation spot despite taking the loss. J.R. Graham pitched two scoreless innings to earn his second spring save.
The Yankees helped the Braves immensely by going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and stranding nine men on the bases.
The Yankees fell to 3-8 on the spring. The Braves improved to 6-6.
PINSTRIPE POSITIVES
- If Brett Gardner were to get any hotter with the bat you could fry an egg on his forehead. Gardner went 2-for-3 against the Braves and is hitting .579 on the spring. For those Yankee fans who are angling for Gardner to lead off for the team this season you may as well keep dreaming. Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki will hit in the top two spots. Gardner likely will hit ninth.
- Despite giving up the double to Schaffer that led to a run in the first inning, Phelps pitched exceptionally well. He gave up just two hits and a walk and struck out two. In his nine innings this spring, Phelps has given up just one run on seven hits and two walks and struck out three. It is hard to see how the Yankees can keep him out of the rotation.
- Suzuki doubled off the base of the rightfield wall in the fifth inning and went 1-for-3 in the game. Suzuki is also having a pretty productive spring. He is hitting .400 and he shows no ill effects from his recent car accident last week.
- Shawn Kelley looked really sharp in the the ninth inning, putting the Braves away 1-2-3 with two strikeouts. Kelley, 28, was 2-4 with a 3.25 ERA in 47 games with the Seattle Mariners last season. He could figure to make the team because he has a power arm.
NAGGING NEGATIVES
- Travis Hafner has only had 10 at-bats but he needs to start showing that he can drive the ball. Hafner was 0-for-1 with two walks and is 2-for-10 so far this spring. With the Yankees missing so much of their power from last season Hafner is important piece to providing consistent power as the left-hand designated hitter.
- The team’s errors seem to multiplying like rabbits. There were three more errors against the Braves and two by Corban Joseph, who was playing – you guessed it – third base. Third has been like a black hole for the Yankees all spring. In 11 games the Yankees have committed 19 errors this spring and 11 of them have been committed by third basemen.
- Mark Montgomery, 22, had a night he would like to forget. He gave up a single to Tyler Pastornicky and Pastornicky stole second and advanced to third when J.R. Murphy overthrew second. Then Montgomery was called for a balk to allow Pastornicky to score. Montgomery followed that up by walking two batters and hitting another to load the bases. He was replaced by Francisco Rondon, who wriggled out of the bases-loaded jam with a strikeout and a groundout.
BOMBER BANTER
The M*A*S*H unit that is the Yankees received another patient who was not even in Tampa to get injured. Mark Teixeira, who was training in Arizona with Team USA, strained the inside of his right wrist taking swings in batting practice preparing for an exhibition game against the White Sox. X-rays were negative for a break but Teixeira will be unable to play in the World Baseball Classic and will be shelved for at least two weeks. At this rate, Francisco Cervelli may end up as the team’s Opening Day cleanup hitter. . . . Manager Joe Girardi told the YES Network on Tuesday that the team is shooting for Mariano Rivera to make his spring debut on Saturday in a game against the Braves. He also said that Jeter could play on Sunday. . . . General manager Brian Cashman showed up at camp sporting a cast on his right ankle and crutches he will be using for about eight weeks. Cashman broke his fractured his right fibula and dislocated his ankle skydiving on Monday as part of a charity event for the Wounded Warriors Project. If at any time I report that the Yankees’ batboy has been injured you know this team is truly cursed. . . . The team’s top prospect, catcher Gary Sanchez, was among eight players reassigned to minor-league camp. Along with Sanchez, 20, the Yankees sent out infielders David Adams, Greg Bird, Cito Culver and Rob Segedin; outfielder Tyler Austin and catchers Francisco Arcia and Kyle Higashioka. That leaves the Yankees with 68 players in camp.
ON DECK
It may be a bit strange but the Yankees will be looking at bench coach Tony Pena and second baseman Robinson Cano in the opposing dugout on Wednesday. The Yankees will be playing an exhibition against the Dominican Republic team from the WBC. Cano likely will start at second base and Pena is the team’s manager.
Hiroki Kuroda will get the start for the Yankees and he will be opposed by former Yankee right-hander Jose Veras.
Game-time will be 1:05 p..m. EST and the game will be telecast live by the MLB Network.
Yanks Sign DH Hafner, Invite 43 Others To Camp
With the announcement of the signing of designated hitter/first baseman Travis Hafner to a one-year contract on Feb. 1, the New York Yankees are basically finished with their roster moves prior to the opening of spring training camp in Tampa, FL.
