Derek, Andy, and Mo and All's Right With the World

Jeter starts to turn two against Philly

The last time Derek Jeter stood out at shortstop during a baseball game my heart dropped into my stomach. Jeter was laying on the ground in terrible pain and was not getting up. Derek Jeter ALWAYS gets up - the one exception being when he got his shoulder destroyed against the Blue Jays in 2003.

Indeed, Jeter did need help getting up after breaking his already injured left ankle in Game 1 of the 2012 ALCS against the Detroit Tigers. Ankle surgery and physical rehab followed. The culmination of recovery was his return to the game, first as a DH and then as the starting shortstop Wednesday evening against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Making Jeter feel even more at home was the Yankees starter pitcher, Andy Pettitte, who made his spring training debut. Pettitte had thrown simulated games up until that point. Pettitte pitched into the fourth inning and left with two men aboard. His line ended up at 3 IP 4 H 1 ER 3 BB 3 K and he felt good afterward.

Mariano Rivera topped the night off with a one inning, scoreless appearance. As is the case in spring training that inning came in the middle of the game, the 5th inning in this case. (Earlier today Mo, gave a nice interview to Michael Kay and Don LaGreca on ESPN Radio. You can hear it by clicking here.) Mo made easy work of it and retired the side in order.

In one of his at-bats, Jeter took a pitch inside for a strike as he leaned over the plate and made a bit of a face at the home plate. Yes, in some ways he's back in form already. He finished 0-2 for the game with a walk.

The Yankees took advantage of five Phillies errors to beat Cliff Lee 6-2. New acquisition Ben Francisco put the Yankees on the board with a 2-run double off the base of the center field wall.  Juan Rivera and Ichiro Suzuki had a couple of hits each and Rivera also made a nice stop at first base.

Melky Mesa continued to impress both at the plate and in the field. He drove in a run and also made a beautiful over the shoulder catch on a drive to center field.

Yankees Should Grab Brennan Boesch

Brian Cashman has been watching the waiver wire like some people watching the Kardashians. Cashman would like a bat as big as Kim Kardashian's behind, but none of those are available. A pretty good bat did become available Wednesday morning.

Though he is inconsistent, has difficulties with left-handers, had thumb surgery which caused him to miss the 2011 post-season, was left off the 2012 post-season roster, and hurt an oblique muscle this spring, the Yankees should pounce on 27-year old Brennan Boesch.

The outfielder became available on Wednesday after the Detroit Tigers gave him his release. With the acquisition of Torii Hunter over the winter there wasn't going to be a lot of playing time for the Tigers' incumbent right fielder. Boesch spent his entire career with the Tigers organization after he was selected in the third round of the 2006 MLB amateur draft.

He broke into the Majors in 2010 and averaged 14 home runs and 58 RBI over three seasons. Though he has a propensity to be a very streaky hitter, Boesch still managed to put together a .799 OPS over 115 games in 2011. His OPS dropped 140 points last year, which or may not have been due to the thumb surgery he had in '11.

Boesch is a player who needs to cut down on his strikeouts and draw more walks, which translates to being more selective at the plate. With that in mind, it was just two years ago that he hit 16 home runs to go along with a .283 batting average and .458 slugging pct. With the short porch in Yankee Stadium, Cashman should be bombarding Boesch's agent Scott Boras with phone calls. Boesch could fill the role Raul Ibanez played last season and though he bats from the left side, he would be an upgrade over right-handed hitting veteran outfielders in camp (Matt Diaz, Juan Rivera, and Ben Francisco).

Boesch's salary jumped from approximately $.5 MM in 2011 to $2.3MM last year, but the Yankees could probably get him much cheaper with a minor league deal (throw in some incentives too). Boesch is also not eligible for arbitration until next year. Boesch is a decent outfielder, though he would more likely see time in left field rather than in right field with Ichiro Suzuki already stationed there.

Okay, enough talking, Cash get moving.

