On a gorgeous day in Rye, Brian Cashman didn’t want to send a cloud all the way down to Tampa. It’s just that the Yankees’ general manager, 16 years on the job, has seen way too much to place optimism where it doesn’t belong.
Mark Teixeira played in a simulated game yesterday at the Yankees’ minor league complex? OK. Mark it down as a good day, but don’t mark Cashman as much more convinced the Yankees will be getting their regular first baseman back anytime soon.
At the Yankees/New Era Pinstripe Bowl Charity Golf Classic at Westchester Country Club, I asked Cashman if he considered Teixeira “out of the woods.”
“No,” Cashman responded. “Unfortunately, with his circumstance, you’ve got to go through the entire process. I point as early as Brett Gardner last year.”
Gardner, you might remember, suffered a right elbow injury last April. Cashman conflated that ailment with the right wrist surgery Gardner underwent in December 2010, yet the greater point stands: Gardner revved up to start the official rehabilitation clock — playing in the minor leagues — and had to shut it down after just two games. Then he took another four weeks of rest and rehab and played in one game before surrendering to surgery.
Back in March, Cashman said Teixeira’s torn ECU sheath in his right arm is 70 percent likely to heal without surgery. That 30 percent negative scenario hasn’t yet dissipated.
“Until he’s actually rehabbing in [minor league] games … we’ll hold our breath for a while, and then he’ll go through spring training,” Cashman said. “If that goes fine, then I’ll believe that we’re OK. But prior to that, I’m not going to count my chickens yet.”
Teixeira was pleased enough by yesterday’s development that he took to Twitter, writing, “Felt good to get my first AB’s since March.” He went 1-for-2 with a double and a walk.
Joe Girardi, before the Yanks defeated the Orioles last night at Camden Yards, added, “It’s definite progress for him. We want to see him have live at-bats and see how the wrist responds to that. I am really curious how he feels [today].’’
Cashman, not wanting to be too much of a buzz kill, said of Teixeira: “I know he feels really good. I know he feels strongly that this is going to be successful, and that’s great. That’s worth something, but at the end of the day, I’ve been disappointed before. So think the worst and hope for the best.”
The Yankees have so many players on the disabled list — 11, currently — that you need to put them in two baskets, mentally, just to differentiate. Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez (left hip) and Derek Jeter (left ankle) all go together, as the guys who are figuratively nowhere. None of the highly compensated trio is even close to being on a firm timeline. The other eight possess firmer chances of helping the Yankees sooner rather than later.
Lyle Overbay, picked up in the final days of spring training after the Red Sox released him, has been a savior at first base. He also has been a workhorse, starting 37 of the Yankees’ 43 games at first base. He started just 23 games all of last year. Cashman conceded there’s enough concern about Overbay’s durability — with Kevin Youkilis (lumbar spine strain) still on the DL — that the team has discussed trying outfielder Brennan Boesch, who has never played first base professionally, at the position at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
“Do we have exposure [at first base]? Yeah,” admitted Cashman, once again being frank. “That’s where Nick Swisher was such a benefit, too, because you could swing him from right field to first base any time you needed to. He was a multiple-position guy. And he was a plus defender at first. But that’s Cleveland’s asset now, not ours.”
Teixeira is the Yankees’ asset all the way through 2016. Right now, though, he’s more of a question mark than anything else. Even after yesterday’s seemingly good news.