All Things Bubba

Giambi and Griffey embrace before the game

The Yankees came to Ed Smith Stadium today to play the Reds. It was the first time Andy Phillips played his former team. He didn't get the kind of attention Bubba got last year, but I suspect that's because Bubba's first game against the Yankees was at Legends Field. Andy will probably get his turn when the Reds play at Legends on March 10.

Pete Abe did mention Andy:

Had a chance to speak to Andy Phillips before the game. The Reds are using him at 1B, 2B, 3B and LF and he hopes to make the team as a utility player. He said he was surprised when the Yankees DFA’d him but has no ill feelings to the organization.

(Wow, was Andy really surprised he was DFA'd?)

It was Chien-Ming Wang vs. Aaron Harang - theoretically a terrific matchup. Didn't quite work out that way. Wang had a bad day at the office. Everything was up, and the Reds made him pay. He gave up six hits, six runs, and two walks. His ERA is now on the wrong side of 20, and he didn't even make it out of the first inning.

So the Yanks were down 0-6 in the first inning. In the 4th inning, Darrell Rasner gave up a grand slam. 10-0 Reds. Then 12-0 Reds, when Sean Henn gave up a couple of runs in the 6th. The game seemed hopelessly one-sided. But the Yanks got back in it in the 7th and 8th, scoring four runs in each inning. In the 9th, Marcus McBeth, who came from Oakland via the Denorfia trade, held the Yanks scoreless. Final score: Cincinnati 12, Yankees 8.

Well, sort of. The Yankees wanted to play the bottom of the 9th anyway, to give Steven Jackson some work. The Reds and the umpires agreed, so they played on. It doesn't count in the official stats...luckily for Jackson. He gave up four runs, including a three-run homer to Chris Dickerson (a cousin of football star Eric Dickerson). The game was called (apparently at the Yankees' request) after only one out in the (unofficial) bottom of the ninth. The unofficial score: Reds 16, Yankees 8.

Andy came in in the top of the 6th. He was 0 for 2, moving the runner over with a fly out in the 6th and reaching on an error in the 8th. Janish came in as a pinch runner, and was 0 for 1.

Seattle beat Milwaukee, 5-2. Miguel Cairo led off, played SS, and was 1 for 3. Sardinha was also in the starting lineup, playing CF and going 0 for 4.

Mariners minor leaguers reported to spring training camp today. Haven't heard any other news. Maybe I just don't know where to look.

UPDATE: There is some mention of Andy in the press coverage of today's game. See here and here.