Batting practice breakdown from today
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- February
- 22
Under a cloudless sky, the Yankees had their first session of live batting practice today.
With Joe Torre, Brian Cashman and Don Mattingly watching from behind the screen (see photo), the Yankees had their starters and two top prospects pitch on the main field. Here’s a breakdown:
Chien Ming Wang (31 pitches, faced Davis, Damon, Jeter, Abreu, Cano): The Wanger threw 31 pitches and got six ground balls. He had problems keeping the ball down but threw hard and at one point blew a fastball by Jeter that he swung through.
Andy Pettitte (30 pitches, faced Cabrera, Rodriguez, Mientkiewicz, Posada): Pettitte took the mound to loud applause from the fans and look good. A-Rod homered off him to right field but he threw 18 strikes by my count and spotted everything well.
Mike Mussina (35 pitches, faced Mientkiewicz, Posada, Cabrera, Rodriguez): I thought the Moose looked the best of everybody. He threw 27 strikes and there were only a few hard-hit balls.
Kei Igawa (40 pitches, faced Cairo, Nieves, Gonzalez, Phillips): Igawa worked fast, too fast in a way, and threw the most pitches in his 10 minutes. He was “sneaky fast” according to Torre because his fastball is better than it looks out of his hand. He also threw inside and spotted his curveball well. He didn’t throw his best pitch, his change, because his fastball isn’t good enough yet to make the change effective. Igawa seemed pleased afterward. “So-so,” he said in English, although he was grinning.
Carl Pavano (35 pitches, faced Cairo, Nieves, Gonzalez, Phillips): Pavano had good sink on his fastball, worked methodically and threw 23 strikes. He also drilled Gonzalez in the back. He said afterward that it was just another step forward for him. The stadium PA system played the theme from “Rocky” when he took the mound. “I got a chuckle out of that,” he said. The next song was “Rock and Roll” by Led Zeppelin. “(It’s been a long time since I rock and rolled …”)
Phil Hughes (34 pitches, faced Giambi, Chavez, Pratt, Matsui): Phil Franchise threw only half his pitches for strikes by my count. But eight of the strikes were fouled off and only two were put in play. The rest were unhittable. Chavez and Pratt had what looked like singles. As “Ain’t No Other Man” by Christina Aguilera played, Hughes showed a ridiculous curveball and the ability to spot his fastball inside or outside. “You almost never see that at this stage of the spring,” said Ben Davis, who caught him. “He has filthy stuff,” Giambi said. Matsui took the worst swing you’ll ever see him take at a Hughes fastball.
Humberto Sanchez (31 pitches, faced Matsui, Chavez, Pratt and Giambi): Sanchez was all over the place with his command, throwing one over the catcher’s head at one point. But he did get seven swing-and-misses. “Why did Detroit trade him?” Giambi said. “He’s huge and he throws 96.”
This entry was posted
on Thursday, February 22nd, 2007 at 2:45 pm by Peter Abraham.
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Peter Abraham
Gotta say I’m pretty happy with this first report. Sounds like some people are right where they should be, and others are well ahead. Can’t wait for the season to start,
Thanks Peter. I love the details.
Hey Pete, Do you have Pictures or Video from Batting practice from today? Keep up good work Peter. Thanks
Sounds great. Did you notice Hughes throwing any change-ups?
Brokenfingernail: I am a newspaper reporter, I don’t really have photo capabilities beyond my cell phone and none with video. I need to watch and report.
Phil: Yes, a few changes. I’d rank his pitches in this order: two-seamer, curve, four-seamer, change, slider.
Great report! It’s almost like being there.
Giambi is funny. I guess huge guys stick together. Five bucks says the Giambino says something nice about Chris Britton this spring training.
Pete, thanks so much for keeping up the blog and giving us some details and texture for spring training that we couldn’t get anywhere else.
Now THAT is reporting.
Awesome job Peter!
Thanks for the report, Pete! It’s almost like being there.
Do you think Wang’s possiblity adding new pitch to his arsenal like curverball or splitters? thanks
Thanks Peter. Great report. Keep doing like your doing.
You did leave out Jeter’s reaction to the Arod HR, but I can look past that. (Just kidding)
Pete, this is really great, please keep up the daily (hourly?) updates! Also, I like the added details of the songs that are played for certain players. May seem like trivial stuff but it adds to the word-picture you are creating for us. Nice!
Pete…quite possibly your best work. Thanks!!!
Peter, really? I think he ranks them 4 seamer, curve 2 seamer, change, slider. Thanks. I’m sure the order will vary over the course of the season. You’re giving us the most detail and I really appreciate it.
