Yankees baseball blog

Forward march

It turns out Jason Giambi's biggest problem this spring is the tight left hamstring he is nursing. When camp opened, Giambi was Joe Torre's largest question mark. Giambi's BALCO grand-jury testimony was leaked in December. That instantly turned him into the face of steroids in baseball and the Yankees investigated ways to void the $82 million remaining on Giambi's contract.

By itself, BALCO would have been enough. But Giambi played in just 80 games last year due to an intestinal parasite and a benign pituitary tumor. Finally, there were questions about how much pounding Giambi's 34-year-old left knee, which was operated on after the 2003 season, could handle. Finally, there was the dance he was forced to do with Congress about going to Washington and testifying in the middle of March before being excused. Continue

Tino back for seconds in heated Bosox rivalry

There isn't much Tino Martinez doesn't know about being a Yankee. Six years, four world championships and 482 victories in pinstripes make it hard to imagine there's anything new, and that's one of the reasons why the Bombers brought Martinez back.

But there is at least one thing that has changed since Martinez left the Bronx following the 2001 season. Back then, the Yankees and Red Sox were rivals, to be sure, but the intensity of the feud wasn't nearly as strong as it has been over the past two seasons. Continue

Usually calm Pavano is starting to feel pressure

Carl Pavano is happy with his arm strength, pitch quality and stamina, but not his mental state. He believes that's the biggest thing left to work on. "I need to be a little calmer," Pavano, 29, said yesterday after making his final exhibition start. "I had a lot of energy coming into this start. I felt really strong coming out of the bullpen. Sometimes when you're like that, you try to do too much."

Those who know Pavano best describe him as calm and composed on the mound, which is what makes his admission of anxiousness all the more surprising. He gave up four runs, six hits and three walks in six innings against the Cincinnati Reds yesterday. Continue

Randa keys Reds' win over Yanks

The Reds came up with just enough clutch hitting to squeak out a 5-4 victory over the Yankees in front of 7,547 at Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday. Joe Randa, who has been on a tear of late, gave the Reds an early 1-0 lead with an RBI double off Carl Pavano in the first. That lead increased to 2-0 in the third, when D'Angelo Jimenez knocked in Ryan Freel with a triple.

The Yankees responded against right-hander Paul Wilson in the fourth when Ruben Sierra hit a leadoff home run to make the score 2-1. In the top of the sixth, the Yankees took a 3-2 lead with Sierra's RBI triple and John Flaherty's RBI single off reliever Danny Graves. Those were the first runs Graves has given up this spring. But the Yankees' lead didn't last for long. Continue

Randy works up to Red Sox

With his spring training outings now complete, Randy Johnson says he's planning to get himself into a "dark area" as he begins his famously intense preparation for Sunday's Opening Night showdown with the Red Sox. But the Big Unit was anything but dour yesterday, cracking jokes about everything from his own role on the team to the importance of the rivalry between the Bombers and Bosox.

"Archrival?" Johnson said with a laugh after yet another question about Boston. "It sounds like we're reading a comic book or something. It sounds like we're watching "Superman" or "Spider-Man 4." Still, Johnson knows how passionate the Yanks - George Steinbrenner, in particular - are about beating the Red Sox, and he acknowledged that he has never been a part of anything like the AL East feud. Because of that, it's hard for him to know what to expect. Continue

Wright Yankees' four-gotten man

Jaret Wright signed a $21 million contract with the Yankees and pitched his butt off in four exhibition starts. So how was the 29-year-old right-hander rewarded? By getting skipped in the Bombers' rotation for the first two weeks of the regular season. Welcome to the Yankees' universe, Jaret.

Joe Torre announced the order of his rotation yesterday, and in somewhat of a surprise, Wright, not Kevin Brown, won't make his first start of the season until April 15 against the Orioles in Baltimore. Torre and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre pared the rotation from five to four starters because three of the first 10 days of the Yankees' season are dark. Continue

Womack is better and bitter

Tony Womack was walking with less of a limp yesterday, but his feelings toward Blue Jays pitcher David Bush haven't changed. Bush drilled Womack in the left knee Monday and the Yankee second baseman indicated that he believes it was on purpose.

He didn't back off that assertion yesterday, either. When asked if he thought some bad blood might linger when the Yankees play the Jays in a two-game series April 20-21, Womack shrugged. "I know the guy's name," he said. "I know who was pitching. That's all that matters. I know which team he plays for." Continue

Torre fears Brown-out

Kevin Brown should come with a soundtrack. Tick, tick, tick. He is a human time bomb, and Joe Torre and Mel Stottlemyre know at some point, physically or mentally, he will blow up on them. Last year Brown turned a pain in his back into a pain in the Yankees' neck. This year the Yankees know they will be fortunate to get 20 starts out of the 40-year-old righty. And he is the lone member of the current rotation not signed for next year.

