YANK NOTES
ST. PETERSBURG – Joe Torre saw Raul Mondesi carry his bat almost all the way to first base and flip it when his ninth-inning homer Friday night cleared the left-field wall.
Since Torre has never tolerated hot-dog acts and never had seen Mondesi do that when he played against the Yankees with the Blue Jays, Torre talked to Mondesi about it.
“We don’t do that,” Torre said. “I guess there was a problem here where he got hit a couple of times and was part of the problem here. He understood. I don’t like it. It’s important to respect the game and your opponent.”
Mondesi was hit once last year and on June 27 of this year by Devil Ray pitchers while a Blue Jay and drilled with the bases loaded in the sixth Friday night when he went 2-for-3 and drove in four runs which was easily his best game as a Yankee.
“I don’t want people to think that,” Mondesi said when asked if getting hit was the reason he carried and flipped the bat. “I was watching the ball and forgot I had the bat in my hands.”
Mondesi was wondering if the Devil Rays had said anything about his actions but it wasn’t a topic of discussion after Friday night’s game or before last night’s tilt.
*
Roger Clemens made a rehab appearance for Tampa (Single-A) last night at Legends Field in Tampa against Sarasota. The Yankees were undecided if Clemens would be ready to come off the DL this week or need one more minor-league start to make sure the right groin problem that landed him on the shelf had completely healed.
Clemens, who will be 40 a week from today, is eligible to come off the DL today.
When Clemens is activated, Torre will have six starters for five spots and said yesterday somebody is going to the bullpen because he won’t use a six-man rotation even for one turn.
“We probably have to figure it out by next weekend,” Torre said.
Jeff Weaver, last night’s starter, or Orlando Hernandez are the leading candidates to be shifted to long relief.
*
If Sterling Hitchcock’s back is OK today he will be activated from the DL and take a place in the bullpen.
“He will give us better balance out of the bullpen,” Torre said of the lefty who has been on the shelf since June 28 with a back problem. It’s Hitchcock’s second stint on the DL.
Hitchcock threw a perfect inning yesterday in a Gulf Coast League (Rookie) game in Tampa.
“I feel a lot more comfortable with my mechanics right now,” Hitchcock said. “I know what I am doing. The last [rehab] I wasn’t real sure. I am stronger now and healthier. Hopefully it’s the last time I am here.”
*
Randy Choate, who was recalled from Columbus (Triple-A) Friday night and arrived at Tropicana Field last night, will be sent back to Columbus when Hitchcock is activated.
*
Andy Pettitte (4-4; 3.81 ERA) faces RHP Tanyon Sturtze (1-10; 4.77) today in the series finale.