On the Yankees beat

Here in this lovely city of Detroit it's raining so hard we can barely see the city's skyline beyond the right-centerfield wall from the press box.

Fans are even being cautioned for their safety. The scoreboard reads, "Due to severe weather in the area we ask that all fans in the 200 and 300 levels proceed to the nearest ramp or stairwell and head to the lower deck concourse. If you are seated in the 100 level, please head up to the main concourse areas."

And just as I typed that, the first thunder and lightning came, and it was loud.

Who knows if we get this in. Mike Mussina warmed up, but the tarp never completely came off, as the grounds crew apparently was aware of the impending poor weather. With no more trips to Detroit, a rainout would mean a doubleheader tomorrow.

UPDATE:
Just like that, the sky is clear. So much for the world ending.

When was the last time Mariano Rivera threw three innings in a regular-season game? It was Sept. 6, 1996, and it didn't go as smoothly as last night's three-inning gem here in Detroit. Rivera gained the win against the Toronto Blue Jays; he allowed two runs and three hits with a walk and six strikeouts in a 4-3 victory at the Stadium.

There were several familiar names in the lineup that day. Some rookie named Derek Jeter, batting second, went 0-for-3 with a walk. The third hitter, Bernie Williams, went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. And guess who was playing second base for the Blue Jays? Miguel Cairo, who had a single and a walk. Also of note, Cecil Fielder hit two home runs that game, amazingly his 34th and 35th of the season. Who knew?

Now here's an even more impressive stat. Rivera has not allowed an earned run to the Tigers since 1999 (he allowed an unearned run in 2000). Counting last night's three-inning gem, that's 22 2/3 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run.

The last time the Tigers scored off him was July 6, 1999, in a game the Yankees won, 9-8, at Tiger Stadium. Here's the boxscore of that game, thanks to retrosheet.org.

(By the way, Tiger Stadium is still standing, essentially rotting away. Tried to get inside it during my Tour of Baseball with two friends in 2002, and the stadium is all locked up for seemingly no real reason other than keep the bums out. Imagine how tall the grass and weeds have to be these days. Anyway, sad they don't honor it.)

It's almost as if you blink around here and somebody has an injury setback of some sort. Johnny Damon was not in the lineup tonight because his right foot now hurts in more areas other than just below his right toe, and Gary Sheffield was scratched toward the end of batting practice because of soreness in his bothersome left wrist.

We didn't get to speak with Sheffield because the clubhouse was closed when the announcement came, but Damon held court for several minutes. He was barefoot at the time, with his right foot heavily taped. It also was easy to see Damon walking around the clubhouse flat-footed. He says he doesn't feel as much pain that way, because there is no pressure being placed on where the broken bone is.

The bone he broke way back in April is the sesamoid bone, "which comes from the Latin word for sesame seed," he said. Everyone laughed, but Damon apparently was not completely kidding. Check this out, courtesy of Dynomed.com:

"The sesamoid bones, so-called because of their resemblance to sesame seeds, are located under the first metatarsal bone in the foot (behind and under the big toe)."

The photo above is credited to footpaininfo.com

On this Memorial Day, let's take a trip down memory lane and check in on some former Yankees from the past two seasons. Click on the links for their stats:

