The Yankees optioned Stewart to Scranton on Wednesday and recalled reliever Chris Britton from their top farm club just one day after they sent him down. They also signed catcher Chad Moeller after designating him for assignment on Friday.
Moeller cleared waivers, declined an assignment to Scranton, then signed a free-agent deal with New York.
NEW YORK -- Alex Rodriguez is going on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right quadriceps, leaving the New York Yankees without two of their most important players.
Homerin' Hurt
Alex Rodriguez hasn't been hurt often in his career, but the rare injuries haven't sapped his power.
Rodriguez joins injured catcher Jorge Posada on the DL. The Yankees are waiting for additional opinions on Posada's ailing throwing shoulder before determining whether he needs surgery.
A three-time AL MVP, Rodriguez was sent for an MRI exam Tuesday that revealed a Grade 2 strain. He was put on the DL for the first time since July 2000 with Seattle, when he had a strained right knee.
This is Rodriguez's fifth career trip to the disabled list.
"If it's a Grade 2, it's going to be at least the two weeks. That's why we're doing it," general manager Brian Cashman said.
The Yankees said it hadn't yet been determined whether Rodriguez would officially be placed on the disabled list Tuesday or Wednesday. Regardless, his stint on the DL can begin Tuesday because the team played without him -- and Posada -- in a 6-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
Rodriguez has been bothered by the injury since getting hurt April 20 in Baltimore. The third baseman missed three games last week, then returned for a four-game series at Cleveland. But he was removed for a pinch hitter in the eighth inning of Monday night's 5-2 win over the Indians and said he felt a "pull" while running the bases.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said the team was surprised to learn the strain was so severe. Rodriguez was not available to reporters after Tuesday night's loss.
"He's a hard guy to replace," Girardi said. "We have to find a way to get it done."
Morgan Ensberg started in Rodriguez's place at third base Tuesday night.
"Hopefully, it'll be no more than the 15 days," Cashman said. "But we've got to get it right."
Posada, placed on the disabled list Monday for the first time in his career, was examined by orthopedist Dr. James Andrews in Alabama. Girardi said the scans from those tests were being sent to Cincinnati Reds team physician Dr. Timothy Kremchek, a shoulder specialist.
Posada also was scheduled to be examined Tuesday night by Yankees physician Dr. Stuart Hershon, and on Thursday by New York Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek.
"Till all the doctors weigh in, I'm not going to guess and speculate. When they give me concrete information I'll be sure to share it," Posada said through club spokesman Jason Zillo.
Girardi said he remains optimistic that Posada won't need surgery, which would sideline the durable catcher for an extended period. For now, his injury has been termed a strained right shoulder.
"He had a good meeting with Andrews. The films are being sent to Kremchek and so we'll wait for that and we'll go from there," Girardi said.
The Yankees hope to get Kremchek's opinion in the next few days.
Chris Stewart made his first start behind the plate for New York against the Tigers, one day after being called up from the minors.
Still hoping to avoid season-ending surgery, reliever Brian Bruney went for a third opinion on his injured right foot and was waiting for the results. The right-hander is on the 15-day DL.
"If I wear a boot for a month it could help or it could not," he said. "The smartest thing to do would be to have the surgery, but obviously then I would be gone all year."
Bruney said his MRIs and X-rays will be sent to the Carolina Panthers' team doctor in Charlotte, N.C., for yet another opinion before he decides about surgery.
"It's just a weird injury that nobody has any certainty about," he said. "But I'm going to have to make up my mind whether or not I want to have the surgery."
In other injury news, reserve infielder Wilson Betemit made his second trip to the eye doctor Tuesday and will begin a rehab assignment Thursday with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Betemit was placed on the 15-day disabled list April 14 with corneal conjunctivitis.
"He's much improved," Cashman said.
NEW YORK (AP) - Roger Clemens had a "decade-long affair" with country star Mindy McCready that began when she was a 15-year-old aspiring singer and the pitcher was a Boston Red Sox ace, the Daily News reported.