Phelps, Nova battling it out

If David Phelps and Ivan Nova were heavyweight boxers they would be in the middle of the ring, standing toe-to-toe, and throwing haymakers.  Thankfully, their competition is more peaceful as they battle for the number five spot in the Yankees starting rotation.

Nova was the latest of the two pitchers to step up with a solid outing. Against a Tampa Bay Rays team that featured just a few regulars, Nova tossed four scoreless innings on Tuesday afternoon. He allowed four hits, didn't walk a batter, and struck out two.

In three starts this spring Nova has allowed just one earned run in nine innings pitched and also issued one free pass. He's had to be that good, because Phelps has been his equal if not better.

The Notre Dame product has allowed one earned run in 14 innings pitched, 10 hits, walked three and struck out six. Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman do not have an easy decision ahead of themselves. That could change if Phil Hughes isn't able to go when the regular season starts. Nova and Phelps would then fill the number four and five spots.

On Monday Hughes threw his first bullpen session since mid-February when a bulging disc was discovered in his upper back. The Yankees are being extremely cautious in getting Hughes' back and arm back into game shape.

Next up for Hughes will be throwing batting practice on Thursday and then a simulated game at some point. Pitching coach Larry Rothschild has a schedule set up for Hughes, but declined to share it with the media.

Cashman Leaving No Stone Unturned in Search For Infielders

An aging New York Yankees ball club may be getting older soon. With Mark Teixeira out of action for at least 8-10 weeks, Brian Cashman (kudos to the ESPN radio caller who referred to him as "Crashman") has feelers out all over the place for a first and/or third baseman.

Kevin Youkilis can play either position, but with a third baseman hard to find, Cashman has already stated that getting a first baseman would be easier to do. That being said, it doesn't mean that the GM won't look at third basemen either.

The Yankees are already going to give third baseman turned outfielder Ronnier Mustelier a look. The Yankees like the bat he's shown in camp and in the minors last year, and want to see if he can field the position he played in his native Cuba.

Cashman has also reached out to veterans Derrek Lee and Scott Rolen. The 37-year old Lee sat out last season after hitting 19 home runs with 59 RBI for Baltimore and Pittsburgh in 2011. His best season came in 2005 when he finished third in the NL MVP voting as a member of the Chicago Cubs. He led the league in batting average (.335), slugging pct (.662), OPS (1.080), hits (199), and doubles (50).

He also hit 46 home runs that year, drove in 107 runs, and scored 120. He was bothered by a litany of injuries after that, but produced a 35-home run, 111-RBI season in 2009. Lee is reportedly interested in a comeback.

Rolen, a 17-year veteran, is a 7-time Gold Glove winner at third base. He played in 92 games for the Cincinnati Reds last season with a .245/.318/.398 split. Rolen spent 1996-2007 with Philadelphia and St. Louis before he was dealt to Toronto for fellow third baseman Troy Glaus. In 2009, The Blue Jays honored a request from Rolen to be closer to his family and dealt him to Cincy.

Rolen was Rookie of the Year for the Phillies in 1997 and has compiled 316 home runs and 1,287 RBI.  He finished 4th in the 2004 NL MVP voting when he hit 34 HR, drove in 124 and had a 1.007 OPS.

A free agent, Rolen issued a statement to the media in mid-February:

“Right now I’m simply not ready to make a commitment. I would like to leave my options open, without closing any doors. I am looking forward to all of the challenges, both personally and professionally, I will face in the future.”

Cashman joked with reporters Monday morning that Chipper Jones, who retired after last season, would be a good fit. The only problem was that he didn't have Jones' agent's contact info.  Agent BB Abbott relayed the info to Jones who was "flattered", but basically said there's no way in hell he is coming out of retirement, via Twitter.

"Enough with the rumors! While I am flattered about the speculation of being enticed out of retirement, I'm happy with life as a bad golfer!"

Anyone have Scott Brosius' number?

Ben Francisco, Pick Up a White Courtesy Phone

The New York Post's Joel Sherman reported via Twitter that the Yankees have signed veteran outfielder Ben Francisco to a minor league deal.

