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Yankees notebook, 8/19
A-Rod more likely to return Sunday
By Jordan Schelling / MLB.com
Rodriguez worked out again Friday at Target Field, fielding grounders, running first to third, and going through a number of other drills.
With the workout being more intense than the one he went through Thursday, Rodriguez made significant progress toward a return.
“We’re definitely getting close. Today was very encouraging,” Rodriguez said. “I think everything was better. … The biggest thing today was going first to third. I thought I did much better today than yesterday, and just recovery, overall.”
While he understands the need to do what is best for his health and what is best for the team, Rodriguez admits that he is anxious to get back on the field again soon.
“I’m hungry, I want to get back out there,” Rodriguez said. “These guys, the way they’re playing, it’s inspiring. For me, the idea is to make sure that I’m ready to go, hit the ground running, and never look back and just have a great next two months.”
Yanks add Laffey, place Garcia on DL
MINNEAPOLIS — The Yankees claimed left-handed reliever Aaron Laffey off waivers from the Mariners on Friday, after Laffey had been designated for assignment earlier in the week.
Laffey will join the club Saturday, and will take the roster spot of Yankees starter Freddy Garcia, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list — retroactive to Aug. 8 — with a cut on the index finger of his right hand.
To make room on the 40-man roster for Laffey, the Yankees also designated catcher Gustavo Molina for assignment. Garcia, who threw well in a bullpen session before Friday’s game against the Twins, did not seem happy about the move when talking to reporters after the move was announced.
“Whatever’s better for the team and for me,” Garcia said. “That’s the choice they make, and that’s the way it is, man.”
Rather than pitch this weekend for the Yankees, Garcia will make a rehab start Monday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and is expected to start one of the games of next Saturday’s doubleheader at Baltimore.
As for Laffey, he will fill a bullpen role for the Yankees. Laffey made 36 relief appearances this season for the Mariners, posting a 1-1 record with a 4.01 ERA. Laffey has made 49 starts in 115 career games with the Indians and Mariners, and could be a spot-starter candidate for the Yankees as well if needed.
“He’s a guy that can give you some multiple innings,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi. “But he’s another left-hander for us, and that’s why we went and got him.”
CC focused on arm angle in latest win
MINNEAPOLIS — As he went through the Twins’ lineup the first time Thursday night, CC Sabathia struggled, getting hit hard and even giving up a long home run that was later ruled a foul ball.
His second time through the lineup, though, Sabathia was dominant. What was the difference between the first two innings and the next three for the Yankees’ ace?
“Just trying to make sure my arm angle was good,” Sabathia said. “I felt like I was kind of slinging the ball early, and a little bit late.”
In addition to his focusing on his arm angle, a key pitch helped Sabathia as he took control of the game in the middle innings.
“I thought his slider was a little bit better,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi. “I thought that helped him a lot. He threw some down and in to righties, and away from lefties. But he started commanding his fastball a little better, too.”
Jones attributes turnaround to mom’s advice
MINNEAPOLIS — Since the All-Star break, Andruw Jones has looked nothing like the hitter that batted just .195 through the first half of the season.
Jones has hit .349 over 19 games (12 starts), collecting 15 hits in 43 at-bats while also walking nine times. Four of those hits have been home runs for Jones, who also has a pair of doubles and 13 RBIs over that stretch.
The change, Jones said, is the result of advice given to him by his mother.
“Right after the All-Star break, I went home and looked at some old tape,” Jones said. “My mom called me and said ‘Look at your old tapes. I’m not liking the way your legs hit.’ So I kind of opened up a little bit and made an adjustment trying to be more quiet and more on time. Everything’s working good since the All-Star break.”
One of Jones’ four home runs came Thursday night, a towering shot into the third deck in left field that impressed teammates, coaches, fans and media members alike.
Said manager Joe Girardi of Jones’ homer: “He’s got unbelievable power.”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Yankees notebook, 8/18
Garcia has bullpen session moved back
By Jordan Schelling / MLB.com
With Garcia pushed back a day, it remains unclear if he will be able to pitch in the four-game series against the Twins, but it looks less likely than if he had thrown Thursday in the bullpen.
Girardi did not rule out Garcia pitching this weekend.
“I’m not sure when he’s going to pitch again,” Girardi said. “We just have to monitor his bullpen sessions. The big thing is we get him healthy and we get that finger ready. But it’s a lot closer than it was.”
Burnett will start again in Garcia’s place Saturday, putting Ivan Nova would be in line to start Sunday’s series finale.
A day later, Girardi still miffed on HR call
MINNEAPOLIS — When manager Joe Girardi met with the media Thursday before the Yankees took on the Twins, the main topic was the controversial call made Wednesday night by crew chief Dana DeMuth, which credited Kansas City’s Billy Butler with a home run.
After reviewing the play in which the ball struck the left-field wall and bounced back into play, DeMuth determined it to be a home run for Butler. Joe Torre, Major League Baseball’s executive vice president of baseball operations, said Thursday in Cooperstown, N.Y., that DeMuth had misunderstood the ground rules at Kauffman Stadium.
“It’s unfortunate. You know, I can’t tell you if he gets the call right that the game’s not going to change or what’s going to happen during the rest of the game,” Girardi said. “You don’t know. You don’t know if Billy Butler ends up scoring. It’s a totally different game, in a sense.
“But it’s unfortunate that it’s the second time it’s happened. It happened with the Angels, and you would’ve thought that it would’ve been cleaned up. You know, it’s a tough fence, but there are other tough fences. We got the call wrong, and we’ve got to move on.”
As Girardi alluded to, Wednesday night was not the first time such a call had gone the Royals’ way this season at Kauffman Stadium.
Butler initially was credited with a double June 1 on a similar hit, but a review then ruled that it should be a home run. That call gave Butler a two-run walk-off homer as the Royals won, 2-0, over the Angels.
What makes such a call upsetting for Girardi is that rather than simply getting a judgment call wrong, DeMuth made the incorrect call because of a misinterpretation of the ground rules.
“Well, I think everyone in life, not just baseball, needs to be accountable for their own actions. That’s the bottom line,” Girardi said.
“There’s a lot at stake every day. You’re fighting for games. You’re fighting for your division. You’re fighting for playoff spots. Some people are fighting for jobs. There’s a lot at stake.”
Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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