Jeter Day-To-Day

After taking a 93 mph Daniel Cabrera fastball to the left hand, Derek Jeter is officially day to day. [How much you want to bet Mike Mussina paid Cabrera to plunk Jeter after the Yankees shortstop flubbed a routine grounder which extended a nightmare first inning and ending the frame trailing 7-0 instead of what would have been just a 1-0 deficit.]

But of course Jeter says he is fine:

"It'll be fine," said Jeter, whose hand was in a protective wrap after the game. "It's not a big deal. I should be all right by (today). He hit me pretty good. (Thankfully) it's not broken."

Yankees reliever LaTroy Hawkins incited a bench-clearing incident in the top of the sixth when he threw at Orioles outfielder Luke Scott's head in apparent retaliation. Home plate umpire Chuck Meriwether promptly ejected Hawkins. No punches were thrown after the benches and bullpens emptied.

Scott was incensed that Hawkins aimed at his head.

"Of course it was (intentional)," Scott said. "I understand that you have to protect your players, but there's a certain way to go about it and that was not it. You never throw at anyone's head intentionally. You can injure someone. ... You can end a career."

Hawkins said that he was simply "throwing the pitch inside and it got away from me."

Alex Rodriguez returned from the DL, so it was only fair that the Yankees Captain become injured. So is the way of the Yankees universe these days.

Jeter Gave Joba A Lift To Nebraska

... Well sort of.

Tyler Kepner says it was a classy move for Derek Jeter to hook up Joba Chamberlain with the use of the Captain's private jet so the young fireballer could get to his ailing father ASAP.

When Harlan Chamberlain was hospitalized Sunday night in Lincoln, Neb., the Yankees players knew just how deeply Joba Chamberlain must have been affected. Chamberlain, the star rookie reliever, flew here with the Yankees, then flew home on a private plane arranged by Derek Jeter.

Before he left, he prayed with Andy Pettitte, who left the team during the 1998 World Series after his father had triple-bypass surgery.

Pettitte's father, like Joba's, has battled through life while dealing with countless health problems.

A-Gone Called Up,Jeter To DL?

Alberto Gonzalez was called up from Scranton Wilkes-Barre which may be an indication that Derek Jeter is headed to the disabled list. More details to come...

Could A-Rod Replace DJ At SS?

It's an idea which had always been discarded before even digesting its repercussions. The thought of Derek Jeter being replaced by Alex Rodriguez during an extended absence has always been taboo which Joe Torre refused to dignify.

Names like Wilson Betemit, Miguel Cairo, Felix Escalona, Andy Cannizaro and Alberto Gonzalez have spelled Jeter during A-Rod's Yankees tenure. Soon after A-Rod was acquired, the question was posed whether he would ever move over a few feet should the Captain end up on the disabled list. This potential scenario was quickly defused and every baseball fan knew for a fact Rodriguez would play out his days at the hot corner.

Until now...

Joe Girardi would not reject the possibility of Rodriguez manning shortstop should Jeter be placed on the DL. Expressing his prerogative to sort out all possible solutions, the new skipper reminded fans of how much better talent Rodriguez could show in Jeter's stead. Instead of playing Betemit at shortstop [or Morgan Ensberg at first] and becoming a major question mark, he would be moved to his natural position - third base - as A-Rod returned to his natural spot in the infield.

Should Jeter recover in the next handful of days, such speculation becomes fruitless chatter, but it is an interesting topic and already a signal of the difference between Girardi and Torre. From the Yahoo! article:

Joe Girardi didn’t say no. Joe Torre would have.

Now, this is not to compare Girardi and Torre, not in a mano-a-mano fashion at least, but one that deals with today’s reality in the New York Yankees universe: Suggestions that Alex Rodriguez move to shortstop if the strained left quadriceps that forced Derek Jeter out of a game Monday lingers.

“There’s a lot of different scenarios we’ll talk about as a club and decide what we’re going to do,” Girardi said, and even though there was little substance to his words, it felt frighteningly candid – and, considering the other options, a rather sensible idea. Because under Torre’s watch, no matter how damaging to the Yankees in the short or long term, he wouldn’t dare place someone of consequence at Jeter’s position for fear of upsetting the captain’s chi.

Jeter first felt a twinge in his quad during the Yankees’ Sunday game and iced it before Monday’s game. That didn’t help, and Jeter ended up in an MRI tube to rule out extensive damage. Doctors found a low-level strain, nothing like in 2001, when Jeter missed Opening Day because of his right quad.