The 6-year veteran had been signed to a minor league deal by the Cleveland Indians in January, but was released earlier in the day. Yankees GM Brian Cashman was quick to pounce on another possibility for the Yankees outfield, which is missing Curtis Granderson until May.

The 31-year old showed promise early in his career with Cleveland when he slugged 15 home runs in back to back seasons (2008-2009) and topped .770 in OPS both years. Those were the only two seasons in which Francisco had more than 400 plate appearances.

He was dealt to Philadelphia at the 2009 trade deadline along with the center piece of the deal, Cliff Lee. Francisco had an .843 OPS and drove in 13 runs in 37 games after the deal, but was 0-11 in the post-season. That included an 0-7 skid when the Phillies lost to the Yankees in the World Series.

Francisco's output and playing time began to diminish the following season and culminated in 2012 when he played for three different organizations (Blue Jays, Astros, Rays) and had a sub .700 OPS with all of them.

Francisco will compete with veterans Matt Diaz, Juan Rivera, and youngsters like Melky Mesa and Ronnier Mustelier for a spot on the team. Mustelier is also being looked at as a possibility for third base, a position he played  while in Cuba.

Jorge: Hip Hip Mo

Jorge Posada caught Mariano Rivera longer than any other catcher in the Yankees organization. Here's what he had to say about his long-time teammate's retirement announcement.

“There is only one Mariano Rivera. There won’t be another person who will come along and do what he did. No one does it like him. It was an honor to catch him and play alongside him for as long as I did. He made my job as a catcher so much easier. Mariano is a special person and obviously a special player.

“I’m so happy he is going out on his terms. Now every time he steps into a ballpark this year, teams and fans can celebrate and appreciate what he has meant to this great game we play.”

Now Batting-Number 2-Der-ek Je-ter

So much of what went on with the Yankees over the last few months and what will be happening in the upcoming season has been unsettling. It's not all about the wins and losses. It's about the injuries, a different look and approach, and what the future holds.

We've been able to look out on to the baseball field for 19 years and see numbers 2 and 42, and except for a handful of years, number 46. The last links to the mini-dynasty that formed from 1996-2001 (yes, you can lose during a dynasty).

As time has gone by over the last decade and my hair has grayed, we've seen O'Neill, Bernie, Coney, Tino, Boomer, Posada, and others fade away from the game. Players come and go, some successful, some not, but most do not have the longevity of the players those three numbers belong to.

It's difficult not to feel melancholy about the 2013 Yankees. With injuries and inexperience, it will be a difficult 162 days from April through September. More difficult will be the day that number 42 (the last 42), baseball's version of Gandhi, Mariano Rivera steps away from the game. The setup for a press conference that will take place shortly is underway. Mariano's family has flown in to announce that this will be the last season for the greatest reliever (Not just closer) in baseball history.

Likely to be sitting at that press conference as well will be number 46, Andy Pettitte, who stepped away from the game once already and may very well join Rivera in saying good-bye to the Bronx after this season. He and Rivera have been linked together forever since Mariano has saved more games for Pettitte than any other reliever-starter in baseball history. 

Since he's a spring training instructor, Jorge Posada, who donned number 20 until he hung it up after the 2011 season, will probably be in attendance this morning too. And then there's the Captain. What lies ahead for him?

Derek Jeter has gotten the clearance to step into the batter's box in real game action, his broken ankle sufficiently healed. That day may be today or possibly tomorrow (Sunday). And whenever the 2013 season ends for the Yankees, Jeter might just be the lone man standing from those 1996-2001 years. I don't even want to think about the off-season that leads into 2014.

Jeter is to make $8MM next year, with incentives that could pump it up to $17MM. That is if the Yankees greatest shortstop decides to exercise the option for the fourth and final season of his current contract. I don't believe for a second that at this moment in time Jeter has any ideas of not playing next year. But what if he doesn't pick up that option and wants a brand new contract? The contentious negotiation that took place in 2010 could be repeated and that would be horrible.

