Derek Jeter, who hasn’t played in the last two games after fouling a ball off his right knee, expects to play tonight as the Yanks open their set in Beantown. “I hope so,” he said yesterday. “That’s the plan, but I haven’t done anything. We’ll see when we get there tomorrow.”

Pedro Feliciano and Damaso Marte both suffered setbacks in their rehab, and will most likely not return this year.

The decision could mean that Rocket won’t have to face another trial due to double jeopardy. The judge has set a hearing date for September 2 to determine whether or not Roger can be constitutionally tried a second time.

Judge Walton:

Sadly I have reached a conclusion that to permit this case to go forward with the government having done what it did, Mr. Clemens will not get a fair trial before this jury. So I will declare a mistrial.

Walton also told prosecutors that this was a “first-year law student mistake.” Boom roasted. You can follow along with the NY Post’s coverage of the case or the Washington Post’s, if you prefer.

Call me crazy, but I’m happy for Clemens. Regardless of whether or not he used steroids (he definitely did) he will always be one of my favorites. He always went out there every five days and left everything he had on the mound.

• The Yanks have called up Greg Golson to  replace A-Rod on the roster. You’ll best remember the outfielder from a game last season when he threw out Carl Crawford at third to end a game against the Rays. The speedy outfielder will be activated in time for tonight’s tilt against the Blue Jays.
• The Yanks have signed former Phillies banned-substance user World Series hero to a minor-league deal after the Nationals released him today. The team has been searching for left-handed relief, and Romero could be just the guy to help Boone Logan out with LOOGY situations. There’s a chance JC could pitch tonight in Scranton.
• George King stirs some shit about Cashman not returning to the Yanks. King suggests Cash could end up with the Cubbies. However, I’m not too worried because these same rumors surfaced about Girardi going to the Cubs during the 2010 postseason.
• After missing nearly three months with a strained groin, Mark Prior threw 24 pitches — with a fastball that reached 90 mph — for the GCL Yankees against Atlanta minor leaguers on Wednesday. So also threw yesterday. He tossed 25 pitches during his second batting practice session since going on the DL. Pedro Feliciano resumed a light throwing program and Damaso Marte is continuing to throw off a bullpen mound. Also in that article, the team finalized a contract with 24-year-old Cuban righty Reinier Casanova and assigned him to the GCL Yankees. I’m excited about his arrival because there could be two nicknames for him: you could take the easy route and go with a play on Casanova or get more creative and make a Rainier Wolfcastle reference. I’m looking forward to this, I really am.

Good AJ was indeed in the building tonight, it’s a shame the offense couldn’t get him a win.

As for the offense, seven of the first 15 batters reached — including a bases-loaded situation with no outs in the first and a first-and-second situation with no outs in the second — but, obviously, no one scored. The team finished 0-for-7 with RISP and left eight men on base. Plus, two of the final 21 batters reached base (one walk, one hit).

As a matter of fact, the Cleveland starter, Carlos Carrasco, was at 56 pitches with one out in the third but after a Swisher double play to end the inning he retired the next eight batters on 19 pitches.

To add injury to insult, Jeter left the game after the fifth inning with a sore right calf. He was sent for an MRI and Girardi said his gut feeling is Jeet won’t play tomorrow. Update: the MRI revealed a Grade 1 strain of the calf. The next step will be decided tomorrow. Also, Russell Martin was scratched an hour before first pitch with lower back stiffness. Cervelli started in his place and struck out three times.

At least they won three of four from them. I’ll take it, I guess.

CC will go against Alexi Ogando tomorrow at 7:05 in the opener of a three-game set with the Rangers.

Other injury updates:

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AJ had a much better game than his line suggests. Girardi left him in too long (shades of the ALCS game from last year), he shouldn’t have even been out there for the seventh. AJ went 6 1/3 innings and gave up four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts to two walks. It’s amazing that he lasted as long as he did because he threw 53 pitches through two innings, but he settled down and recorded a six-pitch, 1-2-3 third inning — the first 1-2-3 inning by a starter since last Thursday (AJ against the Twins).

