YANKEE NOTES
OAKLAND – George Steinbrenner wanted Jose Contreras to join organizational pitching guru Billy Connors in Columbus and for Contreras to join the Clippers’ rotation immediately. However, after talking to Joe Torre and Mel Stottlemyre, GM Brian Cashman offered another suggestion that The Boss bought.
“I wanted him to go to Tampa to see Billy and George wanted him to go to Columbus,” Cashman said. “I thought it was necessary for him to work with Billy in Tampa and then go to Columbus.”
Contreras, who was optioned to Tampa Wednesday, will work with Connors for a week at the minor league complex and not pitch in a game. When he makes improvements with his mechanics, Contreras will pitch for Columbus. How long will it be before Contreras returns to the Yankees is a question nobody can answer, although Torre has his fingers crossed it won’t take too long to straighten out the Cuban defector, who is quickly turning into a $32 million bust.
“There is too much going on with him. He needed to get out of an environment where the games count,” Cashman said of Contreras, who is 1-2 with a bloated 9.47 ERA and has given up 25 hits and 15 walks in 19 innings. “Right now he has to try to work on his mechanics, get hitters out and his confidence is down. He needs to flush out.”
This is the second option on Contreras, whom the Yankees believed so much in that they gave him a four-year deal prior to the 2003 season. If he is optioned at any point next year, he would be out of options for the 2006 season.
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Derek Jeter missed Wednesday night’s game due to what he called “either food poisoning or a stomach virus” that had forced him to vomit early Wednesday morning after eating lobster at San Francisco’s North Beach Restaurant late Tuesday night. Jeter said after the 4-3 win that he expected to play last night.
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Ruben Sierra (left hamstring cramp) wasn’t expected to be the DH last night. Joe Torre was likely to start Kenny Lofton in center and DH Bernie Williams against A’s right-hander Rich Harden. Lofton’s only action since returning from the DL Sunday was as a pinch-hitter Tuesday night.
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GM Brian Cashman said there wasn’t anything to a rumor that had the Yankees close to making a deal with the Pirates for right-hander Ryan Vogelsong.
“I haven’t had any discussions with them at all,” Cashman said.
Vogelsong’s numbers certainly aren’t attractive – 1-3 with a 7.56 ERA in five starts.
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Jon Lieber (1-0; 3.86 ERA) opens a three-game series against the Mariners tonight at Safeco Field. RHP Ryan Franklin (1-2; 5.46) goes for the hosts. Mike Mussina (2-4; 5.88) draws RHP Gil Meche (1-2; 4.78) tomorrow night and Donovan Osborne (2-0; 3.18) makes his first big league start since 1999 Sunday against LHP Jamie Moyer (1-2; 4.50).