YANKEE NOTES
TAMPA – When Yankees camp opened, Joe Torre said he planned to carry 12 pitchers and that Steve Karsay was one of the dozen.
Though Torre isn’t ready to adjust that number or concede that Karsay may not be ready for Opening Day on April 3, Karsay’s progress has been slow at best. After two starts in which he appeared to be tentative about cutting loose with his surgically repaired right shoulder, Karsay spent yesterday in a Legends Field bullpen working with Mel Stottlemyre.
“He threw better, his rhythm was a lot better,” Stottlemyre said of Karsay, who missed most of the past two seasons.
This Monday, Stottlemyre noticed Karsay’s mechanics were different.
“He was getting real big and real long and he was trying to force it,” Stottlemyre said. “[Yesterday] he was a lot more smooth with a lot of pop.”
Karsay’s breaking ball hasn’t been sharp, but that could be from a lack of work. He is slated to pitch next on Friday.
As for Karsay being ready for Opening Day, that’s still Stottlemyre’s plan.
“As far as I know, I haven’t had to hold him back,” Stottlemyre said of Karsay, who, if healthy, could take some of the load off Paul Quantrill and Tom Gordon.
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Washed out of yesterday’s start against the Indians in Winter Haven, Carl Pavano will make his second spring appearance tonight against the Blue Jays after Mike Mussina leaves the game. Pavano is slated to go three innings.
“Four days from then we will have to make some adjustments,” said Stottlemyre, who doesn’t have the luxury of using pitchers in minor-league games until late next week.
“You’re at the [mercy] of Mother Nature sometimes,” Pavano said.
Had it been later in spring training, Stottlemyre said a simulated game back at Legends Field would have been an option.
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With Mussina and Pavano working the first six innings, and Torre planning to use Mariano Rivera, Jorge DePaula and Tom Gordon for the final three frames, it appears Mike Stanton‘s second outing of the spring will be pushed back to tomorrow.
“I would like to use Stanton but I am not sure,” said Stottlemyre, who sent the lefty to Winter Haven yesterday and planned on him hurling an inning. According to Stanton and Stottlemyre, the minor case of biceps tendinitis that bothered Stanton early in camp is gone.
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Wanting to give Ruben Sierra a chance to be ready for Opening Day, the Yankees are taking it very slowly with his pulled left-rib-cage muscle.
“I talked to Ruben today. We’re going to sit on it for a week or so and then see how we do; he might be able to lightly swing the bat in seven or eight days,” Torre said. “You get into that danger part if you start messing with it and re-injure it, then for sure you’re not going to be able to make it by Opening Day.”
GM Brian Cashman said, “He will be down for a period of time, how long we don’t know.”
The Yankees will make their first cuts of the spring today.
