All-Stars from the Yankees and Rays did not wear hats with stars on them yesterday as other teams’ All-Stars are doing.
Major League Baseball introduced the idea to raise awareness about Tuesday night’s All-Star Game in Phoenix and asked teams to participate.
Nevertheless, Derek Jeter, Russell Martin, Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano and Mariano Rivera did not wear the hats. Nor did the Rays’ David Price and Matt Joyce, who will join today’s starter James Shields in Phoenix.
It’s believed Derek Jeter did not want to show up his non-All Star teammates by wearing the stars, and when the captain went that way the others followed.
“I really didn’t have a say in it,” Martin said. “I don’t mind not wearing it, we are a team. I don’t think there is a reason to separate the guys going to the All-Star team and the guys who aren’t. We are one team, keep it that way.”
Martin wasn’t sure if it was Jeter’s idea, but said he would not be surprised if that was where it originated.
“I am not sure, but that sounds like him,” Martin said. “He is the captain.”
Joyce said the Players Association instructed players not to wear them. Price took his cue from the Yankees.
“Did you see the Yankees wearing them?” Price asked. “That’s why we are not wearing them.”
Commissioner Bud Selig might be disappointed Jeter and other players are not wearing the stars, but that didn’t stop him from calling Jeter to congratulate the newest member of the 3,000-hit club.
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David Robertson said he would have been ticked at himself even if it was a routine game in April for blowing a save as he did in the eighth inning of the Yankees’ 5-4 victory.
“Either way, I don’t want to give up the lead,” Robertson said when asked if he was more annoyed since it put the Yankees in jeopardy of losing after Jeter reached 3,000 hits. “I was ahead of both guys and didn’t make pitches.”
Johnny Damon led off the eighth with a triple on a 0-2 pitch, and Ben Zobrist followed with an RBI single on another 0-2 delivery.
Jeter’s fifth hit in the eighth made a winner out of Robertson (2-0). It was the first run Robertson allowed since June 9 against the Red Sox, halting a 10-game stretch in which he did not give up a run.
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Rivera posted his 22nd save with a spotless ninth. It was Rivera’s first appearance since Sunday, when he flushed a save against the Mets and complained of triceps soreness the next day.
Rivera is 58-for-59 in save chances against the Rays and has converted his past 25 against the AL East rivals.
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Nick Swisher‘s sore left quadriceps muscle, combined with Rodriguez’s torn left knee meniscus, forced manager Joe Girardi to use Jorge Posada as the designated against the lefty Price.
Ninety minutes before the first pitch, the lineup card was not posted in the Yankees’ clubhouse because Girardi was waiting to see if Swisher could be the DH. When Swisher was deemed unavailable, Posada made his 11th start of the season as the DH against a lefty and first since June 30.
Posada started the game hitting .133 (6-for-45) against lefties and .264 (46-for-174) versus right-handers. He went 0-for-3 against Price and lined out against lefty reliever J.P. Howell.
Swisher said he suffered the injury in the first inning Thursday night chasing Ben Zobrist‘s triple in the right-field corner.
“I feel alright, just a little tight,” said Swisher, who had the quad wrapped after the game.
With Rodriguez out of the lineup, the Yankees could have used Swisher’s bat. He is hitting .325 (25-for-77) with five homers and 22 RBIs in his past 22 games.
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Eduardo Nunez made his seventh start at third base and first since June 8. It was Nunez’s first start anywhere since July 2, when he played shortstop while Jeter was on the disabled.
Nunez’s only hit, a leadoff double in the eighth inning, led to the game-winning run. He scored on Jeter’s fifth hit, a single through a drawn-in infield.
Andruw Jones, who was scheduled to start in right field Friday night, was in right yesterday against Price. It was Jones’ first start since July 1 against Mets left-hander Jon Niese. He went 0-for-3 with a walk. Because Swisher is not likely to play today, Jones could be in right against Shields, a right-hander.
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Randy Choate is a solid bet to be traded by the Marlins before the July 31 deadline, and there is a chance he could rejoin the Yankees, who need a situational left-handed reliever.
In return, the Marlins are looking for infield prospects or an inexpensive major leaguer.
With untrustworthy Boone Logan the lone lefty in Girardi’s bullpen, the Yankees will look to add another lefty reliever.
Choate, who pitched for the Yankees from 2000-03, is having a sensational year. In 40 games, he has worked 18 1/3 innings, allowed eight hits, fanned 23 and walked seven. Lefties are hitting .100 (5-for-50) against the side-arming Choate.
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Girardi wouldn’t announce his rotation plans for when play resumes Thursday in Toronto.
Nevertheless, it’s likely Girardi will go with A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia in the first two games to work on regular rest. Burnett went 5 2/3 innings yesterday, allowing three runs, three hits, three walks and two homers and striking out nine.
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Brett Gardner swiped third on the front end of a double steal in the sixth inning, his ninth straight successful attempt. Gardner started the season 5-for-11 in stolen base tries through May 19.