Yankees 5

A’s 0

THE Yankees need Randy Johnson and Carl Pavano to pitch at least half as well as a brilliant Mike Mussina did yesterday almost every time they go out. You can’t get started without starting pitching, duh.

“And you have to stack a few [wins] before you get your confidence back,” adds Joe Torre. So it would help for Kevin Brown to at least get them through the sixth today, then for Tom Gordon to pitch the first of several solid eighths, because there is nothing like losing late to make you wonder when you ever will win again.

“A well-pitched game changes your personality,” says Torre. Presto, alakazam! If you had been out of the country, or worrying about your horse, you never would have gleaned from yesterday’s back-on-your-horse 5-0 victory that the Yankees need a few more of these to lower an anxiety level surely palpable when sure hands like Derek Jeter, Tino Martinez and Alex Rodriguez fumble away a feel-good victory.

Of course, Brian Cashman and Joe Torre need to understand that once this talented team inevitably begins to play better, it won’t reach the playoffs without a major trade. The Red Sox, who didn’t get their hearts started until after leaving Yankee Stadium last July with division title hopes buried, fearlessly then moved Nomar Garciaparra. The Yankees, at minimum, need a reliever, starter and good all-around outfielder younger than what they have.

But that’s for later, after some of these players who seem so worthless right now build up some value. For now, the Yankees mostly need blinders and, let’s see what happens over the next four days, probably their big suitcases. The mentality on the road is to break even, not win eight in a row that the Yankees came to a tense Stadium yesterday requiring for a fast .500.

This isn’t the first team to see a rival pulling away and an entire season passing before its eyes. And the Yankees won’t be the last club to get it together after hitting their own perception of rock-bottom, then taking pressure off themselves by realizing the only place to go is up, one pitch and at-bat at a time.

Self-defeating behavior like Jorge Posada’s base-running Friday night is a sign of panic at the Yankees’ failure to snap out of this at will. Whether they have to relax to get going or need to get going to relax, those things usually end up going hand-in-hand, realizes the man with the best hand in the game for bringing them out of this.

“Some people have a tougher thing with patience than us older guys,” said Torre. “Until you get that feeling of winning, you think it’s the deepest hole you have ever been in.

“You need a couple of steps to peek up and see light. That’s our goal right now, to take a step at a time and we will continue to remind them of that.”

Two starts in a row Mussina has reminded the Yankees what a good pitcher he is, step one in soothing their soul. Randy Johnson, pronounced yesterday good to go tomorrow night, is step two, even if Brown proves awful again today. The Yankees don’t have to immediately get on a hot streak, only build momentum.

In 1995, incredibly they were under .500 with 41 games to go and still made the playoffs. Not the recommended route, of course, so if the Yankees, 12-19, go just 19-12 in the next 31, they will be at .500 with 100 games remaining. From there, a steady 62-38 will get them 92 wins, what division champions Minnesota and Anaheim had a year ago.

At the pace of several four-hit shutouts a week, those goals are modest, but then, as we’ve seen after 12-4 and 11-1 wins this season tomorrow is another day. Just as long as the Yankees remember it’s just one day, ultimately they will be competing as usual.