Spring Training Game Thread: Jeter back at DH
By
(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
This afternoon’s Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals is notable for two reasons. First, Derek Jeter is back in the lineup as the DH just two days after making his Spring Training. I wondered if the Yankees would give him two or three days between games — even just as the DH — following his late-October ankle surgery, so I suppose playing again so soon is an indication he and his ankle are feeling well.
Secondly, Ronnie Mustelier is at third base again. It will be his fourth game at the hot corner since Mark Teixeira‘s wrist injury, and the Yankees have admitted they are giving him a look at the position prior to Opening Day. Will it work? Who the hell knows. It is certainly worth a shot though. Here’s the starting lineup…
- LF Brett Gardner
- DH Derek Jeter
- RF Ichiro Suzuki
- 1B Kevin Youkilis
- SS Eduardo Nunez
- C Chris Stewart
- 2B Corban Joseph
- 3B Ronnie Mustelier
- CF Slade Heathcott
On the mound is New York’s top right-hander, Hiroki Kuroda. Here are the second stringers, courtesy of Chad Jennings.
Available Pitchers: RHP David Robertson, RHP Joba Chamberlain, RHP Shawn Kelley, RHP Cody Eppley, RHP Dellin Betances, and LHP Francisco Rondon will all come out of the bullpen. Robertson is notable given his recent shoulder scare.
Available Position Players: C J.R. Murphy, 1B Luke Murton, SS Addison Maruszak, 3B Jose Pirela, LF Matt Diaz, CF Ramon Flores, RF Zoilo Almonte, and DH Travis Hafner are all scheduled to come off the bench.
This afternoon’s game is scheduled to start a little after 1pm ET and can be seen on YES, ESPN, and MLB.tv (no local blackout). Lots of viewing options today. Enjoy the game.
98 Comments»
RAB Info
The Founders
Mike Axisa, Ben Kabak, Joe Pawlikowski
Editor-In-Chief
Mike Axisa Archives | Email
Managing Editors
Ben Kabak Archives | E-mail
Joe Pawlikowski Archives | E-mail
Contributing Editors
Larry Koestler (Archives)
Moshe Mandel (Archives)
Eric Schultz (Archives)
Weekend Writers
Hannah Ehrlich (Archives)
Matthew Warden (Archives)
Special Contributor
J.R. O'Grady (Archives)
Technical Consultant
Jay Gordon
Subscribe to RAB by RSS
Follow @RiverAveBlues
Search RAB
Yankees News from YESNetwork.com
- Overbay's solo shot leads Yankees over Rays in extras
- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders get back Betances, activate Murton
- Yankees claim left-handed pitcher David Huff off waivers from the Cleveland Indians
- Yankees put Granderson on 15-day disabled list
- Yankees activate Nova from disabled list, send Betances to Triple-A
- Yankees down Rays in series opener, but lose Granderson to broken pinkie knuckle
- Curtis Granderson leaves game after fracturing knuckle on his pinkie finger
- Teixeira to play for Double-A Trenton Thunder on Wednesday and Thursday
- Teixeira plans to play in Minors Wednesday
- Brian Cashman speaks to media about injured Yankees pitchers
Banner Design By
The Tyler Austin Watch
Dear Slade,
Don’t crash into anyone or anything.
Thanks,
Chien Ming The Merciless
Shouldn’t Chien Ming be warning everyone and their grandmother to be careful rounding third?
Dear Captain,
Please be careful rounding third. Believe me it’s not as easy as it looks.
Thanks,
Chien Ming The Merciless
No game audio available on At Bat?
They are kinda killing me this spring. A lot of missing radio games and no WBC coverage.
But it’s on TV everywhere. That’s just ass dumb.
More concerning all together is that RHOFRM is batting all the way down in the 8 hole…
GENERATIONAL HITTERZ BAT IN TEH 3 HOLEZ!!!!!!!
Come on, Where do you want him? hitting 6th??
Please, with all his power that’s Stewi’s spot.
(I know Stewart is probably there just to get his at bats sooner)
Nice play by Joseph
Ronnie Mustelier is at third base again….I think I like it
HIROK
Can I ask a question?
Why is Addison Mazursack still here?
The game yesterday (BOTTOM 9 2 OUT 2 RISP) was Arod-like. Why is he still in camp?
If you look in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary under “late inning spring fill-in to rest the guys that actually matter,” there’s a picture of Addison Mazursack.
I know it’s odd that there’s an entry in the dictionary for that, but there it is, between “late” and “later.”
Eddard must not approve of you calling Hiroki and not Nova or Phelps the Yankees top right hander…
Phelps will be number 1 next year. duh
Jeter looks to be running fine. Not running at full speed but his stride looks natural.
solid hit by the ichhhhhiro
Also he should make his batting music Tokyo Drift
I thought it was going to get out, but just missed.
Not that I’m complaining but when was the last time Michael Kay did a broadcast? It seems like a while. Again, not complaining just curious. Singelton and Cone are a great combo.
He’s got a radio show in NY doesn’t he?
I’m not sure. Not in NY
http://espn.go.com/new-york/radio/show?showId=TMKS
He can tape that from anywhere, though, and you can fit LaGreca cheaply with the luggage.
He probably doesn’t do Spring Training games. I never watched them last year but that would be my guess. He also doesn’t travel west of the Mississippi for regular season games. And he’s never had ketchup. Hates all condiments.
I think he only did the spring opener.
And of course as I write this they said he’ll be back for Wednesday’s game, with Al Leiter.
