Hideki Matsui, who restarted baseball activities yesterday for the first time since the All-Star break, said his inflamed left knee felt fine afterward.
Matsui, who’s trying to avoid knee surgery, reported that he took 20 swings off a tee and five swings of soft-toss.
“As far as how I feel, so far no problems,” he said.
Matsui said if the knee continues to feel OK, he could begin rehab games in a week or two.
“He’s going to hit off a tee for a few days and see how it responds,” GM Brian Cashman said, “and then if all goes well, then we’ll take it up a notch.”
Matsui also is using a brace on the leg now.
“I’m not sure, but I think it’s helping,” he said.
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Before last night’s 13-4 loss to the Orioles, Yankees co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner spoke briefly on the field and addressed the Hall-of-Fame candidacy of his father, George Steinbrenner.
“It’d be an honor,” he said. “It’d be thrilling for the family. . . . I think most people agree he belongs there. It’s just a matter of when.”
Hal Steinbrenner also said the All-Star Game ceremony involving his father “meant a lot.”
With approximately $80 million set to come off the Yankees roster after the season, Hal Steinbrenner said the team will be spending money in the offseason.
“We want a good team, and a good team is a good mix of young people and it’s a good mix of veterans to mentor those young people,” he said. “So we’re going to be out there on the free agency market the way we always are and we’re having some money coming off our payroll and we’re going to use it.”
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Phil Hughes didn’t pitch in a rehab game yesterday because of the Tampa weather and will instead pitch for Charleston in low A-ball today. Carl Pavano will pitch in the game as well.