Yankees baseball blog

Balky Brown back in rotation

Kevin Brown threw 50 pitches at 90 feet in Tampa yesterday and did so without any pain in his balky back. Joe Torre said the righthander was "very realistic for July 5," which is the next time the Yankees need a fifth starter. That's an encouraging development for the Bombers, who weren't counting on Brown being ready by then. Asked who his fifth starter was on Tuesday, Torre joked the pitcher's name was "undecided." Although Brown hasn't pitched since June 15 (when he left after four innings with back spasms), Torre said he didn't anticipate sending him on a rehab outing before the 40-year-old returns to the mound. Continue

Deal dies following Sheff's tirade

Shortly after Gary Sheffield warned the Mets and any other team not to trade for him, Joe Torre informed him the Yankees had killed the Mets' advances concerning a Mike Cameron-Gary Sheffield swap. "I talked to him and let him know that we turned down any inquiry about him from the Mets," Torre said last night before the game against the Orioles was rained out. "We said, 'No thank you.' "

Torre wasn't aware of an exclusive story in yesterday's Post that reported the Yankees and Mets were in the early stages of a deal. But GM Brian Cashman informed Torre of the story and tried to reach Sheffield. When he couldn't, Cashman had Torre relay the message. "Brian wanted me to let him know," Torre said. "I told him they asked and we said, no."  Continue

PINK SLIPS

Mike Stanton and Paul Quantrill are the initial blood stains of the Yankees' putrid first three months, The Post has learned. The veteran relievers were designated for assignment after last night's game against the Orioles was rained out.

Granted they weren't axed to make room for Roger Clemens or Mark Kotsay, but it's clear the summit meeting in Tampa Tuesday has claimed its initial victims. Stanton and Quantrill, both of whom struggled in reduced roles than they have been used to, were called into Joe Torre's office and informed of the move that the club planned to announce tomorrow. Continue

Sheffield: ‘I’m not going’

Gary Sheffield has no intention of leaving the Yankees, and manager Joe Torre said Wednesday that the team rejected a possible trade with the Mets involving the outfielder. Sheffield reacted emotionally when asked to comment on a story in the New York Post, which said the Yankees have held preliminary talks on a trade involving Sheffield and Mets outfielder Mike Cameron.

"I can't sit here and blame the Yankees for other teams wanting me, so let's clear that up," Sheffield said. "I understand that. But I'm just letting you know if it happens, it becomes personal and I'm not going to accept this because of the concessions I made." Continue

Shakeup not imminent

No eruptions or explosions were reported in the Tampa area yesterday and, despite much anticipation and expectation, George Steinbrenner didn't fire anybody. Instead, the Yankees' organizational meetings were simply that - meetings. A slew of Yanks executives huddled for about six hours to talk about why the Bombers have struggled so badly and what some possible solutions might be. Among the ideas bandied about were potential trades; changes to the roster and whether there should be any firings within the coaching ranks.

Since the trade deadline is nearly five weeks away and cooler heads seem to have prevailed upon The Boss not to ax anyone, alterations to the Bombers roster are the most intriguing. One of the recent tangible developments is the promotion of top outfield prospect Melky Cabrera from Double-A Trenton to Triple-A Columbus. Continue

Yanks brave trade winds

Everything is bigger in the Bronx, from salaries to expectations. And that includes trade talk. With the Bombers still a long way from first place, rumblings of potential deals have already started, and everyone who's not nailed down with a no-trade clause seems to be mentioned as a possible chip. Joe Torre took it upon himself to talk to his team about the rampant conjecture recently, just to make sure that no one paid it much mind.

"That's all part of playing for the Yankees," Torre said. "Of course there's going to be a lot more rumors than there are facts, so don't hang your hat on anything." Although some players seem like obvious trade candidates - Tony Womack chief among them - stars like Gary Sheffield, Tom Gordon and even Hideki Matsui (however unlikely) have popped up in some speculation. The Yanks get constant requests about rookies Robinson Cano and Chien-Ming Wang, but are currently uninterested in including them in any deal. (NY Daily News)

Yankees drop heartbreaker in extras

After two dramatic comeback victories on Sunday and Monday, the Yankees were poised to win their third in a row on Tuesday, carrying a lead into the late innings against the Orioles. But the Bombers had the tables turned on them. Baltimore rallied with a run in the eighth inning to tie the game before winning it in the 10th on Brian Roberts' 13th home run of the season, a walk-off shot on Mike Stanton's only pitch of the night.

"It's hard to take," Stanton said of the 5-4 loss. "It's just disgraceful. Somebody swings like that, you hear how solid he hits the ball, you don't even need to turn around." With the Red Sox blowing a lead of their own in Boston on Tuesday, the Yankees could have climbed within 4 1/2 games of the first-place Sox, but instead remain 5 1/2 back in the American League East. They also lost a game in the standings to the O's, who occupy second place in the division as well as a tie with Minnesota for the Wild Card spot. Continue

Boss' demand named desire

George Steinbrenner said "enough is enough" the last time the Yankees were here, ripping his $200 million team moments after the Orioles completed an embarrassing sweep of the Bombers. This time, The Boss didn't even wait for the Yanks to play a game, releasing a statement before last night's series opener with the O's that indicated he isn't satisfied with the Bombers' desire. "My patience is a little short," Steinbrenner said through spokesman Howard Rubenstein, "because of the fact that this team is not performing up to its great capabilities. The players have to want to win as much as I do."