Yeah, they just announced he’ll be calling an upcoming game. Maybe Kenny does it for a couple weeks and then Kay takes over to give him a break.
Ichiro could hit 50 homers a year if he really wanted to.
Musty the great, future face of Old Spice, could hit 75.
Kuroda’s got that splitter working
Kuroda is throwing dirty..
It’s weird, Steward doesn’t put his right hand behind his back on the pitch. He’s just waiting for the batter to smack it
Almost threw that runner out at 3rd though, not many catchers would even attempt to throw on that steal.
Would Matt Adams be a good trade target for the Yankees? He’s blocked in St. Louis but has a big bat. Could fill the void at first.
He’s unproven and would eventually be perpetually blocked here too so why pay anything for him?
He’s lactating and would eventually be perpetually blocked here too so why pay anything for him?
This one might be my favorite.
I laughed at it
I laughed and I’m still laughing. Best samwich post ever. HFS.
“He actually had a lower catcher’s ERA than Martin last year.”
The Empire’s propaganda machine is spooling up.
It is worth noting that of the Yankees top 10 pitchers in IP last year, everyone but Logan had a better ERA with Stewart than Martin, with most being significantly better with Stewart.
/slightglimmerofhope
But is it inaccurate propaganda?
‘Atta boy Hiroki.
I love you Coney, but please stop saying nice things about Chris Stewart.
But his mom might be listening!
The booth guys all sing the guy’s praises. It’s painful to listen to.
Oh FUCK no, not Derek Lee. PLEASE not Derek Lee.
But what about Derrek Lee?
Not him either.
Loving what I’m seeing from Hirok right now.
Musty is gritty lol
I’m curious, is that what Girardi has been calling him, or is this your own creation?
My own creation, I don’t want to take the time to spell his name out fully and correctly every time.
Don’t worry, I’m sure Girardi will pick up on that in short order.
Instapoll:
Ronnie or Musty?
Musty, for sure.
Which reminds me, if he makes the team…what will Sterlings home run call for him be?
A goner for Ronnier!
Isn’t Ronnier pronounced like “Ron-ee-ay”? If that’s right, I think Sterling will go with something that rhymes. Maybe “Ronnier, up, up, and away!”
Should be interesting to hear.
Well I was thinking of pronouncing goner as gonea-ay, but your idea is good too.
Oh man. That’s tough.
But I think I vote Musty.
Aren’t you a lawyer? Trademark it for me and we can split it 50/50 when the yankees give us a few bucks to use it.
He told me he was doctor and/or lawyer.
A lawyer? Oh hell no, I have no desire to go to law school.
Damn was hoping.. Find us a lawyer we need to bank this.
Ronnier reminds me of Charlie Hayes.
I take him as more of a willie mays hayes type
I definitely see it. Same look, build and mannerisms, similar skill set too, offensively at least.
great at bat by Slade
Yeah, he showed a pretty good eye there. Me like.
Second pitch wasn’t a strike
And that looked awfully familiar
Ugh…
WHAT?!?!?!
Nice job ump. Was it really not obvious enough for you that he tagged him with an empty glove since he was already in his throwing motion when he touched him???
Or the fact that the hand that held the ball was right in front of his face.
I can’t see the game due to blackout, but I like that Kuroda has 6 Ks through 4. Hopefully his stuff looks good.
Some of his pitches looked downright filthy.
Youkilis!
Yoooooooouuuuuuuk
Kenny and Coney are 100% right. The team needs to be based on speed, contact hitting, situational hitting, all things that were lacking last season. Perhaps these injuries and FA losses will make the offense better as there won’t be as many boom or bust guys like Swisher and Martin striking out. Instead, you’ve got guys like Youk and Ichiro who can give you selective power.
Swisher was an OBP guy. Hardly boom or bust.
Calling Ichiro’s power “selective” is like calling Rush Limbaugh’s liberal side “selective”.
Lol if you think the offense is going to be better this year.
No amount of baserunning and situational hitting is going to make up for all of the total offense they lost.
It’s not going to be better but it’s not going to be drastically worse than last year.
Before the Tex and Granderson injuries, I probably would have agreed.
Factoring those in, it has the potential to get really ugly early on.
They won’t be gone for very long comparatively and there are enough wild cards in the line-up. Losing the offense early in the year is overrated because early year is pitching dominant anyway.
I think most people realize it’s going to be worse. The real disagreement is how much.
Basically this.
So I don’t know what everyone else thinks but this is my take: I thought Betances looked good(what else could he be compared to last season) and under command against the first three batters of his inning, but when they botched the 3rd out and he was forced to pitch from the stretch he looked a bit wild. So maybe his problem is only from the stretch?
And now Ben Francisco enters the Yankee OF fray.
Well, Indians don’t need him since they signed Swish. Kind of rich, ain’t it?
There’s worse out there… it wouldn’t surprise me if he sees some time as a backup.
But I should have used this as an opportunity to whine about letting Wise go. I still haven’t forgiven that move.
You should always assume DeWayne Wise’s eventual release the moment your team signs him.
It’s not a bad way to make a living.
This Ump has a really generous zone, no?
How about a Musty/Johnson/Youk rotation at the corner IF spot?
Johnson at 1B and Youk at 3B vs righthanders
Youk at 1B, Musty at 3B vs lefties.
I can’t wish a Musty Johnson on anyone.
/someonehadto
Plouffy better hope he wins last night’s bet.
IETC