YANKEE NOTES
BRADENTON – To many, Donovan Osborne is the Yankees’ Feel-Good Story of this spring training. Out of baseball last year after being axed by the Mets and having pitched in only 11 games in the past four seasons, the veteran lefty is on the verge of winning the Bombers’ No. 5 starter spot that opened when Jon Lieber tore a groin muscle.
While more than a few people are shocked at that development, Osborne isn’t among them.
“I have worked hard and never questioned anything,” Osborne said yesterday, one day after throwing four innings against the Indians in which he gave up one run. “I knew I could still pitch at this level. I needed somebody to give me the opportunity and the Yankees did that. Physically, I feel great.”
With Osborne now the favorite for the No. 5 spot, Joe Torre is searching for an 11th pitcher to start the season and stay until Lieber returns.
“It will be somebody who can give us innings,” Torre said.
Scott Proctor worked a season-high three innings Friday night and is the leading candidate. Lefty Alex Graman, who impressed Torre Friday night, and Jorge De Paula are also in the mix.
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According to Torre, Bernie Williams had a better day yesterday than Friday when he took BP on the field for the first time since undergoing an appendectomy on Feb. 26. However, there is a chance Williams starts the season on the DL.
Based on how gassed Williams was Friday, Torre is looking to get him into a minor-league exhibition game Wednesday but said it could be moved up a day. Asked about playing a position player short in Tokyo for the two games against the Devil Rays, Torre said, “We could play short and still DL him. We may DL him and this way we don’t put pressure on him.”
That decision could be made today when Torre meets with his staff and GM Brian Cashman.
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With Travis Lee starting the season on the DL with a sore left shoulder, Tony Clark has moved into strong position to make the team. However, Torre’s mind isn’t completely made up.
“You have [Darren] Bragg, [Bubba] Crosby and [Miguel] Cairo and don’t take [Mike] Lamb out of the equation,” Torre said. “We got him [Lamb] to play third base but you can put a first baseman’s glove on him, too.”
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To nobody’s surprise, Torre officially announced Mike Mussina as the Opening Day starter against the Devil Rays in Tokyo on March 30.
“He earned that right with the guys who left,” Torre said of Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and David Wells not returning. “Mike has experience and deserves to do that.”
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As expected, the Yankees are going to leave Javier Vazquez in Tampa when they leave Tampa for Tokyo Thursday night. Vazquez will work out at the Yankees’ complex and could be a candidate to start one of the two games against the Devil Rays in St. Petersburg when play resumes on April 6-7.
“Mussina will pitch the first game [in Tokyo] and [Kevin] Brown will pitch the second,” Torre said.
Even though Vazquez has never pitched a regular season game for the Yankees, Torre isn’t ruling him out of starting the home opener on April 8.