That should have translated into making Brown the starter most easily trampled upon when Torre and Stottlemyre determined which rotation member to skip until at least April 15 to keep the other four constituents close to a normal regimen. Continue

'Tight' Giambi sits out

ason Giambi was held out of yesterday's game against the Red Sox and won't travel to face the Reds today due to a tight left hamstring. "I did it [Monday] running the double out and Joe [Torre] wanted to make sure there is no problem for Opening Day," Giambi said. "It shouldn't be a problem. It's up high and it's just tight." Giambi took batting practice and ran lightly yesterday. His next game will likely be tomorrow night at home against the Devil Rays. Continue

Red Sox gain spring split with Yanks

Mike Lockwood drove in a pair of runs and John Halama allowed one run across three innings Tuesday as the Boston Red Sox downed the Yankees, 7-2, in Grapefruit League play. Lockwood's RBI triple in the sixth gave Boston a 4-1 lead and his run-scoring infield grounder capped a three-run seventh as the Red Sox widened their lead. The American League East rivals split their two exhibition games. The Yankees scored a 9-2 win in Fort Myers on March 7. Continue

Wright won't start until mid-April

Jaret Wright will be skipped the first time the Yankees go through their starting pitching rotation this season. The decision was made because the Yankees have three off days during the opening 10 days of the regular season. Randy Johnson had earlier been named the opening day starter for the April 3 game against Boston. Carl Pavano and Mike Mussina will also pitch against the Red Sox in the series at Yankee Stadium. Kevin Brown, Johnson and Pavano are scheduled to pitch during a weekend series that begins April 8 with Baltimore. Continue

Bomber Bushwhacked

Tension and ill-will are a given when it comes to the Yankees' rivalry with the Red Sox, but there figures to be a little more juice between the Bombers and Blue Jays now, too. Tony Womack was sent to the hospital yesterday after Toronto pitcher David Bush drilled him in the left kneecap, and the Yanks' second baseman indicated he believes there was intent behind the second-inning plunking; it came only two pitches after Jorge Posada had crushed the Bombers' second of three home runs off Bush. Continue

Two-day delivery

The most valuable Yankee of the Joe Torre era entered in the seventh inning yesterday with a touch of mystery about him. Mariano Rivera had not pitched consecutive days this spring, owing to the lingering impact of a wearying 2004 and a case of elbow bursitis. With less than a week until the Red Sox and real games, Rivera did not qualify as a sure thing. That is until he lifted that precious right arm. Suddenly all was right again with the Yankee ninth inning. Continue

Brown's regular turn could be skipped early on

f Mike Mussina hadn't taken his wife to the airport yesterday morning, Joe Torre would have announced his pitching rotation in the afternoon. But without speaking to Mussina before he left for a game against the Blue Jays at Knology Park, Torre wasn't divulging what order his high-profile staff will work. "We will talk to them (today)," said Torre, who will officially name Randy Johnson as his Opening Day starter for Sunday night's game versus the Red Sox. Since Torre doesn't need a fifth starter until April 15 in Baltimore, a pitcher is going to be skipped until then. Who will it be? The best bet is Kevin Brown. Even if he is making $15 million. Continue

Womack plunked in knee

Tony Womack was hit in the left knee by a pitch from David Bush and had to leave the New York Yankees' 8-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday Womack was hit two pitches after Jorge Posada homered in the second inning. The Yankees' new second baseman was taken to a nearby Tampa hospital for X-rays, which were negative. He will have an MRI on Tuesday. "It hurts," Womack said. "It doesn't feel good." Continue

Trio of homers leads Yanks past Jays

The Yankees scored seven runs in the first two innings and went on to earn an 8-3 win over the Blue Jays on Monday. New York launched three home runs off Toronto starter Dave Bush (1-2), putting the game out of reach early. Ruben Sierra hit a three-run shot in the first inning, and Jorge Posada led off the second with a solo shot. Later in the second frame, Gary Sheffield smashed a two-run homer to give the road team a 7-0 lead.

The Blue Jays (14-8) notched two isolated runs off Jaret Wright, but the game was never close. Eric Hinske drove in one run with a second-inning single, and Corey Koskie doubled home another run in the third. Wright (3-0) worked six innings and allowed just four hits. Continue

Hill of a day

Kevin Brown won't miss the Legends Field pitching mound. For the second time in as many starts, Brown summoned the ground crew to the hill yesterday and asked it to make the landing spot harder than it had been. And while it was there, could it tighten up the dirt around the rubber? "It was definitely not a help," Brown said of the mound not being to his liking. "I don't want to blame that, but it's not very comfortable when you have holes to deal with." Brown also asked for mound help on March 21 against the Indians at Legends when he gave up one run and five hits in five innings.

Since Brown's next schedule start is at Lakeland on Saturday — the final day of the exhibition season — he won't have to deal with the sandy surface at Legends. However, the hill wasn't the only thing bothering Brown against the Astros in a 7-4 victory. From the time he woke up, Brown understood his energy level was going to be a problem. "I was tired, it was a very blah day," said Brown, who gave up four runs (three earned) and nine hits in six innings. "I was tired as soon as I woke up. That's the way I felt today, very similar to Bradenton." Continue

Pettitte's return makes one think

The red uniform didn't throw us for a loop. We saw enough highlights last year to appreciate the fact that Andy Pettitte now works for the Houston Astros. The gray hairs, on the other hand, sent us into deep thought. About Yankees magic and mythology, about the last four years of disappointment, ridiculously heightened expectations and even more ridiculously increased expenditures.

