No New York Yankees fan, including myself, wants to face the possibility that closer Mariano Rivera may be succumbing to the inevitable–his age. Rivera’s opening-day catastrophe is alarming in that he lacked movement on his pitches. Add in the fact that he allowed booming hits to players he usually dominates, such as Carlos Pena, and it makes New York rooters nervous.

Rivera has been hit hard before, but he always straightens out after these bad stretches. I hope this is simply an anomaly and that he has a solid year, and then retires. If not, and he performs poorly, he will not be alone among Yankee stars who have had not heeded the advance of time.

Few great to very good players leave the game willingly, and most wait until they have become a shell of their former selves on the field. Rare are the men who leave baseball on their own terms, with their fans not having the chance to wish they had gone sooner so as not to remember their struggles.

Three New York Yankees come to mind as having said goodbye to the Bronx with their game and dignity intact:

1. Joe DiMaggio

Joltin’ Joe was 36 when he retired in 1951, just one season removed from hitting 32 homers and knocking in 122 runs. Slowed by injuries in 1951, Joe played in just 116 contests, but still had 71 runs batted in. However, he hit only .263 and struck out 36 times. The latter number may seem minuscule, but it was among the highest season totals for DiMaggio. He called it quits despite pleas from the Yankee brass to remain, hitting .261 in the last of the ten World Series he played in for New York, with a homer and five runs batted in.

2. Paul O’Neill

O’Neill had a farewell season very similar to DiMaggio’s final campaign, hitting .267 with 21 homers and 70 runs batted in. He was coming off a stretch from 1997 through 2000 during which he had a total of 443 runs batted in over the four years. But O’Neill, who turned 38 in February of 2001, decided enough was enough. He helped the Yankees to the World Series, hitting .417 versus the Mariners in the American League Championship Series victory by New York. He hit .333 in the Series against the Diamondbacks, lost ironically when Mariano Rivera blew the save in Game 7.

3. Mike Mussina

Mussina not only left on a high note, he had one of his best all-around seasons, winning 20 games for the only time in his career. He was 20-9 in 2008 before stepping away at age 39, pitching to an earned run average of 3.37. Mussina had managed 18 wins on three occasions and 19 wins twice, but never 20 until that last year. He led the American League in starts with 34 in 2008 and struck out 150 batters before hanging up the spikes.

I have been a New York Yankee fan since the middle of the 1960s.

Sources:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dimagjo01.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/o’neipa01.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mussimi01.shtml

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Michael Pineda made a strong pitch to be in the New York Yankees‘ rotation.

Pineda allowed one run and five hits over five innings in the Yankees‘ 1-1, 10-inning tie with a Detroit Tigers split squad on Sunday.

”Seems like he’s putting it all together,” New York catcher Russell Martin said.

Pineda is competing with Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova and Freddy Garcia for three starting spots behind opening-day starter CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda.

”I’m focusing on making good pitches,” Pineda said. ”I feel a little more confident on the mound.”

Derek Jeter hit a leadoff homer in the first for the Yankees. The New York captain, who also had a double, played for the second time in three days after missing eight days because of a stiff left calf.

”My leg is fine,” Jeter said. ”I haven’t run hard, but I haven’t had to. I’m making progress. I’m happy where I’m at.”

New York’s Alex Rodriguez was hit on the left side by a Brayan Villarreal pitch in the seventh and left the game. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said A-Rod was examined, is OK and is expected to play in the team’s next game on Tuesday night.

Left-hander Duane Below, among three candidates for the Tigers’ fifth starter spot, gave up one run and three hits in 3 2-3 innings. Ramon Santiago had an RBI triple in the third.

”I’m judging by what I see,” Detroit manager Jim Leyland said of the rotation competition.

Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain was released from a hospital Sunday, three days after dislocating his right ankle bouncing on a trampoline. He will be in a cast for six weeks and there is no timeframe for his return.

”I am optimistic that he’s going to pitch for us this year,” Girardi said.

Detroit right-hander Doug Fister, who left his previous outing Friday in the fifth inning of because of soreness in his right middle finger, is improving. It hasn’t been decided whether the right-hander will make next scheduled start.

”It’s much better,” Leyland said. ”A little stiff, not sore. I don’t forsee any problems, but like I said the other day, I don’t look at anything as a minor injury when you start messing around with your key guys.”

Leyland also is focusing on bullpen depth, in which Below could also be a candidate.

”I know I’ve got a fifth starter, I don’t know who it is, but I know I’ve got one,” Leyland said. ”So, I’m real bearing down on this bullpen situation. I’m a big bullpen guy. To me, that is a huge piece of this puzzle.”

