Since breaking the all-time saves mark Monday afternoon, Mariano Rivera has been getting various texts and phone calls. One of those came from Panama’s President Ricardo Martinelli.
“It’s a honor,” Rivera said. “It’s a pleasure. It’s a privilege that the president calls you and wishes you good luck and thanks you for everything. It was great.”
So you postseason backup catcher is …
It appears the back-up catcher won’t be
Francisco Cervelli. Cervelli has been out since Sept. 8 with a
concussion after colliding with Baltimore’s Nick Markakis. Cervelli
said Monday the symptoms lasted about a week, but an IMPACT Test showed
otherwise.
“He’s still experiencing symptoms,” manager Joe Girardi said. “So I’m not sure we’re going to get him back.”
If
that is the case, Austin Romine appears to be the man for Cervelli’s
role. Romine is regarded as better defensively than Jesus Montero, whom
is more valued in the designated hitter role.
The next step for Cervelli is a visit to the neurologist on Friday.
Girardi defends pulling Burnett
After struggling in the latter part of Monday’s outing, A.J. Burnett appeared miffed that he wasn’t able to work through the fifth inning.
Not that Girardi needed to explain his justification for pulling a pitcher that has performed like Burnett, but he did anyways.
“I thought his stuff had clearly changed so that’s why I pulled him,” Girardi said.
Hughes or TBA
If you have a ticket for Game One of Wednesday’s doubleheader, you might see Phil Hughes. Then again you might be watching Mr. TBA.
Though Hughes is slated for the afternoon game, the lingering effects of the back spasms that caused him to be scratched Monday might cause another postponement of his 15th start.
“We’re just going to wait,” Girardi said. “If he can’t start the first game, he can’t start. We’ll figure it out.”
Dakota Meyer takes the mound
The Yankee Stadium mound is nothing compared to what Marine Dakota Meyer saw in Afghanistan.
Meyer threw out the first pitch after becoming the first living Marine to receive the Medal of Honor. Meyer was awarded the medal for repeatedly rushing into enemy fire and rescuing four missing U.S. service members and saving a combined 36 American and Afghans.
Follow Yankees beat writer Larry Fleisher on Twitter @LarryFleisher.
