If the Phillies-Yankees World Series had progressed to a Game 7 last night, the Yankees would have had a hurting Mariano Rivera to close it out and would have played Jerry Hairston in left field for an ailing Johnny Damon.
How effective Rivera would have been, however, was open to argument because he was nursing a problem on the left side since working two scoreless innings in Game 2.
According to general manager Brian Cashman, Rivera would have been healthy enough to pitch.
“He was dealing with a rib cage thing,” Cashman said off Rivera, who worked two-thirds of an inning in Game 3, one inning in Game 4 and 1 2/3 innings in the clinching Game 6.
The only sign that Rivera was ailing in the clinching Game 6 was a dip in velocity with some fastballs dropping into the high 80s.
In four games, Rivera posted two saves, didn’t allow a run in 5 1/3 innings, fanned three and some believed should have been the MVP ahead of Hideki Matsui, who started in three of the six games.
Though Rivera would have been able to pitch, Damon wouldn’t have been able to play left field had there been a Game 7. Damon left Game 6 in the fourth inning with a strained right calf.
“I don’t think so,” Damon said about playing. “I have been getting around with a nice limp.”
Damon left Game 6 after scoring from second on Matsui’s two-run, two-out single in the fourth. It was assumed Damon suffered the injury running the bases. Nevertheless, he did it swinging the bat in the third when he walked.
“I first felt it swinging at the high fastball from Pedro [Martinez],” said Damon, who walked and went to second when Mark Teixeira was hit.
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The Yankees are in discussions with Donny Rowland to become their head of international scouting.
Rowland worked as a scout for the Yankees, left for the Angels, moved to Kansas City and returned to the Yankees where he has been involved in amateur and international scouting.