Collin Balester replaced Below in the third and proceeded to load the bases, but got out of the jam by getting a grounder from Jeter. The right-hander gave up four walks and two hits in 2 1/3 shutout innings.

New York eighth-inning set-up man David Robertson, coming back from a bruised right foot, gave up one hit in a scoreless eighth.

”Didn’t have any problems,” said Robertson, who expects to be ready for opening day.

New York closer Mariano Rivera threw his sixth shutout inning of the spring, but did give up his first hit, a sixth-inning double to Delmon Young. The right-hander extended his stretch of not allowing an earned run in spring training to 27 consecutive innings, dating back to 2008.

NOTES: Detroit LF Quintin Berry made two strong catches, including a full-out diving grab on Dewayne Wise’s drive in the ninth. … Yankees LHP Andy Pettitte, who ended his brief retirement by agreeing to a minor league contract on March 16, is scheduled to throw batting practice for the second time Tuesday. He could pitch in a spring training game before the team breaks camp. … New York RF Nick Swisher could return Tuesday from a groin injury. … Hughes is to pitch in a minor league game Monday, which is an offday for the Yankees. … New York optioned INF Ramiro Pena to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and reassigned RHPs Manny Delcarmen and Kevin Whelan, C Jose Gil, and OFs OF Colin Curtis and Cole Garner to its minor league camp.

Edward Charles Ford, forever known as “Whitey” to New York Yankee fans such as me, was an easy choice for the Hall of Fame once his playing days ended. Elected to the Hall in 1974, Whitey Ford had a sparkling win percentage of .690, buoyed by his 236 wins versus just 106 defeats.

Ford has not pitched since 1967, so there are some things about this all-time Yankee great you may not realize.

1. Lost Years

Ford broke in with a 9-1 record in 1950, but then immediately lost two full years to military service. He did not pitch for the Yanks in either 1951 or 1952, returning in 1953 to go 18-6. Conservatively estimates that Whitey would have won 25 games combined in those two seasons would have given him a total of 261 victories.

2. Limited Starts

Yankee manager Casey Stengel often saved Ford for the better teams on the schedule or the toughest pitcher the opponent put up against New York. This resulted in Whitey making more than 30 starts just once in the nine seasons under Casey’s tutelage. Once the Yankees fired Stengel, manager Ralph Houk used Ford much more, allowing him to start as many as 39 times. Ford had his most productive season under Houk, going 25-4 in 1961.

3. Fatal Blunder

For some reason, Stengel opted not to make Ford his Game 1 starter against the Pirates in the 1960 World Series. This error in judgment ultimately cost Stengel his managerial job in New York, as Ford threw two complete game shutouts in the pair of contests in which he pitched, but was unavailable for the deciding Game 7. The Yanks won Games 3 and 6 by 10-0 and 12-0 scores, respectively, as Ford allowed a total of only 11 hits and two walks.

4. Hits to a Minimum

Only once in his 16 years in the major leagues did Whitey Ford give up more hits than innings pitched. That occurred toward the tail end of his career, in 1966 when he gave up 79 hits in the 73 innings he threw.

5.Multi-Category Leader

Over the years, Ford led the American League in a variety of pitching categories, highlighting his stamina and skill. He was the circuit leader in wins three times, earned run average twice, winning percentage on three occasions and shutouts twice. Ford led the AL in innings pitched in 1961 and 1963 and had the most complete games in 1955.

Ford was a shell of his former self by the time I began following the Yankees in 1967.

Sources:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1960_WS.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fordwh01.shtml

When it comes to the New York Yankees, there are two types of players:

The first are the chosen few elevated to god-like status who wear the pinstripes as a badge of honor.

The second are the many players who are simply labeled as ‘what have you done for us lately?’ or ‘what can you do for us tomorrow?’ Patience is a luxury these players will rarely experience.

Just ask A.J. Burnett.

All of which brings us to the signing of Andy Pettitte. Sure it’s just a minor-league, low risk deal for the Yankees but if Derek Jeter is an alpha-god, then Pettitte is his little brother in terms of New York baseball immortality. He is third in all-time franchise wins with 203 and sports a 123-68 home record. Pettitte has 19 post season wins and five World Series rings. He is a proven winner who, despite being 39 years of age, will be given every opportunity to be part of the starting rotation come mid-April or whenever he feels ready to join the team.

The Pettitte signing is bad news for Ivan Nova, not Phil Hughes

Despite posting 16 wins and a 3.70 ERA, the Yankees are already committed to a starting rotation that includes CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Michael Pineda, and Phil Hughes.

