SOME GIDDYUP
be Wiseguy with Joe
Some might think so, but Girardi has no problem with it.
“No I don’t. It’s been something that he’s done,” the manager said. “I don’t think he’s showing anyone up. You see guys, we’ve had our outfielders that jump up (at game’s end) and that’s not something I could ever imagine Paul O’Neill doing.”
But can Soriano’s postgame wardrobe adjustment be considered taunting?
“I don’t think he’s doing anything to show anyone up and that’s always my concern,” Girardi said. “Or he’s doing something and it’s saying, ‘ Look at me. Look what I’ve done.’ (But) I don’t see him pounding his chest or big arm movements. He just pulls his jersey up. Maybe it’s more comfortable.”
Girardi said no one around the Yankees has complained about Soriano — “I have not heard anything from the veteran guys in our clubhouse saying, ‘What is he doing?’ Girardi said — but he said he would speak up if Soriano crossed the line and showed up an opponent.
OLD-TIME BASEBALL
The Yankees have firmed up their list of attendees for their 66th annual Old-Timer’s Day on Sunday and, as always, that list is headed by Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford and Reggie Jackson.
Also on hand will be Hall of Famers Goose Gossage and Rickey Henderson as well as Joe Torre, Lou Piniella and — wait for it — Stump Merrill, the manager from those memorable 1990 and 1991 teams.
Aside from David Cone, Paul O’Neill, Ron Guidry, Oscar Gamble, Jake Gibbs, Joe Pepitone, Willie Randolph, Tommy John and Tino Martinez (sadly, no Horace Clarke this year) — old-timers’ first-timers include Sterling Hitchcock, Matt Nokes and Tanyon Sturtze.
Ceremonies begin at 11:15 a.m., so fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 11. The scheduled game with the White Sox will begin at 2:05 p.m.
Dewayne Wise knows his role and it doesn’t include being in the lineup all that often. But the veteran says regardless of his limited playing time, he comes to the park every day hoping to start.
That day came Monday and Wise responded with a homer, triple and three RBI in the Yanks’ 7-1 win. In just his seventh start of the season, Wise, playing center field, got his first homer and initial RBI as well. It was just the second time in his career Wise had tripled and homered in the same game, the last time coming last Sept. 3 against the Yankees and Bartolo Colon while he was with the Blue Jays.
“I was just happy walking in (Monday) and I saw my name in the starting lineup,” Wise said. “It turned out to be a good day.”
Wise clubbed a two-run homer in the second off Cleveland starter Josh Tomlin and added an RBI triple in the sixth.
“It’s been a while since I started a game but I’m not going to go in there and chew out the manager about playing time,” Wise said. “That’s something I won’t do. I just try to be ready and do my best when I get the chance.”
LUCKY (NON) BREAK
Mark Teixeira dodged a bullet when he was drilled on the hand by a pitch from Indians reliever Esmil Rogers in the seventh. All he sustained was a bruised knuckle on his right hand.
“I got real lucky,” Teixeira said. “It’s a little sore. We did all the tests and everything is good. Dr. (Chris) Ahmad said, ‘You don’t even need X-rays.’ I did all the strength tests and he poked this and squeezed that and it’s good.”
Teixeira said he knew shortly after being hit that there was no serious injury.
“Once (trainer) Steve (Donahue) and Joe (Girardi) came out and I kind of squeezed Steve’s hand, that’s the biggest thing, if you can squeeze and you have strength you know it’s probably going to be all right,” Teixeira said.
Teixeira said he would be good to go Tuesday night.
LET IT ALL HANG OUT
Anyone who has watched Rafael Soriano close out a Yankees victory has seen it. Seconds after the final out, Soriano begins to almost undress himself as he quickly pulls his jersey out of his pants before high-fiving teammates.
Irritating? Self-promoting? Downright un-Yankee-like?