IS LAMENTING OVER THE LATISSIMUS
UPDATE: Brett Myers in on the World Series roster, replacing Miguel Cairo. The team's rationale was that Myers looked much improved throwing two simualted games and two bullpen sessions this week, and there were too few off days in the series to go without 12 pitchers. Also, the DH in the AL park makes an extra pinch-hitter less necessary.
From earlier:
Good afternoon from workout day Yankee Stadium. The two cities may be jawing back and forth, but the teams respect one another—or have all internalized their media training.
Here are some Yankee comments from just a few moments ago:
Jorge Posada on CC Sabathia on the field and off: “He’s been throwing a lot more curveballs. He’s been attacking the hitters. We want him to stay aggressive…. he’s always there. He’s fun. When he is not pitching, he likes to keep it fun in between starts. He works out, he does a lot of things that you like to see.”
On the Phils lineup: “They have a good lineup. They’re set. Filling the position with Ibanez really made them a lot better, a lot tougher throughout. Carlos Ruiz had a great playoff, so you have to pay attention to everyone.”
On not appearing in the WS since 2003: It has been a long time. Hopefully we can get those first butterflies out of the way and play ball.
Derek Jeter on facing the Phils now vs. in May: “They’re a different team now. They’re playing really well, they have a lot of confidence. I don’t even know what we’re facing now….They’re world champs. They won last year. They pretty much have a lot of the same guys they had last year, so it’s no fluke that they’re back.”
Jeter on Cliff Lee: “Cliff, he’s a lot better than when he first came up. Now he knows how to pitch. He used to just rear back and throw.”
On why it took so long for the Yanks to get back to the series: “When you advance in the playoffs, every round gets more and more difficult, and every team gets better and better.”
Johnny Damon on Jimmy Rollins’ prediction on Jay Leno that the Phils would win: “What do you expect him to say? You have to have that confidence…I’m sure his fans liked it when he said that.”
On the Yanks’ strategy against Lee: “He works fast, so he tries to disrupt your timing. He throws strikes on both sides of the plate. And he knows what to do.”
Does mean you have to try to work the count, slow down the game? “Possibly. He does work fast.”
Damon on the Phils: “We know they’re a confident team. They’ve played well all year. I like the fact that we have to play the defending world champions.
A-Rod’s keys to the series: “Power is a big weapon for both teams……..Two Hall of Fame shortstops, and two great leaders.”
The Phillies will be available to the media shortly. For more Yankee-related news, visit my man Mark Feinsand’s blog at the New York Daily News. That’s the paper that did NOT refer to the Phils as the Frillies.
Bob Brookover and Matt Gelb team up for their third straight season covering the Phillies for the Inquirer and philly.com.
This is Brookover’s second stint writing about the Phillies, having joined the coverage team after seven years as an Eagles beat writer. Brookover was hired by The Inquirer in 2000 as the Phillies beat writer after spending 13 years writing about the team for two suburban newspapers. While on the Eagles beat, Brookover, who had covered just two winning Phillies teams in 15 seasons, saw the Phillies move into a cash-cow new ballpark and begin playing a brand of the game he found unrecognizable. Follow him on Twitter here.
Gelb is in his third season covering the Phillies. He was hired by The Inquirer in August 2009 after graduating from Syracuse University. He has also covered baseball at The Star-Ledger and Cape Cod Times. Born and raised in Bucks County, he attended Central Bucks High School West. Follow him on Twitter here.
To submit a question for Matt Gelb's Phillies mailbag, click here.
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