SEATTLE — Three games against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium this weekend could provide the suddenly mediocre Yankees with an outside chance of clinching the AL East.
However, the Yankees haven’t lost sight of the importance three tilts against the Angels, starting tonight in Anaheim, are to their chances of getting to the World Series.
“Going there is the most trouble,’’ manager Joe Girardi said of playing the Angels at Angel Stadium, where the Yanks are 0-3 this season and 5-17 since 2005. “I think it’s an important series.’’
The Yankees, who will have the home-field help in the ALDS no matter if the opponent is the Tigers or Twins, lead the Angels by 5½ games for the advantage in the ALCS provided the teams get into the second round. The Angels are likely to draw the Red Sox in the other ALDS.
The Angels swept three from the Yankees before the All-Star break in Anaheim, playing without Torii Hunter and Vladimir Guerrero. For years the Yankees have struggled against the Angels’ baserunning prowess. The Angels move around the bases like marbles unleashed in a bathtub.
“As a pitching staff, you can’t get caught up in their running game,’’ Girardi said of the Angels, who are ranked second in the AL to Tampa Bay in stolen bases with 140.
“Your focus has to be on the hitter. You can’t shift all your focus to the running game. That’s what they want you to do.’’
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Andy Pettitte said he came through bullpen sessions Friday and Saturday without a hint of discomfort in his left shoulder. He played catch yesterday, but nobody will know if the fatigue problem that forced him to miss last Wednesday’s start has been deleted until he faces the Angels tonight.
“I won’t know until probably the fourth or fifth inning,’’ said Pettitte, who hasn’t pitched since Sept. 11, when the tiredness initially surfaced. “Hopefully, I feel good. I hope it gets me over the hump.’’
Since Pettitte will be the Yankees’ Game 2 or Game 3 starter in the upcoming ALDS, he will be watched very carefully tonight.
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CC Sabathia’s upper chest didn’t show any sign of having been smoked by a Franklin Gutierrez liner Saturday night.
“I am fine, no bruise or anything,’’ said Sabathia, whose next start is Friday against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.
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Reliever David Robertson said he felt no discomfort in his right shoulder after a throwing session. He is slated for a bullpen workout tomorrow, and hopes to get into a game this weekend.
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Jorge Posada returned yesterday from a three-game suspension and a stiff neck suffered in last Tuesday’s brawl with the Blue Jays and went 1-for-4 and drove in the Yankees’ only run.
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Joe Girardi started Melky Cabrera in right field for the 13th time yesterday and gave Nick Swisher the day off.
“His legs are a little sore, nothing serious,’’ Girardi said of Swisher, who had two hits in the last 14 at-bats.
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It would have been funnier if the Yankees’ hazing program followed a victory instead of a loss, but the club went through with the annual process for rookies and first-year staff members yesterday when the theme was borrowed from the 1960s TV show “Batman.’’
Mark Melancon dressed as Batman. Ramiro Pen a was Catwoman and Mike Dunn was The Riddler.
Video coordinator Anthony Flynn was in Robin garb, and massage therapist Lou Potter donned The Penguin’s clothes. Radar-gun operator Brett Weber was The Joker.
All had to wear the costumes out of Safeco Field and on the plane to Anaheim, and were guests of Sabathia for dinner in Southern California last night — in full dress.
As the group posed for pictures, players used cell-phone cameras to take pictures.
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Scott Brosius, Yankees World Series MVP in 1998, was on the field during batting practice yesterday. Brosius is the head baseball coach at Linfield College in Oregon, where he played.
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Chad Gaudin has supplanted the struggling Sergio Mitre as the Yankees’ fifth starter and is scheduled to face the Angels tomorrow night in Anaheim. Not only is Mitre not throwing well, Gaudin’s bullpen experience makes him a stronger candidate to be on the postseason roster ahead of Mitre, who replaced Joba Chamberlain yesterday.
“I guess you can say that,’’ Girardi said when asked if Gaudin, who is 1-0 with a 3.68 ERA in eight games (four starts) with the Yankees.
Mitre is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in his past two starts. In 9 1/3 innings, he gave up 19 hits (four homers) and three walks. He supplied five shutout innings of relief yesterday.
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LHP Andy Pettitte (13-6, 4.14 ERA) draws LHP Joe Saunders (13-7, 4.75) tonight when the Yankees open a three-game series against the Angels in Anaheim. RHP Chad Gaudin (1-0, 3.68) faces RHP Ervin Santana (7-8, 5.43) tomorrow night, and RHP A.J. Burnett (11-9, 4.22) opposes LHP Scott Kazmir (9-8, 5.08) Wednesday.