With Johnny Damon back in The Bronx, the Yankees try to get on track against the Tigers. Here are some pregame notes:
JOHNSON SETBACK: It sounds like Nick Johnson has played his final game of the season. The designated hitter, who has not played since May 7, suffered another setback while recuperating his right wrist.
Johnson had been taking batting practice in Tampa in recent weeks. Joe Girardi would not say Johnson is done for the year, but he’s running out of time to rehab the wrist.
“I didn’t really have a date when he was coming back,” Girardi said. “It’s hard to count on someone that has a wrist injury because it seems it usually takes a full offseason for them to fully get back. Wrists are very difficult to come back from without that full offseason. I wasn’t anticipating us getting him back. If we got him back I thought it was a huge plus. What this means I can’t exactly tell you but it doesn’t sound too good.”
NO LANCE: Lance Berkman is out of tonight’s game with a sprained right ankle, suffered Sunday when he stepped on Bullington’s foot at first base. Berkman said he thinks he’ll just miss a few days. There was nothing torn in the ankle, but it was still swollen.
“I don’t think it’s anything serious,” Berkman said. “It’s just stiff and sore.”
LEYLAND MISSES OLD PLACE:
Count Tigers manager Jim Leyland among those who prefer the old Yankee Stadium to the current version.
“I like the old park better only because the monuments are in view,” Leyland said. “Now they’re kind of hidden so I think that’s taken a little something away from it.
“This is gorgeous, don’t get me wrong.”
LINEUPS
Tigers
14 Austin Jackson CF
18 Johnny Damon DH
26 Brennan Boesch RF
24 Miguel Cabrera 1B
9 Carlos Guillen 2B
25 Ryan Raburn LF
15 Brandon Inge 3B
27 Jhonny Peralta SS
13 Alex Avila C
37 Max Scherzer P
Yankees
2 Derek Jeter SS
33 Nick Swisher RF
25 Mark Teixeira 1B
13 Alex Rodriguez 3B
24 Robinson Cano 2B
20 Jorge Posada DH
14 Curtis Granderson CF
29 Francisco Cervelli C
11 Brett Gardner LF
31 Javier Vazquez P