He said he felt OK and isn’t worried about it:

I’ll be fine. I’m fine now, but I just couldn’t run 100 percent and I guess when (Girardi) saw that he said he didn’t want to take any chances…It’s just a little bruise, that’s all.

In other injury news, relievers Pedro Feliciano, who hasn’t pitched since March 9 due to a triceps injury, and Boone Logan are on the mend as well. Boom Boom Boone is having back spasms after pitching Thursday, and could miss another five days.

Those two join Joba and Meattray — who are both dealing with oblique injuries — as members of a dinged-up bullpen. Joba and Feliciano are scheduled to throw bullpens on Saturday, while Meattray was rocked in today’s game against the Jays. He yielded two runs on three hits in three innings of work in the 6-5 loss.

You hate to see injuries in spring training, but these don’t sound THAT serious. They still have 13 days before Opening Day, so I’m not too concerned about these setbacks.

Also, AJ was hit in the right ass cheek with a Juan Rivera liner in the first inning of the loss, but stayed in the game and isn’t expected to miss his next start. He was touched for four runs — two earned — on five hits in four innings of work.

AJ:

It hurt, man. I never saw it.

Girardi:

You worry, a little bit, about him getting a little stiff now. By the time it’s his turn, he should be fine.

According to Brian Costello of the Post, AJ’s curveball looked as good as it has all spring and he didn’t walk anyone for the fourth straight start. However, he did toss two wild pitches, hit a batter, gave up a home run (to Jose Molina!!!) and had three Blue Jays steal on him.

Girardi was optimistic about the outing:

I think he threw better than the numbers indicate.

SuperNova gave up just three fly-ball outs in his six innings of work, and referred to his sinker as his “new toy” in a post-game interview. He even had to go to the bullpen after he was lifted to get more work in because he was so efficient. If he keeps this up, obviously, he’ll be a lock to win one of the back rotation spots.

Mo’s strikeout streak ended at 3 after He gave up the lone hit to Baltimore in the seventh. Prior and D-Rob followed with a no-hit inning each, and the Yanks won handily.

The team pounded out 12 hits and every starter, sans Gardner, recorded at least one hit. A-Rod hit a two-run bomb after Tex got beaned (again) in the sixth.

The team made six cuts today — Brackman, Brandon Laird, Kevin Russo and Melky Mesa were optioned to Scranton, and Steve (Mr.) Garrison and Ryan Pope were sent to Trenton.

Also, the Yanks are apparently still scouting Kevin Millwood for a rotation spot. However, the two sides seem to be at an impasse — Millwood wants $4 million major-league deal and the Yanks are only willing to offer a minor-league deal in the “low seven figures.” I don’t blame them, scouts said they clocked Millwood’s fastball at 85 mph today. No thanks pal.

The Yanks are back in action tomorrow night against the Rays at 7 p.m.

There is no timetable for his return, but it won’t be before the aforementioned week.

He said he doesn’t feel any symptoms of the strain and is even scheduled to play catch tomorrow, so it can’t be that bad of an injury.

Better to deal with it now than to let it linger into the year.

Insert fat joke here

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The Yanks are in action tonight against the Orioles. SuperNova will get the start and Mo, So, Prior and D-Rob will follow. Girardi is going with the “A lineup” against the divisional foes tonight: Jeet SS, Swish Dog RF, Tex 1B, A-Rod 3B, Cano 2B, Posada DH, Grandy CF, Martin C, Gardy LF.

The O’s were supposed to send Guthrie to the hill, but Showalter “didn’t want the Yankees to see him this late in spring.” Also, there’s the whole beaned-nine-Yankees-since-2008 thing, including Tex in spring training last year.

Instead of boring you with the gory details, I figure I’d show you some of the pics I got. I apologize for the lack of quality, I had to use my phone because my camera broke. Without further ado here they are:

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Joba and Pedro Feliciano added a perfect inning each before Hector Noesi gave up three hits, including a solo homer, over the sixth and seventh. Mark Prior and Luis Ayala threw a one-hit inning each to close out the game.

Grandy went 2-for-2 with a two-run homer and Eddie Nunez jacked a three-run bomb. Eric Chavez finished 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI (he’s now 8-for-17 this spring), and Posada was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

Meattray kept the stellar pitching going in the nightcap, as he threw three scoreless innings and gave up three hits with three strikeouts against the Orioles. He tossed 47 pitches with 32 going for strikes.

Notes and quotes:

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AJ:

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Things I took away from the game:

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Hank:

I think, maybe, they celebrated too much last year. Some of the players, too busy building mansions and doing other things and not concentrating on winning. I have no problem saying that.

In case you haven’t heard, Jeter’s mansion was finished a month or so ago so this seems like an obvious shot at him, right? When he was asked if it was a shot at Jeter, Hank said he wasn’t singling any individual out. I call foul on that. Of course he was singling Jeet out; Captain is coming off the worst season of his career and, my guess is, Hank is probably pissed about the new contract he just got.

That was a dickhead thing to say. Unfortunately, he wasn’t done:

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