YANKEE NOTES ARLINGTON – Don Zimmer never said he wanted Clay Bellinger as a sixth infielder at the expense of another player when Scott Brosius is activated from the DL today. However, the interim manager gave a strong impression that today’s roster move will come from high above and won’t involve Zimmer.
“I will not be asked, you can bet on that. It’s no big deal,” said Zimmer, who nonetheless will have to break the bad news to the player sent out. “George [Steinbrenner] owns the team and he can do what he wants and that’s what he usually does.”
If Roger Clemens isn’t put on the DL with a tender left hamstring, Bellinger is headed to Triple-A Columbus to make room for Brosius, who didn’t play in a second rehab game for Tampa (Single-A) last night because of a weather report calling for rain. Brosius went 1-for-3 Tuesday night.
The obvious choice to go instead of Bellinger is third-string catcher Mike Figga, who hasn’t appeared in a game yet. But The Boss is high on Figga, who is out of options and wouldn’t clear waivers if sent out. However, it’s not like Figga would be seriously missed if he disappeared because he is invisible now.
With Bellinger gone, Zimmer will be working with just one extra infielder and that’s something foreign to the lifelong baseball man.
“I have never heard of it,” Zimmer said of working with five instead of six infielders. “You ever hear of one utility player in the major leagues? I asked everybody all spring that. I asked our coaches, everybody. I asked, ‘Have you ever been on a team with one utility infielder?’ And the answer was no.”
Having just one infielder hamstrings a manager in regards to pinch running or pinch hitting and leaves his team vulnerable if an infielder suffers an injury.
After 10 years of the minor leagues, Bellinger got his first taste of the big leagues this spring when he made the club. In five games, he is hitting .167 but has impressed Zimmer with his glove work at third.
“You don’t have to worry about him defensively, he is very cool,” Zimmer said of Bellinger, who played all nine positions in a Triple-A game last year. “He doesn’t get excited.”
Nor does he get to stay if Clemens doesn’t need to be DLed. *
Royals fans are planning to protest the difference between big-market and small-market teams this weekend in Kansas City by wearing T-shirts that read, “Share the Wealth.”
Royal fans also are planning on turning their backs when the Yankees hit as well as wave dollar bills at the Bombers when they enter the stadium. *
RHP Ramiro Mendoza (2-1; 2.05 ERA) faces RHP Mike Morgan (4-0; 3.42) tonight.