“That was worse,” Jeter said. “This is a mild strain, from what I was told. The other one was a lot worse than that. It was something you could feel moving your leg, period. This one is more when I put for a little effort. I really start running before I feel it.”

Aside from Betemit and A-Rod, there’s not another person on the Yankees’ active roster who can play shortstop. They could call up rookie Alberto Gonzalez, who is on the team’s 40-man roster, or Cody Ransom, who would require a roster move but bring more experience. Or, of course, they could put A-Rod at short and use Morgan Ensberg, a natural third baseman, to fill in.

Like Girardi said, plenty of scenarios.

Mark Teixeira missed approximately five weeks of last season with a quad injury, leading one to believe they are an unpredictable health woe to forecast. The two major question marks remain: would Jeter yet feel secure enough for Rodriguez to man his position and is the 2007 MVP still physically capable of playing quarterback of the infield. Updates on Jeter's condition should begin to emerge today.

No DL For Jeter . . . Yet

Derek Jeter's quad injury first surfaced on Sunday, and the strain may keep him out a week. From The Star Ledger:

Postgame, manager Joe Girardi said Jeter's strained left quad would keep him out of the lineup Tuesday in Kansas City, but that the team is not putting Jeter on the disabled list at this time and is hoping it won't have to.

Jeter had an MRI that revealed the strain and scoffed at the idea of the DL. He said he first felt the muscle "grab" during Sunday's game but thought it was a cramp. Felt it again during his first-inning at-bat and that's why he looked awkward running to first base -- said he didn't want to run hard for fear of further injury.

Girardi said he hoped to have Jeter back within a week, but can't be sure.

Jeter Leaves With Quad Groin Strain

UPDATE 9:15: ESPN's Buster Olney just reported Jeter left with a groin problem, not the quadriceps injury which was originally reported and will go for an MRI tonight.

Derek Jeter left Monday night's game with what was termed a "mild quad strain," though Yankees injury news is always downplayed before it is totally necessary.

Quads are tricky to diagnose because they can be day-to-day, or last for weeks [see: Beltran, Carlos].

Jeter Has A Statue In His Future

From Newsday comes the story of a young man from Kalamazoo, Michigan who wanted to grow up and become the starting shortstop for the New York Yankees. Sure enough, the kid made his dream a reality and now has several others coming true as his playing career winds down.

According to the piece, there is only one question to answer pending Derek Jeter's retirement, much like paper or plastic:

At this stage of his career, which is to say his prime, there is only one question left about Derek Jeter: monument or plaque?

Jeter couldn't escape history's tap on the shoulder. He was asked about the impending move on Monday, before the originally scheduled Opening Day was rained out. He had agreed to appear at a rare pregame news conference because what he thinks matters. At 33, he is too young to be an elder statesman, but he has been around long enough to be the face and heart and soul of the most famous team on Earth.

He has simply done too much unforgettable stuff to deny him getting his career etched in granite. The home run that broke the Mets' back, the backhanded relay flip that doomed the Athletics, the face-busting rush into the seats for that foul ball against the Red Sox.

There also is the Jeter that most people don't see. At 3:40 yesterday afternoon, before the Yankees' 3-2 win over the Blue Jays, neophyte first baseman Shelley Duncan was taking ground balls and practicing throws to second. Only one other infielder was out there, serving as a target, encourager, teacher. It was Jeter. He even helped pick up the practice baseballs and put them in the bag.

"It wasn't the first time," Duncan said. "Aside from Derek being made into some sort of character, when you're actually working with him, he's amazing. He's an amazing teammate."

If only he could get to groundballs up the middle, he would be completely infallible.

Jeter: It Won't Be The Same

From the Bergen Record comes Derek Jeter's comments on the New Yankee Stadium gradually making its way toward completion. Seems the players, like the fans, are essentially split on the idea of tearing down national monument in the hopes of replicating it across the street:

Building a new home for Jeter, A-Rod, Rivera and Posada is like sculpting a new Mount Rushmore for Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln.

“Just a hundred yards away?” Derek Jeter said. “That’s not too far for the ghosts to go.”

Later, after the hope of morning surrendered to the grim forecast for the afternoon and a postponed debut for Joe Girardi, the shortstop sounded a bit less enthusiastic about leaving the field of his childhood dreams.

“It’s not going to be the same,” Jeter said. “It’s a different stadium, so it’s impossible to have the same thing. It could have the same feel. It could have the same look. But it just won’t be the same.

