YANKEE NOTES
Lee Mazzilli helps prepare scouting reports no matter whom the Yankees play, but he knew last night’s opponent a little bit better than most.
Mazzilli was fired as Orioles manager last Aug. 4 after less than two years on the job, and is back for his second coaching stint with the Bombers as Joe Torre’s bench coach.
“You’re over there a couple years, you have feelings for the guys coming up to the plate,” said Torre, who planned to chat with Mazzilli before last night’s game. “You get very intimate with them as far as helping them and knowing a little bit about them.
“Sometimes it helps you because scouting-wise, you get some information.”
Mazzilli guided the Orioles to a surprisingly quick start in 2005; Baltimore was still within a game of first place in the AL East last July 15. But the O’s lost 16 of 18 in July and early August, and the New York native was axed.
Mazzilli never asked his friend, Baltimore executive VP Mike Flanagan, why he was given a pink slip.
“There’s no reason to,” Mazzilli said. “Maybe when I’m 80 years old, I’ll ask him.”
Mazzilli’s 129-140 record wasn’t terrible, but he wasn’t allowed to hire his own coaches when he came on board, and he wasn’t the preferred hire of owner Peter Angelos. The former co-GM structure of Jim Beattie and Flanagan made the hire, with Flanagan pushing hard for the move.
“When you go someplace and you’re not allowed to hire any of your own coaches, that’s an indication that you better win a lot of games,” Torre said. “Otherwise, you’re not going to be there very long.”
Some critics felt Mazzilli was a poor game manager, and others felt he lost control of a veteran clubhouse. Torre praised Mazzilli for being prepared and proactive about suggestions, and said the former Met and Yankee has a confidence that has come with being a manager.
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Announcer Bob Sheppard returned to the Stadium last night after missing the first homestand due to a hip injury . . . Torre spoke briefly with owner George Steinbrenner, who was mourning the deaths in an auto accident of Oscar Acosta, the Gulf Coast Yankees manager, and Humberto Trejo, the franchise’s coordinator in the Dominican Republic . . . Torre said Gary Sheffield probably will DH today.
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Aaron Small probably will make one more extended-spring-training start then head to Triple-A Columbus, GM Brian Cashman said . . . Octavio Dotel (Tommy John surgery) suffered from a sore right elbow after pitching an inning in extended spring training earlier this week. He’ll be shut down for approximately five days.