When Derek Jeter was told of Steinbrenner's statement, the captain nodded and said, "He's The Boss, he can say whatever he wants." Asked if he thought he and his teammates lacked a strong will, Jeter shook his head. "Wanting to win and winning are two different things," he said, adding that he didn't have a problem "as long as the intensity is there. There was a while there where we weren't playing with intensity." Continue

Cashman complains to MLB

Prior to gathering his dysfunctional family in Tampa today, George Steinbrenner ordered GM Brian Cashman to trek to Major League Baseball's offices in Manhattan armed with videos of what the Yankees believe were wrong calls by umpires during the weekend Subway Series against the Mets.

So, before flying to Tampa where The Boss will hold a major organizational meeting, Cashman paid a visit to Park Avenue to lodge a complaint about the eyesight and judgment of the umpires, especially C.B. Bucknor's questionable call and eventual ejection of Gary Sheffield on Sunday.

There was a time when Yankees officials were on a first-name basis with the elevator operators at baseball's offices because Steinbrenner sent them there so much. That practice subsided in recent years (yesterday's visit was the second this year), but these are desperate times for the reeling Bombers, who last night opened a three-game series with a 6-4 win over the Orioles at Camden Yards. Continue

Yankees take what O's give them in win

Nobody is ready to pronounce the Yankees as being healed of their problems and ready to take control in the American League East, but the Bombers certainly took a step in the right direction on Monday, defeating the Orioles, 6-4, at Camden Yards. Monday marked the second consecutive day that the Yanks erased a 4-1 lead in the late innings, using a three-run sixth to tie the game before scoring runs in the eighth and ninth to put it away.

Bernie Williams, who not in the starting lineup for a second straight day, provided the game-winner with an RBI sacrifice fly in the eighth. The Yankees gained a game on both the first-place Red Sox and second-place Orioles, as they now sit 5 1/2 games behind Boston in the American League East and three games behind Baltimore and Minnesota, who are tied for the AL Wild Card lead. Continue

If they think this helps,they are in error

The Yankees did not get swept by the Mets last night, which means they did not get swept at Yankee Stadium. It was a cause for huge celebration at the end of a long game and a long home stand. The Yankees survived the Mets. Much more importantly, survived themselves. It is no small thing these days, when they look hardly anything at all like the Yankees we remember.

Braden Looper, the Great Adventure of closers, loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth and Jason Giambi hit one up the alley in right-center, and was a walkoff hero again. After Giambi crossed first and Alex Rodriguez crossed home plate with the winning run, the Yankees really did go for Giambi as if he had won them a real Subway Series, a World Series-type Subway Series. That is how much the Yankees needed this one game on the last Sunday in June. Continue

Unit sharp, and a little prickly

Joe Torre got a faceful of Randy Johnson's growl last night when the manager went to remove the pitcher in the seventh inning of the Yankees' victory over the Mets. Johnson, clearly upset that he was coming out of the tight game, groused to himself briefly and then lobbied Torre to remain on the mound.

But pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre already had visited Johnson earlier in the inning, meaning that Johnson's evening was done before Torre even made it to the mound. Torre said he thought Johnson "pitched great," but he wanted to take him out after the lefty had thrown 112 pitches. Continue

Ready for field

The Yankees' newfangled outfield rotation might not last long because Hideki Matsui said before last night's game that his ailing right ankle feels good enough to play in the outfield again and he would've been in right field had the game against the Mets gone to extra innings.

Matsui rolled his ankle in the finale of the Yanks' last road trip, so he was the designated hitter in each of the 13 games on their home stand. But his injury left the Yankees with few outfield options, which is why they recalled 27-year-old outfielder Kevin Reese from Triple-A Columbus yesterday. Reese started in left and Tony Womack shifted to center, leaving Bernie Williams on the bench until the seventh inning, when he pinch-hit for Reese. Continue

Wells: Cashman will face the fury

Red Sox lefty David Wells is predicting GM Brian Cashman will take the fall for the Yankees' problems. "I don't think George (Steinbrenner) is too happy," Wells told the Boston Globe yesterday, one day after Cashman said he didn't have job security. "I think he is ready to clean house and tell Brian to trade everybody and then fire him." As for the Yankees' problems, the two-time Yankee distanced himself from them. "I don't know and I don't care," Wells said. "I am glad where I am at and that's their problem." (NY Post)

Meeting called by boss

George Steinbrenner believes it's Joe Torre's job to clean up the Yankee mess. But The Boss has called a major organizational meeting tomorrow in Tampa while Torre will be in Baltimore. "It's still in Joe Torre's lap," The Boss said via PR guru Howard Rubenstein yesterday. "It's up to him."

Not convinced sending Tampa advisors Billy Connors and Bill Emslie to New York this past week was enough to evaluate his underachieving club, Steinbrenner has summoned both sides of his dysfunctional family to Tampa.  A very disheartened Boss has ordered the New York chapter, led by president Randy Levine and GM Brian Cashman, to sit down with the Tampa family, led by Connors, Emslie and VPs Mark Newman and Damon Oppenheimer. Continue

Giambi's single saves Yanks from sweep

Jason Giambi made sure that the Yankees wouldn't be Subway swept on Sunday night by their crosstown rivals, drilling a game-winning, two-run single against Braden Looper to lift the Bombers to a 5-4 victory over the Mets. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Yanks, who finished their season-long, 13-game homestand with an 8-5 record.

"They went after it; they bit and scratched," said manager Joe Torre. "To continue to fight back and do some things, if this doesn't build our character, I don't know what will." "It was a good ending -- as long as we win," said Derek Jeter, who turned 31 on Sunday. "It was a pretty exciting game." Continue

With Unit, all questions,no answers

Joe Torre has heard different takes on the same question all season long: What's wrong with the Unit? The queries increase in intensity after every start in which Randy Johnson doesn't dominate and they returned again yesterday, since Johnson is set to take the mound in tonight's Subway Series finale. He allowed seven runs and was knocked out after just three innings in his last outing on Tuesday against the Devil Rays, raising even more speculation that he was not 100%.

