Phillies closer eases fears in mound return

By Staff reports
Published March 19, 2007

CLEARWATER - After taking a few days off to make sure his pitching shoulder is fine, All-Star closer Tom Gordon returned Sunday and was encouraged despite allowing the winning run in the Phillies' 5-4 split-squad loss to the Devil Rays.

"I felt really good, and I knew that I would," Gordon said after allowing a ninth-inning run on two hits. "I felt comfortable."

The outing was only the third of the spring and first in eight days for Gordon, who traveled to Philadelphia last week for a precautionary exam with team doctor Michael Ciccotti.

The Phillies plan to be extra careful this season with Gordon, who is 39 and had some late-season shoulder issues in 2006.

"We were trying to get a better feel," Gordon said of his trip to Philadelphia. "After 20 years, you'd think I'd have a better idea. I like the way things have been planned out for me."

PHIL-INS: Left-handed reliever Eude Brito pitched a perfect eighth against Tampa Bay in his spring debut but still felt neck stiffness due to an offseason automobile accident. ... OF Pat Burrell hit a two-run homer off Rays LHP Scott Kazmir to snap a 1-for-19 skid. ... The Phillies play Pittsburgh today in Clearwater. RHP Adam Eaton is scheduled to start for the Phillies, RHP Ian Snell for the Pirates.

Randy Miller, Bucks County (Pa.) Courier Times

Yanks: Itching to go

TAMPA - Jason Giambi declared that the Yankees offense "could definitely break camp right now."

Probably a bit of an exaggeration. But with the regular season opening two weeks from today, the middle of the lineup is starting to round into shape.

RF Bobby Abreu, who has been out with a strained right oblique, is scheduled to make his spring debut Tuesday night with a couple of at-bats as the DH. And Giambi and 3B Alex Rodriguez had extra-base hits in Sunday's 8-1 defeat of the Pirates at Legends Field.

After Giambi ripped a grand slam off LHP Zach Duke for his third homer of the spring, Rodriguez drove a triple to left-center, ending a streak of 21 at-bats without an extra-base hit.

"That was good for him," manager Joe Torre said.

Rodriguez is batting .324, but nine of his 11 hits are singles, and he has 10 strikeouts in 34 at-bats.

"I've been seeing the ball well," he said. "I'm just looking for good, solid contact every time."

Giambi was pleased that he didn't hook Duke's fastball but kept it straight down the line.

"It's time to count them down now, where you start really looking at your at-bats," said Giambi, who went 2-for-4 to raise his average to .206.

UPBEAT MOOSE: RHP Mike Mussina, frustrated five days earlier after giving up five hits in three innings, was smiling Sunday after five scoreless innings.

"I got balls where I wanted to throw them," he said. "I could make adjustments that I couldn't make before, I changed speeds pretty well; all the things I couldn't do before."

Mussina allowed three hits and one walk, struck out two and threw 44 of 67 pitches for strikes.

TODAY: The Yankees visit the Blue Jays at 1:05 in Dunedin, with RHP Jeff Karstens scheduled to pitch against Toronto RHP Tomo Ohka.

Ed Price, (Newark, N.J.) Star-Ledger

Jays: A.J. satisfied

KISSIMMEE - Blue Jays RHP A.J. Burnett pitched four scoreless innings, allowing one hit, before running into a wall in the fifthinning against the Astros.

After giving up three hits and a walk, Burnett was removed with one out having thrown 81 pitches. Burnett was charged with four earned runs. He also walked three and struck out two in Toronto's 4-3 loss.

Overall, though, he was pleased.

"You could tell I lost a little bit at the end there, but overall it was a good day," Burnett said. "The pitches were up a little bit here and there, I could have been more down the whole game. But it's another healthy start, 80 pitches in, so it's another step forward."

Toronto Sun

[Last modified March 18, 2007, 22:39:39]