“Regardless of how you try to duplicate something, it’s still a duplicate.”

..."I was saying I was building a house in Florida,” Jeter said, “and you’ve got the plans and you’ve got the model, but you still can’t picture yourself in it. ... You look over there and see a new Stadium, but I just can’t picture myself in it.”

It will be sad when children of the future ask, is there where Babe Ruth played, and we all have to reply: Well, sort of... they played next door where that Starbucks now sells Mocha Lattes.

Congratulations Godzilla

Hideki Matsui married "a 25 year-old civilian" yesterday, winning a bet with Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu. Here's a strange picture of Matsui's new wife. What, you couldn't find the back of a milk carton to draw on?

Looks like Godzilla can finally toss that legendary porn collection of his.

Jeter The MensHealth Cover Boy

Derek Jeter took the front of the MensHealth Magazine a week after Alex Rodriguez graced the cover of a MensVogue Magazine which featured a lengthy retrospective. The article discusses Jeter's competitive spirit and advancement through self-confidence. However, unlike the more sophisticated, aloof and cultured Rodriguez, Jeter involuntarily inspires images of the average Joe American:

The 33-year-old Jeter answers the door himself. He's wearing jeans and a T-shirt. "Did you have trouble finding the place?" he asks, referring to the dozen or so turns (and 30 or so speed bumps) on the way to this place.

"Nope, Mapquest has you pegged pretty good," I say.

"Aw, that's cheating," he replies, and I think he means it. He's taller and leaner in person than he looks on TV, and I remember that as good as he is, he's still five homers shy of a 200-homer career. With speculation about steroids and human growth hormone use at wildfire levels in baseball, it's refreshing to stand next to a future Hall of Famer who looks like a normal guy.

And who has a normal guy's house: The foyer is dominated by an indoor putting green, the kind you can adjust for break. Stacks of DVDs flank a big-screen TV tuned to ESPN. The only item that reminds you of the home's owner is the replica 1996 World Series trophy on a nearby shelf.

The lack of pretension is disarming. But yeah, the guy who just plopped down in an easy chair and put his foot up is the captain of the Yankees, the 1996 Rookie of the Year, the eight-time All-Star, the four-time World Champion, and the guy who should be joining the 3,000-hit club early in the 2011 season, just before he turns 37. Jeter is already considered one of the greatest of Yankees, and he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer to be sure.

The fact that A-Rod and Jeter are different people is not anyone's fault. The fact that the mainstream media and some impetuous fans continue to ask that they change, is. Rodriguez will never be as savvy and charming as Jeter, and the Captain will never be as vulnerable or "human" as A-Rod has been in the past. They are who they are, and as of right now, that adds up to the most powerful left side of any major league infield.

Chamberlain & Kennedy Looking Good. Joba Chamberlain started yesterday's exhibition against the Reds, tossing 49 pitches, 32 of which were strikes. Chamberlain struggled with putting hitters away and forced him into deep counts after quickly getting ahead of the majority of batters he faced. Unlike his 2007 season, Monday night's game saw erratic command of Joba's infamous slider. The Nebraskan did flash the plus curveball crucial to his becoming a successful starting pitcher. The 3-2 deuce Joba threw to Edwin Encarnacion was absolutely filthy and made the righthanded hitter look pretty silly.

Ian Kennedy threw up four scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out two. His changeup was particularly nasty and he commanded it especially well down and away from lefties. As he is known to do, Kennedy started off slow before becoming better as the game progresses. To this end, Kennedy retired the last eight batters he faced. Unfortunately, the FSN Ohio feed did not post any radar readings, but technique is more just as important this early in the preseason.

...In the meantime, Newsday transcribed Alex Rodriguez's appearance on WFAN yesterday. A-Rod did not say anything controversial during the interview, praised Kevin Long and revisited his rejuvenated friendship with Derek Jeter.

As for his relationship with Derek Jeter, [Alex] said: "I'll give it an A, A+. We're on the honeymoon again ... Things have been really good. It reminds me a little bit of our old days, back when we were kids."

This can only be a good thing for the Yankees and their future.

Inside The Tampa Clubhouse. On his blog, Phil Hughes posted a cell phone photo of the now legendary interior decorating Mike Mussina concocted in his dark corner of the Yankees locker room. Meanwhile, LoHud has the story of yesterday's incident in which a Chien-Ming Wang wild pitch nearly decapitated Derek Jeter. In the same post Joe Girardi reportedly voiced his early impressions of Dan McCutchen, Mark Melancon and Steven White - all strong candidates for the Yankees bullpen at some point next season.

