Magic number 1, but Giambi, Jeter are concerns
Magic number 1, but Giambi, Jeter are concerns
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
BY ED PRICE
Star-Ledger Staff
TORONTO -- The Yankees could begin chilling the champagne after last night's victory, but a couple of concerns did emerge from their 6-3 defeat of the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
Jason Giambi will be out indefinitely after leaving in the middle of the fifth inning with what the team described as mild soreness in his left wrist. And Derek Jeter was hit on the outside base of his right hand in the first inning; he finished the game but is not expected to play today.
With a magic number of one, and the Jays officially eliminated, all the Yankees need tonight to clinch the AL East title is a victory or a Boston loss to Minnesota.
"(Today) is going to be a big day for us," said Bobby Abreu, whose two-run homer in the seventh inning broke a 3-3 tie.
"That's what you wait for," manager Joe Torre said, "you wait for that one opportunity to wake up in the morning and you know something special can happen."
Giambi's issue first cropped up about a month ago, and he has received two anti-inflammatory injections in the wrist, on Aug. 30 and Sept. 9. But he has yet to regain his power, going 65 at-bats since his last homer, on Aug. 20. In that time, Giambi has hit .185 with a .262 slugging percentage and just eight RBI.
"We're going to shut him down now for however long it takes," Torre said. "Hopefully it's a couple, three days.
"He's just not getting to the ball right now."
Torre thought another injection was unlikely, but Giambi said team doctors would discuss it.
"I was starting to really swing the bat good (last weekend against) Boston," Giambi said, "driving the ball real good, and just took a couple of steps backward the last couple of days. Just today after my third at-bat it started to really flare up again."
Giambi guessed that playing more first base lately, and the pounding on his wrist from catching throws, could have exacerbated the problem.
"I hope it's quick," he said. "It's not back to where it was at the very beginning when I needed to get the original shot.
"(But) it's starting to get to the point where I can't really touch it again."
Although Gary Sheffield is on the active roster and slated to play first base down the stretch, Torre said he does not want to play him in place of Giambi tonight against Jays ace Roy Halladay.
"I just don't think that's the right thing to do," Torre said.
Although Jeter said his hand wasn't bothering him, he had it wrapped after the game and said the impact of Shaun Marcum's pitch on his hand felt like "(slamming) it in a door."
So the Yankees will try to clinch tonight with a lineup missing Jeter, Giambi, Sheffield, Jorge Posada (getting a breather) and Johnny Damon (in a 9-for-44 slide and "leaking a little bit in the batter's box," according to Torre).
Damon contributed last night on defense, making a diving catch on the warning track of Russ Adams' deep fly ball with two outs, the bases loaded and the score 3-3 in the fifth. That set the stage for Abreu, who followed Jeter's infield single off the right shin of Jason Frasor (2-2) with a blast to center off Justin Speier
Rookie Jeff Karstens (2-1) got the win despite allowing 10 hits and three walks in 6 1/3 innings. Mike Myers, T.J. Beam, Jose Veras and Kyle Farnsworth combined for the final eight outs, with Farnsworth earning his sixth save.
"We want to get this thing clinched," Torre said. "The sooner the better. We're tired now, but the fact is that (if) you're tired, fine -- go play and get it done first."
© 2006 The Star Ledger
© 2006 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.
©2006 New Jersey On-Line LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
BY ED PRICE
Star-Ledger Staff
TORONTO -- The Yankees could begin chilling the champagne after last night's victory, but a couple of concerns did emerge from their 6-3 defeat of the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
Jason Giambi will be out indefinitely after leaving in the middle of the fifth inning with what the team described as mild soreness in his left wrist. And Derek Jeter was hit on the outside base of his right hand in the first inning; he finished the game but is not expected to play today.
With a magic number of one, and the Jays officially eliminated, all the Yankees need tonight to clinch the AL East title is a victory or a Boston loss to Minnesota.
"(Today) is going to be a big day for us," said Bobby Abreu, whose two-run homer in the seventh inning broke a 3-3 tie.
"That's what you wait for," manager Joe Torre said, "you wait for that one opportunity to wake up in the morning and you know something special can happen."
Giambi's issue first cropped up about a month ago, and he has received two anti-inflammatory injections in the wrist, on Aug. 30 and Sept. 9. But he has yet to regain his power, going 65 at-bats since his last homer, on Aug. 20. In that time, Giambi has hit .185 with a .262 slugging percentage and just eight RBI.
"We're going to shut him down now for however long it takes," Torre said. "Hopefully it's a couple, three days.
"He's just not getting to the ball right now."
Torre thought another injection was unlikely, but Giambi said team doctors would discuss it.
"I was starting to really swing the bat good (last weekend against) Boston," Giambi said, "driving the ball real good, and just took a couple of steps backward the last couple of days. Just today after my third at-bat it started to really flare up again."
Giambi guessed that playing more first base lately, and the pounding on his wrist from catching throws, could have exacerbated the problem.
"I hope it's quick," he said. "It's not back to where it was at the very beginning when I needed to get the original shot.
"(But) it's starting to get to the point where I can't really touch it again."
Although Gary Sheffield is on the active roster and slated to play first base down the stretch, Torre said he does not want to play him in place of Giambi tonight against Jays ace Roy Halladay.
"I just don't think that's the right thing to do," Torre said.
Although Jeter said his hand wasn't bothering him, he had it wrapped after the game and said the impact of Shaun Marcum's pitch on his hand felt like "(slamming) it in a door."
So the Yankees will try to clinch tonight with a lineup missing Jeter, Giambi, Sheffield, Jorge Posada (getting a breather) and Johnny Damon (in a 9-for-44 slide and "leaking a little bit in the batter's box," according to Torre).
Damon contributed last night on defense, making a diving catch on the warning track of Russ Adams' deep fly ball with two outs, the bases loaded and the score 3-3 in the fifth. That set the stage for Abreu, who followed Jeter's infield single off the right shin of Jason Frasor (2-2) with a blast to center off Justin Speier
Rookie Jeff Karstens (2-1) got the win despite allowing 10 hits and three walks in 6 1/3 innings. Mike Myers, T.J. Beam, Jose Veras and Kyle Farnsworth combined for the final eight outs, with Farnsworth earning his sixth save.
"We want to get this thing clinched," Torre said. "The sooner the better. We're tired now, but the fact is that (if) you're tired, fine -- go play and get it done first."
© 2006 The Star Ledger
© 2006 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.
©2006 New Jersey On-Line LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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