Zell's Pinstripe Blog

Sorry for the delay…

Yankees (6-8) vs. Rays (11-3)

Pitching Matchup:

RHP Javier Vazquez(1-0, 5.40) vs LHP Carlos Hernandez (0-0, 3.86)

Lineup

Jeter SS
Granderson CF
Swisher RF
Posada C
Cano 2B
Thames DH
Winn LF
Miranda 1B
Pena 3B

Game News & Notes (Courtesy of the LoHud Blog, Bombers Beat, & Yankees.com):

• Weather:  Some clouds, but ultimately a sunny sky and blue sky. Temperatures will be in the upper-50s.
• Umpires: HP Eric Cooper, 1B Marty Foster, 2B Mark Carlson, 3B Andy Fletcher
• None of the fifth starter candidates will be pitching out of the bullpen, instead the Yankees will get their first look at Chan Ho Park… Marcus Thames, Randy Winn and Brett Gardner also have another chance to get three at-bats or so, trying to improve their numbers. Joe Girardi said this afternoon that Gardner is indeed the favorite to open the season as the Yankees third outfield starter.
• Girardi has said every fifth starter candidate will get a chance to pitch at least once more before being eliminated from the race. It’s possible either Chad Gaudin or Sergio Mitre could be knocked out tomorrow. “It’s conceivable,” Girardi said. “It’s not necessary.”
• The Yankees would like to make a decision on the fifth starter by the end of next week, but they could push it until the final week of spring training. “If everyone pitches great, we might run them all out again,” Girardi said.
• Trainer Steve Donohue told Girardi that Damaso Marte is “better than he thought he would be.” Marte will probably pitch tomorrow at home.
• The final job on the bench is pretty much between Marcus Thames and Jamie Hoffmann. Girardi once again mentioned David Winfree as someone the Yankees are interested in, but that right-handed outfield role will probably come down to Thames or Hoffmann. “Those are the two main guys we’re looking at right now,” Girardi said.
• For those of you trying to guess the lineup every day, most guys are not going to play three days in a row at this point. That’s why Alex Rodriguez, for example, is out of the lineup today. “He played two days in a row,” Girardi said. “That’s kind of where we’re at right now. Two days in a row and then we’ll work to three eventually.” Girardi didn’t say so, but it does seem that some guys might have to play three in a row for tomorrow’s split squad.

The game will take place at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida The game started at 7:05PM ET. The game is being televised on the YES Network. You can also tune into the game on the radio on WCBS 880. Go Yankees!