YANKEE NOTES
ST. PETERSBURG – It only gets worse for the Yankees.
Now Randy Johnson’s left groin is barking loud enough to force the struggling club’s ace out of his start tomorrow night against the Devil Rays at Tropicana Field.
Johnson, who felt a twinge in the groin late in a 2-0 loss to the Blue Jays Friday night at Yankee Stadium, will be replaced by neophyte Shawn Henn, a 24-year-old lefty being promoted from Trenton (Double-A) who will be making his major league debut against Tampa Bay.
Henn was scratched from a start last night against Bowie and told he was pitching tomorrow. The Yankees weren’t sure how they were going to get Henn on the 25-man roster as of last night.
“I think I have put myself in a good position by doing well enough in my first four starts,” Henn said. “I’m surprised, but I think everybody is with their first call-up. I know I’m going to be a little big-eyed when I get there.”
So, after Chien-Ming Wang made his big league debut Saturday, the laboring Yankees are turning to another untested pitcher to help them straighten out a listing ship.
“I am not concerned,” Johnson said on the way off the field last night.
Joe Torre said Johnson will only miss one start and isn’t a candidate for the DL.
“I told him before he went out there,” Torre said as he looked toward left field where Johnson was shagging flies during batting practice. “It’s only a start.” *
With his underachieving team playing the Devil Rays a half-hour away from home, George Steinbrenner avoided Tropicana Field.
According to PR guru Howard Rubenstein, The Boss didn’t plan on watching the two worst teams in the AL East, but will be on hand tonight.
“It’s in Joe Torre and (Brian) Cashman‘s hands,” said The Boss, who ripped into the players on April 17 and watched them go 6-7 since.
*
Tanyon Sturtze threw two innings for Tampa (Single-A) yesterday and will be activated Thursday from the DL. He has been out with a left rib cage problem. Sturtze gave up two runs, four hits walked one and fanned four.
*
With lefty Scott Kazmir pitching for the Devil Rays, Tino Martinez was expected to start last night. But when Martinez reported to Tropicana Field with the same viral infection that leveled Mariano Rivera last week, Torre’s decision to start the right-handed hitting Andy Phillips at first base was easy.
