Derek Jeter

You can add Derek Jeter to the extensive list of injured Yankees who might miss Opening Day. The Yankees will open their 2013 season on April 1 in the Bronx vs. the Red Sox. Jon Lester and CC Sabathia are the expected starters for opening day.

Jeter missed his second consecutive spring training game Wednesday, due to inflammation in his surgically repaired left ankle. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who is dealing with an injury of his own, said that there is a chance that the 13-time All-Star could begin the season on the disabled list.

“At this stage, I just don’t know, so all I can do is acknowledge it’s a possibility,” Cashman said.

The 38-year-old shortstop broke his ankle during the 2012 ALCS against the Tigers, in which the Yankees were defeated 4-0. Jeter recently received an anti-inflammatory injection in his ankle.

“We’ve got to do what’s right for him,” Cashman said. “Whatever’s right for him will be right for us. I’m not saying he’s going to be DL’ed, but I can’t tell you it won’t be. I don’t think it’s anything serious, I just think it’s a timing issue.”

Jeter played in his first spring training game on March 9 against the Braves, and has appeared in five total games. He was removed from the lineup Tuesday against the Phillies for “precautionary” reasons because his ankle felt stiff.

The future Hall-of-Famer led the American League in hits last season with 216, while also posting a .316 batting average, 15 homers and 58 runs batted in.

“The doctor said, basically, you can experience a lot of different things along the pathway, so it’s not a surprise,” Cashman said. “His rehab has gone extremely well, but obviously after the back to back, it barked a little bit. He’s going to have ups and downs in the early portion of it, but eventually at some point he’ll be past this. We’ve just got to make sure we take the right steps so it’s eventually behind him.”

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Welcome to Tuesday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

TUESDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NHL: Bruins at Capitals, 7 p.m. (NESN)
NHL: Flyers at Rangers, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
NBA: Celtics at 76ers, 7 p.m. (CSNNE, TNT; WEEI-FM)
NBA: Lakers at Thunder, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
College basketball: Boston College at Clemson, 7 p.m. (NESN Plus; WEEI-AM)
College basketball: Illinois at Iowa, 7 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
College basketball: Southern Mississippi at Marshall, 7 p.m. (CBSSN)
College basketball: Virginia Tech at Duke, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
College basketball: St. John’s at Notre Dame, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
College basketball: Arkansas at Missouri, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Memphis at UTEP, 9 p.m. (CBSSN)
College basketball: Ohio State at Indiana, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
College basketball: Alabama at Mississippi, 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
World Baseball Classic: Chinese Taipei vs. Korea, 6:30 a.m. (MLB Network)
MLB preseason: Dominican Republic at Phillies, 1 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLB preseason: Mexico at Diamondbacks, 9 p.m. (MLB Network)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ South Florida radio station WQAM fired sports talk show host Dan Sileo after a number of controversial comments during his 11-months with the station, including a Twitter attack on Fox Sports broadcaster Erin Andrews.

Tweeted Sileo: FIRED FOR SPEAKING MY MIND BABY!!!! Love it!!

And: Want to thank the Folks at WQAM for having me…We differ on content…WISH them WELL and GOOD LUCK..I WILL NEVER CHANGE!!!!

Sileo, who was fired from his previous job at Tampa’s WDAE after referring to three black NFL players as “monkeys,” was suspended two days in January after starting a Twitter war with Andrews. In one of Sileo’s tweets, he wrote: Love Erin Andrews either naked or in a porn. Not at a sports desk.

“We parted ways with him and wish him well,” program director Jorge Sedano told The Miami Herald.

A former University of Miami defensive lineman who played 10 games in the NFL with the Buccaneers in 1987, Sileo famously went off on the Hurricanes in September following a 52-13 loss at Kansas State, saying that the players should “pull a knife on [the opposing quarterback] and stick him.” WQAM is the flagship station of the team’s radio network.

♦ A private group is looking to get Mayor Thomas Menino‘s approval to campaign to get the Summer Olympics in Boston in 2024. The Boston Olympic Exploratory Committee expects the mayor’s approval following a meeting with City Hall officials Monday, committee chairman Eric Reddy told The Boston Globe.

“What we want is a green light to pursue this for, say, five months and see how far we get,” Reddy said. “We would form a [nonprofit organization] and begin to seek donations.”

Boston was one of 35 municipalities to make a bid to the U.S. Olympic Committee two weeks ago. The United States has not hosted the Summer Olympics since 1996 (Atlanta).

♦ Yankees general manager Brian Cashman broke his leg and dislocated his ankle landing a parachute jump Monday with the Golden Knights of the U.S. Army.