Jeter, A-Rod Buddies Again?

That's right kiddies, breakout the sleepover bags and fathers lock up your daughters. From the NY Post:

A Yankees official said the [Jeter-Rodriguez] relationship is "getting better, and that is good for the team."

Then again this is G. King were trusting here. Hat tip to Steve.

Jeter plans to play short for a long time. Real shocker here, but the NY Daily News reports Derek Jeter intends to man shortstop for "as long as he can." When asked if he's ever thought of playing a different position, the Captain answered with a definitive "No." Jeter plans to play out the final three years of his contract at the only position he's known and after the 2010 season - should he sign an extension with New York - he would assume his position would remain at short. “That’s the plan,” Jeter said. “I haven’t really thought about how long I’m playing. I take it one year at a time; I don’t sit down and say, ‘Well, I hope I’m playing in two-thousand whatever.’ It’s a tough question, because I haven’t really thought about it much.”

Jeter Pulls A Fast One

This was supposed to be Andy Pettitte's individual photo, but the Captain had other ideas.

Tabata Makes Way For Jeter. Top outfield prospect and 19 year-old Jose Tabata got his first sniff of the big league media yesterday. Though Tabata attended his first Spring training last year, he did not have the burden luxury of neighboring Derek Jeter's locker as he does now. Along with learning lessons from Jeter comes the unenviable task of dealing with the media swarm which accompanies the Captain. Pete Abraham reveals an interesting encounter involving Tabata, Jeter and a bevy of NY media.

Melky's Sigh Of Relief,A Visitor To Thurman's Locker

Brian Heyman of the Journal News caught up with Yankees centerfielder Melky Cabrera and was able pull some quotes regarding his inclusion in a trade package which would have sent him to Minnesota in exchange for Johan Santana.

"I was a little worried about getting traded because I wanted to stay with my teammates," Cabrera said through an interpreter last night at the Marriott Marquis, where he was among the honorees at the 28th annual Thurman Munson Awards, a dinner that benefits the AHRC NYC, which works with the developmentally disabled. "I'm really happy the trade didn't go through."

As a footnote, Heyman described a special visitor making her first trip to the hallowed locker kept empty in honor of Thurman Munson following his tragic passing.

Diana Munson has never seen her late husband's locker at Yankee Stadium. It has been kept empty with the No. 15 over it since his death in 1979. But she hopes to come this year on a day when no one is around to take a look, since this is the ballpark's final year of existence.

"To me, it's very touching," she said. "I want this to be a private moment in my life and in the lives of my children."

The article also has some updates on stories which broke yesterday afternoon, including a resolution to Derek Jeter's tax predicament:

According to The Associated Press, Derek Jeter has settled his problems with the state's Department of Taxation and Finance, although the numbers weren't released. The tax people believed Jeter should have paid taxes for 2001-03 as a resident of the state because he had an apartment he owned in Manhattan. Jeter said he was a resident of Florida.

As well as Don Mattingly's bizarre encounter with his drunken estranged ex-wife:

An AP report stated that Don Mattingly's estranged 45-year-old wife, Kim, was arrested on Saturday at his home in Evansville, Ind., and charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct. Police said she wouldn't leave the premises. She posted $50 bond and appeared in court on Monday, the same day the ex-Yankees player and coach was granted a protective order.

Captain Culprit

To my surprise, some of the New York backpages overlooked the easy target of A-Rod and actually recognized Derek Jeter as one of the biggest culprits of this playoff elimination. From the NY Post:

Though the Yankees were an offensive mess in last season’s ALDS loss to the Tigers, Jeter hit .500 with a homer. A year earlier he hit .333 in the Yankees’ ALDS defeat to the Angels. The last time he had failed to hit at least .200 in a postseason series was the 2001 World Series, when he batted .148 against the Diamondbacks. But even then, he made his presence felt with a home run that gave the Yankees a Game 4 victory.

There was no such heroic moment for Jeter in this series. He was an October mess, as were the Yankees.

“Last year was frustrating, the year before that was frustrating,” Jeter said. “Every year when you lose is frustrating.”

Newsday didn't run and hide either, noting Jeter's .176 batting average during the 2007 ALDS.

