With Javier Vazquez pitching effectively in three of his previous four outings, four-fifths of the Yankees rotation is clicking. Now it would be nice if CC Sabathia, last year’s ace, would fall in line.
Today against the Orioles at Yankee Stadium, Sabathia gets a chance to win for the first time since May 3 when he beat the brutal Birds.
Sabathia is winless in his last five starts. That is his longest stretch since July 6-30 in 2005, when he was with the Indians.
Sabathia, 4-3 with a 4.16 ERA, is 0-2 in his last five starts, with a hefty 6.28 ERA. Most disturbing is 34 hits and nine walks in 28 2/3 innings. Seven of those hits were homers.
“I thought I threw the ball all right. I just think I didn’t make pitches to get out of innings,” Sabathia said of his last outing, a six-inning stint against Cleveland on Saturday in which he allowed five runs and seven hits. “You’re going to get into a tough jam during the course of any game and you’re going to have to make pitches and I just haven’t been able to do that.
“I’m going to go out and try to do that [today]. My delivery’s been good and the pitches are getting a lot better. I’m going to go out and keep pushing.”
Sabathia said he is more concerned about doing his part for a team win than posting a victory for himself.
“It has been a while. You always want to try to go out and help the team win. No matter whether I get a W or not you just want the team to win when you’re out there,” Sabathia said.
The Yankees are 1-4 in those five starts.
This past Saturday, Sabathia and catcher Francisco Cervelli were not in tune with each other.
“Just mixed signs. We just got a couple mixed up,” said Sabathia, who will likely work with Chad Moeller today since Cervelli caught Hughes last night.
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Mark Teixeira late Tuesday night predicted the bruised left foot that forced him out of the game wouldn’t sideline him last night.
“It’s better. I should be fine,” said Teixeira, who went 0-for-5 and lined out twice in last night’s 9-1 win over the Orioles. “Just walking around on it, standing on one foot, pushoffs. It was sore but not to the point where I couldn’t do it.”
X-rays were negative and Teixeira didn’t undergo further tests yesterday.
“I’ve always been the kind of player, you’re going to play with bumps and bruises, that’s part of being an athlete,” he said.
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Today is the seventh anniversary of George Steinbrenner naming Derek Jeter the Yankees’ captain.
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With Ken Griffey Jr. retiring yesterday, Alex Rodriguez is the active home run leader with 590. Griffey finished with 630. Rodriguez is seventh on the all-time list.
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As for Griffey leaving the game, several Yankees spoke highly of the future Hall of Fame lock.
“Dmitri Young introduced me to him in 2005 and he was my favorite player,” Curtis Granderson said. “I met him and exchanged phone numbers. I wanted to get his autograph.”
Former White Sox teammate Nick Swisher gushed about Griffey.
“Griff, what a great guy. I got the chance to play with him for three-fourths of a season in Chicago. He loved coming to the ballpark. Obviously his numbers speak for themselves, first-ballot Hall of Famer,” Swisher said. “Other than that, I think he wanted to try and play for as long as he could. Now, he can go chill in his big house, with his big family, driving around his sweet cars and he’ll enjoy the rest of his life.”
Manager Joe Girardi marveled at Griffey’s talent.
“One of the greatest players I ever played against. Could do everything, defense, hit for average, hit for power, steal bases, run the bases,” Girardi said. “Obviously a great player for a long time, Hall of Famer. The game is going to miss him. It’s unfortunate that in this game we get old. One of the greatest players I ever played against.”
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Lefty-hitting first baseman/DH Juan Miranda was sent to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Triple-A) to make room for Jorge Posada, who was activated from the DL and used as the DH last night.
Miranda batted .217 (10-for-46) with two homers and seven RBIs in 18 games.
Posada went 1-for-3, walked and scored from first on a double by Granderson in the four-run second.
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Girardi couldn’t give an exact date when valuable reliever Alfredo Aceves will resume baseball activities. Aceves is on the disabled list with lower-back trouble and hoping to avoid surgery.
“He is slowly going through rehab, but as far as throwing a baseball, I don’t have a time table,” Girardi said.
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The Yankees promoted Slade Heathcott, last year’s first-round pick, from extended spring training to Charleston (Single-A). The move was likely made to prepare the outfielder to get ready to play for Staten Island (Short-Season A) when the NY-Penn League opens later this month. The Yankees recently did the same thing with J.R. Murphy, their second-round pick a year ago.
Heathcott had a game-ending hit last night for Charleston.
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A baseball team of 14- to 18-year-olds from Yaphank, L.I., who call themselves “Hank’s Baby Yanks” were on the field last night for batting practice and met Girardi.
Hank Steinbrenner and A.J. Burnett are among the team’s sponsors.
–With Howard Kussoy