If there were are any doubters as to whether or not the Yankees are committed to Hughes, this should have been extinguished by the proclamations of general manager Brian Cashman when speaking with Joel Sherman of the NY Post over the winter. “Aside from last year he was viewed, and not just by us, as one of the better young arms in the game; with success to prove it. He was a dominant reliever for us in 2009 and an All-Star as a starter in 2010. Why would I judge him by last year when he was injured? It feels like everyone wants to take him down a peg. I think he is a top-of-the-rotation starter.”

An unlikely as it sounds for any 16-game winner, this is hardly good news. Nova has struggled this spring (he was scorched for four first inning runs versus Baltimore yesterday). More telling however is Nova’s history. In 2011 he struck out just 98 batters in 165 innings pitched while yielding opponents a .258 BAA. These are hardly elite underlying numbers.

Tough to swallow, Nova will most likely head to the pen or to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre once Andy Pettitte is ready for his big league return.

Is this fair? Hardly. Yet these are the Yankees where you are either a legend or your disposable.

Sources: Yahoo! Sports

espn.com

Robert Watkins is former investment professional and partner. A native New Yorker until 9/11, he considers Pa. his adoptive home. A passionate Yankees fan and Pennsylvania sports enthusiast, Robert is a frequent contributor to Yahoo! Sports and News.

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) After Andy Pettitte said he was coming out of a one-year retirement on Friday to rejoin the New York Yankees, competition for their starting rotation grew tighter.

Ivan Nova didn’t help himself on Sunday night.

Nova allowed five runs in four innings and his hold on a spot in the Yankees’ rotation grew more tenuous with a 6-3 loss to a Baltimore Orioles split squad.

Nova, who was 16-4 with a 3.70 ERA as a rookie in 2011, has allowed 11 runs in 12 2-3 innings for a 7.82 spring ERA.

In the first inning, Nova allowed a three-run home run to Adam Jones, and then a batter later, Matt Wieters hit another one. He allowed a fifth run in the second inning.

”He just couldn’t get into a rhythm in the first two innings – and then he found it,” New York manager Joe Girardi said.

Nova gave up seven hits with his five runs in four innings. He struck out four.

When Pettitte signed a minor league deal, Nova’s place in the rotation became less secure. He is already competing with Freddy Garcia, Phil Hughes and Michael Pineda for spots in back of CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda.

Nova was annoyed that he didn’t shake off catcher Gustavo Molina’s call on the first home run and blamed himself for the second homer.

”I don’t want to get into those situations, I called him and said I thought it was the wrong pitch,” Nova said.

”That’s the game.”

Girardi said that Nova has to call his own game.

”You have to take charge,” Girardi said. ”If you make a pitch, you better have conviction.”

Alfredo Simon started for the Orioles and left after two innings with a groin injury.

”They asked me if I hurt myself a little bit – and I said, yes, I feel strong, but in the second inning I tweaked my groin, so I stopped, and they’re going to see what’s going on.”

Manager Buck Showalter didn’t like how Simon was throwing in the second inning, and didn’t let him come out for a third. Simon was supposed to throw between 60 and 65 pitches, but only threw about half that.

”He said it was a little tight. He didn’t feel comfortable about pushing off. He said he was fine to pitch, and I really didn’t like that scenario,” Showalter said.

”We had arms. He may have continued during the season. We’ll see where he are on it on Tuesday.”

NOTES: Yankees 2B Robinson Cano was hit on the left hand when he was struck out by Baltimore LHP Troy Patton in the sixth inning. Girardi said X-rays were negative, and that the team would evaluate him on Tuesday. … New York 1B Mark Teixeira had his first extra-base hit of the spring – a second-inning double. … Yankees 3B Bill Hall was hit in the hit by a 76 mph change-up by Simon in the second inning. … Orioles LHP Zach Britton was scratched from Monday’s scheduled appearance in a minor league game because of shoulder stiffness. ”He came up a little sore,” Showalter said. … Baltimore OF Endy Chavez went 3 for 4. He’s batting .462. … Wieters’ home run was his first RBI of the spring. … Both teams are off on Monday.

TAMPA, Fla. — Mariano Rivera makes spring training look like a breeze,

Rivera threw his third consecutive scoreless inning in the New York Yankees’ 6-3 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday.

“I feel good,” Rivera said. “Got a little sweat, that was good.”

Rivera needed just eight pitches to extend his spring training stretch of not giving up an earned run to 24 innings. The last earned run that the right-hander allowed was on March 15, 2008, against Tampa Bay.

After hitting a batter, Rivera got a strikeout and double-play grounder.