A career .370 hitter in 11 previous Division Series, the Yankees' captain had three hits in 17 at-bats (.176) with one RBI and no runs scored. He went 2-for-5 with an RBI single last night but hit into a crucial double play in the sixth inning with the Yankees trying desperately to claw back from a 6-2 deficit. It was a punch to the solar plexis that the Yankees never fully recovered from

Being realistic, Jeter's compiled an amazing postseason resume and deserves all the kudos for such play. However, it's only fair that DJ's underwhelming performances slide under the microscope with the same objectivity as anyone else's. Insert "but Alex Rodriguez is not a true Yankee" sentiment here.

Yankees Playoff Bound

Overcoming an unbelievable barrage of injuries to the pitching staff and outfield, the Bombers played out the second half of the season 24 games over the .500 mark, ensuring they'll spend their thirteenth straight October playing postseason baseball.

Chien-Ming Wang collected his 19th win of the year by throwing six solid innings of two-run ball and striking out an un-Wang-like six batters. The Yankees offense handed Wang back the lead by scoring two runs in the fourth inning. They then handed Wang a certain victory by scoring seven more in the fifth.

CMW now has a 38-13 record over his two full seasons in the major leagues. Remember that Wang made his first start of the year on April 24th, essentially missing the entire first month of the season. It would be hard to believe that a 20th victory would have eluded Wang if he had made those four more starts.

• Robinson Cano hit a three-run homer and picked up 5 more RBI, raising his season total to 95. Having your second baseman and 7/8 hitter knock in 95 runs borders on comical.

• Derek Jeter continues to rake the ball, going 3-for-5, including a game-tying homer.

• The Yankees plated 12 runs, laced 18 hits, were handed a fielding error and still left 11 men on base.

• Assuming Bobby Abreu can tally one more RBI before the regular season concludes, the Yankees lineup will boast a hitter who either holds a .300 batting average or has 100 RBI for six of nine lineup spots.

Looks like C.C. and Fausto are next on the menu. We'll see if New York's offense is hungry.

Captain, Rocket Propel Yanks

Through six swift innings, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling shut down the explosive offenses of Boston and New York. Though Red Light worked deeper into the game by managing a more economical pitchcount, The Rocket struck out more batters, only allowing an unearned run to cross homeplate on two hits over six strong.

Once the eighth inning rolled around, the Yankees appeared energized by Joba Chamberlain's performance during a seventh inning in which the 21 year old flamethrower stranded Eric Hinske after his double led off the inning. After Doug Mientchiewicz singled to left, Joe Torre went to his bench, pinch-hitting Jason Giambi for Jose Molina and thereby forfeiting the DH spot. The move would prove to be wise as The Big G let loose with an opposite field ping-pong ball off the Green Monster.

With one out and the go-ahead run standing on third base, Johnny Damon failed to get the run home, spinning a weak loop in front of first base. The spotlight inevitably shone on the Captain, Derek Jeter, who improved on his .430+ batting average with two outs and RISP. After battling Schilling throughout the atbat, Jetes put a hanging splitter into orbit, securing a landing strip along the third row of Monster seats. The three-run jack broke the 1-1 tie, giving Joba and Mariano Rivera a three run cushion to work with.

Turns out the twosome would need every one of those runs. Although his two innings were again impressive, Joba allowed his first earned run via a Mike Lowell solo shot, making it a two-run game for Rivera. After Mo walked Jason Varitek to lead off the inning and Julio Lugo knocked him in on an RBI double, the Yankees closer struggled with his command.

After hitting rookie sensation Jacoby Ellsbury on the first pitch of the atbat and walking Dustin Pedroia, the bases would eventually be juiced for none other than The Big Sloppi. Fortunately for Mariano, his skipper had a golden nugget of advice during a pre-atbat mound conference: "If you get this guy out, then we win the game," Torre quibbed. Though he looked on the precipice of completely imploding, Rivera was somehow able to induce a harmless popfly from David Ortiz and Jeter squeezed the last out. The result of the routine flyout to shallow centerfield was a collective sigh of relief throughout metropolitan area living rooms, and the pictured fist-pump above.

Jeter on his ability to come through in the clutch with such regularity:

"You're not always going to come through, but I enjoy them," Jeter said. "Ever since you're a little kid, you think of being up in big situations. I think you always envision yourself coming through."

We may envision, but Jeter enforces.

• Unsung hero of the game award goes to Doug Mientchiewicz, who collected two hits and made three dazzling defensive plays in the field.