It’s amazing that a guy who basically never threw a curve in HS years inconcern with Phil Hughes just lern the pitch a couple years ago and has one of the better curveballs in the minors and it is definitely a 70 pitch on the 20-80 scale. That just shows you the talent the guy has.
There goes ARod hitting a homerun when it doesn’t count. I’m joking here…..
*laugh*
Brokenfinger…Wang throws both of those pitches. Although his split is his changeup- he doesn;t throw it as hard as most.
His curveball is a “show me” only…not his best pitch…which is why he isn’t a strikeout pitcher…he doesn;t have a strikeout pitch.
But I’ll take a 95mph sinking bowling ball anytime
AROD’s HR to RF is encouraging actually…if my memory serves me I think he’s OWNED Pettitte since forever. Looks like he still does
Pete: 34 years since I first started following the Yanks devoutly at the ripe old age of 5, and I have to tell you that I have never been in a position to enjoy spring training so much as I have with your reports from camp, as well as all the other blog content year-round. Can’t thank you enough! Especially since I relocated with family from Jersey to Lexington, KY back in ‘80. The closest MLB team we have is the Reds, who I have never had even a remote interest in. ‘Nuff said. At least I had the chance to see Clemens pitch here with the Astros class A team when he “came out of retirement”.
Thanks again, and keep up the great work!
When you said “Wang seemed pleased afterward,” did you mean Igawa?
You’ve just got to know that Pavano isn’t going to make it the whole year with the Yanks. They’re locked into Igawa, and with Hughes such a shining star…and the possibility of Clemens? Someone will have to be forced out of the rotation. Torre and Cash are saying all the right things. I really suspect Pavano to be unloaded before the All-Star break to someone like the Cardinals. Where do you guys (and gals) think he ends up?
I still think the Cards or the Rockies myself, CG.
Cards and Rockies have been linked to inquiries regarding Pavano, but wanted the Yankees to eat significant salary, which they would not do.
I suspect it was no mistake the guys that Igawa faced…nice to see them start him slowly…No point having him stare in against AROD, Abreu, Giambi, and Jeter on Day 1
Thanks for the updates, Pete.
BTW, who is this “Carl Pavano” guy? Did he come over in the Shef trade? Don’t remember hearing about him pitching in the minors last year.
Pete, thanks for the great BP report. Good to hear that Moose is speaking volumes with “action”. I think there’s a clubhouse bet on who goes on the DL first. Pavano was so determined not to lose the bet that he tried to put Gonzalez on it first. lol.
Wang pitching to Jeter, damon, Cano Abreu means hes getting ready to face them in WBC 2009! Go taiwan
The sad thing for me is that I will be going to Florida on a business trip in mid-March, and I will actually make time to go see a Tigers-Astros game in the day-and-a-half that I’m down there, but I will not be able to see Pete’s updates until I get back home! I’m addicted to the blog and I can’t live without it!
Anything on Ohlendorf Pete? Thanks.
Great job..but you stole the nickname “The Wanger” from me!!!
TurnTwo, that was my point in saying “still” regarding Pavano to St Lou or Colorado - I think at that point they will have the need for Pavano (I know, that sounds odd and/or funny …)and we will have the surplus, therefore the demands for the chunk of his salary may soften or disappear.
Pete do you possibly have a more in depth report on Wang?
Pete: Awesome stuff. Super reporting! This is the stuff that we fanatics want to read about. Keep up the great reporting!
Pete — this was the best! This is the stuff you never get in the newspapers. And the picture made me wish I was there — great job!
About a month ago I was sure that if Pavano showed well in ST that he would definitely be trade. Now, I’m not all that certain. However, if he does show well, the Yankees will be in the power position of any trade and will not be making a defensive trade (get rid of), but will only make a trade that will improve them substantially. It will no longer be a trade of addition by subtraction, if a trade does occur. I do think the Yankees might entertain possibilities, but I’m really not sure what they’ll do.
I love the blog and the excitement re: monitoring Hughes’s development, but please, can we chill with the “Franchise” moniker? Doesn’t this guy have enough pressure to succeed without the added nickname?
Let’s be cautiously optimistic…instead of expectant. We don’t want to scare him off into Ed Yarnall, Sterling Hitchcock, Sam Militello, Brien Taylor-land.
(Or, if you’d rather, scratch those names who may have been products of the Yankee prospect-hype machine and insert those of some of the perceived best pitching prospects in the game of the last few years–guys like Jesse Foppert.)