Clemens' lawyer, Rusty Hardin, confirmed a long-term relationship but told the newspaper it was not sexual.
"He flatly denies having had any kind of an inappropriate relationship with her," Hardin said. "He's considered her a close family friend. ... He has never had a sexual relationship with her."
McCready's lawyer, Lee Ofman, said he did not have any comment on the Daily News story.
Clemens was 28 and a married father of two when he first met McCready, the newspaper reported.
The story, which appeared on the newspaper's Web site Sunday night and in editions Monday, quoted several people who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the situation.
The revelation could undermine Clemens' reputation, which is central to the defamation suit the former pitcher has filed against former personal trainer Brian McNamee. McNamee contends Clemens used performance-enhancing substances during his major league career.
"If true, it's just another example of Roger's pervasive prevarications which will be at the core of any defamation case," said McNamee's attorney, Richard Emery, in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
The newspaper said Clemens sent cash to McCready to help her with legal issues and reached out to her when she was in jail last year in Tennessee.
The 32-year-old McCready was sentenced last September for violating probation from a 2004 drug arrest and was released from jail last Dec. 30. The violation occurred in July when McCready was accused of scuffling with her mother and resisting arrest at her mother's home in Fort Myers, Fla. She still must serve two years' probation.
McCready had a No. 1 single in 1996 with "Guys Do It All the Time."
Hardin did not respond immediately to an e-mail from the AP.
CLEVELAND — The Yankees’ injury troubles took another discouraging turn Sunday when Jorge Posada was a late scratch from the lineup with a recurrence of the shoulder problem that bothered him early this month. This time, the injury seems serious.
The Yankees said there would be no announcement until after the game, but Posada, who has a tear in his subscapularis muscle, is expected to visit Dr. James Andrews and will most likely be placed on the disabled list.
Posada has already shared his magnetic resonance imaging results with Andrews, and Posada has said that surgery would not be necessary. But the problem has not improved as Posada hoped, again raising the specter of an operation.
Posada said his shoulder felt dead after a game on April 8, and he did not start at catcher for two weeks. He has caught three of the last five games, plus four more innings on Saturday, and the Yankees were hopeful enough about his recovery that a veteran backup catcher, Chad Moeller, was designated for assignment on Friday.
Before he replaced Posada on Sunday, Jose Molina had caught 101 1/3 innings, 39 more than Posada, and Molina figures to continue catching the bulk of the games. Without Moeller, who could soon be claimed by another team, the Yankees have no catchers in their farm system with major league experience.
Posada, 36, signed a four-year, $52.4 million contract in the off-season, and he has said he intends to catch throughout the life of the deal. But Posada has also started at first base and designated hitter this season, and when he returns, the Yankees may need to explore those options to keep his bat in the lineup.
CLEVELAND -- The Yankees' clubhouse seemed a little more lively on Saturday morning, as Shelley Duncan rejoined the team following a three-week stint at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
With three left-handed starting pitchers looming for the rest of the weekend at Cleveland, the Yankees -- as expected -- moved to add the right-handed Duncan to their roster, farming out lefty Billy Traber in a corresponding roster move.
Duncan, 28, was caught up in a numbers crunch earlier in the month when he was sent out on April 9, when the Yankees needed to call up an infielder to replace the ailing Derek Jeter. The boisterous rookie made the most of his time at Triple-A, hitting .309 with six homers and 17 RBIs in 15 games.
"Those guys down there are so amazing, the coaching staff and the players," Duncan said. "The whole team has tons of big league experience. You feel like you're part of the Triple-A All-Star team, so when you get thrown in that group, it was a lot of fun -- it really was. I really felt like I was part of the team that played Bugs Bunny all the time."
Duncan gave the Yankees a spark last season as a late callup, hitting .257 with seven home runs and 17 RBIs in 34 games. He had just five at-bats this year with New York, but jumped right back into the lineup as the Yankees' right fielder on Saturday.