So for now let's just enjoy what lies ahead. Mariano being celebrated, not only in the tri-state area, but to each road ballpark he enters and listening to Bob Shepard's voice over the Yankees' PA system introduce Derek Jeter.

So many wonderful memories to look back on, so many still to be written.

Can't Go to Mo After '13

Mariano Rivera will make it official this Saturday - the 2013 regular season will be his last. A press conference will be held at GMS field in Tampa on Saturday so that Mo can let the media and the fans know his plans.

The all-time leader in regular season saves likely would have retired after the 2012 season had he not torn an ACL in May and been knocked out for the rest of the season.  We all got a glimpse of life with out Mo last year, but it will really be odd when the 2013 season ends and number 42 is only worn on Jackie Robinson Day and Mariano Rivera will no longer be teaching his young teammates/minions out in the bullpen. Teaching them not only about pitching, but about life.

I can see Mariano coming back at some point on Old Timers Days and being a Spring Training instructor, but whenever the season ends for the Yankees I can see this deeply religious and spiritual man spending time with his family and spreading the message of God in his native Panama.

It's remarkable to think of the career the 43-year old has had, especially considering the Yankees had no idea what they had in him when they signed the skinny teenager in 1990. He was starter when they called him up in 1995 and didn't look like anything special. But when he returned later that season he was armed with the pitch - the cutter - that would change the direction of his career and help the Yankees dominate the next five seasons.

His performance in the '95 division series and the season that followed showed everyone how confident and capable the son of a fisherman was. He would work 2-3 innings before closer John Wetteland came into the game in '96. Opponents very quickly realized they had a short window to get to the Yankees starting pitcher. Rivera had turned most nights into a five or six inning game. Then he did his job and Wettleland followed and it was lights out. The Yankees hoisted the World Series trophy in 1996, the first time in 18 years they had done so.

There was so much confidence in Rivera that the Yankees had no desire to re-sign Wetteland after the season. Though Rivera failed in his first playoff series as closer, he would dominate the next three World Series as the Yankees pulled off a three-peat. Something no team had done since the Oakland A's in the 1970's.

The cutter cut, bats were turned to kindling, and the other team shook their heads in wonderment. They knew which pitch was coming, but couldn't do anything about it anyway.

Rivera eventually broke Whitey Ford's post-season streak for consecutive scoreless innings and established himself as the greatest closer of all time. Yes, the role had changed over time, but most teams just gave up when Rivera exited the bullpen to the sounds of Metallica's "Enter Sandman".  Yankees fans will have one more season rise to their feet on the opening notes and clap and roar as Rivera jogs in. (Rivera, humble by nature, admitted that the song somewhat embarrasses him since it doesn't mirror his personality.)

There were bumps along the way  (2001, 2004) of what is soon-to-be a 19 year career, but in 2009 there was Rivera closing in on his 40th birthday and closing out another World Series championship for the Yankees. Two years later he became the all-time leader in regular season saves.

Savor the days, weeks, and months ahead. It's a last hurrah that should be celebrated not only in Yankee Stadium, but in all of baseball. You will never see another player like Mariano Rivera. God bless him.

Who's On First? Not Mark Teixeira

The Yankees must be wishing Spring Training ended immediately. Perhaps then they could have a half-way healthy lineup to start the season.

With Derek Jeter working his way back from last October's broken ankle, Phil Hughes having to take it easy due to a bulging disc in his back, and Curtis Granderson sidelined with a broken bone in his forearm the Yankees lineup did not need to be depleted any further.  Unfortunately it has been.

Mark Teixeira was forced to leave the US entry in the World Baseball Classic due to a strained right wrist that occurred while he hit off of a tee. The news got worse on Wednesday after the Yankees sent Teixeira up to NYC to get additional testing done. The news was all bad.

Teixeira will be out a minimum of 8-10 weeks with a strained extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tendon. The Yankees first baseman, who has the fourth most home runs in the American League since he joined the Yankees in 2009, will be completely shut down for a month. Then the work to get back in the lineup begins.