Pettitte enjoyed an unofficial Yankees homecoming yesterday, at Legends Field rather than Yankee Stadium, and he received a pleasant ovation, more sitting than standing, as he took the mound. Once he began to pitch, he looked like someone recovering from left elbow surgery, indicated not so much by the two-run homer he surrendered to Alex Rodriguez as the fact he mixed in 26 balls among his 60 pitches. Continue

Small step for Bernie

Bernie Williams no longer feels upper back pain, but he still doesn't feel comfortable at the plate. The Yankee center fielder came out of yesterday morning's minor-league intrasquad game without any problems (going 2-for-5 with a walk), but he feels he doesn't have his timing. However, Joe Torre pronounced Williams ready to go "back to work with the big guys," so Williams will make the trip to Dunedin today. "He had enough at-bats going into (the injury)," Torre said after yesterday's 7-4 victory over Houston. "So I think he'll be fine. "I thought he had good at-bats today." Williams stressed he'd agree with any decision the team made, but he indicated he wanted to repeat yesterday's workout because he wants as many at-bats as he can get before Sunday's regular-season opener. Continue

Yankees edge Astros on late homer

Ruben Sierra crushed a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth to lift the Yankees past the Astros, 6-4, at Legends Field on Sunday afternoon in the last Grapefruit League meeting between the teams this year.

Houston hit Yankees starter Kevin Brown -- literally -- in the first, as Willy Tavares lined a single off the pitcher's glove for a one-out single. After Tavares stole second, he came around to score on Luke Scott's RBI double, giving the Astros the early lead. Houston tacked on another run in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Jason Lane. Continue

Godzilla star like no other

Hideki Matsui is not like most other major leaguers. Most other major leaguers, for example, do not wear socks that have little slots for each toe as though they were gloves for the feet. Most other major leaguers haven't acted alongside a (digital) mechanical monster, nor do most other major leaguers enjoy lounging at home and watching sumo wrestling on TV.

Clearly Matsui is different. But perhaps the biggest divergence between the Yankees left fielder and the average player is one that has emerged only recently: His philosophy about contracts and his feelings about commitment. Continue

Karsay feeling better

Steve Karsay finally feels the satisfaction that occurs when good health meets good results. Karsay needed only eight pitches to produce a perfect seventh inning yesterday, and the Yankee reliever bounded up the visiting tunnel with a big grin after the effort, Joe Torre told reporters. "He's got a good look on his face right now," Torre said after the Yankees' 5-3 victory over Minnesota. "I think he feels he's where everybody else is." Continue

Bernie earning his keep

On this hot and humid day in a nearly empty com plex, Bernie Williams stood in center field on Field 2, drenched in sweat. Don Mattingly, who was hitting fly balls to Williams, asked if it was time to shut it down. Williams lifted his right hand off his knee and signaled to Donnie Baseball, "Five more."

Acting more like a rookie trying to make an impression than the center fielder who, remarkably, is in his 20th season in the organization, Bernie Williams took his last five fly balls of the day. He wanted to be fully satisfied that his back could handle the workload of the final week of spring training, beginning with some at-bats today in a minor league game after a six-game layoff. Continue

MRI on thumb OK for utility backup Sanchez

Originally scheduled to travel here with the Yankees, reserve infielder Rey Sanchez stayed behind to undergo an MRI on his right thumb. The Yankees said the tests came back "clean" and listed Sanchez as day-to-day. Manager Joe Torre said Sanchez got hurt Wednesday in Sarasota when a grounder jumped up "all over him." Sanchez made the trip to Clearwater on Thursday but he told the team he was not able to throw, Torre said.

Unless Damian Rolls beats out Bubba Crosby for the last roster spot, Sanchez will be the team's only backup who can play second base, third base and shortstop. Calling the MRI results "good news," Torre doesn't think Sanchez is in danger of starting the regular season on the disabled list. "It seems to be getting better," he said. Continue

Moose loose after long trip

Long trips are the bane of most players' existence during spring training, and established veterans aren't above developing a "tight hamstring" or other minor injury on the eve of a far-away road game, if there's a chance it'll keep them off the travel squad.

