YANKEE NOTES
KANSAS CITY – Shock traveled from America’s heartland to The Bronx yesterday over Jeff Nelson’s right elbow hurting him enough for the slider-throwing reliever to land on the disabled list.
”There is nobody more surprised than me,” said pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre, who didn’t see Nelson yesterday.
Stottlemyre said the right-handed set-up man asked Sunday to throw in the bullpen yesterday for five minutes to work on some things. Nelson pitched ineffectively Sunday in the Yankees’ 9-8 win over the Royals.
”Apparently, it swelled up over [Sunday] night,” Stottlemyre said.
GM Brian Cashman’s response to the news that the World Champions would be without Nelson for 15 days was similar to Stottlemyre’s.
”I was surprised,” Cashman said from his Yankee Stadium office. ”I got the phone call at four o’clock. I didn’t think he had been hurting.”
According to trainer Gene Monahan, the swelling in Nelson’s elbow is considered moderate. Nelson will be examined by team physician Dr. Stuart Hershon today in New York. To take Nelson’s place in the bullpen, the Yankees summoned righty Jay Tessmer from Triple-A Columbus, where he was 1-0 with a 0.96 ERA.
In Nelson’s last seven appearances, he has worked 42/3 innings, allowing eight walks, 10 hits and seven earned runs for a whopping 13.52 ERA.
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Tino Martinez was the target of a beer-throwing fan behind the Yankees’ dugout in the ninth inning of 9-3 loss to Kansas City last night. Fan was taken out of the park by security after Martinez pointed him out.
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Paul O’Neill was a late scratch due to a sore muscle in his left hip. O’Neill was replaced by Chad Curtis in right. Even though tonight’s game against the Twins is on artificial turf at the Metrodome, O’Neill believes he can play.
”It’s not the kind of injury that is affected by grass or turf, it’s just when I pick up my leg,” O’Neill said.
With Curtis in right, Clay Bellinger started in left against lefty Jose Rosado and went 0-for-1 before Ricky Ledee hit for him in the fifth.
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Roger Clemens will throw on a flat surface today at the Metrodome to test his strained left hamstring.
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RHP Ramiro Mendoza (3-1; 2.40 ERA) opens the three-game series tonight in Minneapolis against the Twins and RHP Mike Lincoln (0-4; 4.81).