MLB

‘Grandy’ limited at practice

TAMPA — Every day that passes without Curtis Granderson doing baseball-related activity is an indication the center fielder won’t be ready for Opening Day.

“Obviously he is still a question — he hasn’t picked up a bat and we won’t really know that until he takes some swings,” manager Joe Girardi said of Granderson, who suffered a right oblique injury during batting practice Tuesday.

Granderson was limited to light running and agility drills yesterday, and after they went well he threw. He will repeat that program today.

PROSPECTS COUNTDOWN

Outfielder Chris Dickerson was acquired yesterday from the Brewers for Sergio Mitre, and he could figure in the mix if Granderson has to be shelved.

“He is a guy we are going to definitely look at if Grandy can’t play,” Girardi said of the 28-year-old left-handed-hitting Dickerson, who plays center and left and has appeared in 173 big league games with the Reds and Brewers. “He has major league experience and he has tools.”

Dickerson, a .267 (121-for-454) career hitter with eight homers and 35 RBIs, also has a minor league option.

The Yankees, always cautious with injuries, might take into account that the weather in New York for the first week of the season has a chance to be cold and therefore wouldn’t want to risk Granderson further injuring himself.

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Gustava Molina‘s chances of making the team as the backup catcher behind Russell Martin become brighter every day.

With Francisco Cervelli starting the season on the disabled list with a fractured foot, it is beginning to look like the Yankees would rather go with Molina over prospects Jesus Montero and Austin Romine.

“With Cervy going down and two young kids who you consider everyday players, you want them to play every day,” Girardi said. “If you feel there is a need that you have to take one of them, you will. Molina has big league experience, and we have given the young kids a lot of looks. We are giving Molina looks now so we know that we are making the right decision for everyone, the team, the young guys’ careers.”

A strong indication the 31-year-old Molina — who has 23 big league games with the White Sox, Orioles, Mets and Red Sox — will be with the club until Cervelli is ready was Girardi’s next statement.

“These are kids who have caught every day for only one year,” Girardi said. “The determination is, do you want to take them out of that for a month or a month and a half and retard their development a little bit? That’s a decision we have to make. We have to decide in the next couple of days. Do we go with one of our young kids or do we go with Molina?”

Cervelli has been told he will be out of the walking boot Tuesday. He will then undergo an MRI exam in New York. A return by May 1 is a possibility.

“I am doing my best, I don’t know what decision they will make,” said Montero, who Girardi explained went through a rough spell defensively but has rebounded.

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Eric Chavez can ask for his release today if he is not told he will make the club. All indications are that he will make the roster as a backup to Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira.

“They haven’t let me know anything,” said Chavez, who went 3-for-3 with a homer in last night’s 6-4 win over the Astros at George M. Steinbrenner Field and is batting .421.

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Manuel Banuelos starts today against the Pirates and CC Sabathia, the Opening Day starter, will work three innings in a minor league game.

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Ivan Nova, pitching for the first time since March 16 (he threw a simulated game in between), was shaky last night. He gave up two runs and three hits in six innings.

“He battled. He had some time off,” Girardi said of his No. 4 starter. “His stuff wasn’t as sharp, but that’s maturing when you struggle and get through it, it is a good thing.”

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General manager Brian Cashman was quite frank speaking about Kevin Millwood yesterday after the veteran right-hander was signed to a minor league deal.

“I don’t know if he can help or not,” Cashman said of Millwood, who was working out in Southern California and turned down a Freddy Garcia-type minor league deal ($1.5 million if he made the club with $3.5 million in potential performance bonuses) last month. “We will see if there is anything there.”

Millwood, 36, had a miserable 2010 season with the Orioles, going 4-16 with a 5.10 ERA in 190 2/3 innings. His career record is 159-137 and he has a lifetime 4.11 ERA. Two years ago with the Rangers he went 13-10 with a 3.67 ERA.

Millwood has a May 1 out clause in his contract.

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Derek Jeter had very little to say about former manager and current Orioles skipper Buck Showalter‘s claim that Jeter steals strikes by jumping away from inside pitches.

“Right now we are working on stride length,” Jeter said when asked if he had a comment about Showalter’s words. “Next, it will be reacting to inside pitches.”

Then Jeter said, “Comment, come on, man.”

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Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada were given the day off yesterday.