Johnson downplayed that issue after the game and in recent days, and Torre said he did not believe there was anything physically wrong with the Unit. Asked about a published report yesterday that said Johnson was questionable for his last start because of back pain, Torre said, "Am I going to say the back isn't something he's dealing with all the time? No, I can't say that." Continue

Hard to defend Bernie's play

Bernie Williams fired the last mean ingful shot of the first Subway Series at Shea, lacing an eighth-inning RBI triple into the right-field corner on May 22. The blast put the Yankees ahead and was interpreted by many watching with hearts more than eyes as Williams serving notice to postpone his pinstripe eulogy. But it was just a blip, and that is Williams' existence now. He has moments here and there, all exclusively on offense. On defense, it now looks as if Todd Hundley is playing center field for the Yankees.

Williams has come to embody these Yanks, expensive and expired. Williams was one of six designated hitters in the Yankee lineup yesterday. The problem was five played positions. The Yanks have essentially moved Monument Park inside the walls and put gloves on them. The outfield of Williams flanked by Ruben Sierra and Gary Sheffield cover as much ground as Rhode Island on an American map. Continue

Henn: I may not be ready

Sean Henn sat in front of his locker and listened quietly as Joe Torre's words about his start yesterday were repeated to him. Their impact was like a sledgehammer over the head. The rookie lefthander seemed on the brink of an emotional moment before he composed himself. Torre's words: "We had a kid on the mound who is not ready to be in the big leagues." Henn's response: "I've got to go out and make the pitches. If I don't, maybe that's right."

Henn continued a six-day run of lousy efforts by the Yankees' starting pitchers when he failed to get out of the fifth inning in the 10-3 loss to the Mets at the Stadium. He was not plagued by the wildness that beset him five days earlier. The southpaw threw strikes. It's just that the Mets rocked him. Continue

For sad Yanks, it's getting late early

The soft fly ball off the bat of Carlos Beltran sailed to shallow centerfield, where Bernie Williams jogged over and caught it. What came next is what the Yankees are all about. Williams lazily pulled the ball from his glove and began to make a casual throw to the infield. He didn't realize Mets baserunner Mike Cameron was tagging up from first base and sprinting to second. What should've been a simple play turned into a regrettable mistake, and a totally inexcusable one, all because Williams was caught in a fog and refused to see the urgency.

Well, it's about time he and the Yankees sharpen their vision. It's not "too early" anymore. It's starting to get "too late." The Yankees have hit another dead spot in a road that was supposed to be yellow-bricked. The latest losing streak is now four straight and five of six. The record is now 37-all. And they're another Randy Johnson meltdown from getting swept by the Mets. Continue

Henn, Yankees struggle in loss to Mets

The Yankees have been plagued by inconsistent play this season, winning a bunch of games in a row before hitting the skids for a week or two. After opening their 13-game homestand with six consecutive victories, the Bombers have entered that second phase this week, dropping five of their last six. The latest loss came on Saturday, as the Mets handed the Yanks a 10-3 loss at Yankee Stadium.

Rookie left-hander Sean Henn was hit hard for the third time in his three big league starts, serving up six runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, including three home runs -- two by Cliff Floyd. Continue

Up to Torre to get this Yankee train going

The sloppy losses continue to mount, accompanied by new and unlikely adopted "daddies" for this $205 million Yankee ballclub, and more and more, Joe Torre is at a loss to explain it. At this rate, explanations soon will no longer be necessary and instead recriminations will be the order of the day around Steinbrenner U.

Tampa brass was on hand last night to witness Pedro Martinez reverse roles and become the Yankees' daddy - despite a fastball that barely topped 85 mph in his last two innings of work. This, after Lou Piniella's woeful Tampa Bay Devil Rays had earned their daddy distinction by winning three out of four at the Stadium. Continue

Blunder Berns Yanks

Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran banged his head into the outfield wall making an acrobatic catch in the eighth inning last night. Crosstown counterpart Bernie Williams only acted as if he'd hit his head before his key error six innings earlier. Making his 13th straight start in center field after being uprooted from the position earlier in the season, Williams dropped a sure out in the Mets' three-run second to contribute to the Yankees' 6-4 loss at the Stadium.

It was one of two errors the Yanks committed in the inning, and yet another reason why they have considered exploring other center-field options before the trade deadline, with the Mets' Mike Cameron and Oakland's Mark Kotsay already mentioned as possibilities. Continue

Henn can't afford to lay an egg

Sean Henn experienced what he called a "mini-Subway Series" in 2001, but today he's getting maximum exposure to the best two-team, one-town rivalry in sports. Henn was with the Class A Staten Island Yankees four years ago, and when they played the Mets' Brooklyn affiliate, he noticed the media contingent swelled from five to 30. The 24-year-old lefty never even faced the Cyclones in those games. This afternoon, he'll take the hill for his third major-league start in front of at least 200 media members and about 56,000 screaming fans.

"They tried to make it a huge deal then, so at this level I'm sure I don't really realize how big of a deal it is," he said yesterday. "This one will be the biggest one in my career by far." For more reasons than one. Henn, who was pitching at Double-A Trenton at the beginning of the season, faltered in his first two Yankee starts. It doesn't look like Kevin Brown (back spasms) will be back from the DL on time, but Henn must pitch better for a number of reasons. Continue

Bombers not big on Schmidt

The Yankees have talked to the Giants about Jason Schmidt, but that's where their interest ended even though the Red Sox are poised to make a big push to acquire the right-hander. Since four of their starters were punished by the Devil Rays this week, the Yankees have a need for pitching. Yet, they have deemed the 32-year-old Schmidt too risky on several fronts after scouting him on June 17 when Schmidt blanked the Tigers, 4-0.