Javier Vazquez

Kenny Lofton

Tom Gordon

Travis Lee

Tony Clark

Dioner Navarro

Jon Lieber

Brad Halsey

Jose Contreras

Tony Womack

Matt Lawton

Felix Rodriguez

Remember all the concern when Hideki Matsui broke his wrist? Remember all that compassion from Yankee fans worried about just one thing: Who were they going to get in a trade to replace Matsui?
Alfonso Soriano seemed like a perfect fit. Bobby Abreu was available. David Delucci, too. So who looks like the best bet to play most of the games in leftfield once Gary Sheffield is able to resume his rightfield duties? Try Melky Cabrera.
“He’s given us reason to keep putting him out there,” Joe Torre said before Sunday’s game against the Royals. “Right now, Melky is a regular player. He looks very comfortable, especially from the left side. He doesn’t swing and miss very often.”
Could the Yankees have uncovered another Robinson Cano-like gem, borne out of desperation? “That would be nice for us,” Torre said of the player who is shy with the media, needs an interpreter for his interviews and who spends most his time off the field with Cano.
At the very least, Cabrera’s .300-plus hitting has allayed fears about his uncertain but improving outfield ability. So when Bubba Crosby returns from the disabled list towards the end of next week, don’t expect Cabrera to be the player sent down. And don’t expect any quick-fix trades for an outfielder after all.
For the moment.

The joke in the press box was that the worst thing that could have happened to Scott Proctor was earning Joe Torre’s trust, because that makes him ripe for being overused and burned out. See Tanyon Sturtze and Tom Gordon for examples. Proctor, like Kyle Farnsworth – the other setup man who has earned his manager’s trust – each pitched his third game in three nights Friday. The results were predictable. Both had shaky outings and the lowly Royals ended their 13-game losing streak.
So what’s the solution? For the starters to go eight innings would be nice, of course. But realistically, Torre said before Saturday’s game, “We may need to find another body. Maybe [Ron] Villone.” The veteran lefty has been inconsistent, but is willing and has that rubber arm necessary for frequent use. Torre also said that Octavio Dotel, perhaps a month away from rejoining the team, “would be a good fit.”
Makes you long for those days when the bridge to Mariano Rivera was sturdily constructed with Ramiro Mendoza, Jeff Nelson and Mike Stanton. That bridge has been swaying ever since.

One thought about Derek Jeter's 2,000th career hit:
Wouldn't it have been funny if Doug Mientkiewicz had picked up the ball and refused to give it back?

News from the pregame locker room:
-- Jorge Posada will miss the weekend series against the Royals with a tear of a hamstring tendon. Koyie Hill was in the locker room and will be added to the roster before the game to back up Kelly Stinnett. Posada is expected to miss 3-7 days.
-- Joe Torre said the Yankees are leaning toward giving Jaret Wright a couple of extra days to rest his tight groin and could start Aaron Small on Sunday. Wright would go Tuesday in Detroit.
-- Torre answered a question from WFAN's Sweeny Murti by nodding his head. Realizing what he did -- a radio reporter kind of needs a verbal response from the other end -- Torre said, "It doesn't help you for me to shake my head when you have a microphone here, right?"

Five of the six readers who chimed in with their thoughts on the leftfield auditions voted for Melky Cabrera to get the majority of the playing time, and the rookie showed everyone why last night. Batting leadoff, he went 2-for-4 with four RBIs and a walk. He's now hitting .325 (13-for-40) with an impressive .413 on-base percentage.

Last season, when the Yankees plucked Cabrera out of Double-A to play centerfield everyday, the party line was that all he had to do was catch the ball. But we quickly learned defense is not his strong suit. One year later, it's clear offense is his forte, and it sure looks like his bat is good enough where they have to keep him out there.

With Gary Sheffield back, stabilizing the outfield significantly, the Yankees can now turn their attention to leftfield, their sole position without a clear cut starter. There are several possibilities, and here's the case to be made for each of them. You make the call.

Melky Cabrera
He's shown that he can handle big-league pitching. Defense, however, is a little shaky. But perhaps it's worth it to keep him around for another month or so to see if his offense outweighs his defense. It only makes sense, though, if he plays nearly every day.

Bernie Williams
The wily veteran. He's adjusted to his new role nicely, handling the corner outfield spots with confidence. This would be a tough one, though, since Joe Torre doesn't like playing Williams in leftfield at Yankee Stadium because of the amount of ground he would have to cover.

Terrence Long
Torre likes the experience on his resume, but so far, Long hasn't looked good. It's been only two games, but he's understandably rusty at the plate and surprisingly an adventure in the outfield. We'll see in the coming days if these are just effects from his adjusting period, or whether they're a reality.

