BALTIMORE — While starting pitching has been a Yankees strength, the Mariners believe the defending World Champions will be in the hunt when they shop stud lefty Cliff Lee.
“They want one of the catchers and (Eduardo) Nunez,’’ a person familiar with Seattle’s thought process if they deal with the Yankees.
Austin Romine is catching at Trenton (Double-A) and Jesus Montero is catching for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Triple-A). They are considered the top prospects in the organization, which also has young catchers Gary Sanchez and J.R. Murphy in addition to Francisco Cervelli, who is in the big leagues.
Nunez is having a breakout season at SWB.
The Mariners are scouting the Yankees’ organization thoroughly. They had two scouts recently in Charleston (Single-A). Last night they had two scouts watching Trenton play Reading, one of whom was former Yankees minor league coach Bill Masse. They are slated to have at least one scout check on SWB shortly.
The immediate need for the Yankees is a bat but if the Mariners are going to shop Lee the Yankees will be interested because he will be a free agent after the season. Of course, he is making $9 million this season so even if the deal is made at the July 31 deadline the Yankees would have to pay him $3 million.
If they were to give up Romine or Montero, the Yankees would need assurances that Lee would sign an extension and not become a free agent.
As for adding a bat, the Yankees have scouts following the Astros in the event that club holds a fire sale and wants to move first baseman Lance Berkman, who would be a DH for the Yankees.
There are obstacles to adding Berkman, or any other high-priced bat like the White Sox’s Paul Konerko, because of the money owed. Berkman is making $14.5 million this year and Konerko $12 million. Berkman has a complete no-trade clause; Konerko a limited no-trade.
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When Brett Gardner told Joe Girardi he felt discomfort in his left thumb, the manager sent Marcus Thames to hit for Gardner in the eighth inning.
“It’s the thumb I broke last year. When I get jammed. It’s better to be safe than sorry,’’ said Gardner, who went 2-for-4 and scored a run. “Occasionally I feel it but it’s not too bad. I felt it on a check swing off Millwood in my third at-bat.’’
Girardi said Gardner told him it has happened “twenty times’’ Gardner said he hasn’t needed to miss a game after it flares up.
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Yankees minor league pitcher Angel Rincon was suspended for 50 games yesterday after failing a drug test. Rincon, who is with the Dominican Summer League team, tested positive for Stanozolol, a performance enhancing substance.
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Joe Girardi doesn’t want to put an exact date on Jorge Posada returning behind the plate. Posada participated in catching drills before last night’s game. He caught Andy Pettitte’s bullpen, blocked balls and threw out of a crouch in the outfield.
“I hope it’s sometime in the near future,’’ Girardi said of getting his No. 1 catcher behind the plate. “I don’t want to put a time-table on it.’’
However, it’s not likely Posada, who went 0-for-3 and walked twice as the DH last night, will return before next week.
“We are on the right track and excited about that,’’ Girardi said. “We are not looking at this week. Obviously it’s important to get him back as a catcher.’’
According to Posada, who hasn’t caught since fracturing a bone n the right foot on May 16, the foot will tell him when he is ready.
“We will see if the foot can take it,’’ said Posada, who won’t do the drills today but resume them tomorrow. “I have to be vocal (today) and go from there.’’
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Alex Rodriguez was in the lineup, hitting fourth. Rodriguez said the right groin problem that forced him out of Sunday’s game in Toronto wasn’t an issue.
With a 12-3 lead in the seventh inning, Girardi replaced Rodriguez as a cautionary act.
“I am not taking any chances,’’ Girardi said of his cleanup hitter who went 0-for-5.
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Yankees summoned Staten Island (Short Season-A) manager Josh Paul to be the bullpen coach until pitching coach Dave Eiland returns. Bullpen coach Mike Harkey is filling in for Eiland, who has missed the past four games attending to a family matter that doesn’t involve health.
Paul, a former big league catcher with the White Sox, Cubs, Dodgers and Rays, was in Tampa working in the extended spring program and waiting for Staten Island’s season to begin.