YANKEE NOTES
ANAHEIM -Their physical issues don’t come close to the Angels’ staggering injuries, but the Yankees do have a few key individuals nursing problems.
Jason Giambi was scratched after BP Tuesday night due to a balky back, and Gary Sheffield injured his left rib cage running into a wall later in the evening.
“I am going to give it another day,” Giambi said of the back spasms problem that forced him to miss Sunday’s game as well.
However, following a 1-0 loss in 11 innings, Joe Torre sounded as if he could be without Giambi for a longer stretch.
“I think it may be more than one [day],” Torre said. “In BP, he couldn’t get through the ball. Right now he feels it. It’s muscular, so that’s the good news.”
Tony Clark subbed for Giambi at first base and went 0-for-3 with a walk.
As for Sheffield, he remained in the game after crashing into the wall making a catch on Jose Guillen’s foul fly in the sixth. He grounded out in the ninth and flied out in the 11th.
“It bothered him the last couple of at-bats,” Torre said. “He has bruised ribs.”
Sheffield was hoping to play last night but waiting until his body responded.
“I hope it doesn’t get sore,” Sheffield said.
Neither Sheffield nor Giambi were among the Yankees who took early batting practice yesterday.
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Derek Jeter, who was 16-for-75 (.213) since ending a career-high 0-for-32 slump, did take some extra BP and worked on hitting the ball to right field. Alex Rodriguez also was among the early hitters who were watched by Torre, Don Mattingly and Reggie Jackson.
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If Scott Elarton, 28, is released by the Rockies -he was designated for assignment May 15 -the Yankees could have an interest in the right-hander who was awful in eight starts for Colorado, going 0-6 with a 9.80 ERA. Any team claiming Elarton, a 17-game winner with Houston four years ago, would be responsible for what’s left of his $480,000 contract.
Jose Contreras is scheduled to rejoin the team tomorrow night in Arlington and start Saturday night. He has continued to work with organizational pitching guru Billy Connors as a member of the Columbus (Triple-A) Clippers. He made two starts for the Clippers.
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Steve Karsay’s return to the majors is a long way off but it finally seems to be moving in the right direction. Karsay, who missed all of last season, worked two innings of a simulated game yesterday in Tampa and will repeat the process Saturday. It was the first time he faced batters since March of 2003.
“I’m extremely pleased with how it went,” Karsay said. “I’ve still got a long ways to go, but it’s a good start.”
Orlando Hernandez had his second bullpen session in three days Wednesday. He received a cortisone shot for bursitis in his right shoulder this month.
Hernandez had shoulder surgery last May. He left after just nine pitches in his first rehabilitation start for Class-A Tampa on April 29 because of shoulder tightness.