Bubba Crosby
The underdog. Would be the best defensive option, for sure. He's currently on the 15-day disabled list because of a hamstring injury, but the Yankees expect him back when he's eligible to come off next week. Unfortunately for Bubba, it also hurts him that he brings good things off the bench -- speed, defense, ability to bunt.

Richard Hidalgo
Maybe he's still got it. Heck, he's only 30. Raise your hand if you also were surprised by that. I sure was. He's got a great arm, always had above-average range, so defense wouldn't figure to be an issue. If anything, that could be an upgrade. But he is strikeout-prone, and there's no telling what kind of offensive shape he's in.

None of the above
Someone else in the system, perhaps? Kevin Reese? Rob Stratton? Jason Conti? Mitch Jones? Or how about outside the system? Someone mentioned the other day Tony Womack has experience in leftfield, and he's available. Maybe they should go for him (and then give out Tony Womack bobbleheads like the one pictured above???)

Let's hear who you think should be the next leftfielder, or who would you platoon?

We're minutes away from the first pitch, so these stats will be outdated soon, but take a look at Bernie Williams' recent stretch at the plate. He is seven-for-his-last 11, with four doubles. Obviously Bernie is on the back nine of his career, nearing the 18th hole, but it's safe to say he's proven he can be successful in small doses.

Bernie is playing leftfield tonight, which seems odd at first blush considering the oddities of playing the Green Monster. (Terrence Long didn't look too comfortable last night.) But Joe Torre would rather have Williams in left as opposed to right because right here is much bigger. "That's what I have been trying to do," he said.

Speaking of Bernie, anyone take note of his impressive hustle out of the box in the fourth inning Sunday night against the Mets? After hitting a popup midway between the plate and first, one that should've been caught, he threw his bat down and sprinted out of the box. "It helps to get the frustration out that way," Williams said.

Thinking back to that play yesterday, Williams said he thought something was up when he saw first-base coach Tony Pena frantically waving him around first. And he knew the ball dropped when he was midway through first and second and he heard the fans cheering. Longtime Yankees fans definitely know Bernie has never been known for his hustle, or being heads up, so you've got to give it to him there.

Here is Gary Sheffield sporting his Trenton Thunder hat for his Double-A rehab game last night. It must have gone well, as Sheffield declared himself ready for the big leagues after going 1-for-3 with a sacrifice fly. Also, Sheffield spoke to reporters, the first time he has done that since May 7. Should be interesting to see if he speaks when he returns to Fenway Park tonight.

One thing is certain, the Yankees will be very happy to see Sheffield, and that will make him feel wanted. Why is that important? Because Sheffield, ever so moody, loves feeling wanted. If you don't believe us, go read the clips from his 2004 season.

Joe Torre said after the Yankees' 9-5 loss last night that If he does play Sheffield tonight, which he said was likely, he wasn't worried about having him begin against a knuckleballer in Tim Wakefield. Usually that's not the type of pitcher you want to start out against, especially when you haven't hit regularly in weeks. But the Yankees need production, and Sheffield is their best option. Why not use him?

The Yankees called up Terrence Long after last night's game, and if the former Mets farmhand is in the outfield tonight at Fenway Park, that will bring me back to one of my favorite memories as a fan. I'll warn you. You may think I'm a little nutty as you read this.

Back in the summer of 2002, two friends and I decided to see if it's possible to see all 30 major-league teams in 15 straight nights in 15 different stadiums, without the use of an airplane. Sorry to say, but the baseball schedule didn't allow for it. I worked every which combo, but couldn't get it done. However, we did manage to see 11 games in 11 different stadiums plus a trip to Cooperstown in 12 days. Not too shabby, eh?

(In case you're wondering, the trip put 3,008 miles on my trusty Camry.)

Anyway, now what does this have to do with Terrence Long? Glad you asked.

