The Yankees surprisingly posted the worst ERA in the league a little after the season's first month despite luring top starters CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. They faced one injury after another and still escaped April with a winning record. And after all that, they're back to where they were back in spring training -- bracing for Alex Rodriguez to take center stage for better or worse. No doubt the Yankees can't wait to get Rodriguez's bat back in the lineup as he prepares to return from hip surgery. But along with that comes the swirling headlines that have begun to gust before he returned -- among them the fallout from the "A-Rod" biography as well as a reported investigation by Major League Baseball to see if Rodriguez did take performance-enhancing drugs more often than he's admitted to already.
PLAYER NEWS: --C Jorge Posada was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with a strained right hamstring. Posada suffered the injury while running the bases in the Yankees' 6-4 loss to the Red Sox on Monday. Posada, who missed more than 100 games last year due to right shoulder surgery, was off to an impressive start and entered Tuesday tied for the major league lead among catchers in home runs (five) and RBIs (20). C Francisco Cervelli was recalled from Class AA Trenton to replace Posada on the 25-man roster.
--3B Alex Rodriguez went 3-for-6 and made numerous plays in the field Tuesday during an extended spring training game at the Yankees' minor league complex in Tampa. According to numerous media reports, he may be able to return to the Yankees on Friday, which would be a week ahead of his original target date of May 15.
--1B Mark Teixeira became the third Yankees player this season to hit homers from both sides of the plate in the same game Monday. OF Nick Swisher and OF Melky Cabrera also performed the feat in April.
MEDICAL WATCH:
C Jorge Posada (strained right hamstring) went on the 15-day disabled list May 5.
LHP Damaso Marte (left shoulder soreness) went on the 15-day disabled list May 3.
RHP Brian Bruney (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 22.
RHP Chien-Ming Wang (hip weakness) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 19 with an ailment connected to the season-ending Lisfranc foot injury he suffered last year. He pitched May 2 in extended spring training.
3B Cody Ransom (right quadriceps tear) went on the 60-day disabled list April 26.
OF Xavier Nady (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 15. He will try to rehab the injury without surgery.
DH Hideki Matsui (left knee surgery in September 2008) won't play in the field before June.
3B Alex Rodriguez (arthroscopic right hip surgery in March 2009) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He resumed baseball activities April 13, and he began playing in extended spring training in late April. He is might return to the Yankees as soon as May 8.
ROTATION:
LHP CC Sabathia
RHP A.J. Burnett
LHP Andy Pettitte
RHP Joba Chamberlain
RHP Phil Hughes
BULLPEN:
RHP Mariano Rivera (closer)
LHP Phil Coke
RHP Edwar Ramirez
RHP Jose Veras
RHP Jonathan Albaladejo
RHP David Robertson
RHP Mark Melancon
RHP Alfredo Aceves
CATCHERS:
Jose Molina
Francisco Cervelli
INFIELDERS:
1B Mark Teixeira
2B Robinson Cano
SS Derek Jeter
3B Angel Berroa
INF Ramiro Pena
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Johnny Damon
CF Brett Gardner
RF Nick Swisher
DH Hideki Matsui
OF Melky Cabrera
