ARLINGTON, Texas — CC Sabathia never has been big on using video to evaluate his pitching mechanics.
Nevertheless, after he was spanked in the past two starts and is just 9-8 with a 4.37 ERA Sabathia didn’t say no when pitching coach Larry Rothschild invited the 33-year-old lefty to sit down Tuesday and view video of himself.
“What he showed me made sense, he wanted me to shorten my arm because my arm angle has been off the last couple of starts,’’ said Sabathia, who was rocked for seven runs and nine hits in five innings Sunday against the Red Sox when he flushed an early 3-0 lead. “When your arm is too long the balls cut.’’
Sabathia worked on the issue in a bullpen session in which Derek Jeter stood in as a batter but didn’t swing.
Sabathia estimated he has watched video of himself “maybe five times’’ and all since Rothschild became the Yankees pitching coach in 2011.
“His arm has been lagging behind and he is late getting the ball up,’’ Rothschild said. “It’s been an off and on thing. Last year it wasn’t like this.’’
Because Sabathia had a bone spur removed from the left elbow last October, Rothschild was asked if Sabathia’s mechanics have been affected by the surgery.
“No, he says he is fine,’’ Rothschild said.
Sabathia’s next start is Friday night at Yankee Stadium against the Rays.
* Jeter participated in regular batting practice, fielded ground balls at short and ran light sprints in the outfield before Tuesday night’s 5-4 win over the Rangers.
It was the first time Jeter was cleared to run since suffering a right quadriceps injury that landed him on the DL July 11, the first day back from the shelf because of two fractures in the left ankle.
Jeter is eligible to come off the DL Saturday and said following the game he will “lobby’’ to play immediately.
Jeter said he was encouraged he didn’t feel anything in the quadriceps and expected to increase the intensity of the running program today.
“We are not rushing it, so far so good,’’ manager Joe Girardi said. “Every step is getting better.’’
As for Saturday, Girardi wasn’t committing.
“I am not sure. You have to be able to run and he did light sprints today,’’ he said.
* Add infielder Luis Cruz to the seemingly endless list of Yankees to go on the DL.
Cruz couldn’t play because of a right knee injury he suffered making a catch Monday night and said he is worried the problem could be serious.
Asked if he was going on the DL, Cruz said, “I think so.’’
* Michael Pineda was removed from a start for Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre Tuesday night after three innings. According to Cashman, the move was made for “innings management.’’
According to Girardi, the Yankees might make a roster move before the results of the MRI exam are known.
“We might make a move,’’ said Girardi, who was going to discuss it with general manager Brian Cashman late Tuesday night.
Because Alberto Gonzalez cleared waivers and was sent to SWB, and the Yankees are at 39 on the 40-man roster, the utility infielder is a strong candidate to rejoin the Yankees to take Cruz’s place.
* Austin Romine was in the lineup to catch Phil Hughes. Romine was supposed to play Sunday night in Boston but had a stiff neck, and he wasn’t available Monday night to work with Ivan Nova. Romine delivered an RBI double in the first that scored the Yankees’ first run.
* Right-hander Matt Garza, acquired by the Rangers on Monday from the Cubs, faces the Yankees Wednesday night.
“It’s been a few years since we have seen him but we have seen a lot of him,’’ Girardi said of the former Ray. “He has success wherever he has been, he has good stuff, did well in the AL East and pitched in the postseason. You expect it to be a good acquisition for the Rangers.’’
* Curtis Granderson played in a simulated game in Tampa for the second consecutive day.
The outfielder took another positive step, increasing to four at-bats, which included a shallow fly to right field and three balls hit in the infield, before a downpour interrupted his baseball activities.
Granderson will play in another simulated game Wednesday and then the team will assess his status and when he is ready to begin a rehab assignment.
Jayson Nix took groundballs at third base and had six at-bats in the simulated game, but more importantly, he might have cleared the final hurdle to begin a rehab assignment by running the bases for the first time since injuring his hamstring on July 1.
Granderson and Nix could return to action with the High-A Tampa Yankees during the team’s upcoming four-game home series, which begins Thursday night.