On our second night, we saw the Athletics face the Red Sox at Fenway. The Red Sox were down 3-2 in the ninth but threatened, and Manny Ramirez came up with two on and two out to face closer Billy Koch. And what do you know, Ramirez smashed a fastball to right-center, and it definitely looked as if he hit a game-winning three-run walkoff home run into the Red Sox bullpen ... except ... Long made a remarkable leaping grab, reaching over the wall to snag it and end the game. I still remember myself marvelling at how Fenway Park went so mute in less than a second.

Okay, I apologize for the trip down memory lane... I will log back on later with a more Yankee-related blog item. No more memories. I promise.

It all feels good now for the Yankees, given the end result. But lost amid the crazy come-from-behind victory over Billy Wagner and the Mets was their awful play in the field. Had the Yankees lost, 4-0, no doubt Yankee fans would be screaming about their defensive play. It was brutal, and has been for a few weeks now. They've made at least one error in eight straight games, and 22 in their last 13. Not good.

As for today, there was, in chronoligical order ... the Alex Rodriguez error in the first, his eighth error in this young season ... the Kelly Stinnett errant throw to second in the same inning ... the Jason Giambi poor flip to Mike Mussina in the fourth, followed by Mussina ambling about behind first base, not knowing the ball was right behind him, as Jose Reyes took off for second ... and the Ron Villone errant pickoff throw in the eighth.

Not good. Not good at all. So who out there is worried about the defense?

Miguel Cairo is playing left field today, Melky Cabrera right.
Jorge Posada (back) is out, meaning Cairo is also the emergency catcher.
Bernie Williams (hamstring) is not in the lineup, but can pinch hit.
Kyle Farnsworth (back) said he's available, but the Yankees called up Colter Bean from Columbus to give them 13 pitchers.

Don't expect Carl Pavano back this year. He's headed for surgery next week to remove a bone chip above his right elbow; the last time he had this type of surgery, it took him seven days short of a full calendar year to return. Safe to say that giving him a four-year, $39.95-million contract was a huge, huge mistake.

In other rotation news, Shawn Chacon said the bruise just below his left knee still hurts. But the Yankees are confident he will only miss one start; otherwise they would have put him on the disabled list. Aaron Small goes Sunday, but while we're on the topic...

Has anyone see what Ramiro Mendoza has done down at Columbus? Tonight, he allowed just one earned run, seven hits and a walk with six strikeouts in six innings. That's the only run he has allowed in 17 1/3 innings.

MITCH JONES!

Poor Kevin Thompson. He keeps getting passed over and over and over.

Jones was batting .239 with six home runs and 20 RBIs in 39 games for Triple-A Columbus. But he also has 41 strikeouts in 134 at-bats. He has been playing rightfield at Columbus, but he has been mostly a first baseman the past few seasons.

Thompson, on the other hand, is a pure outfielder and is hitting .285 with three doubles, two triples and three homers in 32 games, with six SBs in seven chances.

UPDATE:

The reason the Yankees chose Jones over Thompson is because Thompson has a hamstring injury, Torre said. Jones likely will be just a bench player, though who knows with all these injuries. Bernie Williams looked like he came up lame in the first, but stayed in the game.

What to expect from Randy Johnson on Friday against the Mets? Joe Torre said, “I expect him to win.” But Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon had better answers.
“I want to see him hit,” Jeter said.
“Watch Randy,” Damon said. “Randy’s going to get a few knocks and be our best offensive player.”
They better hope not.

Rieber here. Baumbach’s taking a rare day off, planting petunias or something at his palatial estate.
Here’s today’s lineup:
Damon DH
Jeter SS
Giambi 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Bernie CF
Cabrera RF
Crosby LF
Stinnett C

Joe Torre said before the game that Melky Cabrera has been having trouble picking up the ball in leftfield, so he’s trying him in right.
Torre on Carl Pavano (with a straight face): “I don’t think anybody wants to get out there more than he does.”

