Iwakuma 00740314

02/29/2008 7:15 PM ET
Notes: Igawa not concerned
Lefty's control 'pretty good' despite grand slam vs. USF
By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com








TAMPA, Fla. -- The Yankees granted Kei Igawa the freedom to incorporate his own preparation routine this year, urging him to follow the regimen that helped make him successful in Japan.
One inning into the "new" spring program, the left-hander's results still leave much to be desired. Igawa served up a grand slam to the University of South Florida's Eric Baumann on Friday, part of a troubling sixth inning in which he also walked two batters, hit another and threw a wild pitch.

"I'm not too worried at this point," Igawa said through an interpreter. "It is the first game. I'm able to realize what I need to work on. That is a positive, moving forward."

Igawa, 28, said that his control overall felt "pretty good" and that he is healthy. But those comments are ones that the Yankees have heard before -- after continued struggles last season at the Major League level, Igawa spent time at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and also at Class A Tampa, working on his mechanics.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said that he was not concerned by Igawa's rocky outing. The club plans to have Igawa pitch again on Tuesday against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla.

"He got himself in trouble with a walk and hit a guy," Girardi said. "He didn't finish off the slider, and he got in some bad counts, which hurt, but it's early. Your pitches aren't going to be as sharp now as they're going to be in a month."

While the effort was one Igawa would love to forget, it will be indelibly marked in at least one mind.

Baumann, 23, played two years of college baseball at Duke University before undergoing shoulder surgery, and he nearly gave up the game for good before making the USF roster this year. His pinch-hit at-bat against Igawa was his second for the Bulls.

"I just had a good idea that he'd throw me away, a breaking ball of some type," Baumann said. "I just kept my weight back and my hands inside to hit the ball hard somewhere. I saw it good coming out of the hand and did everything right."

A Tampa native, Baumann said that he had numerous friends and family among the 10,482 at Legends Field, including his parents and grandmother. He said he'd relish telling the story of Friday's at-bat for decades to come.

"I wanted to do my best and end it on my terms," Baumann said.

Friendship hurts: Derek Jeter's exhibition schedule got off to a painful start, as the shortstop was drilled in the left forearm by a first-inning fastball.

Jeter was hit by USF right-hander Shawn Sanford's 1-2 pitch, and afterward, Girardi said that Jeter yelled jokingly at USF head coach Lelo Prado, telling him that he was no longer going to take him to dinner.

"You do cringe," Girardi said. "Sometimes that's the scary part about playing these types of games. You worry that young kids get overhyped and get out of their mechanics a little bit and try to do too much."

Not surprisingly, Jeter said he would be fine.

College try: The Yankees' exhibition against USF, spurred on by volunteer Bulls assistant coach Tino Martinez, was New York's first against a college team since a game against San Diego State at Tony Gwynn Field on March 30, 1998, one the Yankees won, 12-3.

Infielder Morgan Ensberg laid claim to the line of the day, telling his teammates, "You know, if we keep playing like this, we'll be in Omaha in June."

Ensberg would know. He played third base for the University of Southern California club that secured the 1998 College World Series title, along with Yankees non-roster invitee Jason Lane.

Long road ahead: Forgive general manager Brian Cashman for not getting too excited about Friday's back-to-back-to-back display of Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes.

Last year, when the Yankees were considering promoting a pitcher, Cashman drove up to New Britain, Conn., and watched both Chamberlain and Eastern League Pitcher of the Year Alan Horne struggle in games while pitching for Double-A Trenton. The lesson? You just can't read too much into one game, though he did compliment Horne, Jeff Marquez and Chase Wright for throwing scoreless innings.

"They all stayed healthy," Cashman said. "That's really all that matters."

Bombers bits: Colin Curtis, an outfielder who spent time at Class A and Double-A last season, had a notable day. He made a diving catch in right field to end the fifth inning and also doubled. ... George, Hank and Hal Steinbrenner watched the game from a third-floor suite. ... Rich "Goose" Gossage threw out Friday's ceremonial first pitch. ... Girardi plans to watch his alma mater, Northwestern, play USF on Saturday evening.

Coming up: The Yankees will face their first Major League club of the spring on Saturday, visiting the Phillies in Clearwater, Fla. Right-hander Chien-Ming Wang (19-7, 3.70 ERA in 2007) will make his '08 debut for the Yankees, and he is scheduled to pitch two innings. Darrell Rasner, Chris Britton, Jonathan Albaladejo, Heath Phillips, Dan Giese and Ross Ohlendorf are also scheduled to work for New York.

The Phillies will start right-hander Adam Eaton (10-10, 6.29 ERA in 2007), with first pitch slated for 1:05 p.m. ET.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.