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As one high-profile Yankee after another emerged with bad news from the “Carl Pavano Memorial MRI Tube’’ and landed on the disabled list during spring training, the mantra flowing from the manager’s office remained the same.
“I believe in the guys we have,’’ Joe Girardi said often as the bad news invaded the Yankees’ clubhouse.
Curtis Granderson fractured a forearm. Mark Teixeira tore a wrist tendon sheath. Derek Jeter’s surgically repaired ankle wasn’t ready. A disk in Phil Hughes’ upper back bulged.
And the song remained the same.
Starting today against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium with ace CC Sabathia on the mound and Jon Lester hurling for the visitors, the words uttered by GM Brian Cashman, Andy Pettitte, Girardi and Sabathia will be tested.
Of course, the Yankees had to say what they said. Imagine the howling from an already skeptical fan base if somebody said, “We are banged up and have no chance.”
Yet instead of taking a wait-and-see approach, Girardi believes Kevin Youkilis, Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay, David Phelps and Eduardo Nunez can adequately fill in or replace the list of spring training casualties not to mention Alex Rodriguez, who missed the entire spring training recovering from hip surgery. When or if he returns is a big question.
“I don’t think you necessarily have to completely change your philosophy because of the people that are missing,’’ Girardi said. “We have a little more speed now, but we probably would have had that anyway. Every year is challenging and every year you are going to go through things. Sometimes you are going to go through it in the middle of the year, sometimes in the end of the year. We happen to be doing it in the beginning right now.’’
So what happens if the replacements aren’t enough? What happens if the injured don’t make it back on time? Or are lost for the year in the case of Teixeira and Rodriguez? What happens if Robinson Cano never gets a pitch to hit in crucial spots?
Then there will be more than payroll changes for next season. This is the final season of Girardi’s three-year contract so he would be in the cross hairs if the Yankees fail to get to October for the second time in six years under Girardi.
Should that happen, Hal Steinbrenner might be moved to make a managerial change considering the payroll reduction to $189 million for 2014 will produce a negative vibe and be joined by a dark October.
Can the Yankees overcome the injuries? Maybe. But in order for that to happen a lot of things have to go right.
Sabathia and Pettitte, who publicly stated Saturday that this Yankees team can win the AL East and get to the World Series, must pitch better than a year ago when injuries limited them. Hughes, who should come off the DL shortly, has to be more consistent. Hiroki Kuroda needs to repeat what he did a year ago. The bullpen, with Mariano Rivera back, is solid.
“If we stay healthy, we have a chance to be pretty good,’’ Sabathia said about the staff.
If they don’t, there is no chance. No matter how much Girardi believes in the replacements, they still look like Roseanne Barr when Brooklyn Decker was expected.
Every AL East team has warts, but the days of the Red Sox and Yankees being the lead dogs are over.
Toronto’s bullpen is suspect. Boston acquired a bunch of marginal players during the winter and David Ortiz is hurt. Tampa Bay will struggle to score runs and ace David Price will miss James Shields. Baltimore over-achieved last year and did little to improve.
Girardi can believe all he wants, but when you compare whom he has to fill in for the absent it’s likely to be false hope.
george.king@nypost.com