BRADENTON, Fla. — Joe Torre knows a March scoreboard is meaningless. However, nothing the Yankees did yesterday against the low-budget Pirates could be viewed in a positive light.
“There wasn’t a whole lot of stuff that we could take North with us,” Torre said after watching the Pirates cop a 12-4 victory at McKechnie Field. “We have to hit the cutoff man and do all the things we are used to doing and the things we are supposed to do.
“It’s not pretty and it’s not the best field to play on but we have to do better than that. It could have been worse. Somebody could have gotten hurt, put it that way.”
The loss was the Yankees’ third in a row to start the exhibition season and included a botched cutoff throw and shortstop Alfonso Soriano’s second error in three games.
The day wasn’t a complete loss, however. Allen Watson showed no signs that the left groin problem that bothered him early in camp and forced him to be shut down for a week was a factor. In 11/3 innings, Watson allowed one hit and no runs. He fanned two and didn’t walk a batter.
Shane Spencer and Derek Jeter had two hits each for the Yankees.
The little aches and pains continue to work their way into the Yankees’ universe.
A bruised little toe on Tim Raines’ right foot has kept the veteran switch-hitting outfielder out of the first three exhibition games. Yesterday Roberto Kelly was added to the list with a bruised right heel.
“He has a bone bruise,” Torre said of his fifth outfielder. “He hurt it stepping on first and was scratched from the trip.”
As for Raines, who is trying to make the club as a pinch-hitter and occasional designated hitter, he expects one more day of rest before showing the Yankees there is enough juice left in his bat to be able to help.
“I can run and everything, it’s just sore right now,” Raines said as he gingerly pulled on a sock over the foot. “But I will be all right. It’s not a big deal. I will be able to play Monday.”
The Yankees are opening Houston’s Enron Field with two exhibitions games at the end of the month and opening San Francisco’s Pac Bell Park on April 1. The trend will continue next year when the Yankees are expected to open Pittsburgh’s PNC Park.
… Roger Clemens makes his initial start of the spring against the Astros at Legends Field today. It will be the Rocket’s first game since beating the Braves in Game 4 of last year’s World Series. The Astros are countering with their ace, Jose Lima.
