Ramiro Mendoza was scheduled to start for the Yankees in today’s series finale against Seattle, but may be forced to miss his turn because of illness.
Mendoza (3-2, 3.03 ERA) showed up to the Stadium yesterday complaining of a sore throat, so interim manager Don Zimmer sent him home before the Yanks’ 14-5 loss. If the righty can’t go today, reliever Mike Stanton would start in his place.
“If he can’t go, Stanton will start and pitch three or four innings and [Jason] Grimsley will pitch three or four innings and [Mariano] Rivera will close. That’s what I hope, at least.”
When asked to remember the last game he started, Stanton came up with 1988. He was close – he started four games in 1990 for Double-A Greenville. He’s never started in the majors, but seems confident he can go more than his usual inning-and-change.
“I’ll go as hard as I can as long as I can,” he said. “I’ve gone four innings before; even threw 70 pitches in one of them. That’s almost a starting pitch-count,” Stanton deadpanned. *Injured Yankee second baseman Chuck Knoblauch had said on Friday that he hoped to be back from his bruised left leg by today. But yesterday, Zimmer said he thought Tuesday’s series-opener against Anaheim might be a bit more reasonable.
“It’s going to be a couple of days,” Zimmer said. “It could be Tuesday, with that off-day Monday. I don’t think he’s that close. And it’s no cinch he’ll play Tuesday. He’ll play when he’s able to play. We want him to play when he’s able to play 100 percent.” *Yesterday’s 14-5 loss snapped the Yankees’ three-game winning streak, and their six-game winning streak at the Stadium. … Derek Jeter singled to left in the third inning yesterday, and has reached base in the Yankees’ first 29 games. He’s the first Bomber to reach in that many games to start a season since Dave Winfield did it in 1988. *Seattle’s John Mabry (5-for-6) tied his career-high with five hits. He also had five hits on July 6, 1996. It tied a Seattle record. *Another Yankee on the mend is Jeff Nelson. The righty reliever has been on the disabled list since May 3 with inflammation of the right elbow, and is expected to start playing catch on Tuesday. *Yankees are off tomorrow, and lefty Andy Pettitte (1-1, 4.88 ERA) opens the Anaheim series Tuesday against Angel righty Steve Sparks (1-3, 4.29).