Rivera has hinted that 2012 might be his final major league season, but the 42-year old is not ready to make a formal announcement.

“I know that I want to make the right decision,” Rivera said. “That’s what I want to do. When I make the right decision, I don’t want to comeback or I don’t want say I should have stayed. I want be a thousand percent sure with the right decision.”

New York’s Hiroki Kuroda allowed one run and three hits in four innings, throwing 49 of 59 pitches for strikes.

“I’m not a power pitcher,” Kuroda said through a translator. “I don’t strikeout a lot of hitters, so the less pitches the better.”

Robinson Cano hit a three-run homer off Bud Norris for a 5-0 lead in the second. Curtis Granderson had an RBI double during a two-run first.

Houston closer Brett Myers threw two innings in his second straight scoreless outing after allowing at least one run in each of first four appearances.

“He’s in a good frame of mind,” Astros manager Brad Mills said. “He’s throwing more with touch and feel.”

Myers will pitch on consecutive days later in spring training.

New York played without several injured regulars, including shortstop Derek Jeter, who missed his second straight game due to a stiff left calf. The captain is expected back on Tuesday night.

New York outfielder Nick Swisher and catcher Russell Martin, both out with groin injuries, also won’t be back until Tuesday. Swisher said an MRI exam Saturday on his groin strain was negative.

“Might as well be safe,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

Yankees backup infielder Eduardo Nunez started at shortstop after missing almost two weeks with a bruised right hand. He had an infield hit in two at-bats.

Chris Johnson had an RBI double off Kuroda in the fourth. Norris gave up five runs, five hits and four walks in three innings.

Houston catcher Humberto Quintero, sidelined by a lower back injury, is scheduled to start against the New York Mets on Sunday. He has been playing minor league games.

“The report is he’s feeling pretty good,” Mills said. “He’s been swinging against live pitching. He is behind, but not as far as behind as you might think.”

New Astros catcher Landon Powell, signed to a minor league contract on Wednesday, went 0 for 2. Powell was released by Oakland on March 9.

NOTES: Union head Michael Weiner spoke with Yankees’ players before the game. New York managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner plans to lower the team’s payroll to $189 million from around $210 million over the next few years. Under baseball’s new labor contract, the luxury tax threshold will be at $189 million after the 2013 season. “I have every confidence that given the history of the New York Yankees, the people who run the club, that they are going to be quite active in fielding a competitive team,” Weiner said. “I would expect that the fans of New York would demand no less than that.” … Houston OF Jack Cust went 0 for 3 and is hitless in 20 at-bats overall … Norris threw 39 of 73 pitches for strikes. … New York RHP David Robertson (bruised right foot) could throw off a bullpen mound on Sunday.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP)—Kyle Weiland made a good first impression with his new
boss.

Weiland threw four hitless innings Monday night as the Houston Astros beat
the New York Yankees 4-3.

With new Astros owner Jim Crane in attendance at his first spring training
game, Weiland induced nine ground-ball outs. He worked out of a two-on, two-outs
jam in the third by coaxing Curtis Granderson into a grounder.

“The first couple throws I knew my arm felt good,” said Weiland, who threw
49 pitches. “The big challenge was going to be monitoring my effort level
because when your arm feels that good, a lot of times you tend to get the ball
up a lot. My main focus early on was let them put the ball in play and let my
sinker work.”

Competing for a rotation spot, Weiland struck out one, walked one and hit a
batter. The right-hander was acquired from Boston in December.

New York starter Hiroki Kuroda allowed two hits in three scoreless innings.
Nick Swisher had an RBI triple.

Astros closer Brett Myers, last year’s opening-day starter, gave up one run
and one hit in the fifth. He has allowed at least one run in all four of his
appearances this spring training.

George Springer had a run-scoring double and scored on Scott Moore’s RBI
grounder that put the Astros up 4-2 in the ninth. J.R. Murphy drove in a run
with a single in the bottom of the inning.

Attention already was turning before the game to Tuesday night and the
Yankees’ first meeting of the year with the Red Sox.

“I’m sure there will be a different excitement level in the stands,”
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “I’m not so sure our players will be too
caught up in it because I try to tell them to not get too caught up during the
season. They’ve got to go out and play.”

Girardi has been starting only half his veterans in the early spring
training games. Boston was planning to bring only a few regulars, including
Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia and Jarrod Saltalamacchia. The Red Sox were
scheduled to start Felix Doubront and the Yankees were going with Ivan Nova.

“I don’t want guys going out and doing something crazy, so they miss six
weeks of the season,” Girardi said. “I don’t particularly want Jete jumping
into the stands headfirst”—a reference to Derek Jeter’s 2004 catch of Trot
Nixon’s popup.

