YANKEE NOTES
Shane Spencer can’t decide if it’s better to rack up the early RBIs with home runs or get “a bunch of singles.”
The beefy right-handed designated hitter seems to prefer his stats going into last night – four hits (three of them homers) in 22 at-bats for a .182 average – than something that looks a little better on paper.
“Of course, you’d like to have both,” Spencer admitted, “but I’m happy when they go out of the park.”
Spencer insists he feels good at the plate – “I have my timing and I’m not having bad at-bats,” he explains – and says a higher average “will come with time.”
Manager Joe Torre insisted it’s too early to worry about anyone’s plate appearances and said he only dropped Spencer to the eighth spot in last night’s batting order because Roberto Kelly, batting sixth, does well against Texas starter Kenny Rogers. Kelly, playing left field, was 16-for-42 (.381) lifetime against Rogers, a lefty.
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In their first seven games, the Yankees have hit 11 homers and at least one in each game. Last season, the Bombers established an American League record by homering in the first 10 games of the season. (The Major League record from the start of the season is 13 games, set by the 1954 Cubs.)
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Texas left fielder Rusty Greer was a late scratch last night because of a tight hamstring. Former Yankee Chad Curtis started in his place.
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RHP Roger Clemens (0-1, 0.75) starts tonight against Kansas City RHP Jay Witasick (0-2, 9.31). Clemens has allowed 10 runs, but only one is earned. Tomorrow, RHP Ramiro Mendoza (1-0, 2.45) will make his first start of the season against LHP Jose Rosado (1-0, 3.75). According to Torre, a reliever (Allen Watson, Mike Stanton or Jason Grimsley) will probably start Sunday against RHP Chad Durbin (1-0, 3.86).
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When Torre watched his former pitcher Rogers give up the season-ending walk to the Braves during the 1999 Braves-Mets NLCS dogfight, his first thought was, “I hope they don’t blame Kenny for this [loss].”
“He pitches like he pitches,” Torre said of Rogers. “He stays away [from the plate]. He banks on hitters being anxious.”
While Torre may have had some issues with Rogers while he was a Yankee, Torre thought the left-hander definitely helped the Mets. “He’s got good stuff,” Torre said. “He’s proven that.”