TAMPA – The orders from Joe Girardi to all his pitchers were simple: Don’t throw near Derek Jeter yesterday when Jeter wore a Team USA uniform at Steinbrenner Field.
“The first pitch was inside and I said, ‘Oh boy,’ ” Girardi said of Phil Hughes’ initial pitch to Jeter in the first inning of yesterday’s exhibition.
Hughes, who obviously wasn’t trying to hit or brush back Jeter, said the pitch got away.
“I wasn’t allowed to throw inside, and he might have known that because he was on top of the plate,” Hughes said. “The pitch he hit into a double play on was inside, but I don’t think it was too close.”
“It wasn’t close,” Jeter said.
Jeter didn’t hear much from his Yankee teammates other than Jorge Posada screaming at him as he was running toward second base.
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Posada, who says his right shoulder is improving and he is still on course to begin catching March 15, wasn’t high on facing Team USA.
“I didn’t get anything out of it,” said Posada, who explained his feelings didn’t have anything to do with Jeter on the other side.
Posada isn’t a big fan of the WBC if not involved.
“It’s not great timing. It’s fun if you are playing, but for the guys who stay behind it’s tough,” said Posada, who said he was denied permission by the Yankees in 2006 and wasn’t able to join Puerto Rico’s club this year as he rehabs his right shoulder.
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CC Sabathia goes Friday night, A.J. Burnett works Sunday and Andy Pettitte starts on Monday. For each of the Yankee starters it will be their first spring outing.
“They will get the same amount of work, six starts,” pitching coach Dave Eiland said of the trio’s delayed entry into the exhibition season. “We felt seven [starts] was too many. By the time we leave here we will build up to 100 pitches.”
According to Eiland, Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain will make one extra start than the others.
Burnett pitched two innings in a simulated game yesterday at Steinbrenner Field.
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Hughes’ chances of making the Yankees are remote. However, last year’s failure has the Bombers feeling better about his future than a year ago.
“His fastball had a lot of life to it,” Girardi said of Hughes, who went 2 2/3 innings, allowed two runs and three hits. “[Phil] Coke was the same way. It was building blocks for both.”
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Mariano Rivera could throw his first bullpen session as early as tomorrow.
“Anytime [after today] we will see,” Girardi said.
Without a DH today against the Braves, Hideki Matsui won’t play. Yet, Girardi said “maybe Thursday or Friday” for Matsui to DH for the first time this season . . . Ian Kennedy faces the Braves today.