DETROIT – Jason Giambi lost a lot of playing time due to an injured tendon on the bottom of his left foot. Now, it’s Hideki Matsui’s balky right knee that is getting Giambi back on the field.
For the second straight game last night, Joe Torre used Giambi at first base. And while Torre believes the Yankees’ most powerful lineup includes Giambi, Matsui’s aching knee requires time at DH, where he was last night against the Tigers. Before filling out the lineup card, Torre called Giambi into the office to see how his body was holding up.
“His knee is barking,” Torre said of Matsui, who isn’t bothered at the plate by the problem that is iced after every game. “This is just to get him out of the outfield.”
That didn’t translate in a 16-0 loss to Justin Verlander.
With Matsui the DH, Johnny Damon played left field. Giambi fanned twice and went 0-for-3. Matsui was hitless in two at-bats, and Damon had one of the Yankees’ three singles.
*
Derek Jeter returned from a one-game rest last night and proclaimed his right knee fine. Jeter sat out Sunday’s loss.
“I am fine, I am good to go,” said Jeter, who opened the night fighting an 8-for-49 slump that stretched to 8-for-52 (.154) with an 0-for-3 game. He said the slide wasn’t related to an injury. Jeter said he suffered the injury running out of the batter’s box in Anaheim last Tuesday.
Jeter didn’t fight Torre when the manager told him he was getting Sunday off. Yesterday, however, was a different story.
Said Torre: “I went to him today and I said, ‘One more day?’ He said, ‘No chance,’ “‘ Torre said.
*
Yankee first-base coach Tony Pena refused to comment when asked if he believes he has a chance to replace Phil Garner as Astro manager. Garner and GM Tim Purpura were fired yesterday. Pena is the godfather of Purpura’s daughter and managed three years in the Astro minor-league system.
*
LHP Andy Pettitte (11-7, 3.69 ERA) opens a three-game series against the Red Sox tonight at Yankee Stadium. RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (13-10, 3.76) goes for the visitors.
RHP Roger Clemens (5-5, 4.34) draws RHP Josh Beckett (16-5, 3.21) tomorrow night, and Chien-Ming Wang (15-6, 3.95) faces RHP Curt Schilling (8-5, 4.11) Thursday.