It got to the point that former manager Joe Girardi was wasting his breath telling Brett Gardner that diving head-first into first base wasn’t a wise move. Gardner would listen, then, smelling a base hit, would launch himself into the bag.
Now, Aaron Boone will try to get through to the scrappy leadoff hitter, who dove into first base during Sunday’s 8-5 win over the Marlins at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
“We talked about [how] we break camp in a week,” Boone said. “Part of me absolutely loves it because it sets a little bit of a tone, but I don’t need him head-first right now into the base.”
Gardner said Aaron Hicks, who had the day off, texted him about sliding into first during the game.
Opening Day starter Luis Severino allowed three runs, seven hits, struck out seven and didn’t issue a walk in five innings against the Marlins.
Severino’s final spring outing will be Friday against the Braves in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The other way was staying at Steinbrenner Field to face the Blue Jays, but that was never an option since he will face them on Opening Day.
“I just want him to get through it and get his work in and be on four days’ rest, a normal five [-man] rotation, which is the way he wanted it.’’
In the morning, Larry Rothschild wasn’t ready to reveal the date of Masahiro Tanaka’s final spring training outing, but the pitching coach said it will be against major-league hitters.
Later in the day, Boone said Tanaka will face the Red Sox at Steinbrenner Field on Friday. He is slated to start the second game of the regular season March 30 against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
Working on the 23rd would mean Tanaka would be working with six days’ rest against the Blue Jays in the second game of the season.
As for the decision to start Severino in the first game over Tanaka, who had started the previous three Opening Days, Rothschild echoed Boone’s reasoning.
“It was his time to pitch Opening Day,’’ Rothschild said of Severino, who went 14-6 with a 2.98 ERA in 31 regular-season starts and finished third in the AL Cy Young race. “Either way we would have done well. We decided to go this way.’’
In three exhibition starts, Tanaka is 0-2 with an 11.25 ERA and Rothschild said the time for working on things has passed.
“This time of the spring, it’s time to get results,’’ he said. “The next one we will focus on that and take it as a regular-season game.’’
Jacoby Ellsbury was scheduled for a “slow day’’ Sunday, but came down with a sore throat and a fever, which Boone doesn’t believe will set the center fielder back in his effort to rehab an oblique injury that has kept him off the field since March 1.
“He came in and got some antibiotics and stuff,’’ Boone said of Ellsbury, a strong candidate to open the season on the disabled list. “Hopefully it can knock out the fever with the chance he can get some at-bats in a [simulated] game [Monday]. I think he is ready to go physically for game action. As long as he can get through this little bug he’s got, get some sim at-bats on Monday and go play and get a couple of at-bats in Lakeland on Tuesday.’’
The Yankees travel to Lakeland to face the Tigers on Tuesday.
If Ellsbury is OK on Monday, he could face CC Sabathia, who is slated to throw a simulated game.
As for Clint Frazier, Boone said the outfielder is making progress.
“It’s been getting better and I truly believe it’s gaining a little bit of momentum,’’ Boone said of the outfielder, who is working back from a concussion. “Hopefully he is starting to move in the right direction.’’
Frazier has been out since banging his head against the left-field wall Feb. 24.
Brandon Drury may have more experience at second than third, but for the second straight game, Drury turned in a solid play at third. Fielding Lewis Brinson’s grounder behind the bag, Drury made an off-balance throw to first that was easily handled by Greg Bird. Drury also went 1-for-3 and drove in two runs.
Giancarlo Stanton showed his inexperience in left field on Brinson’s fly ball in the fifth. With a runner on third, center fielder Brett Gardner had a better angle to catch the ball and throw home. Instead, Stanton gloved the ball and didn’t get off an accurate throw to the plate. Despite that, and not coming up with a catch on a liner, Stanton said he is feeling comfortable in left.
Tyler Wade will play third base Monday night against the Rays. Wade was looking like the regular second baseman until the Yankees signed Neil Walker last week. He is still in the running for that job, but the Yankees didn’t likely give Walker $4 million to sit on the bench.
Attendance is mandatory for the Boys & Girls Club luncheon Monday that is followed by a night game against the Rays at GMS Field. David Hale starts for the Yankees.