Saw a post tonight on the always entertaining Nyyfans.com message board that I'd like to share with everyone. Someone by the username Sam18 posted, "Mark May 17th 2006 the night Carl lost all 4 fans he had left." Surprising it took so long.

Pavano left his rehab start for Double-A Trenton tonight after only one inning, and the Yankees announced that he “reported tightness in his right triceps area.”

Let's recap the last 14 months, after he signed a four-year, $39.95-million contract.

** He had a shoulder injury that caused him to miss all of July, August, September and October of last season, his first as a Yankee. Surgery was not required.

** After an offseason of rehabbing, with the Yankees expecting a healthy pitcher, he suffers a back injury a week before spring training and the Yankees bring him back slow. The back injury, he said, led to the shoulder problems.

** In his first spring-training start, he injures his butt on the first batter he faces when he fields a slow grounder toward first and lunges to tag the bag with his glove.

** Five days ago, in his last rehab start prior to tonight, he leaves after 63 pitches because of tightness in his right biceps. He's cleared to pitch tonight.

And now this injury.

Here's what Joe Torre had to say: "It's disappointing. It stops it short. We'll evaluate and figure it out. The fact that he warmed up and felt okay is puzzling. But it sounds like back to Tampa to me."

A quick update before the clubhouse reopens after batting practice.

Jason Giambi can move his neck again, not without some pain, but enough for him to be the designated hitter tonight. Joe Torre envisions him back at first base as early as Friday night at Shea Stadium. Jorge Posada also is the lineup tonight, one game after a violent collision at home plate and then hitting a two-out, two-run walkoff home run in the ninth inning. He'll sit tomorrow with Jaret Wright pitching.

Gary Sheffield took his first positive step forward since going on the disabled list. He was on the field for batting practice, even taking some throws at first base. Torre said Sheffield might take some dry swings. Should be interesting to see if Sheffield talks about these developments; he has been refusing to comment ever since two Sundays ago in Texas when he essentially pushed the Yankees to put him on the DL. Word is Sheffield isn't happy that people made the connection between his comments and the status of his 2007 option (status: still not picked up).

Joe Torre has been a part of more than 1,000 victories with the Yankees, and a good portion have been nutty and memorable. One that automatically comes to mind is the win over Boston on July 1, 2004 when Derek Jeter jumped into the stands to make that remarkable catch, and the rest of the game was played as if it was October.

But how about tonight's developments??? The Yankees were down nine runs, 10-1, midway through the third inning. Overcoming a nine-run deficit has only happened three other times in franchise history, the most recent on June 26, 1987. Anyway, tonight, there were just so many big moments, so many key hits, critical plays. And you take away just one of them and the win doesn't happen.

The Posada walk-off home run was undoubtedly the most exciting moment, the capper of an amazing night in the Bronx. But I'm interested, what does everyone in Yankeeland recall as a key play and why does that play stand out in your mind?

Jeter's three-run home to spark a six-run sixth inning was a turning point, for sure. Or how about Posada blocking the plate in the top of the sixth, taking what he believes was the hardest hit of his career -- and staying in the game.

And just wondering, anyone worried about Shawn Chacon?

How about tonight's lineup?!?! Think Joe Torre ever thought he would be writing these names in this order? Not very likely. With Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield on the disabled list and Jason Giambi sitting out after straining the muscles in the left side of his neck last night, here's how the Yankees' lineup for tonight looks:

Johnny Damon, CF
Derek Jeter, SS
Alex Rodriguez, 3B
Jorge Posada, C
Robinson Cano, 2B
Bernie Williams, RF
Andy Phillips, DH
Miguel Cairo, 1B
Melky Cabrera, LF

The only spot in the lineup Torre thought more about was cleanup, and he chose Posada over Williams. "There's really no rhyme or reason for a lineup right now," Torre said, "other than get your hitters up top and hope they come up to hit often."

So what does everyone think of Melky Cabrera thus far?

