GARY Sheffield injured his thigh two weeks ago and an entire team feels the pain. Sheffield has been reduced to being a designated hitter, which would be fine if he were supplying his familiar menace.
But in his first seven games as the DH, Sheffield had no extra-base hits and one RBI. Still, Joe Torre has stuck with the slumping slugger because the Yankees manager said he believes Sheffield remains a “threat,” even if it is only in memory banks of pitchers. Torre said he thinks Sheffield still instills so much fear in the opponent that he helps the rest of the lineup get better pitches to hit. The five walks Sheffield had drawn as the DH suggests the existence of that fear.
Still, there is a subtler ramification to Sheffield filling the DH slot daily. It means no one else can, and a lot of Yankees look as if they could use at least a half a day off, notably Jason Giambi, Hideki Matsui and Bernie Williams. Even Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez appear as if they would benefit from time off the field.
However, with every game so critical, Torre finds he can give no rest to the weary. And what seemed an innocuous rainout June 29 at Camden Yards is now an enemy of the Yankees. Instead of a much-needed day off Monday before the final six games of the season, the Yanks have a make-up date in Baltimore. It means the Yanks will finish the year with 20 games in 20 days.
“There is no doubt that there are guys who are tired,” Tino Martinez said. “They have been playing every day. But now you can’t rest them, not for one day. It would be nice to have the DH open, but we need Sheff’s bat in the lineup. Everyone else will find a way to get over a tired body.”
The ability of veteran players to find a second wind might decide who captures the AL East. Like the Yankees, Boston’s huge payroll reflects the presence of many older players. The Red Sox also are staggering with aches and exhaustion. The only everyday regular who appears fresh is David Ortiz, who only has to play half the game as a DH (perhaps another reason A-Rod is the AL MVP).
And, maybe, the Red Sox inserted a secret weapon into their stretch run Monday. First-round pick Craig Hansen out of St. John’s faced three Devil Rays batters, retired them all, struck out two, and did it with fastballs between 95-97 mph. If Hansen turns into this year’s Francisco Rodriguez, will George Steinbrenner hold his Tampa scouting geniuses to the same standards he holds, say, Torre? The Yanks passed on Hansen to take an Oklahoma high-school player, C.J. Henry, who just finished rookie ball hitting .249.
The Yanks, though, are benefiting from some fresh bodies. Chien-Ming Wang, Jaret Wright and last night’s starter, Aaron Small, had about as many innings combined as a full-year starter would. Shawn Chacon is at 1461/3 innings. Robinson Cano, the youngest Yankees regular, has regained his stroke. And, out of nowhere, infrequently used Bubba Crosby has become a factor.
Nevertheless, the Yanks could sure use Sheffield to get back into the field and to being himself at the plate. He shagged flies Monday and ran backward and sideways yesterday. However, it remained possible he will not play right field again this year.
But, perhaps, Torre needs every few days to rest Sheffield as a way to find rest for another player in the DH slot. Last Saturday in Toronto, Torre kept Mariano Rivera out of a 1-0 game because he refused to use his closer for a fourth straight day. Tom Gordon closed that day, but even with all the tension around the Yanks, he also has been given time off when Torre and Mel Stottlemyre felt it necessary.
Sheffield either needs to start hitting or he needs to hit the bench a few times a week.