YANKEE NOTES
BALTIMORE – The Yankees will be represented at Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Seattle by seven players, several sources close to the All-Star process told The Post.
By the time Roger Clemens takes the Camden Yards’ mound today a little past 4 p.m., Clemens will be among AL manager Joe Torre’s All-Star pitchers and a strong candidate to start the Mid-Summer Classic. And MLB officials are expecting Clemens to be in Seattle for the festivities.
Clemens hinted that he could use the three-day break to rest his 38-year-old body for the second half of the season. However, he is one of the seven Bombers expected to be announced today at noon.
Joining Clemens will be Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Mike Stanton and Andy Pettitte.
For Clemens, who leads the AL in wins (11) and winning percentage (.917) and is second to Pedro Martinez in strikeouts (116), it will be his eighth All-Star nod. Rivera, who is second in saves (26), was an All Star in 1997, 1999 and 2000.
Posada, a first-time All Star last year, was seventh in the RBI race (61) when last night’s action started. No AL catcher had more RBIs than Posada. Williams, who started last year’s game, has been an All-Star every year since 1997. He was 10th in the batting race with a .324 mark. Jeter, an All-Star the last three seasons, isn’t having a typical Jeter season. After going 3-for-6 last night, the career .322 hitter is batting .292 with seven homers and 39 RBIs.
Pettitte, who is 8-4 with a 2.95 ERA, was an All-Star in 1996. His ERA was third-best in the AL heading into last night. Stanton, who has never been to an All-Star Game in 11 years, has appeared in 42 games, sports a 1.91 ERA and is 6-2. Those 42 appearances led the AL going into last night’s action.
“Everybody should be honored if chosen,” Jeter said. “I haven’t paid a lot of attention to it. People have mentioned it, but I am more worried about how we have been playing.”
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Chuck Knoblauch was back in left field last night for the first time since June 25, a span of six games.
“He needs to play in the outfield,” Torre said of Knoblauch, who was in a 10-for-50 (.200) slide going into last night’s action but went 3-for-4, was on base five times and scored three runs.
