After Jorge Posada got one hit in six at-bats across two games, what he was doing between at-bats surfaced as an issue.
How was Posada, the Yankees’ new regular designated hitter, handling not catching? Was he in the batting cage? Or taking dry swings? Working off a tee? Or riding an exercise bike? Or sitting on the bench watching the game?
So, after he slugged two homers and drove in four runs in yesterday’s 10-7 loss to the Tigers at Yankee Stadium, Posada was asked about his routine.
“It’s the same as before, I haven’t changed anything,” said Posada, whose two-run homer in the second inning off Max Scherzer tied the score, 2-2. He also homered with a runner on in the fifth off Scherzer. “I stay loose. At the end of the day it’s four at-bats and I have to be prepared for the four at-bats. You put one behind you and look forward to the next.”
With two outs and a runner on in the ninth and the Tigers leading by three, Posada had the count in his favor, 3-1, against Detroit closer Jose Valverde and a chance to draw the Yankees to within a run.
“In the back of my mind was the splitter because he will throw it at any time in any situation,” said Posada, who got a fastball and lofted a stress-free fly to center for the final out. “It was 3-1 but I was still thinking splitter in the back of my head.”
It was Posada’s 17th career multi-homer game and first since Sept. 1, 2009 at Baltimore.
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Ivan Nova made his first major league start last August in Toronto one day after being called up from Triple-A. Tonight the 24-year-old right-hander starts against the Twins at Yankee Stadium and there is no question where it ranks compared to the initial start in the big leagues.
“It’s bigger because I opened the season with the team,” said Nova, who was with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre a year ago at this time. “It’s going to be special for me. Everything is going to be good.”
A favorite to win the fourth or fifth starting spot in the rotation when spring training opened, Nova easily copped the No. 4 slot when he hurled six no-hitting innings against the Orioles on March 16.
“Keep it simple,” is catcher Russell Martin‘s advice for Nova, who doesn’t lack confidence in his ability. “He is good when the fastball is down in the zone.”
In 10 games (seven starts) last year, Nova was 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA for the Yankees.
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With nine homers in the first three games the Yankees have set a club record. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the previous mark was eight and set in 1932 and tied in 1981. . . . Martin’s introduction to the Yankees universe continued strong. Martin went 3-for-4 and is hitting .455 (5-for-11) in three games.
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Mark Teixeira is the second player in Yankees history to hit three homers in the first three games. Dave Winfield was the other. He did it in 1983 in Seattle’s Kingdome. It’s the first time Teixeira has homered in three straight games since 2008 when he was with the Braves.
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Miguel Cabrera loves The Bronx. The two homers he clubbed yesterday were his fifth and sixth in 36 career at-bats at the current Stadium. And he loves to hit against Phil Hughes, whom he victimized twice with homers. Cabrera is 7-for-14 (.500) with three homers against Hughes.
