The team with all the pitching, merely one game into the season, is living proof that there is never enough pitching. Last night, as Joe Torre was speaking about the bruised right forearm Roger Clemens suffered in the season opener and the troublesome right elbow Orlando Hernandez is living through, the knowledge that Mike Mussina, today, will make his Yankee debut is a comfort for all concerned.
Even a seemingly invulnerable rotation like the Yankees’ can spring a leak, which is why Mussina was imported as a prize free-agent acquisition. The all-business right-hander will take the mound as the third ace pitcher in three games to start for the Yankees, following Clemens and Andy Pettitte, and Mussina’s debut for his new team, opposing the Royals Dan Reichert, is sure to have Yankee Stadium jumping.
“He looks good in pinstripes,” said Jorge Posada, who got to know Mussina’s stuff from catching him this spring. “He’s a lot easier to catch than to hit, I’ll tell you that.”
No doubt, his new teammates are excited to have Mussina on their side. Mussina might be excited, too, but those emotions will be kept under key, at least for now. He politely declined to be interviewed last night, explaining he only had two minutes and “I have to get dressed and I have to stretch.” Never mind that it was three hours prior to a game he wasn’t even pitching. Word came down later that Mussina is not inclined to speak the day before he pitches.
The Yankees don’t really care if Mussina chooses to remain quiet on any day of the week, as long as he silences opposing bats. The 32-year-old, last season, was 11-15 for the Orioles, only his second losing year in his career. He was 147-81 in his 10 seasons in Baltimore and today makes his first start in anything other than an Orioles uniform. It’s a noteworthy event, but don’t expect this low-key individual from Montoursville, Pa., to admit as much.
“He got this dry sense of humor but he’s a very business-like guy,” Torre said. “I watched him all spring and you don’t even know he’s around. You sense his presence, but he just seems like a very confident person.”
The dead-end situation in Baltimore behind him, Mussina appears primed for big things in his new surroundings.
“He’s tough,” Posada said. “I faced him many times and I don’t think I was at all successful against him. He’s always around the plate, throws a lot of strikes, everything he throws he can throw it for a strike in any count and any situation. He’s one of those people who is always prepared, mentally ready and he’s going to help us a great deal. He won’t change or do anything different for [today]. He’s going to be ready and we can’t wait to see him out there.”
