YANKEE NOTES

TAMPA – Javier Vazquez doesn’t regret being absent from the trip to Japan. In fact, Vazquez is confident that he’s prepared himself well by remaining in Florida.

In what’s expected to be his final tune-up, Vazquez starts today in a minor-league exhibition at home against Philadelphia.

While Mike Mussina and Kevin Brown battled jet lag before battling Tampa Bay, Vazquez has remained on course. In fact, he gained two exhibition starts by not going.

“It is an advantage just staying here,” he said. “For me, it was just a regular spring training. ”

Vazquez’s goal today is to reach 100 pitches.

“I’ll just try to get my work in and throw some quality pitches,” Vazquez said. “I think my command’s pretty good right now. Hopefully, I’ll be sharp.”

Vazquez is a candidate to start the home opener Thursday against the White Sox.

Two disc jockeys in Evansville apologized for an April Fool’s prank that caused a scare for family members of Don Mattingly.

WSTO morning show hosts Brad Booker and Diane Douglas were extending their on-air thoughts and prayers to the Mattingly family. In reality, the on-air remarks were part of a prank.

But Mattingly’s family members – including 12-year-old Jordon and 16-year old Preston – weren’t in on the joke.

“It upset the youngest boy,” Mattingly’s father-in-law, Dennis Sexton, told Evansville television station WEHT. The radio station later posted an apology on its Web site. – With wire reports