YANKEE NOTES
While almost everybody believes Chuck Knoblauch’s fielding woes are more mental than physical, the Yankees are hoping a session on the field today helps the second baseman regain some of the confidence his erratic throws have seriously damaged.
Before batting practice, Knoblauch will work with Joe Torre and coaches Willie Randolph and Jose Cardenal on his fielding and throwing. The workout was slated for yesterday but rain washed it out.
With 15 errors in 70 games, Knoblauch’s throwing woes have moved to front and center in the Yankees’ universe.
Knoblauch refuses to talk to the media about the topic because he doesn’t know what’s at the root of it. But everybody else is talking about the problem. Don Zimmer, Randolph and Torre have spoken to Knoblauch about the issue and whenever a ball was hit to him in the previous two games, Yankee Stadium fans sighed and held their breath.
Last night during a 6-0 victory over the Tigers, Knoblauch handled one routine ground ball without incident. At the plate, he continued his renaissance, going 1-for-4 and scoring a run. Knoblauch is 16-for-44 (.364) and has raised his average to .266.
Torre isn’t convinced an exercise like today’s is the answer.
“You don’t have to go out there and literally take ground balls to get better because he takes a lot of ground balls,” Torre said. “It’s something you have to feel.”
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According to an NL source, the Yankees and Brewers were close to making a deal three weeks ago that would have sent Ricky Ledee to Milwaukee for Marquis Grissom and lefty reliever Mike Myers.
Yankees decided to give Shane Spencer one more shot at the left-field job, and the talks stalled when Spencer got hot.
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Torre rested Scott Brosius in favor of Clay Bellinger, who went 0-for-4. Torre believed Brosius was fighting himself at the plate.
Chili Davis, who is in a 1-for-17 (.059) slide, was also given the night off. Spencer went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in Davis’ spot.
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Torre is aware of Juan Gonzalez saying that if he isn’t voted onto the AL All-Star team, he isn’t going to Boston as a reserve.
“I am going to pick him; I will let him make the decision,” Torre said of the Rangers’ outfielder .
Torre said he may give Gonzalez a call to see what his plans are.