8-10 weeks is probably a conservative estimate; strong wrists are vital to a batter's (especially a power hitter) success at the plate. Nick Swisher would have just shuttled over to first base in years past, but he's in Cleveland now and the Yankees don't have many options.

Brian Cashman always likes to say he'll first look at options within the organization first, but this may be the most limited group he's had to pick from in a while. Here are the possibilities within camp and the possibilities from other organizations. (Hopefully Cashman has lost Nick Johnson's phone number.)

Travis Hafner is strictly a DH; he can't take the physical toll of playing the infield any more.

Juan Rivera played 102 games over the last three years with the Dodgers and Blue Jays, but Cashman told Mike Francesa on Wednesday that he does not consider Rivera an option.

Obviously Kevin Youkilis can play either of the corner positions, but then who fills in at third base? Jayson Nix? Some have already suggested Eduardo Nunez, but the Yankees need to stick to their guns and let him play only shortstop. His confidence on defense isn't great to begin with and they need his bat to not suffer from any defensive shortcomings.

Non-Roster Invitee (NRI) Dan Johnson is a first baseman; one that can't hit. A once promising prospects with the Oakland A's, he' bounced around Japan, the Rays, and White Sox before he accepted an invite to the Yankees' camp. In 71 games over parts of the 2010 and 2011 seasons, Johnson showed some power, but hit below .200. He is NOT the answer.

Another NRI Luke Murton has not played above Double-A, but he did slug 25 home runs for Trenton last year and had a .791 oPS.

The Yankees have been very high on David Adams, their 3rd round draft pick in 2008 and a member of the 40-man roster, but he's been sidelined all of spring training with a bad back. Adams was drafted as a second baseman,but the Yankees converted him to third base. He's also missed parts of the last three years with leg and ankle injuries, so even if he were healthy now he might have him been a long shot at best.

There's slim pickings among the remaining free agents. Aubrey Huff has had an up and down career. From 2002-2006, primarily with Tampa Bay, he averaged about 26 home runs, drove in 100 runs twice and topped the 90 mark once. In 2008 with the O's he slugged 32 and drove in 108. He struggled the following two season before a rebound with the Giants in 2011.

Last season Huff was limited to 52 games in 2012 after he injured his knee during the celebration of Matt Cain's perfect game and some anxiety issues. The 36-year old's splits were just .192/.326/.282, but he still may be worth taking a look at it.

Cashman will also be scouring the transaction wire for players released towards the end of the regular season. He did not rule out a deal for a player that has a higher upside, but he also told Francesa o that any player acquired would need to have defensive flexibility once the injured players return. Where's a Jeff Conine type when you need him? (Francesa was already campaigning for Justin Morneau; perhaps he should remember that Morneau has his own health issues, specifically concussions.)

Another obstacle is the additional playoff team in each league. With more teams in contention for a playoff spot, teams will hold onto players (e.g. potential free agents) longer than they used to.

The feeling here is that the Yankees will go with a low key solution and will only make a bigger deal if Granderson and/or Teixeira are out for much longer than expected.

Tex's Wrist Sends Him Back to Tampa

Mark Teixeira hoped to represent the United States in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, but a strained right wrist ended that wish.

MLB.com's Bryan Hoch reported that Tex injured the wrist while taking batting practice prior to Team USA's exhibition game with Chicago White Sox.

Tex is expected to sit 7-10 days and will be re-evaluated by the Yankees doctors. Teixeira is a notoriously slow starter and hoped the Team USA's games would help out in putting together a productive first month of the season.

You can bet the Yankees will take things cautiously so that Teixeira isn't out for an extended period of time. An already weakened lineup can't take any more missing parts.

Cash, Crackle, Pop

"I've fallen and I can't get up."

Last time we saw superhero Cashman he was descending down a Connecticut building for charity. Kind of like old school, TV Batman (the only thing missing was people opening their windows and talking to him.)