Cashman underwent surgery Monday after suffering the injury on his second jump of the day. The event was designed to raise awareness for the Wounded Warrior Project.

“I’m in great spirits, and it was an awesome experience,” Cashman said from his Florida hospital, via the New York Daily News. “The Golden Knights are first class. While I certainly didn’t intend to raise awareness in exactly this fashion, I’m extremely happy that the Wounded Warrior Project is getting the well-deserved additional attention.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On March 5, 2002, Joe Kerrigan was fired as Red Sox manager by the new ownership group. Who was named interim manager until Grady Little was hired six days later?

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Welcome to Wednesday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

WEDNESDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NBA: Wizards at Celtics, 7:30 p.m. (CSNNE; WEEI-FM)
NBA: 76ers at Hornets, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
NBA: Spurs at Clippers, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)
College football: Bowling Green at Ohio, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)

AROUND THE WEB:

♦ Veteran Lakers guard Steve Blake was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Tuesday for using inappropriate language toward one of the team’s front-row fans during Friday night’s loss to the Clippers at Staples Center.

Lance Jackson, whose father is a longtime owner of eight courtside seats and reportedly has hosted Lakers players at his home gym, gave Blake a hard time while the player was having a bad shooting night. Blake started firing back late in the game. After fouling out in the final minute, Blake walked across the court and over to Jackson to berate him before taking his seat on the bench.

“It’s one of those moments you’re not proud of,” Blake said Tuesday.

Said Jackson, who reached out to Blake and had a face-to-face reconciliation with him at the team’s practice facility Tuesday: “I’m just sorry it got to this point.”

♦ It’s been a few weeks since the Yankees were ignominiously swept out of the playoffs by the Tigers in the ALCS and fans were calling for Alex Rodriguez to be traded. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, speaking Tuesday at the general managers meetings in Indian Wells, Calif., reiterated that he does not anticipate discussing any deals involving the 37-year-old third baseman this offseason.

“I don’t see that happening,” said Cashman, whose boss has indicated the team should look to shed payroll in the near future.

♦ Someone apparently created a fake Twitter account for a freshman defensive back at UCLA and used it to talk trash to a player for crosstown rival USC in advance of the team’s meeting in a couple of weeks. This did not sit well with UCLA coach Jim Mora, who said a harsh sentence should await the hacker.

“I think it’s a frickin’ joke that somebody would do that,” Mora said. “I think you’re the lowest form of life form if you were to portray yourself as an 18-year-old young man who is out here trying to do his best. Trying to stir it up, attributing comments to him that aren’t his, I think he ought to go to jail. That’s how I feel. I think you’re a scumbag.”

Added Mora: “I challenge that guy to come out here. He won’t, though; he’s a coward. Or girl, whoever it is.”

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Nov. 7, 1950, which Red Sox player beat out Yankees pitcher Whitey Ford to be named American League Rookie of the Year?

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CC Sabathia

Yankees ace CC Sabathia had arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow on Thursday.

The Yankees expect Sabathia to fully recover before the start of next season.

“They found a small bone spur,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. “It was a quick and minor cleanup. We’ll take him along slowly through spring training and he’ll be ready for Opening Day.”

Cashman had said the team would assess Sabathia’s elbow in the offseason, particularly after his poor performance in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Tigers.

Sabathia was on the disabled list from Aug. 8-24 when the same elbow was inflamed.

Alex Rodriguez

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said the club will be sticking with Alex Rodriguez at third base next season.

Girardi, who benched Rodriguez during three of the Yankees’ nine postseason games, said Rodriguez wouldn’t have to compete for the everyday starting position during spring training.

“I expect Alex to be our everyday third baseman,” Girardi said during his end-of-the-year news conference. “What is he going to have to show me? That he is healthy and ready to go.”

Rodriguez was without a hit in 18 at-bats against righties in the postseason and finished the season without a home run in his final 93 at-bats.

Girardi said he would meet with Rodriguez in the offseason to talk about his health and the upcoming season.

The Yankees could try to trade the 14-time-All-Star, but Rodriguez could block any deal. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman previously said that he would consider trade offers for any player but isn’t actively trying to move A-Rod.

