Mariano gets checked out; lineup
Mariano Rivera is back in New York getting his shoulder checked out. Joe Girardi made it out to be that he was just getting his year-end physical now, but there must be at least some level of concern for him to do it now rather than wait until after the season ends. Girardi said Rivera wouldn't have pitched yesterday or today after throwing four out of five days.
Lineup
Yankees
Gardner CF
Cano 2B
Abreu DH
Nady RF
Giambi 1B
Betemit 3B
Ransom SS
Cabrera LF
Cervelli C (first major league start)
Pavano C
Blue Jays
Inglett 2B
Scutaro SS
Rios CF
Wells DH
Lind LF
Overbay 1B
Rolen 3B
Snider RF
Zaun C
Halladay RHP
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Comments (6)
First of all - no sense messing around, just put Mo on the shelf for the rest of the season, let him get the bone spurs cleaned out and come back ready for 09.
Second, everywhere I turn I'm seeing tea leaves that indicate Giambi may be back next season. This from the NY Post:
"I talked to Cash (GM Brian Cashman), and he asked me if I was interested (in returning) and I said I was definitely interested," Giambi said before the Yankees' 8-2 loss to the Blue Jays last night at Rogers Centre. "He said, 'Do you think you want to go to the West Coast.' I told him I enjoyed winning and playing on good baseball teams."
That said, Cashman has said he hasn't started thinking about 2009 yet and won't until his situation is cleared up. He doesn't want to start putting plans in place until he knows he'll be here to execute them - which I suppose makes sense.
It brings me to another point. We all assume Cashman will be back because the Yankees want him back, but what if he doesn't want to come back? What if he decides that he's ready for a new challenge, either with the Phillies or Mariners? In the end, I'm sure he's waiting to see what the final details are on the 4 year deal the Mets are handing Omar before making a decision.
Feinsand at the DN is making a big stink on his blog about Girardi's handling of the Mo situation vis-a-vis the press. I think he actually uses the word "lie" a couple times, and claims Joe is developing a bad pattern of misinforming writers about injuries to his players.
I like Mark's coverage, but he does seem to get a little sensitive at times. Maybe I'm not following the situation right, but it seems that Joe and Cash offered different takes on Mo's health, and when confronted with this Joe wouldn't back down. So? The guy's protecting his player, right? Maybe, but he also has to protect his integrity with the writers. The piece suggests that other writers were put off, too. Would love to know Kat's take.
One thing I know is that this kind of thing rarely--if ever--happened under Torre.
DC - Jon Heyman made a point the other day that Girardi has alienated lots of the press. Again, I'm not in the room, but I think the press might have gotten a little spoiled by Joe Torre and want Girardi to be more like Torre was.
In the end Girardi annoying the press is not something I'm going to worry about.
29. Cleveland Browns
The league didn't just catch up with Derek Anderson, it trampled him from behind like the bulls in Pamplona. Hey, at least we don't have to watch the Browns play four more times on national TV.
If Mo gets the surgery, this will probably derail Chamberlain going into the rotation next season. The Yanks may want to keep him in the pen as insurance.
I like Giambi a lot, but I don't think that it's a good idea to resign him.
Here's something to think about with Cashman
Ned Coletti isn't exactly beloved inLos Angeles and despite winning the Nat.League West this year, he has made some HUGE and expensive mistakes (did someone say Jason Schmidt? Andruw Jones?)
People have been calling for Coletti's head for years now
Perhaps a Cashman/Torre reunion?