One, the Giants want front-line talent for Schmidt, who is 5-3 with a 4.83 ERA in 13 starts. Two, he is making $8.2 million this year and has a $10 million option for next year or a $3 million buyout. Three, Schmidt missed two weeks in May with strained right shoulder but has thrown two eight-inning shutouts in his last two starts.Other pitchers expected to be on the market are Toronto's Ted Lilly and Miguel Batista, but it's not likely the Blue Jays will trade with the Yankees. Continue

Yankees stall at start of Subway Series

The Yankees have the same game plan against Pedro Martinez every time they face the three-time Cy Young winner: Keep it close and get to the bullpen. That plan didn't work out very well for the Bombers on Friday night, as they were victimized by their own poor play in the Mets' three-run second inning, giving Martinez a lead he would never relinquish.

The Yankees tried to rally in the ninth, but in the end, it was the Mets who took a 6-4 decision in the first game of this weekend's Subway Series at Yankee Stadium. "Especially with Pedro pitching, you can't give things away -- and we did," said manager Joe Torre. "We didn't play well in the second inning and it cost us." Continue

Danger someone will get thrown under Subway

You can say it's no different for the Yankees this time, because they're expected to beat the Mets every year anyway. But you'd be kidding yourself, because the Yankees have never gone into one of these in-season Subway Series needing wins as badly as they do at the moment. Put it this way: if they play as shabbily against the Mets this weekend as they did against the Devil Rays the last four nights, George Steinbrenner won't be able to hold off from firing someone, anyone, any longer.

And, for once, he'd have every right. Perhaps only shock treatment is capable of jolting the Yankees back to some semblance of normality and restoring order in this bizarro season in which they can't beat the worst teams in baseball. Nobody loses seven of 10 games to the Devil Rays. Nobody. Continue

A-Rod's numbers add up in silence

It's a little like that old tree-in-the-forest story: What if A-Rod wins the Triple Crown and nobody notices; does it still count? In his second season in the Bronx, Alex Rodriguez is putting up the type of numbers that are expected of him and no one else. But to this point, Rodriguez's hitting accomplishments have been overshadowed by a) the Yankees' abject underperformance, b) a spate of surprising early errors, c) a misjudgment by A-Rod Authenticated, his former memorabilia arm, and d) the revelation he's seeing two therapists. But mostly a) .

Sorry to play psychologist, but it's perfectly understandable why Rodriguez would need to seek counsel. Baseball's best-paid player also is its most underappreciated, especially in his own town, where his first uncomfortable season (.286, 36 homers, 106 RBIs) was almost universally criticized while his gigantic start in year two has been unusually underplayed. Rodriguez likes it well enough here to commit to buying spacious new digs at Trump Park Avenue (he's moving in in December), but he's got to wonder when his warm feelings for New York will be reciprocated. Continue

Trade talk keys on mound woes

  After Wednesday's 5-3 loss to the Devil Rays, GM Brian Cashman, Joe Torre and Mel Stottlemyre huddled at Yankee Stadium. While details of the meeting weren't revealed, the inclusion of Stottlemyre indicated the Yankees are interested in improving their pitching situation before the July 31 trade deadline. With Kevin Brown on the DL, Carl Pavano struggling and age a concern in the bullpen, the Yankees' trade focus could be on pitching instead of upgrading the outfield, an area of interest the past week.

The most popular starter is Roger Clemens, even if the Astros have denied shopping him. There may come a time when the A's decide to move Barry Zito. Devil Rays closer Danys Baez is the best reliever on a team not in contention, but GM Chuck LaMar is very difficult to deal with. Outfield possibilities include Mark Kotsay, Juan Pierre, Mike Cameron and Brian Giles. As for the A's, they are talking about a contract extension with Kotsay, a player the Yankees and several other clubs are interested in. Continue

Woeful outing for Wang

In a game they simply had to win to avoid the embarrassment of losing a home series to the doormat Devil Rays, the Yankees received an abysmal outing from one of their few reliable starters. Chien-Ming Wang, who had been solid through most of his nine previous starts since being recalled from Columbus, didn't get pulverized last night like he did in St. Louis, when he allowed seven runs in four innings of work. But against the inferior Tampa lineup — a collection of bats not much better than what he saw in Triple-A — Wang was quickly minced in a 9-4 loss.

Wang (4-3) watched six Devil Ray runners cross the plate in six innings, gave up eight hits and struck out only one. He walked three and hit one batter, while Jorge Cantu enjoyed the most productive day of his career, collecting a franchise-best 10 total bases with four RBIs on two home runs — the first of which jumped over the fence just three batters into Wang's leaky performance. "He made a couple of bad pitches," Joe Torre said. Continue

Yanks, Wang bedeviled in finale

Through 10 Major League starts, Chien-Ming Wang has earned rave reviews from coaches, teammates and scouts for an icy cool composure on the mound. But Wang's ability to turn the other cheek and grit his way back to work didn't help much Thursday. The Devil Rays presented a little too much of Jorge Cantu, and Derek Jeter committed a costly fifth-inning error, sending the Yankees to a 9-4 defeat in the Bronx.