Welcome to Monday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

MONDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
MLB playoffs: Cardinals at Giants, 8 p.m. (Fox; WEEI-AM)
NFL: Lions at Bears, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN; WEEI-FM)
NBA preseason: Bucks at Raptors, 7 p.m. (NBA TV)
NBA preseason: Warriors at Clippers, 10:30 p.m. (NBA TV)

AROUND THE WEB:

The New York Daily News imagined Alex Rodriguez as a member of the Marlins. (AP)

♦ The drumbeat in New York continues for the Yankees to trade Alex Rodriguez, but general manager Brian Cashman is showing loyalty — at least publicly — to the team’s embattled slugger. While acknowledging he will listen to offers for any of his players, Cashman insisted Sunday that it’s “unrealistic” to think he’s going to trade A-Rod.

“If anyone wastes their time thinking Alex Rodriguez is not going to be with us in spring training, they’d be wrong,” Cashman told the New York Daily News.

Rodriguez might think he’s still an elite player, but Cashman seems convinced that the 37-year-old’s contributions to the Yankees will be far more limited. Rodriguez hit .120 (3-for-25) with no RBIs in the 2012 postseason and was benched in the latter half of the Tigers’ ALCS sweep.

“Is he still a superstar? No,” Cashman said. “Is he still an above-average player at his position? Yes. He was this year and we expect him to be one moving forward.”

Added Cashman in an interview with the New York Post: “I don’t see how we are better without Alex playing third base.”

♦ The Chargers reportedly are being investigated by the NFL for trying to use a sticky substance on receivers’ hands during last Monday night’s loss to the Broncos. According to Fox Sports, an equipment manager was caught trying to sneak the banned substance onto the field in a towel during a timeout.

“We are aware of the inquiry and are cooperating fully with the league,” the Chargers said in a statement.

The news comes just days after the team’s director of public relations, Bill Johnston, wrote a story on the team’s website headlined, “Take a chill pill.” In the piece, Johnston chastised fans for their negativity.

“If you want these players and coaches to succeed, then support them,” Johnston wrote. “Don’t tear them down. What you want and what we all want, including your team, is to know people believe in them.”

♦ The Washington City Paper has decided to no longer refer to the city’s NFL team as the Redskins due to the nickname’s offensive legacy. Readers voted that the paper should refer to the team as the Pigskins or the Hogs. The other options — none of which came close in the voting — were the Monuments, Bammas, Half-Smokes and Washingtons.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On Oct. 22, 1975, the Red Sox lost Game 7 of the 1975 World Series to the Reds. 6-5. Which Sox rookie pitcher surrendered the game-winning run in the top of the ninth?

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CC Sabathia

Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia said his left elbow was not an issue during the 3 2/3 innings he pitched of Game 4 of the ALCS on Thursday.

Sabathia gave up five earned runs, 11 hits and two home runs in Thursday’s 8-1 loss to the Tigers that eliminated the Yankees from the postseason.

Sabathia spent time on the disabled list in August with soreness in his left elbow, but he said it wasn’t an issue Thursday night.

“It felt good,” he said. “It felt good enough to pitch tonight.”

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman isn’t taking any chances with Sabathia, though, and says the elbow will be examined during the offseason.

“Let’s put it this way, we’re going to look at that elbow, no doubt about it,” Cashman said. “That will be on the list of things we have to look at now that the offseason’s here. Whether he wants to or not, we’re going to go look into this thing and make sure everything’s OK.”

Sabathia was expected to be a savior in Thursday’s game, especially after his complete-game performance against the Orioles in which he allowed just one run. He finished the season 15-6 with a 3.38 ERA and 197 strikeouts.

The Yankees are unsure when starting pitcher Andy Pettitte will return to the rotation, the New York Post reported.

“We have to let the healing process take its course,’’ said Cashman. “He had that setback which cost him a week to 10 days, but he is in the middle of the healing process.’’

The 40-year-old has not pitched since June 27, when he took a line drive to his right ankle that fractured it. Cashman said he thinks Petite will return some time the next month.

Before his injury Pettitte started nine games and recorded a 3-3 record with a 3.22 ERA.

Ivan Nova is one of the pitchers starting in Pettitte’s absence. Nova allowed 16 runs in his last two starts combined, both losses.

Joba Chamberlain returns to the Yankees after sustaining multiple injuries. (AP)

Joba Chamberlain was scheduled to pitch a rehab start with Double-A Trenton on Tuesday, but he instead found himself with the Yankees bullpen in the Bronx.

Chamberlain’s return happened once the Yankees swapped reliever Chad Qualls with Pittsburgh’s Casey McGehee, opening up a spot for Chamberlain.

In addition to undergoing Tommy John surgery and an appendectomy, the 26-year-old suffered a dislocated ankle and a torn MCL before this season.

