The Yankees are back in the Bronx tonight, opening a three-game series with the Blue Jays. The new arrivals all have their pinstripes on.
Here are some tidbits from the pregame:
LINEUP MOVES: Joe Girardi switched his lineup tonight, moving Lance Berkman down to seventh in the order and returning Nick Swisher to the two-hole. Berkman batted second over the weekend in Tampa.
“We had Berkman in the two-hole the first couple of days,” Girardi said. “We’re going to get him comfortable here before maybe we put him back there. He’s been a guy that’s hit usually lower than two in the order so we just thought we’d switch it up.”
Berkman was a few seconds late getting on the field to stretch and heard it from his new teammates, who shouted “This isn’t Houston.”
THE SEARCH FOR 600: Alex Rodriguez continues his quest for 600 home runs tonight at home. No one expected him to return from the road trip still searching for the milestone homer, but here he is. He is 4-for-15 with one home run and five strikeouts against Toronto starter Brandon Morrow in his career.
Girardi hopes the milestone comes tonight.
“He’s been very good with runners in scoring position,” Girardi said. “To me that says his head is on right and he’s doing what he’s supposed to be doing. For his sake, I’d like to see it get over with, though, because I’m sure he doesn’t want to talk about it anymore.”
WELCOME HOME: The new guys were getting used to their new home. Berkman, Kerry Wood and Austin Kearns all were trying to figure their way around the Yankee Stadium clubhouse.
Girardi acknowledged they could all try to do too much as they try to impress their new teammates and fans.
“That’s a concern, definitely,” Girardi said. “I think there’s an excitement about coming over here. They want to prove that the Yankees made the right move and what we have to guard against like any time you acquire a new player here whether it’s now or the springtime or in the winter – don’t try to do too much, just be yourself. That’s the key to playing in New York. When you try to do something that you’re not used to doing that’s usually when you don’t play well.”
Kearns had the line of the day about the gigantic home clubhouse: “I have to get a GPS to get around this clubhouse. It’s just coming here and trying to figure out where everything is.”
LINEUPS
Blue Jays
15 Fred Lewis DH
5 Yunel Escobar SS
19 Jose Bautista RF
10 Vernon Wells CF
35 Lyle Overbay 1B
2 Aaron Hill 2B
45 Travis Snider LF
12 Edwin Encarnacion 3B
8 Jose Molina C
23 Brandon Morrow P
Yankees
2 Derek Jeter SS
33 Nick Swisher RF
25 Mark Teixeira 1B
13 Alex Rodriguez 3B
24 Robinson Cano 2B
20 Jorge Posada C
17 Lance Berkman DH
14 Curtis Granderson CF
11 Brett Gardner LF
34 A.J. Burnett P