After starting their 13-game homestand with six straight wins, the Yankees lost three out of four to the Devil Rays. The loss dropped New York to just two games over .500 at 37-35, with a weekend series against the Mets on tap. "It's up and down, what can I say?" Jeter said. "That's how we've played so far this year. We really haven't had much consistency. All we can do is move on from here. You can't look back. We could be in a whole lot worse shape." Continue

$40-million man not money pitcher

IF CARL PAVANO can't put away the likes of Jonny Gomes and Nick Green, he'll never put away Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz in October. If the Yankees can't put away the Devil Rays after coming off an "8th Wonder" of an inning the night before, they'll never put away the Red Sox or the Orioles when it counts. Here's what you are looking at right now for George Steinbrenner's $205 million: a team that can't finish.

Pavano is the poster child for a pitcher who can't finish. "We're still learning about him," is the gentle way pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre put it yesterday after the Gopher Man gave up a three-run homer to light-hitting No. 9 hitter Green with two outs in the seventh to give Lou Piniella's club a stunning 5-3 victory at the Stadium. Continue

In Bronx, Devil dog days

In a season of stunning losses, you can make a case that this was the most alarming one of all. In the manager's office afterward, you could see it in Joe Torre's face. You could hear it in his tone of voice more than his words. After all, if the 2005 Yankees couldn't smack the lowly Devil Rays around on this day, less than 24 hours after Tuesday night's 13-run eighth inning, well, it's pretty obvious that something remains amiss with this team.

Maybe it's something intangible or maybe it's just that their starting pitching isn't good enough to give the Yankees the edge they've enjoyed since Torre arrived 10 seasons ago.Maybe it's something intangible or maybe it's just that their starting pitching isn't good enough to give the Yankees the edge they've enjoyed since Torre arrived 10 seasons ago. Continue

Joe won't rush Hideki

The Yankees originally hoped Hideki Matsui would be able to return to the outfield at some point last week, but now it appears he'll stay at designated hitter until at least this weekend.

Matsui's right ankle is still noticeably swollen (he arrived at the Stadium yesterday with a bandage on it) and Joe Torre admitted that running on it probably hasn't helped Matsui much. Despite going 0-for-3 yesterday (and snapping a 12-game hitting streak), the Japanese slugger has flourished in the DH role (he's 16-for-33 with five homers and 16 RBI on the Yanks' home stand), so Torre has been reluctant to rest him. Continue

Yanks fall to D-Rays

Comeback win, curious loss. The Yankees' roller-coaster season rambles on. Nick Green hit a go-ahead, three-run homer, Scott Kazmir pitched seven solid innings and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays rebounded from an embarrassing defeat with a 5-3 victory Wednesday over New York.

Less than 18 hours after allowing 13 runs in the eighth inning of a 20-11 loss, the last-place Devil Rays improved to 6-3 against the Yankees, who got another home run from Gary Sheffield but little else. "This was a tough loss, there's no question, after last night," manager Joe Torre said. "This one was a little bit of a setback and a surprise because it felt like we were going to win the game." Continue

Torre pens Henn to start vs. Mets

Sean Henn's seven-walk performance in Monday night's 5-4 loss to Tampa Bay may have left people speechless for all the wrong reasons, but he remains the most likely option to start for the Yankees on Saturday when they play host to the Mets. In the second inning, Henn walked four in a five-hitter stretch, forcing in a run. "That's something I've never done at any level," he said.

"I think he'll make the start," Joe Torre said. "I don't think it was by far a disaster. It just came down to he has to throw more strikes. His stuff was there. When they did make contact, there weren't a lot of balls that were pounded." Tanyon Sturtze, who has become part of the 'bridge' to closer Mariano Rivera, has made spot starts for the Yankees in past seasons. However, Torre said he'd discounted that notion because Sturtze wouldn't be able to pitch for several days afterward. "I know he could help us in one game, but I'd rather he help us in three," Torre said. (Daily News)

Unit comes up small

STOP me if I'm missing some thing, but I don't recall anyone ever observing how difficult it was for Sandy Koufax to be Sandy Koufax, or for Bob Gibson to be Bob Gibson, or for Tom Seaver to be Tom Seaver. And yet, before Randy Johnson went out to face the Devil Rays at the Stadium last night in a game that became one of the more remarkable Yankee victories of recent vintage, there was Joe Torre issuing what has become a familiar refrain of the manager's this season.

"Unfortunately, the expectations of being Randy Johnson is something Randy always has to live with," Torre said. "People expect great things from him." Unfortunately? Oh, please. Was it so difficult for Johnson to be Johnson on the day that he demanded a two-year, $32M contract extension in order to approve last winter's trade to the Yankees? Odd how he was able to fully meet all expectations in that situation. Continue

Yanks stage a stunning comeback

With six outs to go, the Yankees were faced with a four-run deficit and the prospect of a second consecutive loss to the Devil Rays on their home turf in the Bronx. With five outs to go, the Bombers led the game, 15-11, starting an incredible inning in which they scored 13 runs en route to a 20-11 win over the Rays.

The offensive explosion erased a deficit that stood at eight runs after four innings, with Bernie Williams' bases-loaded triple putting the Yankees ahead for good. "That eighth inning just wouldn't end," said manager Joe Torre. "It was remarkable." New York tallied 23 hits, the most in almost six years, and the 20 runs scored were the most since July 24, 1999, when they defeated Cleveland, 21-1. Continue

Yankees sign draft pick Henry

The Yankees have signed their No. 1 draft choice C.J. Henry, a high school shortstop from Oklahoma, Newsday has learned. The Yankees will announce the signing soon. It is believed that Henry received a signing bonus of $1.5M. Henry, 19, hit .481 for Putnam City High with 13 home runs, 41 RBIs and 21 stolen bases. The Yankees were awarded the 17th pick as compensation for Jon Lieber signing with Philadelphia.

