A-Rod's Smashing Return

A-Rod Sparks Yankees to Win

Filed Under: Yankees

Tags: Adam Jones • Alex Rodriguez • Brian Roberts • cc sabathia • francisco cervelli • Jeremy Guthrie • Selena Roberts • Yankees 5/8 recap • Yankees vs. Orioles

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WP - Sabathia (2-3) LP - Guthrie (2-3)

It only took one pitch to remind everyone just how much the Yankees have missed Alex Rodriguez‘ bat. With two men aboard in the first inning, A-Rod turned on a 98-mph fastball from Jeremy Guthrie and sent it into the left field seats for a 3-0 lead. That would be all the Yankees would need, because CC Sabathia turned in his best game of the season, a 4-hit complete game shutout that snapped the Yankees five game losing streak. Johnny Damon added an RBI double in the seventh and the Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles, 4-0.

The game was all about the return of A-Rod, just days after the release of the controversial Selena Roberts‘ tome, “A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez“. He joked with reporters and teammate Derek Jeter before the game that he was nervous and tried to figure out who would get more boos, him or Mark Teixeira. He answered, “no”, when asked if he used steroids in high school or with the Yankees as Roberts had claimed. Afterwards, he talked to YES‘ Kim Jones about how good it felt to be back with “the guys” and how important it was to focus on baseball.

Guthrie retired Jeter on the first pitch of the game, but then walked Damon and Teixeira to set up a quick showdown with Rodriguez. Orioles fans booed, Yankees fans gave a standing ovation and held up signs like “Support 13″. It was all Yankees fans reacting moments later when career home run number 554 landed in the left field seats.

It looked like it might be a seesaw affair when Sabathia gave up back to back singles to Brian Roberts and Adam Jones to start the home half of hte first. But Sabathia worked out of it with the help of rookie catcher Francisco Cervelli, who threw out Jones on the back end of a double steal. The 23-yr old enjoyed a fine game, in which he collected his first major league hit and a drew a walk.

Sabathia soared through the rest of the game, not allowing another hit until the ninth inning, which stopped a streak of 16 straight batters retired. Mariano Rivera started to get loose after Caesar Izturis and Roberts opened the inning with singles, but Sabathia struck out Jones, Nick Markakis, and Melvin Mora swinging to finish off the Yankees first complete game shutout in nearly three years. Sabathia celebrated with a fist pump and some fired up epitaphs.

Game Notes

The last complete game shutout by a Yankees starting pitcher was July 28, 2006 when Chien-Ming Wang blanked the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Bernie Williams started in right field that day and homered.

Pitcher Ian Kennedy was diagnosed with an aneurysm in his right shoulder and will undergo surgery on Tuesday. It’s the same procedure David Cone went through in 2006 after he felt numbness in his fingers. Dr. George Todd, who performed Cone’s procedure, will take operate on Kennedy as well.

The series continues tonight with Phil Hughes facing Adam Eaton.

The Daily Yankeeland - 5/4

Views from the Facade

May 4th, 2009

Filed Under: Yankees

Tags: Alan Horne • Alex Rodriguez • chien-ming wang • Daily Notes • damaso marte • George Kontos • Joe Girardi • Phil Hughes • Selena Roberts • Yankees Universe • Yankees vs. Red Sox

The Yankees open a two game series with the Boston Red Sox tonight at the new Stadium (yes, I really still feel the need to say new). Joe Girardi hopes that some home cooking will help exact a measure of revenge for last week’s embarrassing 3-game Fenway Flop. With yesterday’s rain out against the Los Angeles Angels, Phil Hughes will start tonight against left-hander Jon Lester. The brief series concludes tomorrow night with Joba Chamberlain going up against Josh Beckett, who has been hammered for 15 runs in his last two starts. Both games are at 7:05 ET on YES.

When Damaso Marte returned from the WBC, he complained of pain behind his throwing shoulder. He then confessed to pitching through the pain in order to represent his country. To say Marte was awful the first month of the regular season, would be like saying a hurricane is a little drizzle. The Yankees finally placed the lefty, who signed a three year free agent deal in the off-season, on the 15-day DL with shoulder tendinitis. Anthony Claggett has been recalled from Scranton to take his place on the roster.

The Yankees also discovered that Chien-Ming Wang’s hip abductor issue was caused by a weakness in his right foot. Wang hadn’t fully recovered the strength in the foot after last season’s Lysfranc injury, and as a result, strained his hip. Physical therapy, rather than throwing, will now be Wang’s main focus.

Alex Rodriguez played third base over the weekend as he continued his rehab in Tampa. It’s possible that A-Rod could get into some Tampa Yankees games before being activated from the disabled list this week or next.

Timing is everything and it’s no shock that writer Selena Roberts’ unauthorized bio of A-Rod hits the stores today. Very convenient. One person who is not happy about it is Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who questioned the timing as well as the need for the book at all. Girardi talked to reporters prior to yesterday’s scheduled game with the Angels, and gave an unsolicited opinion of the book. Girardi felt that what one does in his or her own personal life does not need to be shared wit the public, especially when that person’s children could be exposed to harmful/hurtful information.

The biggest issues that come out in the book are, of course, non-personal. Accusations of pitch tipping while a member of the Texas Rangers, and steroid use in high school and with the Yankees are the hot items that has caused MLB to further investigate A-Rod’s statements. It’s understandable though that Girardi would lash out. He’s under tremendous pressure to win and he doesn’t need his best player or the rest of his team hurt by distractions.

Two years ago pitcher Alan Horne was near the top of the Yankees‘ prospect rankings. Then came shoulder problems that led to off-season surgery. Horne is back from extended spring training and made his season debut for the Trenton Thunder on Saturday. He struggled his way through a 3 inning, 3 run, 4 walk effort.

Right-hander George Kontos has been promoted from Trenton to Scranton after going 1-1, 2.66 in four starts. He struck out 24 batters in 20.1 innings pitched. I did a Q & A with Kontos prior to this season that you may find interesting.

Book on A-Rod has binding injury

Maybe that would explain why the release date for Selena Roberts' expose on Alex Rodriguez has been pushed back to May 12.

The Harper Collins book only went to the printer this week and will now be released about the time it was originally supposed to be available to the public.

Source

A-Rod Begins the Damage Control Tour

No matter what A-Rod does, it will not change the way opposing fans look at him, but he can have a definite impact on Yankees fans. Ala Andy Pettitte, A-Rod will hold a press conference tomorrow to apologize, express his regrets and remorse, and hope to move forward. As with Pettitte's news conference last year, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Jorge Posada will be in attendance, as will Pettitte himself.

A-Rod began the apology tour last week, phoning SI writer/steroid exposer Selena Roberts to make amends for his criticism of her in an interview with Peter Gammons a week ago.

“I know this lady from Sports Illustrated, Selena Roberts, is trying to throw things out there that in high school I tried steroids. I mean, that’s the biggest bunch of baloney I’ve ever heard in my life,” he told ESPN, adding that “this lady is coming out with all these allegations, all these lies.”

A-Rod also accused Roberts of attempting to break into his home in Miami and made false allegations about run-ins she had with Miami police and University of Miami security.

Roberts said she would comment on A-Rod's call, which took place this past Wednesday, after his press conference tomorrow.