While the Yankees won the AL East with a 97-65 record last year, Boston
became the first team to miss the postseason after leading by as many as nine
games for a playoff spot entering September. In the fallout, Bobby Valentine
replaced Terry Francona as Red Sox manager.

Valentine created a stir last month when he said Jeter didn’t need to make
the flip-to-home relay against Oakland in the 2001 playoffs and fondly recalled
when retired Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek “beat up Alex” Rodriguez in 2004.

“I worry about our club. I worry about my present-day club,” Girardi said.
“I’m not worried about three years ago, or a year ago, 10 years ago. I worry
about now, tomorrow, today.”

Girardi said he might hold back newcomers Michael Pineda and Kuroda from
facing the Red Sox during spring training since they like will start against
Boston several times during the season.

As for Monday, Houston loaded the bases with two outs in the third, but
failed to score when Kuroda struck out Brian Bogusevic.

“There’s not that many games that I threw in the past that I felt really
good about (all) my pitches,” Kuroda said through a translator. “I always have
to make adjustments.”

Kuroda had two strikeouts and two walks.

“I thought he was off a little bit. I didn’t think he was as consistent in
the strike zone where he wanted to be,” Girardi said. “He wasn’t quite as
sharp as the last time command-wise.”

Houston reliever Brandon Lyon, coming back from surgery on his right biceps
tendon and labrum, gave up one run and two hits over one inning.

Astros right-hander Bud Norris did not make the trip and instead threw four
innings in a simulated game at the Astros complex.

“He’s been working on some of his secondary pitches and he looked very good
throwing those,” Astros manager Brad Mills said.

Humberto Quintero, sidelined by a lower back injury, caught Norris and also
hit off a tee. Justin Ruggiano and Travis Buck, both out with oblique injuries,
hit against Norris.

Houston right-hander Aneury Rodriguez also threw four innings in a simulated
game.

NOTES: Yankees RHP David Robertson stopped using a protective boot and
crutches, and he played catch for the first time since hurting his right foot in
a tumble at home last week. He is confident he will be ready for the April 6
opener at Tampa Bay. He threw for about five minutes. … New York RHP Joba
Chamberlain (elbow ligament replacement surgery) continues to increase his
rehabilitation program, throwing eight sliders to a catcher positioned on the
plate after a 30-pitch fastball mound session. Chamberlain will add sliders to
his regular bullpen sessions on Friday. … RHP Wilton Lopez will be out a
couple days due to forearm tightness. Mills said the problem is not serious. …
Former Yankees CF Bernie Williams was at the game.

I don’t like the New York Yankees. Actually, I shouldn’t say that—I loathe the Yankees! Make all the nasty comments you want, Yankees fans, most baseball fans are on my side.

The ageless Mariano Rivera.
Wikimedia Commons

That being said, I shamelessly will build my baseball fantasy team around Yankees. In years past, that meant drafting Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter in the early rounds, but times have changed. Like them or not, these are the top five Yankees in fantasy baseball.

Mariano Rivera (RP) — I have this vision of the Yankees 50 years from now playing in the World Series, the team payroll at $10 billion. It’s the bottom of the ninth and out rides a grey-haired Rivera on a motorized scooter. Mo shuts down the game and the Yankees go on to win World Series championship No. 28. Last season, the 41-year-old Rivera finished with an earned run average under 2.00 and WHIP under 1.00 for the fourth straight year. He’ll never be to old to draft as your primary closer.

Mark Teixeira (1B) — Much is made of Teixeira’s annual slow starts, but his numbers always are there in the end. He has 30-plus homer runs and 100-plus RBI in each of the last eight seasons. Furthermore, he has whacked 39 home runs in two of the last three years. His batting average has declined in each of the last three years, but you can’t have it all. Power up with Teixeira in the late third or early fourth round.

C.C. Sabathia (SP) — If nothing else, drafting Sabathia will leave you one less thing to worry about during the season. The large lefty has posted five straight seasons with at least 17 wins and an ERA under 3.50. Furthermore, he flirts with 200 strikeouts every year. Sabathia is one of the top 10 pitchers in baseball and should be drafted accordingly. Will he make it out of round four? Um, fat chance!

Curtis Granderson (OF) — Few players in the game can offer Granderson’s combination of power and speed. Last season, he posted career highs in home runs and RBI with 41 and 119, respectively, and—don’t adjust your monitor—scored a league-leading 136 runs and stole 25 bases. Personally, I’m skeptical of a lifetime .267 hitter coming off a career-best year, but feel free to draft him in the second round.

