YANKEE NOTES

BRADENTON – To many, Donovan Osborne is the Feel Good Story of this spring training. Out of baseball last year after being axed by the Mets and having pitched in only 11 games in the past four seasons, the veteran lefty is on the verge of winning the Yankees’ No. 5 starters spot that opened when Jon Lieber tore a groin muscle.

While more than a few people are shocked at that development, Osborne isn’t among them.

“I have worked hard and never questioned anything,” Osborne said yesterday, one day after throwing four innings against the Indians in which he gave up one run. “I knew I could still pitch at this level. I needed somebody to give me the opportunity and the Yankees did that. Physically, I feel great.”

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According to Torre, Bernie Williams had a better day yesterday than Friday when he took BP on the field for the first time since undergoing an appendectomy on Feb. 26. However, there is a chance Williams starts the season on the DL.

“He looked good,” Torre said of Williams. “(Friday) wiped him out.”

Based on how gassed Williams was Friday, Torre is looking to get him into a minor league exhibition game Wednesday but said it could be moved up a day.

Asked about playing a position player short in Tokyo for the two games against the Devil Rays, Torre said, “We could play short and still DL him. We may DL him and this way we don’t put pressure on him.”

That decision could be made today when Torre meets with his staff and GM Brian Cashman.

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To nobody’s surprise, Torre officially announced Mike Mussina as the Yankees’ Opening Day starter against the Devil Rays in Tokyo on March 30.