Blue Jays left-hander Chris Michalak, who starred at Notre Dame from 1990-93 and bounced around seven organizations since then, found the perfect way to relax before making his first major-league start yesterday at Yankee Stadium.
He spied a movie in the visiting clubhouse collection on Friday and decided it would be a great video to pump him up for his big day, a day he has dreamed about his entire life.
The movie? “Rudy.” No kidding.
“I love that movie,” said Michalak, 30, who earned his first major-league victory with 51/3 innings of crafty pitching in the Blue Jays’ 3-2 win over the Yankees.
“It got my blood flowing. The guys had to go out for BP, but some of them came back afterward and we rewound the end of the movie and watched it again. To get my first start and first win in this stadium against the three-time world champions, you couldn’t draw it up any better.”
Michalak said he was going to celebrate by having dinner at Gallagher’s Steak House in Manhattan. “I got a gift certificate for being on the radio,” he said with a big smile. “I always believed if I got this opportunity, this would happen. All I needed was somebody to believe in me.”
That somebody turned out to be ex-Yankee pitching coach Mark Connor, now in that role for the Jays.
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Paul O’Neill attempted to steal third base with one out in the fourth with Bernie Williams on first and David Justice at the plate. “[Michalak’s] got a great move to first, but out there on second, he’s slow to the plate, I just got caught flat-footed and didn’t get a real good jump,” said O’Neill, who was nabbed by catcher Alberto Castillo.
Justice then walked, but Jorge Posada grounded out.
“You know, we just got out-hit and out-pitched,” added O’Neill, who also struck out three times.
The Yankees are 1-for-18 this season with two outs and runners in scoring position.
Said manager Joe Torre of the offense, “We let Michalak off the hook a couple of times.”
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Yankee starter Orlando Hernandez said he felt fine and had no problems as he was making his way back from a stiff forearm in his first start. Hernandez struggled in the first, throwing 26 pitches, and lasted only 41/3 to take the loss.
“I was hoping to get him through six innings, but that first inning took a lot out of him,” Torre said.
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Toronto manager Buck Martinez pulled another winner out of his hat – that’s where he keeps his pitcher-batter matchups.
“The paper gets too sweaty anywhere else,” Martinez said. … Derek Jeter said he feels no extra pressure because of the monster 10-year, $189 million contract he signed in the offseason. “The way I look at it, they gave me a deal for what I’ve done in the past,” Jeter said. “It hasn’t changed now. It wasn’t like they said, ‘OK, we’re going to sign you to this deal so now you have to hit 40 home runs, now you have to drive in 150 runs”
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Give George Steinbrenner another gold star for getting the most publicity for his dollar. Roger Clemens will present the Yankee jersey he wore in Monday’s record-breaking start to the Hall of Fame on April 26 in a ceremony at the Stadium. Red Sox fans will love looking at that one when they visit Cooperstown. The Rocket roared past The Big Train, Walter Johnson, on Opening Day with five strikeouts, giving him 3,509 strikeouts for his career, the most in AL history, one ahead of Johnson.
Johnson’s grandson will be at ceremony. Clemens goes for win No. 2 today against Toronto RHP Steve Parris (0-1, 9.00). Clemens was pushed back one day to rest his sore right wrist, which had been hit by a batted ball in the opener.
“I guess he’s fine,” Torre said. “He threw the other day and he was fine. He’s starting [today], there’s no question mark there.”
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To make room for Jeter the Yankees optioned infielder D’Angelo Jimenez to Triple-A Columbus. …
Torre made it a point to talk to rookie right-hander Christian Parker, who lasted only three innings in his first start, surrendering seven runs in a 13-4 loss Friday night. “I don’t think the kid is hiding anywhere,” Torre said. “I saw him on the way home, and I said, ‘The sun will come out tomorrow.'”
Looking at the clouds and taking in the 40ish-degree weather yesterday, Torre said, “I lied to him, but I didn’t mean it literally. I think you really have to discount what happened [Friday night] due to the fact that it was his first start. It’s tough, unless you’re a robot. We’ll see the next time he starts.”
