TAMPA – Andy Pettitte began moving past his elbow troubles yesterday, playing catch and declaring that he felt OK.
“It was fine,” said Pettitte, who was scratched from his start on Wednesday with minor elbow tendinitis.
Pettitte said he would throw a bullpen session today and is slated to pitch Monday against Boston.
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In the words of manager Joe Girardi, yesterday’s performance by Mike Mussina was “as good as he can throw.”
Actually, it was as good as anyone can throw. Mussina was brilliant in tossing five perfect innings in the Yankees’ 5-3 loss to Pittsburgh at Legends Field. He struck out two.
The veteran righty is coming off a tough season, but he said yesterday, “I don’t think I forgot how to pitch. If I can get my pitches to where I want to get them to, I’m going to be OK. I’m not going to throw 94, but I can mix it up, move it around, change speeds.”
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Aside from having a rough night’s sleep, Stump Merrill apparently thinks it could have been worse.
Merrill, a special assistant to Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman, was hit in the face by a throw from the outfield in pregame on Wednesday and left the field on a stretcher.
He had a cut above his mouth yesterday but said a CT scan was negative.
“I feel pretty good, all things considered,” Merrill said. “I didn’t sleep very well. I bled all night.”
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Hideki Matsui played left field for the first time this spring, having had right knee surgery in the offseason.
He made a running catch in the second inning and said afterward he had “no problems.”
Girardi said that tomorrow when the Yanks have split-squad games against Tampa Bay and Detroit, Kei Igawa would face the Rays, Joba Chamberlain would take the hill versus the Tigers and Ian Kennedy would be in a minor league game. . . . Johnny Damon (toe) did some DH’ing yesterday and said his toe was OK.
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Jason Giambi (back) said he believes he will play tomorrow.
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Doug Mientkiewicz, who spent last season in pinstripes, is with the Pirates, and the former Yankee first baseman said yesterday how “crushed” he was not to return this year.
Mientkiewicz said Cashman told him the team needed a right-handed bat (Mientkiewicz is lefty).
Said Mientkiewicz, “I understand the decision, but it hurts. I really wanted to come back.”
On a conference call yesterday to talk about the Yankees’ exhibition game against Virginia Tech on Tuesday, Girardi said Jeff Karstens would be starting.
Girardi also said, “We plan on bringing all our star players,” and that the Yankees will attempt to win. – Additional reporting by Joel Sherman