TAMPA — June. That’s how long it might take for general manager Brian Cashman to upgrade his suspect rotation.
“Quality doesn’t come available until after the June draft,” Cashman said before watching Bartolo Colon hurl three scoreless innings and fan five Red Sox at George M. Steinbrenner Field last night in a 5-3 loss. “Hopefully we have the answer [in camp]. We believe we have a lot of people who are capable.”
With CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett the Yankees have their top three starters. Four and five? Still searching.
Ivan Nova (two spring appearances) and Freddy Garcia (one) were the favorites when camp opened. Now, based on Colon’s four scoreless frames in two outings, he has closed the gap.
Sergio Mitre, who can fill the spot starter/long relief role, is on the fringe. Dellin Betances and Manuel Banuelos, who didn’t allow a run in two innings last night, are headed to Double-A Trenton.
“It’s going to take time,” Cashman said. “I know New York doesn’t have patience, but I am from Kentucky.”
As for Colon, he was pleased with the outing.
“I feel real happy, but I have to work real hard to make this work,” the veteran right-hander who missed all of last year with arm trouble said. “I have no control over what management does at the end. I can only do what I can do.”
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Rafael Soriano
threw batting practice for the first time yesterday.
“He looked good,” manager Joe Girardi
said of his setup man. “He probably had as many swings and misses as I have seen in batting practice and they knew what was coming.”
Soriano will throw one more batting practice session before working a game.
There is still no date on when Mariano Rivera will make spring debut.
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Russell Martin
, who caught his first exhibition game last night, going 0-for-3, said his surgically repaired right knee passed the first test.
“I wouldn’t be out there if I felt anything,” he said.
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Cashman said the best he was willing to offer right-handed reliever Alfredo Aceves
was a minor league deal. Aceves, who played a major bullpen role for the Yankees in 2009 but was hurt for most of last year with a back injury, signed with the Red Sox.
“Nothing more than that,” Cashman said. “When healthy we know what he can do.”
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With the Red Sox in town, Cashman revisited the popular theme in the AL East: Red Sox are the hunted; Yankees are hunters.
“Just because they are the hunted doesn’t mean they can’t be taken down,” Cashman said.
As for the Red Sox adding Carl Crawford
and Adrian Gonzalez
, Cashman said it might have been a result of the Yankees having as many stars as they do.
“They have real quality players but we got a lot of good players, too,” Cashman said. “I have a feeling that’s why they got those players.”
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CC Sabathia
makes his second start today against the Nationals at GMS Field.