CC Sabathia was very critical of his outing March 11 against the Nationals when he said in his words, “I sucked.’’
Saturday the Yankees’ ace said maybe it’s time to not be so harsh on himself regarding spring training outings.
“I was annoyed at myself, I want to throw strikes,’’ said Sabathia, who starts Sunday at Rod Carew Stadium in the finale of a two-game series against the Marlins that will end the celebration of native son Mariano Rivera. “I have to pound the strike zone. I think I had two or three walks the last game and I was frustrated with that. I have to realize it’s still spring training and I have to get my work in to get ready for Opening Day. I guess I shouldn’t take myself that serious in spring training.’’
In three frames against the Nationals, Sabathia gave up three runs and four hits.
Vidal Nuno doesn’t throw hard, but he continues to get batters out and impress the Yankees.
The diminutive left-hander pitched another solid four innings in the Yankees’ 2-1 loss to the Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla. Nuno did not allow a run, walked one and struck out three while allowing just one hit against the Orioles’ Single-A lineup.
Nuno has command of the strike zone, and that makes all the difference. His fastball doesn’t light up the radar gun, but he owns a 1.50 ERA this spring and remains in the battle for the fifth spot in the rotation or a bullpen role.
Acting manager Rob Thomson said he was impressed with Nuno’s performance.
“Nuno was terrific,’’ Thomson said. “That’s what he does, he works fast and throws strikes. He throws all his pitches for strikes. He’s a valuable guy because he can pick up a lot of innings out of the bullpen, he can start and he can get lefties out, so he is a versatile guy’’
That is a pretty good endorsement, and at some point, Nuno will have a role on this team. Nevertheless, he still likely trails Michael Pineda and David Phelps in the fifth-starter battle.
“He was good all spring last year, too, and when he came up he was good until he hurt his groin,’’ Thomson said. “When you got a guy who works fast, puts the ball in play, your defense is always on your toes. When a guy is going ball one, ball two, everybody gets on their heels.
“His off-speed is really good and his fastball has good plane on it. And they don’t seem to get very good swings on it, and he can locate his fastball.’’
Nuno said he was happy with his effort.
“Everything was working today,’’ Nuno said. “I have more confidence. I’m having a good time around the guys.’’
One day after good friend and fellow competitor for the fifth rotation spot Phelps got scuffed by the Twins in Florida, Adam Warren started for the Yankees on Saturday night in the first of two exhibition games in Panama.
Saturday was Warren’s third spring game. His last outing was a simulated game in Tampa earlier in the week. In two games the right-hander was 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA.
“I felt sharp, as sharp as I’ve felt so far,” Warren said. “I’m very pleased with the way I’m progressing in spring training.” My off-speed was a lot crisper.’
Warren allowed one run and two hits in 4 ¹/₃ innings. He fanned six.
Jacoby Ellsbury stretched and threw in Tampa, where the Yankees held a workout for the players who stayed back, then as batting practice started Ellsbury left the field to work with coach Lee Mazzilli.
Ellsbury hit his first home run of the spring in Clearwater on Thursday. He is scheduled to play Sunday. When someone inquired about Ellsbury, Thomson, the said he had not heard that any physical issue developed and Ellsbury was just going to work in another area of the complex.
Mariano Rivera said he wants to bring major league clubs to his native land every spring training and nothing that has happened in the Yankees two-plus days here has discouraged any of the traveling party from doing it again.
“He wants to continue this every year, and so far so good,’’ manager Joe Girardi said. “It’s been great, the canal was wonderful and Mo’s event [for a children’s hospital] was great.The players and coaches really enjoyed and we are looking forward to tonight.’
Will Kuntz, a highly respected member of the Yankees’ scouting department, has left the club to work for Major League Soccer.
“He loves soccer and that’s a huge job,’’ general manager Brian Cashman said of Kuntz, who held the title of Manager, Professional Scouting.
Earlier in the week, Girardi lobbied for Mariano Rivera to play an inning in center field in one of the two games against the Marlins.
Rivera said that wouldn’t happen, and the manager shifted his focus to getting Rivera in the Yankees’ first base dugout in wearing pinstripes.
“I have encouraged him to be in our dugout and try to be in uniform,’’ Girardi said. “I will still keep pounding on him to do that. I wouldn’t even care if he was in street clothes, I would like to have him in the dugout.’’
Yankees players Zoilo Almonte and Gary Sanchez participated with three Marlins players in a youth baseball clinic that was held in the Estadio Infantil, H.L. Felipe/E. Motta. The clinic was run by MLB, the Players Association and the promoter of the weekend series.
Several factors led Girardi to think the two-game series against the Marlins away from Florida gave it a feel of being a regular-season deal.
“I feel it’s a little bit more like the season,’’ Girardi said. “We are staying in a hotel, taking a bus to the ballpark and it’s an 8 o’clock [local time]. It has a little bit more of an in-season feel.’’
“I didn’t hear anything about it and if [it were an issue] I would have heard something,’’ Thomson said.
Brian Roberts had a good day at second base and picked up two hits.
“Robbie made a good play up the middle, too, on a backhand play,’’ Thomson said.
When someone said that comment brought back memories of Robbie Cano, Thomson smiled and said, “Robbie II, Brian Roberts.”
Orioles slugger Chris Davis is batting .500. He homered off Danny Burawa, who has been having a strong spring.