Hafner, 35, is a potential replacement for the loss of Raul Ibanez, who opted to sign with the Seattle Mariners this offseason.
Hafner hit .228 with 12 home runs and 34 RBIs in 64 games with the Cleveland Indians last season.
Though Hafner has played first base in his career, he has not played in the field since the 2007 season. So it appears he primarily will be the team’s left-hand DH and will play first sparingly, if at all.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Yankees designated fellow former Indians first baseman/outfielder Russ Canzler for assignment. If Canzler is not picked up by another team he could be reclaimed and invited to spring training with the Yankees.
In addition to Hafner, the Yankees added to their spring roster by inviting a total of 43 players to spring training.
Among those is left-hand hitting first baseman Dan Johnson, who most recently played for the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox, and outfielders Matt Diaz and Juan Rivera.
Diaz, 34, hit .222 with two home runs and 13 RBIs in 51 games for the Atlanta Braves last season. The right-hand hitting Diaz had his season cut short by a right thumb injury that required surgery in August.
Diaz is a career .291 hitter and he has an excellent chance to make the team as a backup corner outfielder and designated hitter.
Rivera, also 34, originally came out of the Yankees minor-league system and played for the team in portions of the 2002 and 2003 seasons before being dealt to the Montreal Expos in 2004.
Rivera hit .244 with nine home runs and 47 RBIs in 109 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. He is a career .274 hitter.
Rivera is also a corner outfielder and he likely will compete with Diaz for a roster spot.
Johnson, 33, has an excellent chance to make the roster as a replacement for Eric Chavez, who signed in the offseason with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Johnson is a left-handed hitter who can play first and third base and as a corner outfielder.
He hit .364 with three home runs and six RBIs in late season call-up with the White Sox. But at Triple-A Charlotte, Johnson hit .267 with 28 home runs and 85 RBIs in 137 games before being recalled in September.
With Hafner and Johnson both having good shots at making the team and Diaz and Rivera competing for a backup outfield and right-hand DH spot, the other battles for bench spots will come down to backup catcher and a utility infield spot.
The Yankees lost starting catcher Russell Martin to the Pittsburgh Pirates as a free agent so the starting catcher spot will come down to a battle between Francisco Cervelli, 26, and Chris Stewart, 30. The loser of the battle likely will be the team’s backup.
The Yankees also invited former Los Angeles Angels catcher Bobby Wilson, 29, to camp as a non-roster invitee. However, Wilson likely will be sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre just in case Cervelli or Stewart are injured and he will back up rookie Austin Romine, 24, who is coming off a lower-back injury.
The backup infield spot will be a rematch of last season’s battle between speedy Eduardo Nunez, 25, and steady Jayson Nix, 30.
Nunez is a career .272 hitter with 38 steals in 46 attempts. He is the team’s second-best base-stealer behind Brett Gardner and is perhaps the best athlete on the team.
However, his glovework the past two seasons has been so bad the Yankees want him to primarily play shortstop and second base, which gives Nix a huge edge despite the fact he arrives in camp as a non-roster player.
Nix hit .243 with four home runs and 18 RBIs in 74 games with the Yankees last season. He is able to play second, third, shortstop and the corner outfield spots.
Nunez possibly could make the team as a right-hand DH and he could play a lot of shortstop this season in place of 38-year-old Derek Jeter, who is recovering from a fractured left ankle he sustained in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.
Another option for Nunez is that he could be traded this spring if general manager Brian Cashman feels the need to add a player before the season begins.
Along with Johnson, Wilson, Nix, Diaz and Rivera, the Yankees invited the following players to camp:
CATCHERS: Francisco Arcia, Kyle Higashioka, J.R. Murphy, Gary Sanchez.
INFIELDERS: Gregory Bird, Cito Culver, Walter Ibarra, Addison Maruszak, Luke Murton, Jose Pirela, Kyle Roller, Gil Velazquez.
OUTFIELDERS: Abraham Almonte, Tyler Austin, Adonis Garcia, Slade Heathcott, Ronnier Musteller, Thomas Neal, Rob Segedin.
PITCHERS: Corey Black, Juan Cedeno, Preston Claiborne, Matt Daley, Nick Goody, Shane Greene, David Herndon, Tom Kahnle, Jim Miller, Bryan Mitchell, Mark Montgomery, Zach Nuding, Mikey O’Brien, Kelvin Perez, Brandon Pinder, Ryan Pope, Josh Spence, Matt Tracy, Chase Whitley.
Bottom of the Ninth 