Yankees notebook: Cervelli back, eager to help

NEW YORK – Francisco Cervelli wants to pitch in, even pitch if need be.

"Give water, sunflower seeds, whatever," Cervelli said. "I don't care."

After straining his right hamstring trying to beat out a potential double-play ball against the Red Sox April 13, Cervelli was finally activated from the 60-day disabled list for the Yankees' series opener against the Blue Jays Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.

When he got injured, it was in a game when the backup catcher was at first for the second time in five starts. Joe Girardi indicated he may use Cervelli there some more when Mark Teixeira isn't manning the position, depending on the matchups.

"I think I'm comfortable there, but I don't want to forget about catching," Cervelli said. "That's what I like to do. But I want to help the team any way I can."

Last year, he broke his hand in April and missed the Yankees' final 140 games. There was a 50-game Biogenesis-related suspension in there, too. This year's injury came with a 55-game price tag.

"It's frustrating, but this time I take it a different way," Cervelli said. "I was real positive and spent time with my dad a lot and working a lot on my hamstring."

John Ryan Murphy replaced him and hit .286 with a homer and eight RBI in 24 games. But he got sent down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to make room.

"Obviously we were pleased with what he did," Joe Girardi said. "He got his share of playing time. But we think it's important that he goes and plays every day and continues in his development."

Rotation update: Michael Pineda, after being shut down in the wake of a setback with that muscle in the right shoulder area, is scheduled to play catch Saturday.

CC Sabathia threw a combined total of 25 fastballs and changeups in a bullpen session Monday and said his troublesome right knee came through it well. So he will throw all his pitches in a bullpen session Wednesday.

Girardi said it was fair to compare this to the start of spring training for him, so the lefty could be at least six weeks away. He's hoping for less.

"This is one of the toughest things I've ever had to deal with in my career," Sabathia said.

Rotation fill-in Vidal Nuno is 1-3 with a 5.90 ERA after 14 outings, including 11 starts. Set-up man Adam Warren has been mentioned as a possible replacement, but he would need to be stretched out. Girardi said Warren could only go up to about 50 pitches now.

"We'll continue to evaluate our staff and decide what we're going to do," Girardi said.

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