YANKEE NOTES

OAKLAND – Roger Clemens will have his mother, Bess, on his mind today when he chases his 298th career victory.

“She is in a hospital in Texas with a slight case of pneumonia in one lung, but she doesn’t really have a second lung [because of emphysema],” Clemens said yesterday. “I am talking to her a lot. If she gets worse, I am out of here.”

Clemens didn’t believe that Bess’ illness would force him to miss today’s outing against A’s stud Barry Zito, who beat Clemens 2-0 last weekend at Yankee Stadium.

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David Wells wasn’t with the Yankees last night when they played the A’s at the Coliseum because he was in San Diego attending the funeral of Steve Allen, his Little League coach who died of a heart attack earlier this week at 61.

“He was a mentor to me, he taught me how to play,” said Wells, who had a hard time in the early going of Thursday night’s 16-5 win over the Mariners that raised his record to 5-0 because he was thinking of Allen.

“He would bring his son by and we would go play. He knew I didn’t have a father growing up.”

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In what was likely his last Triple-A start before he returns to the Yanks, Jose Contreras last night went five innings in Rochester, giving up no runs on three hits while walking none, striking out two and hitting a batter.

When he returns to the big leagues he will go into the bullpen. Either Al Reyes or Randy Choate will be sent out. Choate has options; Reyes doesn’t.

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Derek Jeter played in his third rehab game for Double-A Trenton last night.

Facing New Haven, he played seven innings, going 2-for-5 with a bunt single and a single to center. He also handled four chances in the field without an error. In three rehab games, he’s 4-for-12.

Jeter is slated to play tonight and tomorrow for the Thunder, then rejoin the Yankees Tuesday.