MATSUI COULD SIT FOR 10 MORE DAYS
March 5, 2008 -- DUNEDIN, Fla. - Hideki Matsui
and the Yankees insist a stiff neck and a surgically repaired right knee aren't going to hold Matsui back from being ready for Opening Day. However, Matsui hasn't played in a game yet and yesterday said it could be 10 days before he sees the field.
"I will play in another week or 10 days," said Matsui, who didn't take batting practice for the second straight day due to the neck problem that surfaced Sunday when he was taking batting practice. "That's what I would see to be good."
Matsui is hoping to take BP today but understands the call will be made by trainer Gene Monahan, who may opt to wait until tomorrow.
"My personal feeling it might be tomorrow, but the trainers have to decide,'' Matsui said. "(The neck) is much better."
Joe Girardi refuses to say that the neck has put Matsui behind schedule.
"It's still not a setback,'' Girardi said. "He will play next week, sooner next week than later.''
It's likely Matsui, who was limited to sprints, jogging and stretching yesterday, will DH when he returns.
It has been an interesting six months for Matsui. The knee problem forced him to DH last September. He had the operation in November and in early December the Yankees and Giants talked about a deal that involved him. That eventually died but when Matsui arrived at camp he was running with a limp and had trouble stopping. He is running better now but not good enough to get on the field.
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Joba Chamberlain's contract was renewed by the Yankees yesterday. Chamberlain, who made a pro-rated $380,000 ($116,105) last year when he accumulated 55 service days, will make in the area of $420,000 this season. He was the only Yankee with zero to three years of service time that was renewed. Brian Cashman wouldn't say if the renewal was punitive (club sets the figure) or one that was negotiated. Cashman did say the Yankees used the same system with Chamberlain that they have for years which affixes a dollar for every day of big league service and that total is added to the minimum salary ($390,000) this year.
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Mariano Rivera threw in a Legends Field bullpen session yesterday and is likely to make his spring debut Friday against the Astros. Rivera threw 31 pitchers with hitters in the batters box, but they didn't swing. Rivera came through the exercise well and is likely to make his spring debut Friday.
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When yesterday's game resumed Girardi took no chances of getting a star player hurt on the wet field by removing Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi, Jorge Posada, Johnny Damon, Bobby Abreu and Melky Cabrera.
Shelley Duncan, who doubled and scored in the second, drove in a run in the fourth and then was removed from right field. Duncan is batting .667 (6-for-9) with eight RBIs.
"You would like to bottle that,'' Joe Girardi said.
Duncan downplayed the sizzling start, saying, "I am just lucky the pitchers aren't where they need to be yet.''
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Yogi Berra on witnessing another perfect game.
"It wasn't the World Series,'' said Berra, who caught Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series.
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Robinson Cano didn't make the trip due to a dentist appointment where Girardi anticipated Cano getting "more than one'' filling.
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Spike Lee surfaced near the Yankees dugout during batting practice and chatted with Reggie Jackson.
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Ian Kennedy and Chamberlain will pitch against the Twins today at Legends Field.
News source：http://www.nypost.com/seven/03052008/sports/yankees/matsui_could_sit_for_10_more_days_100572.htm
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