MLB

Yankees-Red Sox umpire ordered uniform changes

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Umpire Joe West wasn’t just checking his watch during the Yankees’ season-opening series — he was checking CC Sabathia’s shoes, too.

West forced two Yankees to change equipment in Boston, and questioned a third, but players yesterday were hesitant to comment on the man who so harshly criticized them and their archrivals.

CC Sabathia confirmed that West made him change shoes in the second inning of the Opening Day game at Fenway Park. West told Sabathia he had to change his gray shoes because there wasn’t any Yankees blue in them, though the gray shoes matched the gray Yankees road uniforms.

YANKEES PROSPECT INJURED AGAIN

PINSTRIPE POWER

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The next night West told Marcus Thames he had to take tape off his wrist because it didn’t match the uniform. And West stopped reliever Joba Chamberlain on the way to the bullpen to check his shoes, but told Chamberlain his cleats were OK because there was blue in them.

On Wednesday, West said, “It’s pathetic and embarrassing. They take too long to play.”

“You have to talk to him and ask him what’s embarrassing,” Derek Jeter said yesterday. “What do you want me to say? I don’t see what’s pathetic and embarrassing. At what point is it not embarrassing? Is over 3 hours and 12 minutes embarrassing?”

Mariano Rivera ripped West in Friday’s Post, saying if West didn’t like umpiring games, he should find another line of work. Other players left it alone.

Jorge Posada smiled and said, “No comment.”

Andy Pettitte said, “I don’t know what to say about it.”

Manager Joe Girardi, who offered a “no comment” on Thursday, addressed West’s statements before last night’s series opener at Tampa Bay.

“I know he is trying to speed up the game like all the other umpires,” Girardi said. “But you can’t ask people to change their approach to the game.”

Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia was more incensed in his reponse to West’s critique.

“To call the Yankees and Red Sox, two of the best teams in baseball, ‘pathetic’ and ’embarrassing,’ that’s just ridiculous,” Pedroia said yesterday.

“If he doesn’t want to do Red Sox and Yankee games, he should tell the umpires’ union. Then when we’re in the World Series, he’ll be out of that assignment, too.”

The first game of the Yankees-Red Sox series took 3 hours and 46 minutes with West behind the plate. Game 2 was 3:48 with West at third base. The finale required 10 innings and took 3:21 with West at second base.

“They want to speed it up but what do you do?” Jeter said. “All the games with Boston seem long because they are always close.”

YANKEES AT RAYS

Today — 3:10, FOX, WCBS (880 AM)

LHP CC Sabathia

(0-0; 8.44 ERA) vs.

RHP Wade Davis

(2-2; 3.72 in 2009)

Tomorrow — 1:40, YES, WCBS (880 AM)

RHP A.J. Burnett (0-0; 5.40) vs. RHP James Shields (0-0; 4.50)

INSIDE THE MATCHUPS

YANKEES: Sabathia is a notoriously slow starter. His career 4.63 ERA before May 1 is the highest of any month of the season. His command also usually is off — his April strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.98) is his lowest for any month of the season.

Burnett has enjoyed great success throughout his career against the Rays, posting an 11-4 record and 2.77 ERA. In 1492⁄3 innings over 21 starts, he has struck out 156 and walked 48.

RAYS: Despite the depth and talent of the Yankees’ lineup, Price had more success against the Bombers than he did against any other team last year in his first full season as a major league starter. Price went 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA in three starts, allowing just seven hits in 182⁄3 innings.

Davis is one of the top prospects in baseball, ranking among Baseball America’s top 100 prospects in baseball from 2007-09. Last season with Triple-A Durham, he went 10-8 with a 3.40 ERA.

WHO’S HOT

Robinson Cano (6-for-16, 3 RBIs), Jorge Posada (5-for-14, 2 RBIs)

WHO’S NOT

Mark Teixeira (0-for-16), Nick Johnson (2-for-14, 5 strikeouts)

STAT SO?

Burnett has more wins against the Rays (11) than against any other team.