YANKEE NOTES
Like many members of the Yankee family, Joe Torre hopes for the best when it comes to Darryl Strawberry’s life after prison. Strawberry was released yesterday from a Florida slammer.
“I just wish Darryl the best,” Torre said of the former left-handed slugger who last played for the Yankees in 1999, and who’s been in and out of drug treatment and jails since.
“I don’t know what the next step is for him,” Torre said. “I am certainly happy he is out and hope he can get his life back on the right path.”
Despite Strawberry’s checkered past before he joined the Yankees, and since April 14, 1999, when he was busted for cocaine possession, he never was a discipline problem for Torre.
“The dealings I had with Darryl with the Yankees was that he was never late one day and was always there for the younger players,” Torre said. “It’s unfortunate that people have to deal with drugs and situations. It’s tough to criticize because unless you have to deal with it you don’t realize how tough it is. I wish him the best, and I certainly would like to call him and say hello.”
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Mariano Rivera and Steve Karsay update from Tampa:
Rivera (right groin) threw on flat ground for eight minutes at 120 feet and plans to throw in the bullpen today. Karsay (bursitis, right shoulder) continued a strength-and-conditioning program and is slated to resume a throwing program today.
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Knowing Jason Giambi’s history of hamstring problems Torre used Nick Johnson at first and Giambi as the DH yesterday when it was 35 degrees for the first pitch.
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Hideki Matsui’s family was on hand yesterday to watch him play his first game at Yankee Stadium. Father Masao and mother Saeko joined Matsui’s older brother, Toshiki, in the stands.
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When Jason Anderson made the Yankees in the final days of spring training, the rookie right-handed reliever knew his time in the big leagues was just until Rivera or Karsay returned from the DL. It was his wish to make it long enough to pitch in a game at Yankee Stadium.
Yesterday he took the first step toward that when he was a member of the bullpen for the home opener against the Twins.
“Now I have to hit the field,” said Anderson, who appeared in one game in Toronto, giving up singles to both batters he faced. “It’s nice to be here, but the next move is being on the field. The biggest rush was riding the subway train here and seeing how big the stadium is from the outside. Then you get in [the clubhouse] and it tops it all off.”
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RHP Mike Mussina (1-0, 6.00 ERA) pitches for Yanks tonight against RHP Kyle Lohse (1-0, 0.00). LHP David Wells (1-0, 1.13) faces RHP Rick Reed (0-1, 6.00) tomorrow.