Today the mild mannered GM by day decided to take a leap of faith. He should have stopped at just one leap. In another charity outing, Brian Cashman jumped out of an airplane, pulled his chute and made a nice landing. And then he wanted to do it again.

The next jump didn't go so well. Cashman broke his right fibula and dislocated his ankle. Cash will be able to consult with Derek Jeter and Joba Chamberlain on bad breaks.

Cashman went skydiving with the Army's Golden Knights to raise awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project. Little did he know that he would become wounded himself. On landing number two Cashman heard a pop and was quickly taken to the hospital for surgery on his ankle. He'll also need surgery to set the fracture properly.

If it came down to it, Cashman would get a minor league GM within the organization to fill in before looking on the waiver wire. ;)

Nova Looks Good in Weekend Sweep

The New York Yankees entered the weekend with just one win so far in the 2013 Grapefruit League. There hasn't been too much worry (this isn't your father's Steinbrenner) about though. Losses have mainly due to poor fielding, pitching, and lack of hitting by the Yankees' youngsters that have no chance of making the 25 man roster when the team departs Florida at the end of the month.

Ivan Nova is one of the youngsters that is an exception to the rule. A 16-game winner in his rookie season in 2011, Nova struggled with his command, some physical issues, and his confidence last season. The result was  a 12 win season, but an ERA over 5.00 and no spot on the post-season roster.

It didn't start out that way; Nova finished the first half 10-3, 3.92 in 17 starts. In the second half, Nova was the polar opposite and finished 2-5, 7.05 in 11 starts. After he allowed 13 home runs in 165.1 innings pitched in 2011, he allowed 28 home runs in just five more innings pitched a year later. Though his strikeouts went from 5.3 per nine innings in 2011 to 8.1 last season, it was clear that Nova was not placing the ball where he wanted to.

Nova's clean slate for 2013 began on Saturday when he  tossed a pair of scoreless innings in the Yankees 10-3 win over the Tigers. He allowed one hit and struck out one in his Spring Training debut. He threw 27 pitches.

Meredith Marakovitz spoke with Nova about his performance.



The Yankees won their second straight on Sunday, 5-1 over Boston in their first spring meeting with the Red Sox. Adam Warren was solid in three innings of work, with the only blemish a Mike Napoli home run. 23-year old Jose Ramirez followed with three scoreless innings and picked up the win.

Among the offensive highlights was a solo home run by Thomas Neal.

Injury Update

Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera both threw simulated games on Sunday. Rivera threw 21 pitches while Pettitte worked two innings and threw 34 pitches.

Lefty reliever Boone Logan has been shut down for a few days to rest his achy elbow. An MRI only showed some inflammation and Logan is hopeful that he'll be able to get back at it this week.

Starter Phil Hughes' back is feeling better and made 25 tosses from 60 feet on Sunday.

Outfielder Ichiro Suzuki was, thankfully, not injured when involved in a car accident on Saturday. Ichiro was on his way home from Saturday's game when his Land Rover was struck by another car attempting to make a left turn across traffic. The other driver was cited for failure to yield.

Mesa to Skip WBC, Fight For LF Job

Melky Mesa waved good-bye to the WBC

Melky Mesa saw the opportunity and seized the moment. Scheduled to play in the World Baseball Classic (WBC), Mesa told the Dominican Republic that "Something suddenly came up!" and he would not participate. With Curtis Granderson sidelined until May, Mesa is among the players that is hoping to fill in when the team heads north to start the regular season.

Mesa showed good power in the minor leagues last season and for the past two games in Florida. He hit a no doubt about it home run against the Phillies on Friday after he belted a 3-run shot on Thursday. Thus far, La Leche II is 4-15 with 4 RBI, 2 stolen bases and a .979 OPS.

Among the other competitors is Cuban native Ronnier Mustelier who had an opposite field home run against the Phillies. The right-handed hitter is 3-7 so far and is coming off a season in which he played 89 games at Triple-A (10 home runs). He also narrowly escaped injury on Thursday when a hard charging Slade Heathcott collided with him on a fly ball. Mustelier caught the ball and hung on.