Robinson Cano (2B) — Yes, I make no secret about my dislike for the Yankees, but Cano is one of my favorite players to watch (and own on my team). The guy simply is a hitting machine. Over the last three seasons, he is batting .314 and averaging 27 home runs and 104 RBI per season. That’s off-the-charts production for a second baseman, which is why Cano will fly off your draft board in the first round.

* Unless otherwise noted, draft projections are based on participation in a 10-team fantasy baseball league with standard 5×5 scoring.

More fantasy baseball from this Yahoo! contributor:

Fan’s Take: Top Five Boston Red Sox in Fantasy Baseball

Fan’s Take: Top Five Toronto Blue Jays in Fantasy Baseball

Fan’s Take: Top Five Baltimore Orioles in Fantasy Baseball

Adam Martini is a freelance sports writer who roots for the New York Mets (and any team that is playing the New York Yankees ). A dedicated fantasy baseball player since 1998, his games of choice growing up were Strat-O-Matic and MicroLeague Baseball

Sources

Baseball-Reference.com.

The Official Site of Major League Baseball.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP)—Julio Teheran kept the ball in the ballpark, and the
result was a much better outing.

Hoping to earn a spot in Atlanta’s rotation, Teheran allowed one run and
three hits over three innings as a Braves split squad lost 3-0 to the New York
Yankees on Friday.

The 21-year-old struck out three, including Robinson Cano, and walked one in
his second spring training start.

“I think his poise is something that’s going to help him down the line,”
said Braves coach Carlos Tosca, who managed the split squad. “I don’t see any
panic in him. He’s aggressive. He kept going after them, and I thought he did a
good job.”

Teheran gave up six home runs in two innings last Sunday when the Braves
were beat 18-3 by the Detroit Tigers.

“I just forget about that,” Teheran said. “Keep pitching, keep throwing
and be ready for the season.”

Teheran’s parents from Colombia attended the game.

“I was excited because it was my dream when I was little to throw to the
Yankees,” Teheran said.

Freddy Garcia gave up one hit over three innings for the Yankees. The
right-hander had two strikeouts and one walk.

“That’s vintage Freddy,” New York manager Joe Girardi said. “Changed
speeds, changed location. Used his split. Pretty much that’s Freddy.”

Garcia is competing for a rotation spot behind opening day starter CC
Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda.

“He’s not afraid of adversity or any situation,” Yankees catcher Russell
Martin said. “He goes out there. He gives his best effort. That’s what you’re
expect from Freddy. He’s going to bring his `A’ game every time he’s out
there.”

Nick Swisher had an opposite-field RBI double to deep left off Teheran
during the first.

Teheran, who recorded two outs on long fly balls, kept the Yankees scoreless
in the second after giving up a leadoff double to Martin. He walked Curtis
Granderson in the third.

“He’s got a good life to his fastball, but I think he just kind of keeps it
a little bit elevated,” Martin said. “He just needs to work down in the zone a
bit. I think if he does that, he’s going to be successful. He’s got a good run
on his fastball, but as soon as you elevate it, it flattens out, and that’s
where guys like that get in trouble.”

Teheran allowed only five homers while going 15-3 at Triple-A Gwinnett last
season. He had a rougher time in the majors, giving up four homers in 19 2-3
innings.

“He looked like the guy they wanted to have the ball out there, and it
looked like he wanted the ball,” Granderson said.

Among the Braves’ making the trip were Michael Bourn (1 for 3), Matt Diaz (0
for 4), Freddie Freeman (0 for 4) and David Ross (1 for 3). Atlanta finished
with five hits against six pitchers.

Bourn had a single taken away in the third when Martin fielded a bunt down
the third-base line and threw out the speedy outfielder at first with a nifty
spin move.

“I said, hey, Russell, Yogi (Berra) wanted to know why you made that play
look so hard?” Girardi joked.

Berra is in camp as spring training instructor.

Notes: Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain (elbow-ligament replacement
surgery) increased his rehabilitation program by throwing one curveball and four
sliders to a catcher in front of the plate after a 30-pitch fastball bullpen
session. He is set to throw breaking pitches off a mound next Friday. … New
York LHP Boone Logan didn’t throw his scheduled bullpen session because of neck
stiffness. … The Yankees said former New York hitting coach and Atlanta
hitting coordinator Jay Ward died Feb. 24 at age 73. He worked with players
including Dave Winfield, Ricky Henderson, Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones and David
Justice. … Braves RHP Todd Redmond struck out two during a perfect sixth. …
New York C Austin Romine (back) has not been cleared yet to resume baseball
drills. … Yankees INF Eduardo Nunez (right hand) had a CT scan, which was
negative. He was sore after taking batting practice Thursday.

