By GEORGE A. KING III and FRED KERBER
Posted: 3:44 am
July 6, 2008
Red Sox manager Terry Francona told Yankees manager Joe Girardi he doesn't need to vacate his spacious Yankee Stadium office for the July 15 All-Star Game so Francano can use it as manager of the AL All-Stars.
Girardi, who will be on Francona's staff, disagreed.
"He deserves it," Girardi said. "He earned the office."
Asked if the Yankees' scouting reports were locked up, Girardi cracked: "They will be."
Francona said the office for the reports would have been a great swap.
"I would have made the trade, go sit in the coaches' room if he gives me the scouting stuff," Francona said. "We had a conversation and it was real relaxed and comfortable and I was just trying to ask him, please don't do that. I just don't want him to.
"It doesn't make sense to me, he doesn't need to move. I'm not exaggerating when I say I'm going to have a wrinkled pair of jeans, a pair of shoes that are worth about 20 bucks and my shirt always goes on the floor. I can do that just as easily on the (coaches') floor. It just doesn't need to happen."
Francona explained he would do the same thing if the All-Star Game were to be played at Fenway Park.
"I'd offer of course. Joe did it. It's out of respect," Francona said. "A lot of people in the game are very respectful of the game especially people who have been in it a long time. I'm joking about things, what you try to do is you take what you're doing really seriously and not take yourself too seriously. It will be an honor to be a part of this game when it comes. But where I dress doesn't mean a whole lot."
Girardi said LaTroy Hawkins had a tender arm and he would prefer staying away from the right-handed reliever, who pitched Wednesday and Thursday. Hawkins said it was no big deal and Girardi said it wasn't serious enough to warrant a stint on the disabled list. . . . Mike Mussina posted his 261st win in the Yankees' 2-1 victory over the Red Sox yesterday and moved into sole possession of 38th place on the all-time list. His 114 wins as a Yankee jumped him ahead of Eddie Lopat on the club's list. . . . Yankees relievers have a 1.11 ERA across the last nine games. They have surrendered four earned runs in 321/3 innings. The bullpen has been especially efficient in Mussina's 18 starts with a 2.41 ERA.
Robinson Cano admitted the pitch that hit him on the lower right leg in the bottom of the fourth inning stung.
"It hurts a little bit," said Cano, who had the area wrapped but said he would be play tonight.
Girardi started Jose Molina behind the plate yesterday for the second straight game. Friday, regular catcher Jorge Posada was the DH, but he was not in the lineup yesterday.
"It's a chance to go with Jose and Jorge is a little under the weather. He has a cold and not feeling the greatest," said Girardi, who understands Mussina and Molina work well together.
As for the right shoulder that landed Posada on the DL from April 28-June 3, Girardi said it is improving.
Though there is no denying Molina has a stronger throwing arm - he was catching 47 percent of would-be base stealers compared to Posada's 19 percent - the inconsistent Yankees lineup needs Posada's switch-hitting bat.
Molina started yesterday having nailed 25 of 47 (.468) baserunners and the last nine who tried. He added to that by throwing out the only runner who tried yesterday, nailing Jacoby Ellsbury, who tried to swipe second.
That .468 percentage tied him with Milwaukee's Jason Kendall for the major league lead among catchers who have started 50 or more games.
