TAMPA – Union head Donald Fehr surfaced at Legends Field yesterday afternoon to chat with the Yankees. One issue on the docket was HGH.
Currently MLB doesn’t have a test for human growth hormone, but Fehr said the Players Association is monitoring the situation.
“If a test is developed and if it passes scientific peer review, meaning it’s validated after a lot of testing by people other than those who would sell it to you, that we would take a hard look at it,” said Fehr, who won’t settle for a blood test to determine HGH use.
“Blood tests are fundamentally different thing, especially if you are talking about something that is done outside a doctor’s office or somebody showing up at your house with a needle.”
Special investigator George Mitchell’s name came up, too. Fehr refused to get into Mitchell’s role but did say, “We will discuss relevant issues.”
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Wil Nieves, who has been out with a tender right forearm/elbow, reported progress and is hoping to get in a game this weekend.
“I threw from 90 feet and more and let it loose,” said Nieves, who is battling Todd Pratt and Raul Chavez for the backup catcher’s job. “Hopefully by the weekend because it feels a lot better.”
“Everything seems to point to the fact that it’s any day that he will be able to take game action,” Joe Torre said.
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Yankees improved their record to 10-4 this spring with a 3-2 win over the Braves at Legends Field last night. Chavez hit a two-run homer and Kevin Reese squeezed in a run. Melky Cabrera, playing center field, made a sensational catch on Brian McCann‘s liner in the second. Tyler Clippard, who worked 22/3 innings, was cut after the game.
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Even though Torre is toying with not having a long reliever, he is still counting on carrying 12 pitchers.
Bobby Abreu is likely to start taking live batting practice this weekend. He hasn’t appeared in a game yet due to a strained oblique muscle.
Hitting coach Don Mattingly is expected back from his father’s funeral this weekend . . . Bullpen coach Joe Kerrigan left the club in order to attend his son’s wedding.
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Yankees face the Astros today in Kissimmee. Chien-Ming Wang starts.
