TAMPA, Fla. — Johnny Blanchard, who played in five consecutive World Series for the Yankees in the early 1960s, died Wednesday of a heart attack in Minnesota. He was 76.
A key player off the bench when the Yankees won five AL pennants from 1960-64, Blanchard batted .345 (10-for-29) in the World Series overall and hit two home runs as New York defeated Cincinnati in the 1961 Series.
“This is a sad day,” Hall of Famer Yogi Berra said. “Johnny was a good friend and a great teammate. He was proud of being a Yankee and always fun to be around. We’ll miss him.”
Blanchard is one of four players in Yankees history to homer in four consecutive at-bats, accomplishing the feat over three games from July 21-26, 1961.
Smoltz pitches from mound
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Right-hander John Smoltz pitched from the mound in a Red Sox uniform for the first time, testing his surgically repaired shoulder by throwing 40 pitches in the bullpen.
Smoltz, 41, threw to a crouching catcher for the first time this spring.
“(It’s) totally different than throwing to a catcher standing up,” Smoltz said. “I didn’t think it was going to be that big a deal and it was. It’s just getting used to it all over again.”
He is scheduled to for another bullpen session Saturday.
Footnotes.
Angels ace John Lackey was shut down because of elbow tightness, an injury that could jeopardize his opening-day start against Oakland on April 6.
• Outfielder Trot Nixon was released by the Brewers after going 4-for-38 in the spring.
• Rays reliever David Price, who earned a save against Boston in Game 7 of last year’s ALCS, was optioned to Triple-A Durham (N.C.).
• Right-hander Danny Graves has been granted his release by the Astros.
• Left-hander Scott Lewis and right-hander Anthony Reyes will open the season as Cleveland’s fourth and fifth starters.
• Arthur Richman, who spent four decades as an executive with the Mets and Yankees, died in his sleep. He was 83.
The Associated Press