“I talked to my trainer today and said, ‘Hey, listen, if we trade and lose Chad Qualls, is there any medical reason that would be of concern to activate Joba starting tonight?’ ” general manager Brian Cashman said. “He said, ‘No.’ I said, ‘OK.’ ”

Chamberlain tossed seven rehab starts, allowing one run through 9 1/3 innings. The righty, who has not pitched in the majors this season, has a career ERA of 3.70 through five seasons and 193 games with the Yankees.

Welcome to Friday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire.

FRIDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NBA playoffs: Grizzlies at Clippers, 9 p.m. (ESPN)
MLB: Indians at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)
MLB: Angels at Rangers 8:05 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLB: Cubs at Brewers, 8 pm. (WGN)

SATURDAY:
NBA playoffs: 76ers at Celtics, 8 p.m. (TNT; WEEI)
NBA playoffs: Nuggets at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. (TNT)
NHL playoffs: Capitals at Rangers, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB: Indians at Red Sox, 7:10 p.m. (NESN; WRKO)
MLB: Angels at Rangers, 1 p.m. (Fox)
MLB: Royals at White Sox, 7 p.m. (WGN)
MLB: Braves at Cardinals, 7 p.m. (MLB Network)
MLS: Whitecaps at Revolution, 7:30 p.m. (CSNNE)

SUNDAY:
NBA playoffs (if necessary): Clippers at Grizzlies, 1 p.m. (ABC)
NBA playoffs: Pacers at Heat, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
NHL playoffs: Kings at Coyotes, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)
MLB: Indians at Red Sox, 1:35 p.m. (NESN; WEEI)
MLB: Cubs at Brewers, 2 p.m. (WGN)
MLB: Braves at Cardinals, 2:15 p.m. (TBS)
MLB: Angels at Rangers, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

AROUND THE WEB:

New 49ers receiver Randy Moss catches a pass during Thursday's practice in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP)

♦ Randy Moss began his NFL comeback with his first formal practice for the 49ers Thursday in Santa Clara, Calif., and Niners quarterback Alex Smith said the former Patriot looked smooth.

“It’s tough to tell that he missed a year of football. I certainly don’t see any rust,” Smith said of the 35-year-old. “He’s running well, catching well. No surprise, he’s a pro and already has a good understanding of the playbook.”

Added safety Donte Whitner: “He still looks the same. He never, ever since he’s been playing football has looked like he’s been running fast. But he’s a long strider, and when you actually run against him, he’s really running really fast. He’s running the same as he’s always run. His body looks like a younger Randy Moss, so I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do on the football field.”

Moss also showed he was in midseason form in terms of his dealings with the media, as he has little to say following the hour-long workout.

“Work is over, baby, we’re out of here,” he said as he drove away.

♦ Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, while saying reports of his rift with receiver Santonio Holmes were “ridiculous,” “out of control” and “way overblown,” said he worked out with Holmes last month after two earlier offseason visits to Holmes’ Florida residence, and the pair agreed to put the issue behind them.

“It was good to just kind of talk, away from the building, away from football, and talk about how things didn’t go so well last year, how we can move on and get better,” Sanchez said Thursday. “As soon as we came back [for offseason workouts in New Jersey last month, we said] that we’d never talk about it again and let’s just move forward. That’s exactly what he’s done. That’s what I expect him to do. He expected the same from me. It was important that we had that time, and now we’re back and you would never [think] it happened.”

Added Sanchez: “It gave us something to laugh about and move on. And we’re good.”

♦ Yankees general manager Brian Cashman testified Thursday that Roger Clemens asked for the team to hire Brian McNamee after Clemens was shelled at Fenway Park in a 1999 ALCS loss to the Red Sox. Two year later, the Yankees parted ways with McNamee, after the trainer ruffled feathers in the clubhouse.

“This particular individual, Mr. McNamee, did not get along with people,” Cashman said.

Cashman also acknowledged the Clemens continued to use McNamee — who has claimed he injected the pitcher with steroids and HGH — as his personal trainer at late as 2007.

♦ Nuggets center Chris “Birdman” Andersen missed Thursday night’s playoff win over the Lakers after police searched his home as part of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children unit.

A team-issued statement said Andersen was “excused from all team-related activities indefinitely as he deals with the reported investigation.”

Andersen is in his his seventh season in Denver and 10th in the NBA. In 2006 he was banned for violating the league’s drug policy, and he returned two years later.

ON THIS DAY TRIVIA: On May 11, 1978, in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup semifinals, the Bruins beat the Flyers, 6-3. Which Bruin recorded a goal and four assists to fuel the series-clinching win?

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