Looks better than last year, yes. But good enough to be the Yankees' everyday leftfielder for the time being? Hmmmm... That's the question the Yankees are asking themselves right now, and they hope to have an answer by the time Gary Sheffield returns from the disabled list (not that they know when that will be right now).

Let's hear from Yankees Nation. Would you like to leave Cabrera out there for a month, give him the same shot Robinson Cano got last year, and hope it turns out just as well? Or are you of the thought that Brian Cashman should be hitting the phones non-stop, dialing up general managers looking for a major-league proven leftfielder?

As for the Yankees' old leftfielder, Hideki Matsui -- remember him? -- he is expected to show up at the Stadium tomorrow for the first time since undergoing surgery on his broken left wrist. He would have showed up earlier, but he has been sick at home with a fever. He sure has run into some bad luck, huh?

Forgot to mention this last Friday. Thought you guys would enjoy it.

As I was quickly leaving the press box to head downstairs to the Yankee clubhouse after Chien-Ming Wang pitched eight impressive innings in a 2-0 win over the Athletics last Friday, I saw famed public address announcer Bob Sheppard walking to the elevator. What's so crazy about that? Well, he was walking!

Presumably for as long as he has been doing this gig, or as long as anyone around here could remember, Sheppard would jog swiftly through the hallway, weaving through fans, to get to the elevator as quickly as possible after the last out. He did it because he was eager to beat as much traffic as possible. Admirable goal.

So while Sheppard suffered a hip injury that caused him to miss a home opener for the first time since his debut in 1951, it has slowed him, but not stopped him.

Are we worried about Randy Johnson yet? Everyone from Joe Torre to Ron Guidry to Jorge Posada to Derek Jeter says no. And they all took great pains to paint Sunday’s loss to Oakland in a positive light because the Big Unit recovered from a poor first inning and pitched five respectable innings thereafter. Still, it’s hard to ignore the results, especially that bloated 5.13 ERA. Also noteworthy is this: Johnson turns 43 in September.
Even Torre said a “special” outing from Johnson right now is “doubtful.” But if the Stadium radar gun is accurate, a couple of his fastballs hit 94 Sunday. That’s good enough to win if: (a) he hits his spots; (b) his slider is an effective second pitch, and (c) the Yankees get Gary Sheffield back soon and start becoming the offensive juggernaut they’ve been at times this season.
Since the rest of the starters have done well for the most part, Johnson’s shakiness hasn’t shaken the team’s foundation, nor dislodged them from the AL East race. So the team while carry the Big Unit for a while in the hope that he can return the favor later this season.
It sure puts each of his future starts in the must-see category, but maybe not for the reasons the Yankees anticipated when they signed him before the 2005 season. Speaking of future starts, how about his next one Friday against the Mets in the 2006 Subway Series opener. His scheduled opponent? Pedro Martinez.

Just as Joe Torre joked Sunday about how players from his era would never have agreed to use pink bats in a game, the Yankees manager said today’s umpires are different, too. “It used to be if you cursed an umpire, you’d get thrown out. Now, there really isn’t any specific thing [that can get you tossed].”

As an example, Torre cited his own misadventure from April 30 when he got ejected by rookie umpire Adam Dowdy. “I got a letter [from MLB] saying I’m getting fined for getting thrown out. I argued balls and strikes from the bench. I thought you couldn’t go out [of the dugout] to argue balls and strikes. There’s a new wrinkle every time you turn around.”

In Torre’s case, the wrinkle was that he held up three fingers to indicate how many pitches he thought Dowdy missed. That got him tossed. “Well, one finger gets you thrown out,” Torre said, cracking up a crowd of reporters in the dugout before the game. “I thought three fingers was safe.”

Torre recalled a humorous incident he had when he was managing the Mets in the 1970s and tried to get ejected at Shea Stadium by plate ump Bruce Froemming to fire up his team. “I went out there and he said, ‘I’m not throwing you out.’ That’s what I went out for, so I said I might as well take advantage. I called him every four-letter word I knew. We knew each other from the minor leagues, so he just smiled at me.”

