YANKEE NOTES

ST. PETERSBURG – One half of the Yankees’ disabled bullpen is making progress.

Mariano Rivera’s strained right groin is healing to the point where the All-Star closer will throw batting practice today at the organization’s minor-league complex.

Yet, Steve Karsay’s bursitis problem in the right shoulder isn’t coming along as well as Rivera’s groin. Karsay is still working off flat ground when he throws.

“Karsay is slow, I think Mo [will return] before Karsay,” Joe Torre said yesterday. “Mo feels real good, but Karsay has inflammation and irritation and it is going to hurt so we are going to wait for it to quiet down. Karsay isn’t throwing in a regular program like Mo is.”

Juan Acevedo is filling in for Rivera as the closer and Antonio Osuna is working as the right-handed set-up man, which is Karsay’s role. Rivera’s return would allow Torre to use Acevedo and Osuna earlier in the game.

Torre isn’t looking for Rivera to return until the final week of this month at the earliest.

The next step for Rivera would be to pitch in several minor-league rehab games.

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Torre started Nick Johnson at first base and used Jason Giambi as the DH last night against Devil Rays right-hander Steve Parris.

“I am going to play [Bubba] Trammell [tonight] and play Jason at first base,” Torre said. “[Playing first] helps Nick.”

A year ago, Torre was cautious about when and where he used Giambi as a DH because Giambi had been very vocal during the free-agent courting season that he wanted to be on the field as much as possible. Torre says Giambi’s approach to not playing the field has changed this season.

“It doesn’t bother him anymore,” Torre said. “It’s not as much of a problem.”

It certainly wasn’t Tuesday night in Toronto when Giambi clubbed two homers as the DH.

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RHP Jeff Weaver faces LHP Joe Kennedy tonight and Roger Clemens faces RHP Victor Zambrano tomorrow.