I’m not sure about the others, but Brien Taylor was definitely not a product of the “Yankee prospect-hype machine.” He was an extremely coveted LHP coming out of high school, IIRC the clear consensus #1 pick in the country at that time. It just happens that he got injured and was never the same pitcher again, but I don’t think that anyone doubts that he had the goods to be a MLB star pre-injury. Eric Milton, well, I guess it is safe to say he was overhyped by the Yankees at this time.
this is a fantastic report. you really go beyond what is asked of you as a sports writer and we all appreciate it. there is no better yankees news source than this blog, and so many others will try to copy this site. keep up the great work and thank you! i wish i could have seen that shot by arod.
Bronx Bomber: Hughes is not remotely like any of those guys. He’s legit. Phil Franchise!
Eric: What is it you want? He threw a lot of sinkers, had trouble with a few. He was steady as always.
Jimmy: Ohlendorf was on the other field, I didn’t see him.
Drew: He was “The Wanger” early last season. You didn’t invent it, sorry.
Well-organized report. I like that you commented on all aspects of pitching including the count, pitches thrown, and location. The Giambi interview was nice and praising.
“franchise phil” - love it pete! that’s a goody.
Peter -
I just got home, I can’t blog from work. Your reports make the day go faster and better.
On another note…I really can’t see Pavano going north with the team. I would rather go with someone who wants to be there and compete, even if he is a rookie. Giambi’s comment on Sanchez was very encouraging. I’m hoping he’s the guy, coming from NY, but I wouldn’t complain if it were Karsten, Rasner or Ohlendorf. (Hughes is going to Scranton to start, and would probably be better off staying there all year.)
great, great stuff pete, plus great humor
did I say great ? great stuff pete
Is this post the first instantiation of the “Phil Franchise” nickname? I saw it on Feinsand’s blog today, and I’m not sure if it’s stuck anywhere else, but can be consider this to be the source of the nickname, the genuine first post?
It’s been a long day for me, nothing better than this to cap the day off. Thank you very much! It almost feels like I was there on scene as well, awesome stuff.
Sorry Peter, I called him “The Wanger” in 2005!
asburyboss…
I think Wang doesn’t know how to throw curveball,but you are right about splitter which is his changeup.
Wang told Taiwanese press he wants to learn new off-spend pitch,such as curveball.I also heard Wang learn how to throw cutter from MO last season.I think cutter is good one to go with sinker.Cutter is good one to lefty and sinker is good to righty,even though Wang show he isn’t afraid of lefty.
Yankee pitching coach staff think he doesn’t need new pitch and he just need to improve what he has,such as slider.Wang told Taiwanese media his slider is not as good as before he got hurt in 2001.Wang tries to get his good slider back this spring and Gator help him about that recently.Learning new pitch is a big deal.Someone say you may mess your old pitch by learning new pitch.In Wang’s case,Wang may lose his sinker when he learns curveball.
Great reporting. Can’t wait to see for myself.
Good update jessica!
RE: Hughes
I hope you’re right Peter…but is it really responsible to lable a kid who hasn’t thrown a pitch in a league as high as AAA yet as The Franchise?
His demeanor seems pretty cool from all indications, so maybe he’ll handle it a bit better than the other “Franchise” running around NYC these days (aka Stevie Knicks aka Steve Francis)…but I can just see it now, with all the expectations heeped upon this kid; the first rough outing he endures and BAM, here come all the columns and headlines lombasting the poor kid for not being the team’s savior for years to come.
Lets not forget…we heard alot more hype and nicknames for guys like Sterling Hitchcock, Brandon Claussen, even Gerald “Ice” Williams than we for the true diamonds in the rough a la Mo, Pettitte, and even Mendoza.
All I’m saying is the Franchise Tag seems, I don’t know, a little too giddy and Mets-like at this stage of the game.
Lets play it cool….keep up the excellent blogging, otherwise.
welcome,Drew
We all yankee fans.
I also have feeling Wang will have better start this season than last season according to what he said to Taiwanese press.
He say last season is his first full season he doesn’t know how to get ready for next season and what kind of pace for training,even though he started his personal training one month earlier than reporting day.But he still doesn’t get ready in time.That’s is why he struggled in April and May.This time he know how to do that and also start his personal training one month in advance.
[…] Here’s also a report from Peter Abraham on Hughes batting practice session: Phil Hughes (34 pitches, faced Giambi, Chavez, Pratt, Matsui): Phil Franchise threw only half his pitches for strikes by my count. But eight of the strikes were fouled off and only two were put in play. The rest were unhittable. Chavez and Pratt had what looked like singles. As “Ain’t No Other Manâ€? by Christina Aguilera played, Hughes showed a ridiculous curveball and the ability to spot his fastball inside or outside. “You almost never see that at this stage of the spring,â€? said Ben Davis, who caught him. “He has filthy stuff,â€? Giambi said. Matsui took the worst swing you’ll ever see him take at a Hughes fastball. […]