There are signs that Alex Rodriguez is regaining his MVP form of 2005. He absolutely crushed a three-run homer Saturday over the left-centerfield fence that was a key element in a 4-3 victory. It was A-Rod’s second homer in two days and third in the last four games. If this is, indeed, a turnaround, he said it’s the blue-collar variety.

“I grind it out everyday,” Rodriguez said after the game. “A lot of work in the cage with Donnie [Mattingly]. Sometimes you enjoy the struggles as much as the successes.”

Oh really? A-Rod expanded on that rather startling pronouncement. “I love that fight, when you’re in a 2-for-14 slump. Even the booing,” he said after his ninth homer of 2006. “The fight to endure and persevere is as enjoyable as the success.”

So keep booing. Just kidding.

Seems like there’s a standing ovation for Bernie Williams every day there’s a game at Yankee Stadium. The 2006 season is his “Farewell Tour” and he’s been given Paul O’Neill-like royal treatment by the fans. That’s a good thing because Bernie has been a classy Yankee his entire career – not only to his teammates, but also to the media and fans. “There’s something about Bernie – a certain innocence that people love,” Joe Torre said before Saturday’s game against Oakland, in which Williams was moved up to No. 5 in the batting order. “There’s a certain elegance to his game. He’s more of an artist than a baseball player.”

Torre said he’s gotten angry at Williams a few times for a mental error or two but noted, “With him, you turn those hands around his neck into a hug. I’ve got as close a relationship with him as any player I’ve had.” Considering the close relationship Torre has had with so many players in his 11 years as Yankees manager, that’s really saying something.

Here's how the Yankees plan to line up their outfield, at least for the short-term.

Melky Cabrera told Lee Mazzilli during last night's game that he is more comfortable playing leftfield than rightfield, so the Yankees are planning to use him in leftfield essentially everyday. "We'll see how it looks," Joe Torre said. Bubba Crosby will play rightfield against righthanders and Bernie Williams will play against lefthanders.

Torre met with the team for less than 10 minutes before batting practice to tell them he spoke with Hideki Matsui and that he's in good spirits. Trainer Gene Monahan addressed the team to give them specifics about Matsui's surgery.

While the team is sticking to the three-month minimum timetable, the sense in the clubhouse is that if Matsui returns this season, it won't be until September at the earliest. Matsui has told people he hopes to be at Yankee Stadium tomorrow morning to see his teammates. George Steinbrenner tried to call Matsui this afternoon at the hospital, but has not been able to reach him, publicist Howard Rubenstein said.

"Due to this injury, I feel very sorry and, at the same time, very disappointed to have let my teammates down. I will do my best to fully recover and return to the field to help my team once again. I would like to thank Joe Torre from the bottom of my heart for having been considerate of my consecutive games played streak these past several years and for placing me in the lineup every day."

So now we have word that Hideki Matsui is going to miss -- at minimum -- three months, and he could be out for the year. Expect the Yankees to make a move. They're not going to stay silent, not with the condition their outfield is in.

Remember, Gary Sheffield is on the disabled list with a bruised left wrist, and he's currently shut down from all baseball activities, presumably until he undergoes that follow-up MRI late next week. And Johnny Damon's shoulder problems aren't going away. He admitted he hurt his shoulder and foot again when he crashed into the wall to rob Doug Mirabelli of an extra-base hit, the perfect kick-em-when-they-are-down moment for the Yankees. By then, it was almost as if what else could happen?

So here's where they stand going forward. Kevin Reese got the call-up over Kevin Thompson because he mostly will sit the bench. The Yankees would prefer to have Thompson continue to play every day at Triple-A Columbus. So until Sheffield comes back -- I'm guessing sometime next month -- you're looking at an outfield of Damon in center (as long as he stays healthy), with a rotation of Melky Cabrera, Bernie Williams and Bubba Crosby in rightfield and leftfield. Crazy development, indeed.