But sometimes there is no choice and yesterday was Mike Mussina's day to pitch, so the righty drove 2 hours, 15 minutes here to take the mound and wasn't particularly happy about it. Then again, as he realized afterward, it could've been a lot worse. Continue

Arms watch

Unless you're enthralled by the battle between Bubba Crosby and Damian Rolls for the Yankees' 25th roster spot, there's really only one question left in camp. When the season starts, who's pitching when? As manager Joe Torre and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre are learning, five veteran starters won't divide evenly into the season's first 10 days because of three off days. Pitchers' schedules are bound to be disrupted. Before Carl Pavano produced another strong start yesterday, Torre said it might be at least tomorrow before the team lines up its rotation. Continue

Bombers release Glanville

Before camp opened, Doug Glanville could've been considered an odds-on favorite to be Bernie Williams' backup this season. But going just 10-for-47 this spring, the Yankees cut Glanville yesterday. The non-roster invitee was released following the 6-5, 10-inning loss to Philadelphia. Glanville entered the game with a .196 average before singling in his only at-bat against the Phillies. "It was cool," Glanville said. "They were very positive. You have to make a decision. It's getting late in camp." Continue

Yanks recall Lieber curveball

Jon Lieber was wearing pinstripes again yesterday. Red ones. Despite pitching only one season in the Bronx, the sight of Lieber in a Phillies uniform was jarring for the Yankees; after all, Lieber beat Boston in Game 2 of the ALCS only five months ago, a victory which, as much as anything else, validated the Yanks' gamble on his health.

Now he is Philadelphia's Opening Day starter, and he spent yesterday firing sinkerballs at the players he shared a clubhouse with last season. Few expected it to happen that way. The Yankees held an $8million option on Lieber for this season that most people assumed they'd pick up early in the winter. When they didn't, most people assumed they'd agree on a new deal that would keep Lieber in pinstripes at a slightly lower price. Continue

Phillies go to extras to beat Yankees

Anthony Medrano's single in the bottom of the 10th lifted the Phillies to a 6-5 win over the Yankees. The single scored Shane Victorino from second. Pat Burrell gave the Phillies a one-run lead in the bottom of the seventh with a three-run homer, but Felix Escalona tied it with a solo shot in the ninth off Tim Worrell. Jon Lieber, Philadelphia's Opening Day starter, pitched against his old team and allowed four runs -- three earned -- on nine hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out three. Carl Pavano started for New York and tossed five innings, allowing two runs on five hits. Continue

Derek's first step with foot

Derek Jeter returned to the lineup yesterday - albeit as the designated hitter - and certainly didn't seem bothered by his bruised left foot. Jeter was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI in the Yankees' 12-2 victory over the Braves, sandwiching a single in the first inning and a double in the fourth around a second-inning strikeout. He said afterward that he was planning to play shortstop, too, but Joe Torre opted to hold him out to make sure he wouldn't favor the foot while throwing. Jeter hurt himself when he fouled a pitch off his foot Saturday and hadn't played since. Continue

Bombers get steroid tests

Before Randy Johnson flashed his Hall of Fame credentials against the Braves and Jason Giambi and Tino Martinez homered in the Yankees' 12-2 triumph yesterday at Legends Field, representatives from Major League Baseball's drug testing program set up shop in the trainer's room.

Among those who provided urine samples were shortstop Derek Jeter, left fielder Hideki Matsui and second baseman Tony Womack. Also tested for steroids were relievers Paul Quantrill and Bret Prinz, reserve outfielder Bubba Crosby and minor-league pitcher Jason Anderson. Mike Mussina's name was on the list of randomly selected players but he was given the day off by Joe Torre, permission to stay away from Legends and wasn't located in time to be tested. Continue

Big Unit looks ready

You could hear the cheers all the way in Fort Myers. As Randy Johnson walked off the field after six spectacular innings against Atlanta yesterday, the packed house at Legends Field stood and gave the Big Unit the kind of ovation you never hear in spring training.

This was their way of sending him off to beat the Red Sox — and make no mistake, the Yankees will beat the Red Sox this year because of Johnson. He is the ultimate difference-maker. Listen to Braves manager Bobby Cox. "If there is one dominating pitcher in baseball, it's him," said Cox, who then made a crossing motion with his hands to emphasize his point. "Bar none. At 41, it makes no difference. He is awesome." Continue

Big Unit dominates Braves

Randy Johnson gave the Yankees a look at the dominant pitcher they acquired this winter, limiting the Atlanta Braves to just one hit over six innings of a 12-2 New York win. The Big Unit, who carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, struck out eight and walked just one in the outing, his finest of the spring. Alex Rodriguez got things going for the Yankees in the first, drilling a two-run home run to right field to give New York a 2-0 lead. The homer was the first of the spring for A-Rod. Continue

Rodriguez plays nice

Give Alex Rodriguez credit, he stepped up to the plate last night in a big way and made it clear he respects the Red Sox and wants to move forward following last summer's ugly Fenway Park brawl and this spring's multiple A-Rips by the Boston players. "I don't have a problem with those guys," Rodriguez said before the Yankees lost 9-4 to the Reds at Ed Smith Stadium. "They're the World Champs."

