NFT: NY Yankees Intrasquad Game (Sort of) Report

When Torre was managing the Yanks they had a Spring Training tradition of having an Inrasquad game one or two days before the first exhibition game.

It was Yankees vs. Yankees or as it came to be known…Gator vs. Goose (each team named for their honorary “captains”).

The first year Girardi took over I was disappointed that he didn’t have the game and figured it was just a scheduling issue. But as the years went on it became apparent that he didn’t want to have intrasquad games.

So I was surprised to read this morning that the Yanks were bringing the game back today! The paper even said that it would be Gator vs. Goose…just like old times.

A quick call to the stadium to confirm the 12:30 PM start time and I was out the door.

Unfortunately it wasn’t exactly an intrasquad game.

Although it was Yankees vs. Yankees the scoreboard wasn’t turned on and there was no PA announcer.

Girardi also decided to put runners on first and third for every at bat I assume so that the fielders could work on throwing to bases to get runners out.

But the biggest change in the intrasquad “game” was not having pitchers. All the players hit against the pitching machine, not live pitching.

That said here are the highlights…

Chase Headley had double off the wall in right.

Ellsbury had either a double or got the benefit of a two-base error as his drive went off the top of Tyler Austin’s glove. (I would have ruled the very catchable ball an error.)

AROD batting cleanup hit a chopper to third and a towering fly to short right.

Heathcott had an opposite field single but was thrown out trying to stretch it to a double.

Gardner stretched a single into a double.

Bird had a sharp single to center.

Cave made a great play at first base, diving to his right and then throwing to second to get the lead runner. It would have been a double play except the pitching machine failed to cover first.

McCann just missed a homer down the right field line.

The game went six innings and took about 75 minutes.

I was surprised that there weren’t more hits or at least more hard hit balls, but I guess at this time of year the pitching machines are ahead of the hitters :& gt;)

By the way…Sunny and 79 degrees today in Tampa.