When Jorge Posada complained of headaches during spring training, the Yankees sent him for tests that led to him taking medication and put an end to him being a catcher — even if the club and former catcher disagree on what impact concussions had on his discomfort.
“In spring training he did some work. He had some headaches that were going on in the spring,” general manager Brian Cashman said yesterday on WFAN. “When we talked to him about [Francisco] Cervelli when Cervelli went down and said, ‘Hey man, we’ve got to get you going,’ he chose not to because he said the headaches were bothering him from the previous year’s concussion. He just wanted to focus on DH. That’s when we brought in [Gustavo] Molina.”
Posada agreed the headaches were an issue, but not the reason he didn’t do anything more than participate in catching drills and catch bullpen sessions after his surgically repaired knee healed. Posada suffered a concussion last September and sat out three games.
Did the headaches, which come and go to this day, force Posada to tell the Yankees he wouldn’t catch?
“I did have headaches in spring and I still have headaches, but that’s not the reason why they made the decision of me not catching,” Posada said.
Posada was told by Cashman after last season to prepare to be the DH, and the club signed Russell Martin to replace Posada as the everyday catcher.
Posada started last night at first base for the second time this season, made two nice plays in the first inning and went 1-for-4 as the Yankees drubbed the Rangers 12-4 at the Stadium.
He is in on a 13-for-26 tear, his hottest stretch of the season, and doesn’t believe the headaches are from last year’s concussion.
“I think it’s from just migraines,” Posada said. “Just regular migraines.”
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If it was October, Russell Martin said he would have been able to catch CC Sabathia last night. Instead, Martin was on the bench for the second straight game and the sixth in seven because of a back problem he suffered doing dead lifts.
“If we are playing in the playoffs, I am playing,” Martin said. “I know I can play.”
Martin was in Monday night’s original lineup against the Indians but manager Joe Girardi didn’t like what he saw during batting practice and told Martin the catcher would be out for a couple of days.
Martin suffered the injury June 7 after a game against the Red Sox. He played this past Sunday, when he went 0-for-4 to drop his average to a season-low .232.
“Russell is available in an emergency,” Girardi said. “He does feel better. Our goal is to get him to where he’s swinging and he has that explosiveness and that whip. That was what I didn’t see in the game and I didn’t see in BP [on Monday].”
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Remember Andruw Jones?
With the Rangers throwing a lefty tonight and tomorrow night and the Cubs slated to start lefty Doug Davis on Friday in Chicago, the right-handed hitting Jones will get dusted off.
Since June 1, Jones has started just two games. He struck out in a pitch-hit at-bat last night.
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Phil Hughes threw what amounted to 3 2/3 innings yesterday in Tampa, where the Staten Island and Gulf Coast League teams played a camp game.
Hughes’ fastball topped out at 93 mph, and he pitched consistently at 91 mph. He allowed two hits, no runs, walked one and fanned six. Hughes, who has not pitched in the big leagues since mid-April because of an inflamed right shoulder, threw 49 pitches.
Asked if it compared with a pitcher’s first start of spring training, Girardi said he believes Hughes is further along.
“I think you could say it’s his second,” Girardi said. “The first one was 30 pitches, which is normal. Today was 49, which is normal for the second start. . . . [The numbers] looked good to me.”
If Hughes does not suffer a setback he will start for short-season Single-A Staten Island in a NY-Penn League game Sunday. That would mark the beginning of his rehab stint.
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Mark Teixeira was the designated hitter last night with Posada at first, and he went 1-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. It was his second start of the season at DH.
“It’s just to give Tex a DH day,” Girardi said. “These guys are going real hard. We’re in another long stretch. It allows Tex to get a DH day.”
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With Eduardo Nunez needed to play shortstop with Derek Jeter on the DL, does that mean Girardi will rest Alex Rodriguez less?
“No, we still have to manage Alex the way we’re going to manage,” said Girardi, who has started Nunez at third five times. “It’s possible he could get a DH day and an off day.”
Ramiro Pena, who has played third, short and second, took Jeter’s roster spot, and Girardi said it’s possible he could use Pena and Nunez on the left side of the infield.
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Boston’s Adrian Gonzalez has moved past Teixeira among AL first baseman in All-Star balloting. Nevertheless, Jeter, Rodriguez, Martin and Robinson Cano remain in the lead at their positions and Curtis Granderson is second among outfielders.