In 10 days, Rodriguez and the Yankees meet the Red Sox head-on at Yankee Stadium in the 2005 opener. After being used as a verbal punching bag by the Red Sox earlier this spring, Rodriguez said he is looking to play the game right and not get in another fight like July 24, when he challenged Jason Varitek after being hit by a pitch from Bronson Arroyo. Varitek answered that challenge by shoving his catcher's mitt into A-Rod's face, igniting the brawl. Continue

Getting well soon

Is there such a thing as an important baseball day in March? When it comes to Bernie Williams, the answer is yes. And that day is tomorrow when he will test his balky back by taking batting practice and throwing. Williams wanted to take BP today, but Joe Torre opted to wait an extra day. "It's a big deal," Williams said yesterday after receiving treatment for a strained muscle in his upper back. He did not participate in any baseball-related work. Continue

Karsay on road to Opening Day

Steve Karsay took another step toward Opening Day on Wednesday night, tossing a scoreless inning in the Yankees' 9-4 loss to the Reds at Ed Smith Stadium. Karsay was back on the mound after throwing two innings on Monday, as he tries to extend himself to prepare for Opening Day. With eight innings under his belt, the right-hander is on track to start the season on time, but Wednesday's outing marked the first time he has felt like his pre-shoulder surgery self.

"I'm progressing down a long road," he said. "I felt great tonight, like I could throw all three of my pitches at any time. After throwing two innings, having one day off and then coming back to throw another inning, it's another step. I feel like I'm making my way back and can be counted on." Continue

Rivera Mo's 'em down

Mariano Rivera has never had any doubt about his elbow, even after it swelled and he felt pain after his outing on March 12. He insisted he didn't need last night's sharp scoreless inning against the Phillies to prove anything.

But at least the 1-2-3 frame gave Joe Torre some relief. It's a little more nerve-wracking for the manager of the Yankees when Rivera is hurting, even if the injury is minor."Anytime any kind of physical ailment comes up with him, it's magnified in my mind because of what he represents," Torre said before the Yankees beat the Phillies, 5-1, at Legends Field. "But he's been a pretty good healer, too. He's missed some time in my nine years, but he's managed to come back and be there all the time. Continue

Foot keeps Derek on bench

When Derek Jeter returns to the lineup he is convinced he won't miss another spring training game. However, when Jeter comes back from a bruised left foot isn't known. Jeter missed his third straight game last night at Legends Field, where the Yankees beat the Phillies, 5-1. "He is a little sore," Joe Torre said of his captain. "He wanted to take batting practice, but I told him he wasn't going to play until Thursday at the earliest." Jeter rarely admits any discomfort but said the bruise is still a factor. "It's a little sore, that's about it," Jeter said. "They don't want me to do something that lingers. If it was the regular season I would be out there." Continue

Wright, Yanks beat back Phillies

The Yankees won for the second consecutive night, defeating the Phillies, 5-1, behind a strong performance by Jaret Wright. Wright allowed four hits over six shutout innings of work, walking two and striking out two. It was the first start for Wright since the birth of his son last week.

Wright allowed two singles and two walks while facing the first seven batters, but the right-hander stranded the bases loaded in the first and then left the leadoff man on base in the second. From there, Wright shut Philadelphia down completely, retiring 12 in a row after Ryan Howard's second-inning single. Wright struck out three in that span, as he worked through the Phillies' lineup with ease. Continue

Yanks battling ol' father time

The discomfort between Bernie Williams' shoulder blades isn't a headache for the Yankees because Joe Torre expects his center fielder, who missed last night's game with the Indians at Legends Field, back in action by the weekend at the latest. However, Torre can't pinpoint when Williams will return from a strained right upper back muscle he suffered while taking batting practice Sunday.

"I can't until he has this thing out of his system," Torre said when asked if he had a date in mind. "He could probably try to play but then he would wind up trying to adjust his swing and he doesn't need to do that. We will wait until he feels well enough to do that and that will probably be a couple of more days." Continue

Yanks start to show age

The Yankees are seemingly all 30-something, what with only one regular and two members of their rotation under 30, so even the routine bumps and bruises of spring training can be alarming. But even though their closer has bursitis in his right elbow, the center fielder has a strained back and the shortstop a painful bone bruise, the Yankees are not panicking. Nor are they considering it a harbinger of what they can expect throughout this season.

"They're incidental injuries," owner George Steinbrenner said in a brief elevator conversation before last night's game against the Indians. "We expect them in spring training. I'm not worried."Mariano Rivera, the 35-year-old closer, insists he is fine and says he'll prove it tonight in his first spring outing in more than a week. Bernie Williams, the 36-year-old center fielder with back pain, vowed to be ready for the April 3 opener and Derek Jeter, the 30-year-old shortstop with a bruised left foot, said what he always says about injuries: "It's really not a big deal. Continue

Brown, Yanks solid in win over Indians

Kevin Brown rebounded from his worst outing of the spring on Monday night, throwing five solid innings against the Indians in the Yankees' 6-2 victory at Legends Field. New York now stands at 8-10-1 with the win, while Cleveland falls to 9-10. Brown, who allowed seven runs in 4 2/3 innings in his last start, looked dominant at the start of Monday's game, striking out the side in the first. Cleveland hit the right-hander for a run in the second, but the Yankees struck back in the third to support their starter. Continue

