Girardi happy to take on mentor Torre and Dodgers
Yankees manager Joe Girardi, center, tries to silence designated hitter Jorge Posada after Posada yelled at home plate umpire Eric Cooper after striking out looking for the third out in the bottom of the third inning against the Mets at Yankee Stadium, Sunday. (June 20, 2010) Credit: AP
Later this week, the Yankees will play Joe Torre's Dodgers in Los Angeles, and Joe Girardi says he's looking forward to seeing the man he replaced as Yankees manager.
"I loved playing for Joe," Girardi said yesterday. "I was fortunate enough to be a part of three championship teams under Joe, which was awesome. He took me under his wing in 2005 as his bench coach and was very open. He allowed me to do a lot of things that I'm forever grateful."
Girardi said he's also looking forward to seeing Don Mattingly, whom he beat out for the managerial job in October 2007. Mattingly is in his third season as the Dodgers' hitting coach.
Losing the DH
With six games in the next seven days in National League parks, the playing status of Jorge Posada and Alex Rodriguez will be a daily decision for Girardi. As Rodriguez returns from hip flexor tendinitis and Posada recovers from a hairline fracture in his right foot, Girardi has taken turns using each as the designated hitter, a luxury he won't have this week. "You want to play them as much as you can, but you have to go day by day," Girardi said. "I mean, that's the situation we're in now."
Jeter back
Derek Jeter returned to the lineup after missing Saturday's game with a sore right heel, which he said he tweaked while running out an infield single in the third inning Friday night. He remained in that game and said Sunday the heel was "sore, no big deal."
Hitless Mo
With a perfect ninth, Mariano Rivera has held opponents hitless in their last 22 at-bats. He's allowed one hit and walked two in his last 10 innings. Yankees pitchers held the Mets to seven hits and no runs in the final 15 innings of the series.
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