Henry, acclaimed by draft experts as one of the best athletes in the draft, was the 17th overall selection. The Yankees decided to go with Henry over St. John's pitcher Craig Hansen because of the cost factor. Hansen was picked later in the first round, No. 26 overall, by the rival Boston Red Sox. On draft day Henry told Newsday he would play anywhere to make it to the big leagues soon. Continue

Jeter's error in 2nd leaves Yankees at loss

Derek Jeter attempted almost an identical play Sunday against the Cubs, and it didn't work that time, either. Jeter backhanded a grounder in the shortstop hole last night, but flipped it past Alex Rodriguez covering at third for an error that led to a key early run in the Yankees' 5-4 loss to the Devil Rays. "It was unusual to see exactly the same play, and the ball rolling by Alex," Joe Torre said.

With the bases loaded in the second last night, Julio Lugo reached on an RBI infield single to the right of Jeter. But the Gold Glove shortstop compounded the damage trying to cut down Alex Gonzalez at third, whipping the ball past Rodriguez for a throwing error. The ball then skipped off a donut weight in the visiting on-deck circle and into the stands, allowing two runs to score on the play for a 3-0 lead. Continue

Matsui not quite ready for OF duty

Hideki Matsui shagged balls during batting practice but he pronounced himself a few days away from playing in the outfield. Matsui (sprained right ankle) also shagged the AL Player of the Week honor yesterday and made a bid on next week's award. The Japanese superstar batted .455 (10-for-22) with three homers, six runs and 22 total bases last week. It's the third time he's received the award and first time this season.

Matsui's eighth-inning, three-run homer off Lance Carter closed the Yankees within one run in their 5-4 loss to Tampa Bay. "Actually, I wasn't surprised," he said of his recent hot streak before the game. "I was feeling pretty good from St. Louis as far as my hitting. "I'm just happy my injury didn't affect my hitting in a bad way." Continue

Henn wild as Yanks get cooled off

Sean Henn's second Major League start wasn't much different than his first, as the 24-year-old left-hander was roughed up by the Devil Rays in a 5-4 Yankees loss. New York rallied with four runs in the eighth, but it wasn't enough to lift the Bombers to a seventh consecutive victory. The loss was the first in seven games on the current 13-game homestand.

"With the amount of talent we have in this clubhouse, we have to come out and play with our hair on fire," said Alex Rodriguez, who popped out in a crucial spot in the eighth. "I don't think we did that today. Today, we were a little lazy." The Yankees are now 2-5 against the Devil Rays, including a 1-2 mark at Yankee Stadium. Tampa Bay is just 4-27 in all other road games. Continue

Matsui gets glove ready

Hideki Matsui is expected to shag flies during BP today, and could be back in the outfield as early as tonight, manager Joe Torre said yesterday. Matsui, who sprained his right ankle on the final day of a 12-game road trip in St. Louis last Sunday, has been the DH in six straight games. "We'll just see how much it improves," Torre said before yesterday's 6-3 victory over the Cubs. Said Matsui: "It will just depend on the pain and swelling (today). In practice, it should be fine. "I could even do it now. But I think we'll see if (playing is) possible or not."

Since Matsui smacked three homers in a four-game stretch after being limited by the ankle, Torre was hesitant to put him back in the field. But if Matsui can handle the field, it now appears the manager wants to try him there. "I'm not sure it's going to impact anybody's presence in the lineup," Torre said. "Just have it rearranged, whether Bernie (Williams) DHs or Sheff (Gary Sheffield) DHs." Continue

Yankees sweep Cubs, win sixth straight game

After last week's brutal road trip, the struggling Yankees were looking forward to enjoying the comforts of home. Well, home has certainly agreed with the Bombers, who won their sixth consecutive game on Sunday, completing a three-game sweep of the Cubs at Yankee Stadium with a 6-3 victory.

The sweep was the second in a row for the Yanks, who took three straight from the Pirates to open their homestand. After dropping 11 of 14 to fall two games below .500, New York now finds itself at 36-32, five games behind Baltimore in the American League East.

"When we came back off that last trip, we weren't feeling too good about ourselves," said Mike Mussina, who won his third straight start. "To play well in the Pittsburgh series and now the Cubs series, it helps us feel better about ourselves. We believe we're a good team." Continue

Now He's touched all bases

Derek Jeter won a World Series ring in his rookie season, won over New York even before that. It means he has spent a decade not having to wait for anything in a city where waiting is institutional, whether you need a cab or dinner. "Derek Jeter can show up with 26 people to a restaurant unannounced," Joe Torre said, "and he will get a table for 26."

Just one club remained in the five boroughs to which Jeter did not have immediate access, until yesterday when he stepped beyond his final velvet rope to make a grand entrance. In the 5,771st at-bat of his career, Jeter launched a 2-1 Joe Borowski fastball over the left-center-field wall for his first grand slam. If you heard a loud noise at around 5 p.m. yesterday, it was the huge monkey falling off Jeter's back. Continue

Trouble's afoot for ailing Tino

Tino Martinez sprinted after the bloop near the right-field line and barely missed it, but when he returned to his position at the first-base bag, Martinez was limping. It is a symptom of a foot injury that has been bothering Martinez for a week.

He's not the only Yankee first baseman hurting - Jason Giambi was held out of the lineup yesterday because of tightness in both of his troublesome hamstrings. Martinez started at first but didn't look comfortable after running hard. He has plantar fasciitis in his right heel, a condition that affects the tissue between the muscles in the sole of the foot. Continue

Jeter, Wang lift Yanks to win over Cubs

For the past few years, Derek Jeter has gone to the plate with the bases loaded and thought about only one thing: hitting a home run. Saturday, the Yankees' captain walked to the plate in the sixth inning, bases juiced and one out, but he wasn't thinking long ball. A simple fly ball would bring a run home, boosting the Yankees' lead over the Cubs to three runs.