Brown's outing electric

Someone had "turned out the power" the last time Kevin Brown pitched, when he was clouted for seven runs in 4-2/3 innings the day he returned to camp from being with his family for the birth of his son. Last night, the power was back on as Brown looked much sharper, allowing three hits and one run in five innings in the Yankees' 6-2 victory over the Indians at Legends Field. Brown struck out five and walked two, throwing 90 pitches, 51 strikes. "It was all right," said the typically fussy Brown. "There's still room for improvement, but it was better than last time. I was moving better." Continue

Moose has no problem being deuce

It's a long shadow that 6-10 Randy Johnson casts, enabling Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright and Kevin Brown, that prince of darkness, to have it made in The Big Unit's shade. "His presence relieves pressure from other starters feeling they have to be the guy to stand tall," said Joe Torre. "They all need to feel that a certain amount when they pitch, but Randy is the umbrella allowing them to be who they are." Continue

Hurls gone wild

Mariano Rivera morphed into Mitch Williams yesterday in a Legends Field bullpen, and the Yankees could have cared less if Rivera's location resembled Wild Thing's. The most important development for Rivera and the Yankees was that his right elbow came through an extended throwing session without barking after testing it with high-octane fastballs. Rivera has been sidelined since March 12 with bursitis and the rustiness showed in his pitches to catcher Mike Borzello, not many of which cut the plate in half with several so high Borzello had to come out of his stance. Continue

Yanks' lineup black & blue

Bumps and bruises, Joe Torre can live with. Even if they arrive daily. Yesterday the Yankees learned Derek Jeter has a bruised left foot hours before Bernie Williams suffered a back injury that forced him to be scratched prior to a 5-3 loss to the Devil Rays at Progress Energy Park. Jeter fouled a ball off the foot Saturday and had the hoof X-rayed yesterday morning. X-rays were negative, but Joe Torre didn't know when Jeter would return. Williams was in the lineup but removed when he suffered a minor strain in the right portion of the upper back. "Swinging the bat, he felt something," Torre said of Williams, who had stayed away from injuries this spring but is hitting .100 (3-for-30). "Treatment is all that's planned. We will wait until tomorrow to see." Continue

Devil Rays top Mussina, Yankees

The Devil Rays defeated the Yankees, 5-3, in front of an announced crowd of 6,555 on Sunday at Progress Energy Park. Casey Fossum, who is a candidate to win one of the final two spots in the Devil Rays' starting rotation, started and surrendered a two-run homer to Gary Sheffield on a 1-1 pitch to give the Yankees a 2-0 first-inning lead. The Devil Rays answered in the bottom half of the inning when Carl Crawford singled off Yankees starter Mike Mussina, stole second and scored from third on Aubrey Huff's groundout to make the score 2-1. Continue

Derek Jeter Out With Bruised Left Foot

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter missed Sunday's game against Tampa Bay with a bruised left foot and will be out for the next few days. Jeter got hurt when he fouled a ball of his foot Saturday. He was sore when he arrived for treatment Sunday and was sent to the hospital for X-rays, which were negative. "The good news is the X-ray didn't show anything," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "I think it's a couple days." Torre didn't rule out Jeter returning Tuesday. "For him to say it's sore, it's sore," Torre said. Continue

Taking the first step

Lazarus took another step back from the baseball graveyard yesterday at Legends Field. In December, the odds were long that Jason Giambi would play for the Yankees again after his BALCO grand jury testimony was released and the club investigated ways to get out of the $82 million left on his contract. In early February, he had a spot on the roster, but Joe Torre admitted he didn't know what Giambi was capable of doing.

When the exhibition games started, nobody expected much from Giambi, who missed most of the second half last year due to an intestinal parasite and a benign pituitary gland tumor. A strong start at the plate as the DH was met with a subpoena from Congress that was eventually rescinded. Continue

Derek leaves in 5th

Derek Jeter wears a shin guard on his left foot while he's hitting that's supposed to protect him from pitches he fouls straight down. "It never works," he said yesterday. "I always hit them above it or below it - never right on it." Jeter was limping around the clubhouse yesterday after slamming a ball off the top of his foot in the bottom of the fifth inning against the Pirates, but Joe Torre said after the game that Yankee trainers believe Jeter suffered only a bruise; he received treatment on the area, but did not undergo X-rays. Continue

Red alert:Uneasy Unit has rough time

Randy Johnson looked uncomfortable on the mound for much of his outing last night, giving up four runs and six hits over four innings against the Reds. But the Big Unit wasn't frustrated afterward, just anxious. He wanted to get dressed and get out of Legends Field as soon as possible, since his wife and children had arrived earlier in the night and he was excited to see them. "Forget this game," he said. "I know I'll be ready (for the regular season). . . . I haven't seen my family in a about a month, since I got here." Continue

Reelin' in the tears

Jason Giambi has Mark McGwire's back. Giambi watched only a bit of Thursday's congressional hearings on steroids in baseball, but he did see the part in which his close friend McGwire choked back tears while delivering his prepared statement and then dodged a bevy of questions. "That had to be very hard on him," Giambi said of McGwire's performance in Washington D.C. "I will always be there for him. He is an incredible guy. You are not going to find a guy with a bigger heart than Mark." Continue

