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Yankees' Joe Girardi still upset at Rays pitchers

 
New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi (28) is restrained as it appears he was attempting to go after Rays relief pitcher Steven Geltz (54) after he hit Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (2) and umps warn both benches as tempers fly during the 8th inning at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg on Tuesday evening (09/16/14). Yankees manager Joe Girardi is ejected.
New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi (28) is restrained as it appears he was attempting to go after Rays relief pitcher Steven Geltz (54) after he hit Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (2) and umps warn both benches as tempers fly during the 8th inning at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg on Tuesday evening (09/16/14). Yankees manager Joe Girardi is ejected.
Published Sept. 18, 2014

ST. PETERSBURG — Yankees manager Joe Girardi stuck to his criticism of the Rays' pitchers Wednesday, complaining again that they need to learn how to better pitch inside.

"I think we had a right to get upset, just because of what's happened in the last (five) games against them," Girardi said Wednesday, after making similar comments following Tuesday's game. "There's been a lot of balls that are awful high. That's what bothers me. … When they're up and in, up by the neck and the head, I have a problem with that."

The Rays were quick to brush off the criticism, reiterating they have not been throwing intentionally at Yankees hitters. Manager Joe Maddon said he assumed Girardi was speaking out of frustration and in "a less stressful moment" would conclude otherwise.

"I think our pitchers are pretty good, actually," Maddon said.

Girardi mentioned several times that the Rays had hit five Yankees hitters over the previous five games. They hit another in Wednesday's 3-2 New York win. But in the 19-game season series, which ended Wednesday, the teams plunked each other eight times each. More significantly, since 2010 the Yankees have hit 41 Rays batters, the Rays 25 Yankees.

Girardi said the past numbers were not relevant, just that the recent games were "disturbing" and the Rays need to do better.

Maddon acknowledged they have pitchers who are more successful when they throw up and in, but he said that is much different from throwing at batter's heads. And, he added, "I would never tell the Yankees how to train their pitchers."

HOT ROD: Rays INF Sean Rodriguez was by far the most animated and angry player on the field Tuesday when the benches and bullpens emptied, and he said Wednesday he had his reasons.

One was the way Girardi yelled and pointed at Rays rookie RHP Steve Geltz after he hit Derek Jeter — "I thought that was absolutely wrong" — and the other the way several Yankees charged out of the dugout as the incident started after New York's David Phelps threw too close to Kevin Kiermaier.

"I guess I can apologize. Maybe I went too far with the way I was acting, but I won't apologize to defend what I thought was right and my teammate and all that," Rodriguez said.

MATTER OF SEMANTICS: Yankees 3B Chase Headley took exception to Maddon on Tuesday referring to him being "grazed in the chin" by a Jake McGee fastball last week in New York, given that he was told by doctors "it was a miracle" his jaw wasn't shattered.

"I wasn't thrilled when I saw it," Headley said. "It could be construed as minimizing what happened in context to how everything else is going. If Evan Longoria got hit like that, or Ben Zobrist or one of their guys, (Maddon) wouldn't use that term."

Maddon, questioned by the New York media on his word choice, said his point was simply that Headley wasn't hurt worse.

"If he's offended by the word 'grazed,' I apologize for that," Maddon said. "I didn't mean it in any lack of respectful way. My point was I was happy he was not hit more squarely and hurt on a more permanent basis."

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MISCELLANY: The Rays took a lead for the 12th straight game and lost for the fifth time. … RHP Brandon McCarthy had the second immaculate inning against the Rays — striking out the side on nine pitches; the other was by Baltimore's Mike Mussina in 1998. … RHP Chris Archer visited St. Petersburg's Melrose Elementary, teaming with the Good Sports group to present $5,000 worth of physical education, playground and fitness equipment. … The Rays fell to 25-21 in one-run games. … Longoria was recognized pregame as the Rays' nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, given at the World Series to a player who makes positive contributions to the game on and off the field.