Bird down to .100 but Joe has faith

ROOKIE first baseman Greg Bird continued to struggle at the plate, going 0-for-4 Monday. Bird’s average dipped to an unsightly .100, but manager Joe Girardi said after the 7-1 loss that he and the front office “still really believe in this kid,” and that a prolonged slump would have to occur before consideration would be given to send Bird to the minors.

“Our job is to find a way to get (Bird) through this,” said Girardi. “If he’s completely lost for a substantial period of time, then you talk about (a demotion to the minors). I’ve said all along, I think he’s had some pretty good at-bats. I don’t really think he’s chased a lot.”

Bird, who is still hampered by a bum right ankle that he injured in spring training when he fouled a ball off his foot, said he’s not thinking about any demotion, but rather, trying to break out of his funk at the plate.

“Like I’ve said before, I know what I’m capable of. I think these guys do, too. It’s frustrating, but I’ve got to deal with it,” said Bird. “Keep working. That’s what it comes down to. I take some good swings. I don’t know. I feel like I’ve done a better job. Right now, I’m playing, going out there, giving it my all. I think (the ankle injury) is slowly getting better. I’ve got to do better.”

C-E-S SPEllS RElIEF

Before Monday’s game, the Yankees optioned righthander Bryan Mitchell to Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre and recalled RHP Luis Cessa. Mitchell was the losing pitcher in Sunday’s game against Baltimore, when he played first base in between pitching the ninth and 11th innings.

“We’re kind of calling up one longer guy for another longer guy,” said Girardi before the game. “The one thing we hate to be is in a situation that, if something happens early to one of our pitchers, you don’t have enough pitching to cover it. We felt with the way our bullpen has been taxed the last few days - not sure how much Adam (Warren) was available (Monday) - that we needed someone that could provide some distance if we needed it.”

Cessa entered in the sixth inning, and pitched 3.1 innings, giving up two runs on four hits.

CHASED OFF

Chase Headley had Monday off. “I just felt like he could use a day. He’s been going hard, playing extremely well,” said Girardi. Ronald Torreyes started at third and batted ninth... Jacoby Ellsbury said he “jammed” his left elbow after he crashed into the wall making a sixthinning catch of Ryan Goins’ fly ball, and Ellsbury said he would see how it felt today.