Asked about his struggles against left-handed pitchers, Curtis Granderson instantly smiled and gave a reason he might bat better than the .183 he did last season.
“I don’t have to face him anymore,” the newest Yankee said as he pointed north on the dais toward CC Sabathia.
Considering Granderson is 3-for-19 (.158) with seven strikeouts against the Yankees’ ace, that should help his numbers improve against lefties.
“It’s been one of those up and down roller coaster events,” Granderson said at his introductory Yankee Stadium press conference.
According to Alex Rodriguez, the roller coast is on the way up.
“[Hitting instructor] Kevin Long will be a nice addition [for Granderson],” Rodriguez said. “Guys improve 10 to 15 percent.”
Granderson wore No. 28 with the Tigers, but put on No. 14 yesterday. That leaves No. 28 for Joe Girardi, who wore No. 27 last year to symbolize the Yankees’ quest for their 27th World Series title. Girardi said he will still talk to Granderson to make sure he is comfortable with the center fielder halving his number.
“He said he liked the idea of what we did here and he didn’t want to be the guy who changed it, but I want to talk to him a little bit more,” Girardi said.
***
Girardi said he has no problem working next season as a lame-duck manager.
“I don’t worry about my contract,” said Girardi, who is in the final season of a three-year deal worth $7.5 million. “I worry about this year. I wouldn’t expect them to talk to me until it’s over. I am under contract so I really don’t worry about it. I worry about what we are going to do in 2010.”
Girardi isn’t the only Yankee with a contract expiring. Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera will be free agents after the season. The Yankees prefer not to address one or two and not all three so they will let it play out.
“Every year I know what the fans expect, every year they expect a championship,” Hal Steinbrenner said. “That doesn’t change one year from the next. Of course it’s tough to win two in a row, but Joe has been here as a player. He understands what he is up against. He understands he can’t let anybody take a breath, that we have to get right back into it and hit it hard because we have some stiff competition.”
****
GM Brian Cashman said Joba Chamberlain enters the season without an innings limit over his head, but that Phil Hughes will have his workload regulated. Girardi said Chamberlain is more prepared (to make 32 starts) than Hughes because Hughes didn’t throw 150 innings last year.
****
The Red Sox adding John Lackey and Mike Cameron got Steinbrenner’s attention.
“It’s concerning. They are going to have a great pitching staff this year,” Steinbrenner said. “But I think we have a great pitching staff, too. Is there room for a little bit of an improvement here and there as a whole? Yes. Like I said, we are going to take a look at things.”
The Red Sox announced several changes in the opening series of the season against the Yankees at Fenway Park.
The second game, originally scheduled for Wednesday, April 7, will be played on April 6 at 7:10 p.m. The third game, originally scheduled for April 8 will be played on April 7.
April 5 and April 8 are scheduled off-days on both team’s schedule.