New York Yankees News

Splintering makes them far more dangerous than ash bats, and Pirates batting coach Don Long has an ugly scar to prove it.

Even Donald Trump has strong feelings about New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez. Trump was in Arkansas on Thursday to speak at the Economics Arkansas luncheon. According to arkansasbusiness.com, Trump talked about Rodriguez, three-time AL MVP who has been criticized for his perceived inability to come through in important situations.

Jason Giambi and the sluggish New York Yankees suddenly turned sluggerish. The Yankees played home run derby Thursday, with Giambi, Johnny Damon, Robinson Cano and Wilson Betemit connecting in a 6-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians. Mike Mussina (5-3) won his fourth straight start and earned his 255th career victory, holding on for five innings.

The return date of New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez had been pushed back after the team announced he will undergo an MRI on his strained right quadriceps.

The Cleveland Indians haven’t had a pitcher get off to as good a start as Cliff Lee in 20 years. It’s been even longer since the Minnesota Twins last had a player hit for the cycle. Lee became the first Indians pitcher to win his first six starts since Greg Swindell in 1988 and lowered his major league-best ERA to a microscopic 0.81 in a 3-0 win over the New York Yankees on Wednesday night.

Cliff Lee threw seven sharp innings Wednesday night to beat Chien-Ming Wang in a matchup of unbeaten starters, leading the Cleveland Indians to a 3-0 victory over the New York Yankees. Lee became the first Indians pitcher to win his first six starts since Greg Swindell in 1988 and lowered his major league-best ERA to a microscopic 0.81.

Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada and Phil Hughes are expected to travel to the New York Yankees’ spring-training facility in Florida on Thursday to continue rehabbing their injuries. Rodriguez (strained right quadriceps) ran in the outfield before New York’s game against the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night.

The All-Star ballot can offer insight into clubs. This year, it says San Francisco is in terrible shape.

Gavin Floyd keeps flirting with pitching a no-hitter. The White Sox starter held Minnesota hitless for 8 1-3 innings on Tuesday night before giving up a double to Joe Mauer, and Chicago went on to beat the Twins 7-1. Floyd, who held Detroit hitless for 7 1-3 innings on April 12, walked three and struck out four.

Ian Kennedy flirted with a no hitter in his return to Triple-A on Tuesday but settled for one hit through 7.1 scoreless innings. Starting for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, who beat the Charlotte Knights 4-0, Kennedy struck out eight, walked none and allowed just two base runners, one on a single and another on a hit by pitch.