DUNEDIN, FLA.—David Robertson limped out of the Yankees clubhouse in Tampa, holding a pair of crutches, his right foot in an oversized black boot.

He sprained the foot when he stumbled on stairs while moving empty boxes at his home, and the team sounded worried there might be a significant injury to the all-star reliever. Instead of making his second spring training appearance, Robertson made two trips to a hospital for X-rays, an MRI and CT scan.

“The initial tests that he took gave us some cause for concern,” manager Joe Girardi said after Thursday’s 6-1 loss to Toronto. “We’re not sure what’s going on.”

Girardi said the initial diagnosis was a mid-foot sprain. Test results will be sent to New York to be evaluated by team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad. The Yankees said Ahmad will consult with Dr. Justin Greisberg, whose specialties include orthopedic surgery and foot trauma.

Between hospital trips, Robertson returned to the clubhouse at Steinbrenner Field and hoped for the best.

“It’s embarrassing. I already had Mo rag me out about it,” he said after speaking with closer Mariano Rivera.

Girardi emphasized several times the extent of the injury was not clear.

“I’m not so sure that he’s going to miss enough time that we won’t have him opening day,” he said. “I mean until we get the test results, I’m not going to know.”

Robertson was hurt Wednesday night at his home in St. Petersburg. He picked up two empty boxes, one inside the other, and walked down the stairs to leave them for recycling.

“I just misjudged one step and just caught it funny, and it just kind of rolled under me,” he said.

He understands some may think there’s more to the story, that the injury couldn’t be caused by a tumble at home.

“I can tell you right now that’s the truth,” he said. “My wife was like, ‘What are you doing down there?’ She saw me laying there on my foot.”

Robertson said his foot started throbbing an hour or two later but he applied ice and it felt better in the morning. Girardi said if Robertson were sidelined for two weeks or less, he still could be ready for the Yankees’ opener at Tampa Bay on April 6.

“If it’s going to happen, let it happen now,” Girardi said.

Robertson had a breakout season in 2011, going 4-0 with a 1.08 ERA in 70 games and becoming the Yankees’ primary setup man.

“Last year, he did a tremendous job,” Rivera said. “So we’re expecting something good out of him this year, also.”

If Robertson isn’t ready for opening day, Rafael Soriano likely would move up to New York’s eighth-inning pitcher.

New York has bad memories of pitchers and injured feet. Chien-Ming Wang sprained a ligament in his right foot while running the bases at Houston on June 15, 2008, and missed the rest of the season. Wang struggled to a 1-6 record with a 9.64 ERA when he returned the following year. He needed shoulder surgery that sidelined him until last July, when he came back to the majors with the Washington Nationals.

“There’s always something in every camp,” Girardi said. “Something freaky happens, whether it’s a foul ball, or you get hit with a ball in BP. It’s the nature of the game. It’s life. You can’t stop living because you have a job. You have responsibilities.”

He joked about the need for additional team rules.

“You’re not allowed to carry boxes. Kick them down the stairs,” he said before pausing and adding: “If he had like an elevator in his house, his arm would have got stuck or something. Just throw them out the window. And hopefully it doesn’t land on your car.”

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Right-hander Joe Blanton threw two shutout innings and third baseman Placido Polanco drove home the game’s first run as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Yankees 9-3 in exhibition play on Monday.

For both Blanton and Polanco, it was their first chance to get on the field in 2012 after injury-plagued 2011 seasons.

The 31-year-old Blanton, who had averaged 32 starts in his first six big league seasons, made just eight in 2011 while battling elbow soreness. On Monday, Blanton allowed two hits, struck out one and recorded five groundball outs.

The Yankees had their first look at offseason acquisition Michael Pineda. The 23-year-old right-hander, traded from Seattle in a deal that included catching prospect Jesus Montero, held the Phillies to one hit in two shutout innings. Pineda made the All-Star team as a rookie with the Mariners last season.

For Blanton, Monday was another step forward after he returned in late September and pitched a scoreless inning in the National League Division Series against St. Louis.

“I’m confident in how I feel,” he said. “Really, really confident. I feel good.”

Although he made the All-Star team and was awarded a Gold Glove last season, Polanco was limited to 122 games with an assortment of injuries, including elbow pain and lower back inflammation. Polanco, 36, had double hernia surgery in October.

“I’m very happy. I dove for a ball and didn’t feel anything,” Polanco said. “I didn’t expect anything because I’ve been here for a while and I’ve done a lot of stuff. But game situations are a little bit different when you’re out there. But I felt really good.”

