Joe Girardi “Needs to See Something” From Yankees Star Masahiro Tanaka on Tuesday

Zimbio.com

On Monday before the Yankees took the field in the last week of spring training play Yankees’ manager Joe Girardi made a bold statement about pitcher Masahiro Tanaka.

Tanaka, who has had his share of injuries with the Yankees will be taking the mound in his last start of the spring on Tuesday, but this time he is pitching for an Opening Day start.

“He has to show me something,” Girardi said to reporters before the game. “We want to see him dial it up a little bit.”

Tanaka has had a spring to forget, pitching to a 7.36 ERA over four starts.

“We want to make sure we feel that he’s ready and that he feels good about where he’s at before we really talk about who’s going to be our Opening Day starter Girardi said.

The Yankees have lined up Tanaka for the Opening Day start throughout spring training and have given him plenty of rest, but now the team wants to see results before naming an Opening Day Starter.

“I’m sure it’s possible that’s in the back of his mind,” Girardi said to reporters about the possibility Tanaka is thinking about injury. “But we’ve seen him throw well. We saw him throw some really good games last year and he wasn’t holding back. Anyone’s arm could get hurt at any time. A guy that maybe doesn’t even have a sign, who’s never had an injury, it could happen. It just does. But you have to go out there and have your best stuff if you can.”

Tanaka will take the mound on Tuesday at 1 P.M. in Clearwater when the Yankees visit the Philadelphia Phillies. Clearwater hotels are available at Hipmunk for out-of-towners looking to catch the game, and you can find cheap Clearwater flights if you’re looking to see the Yankees finish up Spring Training play this year before the regular season starts.