"It's great to see him back," Girardi said. "He has the ability to provide a spark, a high energy guy. ... You love players who are high energy. I think our club has a great energy on a daily basis, but Shelley will just boost it up a little more."
Duncan said that he was not sure how long he was going to stay at Triple-A when the Yankees originally made the move, recalling infielder Alberto Gonzalez.
Duncan said he was told he might return in as little as two games, but as the days turned into weeks, he kept in contact with hitting coach Kevin Long to try and remain connected to what the Yankees were doing.
"I felt happy I got to go down there and get a lot of at-bats," Duncan said. "I had a chance to do a lot of things."
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter started against Tampa Bay Monday night, his first appearance since leaving a game on April 7 due to a strained left quadriceps muscle.
"Obviously I'm happy to be playing again," Jeter said. "I hope everything is all right. I don't see any reason it's not going to be."
Jeter was slotted in his usual No. 2 spot in the batting order and grounded out in his first at-bat, following Johnny Damon's leadoff homer.
"I'm excited to have him back," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "It's also big to have one of your leaders back. He said he felt good, so let's go."
Chad Moeller, whose contract was purchased Monday from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, was the starting catcher.
Regular catcher Jorge Posada has been slowed by a right shoulder injury. He threw before the game and remains available to be the designated hitter.
"It feels good," Posada said. "Now it's just getting the strength back. I always want to be out there. I want to help the team. I'm encouraged."
Girardi has no timetable for when Posada will catch.
"Jorge is still not where he needs to be," Girardi said. "It's better. There's no pain."
Backup catcher Jose Molina also was out of the lineup. He left Sunday's game against Boston with a left hamstring injury, but was available to catch in an emergency situation.
"It's not as tight as yesterday," Molina said, "Any time you get an injury, it's frustrating. You just have to be patient and go day to day. I got up this morning, and it was a lot better."
First baseman Jason Giambi and second baseman Robinson Cano were rested Monday night. Girardi said both will back in the lineup Tuesday. Morgan Ensberg started at first, while Alberto Gonzalez played second.
Cano entered Monday hitting .170 with two RBIs in 13 games.
"Giving Robinson a mental day off," Girardi said. "He's played every game this season."
Also, third baseman Alex Rodriguez is nearing the point where he could leave the team for a short period of time for the birth of his second child.
"It's close," Girardi said.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., -- Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain left the team after his father collapsed at his home in Lincoln, Neb., and the pitcher was placed on the bereavement list.
Joba Chamberlain's father Harlan, left, has had a myriad of health problems. He had polio when he was 9 months old, uses a motorized scooter, is deaf in one ear and doesn't have the full use of his left arm.
Harlan Chamberlain was hospitalized Monday at St. Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Lincoln. Hospital spokeswoman Jo Miller said the family requested no further information be released.
"He is currently in critical but stable condition," Joba Chamberlain said in a statement released by the team. "I also want to thank my teammates and my manager for giving me so much support when I have needed it most. Their actions are the reason I was able to reach my father's side as quickly as I did."
The New York Daily News first reported the story Monday on its Web site.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Joba Chamberlain's sister called and left the pitcher a phone message during New York's 8-5 loss at Boston on Sunday night. The Daily News said the reliever spoke with his sister after the game and broke into tears, and Girardi tried to console him.
"I talked to him last night and this morning," Girardi said before Monday night's game against Tampa Bay. "His father is still going through tests. "I don't think they'll know everything they need to know for a couple days."
Girardi doesn't expect Chamberlain to rejoin the team for at least a few days.
"Family comes first," Girardi said.
Chamberlain, the Yankees' primary set-up man, traveled with the team to Florida, where New York was set to start a series against Tampa Bay on Monday night. Chamberlain then left for Nebraska, teammate Phil Hughes said.
"He was a little shaken up at first," Hughes said. "When we got here, he was fine."
Chamberlain will miss at least three games, which means he'll miss both contests against the Rays as well as the first of a two-game series against the Red Sox that starts Wednesday in the Bronx.
