Yankees Correspondent Report: YANKEES- 5/30/02

YANKEES- 5/30/02

May 30, 2002

LATEST TEAM INFO:
The Yankees have won five games in a row, including two straight come-from-behind victories. This is classic Yankee baseball. The Yankees are now one game behind Boston in the AL East with a three game series beginning Friday in the Bronx. The current rotation is Wells (Fri.), Mussina (Sat.), Thurman (Sun.), Lilly (Mon.), and Clemens (Tues.). No Sterling Hitchcock which is a little surprising.
LOCAL PERSPECTIVE:
Ken Caminiti admitted using steriods this week and stated about half of players use them. What's on everyone's mind is, who else is using steriods? We've all heard rumors about it being rampant in the sport before, but now a former player has come forward. This makes it much more real. Are home runs the result of extra time in the gym or a syringe? Hopefully, drug testing will get into the new collective bargaining agreement and Caminiti's estimates will be way overblown. Here are some comments by Yankees on the subject of steriods in the sport.

Jeter- "I guess I am the other half. You can't say half the players [are using steriods] unless you know every player in the game."

Giambi- "I think it's ludicrous. You start thinking there are 25 guys on a team and half of them use steroids, that's ludicrous. "I never thought about it [using steriods]. Until I met Mark [McGwire] I never even lifted [weights]. He got me on the program of lifting, and I have the frame at 6-foot-3 to carry it off. I got around Mark and hired a trainer. There is something to be said about doing it the right way."

Posada- "I think so [it's time to test for steriods], because it's not fair to the guys who aren't taking them [steriods]."

RUMOR MILL:
Steroids have been the focus this week, next week we'll probably return to trade talk for a RF.
INJURIES:
Wells only made it through 3 and 2/3 innings before leaving the game, he is expected to start again on Friday night. El Duque played catch on Wednesday and had no problems. He will probably have another catch today. No word on when he'll rejoin the rotation. Pettitte had an excellent bullpen session, he will make a third rehab start on Friday.
ON THE FARM:
Mike Thurman had a solid debut for the Bombers on Friday starting in place of El Duque.
I'll update you on some numbers here:
Drew Henson: .283 AVG/ 25 R/ 6 HR/ 26 RBI/ 7 BB/ 60 K
Juan Rivera: .325 AVG/ 28 R/ 6 HR/ 32 RBI/ 8 BB/ 25 K
Marcus Thames: .218 AVG/ 23 R/ 5 HR / 18 RBI/ 20 BB/ 25 K
LINEUP
This seems to be the lineup of choice. Soriano still isn't drawing walks.
1. Soriano
2. Jeter
3. Williams
4. Giambi
5. Posada
6. Ventura
7. White
8. Vander Wal/ Spencer
9. Johnson
QUICK VIEW:
Add:
Lilly- still pitching excellently, deserves to stay in the rotation even after Pettitte comes back. Perhaps Wells will be put in the bullpen, perhaps not.
Drop: Hitchcock- isn't getting a shot at starting.
Hold: Giambi, Jeter, Posada, Soriano, Ventura, and Williams; Mussina, Pettitte, Clemens, Hernandez, Wells and Rivera.