Jeter accomplished his goal, lifting a fly ball to left-center field. Only this one didn't stop until it had cleared the fence and landed in the Yankees' bullpen, giving Jeter the first grand slam of his illustrious career. "I was trying to get a ball in the air, get a sac fly, because with a runner on third and less than two outs, you're just trying to hit a ball in the air," Jeter said. "I hit it good, but I thought I might have hit it too high." Continue

Bombers in chase for Mets' Cameron

The Yankees are one of three teams that have talked to the Mets concerning outfielder Mike Cameron, The Post has learned. Poised to improve their up-and-down club, the Yankees are looking to upgrade their outfield alignment and have expressed an interest in the 32-year-old Cameron, who would move into center field and make a full-time left fielder out of Hideki Matsui when his twisted right ankle allows him to play the outfield again.

According to a person familiar with the Mets' thinking, the Yankees, Orioles and Padres have interest in Cameron, who has missed the past four games due to a knee problem. Continue

Brown may head back to DL

Kevin Brown's balky back has flared up and the oft-injured righthander could be headed to the disabled list. Brown, who was on the DL twice last season and began this year there as well, said yesterday that he felt a little bit better than he did on Thursday, but won't make his scheduled start on Monday. "Not unless somebody's got an inside line on a miracle," Brown said.

Joe Torre said the Bombers are considering the DL for Brown, but want to wait until today to determine if Brown will miss one start or two; if it's only one, they'll keep him on the roster. GM Brian Cashman said lefty Sean Henn - who filled in for Randy Johnson when the Unit missed a May outing - likely will pitch in place of Brown against the Devil Rays. Continue

Carl still shaky on Stadium hill

Carl Pavano said repeatedly that he didn't want to "harp" on his latest poor performance, instead choosing to praise the hitters and relievers who bailed him out of a loss.

But Joe Torre knows how important the $39.95 million hurler is to the Yankees. And he didn't overlook Pavano's outing in last night's eventual 9-6 win over the Cubs, especially since the imported righty had been mostly effective in his previous couple of outings. "I was really hopeful, too, after watching his last two (starts)," Torre said. "I'm just anxious now to see him in his next start, because we need him to be who he is." Continue

Matsui's heroics lift Yanks over Cubs

The Yankees and Cubs hadn't met in the Bronx since the 1938 World Series, when New York completed a four-game sweep of Chicago. Sixty-seven years later, the Bombers picked up where they left off, defeating the Cubs, 9-6, in front of a sellout crowd of 54,733.

Hideki Matsui continued his surge at the plate, belting a two-run home run in the seventh to give the Yanks a lead they would not relinquish. Matsui, who went 3-for-4 with five RBIs, has hit three homers in the first four games of the homestand -- all Yankees wins. What makes it even more impressive is that he's heated up while nursing a sprained right ankle, limiting him to designated hitter duties. Continue

Giambi exits on the double

For two straight games, Jason Giambi has had bursts of the power that once made him one of the game's most feared hitters. Last night, however, after a double off the wall in right-center in the Yankees' 6-1 win over Pittsburgh, you couldn't tell if the Yankee first baseman was enjoying the feeling of being a big bat in the lineup.

Giambi left the clubhouse without talking to reporters after the game. Still, his recent success at the plate have others in the clubhouse speaking for him. "He works hard," said Yankee manager Joe Torre. "He is down in that (batting) cage everyday. You have to be happy for him. You have to be here to appreciate how tough this has been on him. He knows there is plenty of work to do ahead, but you have to be happy that his hard work is paying off." Continue

Brown's next start in limbo

Joe Torre said the severity of Kevin Brown's back injury would make it "doubtful" that he'll make his next scheduled start. Brown left Wednesday's game in the fifth inning with what was immediately diagnosed as a back spasm, but instead of undergoing any tests yesterday he stretched and got treatment.

"It's tight and it's stiff," Brown said through a team spokesman before last night's 6-1 win. "I don't have a crystal ball. I'm getting treatment every day and we'll see where we are [today]." Brown missed the first two weeks of the season with a balky back and was forced to miss his previously scheduled start because of a sore left shoulder. Any time Brown has something wrong with his back, it's never to be overlooked. Continue

Unit, Yanks roll to series sweep

If Thursday night's performance isn't the best of what Randy Johnson has to offer, then the Yankees have a lot to look forward to. Johnson twirled a complete-game gem against the Pirates at Yankee Stadium, leading the Bombers to a 6-1 win and a three-game series sweep of the Bucs in the process.

"This could have been the best [start] all year," said manager Joe Torre. "He had electric stuff, no question." Johnson, who tossed seven shutout innings last Saturday against the powerful Cardinals offense, followed with his first complete-game win of the season on Thursday. Yet even with his dominant outing, the Big Unit was not impressed with himself when all was said and done. Continue

Back spasms KO Brown; Joe not worried

The first strains of pain began for Kevin Brown in the fourth inning, after the 40-year-old righthander with the balky back had set the Pirates down through the first three innings with minimal problems. Then came the fourth inning, and with the all-too familiar pain creeping its way into Brown's back, he quickly unraveled, allowed four hits and two runs that promptly erased a one-run Yankees lead and turned it into a 2-1 Pirates advantage. Unfortunately for the Yankees, it's a scene they have seen many times this season from Brown.