It should be duly noted that AJ Burnett (3-0) now has more wins than the Boston Red Sox (2-9).

D-Rob got the final two outs of the seventh, So worked a one-hit eighth and Mo hurled a perfect ninth. Mo, who recorded his 564th career save and fifth on the year, has now thrown 5 1/3 innings with five strikeouts, two hits and NO WALKS OR RUNS on the year.

Nothing cures a slumping offense like Chris Tillman, who gave up hits to five of the first six batters he faced. The Yanks went on to abuse him for nine hits (12 total) and six runs (seven total) in 1 2/3 innings. Yikes. In the process, a lot of slumps were busted:

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The news about Nova shouldn’t come as a surprise, as anyone who’s followed the team recently could have concluded that that’s what was bound to happen. What is a shock, at least to me, is that Fabulous Freddy made the rotation and Colon is in the ‘pen. Bart has outperformed his counterpart for the most part this spring, and I really can’t figure out why Girardi did this.

The only thing I can think of is that Garcia seemed to want out if he didn’t make the rotation and Colon appeared willing to assume a relief role, and the team didn’t want to lose either in case of injury. But even that is kind of a far-fetched theory.

Girardi also said that Pedro Feliciano, who was signed to a two-year, $8 million contract with a club option for 2013 in the offseason, might start the season on the DL due to upper-arm tightness. The team should know for sure by Tuesday. Serves them right for bringing in a Met.

It seems likely that Gustavo Molina (no relation) will be the backup catcher when the season starts. Jesus played himself out of the spot late in spring training and Austin Romine is also not ready. Methinks that the non-Molina Molina is just a spot filler until Frankie Cervelli is all healed.

Finally, Girardi said that he will announce the roster on Monday. Eric Chavez, who is hitting .410 this spring, seems like a shoo-in to make it, and Monday will be the last day to add him. He is in camp on a minor-league deal and can request to be added to the roster on Sunday; after he does so, the Yanks have 24 hours to agree or he can opt out and go somewhere else.

Cashman on Chavez:

I don’t think he can look any better than he looks. He’s done everything he needs to do.

Girardi added that the perpetually-injured Chavez has “looked really, really good” this spring and has shown no signs of injury. So you can expect to see him break camp with the team.

Girardi announced today that AJ will be the second starter behind CC, putting to rest rumors that Phil Hughes usurped the spot in the rotation. Hughes had been pitching before AJ this spring, but once the season begins he’ll move to the third slot.

Girardi:

That’s what we brought AJ here to do. He struggled last year, but we believe he is going to be back.

I’m glad the team is going this route. Had AJ been bumped back in the rotation, especially for a 24-year-old kid, it might have messed with his head. The last thing the Yanks need is AJ losing his marbles after a pretty good spring training.

Plus, I think he’s going to have a great year. 2011 will be the Year of AJ, and all the doubters will once again jump back on the bandwagon. You heard it here first.

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Joba said his bullpen session went well today with no pain or discomfort, and if no issues arise with his oblique he could pitch in a game real soon. He said he feels he is ready for game action.

Pedro Feliciano also threw a bullpen today — at 80 percent — and said everything was gravy. He’ll throw another in a few days and see how he feels. He also downplayed his triceps injury and said it was normal for spring training.

Well, add another very good Mets pitcher to the Yankees roster as Pedro Feliciano confirmed to ESPN that he’s indeed signing with the Yanks by saying “I think it was a good thing to stay in New York.  I mean, that’s the best city in the States.”  This is an EXCELLENT move for the Yankees in an off-season during which the best news for a Yankee happened when Nick Swisher tied the knot with actress/fiancee Joanna Garcia.

OK, well maybe Swish’s wasn’t the best news, but are you really gonna argue when it let me post a picture of Garcia?

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