Tough night for Unit

Randy Johnson was anxious to see his wife and kids, whom he had not seen for about a month, after his work was done Friday night. He got to see them an inning earlier than he expected. Having trouble commanding his top two pitches -- fastball and slider -- Johnson allowed four runs, three in the first inning, in four innings in the Yankees' 6-3 loss to Cincinnati. He was expected to stretch out to five innings. Continue

Mo gets kicks with 66 throws

Rain soaked Legends Field yesterday morning, but Mariano Rivera slipped outside during a dry spell to play catch in the outfield, his first time throwing since being shut down on Monday with mild bursitis in his right elbow.

The Yankees' game against the Tigers was canceled, but Rivera's activity was nearly as important as anything that would have happened had the teams played. Pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre said he was "pleasantly surprised" that Rivera felt well enough to throw yesterday and Rivera, who made 66 throws yesterday, said he would play catch again today, increasing the distance. He could throw off a mound this weekend. Continue

Yankees focus on everything else

Jason Giambi worked his body instead of watching a congressional hearing he came very close to being a big part of. "No," Giambi said when asked if he watched the House Government Reform Hearings yesterday. "I woke up and worked out because I wasn't sure we were going to get the game in." Giambi, who was subpoenaed to the hearings and then excused because of his involvement in the BALCO case, continued to say his focus was 100 percent on baseball and has left everything else to his agent, Arn Tellem. Continue

Oh, baby! Rough day for Brown

Kevin Brown had a great day on Tuesday, as his wife, Candace, gave birth to the couple's fourth child. Jacob Maclain Brown was born at 10:45 a.m. in Georgia, and after staying with his family that night, Brown flew in yesterday morning in preparation for his third exhibition start of the spring. That's when things started to go sour.

Brown, who also celebrated his 40th birthday on Monday, looked uncomfortable on the mound and got hammered by the Pirates, giving up seven runs and eight hits (including two homers) over 4-2/3 innings of a 9-4 loss. He slipped out the back of the visitors clubhouse before reporters were allowed in. "He was disgusted," pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre said. Continue

Giambi waits for next hurdle

Jason Giambi isn't searching for the next crisis because he knows it will eventually surface. His BALCO grand jury testimony leaked in December. Last week he was subpoenaed to appear in front of a congressional committee looking into MLB's steroid testing policy. In between, the Yankees investigated ways to void the remaining $82 million on his contract. And he apologized for using steroids without publicly uttering baseball's "S" word. Continue

Womack stays on fast track

Tony Womack has no illusions about the part of his body that is most important to his success on the field. "My legs," he said flatly. "They're what got me to the big leagues and I'm just trying to make sure I stay there."

At this point, he needn't worry. Womack's speed has impressed Joe Torre - the manager called Womack the fastest every-day player he's had since coming to the Bronx in 1996 - and he's had ample opportunity to show it off. Womack was 3-for-3 yesterday and smacked his second triple of the spring, speeding around the diamond on a third-inning liner to the right-field corner. Continue

Mackowiak powers Bucs by Yankees

The Pittsburgh Pirates' offense erupted for four home runs and 10 extra-base hits Wednesday on their way to an 9-4 win against a New York Yankees split squad at McKechnie Field before a crowd of 5,909. Pirates left fielder Rob Mackowiak, who has 15 hits in 26 Grapefruit League at-bats, had a pair of solo home runs and an RBI double to lead the Pittsburgh offensive charge.

Matt Lawton set the tone for Pittsburgh by leading off the bottom of the first inning with a home run against Yankees starter Kevin Brown. Bucs third baseman Ty Wigginton was 2-for-3 with a double, home run and three RBIs. His three-run home run off of Bret Prinz in the fifth inning gave Pittsburgh a commanding 8-2 lead. Continue

1B now priority no. 1 for Jason, Yanks

On the surface, the Yankees were mum about Jason Giambi being excused from tomorrow's Congressional Government Reform Hearing in Washington D.C. Deep inside their souls they were rejoicing that another obstacle in Giambi's comeback had been cleared. Even though Giambi wouldn't have been out of camp for more than a day, the Yankees didn't want him to lose the edge that he has developed faster than anybody could have expected. His progress at the plate has been so steady that Joe Torre could give him a start at first base as soon as tomorrow night.

During the Yankees' 11-5 win over the Marlins at Legends Field yesterday, George Steinbrenner believed that Giambi would be excused from the hearing looking into MLB's steroid testing program. However, after being informed that Giambi didn't need to travel, The Boss went silent. Continue

Relief over Rivera

Brian Cashman was eating in the cafeteria at Legends Field on Monday when he got a phone call from Yankees head trainer Gene Monahan. "He was saying, 'Cash, I'm down here with Joe (Torre) and (Mariano Rivera) and we've got kind of a situation. Mo is feeling a little soreness,' " Cashman said. "And he's telling me all about it, how he was throwing and then it feels a little swollen and I'm like 'Hey! Geno! Just skip to the end! Is he okay? Thumbs up or thumbs down?' Just tell me what the result is. You know, with Mo, that's just how I react." Continue

Giambi earns A's

Jason Giambi's days in the Oakland clubhouse were not what people might have been led to think. The place was not a pharmaceutical warehouse or a test lab. In fact, people who shared that clubhouse were surprised by the revelations about Giambi and the way the place has been portrayed.