Polanco finished his first game of the spring 2 for 3. Although Polanco sat out the first three exhibition games, Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said he planned to work Polanco in slowly in the beginning of spring training.

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins (2 for 2 with a walk) and designated hitter Jim Thome (2 for 3 with a double) also enjoyed multiple-hit games for the Phillies. Thome came a few feet away from his first home run of the spring when he doubled high off the center field wall in the fourth. Second baseman Michael Martinez rebounded from a two-error game on Sunday by hitting a two-run home run in the seventh.

Pineda ended the first inning of his Yankees debut with back-to-back strikeouts of Shane Victorino and Thome.

“I’m very excited today,” Pineda said at his locker stall, which was surrounded by a group of 20 reporters. “It’s a little different because in Seattle, you don’t have a lot of media at spring training.”

Pineda credited Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild for helping his first start. Rothschild has been working with Pineda on a new grip for his changeup. Pineda responded by throwing eight changeups Monday.

“Right now, I feel a little more comfortable with my changeup,” Pineda said. “It’s a good pitch for me, because I’m (using) the same mechanics for the fastball.”

Yankees catcher Russell Martin was pleased.

“I’m not surprised because when I caught him in the (bull)pen, he already had a good idea of it,” he said. “I don’t see why it couldn’t be a good pitch for him.”

• NOTES: Yankees closer Mariano Rivera could make his spring training debut on Sunday. The 42-year-old, who will throw around eight innings overall during the exhibition season, made 30 pitches during his first batting practice session. “It went great,” Rivera said. “I feel good.” … New York reliever Rafael Soriano threw batting practice, making 28 pitches. . Yankees shortstop Eduardo Nunez left the game with a right hand contusion in the fifth inning after getting hit by an Austin Hyatt pitch. X-rays came back negative. … Phillies second baseman Chase Utley has missed the first four games and isn’t likely to play any time soon, according to Manuel. “It’s going to be a while yet,” he said. Utley sat out the first seven weeks of the 2011 season with right knee tendinitis. … Philadelphia right-hander Justin De Fratus began his throwing program after resting a sore elbow. De Fratus threw 40 balls from 60 feet. . Phillies outfielder Laynce Nix is battling a mild hamstring strain and did not play. Nix, who signed a two-year, $2.5 million contract, has been limited to designated hitter and pinch-hitting duties. . Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee will make his spring debut on Tuesday against the Blue Jays.

Read More: Jim Thome (1B – PHI), Jimmy Rollins (SS – PHI), Shane Victorino (CF – PHI), Jesus Montero (C – SEA), Eduardo Nunez (3B – NYY), Michael Pineda (P – NYY), Austin Hyatt (P – PHI), Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees

Three games into spring training, the New York Yankees finally got a look at their biggest offseason acquisition.

Michael Pineda held the Philadelphia Phillies to just one hit over two shutout innings, but the Phillies (1-2) beat the Yankees (2-1) 9-3 (box score here) in exhibition play Monday afternoon in Clearwater, Fla.

Pineda, the 23-year-old right-hander acquired in a trade with the Seattle Mariners for top catching prospect Jesus Montero and two other players, allowed a lead-off ground-ball single to shortstop Jimmy Rollins but struck out Shane Victorino and Jim Thome back-to-back to end the first inning. According to ESPN New York’s Wallace Matthews, Pineda used the brief stint to experiment with his new changeup.

Pineda also appeared to try out his new changeup a couple of times, including once to Thome, resulting in a softly hit foul grounder on an awkward swing.

Scouts sitting behind home plate clocked Pineda’s cutter at between 90-91 mph, his splitter at 86 and his curve ranging from 79-82.

Aside from Pineda, who seemed to be the main source of positive news for the Yankees Monday, the biggest news of the day came in the fifth inning. Yankees utility man Eduardo Nunez was hit near the pinky on his right hand by a pitch from Phillies reliever Austin Hyatt, forcing him out of the game in obvious pain. X-rays ultimately came back negative, and the Yankees are calling the injury a contusion.

“He said he was going to play tomorrow,” Joe Girardi said. “When you get hit in the hand, you’re always a little bit nervous about that. We’ll see what happens.”

Though Nunez appears likely to see most of his playing time coming off the bench, The Star-Ledger’s Marc Carig writes that Girardi doesn’t necessarily agree.

“He has a chance to play a real important role for us,” said manager Joe Girardi, who called Nunez “more than just a utility guy.”

For more Yankees and Spring Training coverage, be sure to check out Pinstripe Alley and SB Nation New York.