MLB

Posada left on Yankees bench

Jorge Posada was on the Yankees bench again last night when Eric Chavez was the DH for the second straight game against Angels righty Dan Haren. Chavez went 1-for-2 with a walk in th 6-4 loss.

“I am not happy, I said it on Sunday. I don’t need to tell you that again,” Posada said. “I am moving on and I will be ready whenever I have to play. That’s it.”

Girardi said he understood Posada not being pleased, but it was the manager’s job to do what he feels is best for the team.

“Our job is to do the best we can,” Girardi said. “You wouldn’t be necessarily happy.”

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Alex Rodriguez took another step toward beginning a minor league rehab assignment yesterday in Tampa when he added running the bases to his workout program
.

The Yankees third baseman, who underwent arthroscopic right knee surgery July 11, could play in a minor league game Friday or Saturday. How many games he would need before returning is not known, but there is a possibility he could be activated next week in Kansas City.

The Yankees, who lost 6-4 to the Angels last night at the Stadium, are 18-10 without Rodriguez. When he returns, expect the Yankees to drop a pitcher from the 25-man roster and for them to use Rodriguez in some games in the DH spot.

BOX SCORE

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To the surprise of no one, the Yankees don’t expect Pedro Feliciano
or Damaso Marte
to contribute at any point.

The lefty relievers, who have been on the DL since the start of the season, are working out in Tampa, but Girardi didn’t paint a positive picture.

Feliciano, who signed to a two-year deal this past winter for $8 million, has been sidelined since spring training with a strained left rotator cuff. Marte, in the final season of a three-year, $12 million contract, had left shoulder surgery after last season to correct a labrum problem.

Feliciano has increased workouts in Tampa, but has a lot of work left before he can be considered able to return.

“Until you necessarily see him throw bullpen [sessions] at nearly 100 percent and possibly throwing batting practice sessions, you just hope you get to that point,” Girardi said. “Until he can do that, I am not sure what we’ll get.”

Marte, who contributed to the 2009 World Series title and then appeared in 30 games last year, is running out of time.

“The days are ticking away,” Girardi said. “I don’t know if we will see him. I am hopeful that we do, but I can’t tell you that we will.”

Lefty reliever J.C. Romero
asked for his release from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and was granted it. The Yankees have some interest in lefty reliever Arthur Rhodes
— who recently was released by the Rangers — but only at the minor league level.

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If the Yankees are serious about bringing top pitching prospect Manuel Banuelos
to the majors as a lefty specialist out of the bullpen, expect to see him do that for Triple-A, where he is currently working as a starter.

“If you were going to make him a second lefty per se, you would have him do it down there [at Triple-A] before you would have him do it here,” Girardi said. “He would have to adapt to coming into the middle of an inning and starting an inning. When you are starting, you have your routine — 20 to 25 minutes. As a bullpen guy you can’t necessarily do that.”

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Girardi said he had not heard from MLB about the length of the Yankees-Red Sox games this past weekend at Fenway Park, a subject that previously has generated some controversy.

Friday’s game was played in three hours and 26 minutes. Saturday took three hours and 25 minutes. Sunday’s 10-inning marathon went four hours and 15 minutes.