"If that was going on with anyone in our clubhouse, especially Jason, I had no idea," said Oakland third baseman Eric Chavez. "I've heard the comments (Jose) Canseco's been making, that (steroid use) was talked about openly? Never. I don't know where that comes from." Continue

Injured trio gets special attention

On the surface, the three injuries currently being treated by the Yankees' trainers don't sound so serious. Ruben Sierra's pulled rib cage is healing. The bursitis in Mariano Rivera's right elbow felt better yesterday than it did Monday. And the strained rib cage muscle in Paul Quantrill's back isn't expected to keep him out more than two days.

Still, Sierra is 39, Rivera is 35 and Quantrill is 36. At those ages injuries, even minor ones, must be looked at a little more closely. Especially when Rivera's name is on the list. Rivera, the Yankees' all-time save leader and the premier closer in baseball, reported his hinge felt a little better yesterday but wasn't sure when he would throw in a bullpen. Continue

Jeter leads Yanks hit parade

The Yankees won their fourth consecutive game on Tuesday, bringing their Grapefruit League record to 6-6-1 with an 11-5 win over the Marlins at Legends Field. Derek Jeter drove in four runs and Tony Womack plated three for New York, while Mike Mussina allowed just one earned run in four innings of work. With the loss, Florida's record falls to 5-9. Continue

Giambi Excused From Steroids Hearing

Jason Giambi was excused from testifying at Thursday's congressional hearing into steroid use in baseball, but attempts by Rafael Palmeiro and Frank Thomas to avoid appearing were rejected. Giambi does not have to come to Washington because of his involvement in the ongoing federal investigation into illegal steroid distribution, House Government Reform committee chairman Tom Davis and ranking Democrat Henry Waxman said. The New York Yankees slugger testified before a grand jury in the case in 2003. Continue

Oh no! Mo hurt

Mariano Rivera arrived at Legends Field yesterday complaining of soreness in his right elbow and the Yankees immediately sent their prized closer for an MRI exam that revealed mild bursitis. The prognosis isn't terrible - Joe Torre said he hopes Rivera can throw a side session by Friday and can pitch in a game by Sunday - but any situation involving Rivera is always a lump-in-the-throat scenario for the Bombers, who already were proceeding slowly with Rivera because he did not throw all winter.

"If you're going to have a result, this is one you can live with," Torre said, but later admitted that injuries to Rivera always are a little alarming because "he's like one of your regular players. He plays every day, when you win. So you're always concerned, but we weren't concerned for very long because the tests came back quickly." Continue

Giambi's status still in limbo

One way or another, Jason Giambi expects to know today if he will be in Washington or Tampa on Thursday. While it has been speculated that Giambi won't have to testify in front of the Congressional House Government Reform Committee because of his involvement in the BALCO case, he hadn't been officially informed of his situation prior to last night. "Major League Baseball is involved and I haven't heard anything," Giambi said before the Yankees' 5-2 victory over the Pirates at Legends Field. Continue

Pavano, Yanks too much for Bucs

The Yankees won their third consecutive game on Monday, handing the Pirates a 5-2 loss in front of a sellout crowd at Legends Field. Carl Pavano tossed four shutout innings, extending his streak to nine scoreless frames this spring. Tino Martinez contributed to the cause with his first homer of the spring, as New York improved to 5-6-1. Pittsburgh now stands at 5-7.

The Yankees broke out against Pirates starter Dave Williams in the first, scoring four times in the inning. Derek Jeter got things started with a leadoff double, then Alex Rodriguez followed with a double of his own, scoring Jeter to put the Yankees on the board. After a Gary Sheffield flyout, Hideki Matsui singled in A-Rod, continuing his scorching spring. Continue

Oh, brother: a confession

Jason Giambi looked groggy yesterday morning when he arrived at Legends Field, but his eyes widened when he was asked about a report that his brother, Jeremy, had admitted to using steroids. Giambi had little to say about his brother's confession, or the story in yesterday's Daily News in which FBI informants said Jason Giambi's pal and baseball mentor, Mark McGwire, used a potent cocktail of performance-enhancing drugs to become baseball's home run king.Giambi used the exact same phrasing in answering questions about each topic: "I don't know anything about that."

Jeremy Giambi, who idolized his brother and was a teammate of his in Oakland, told the Kansas City Star in yesterday's editions that he had used steroids and it was a mistake. Asked by the newspaper if his brother had used them, Jeremy Giambi said, "If you don't know what he's apologizing for, you must've been in a coma for two years." Continue

Tino's battling batting slump