One of the reasons Joe Torre feels confident at the start of the second half is that he has Jay Witasick and Mark Wohlers in places where, not long ago, he had shaky propositions such asTodd Williams, Carlos Almanzar and Brian Boehringer.
However, when you talk about the Yankee bullpen these days, you can’t avoid Mariano Rivera’s cranky right ankle.
While Torre and Rivera believed the ankle was well enough to pitch Saturday and Sunday – but not up to the All-Star Game in Seattle – questions remain just how healthy the best closer in the game is.
Was Rivera looking for a way to avoid going to the All Star Game? Or did the Yankees believe the ankle was in need of three days’ rest to make sure Rivera is effective for the second half?
“He has some irritation and has been getting treatment, but it’s not on my radar screen as a worry at all,” GM Brian Cashman said. “I support his reasons for not wanting to go to the All-Star Game, but our medical people say it’s not a concern.”
Since the Yankees didn’t require Rivera to stay in New York for treatment during the break – he went home to Panama – they obviously don’t believe the ankle problem is in any way serious. X-rays taken Sunday were negative.
Yet, he complained of discomfort Sunday night after posting his 29th save.
“Tonight I could deal with it, I don’t know about the rest of the season. I would say no,” said Rivera, whose velocity was down to 91 mph Saturday when he absorbed a loss to the Mets by giving up three runs in the 10th. But Sunday night he was throwing his 96 mph heat and closed out the Mets.
“I was concentrating on pitching, I couldn’t tell. It hurts right now.”