12-year veteran Juan Rivera is 6-13 (.462) with three doubles. Another veteran, Matt Diaz, is just 2-11 to date.

The Yankees have played very sloppy games so far in Spring Training and much of that has to do with the number of youngsters that have played so far. The Yankees committed five errors against the Orioles on Thursday and four more yesterday. As a result, only one of the four runs allowed by starter Hiroki Kuroda was earned. The Yankees lost the game, 10-5 and still have just one victory so far.

Joba Chamberlain allowed two hits, two walks, two runs in just one inning of work. Cody Eppley, like Kuroda, was hurt by errors and allowed four runs with just one earned.

Lefty Vidal Nuno impressed once again in three shutout innings. He has struck out nine batters in five innings this spring.

The Captain and Cash Visit With Francesa

Mike Francesa opened his WFAN radio show on Thursday with the Captain himself, Derek Jeter, and then brought on GM Brian Cashman to discuss the upcoming season.

Jeter maintains he will be ready for opening day, hedging just a little in saying he will need to get enough at-bats. Among the things Jeter discussed were:

1. He knew his ankle was broken in the ALCS the instant it happened. He was afraid to look at it though in case it was pointing in the wrong direction.

2. He likes the makeup of the current Yankees. It reminds him of the early teams he was on when the Yankees didn't need to rely so much on home runs to win games. Jeter further stated he prefers to play the type of baseball the Yankees will need to now play with so many home run bats missing from last year's lineup.

You can more of the interview at the YES Network.

Among the things that we learned from Cashman were:

1. The catching job will be held down by Francisco Cervelli and Chris Stewart. Why? Because they are out of options. Cashman didn't feel Austin Romine had any shot at the job when queried by Francesa. Since he has options and basically no Major League experience, Romine needs to start the season in Triple-A.

2. Cash was really hoping Russell Martin would return, but things couldn't be worked out. Francesa asked if there was any miscommunication between the Yankees and Martin, but Cash said there was none.

3. You can tell Cash does not love the WBC, but he has become accustomed to it and shrugged it off.

4. Cash expects Curtis Granderson back the first week of May. Until them the team will "evaluate what we have" and they will also check the waiver wires. Right now there is no player ahead of the others to win the left field job.

5. Francesa asked, "Is Nunez your insurance policy at shortstop?" - Cash said Nunez or (Jayson) Nix and said that the team may only carry one of them. Francesa also asked if Eduardo Nunez had the chance to be the right-handed DH. Cash said he wanted something more, which I would interrupt as someone with the more pop/power in his bat.

You can hear more of the interview at the YES Network website.

Thursday games wrap up

The wins and losses don't matter during Spring Training, but the efforts do. Though the Yankees lost both games on Thursday (against the Astros and Blue Jays), there were some high notes.

David Phelps tossed three scoreless innings in 1-0 loss to Toronto. He allowed a couple of hits, walked a batter and struck one out.  Reliever David Aardsma tossed a scoreless inning and Juan Rivera was 2-2.

The Yankees lost to the Astros 7-6 after they had built a 5-1 lead. All fives runs came in the 6th inning when Melky Mesa belted a 3-run home run. Mesa, who's full first name is Melquisedec, has been mentioned as a possible fill-in in left field until Curtis Granderson returns. Mesa only hit .230 in 33 games after an in-season promotion to Scranton last year, but had 9 HR and 21 RBI.  Zoilo Almonte continued to impress with a pair of hits and an RBI.

Not such a great start for Dellin Betances, who showed the control trouble he struggled with last year. In one inning against the Astros Betances walked two and struck out two. Betances averaged 8.3 walks per nine innings at Triple-A last year, which led to a demotion to Trenton. He was a little better there with an average of 4.8 walks per nine innings.

Chris Stewart did something you don't see too often in Spring Training. He was ejected for arguing a call at first base.

Go to Mo

Mariano Rivera took the next step in his return by throwing an 18 pitch simulated game.