Hideki Matsui has a broken left wrist that will require surgery, the Yankees just announced. Major, major blow, obviously. The surgery will take place Friday morning. You've got to figure he'll be at least a month, probably more. More later.

It's now an official game, so Hideki Matsui's streak has ended. Even if the rain that is coming ends this game in a tie, and it's never resumed, it still counts as a game, and Matsui -- as odd as it sounds -- doesn't get credit for playing in it. How weird is that? The reason he is hurt is because of a play that happened in a game he doesn't get credit for playing in. Doesn't seem right. Still no word on the injury.

Quick update from the press box...

Hideki Matsui had to leave the game in the top of the first inning when he landed on his left wrist trying to catch Mark Loretta's blooper two batters into the game. He walked off with trainer Gene Monahan holding his wrist. No word yet on the severity of the injury, but no doubt he's going for x-rays as we speak.

Now get this. As long as this game becomes official -- which isn't a certainty just yet because rain is supposedly on the way -- Matsui's games played streak will end. Because he didn't play a complete one half inning, Matsui does not get credit for appearing in the game as far as appearances go. Crazy, silly rule.

Matsui's streak with end at 518 games in the majors, 1,768 counting the streak he carried over from Japan. Matsui is very proud of the streak, so this will undoubtedly be a very sad day for him.

Our faithful blog readers have made several interesting posts on Giambi and his past trangressions, so let's stick to the topic and address the comments.

***

You know what, who cares about Giambi? The guy basically admitted he cheated. He DIDN'T apologize for it, no matter how you spin it. I'll root for Bernie, Jeter, even A-Rod and Damon. But not for a guy who told a grand jury he cheated to win. That's where I draw the line. Get off his bandwagon.
-- shelly

You have every right to choose to cheer for someone else instead because of Giambi's past, and I commend you for that. It's impressive that your opinion has not been swayed by Giambi's monster second half last season, and his strong start to the first half.

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Giambi is certainly having an outstanding season offensively. But the guy is a "butcher" at 1st base. The Yanks should promote and play Carlos Pena at 1st base, Giambi moves to D.H., and Bernie Williams to the bench as a 4th outfielder and pinch-hitter. If the Yanks don't want to promote Pena, then Cairo would be my choice at 1st base. Cairo is a very good player wasting away on the bench.
-- Roy Storing

Can't argue with you here. Pena has a great glove, and Bernie hasn't been all that consistent with the bat, so makes sense. The only risk you run is that Giambi has it in his head that he does better at the plate when he plays the field. And the numbers back him up. Yet somewhere down the line Giambi will become a full-time DH, and it will be interesting to see whether he embraces it. As for Cairo, yes, he's a fine player, but Andy Phillips has to get a regular shot before Cairo does. Besides, Cairo is the only middle infielder on the bench.

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I really wish people like the first responder* to your blog would quit harping on the "non-apology" apology. Legally, he knew he'd be in possible breach if he said exactly what he was apologizing for. Everybody knew what he was talking about, and would be foolish if they didn't. In that situation, Giambi did what anyone else would do. I swear, sometimes I think people lose at least 30 IQ points when it comes to sports.
-- cw

I'll assume CW doesn't stand for Chien-Ming Wang. Anyway, onto Giambi's apology/non-apology. I understand why some fans wanted more. Heck, it would have been really awesome to hear someone of his stature stand up there and say "Yes, I did it. I apologize to everyone because I cheated the game and took steroids." But as you correctly pointed out, there was no way Giambi was going to do that. The Yankees would have immediately jumped onto that admission and went to court trying to void the $82 million left on his contract. So he did what he could, said as much as he could without putting his money at risk. We all wanted more, but it's understandable why he didn't give more. As you pointed out, 99.9 percent of people would have done the same thing with that much money coming to them.

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Jason Giambi....the walking, talking VERY bulked up pinstriped steriod... does ANYBODY remember what this guy looked like last season ...he looked like walking death!! That HR he hit off of Schilling..if you saw the replay he didn't even take a