Harlan Chamberlain had polio when he was 9 months old and uses a motorized scooter. He is deaf in one ear and without full use of his left arm.
Harlan Chamberlain raised Joba as a single dad. He attended New York's season opener earlier this month, and was at last week's series in Kansas City.
"You can see the pleasure they get from each other being around each other," Girardi said. "It's a great story."
In a flurry of moves, the Yankees recalled RHP Jonathan Albaladejo from Scranton-Wilkes-Barre of the International League, purchased the contract of catcher Chad Moeller from Scranton and placed infielder Wilson Betemit on the 15-day disabled list with conjunctivitis.
With Jorge Posada's shoulder bothering him and backup Jose Molina sidelined by an injured hamstring, the Yankees had been without a healthy catcher on their 25-man roster.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Derek Jeter will miss at least three games and possibly more with a strained left quadriceps, but the New York Yankees are not planning to put their eight-time All-Star shortstop on the DL.
"He probably won't be available this series," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Tuesday before the New York played the Kansas City Royals. "We'll shoot for the Red Sox series. We'll see where he's at after a couple of days and try to make an evaluation then."
Jeter said he hurt the muscle running before Monday's game against Tampa Bay and that the pain was "not that bad at all."
"I haven't tried to do anything yet. I've got to go in the trainers room and see what they tell me," he said.
Wilson Betemit replaced Jeter in the lineup and was hitting eighth.
New York did get back first baseman Jason Giambi after a two-day absence. He had been out with a sore left groin.
Girardi said he did not know whether cold weather had contributed to the problems.
"They had no issues in spring training when it was warm. They were both running great," Girardi said. "The conditions are the same for everybody. You're never sure why something happens. But they happen, and you have to deal with it."
Girardi said he had not discussed the possibility of moving Alex Rodriguez, an All-Star shortstop who switched to third when he was traded to the Yankees in 2004.
"We're just thinking he's been our third baseman the last few years. He's comfortable playing third," Girardi said. "I don't see it being a problem with him not feeling comfortable playing short. But that's why we have Wilson. If someone goes down in the middle of the infield for a couple of days, that's why we have him."
Jeter attempted to play on Monday but left after two innings. Girardi said an MRI exam did not indicate serious damage.
"It didn't really reveal like a tear or anything. You could see there was a little something there. It doesn't change our time frame. We're not going to entertain any warm weather for the next six days, and that's a little bit of a concern."
After the series in Kansas City, New York heads to Boston for its first series this year against the World Series champion Red Sox. Jeter's absence left the Yankees short-handed as they begin a stretch where they play 18 of 20 games away from home.
"It's part of the game. There's times you're going to be short-handed," Girardi said. "You've got to do the best you can. You get a guy who's maybe nicked up for three or four days and you don't necessarily want to DL him because then you lose him for 15."
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
The New York Yankees announced today that two fans were arrested during Tuesday's Opening Day game vs. the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium for attempting to steal Stadium bunting and causing damage to the bunting and façade.
Both fans were charged with attempted larceny and criminal mischief. Each charge is punishable by up to one year imprisonment and/or fines. They were detained and booked by the New York City Police Department and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The Yankees have also revoked their season ticket accounts.
"The Yankees look forward to making this final season at Yankee Stadium a magical event for every fan," said Yankees Chief Operating Officer Lonn Trost. "This type of destructive behavior will not be tolerated from the first game of the season through the last."
Brian McNamee is selling between 50 and 60 pieces of signed Roger Clemens memorabilia through a Boston-area dealer.
McNamee, who faces a defamation lawsuit from Clemens after testifying to Mitchell report investigators and Congress that he injected the seven-time Cy Young Award-winner with steroids and human growth hormone, has turned the items over to sports memorabilia dealer Phil Castinetti of Sportsworld in Saugus, Mass.
The story was first reported by the Boston Herald.
Items signed by Jose Canseco, Andy Pettitte and Jason Grimsley are also part of the sale.