"I got out of the fourth inning and I thought maybe I'd be all right," Brown said. "It kept getting worse and worse. I was trying to get through (the inning) and give us another inning or two." Continue

Jason proves to be high & mighty

In the not too distant past, Pirate closer Jose Mesa would have considered two options when Jason Giambi came to bat with first base open and one out in the 10th inning: Work very, very carefully to him, or do not pitch to him at all.

However, in a more recent past, Giambi has become a weak-hitting disgrace. His final three at-bats in regulation had not only ended in strikeout, weak pop out and strike out, but also ever escalating boos from a crowd of 48,828, who essentially were as fond of him as whooping cough. "Let's be honest," Joe Torre said, "he is batting eighth in the order now and has not been the hitter he was." Continue

'Great' night for the boss

About 90 minutes after Jason Giambi's mammoth upper-deck walkoff home run had given the Yankees a 10th-inning 7-5 win over Pittsburgh last night, George Steinbrenner climbed into his waiting van a happy man. When asked if he were happy for the beleaguered and oft-booed Giambi, who seemed to take out a season's worth of frustration on that powerful swing, Steinbrenner answered, "I'm happy for everybody. It was a great game."

Well, at least the end result was. After the come-from-behind victory — in which the Bombers erased a three-run, seventh-inning deficit — Steinbrenner hurried off before he could comment on starting pitcher Kevin Brown, who left the game after 41/3 innings with back spasms. Continue

Giambi caps furious Yankees rally

Try as he might, Jason Giambi couldn't completely tune out the boos. He figured the best plan of attack was to wipe them away entirely. After being soundly booed in his first four plate appearances of the night, Giambi turned the Yankee Stadium crowd around as quickly as he turned on Jose Mesa's fastball.

Giambi picked the perfect time to crush his fifth home run of the year into the upper deck in right field, a momentous blast that gave the Yankees a 7-5 win in 10 innings Wednesday. "It was incredible," Giambi said. "I wanted to get a hit so bad. I finally got a pitch I could hit and didn't miss it." The walk-off home run capped a Yankees rally that began in the seventh inning, with New York scoring in each frame thereafter. Continue

Womack loses his veto right

The Yankees aren't likely to greatly alter their underachieving team before the trade deadline, but moving Tony Womack at least will become easier today. Having signed a two-year $4 million contract as a free agent last winter, Womack had the right to veto any trade until today.

Shifted from second base to left field last month, Womack has only five extra-base hits (four doubles and one triple) and a .244 batting average over 217 at-bats after his 0-for-4 showing in last night's 9-0 win over Pittsburgh. His paltry on-base (.284) and slugging percentages (.272) also are difficult to justify at any position, but particularly as a corner outfielder. Still, Joe Torre indicated he plans to continue playing Womack, who entered last night fourth in the AL with 16 stolen bases. Continue

Boss sees no reason to panic

The Yankees may have hammered the Pirates last night at the Stadium, but that doesn't mean George Steinbrenner is pleased. The Bombers are still lagging behind in the American League East and have the shaky Kevin Brown starting tonight. One solid win doesn't erase the displeasure Steinbrenner has had over the past couple of weeks.

"Sure, we're concerned," The Boss said when he left the Stadium after the Yankees' 9-0 victory. "Until we're in first place, we're concerned." The Bombers have a long way to go before they get there, but last night offered a glimmer of what this team was supposed to do when its payroll climbed over $200 million during the offseason. Continue

Moose answers call as Yankees roll

A little home cooking was all it took to bring out the old offseason blueprint, making the Yankees look all right again. Mike Mussina shut the Pittsburgh Pirates out on five hits, Hideki Matsui homered and three players contributed two RBIs each, as the Yankees steamrolled to a 9-0 win Tuesday, opening a 13-game homestand in style.

"If you can draw up a way to play a game, that's the way you'd draw it up," Mussina said. Since the Yankees left Tampa in March, manager Joe Torre has repeatedly stated his belief that this pitching rotation is the strongest, top to bottom, that the team has had during his tenure. Continue

Yanks to announce new stadium plan

The Yankees will announce detailed plans Wednesday for a new $800 million ballpark, which would be built adjacent to the current Yankee Stadium and could be ready by the 2009 season. The team has spent years planning the new stadium, which will have a capacity of at least 50,800 -- approximately 6,000 seats fewer than the current ballpark -- but could be expanded to about 54,000. It would be constructed in Macombs Dam Park, to the north of the current stadium, and financed by the team.

Yankee Stadium, which opened in 1923, is the third-oldest park in use in the major leagues, younger only than Boston's Fenway Park (1912) and Chicago's Wrigley Field (1914). Yankee Stadium was renovated extensively in 1974-75, but the team has long desired a modern ballpark with more luxury suites and wider concourses. Continue

Streak on the line for hobbled Hideki

There will be a little extra drama when the lineup card is posted on the clubhouse door tonight at the Stadium since everyone will be looking for Hideki Matsui's name. The Yankees outfielder badly rolled his right ankle chasing Jim Edmonds' double to right in the seventh inning of Sunday's loss in St. Louis and could be held out of the series opener with the Pirates. If Matsui doesn't play, his consecutive-games played streak would end at 1,637.

  Initial X-rays on the ankle were negative, and Matsui had an MRI exam at the Stadium yesterday, which also came back clean. Matsui received treatment and will be evaluated again today before a decision is made on whether he'll play. Continue

Bombers' time to walk plank

There is a hope, however faint, that the Yankees will ultimately look back at Friday night and laugh. Their manager lambasted them after a lethargic, lackadaisical blowout loss to the Cardinals; their captain ripped them, too, making sure to include himself among the chastised. "Unacceptable," was the word that Derek Jeter repeated several ti