1. In 2006, especially in the first half of the season, Mike Mussina unleashed a changeup as a regular weapon for the first time. He came to him rather magically and, poof, somewhere in the second half he lost the feel for it and it never really resurfaced. But there it was Thursday against Pittsburgh. Mussina was not only throwing a changeup, but even toying with the speed of the pitch during five perfect innings. It was obeying his commands. It was impressive. It was a weapon that makes living with an accurately thrown 85-88 mph fastball more tolerable if Mussina does not regain even more arm strength.

2. Some suspicions were raised on the day of the Yankee-Ray melee that Andy Pettitte was scratched, and the two highest-profile regulars, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, did not make the trip. However, Pettitte said if reports of his elbow problems were merely subterfuge to keep him away from pitching against the Rays, then wouldn’t he have gone, say, to minor league camp and pitched there to stay in an every-five-day routine? Joe Girardi’s policy has been to give all of his veterans a day off in camp and, A-Rod said, he had set Wednesday against the Rays as his day off on Feb. 19 when he showed up. As for Jeter, he had played a few games in a row and the Yankees wanted to keep him back to work out with Billy Crystal.

3. Is Mike Pelfrey like Eli Manning, a talented guy who just needs time to blossom. Or will he never be fully trustworthy?