YANKEE NOTES

Necessity makes for strange bedfellows.

With the Red Sox holding a 21/2-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East when last night’s action started, and facing the Mets at Fenway Park, the Yankees had a rooting interest for a team George Steinbrenner loathes almost as much as the Red Sox.

“We are all Met fans right now,” Joe Torre admitted before last night’s 5-2 loss to the Braves at Yankee Stadium.

That will last until late Thursday night when the Mets, runaway leaders in the NL East, finish in Fenway and open a threegame Subway Series at the Stadium.

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Speaking of the Mets, Derek Jeter likes what he has seen from blistering shortstop Jose Reyes.

“He is fun to watch,” Jeter said of his Mets counterpart. “I enjoy watching him on the highlights.

Speed never goes into a slump. When you are fast you have a chance to impact the game. He gets on base and is a pest like Ichiro.” * Contrary to some talk yesterday that the Dodgers acquired catcher Toby Hall from the Devil Rays to move him to the Yankees, two team officials said there was no interest on their part to get the catcher.

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Yesterday was the oneyear anniversary of Carl Pavano’s last big-league game. Sidelined after surgery to remove a bone chip in his right elbow, the Yankees don’t know when their $40 million investment will be able to work another big-league game.

Since last June 27, Pavano has suffered injuries to his shoulder, back and elbow.

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In the final balloting update before the All-Star teams are announced Sunday, Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano continued to lead AL votegetters at shortstop, third base and second base, respectively.

Jason Giambi was second to David Ortiz at first base, and Johnny Damon was fourth among outfielders.

Damon was playing without the padding that protected the chipped bone in his right foot.

“It has gotten to the point where the bruising around the bone has subsided,” Damon said. “The days off have helped and maybe I am just used to it.” Torre said Damon’s foot “is a non-issue.” * Octavio Dotel threw 35 pitches from 60 feet yesterday for the second straight day and reported no problem with his surgically repaired right elbow that received a cortisone shot last Thursday to relieve tendinitis.

The plan calls for Dotel to report to Columbus (Triple-A) or Trenton (Double-A) next week. He is slated to throw a bullpen session Saturday at the Stadium.

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The Yankees are going to start Mike Mussina on Friday night and Randy Johnson on Saturday against the Mets. Sunday it could be Jaret Wright, and that would cause Shawn Chacon to miss a start.