Yankees will keep third catcher for precautionary reasons
By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com
DETROIT -- The Yankees' lineup received a boost on Monday, as Jorge Posada retu
rned to the field after missing the past four games with a torn left hamstring
tendon.
Posada, who believed he was ready to play on Sunday against the Royals, started
behind the plate and batted sixth for the Yankees against the Tigers. He went
2-for-4 with an RBI.
"We'll see how it feels tomorrow," Posada said. "Once I loosened up and warmed
up, it felt better. That's a good sign."
"This was a very unusual type of injury," manager Joe Torre said before the gam
e. "He was surprised he wasn't playing yesterday, which made me feel good. I th
ink he's OK now."
The Yankees could drop third-string catcher Koyie Hill from the roster on Tuesd
ay, as Torre wants to get back to 12 pitchers.
Posada's left shinguard underwent a bit of an overhaul this week, as the strap
on the back of his knee was removed, so it wouldn't rub against the tendon when
he crouches behind the plate.
The catcher said that the biggest issue for him right now is running the bases,
not crouching.
Torre said that he would have used Posada to pinch-hit for Kelly Stinnett late
in Sunday's game had Stinnett's spot in the lineup come up in the eighth inning
, but he was happy to stick to his plan to keep Posada out of action through th
e weekend.
Unlike Bubba Crosby's hamstring injury, which impacted the speed that plays a b
ig part in his game, Posada's injury shouldn't have much of an impact on him in
the field.
"If he had speed, he wouldn't be a catcher. I say that proudly," said Torre, a
former backstop himself. "It still can't be debilitating to the point where he'
s limping around. When you're a catcher, even though you don't run fast, you st
ill have to be quick."
All right: Gary Sheffield was back in right field on Monday, the first time he
has played the position since he injured his left wrist on April 29.
Sheffield had started five consecutive games as the Yankees' designated hitter
since returning from the disabled list last week. Torre said that Sheffield cou
ld have started in the outfield on Sunday, but the manager decided to give him
one more day as the DH.
Terrence Long, who has started two games in left field and two in right since j
oining the Yankees on May 21, was the DH on Monday against right-hander Jeremy
Bonderman. Long is 6-for-18 (.333) in his career against Bonderman.
Crosby is scheduled to play in some extended Spring Training games this week be
fore returning from the DL during the weekend series in Baltimore.
"Once he gets in the outfield, I don't think he has to play a lot of games," To
rre said. "The defensive part, I'm not worried about. It's how his leg responds
getting out of the box and running the bases."
The Yankees will have to make a roster move to make room for Crosby, but Torre
has liked what he's seen so far from Long in the past week.
"He's a pro," Torre said. "He's easy to like in the clubhouse; everybody seems
to be very comfortable with him. He's been in the fire before, with Oakland whe
n they were winning divisions and getting in the playoffs, he was there. You ca
n never discount that experience in my mind."
Rehab rumblings: Octavio Dotel is scheduled to throw an inning in an extended s
pring game on Monday, and the right-hander will throw sliders for the first tim
e this week.
Dotel could begin an official rehab assignment within a week, and Torre expects
to have him with the team by the third week of June.
"I think that's conservative enough," Torre said.
Dotel will give the Yankees another arm out of the bullpen in the late innings,
joining Scott Proctor and Kyle Farnsworth.
"We need to add somebody else to that mix," Torre said. "Right now, I'm leaning
toward Villone, because of his abilities against lefties and righties."
Shawn Chacon, on the DL with a deep bruise on his left leg, threw on flat groun
d on Monday and is scheduled to throw off a mound on Tuesday. According to Torr
e, Chacon will probably throw two mound sessions before making a rehab start.
Coming up: The Yankees and Tigers meet on Tuesday in the second game of a four-
game series, as Aaron Small (0-2, 8.59 ERA) takes on Roman Colon (0-0, 3.60 ERA
). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET at Comerica Park.
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