Castinetti believes the items, including signed hats, jerseys, photographs and baseballs, could fetch as much as $75,000. He has already starting listing them on the Internet auction site eBay.
"He was going to throw this stuff away," Castinetti told the New York Daily News. "Because of the hard feelings between him and Clemens, he wanted nothing to do with it."
The Daily News reported neither Clemens' attorney, Rusty Hardin, nor his agents, Randy and Alan Hendricks, returned calls seeking comment.
Steve Cardillo, a mutual friend of McNamee and Castinetti, said he convinced McNamee to sell the items rather than discard them and possibly donate the proceeds for juvenile diabetes research, the Daily News reported.
"You might as well make something good out of a bad situation," Cardillo said, according to the Daily News.
At Castinetti's suggestion, McNamee added his signature to many of the items.
"There are millions of Roger Clemens autographs out there," Castinetti told the Daily News. "There are maybe 30 or 40 of Clemens and McNamee together. That's the whole thing with this hobby now -- the limited editions are really where it's at. Hard-core collectors are going to want something like this."
Castinetti told the Herald and the Daily News that on one photo being offered. Clemens wrote, "Cy 6" next to his name, in honor of his sixth Cy Young award. Beneath it, McNamee signed his name and added "Ly 0" -- as in "telling zero lies," Castinetti said.
Castinetti said McNamee will receive 80 percent of the proceeds, according to the Daily News.
NEW YORK (AP)—Alex Rodriguez makes more this year than his hometown Florida Marlins.
Boosted by his new deal with the New York Yankees, A-Rod tops the major league baseball salary list at $28 million, according to a study of contract terms by The Associated Press. The 33 players on the Marlins’ opening-day roster and disabled list total $21.8 million.
“The Marlins? It’s amazing,” Rodriguez said. “And they still seem to find a way to be very competitive. They have a great pool of talent; they made some unbelievable trades, so they have great personnel people. To win two championships in 11 years, that’s really admirable, and I’m very proud of that organization, being from Miami.”
NEW YORK -- Andy Pettitte received a mostly warm welcome Tuesday night when he was introduced at the New York Yankees' opener after a tumultuous offseason.
New York, which won 3-2, was scheduled to play the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday but the game was postponed by rain. Both clubs were introduced and lined up along the base lines before the 84th and last opening day at Yankee Stadium.
Pettitte got mostly cheers when he came out of the dugout for his introduction but there was a small undercurrent of boos. He didn't seem to notice as he exchanged greetings with his teammates while he moved down the first-base line.
Pettitte is slated to make his first start Saturday after a rocky offseason that included the left-hander admitting to using human growth hormone and accusing buddy Roger Clemens of using HGH.
He also was bothered by back spasms during spring training and opened the year on the disabled list.
Pettitte's turbulent winter started when the Mitchell report was released in December. Brian McNamee, the former personal trainer to Pettitte and Clemens, said in the report that Pettitte used HGH in 2002 while with the Yankees.
Two days after the report came out, Pettitte issued a statement through his agent confirming McNamee's account and saying that was the only time he used the substance.
Pettitte then was asked to testify before a House committee investigating drug use in sports but was excused after he appeared for a deposition and submitted an affidavit. He told congressional lawyers that Clemens informed him nearly a decade ago he had used HGH and said McNamee let him know in 2003 or 2004 that Clemens had used steroids.
Clemens claims Pettitte "misremembers."
Pettitte also admitted his own use of HGH was not limited to 2002, as he previously said, but that he also took injections in 2004 after obtaining the substance from his ailing father.
The 35-year-old lefty, who has 201 regular-season wins and four World Series rings, was granted permission to report late to spring training and held a press conference when he arrived, but then was slowed by back problems. His first regular-season start was pushed back, and he said he was healthy after tossing six scoreless innings in a minor league game in Tampa, Fla., on Sunday.
"I can't foresee any problems at all," Pettitte said Monday. "I mean I feel really good."
