YANKEE NOTES

CHICAGO – Yankee players have discussed donating money as a group to the victims of the Twin Towers disaster. However, don’t expect to read about the total raised in the paper.

“We are still working on it,” Mike Stanton said. “I know the Yankees made a big contribution and the Players Association and Major League Baseball are in the process of a sizable contribution. So far it’s been on an individual basis for the players and that is subject to change. We are still talking about getting something together. If we do, it won’t be publicized.”

Yesterday, the Players Association and MLB each donated $5 million to the MLB-MLBA Disaster Relief Fund.

Derek Jeter already has donated money.

“I felt I wanted to do something and on behalf of my foundation [Turn 2] I did something,” said Jeter, who declined to name the amount.

“It’s the least we can do,” Tino Martinez said.

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When the Yankees went back to work Tuesday night they hoped baseball could create a diversion for their fans and all New Yorkers. Based on the overnight ratings, they did since close to 3.56 million households tuned in to the 11-3 Yankees victory. The average is 3.08 million.

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Joe Torre believes Jorge Posada will have a date for his suspension appeal hearing soon.

“Hopefully, we will know something as far as what direction we are going in the next couple of days,” Torre said of Posada, who is appealing a six-game ban. “I know the Players’ Association is involved.”

While the Yankees don’t want Posada to miss the final week of the regular season, the ultimate call to drop it belongs to Posada, who could travel from Baltimore to New York for a hearing tomorrow morning if that’s what it takes.

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Ramiro Mendoza‘s right shoulder is feeling better, but Torre doesn’t know when the valuable reliever will be available.

“He is getting there but is still a few days away,” Torre said of Mendoza, who didn’t throw for five days during the break. “When he shuts it down for five days, it takes a while to get it back.”