Heart of Yankees' order struggles
Alex Rodriguez prepares to throw down his bat after popping out in the 7th inning. (April 14, 2012) Credit: David Pokress
Switching Robinson Cano and Alex Rodriguez between the Nos. 3 and 4 spots in the order does not hurt, Cano said. But on Saturday it didn't help, either.
With Cano batting third against lefty C.J. Wilson (he will bat fourth against righties), those two and No. 5 hitter Mark Teixeira went 2-for-12 in a 7-1 loss to the Angels, with one RBI, no walks and two strikeouts.
Joe Girardi said the only thing that matters to players is the certainty of a pattern, which they have. Cano said the order does not change his approach. "As a hitter, you can struggle during the season. You just have to figure out how to get out of it," he said. The Yankees stranded six runners in scoring position and left two men on base four times.
Jeter reaches 3,101 hits
Derek Jeter's single in the first gave him 3,100 career hits. He finished with 3,101, only nine behind Dave Winfield for 18th all-time. It was his 2,434th game, surpassing Roberto Clemente for 13th place . . . It was the first time this season that neither the Yankees nor their opponent scored in the first inning.
No. 42 in your program
Jerome Williams will be the Angels' starting pitcher Sunday night, and because it is Jackie Robinson Day, he will get to wear No. 42, which is something he always has wanted to do. That number has been retired throughout all of baseball in Robinson's honor (with the exception of Mariano Rivera, who was wearing it before the edict went into effect). Williams did get to wear it with the Nationals one year when selected players were allowed that honor on April 15.
Williams was born in Hawaii and has had a well-traveled baseball career that has taken him to the 2003 postseason with the Giants, to Taiwan and to independent ball. He was 6-0 last year for the Lancaster Barnstormers in the Atlantic League.
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