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It wasn't live hitters under the great outdoors, but Yankees pitching coach Dave Eiland got creative with Andy Pettitte's three-inning simulated game at the indoor cage. Pettitte threw 50 pitches and acted like he was facing the Phillies, against whome he pitches against for real on Wednesday. Eiland added extra realism to the session by occasionally calling a foul ball instead of a strike three.

"This was good for me," Pettitte said. "Defintely good for me. The way the weather’s been, I just had to get my work in here today."

Wednesday, March 17, will mark Pettitte's first start this spring, but he's far enough into a long career to where that's not a concern.

"I need my sequences," Pettitte said. "That's all I need to get into a rhythm. I’m just at a stage where, emotionally, I’m not going to get overwhelmed when I’m in a regular game where it's going to change that much.”

Seems like half the state of Florida is getting a shower. Four Spring Training games scheduled for this afternoon were cancelled including Yankees-Nationals and Mets-Twins. At least the two New York teams were spared endlessly long bus rides.

I've taken the trip to Fort Myers more than once. Trust me, it's a test of endurance on the eyes.

This was the scene Thursday night at Steinbrenner Field as one of Florida's notorious rainstorms forced the cancellation of Braves vs. Yankees. Not letting up, the rain also put the kibosh on today's scheduled game against the Nationals in Viera, Fla.

Andy Pettitte was scheduled to start. No word on the plan for today back in Tampa, but figure on Pettitte throwing some sort of session and anything that can be done indoors.

UPDATE 12:10 p.m. Via Chad Jennings: Pettitte will throw a bullpen session and not pitch in a game until Wednesday. Joba Chamberlain will be the first man out of the pen on the 17th while Phil Hughes will relieve A.J. Burnett - rain cancelled his start Thursday night - on Tuesday.

TONIGHT IN TAMPA
Weather permitting, the Yankees host the Atlanta Braves (YES HD, 7 p.m.). A.J. Burnett gets the start against Jair Jurrjens.

PREVIOUS GAME
Joba  Chamberlain was blasted for six runs on five hits in 2 1/3 innings with three walks and a strikeout – big blow coming on Gerald Laird’s grand slam. Phil Hughes wasn't much better (2 2/3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K) and received a big (glove) hand from Granderson when he ran down a fly ball to center with his back to the plate. Granderson also had two singles and a walk in his return to his old Spring Training home and had. Mark Teixeira took former Yankee Phil Coke deep to left for his first homer of the Grapefruit season

WHAT TO WATCH FOR
If it rains hard enough to postpone the game. If not, Burnett will continue to experiment with a change-up he hopes will develop into another weapon this season. Marcus Thames (LF), Randy Winn (DH) and Jamie Hoffman (CF) – all vying for playing time – are in the starting lineup.

WHAT NOT TO WATCH FOR
Derek Jeter was scratched from the original lineup with the flu. There's a bug flying around the Yankees clubhouse and the captain will be held out until Saturday, Tweets our own Jack Curry.

QUOTABLE
"I understand fully what's at stake but I also understand there's no panic button. There's a sense of urgency, trust me." – Joba Chamberlain

"I think it comes down to, 'Does he trust what we're saying?' And I think he does."- Joe Girardi on Phil Hughes working on his change-up.

LINKED UP
When Chamberlain pitches Tuesday against the Astros, he will be facing the biggest Spring Training game of his career, writes George King ... Chamberlain is running fifth in this five-horse race after two starts, writes Kevin Kernan.

YANKEES LINEUP
Randy Winn DH
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jorge Posada C
Marcus Thames LF
Jamie Hoffmann CF
Ramiro Pena SS
Reegie Corona 2B

Pitching: A.J. Burnett

Yankees baseball is scheduled tonight on the YES Network at 7 p.m. - weather permitting. The skies are dark and gray in Tampa, Fla., kind of appropriate synergy to the tough week it's been in sports and pop culture. One of the main topics around the Yankees is - unfortunately - a pending meeting between Alex Rodriguez and federal investigators looking for answers on A-Rod's involvement with Dr. Anthony Galea, suspected of distributing performance-enhancing drugs to various athletes Dr. Galea said this week he never gave HGH to A-Rod, but the Yankees will soon want answers as to why he saw him without permission.

Yesterday we lost Corey Haim, the 1980s teen idol who fell victim to his demons at the age of 38. This morning we learned that the great Merlin Olsen died after a battle with mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung lining, at 69.

Full disclosure: As a little boy in my household and my aunt's across the backyard, "Little House on the Prairie" was a staple on the TV sets. Olsen's character in the series was Jonathan Garvey, a friend of the Ingalls' family. One night we were watching when my dad told me that Olsen was a great football player who excelled with Deacon Jones, Lamar Lundy and Rosey Grier on the Los Angeles Rams' heralded "Fearsome Foursome" defensive line, which sparked a defense that in 1968 allowed an NFL-record fewest total yards. Over the years I'd learn that Olsen became the Rams' all-time leader in career tackles (915), was named to 14 straight Pro Bowls and voted into the Hall of Fame in 1982. Check out this cool tribute to No. 74, feared on the field but a gentle giant off it.

I also learned this morning that Yankee Stadium's demolition is heading down the stretch. WFAN.com has a photo gallery of the upper deck coming down and I have to admit it's extremely tough on the eyes. The emotional pull of this video, however, is much more powerful.