MLB

MENTAL LAPSES FOR MELKY

BALTIMORE – Melky Cabrera’s mind stopped working one day short of the finish line.

Fortunately for Cabrera, Alex Rodriguez didn’t get hurt scoring from first base in the third inning of yesterday’s 10-4 win over the Orioles. If A-Rod was injured it would have been Cabrera’s fault. As it was, he was admonished by A-Rod for not being in position to tell Rodriguez to slide or stand up at home.

It was the first of three mental mistakes Cabrera made. In the sixth he didn’t go from first to third on a single and forgot how many outs there were while on second.

When A-Rod was waved home by third base coach Larry Bowa on Wilson Betemit’s double to left, he looked toward the plate to see if he was going to slide or stay up. But Cabrera, who should have been directly behind the plate and in line with the third base line, was standing off to the side and couldn’t been seen by A-Rod. He beat the throw standing up and wasn’t injured. However, A-Rod spoke to Cabrera and gestured toward where Cabrera was supposed to be.

*

Rodriguez went 2-for-2 and drove in a run to finish with a major-league high 156 RBIs. That’s the most since Manny Ramirez drove in 165 in 1999. Kyle Farnsworth overstrided in the ninth and heard something pop in his hip but stayed in the game and reported it was no problem.

*

Since Joe Torre didn’t hear from Roger Clemens, the manager assumed Clemens would pitch a simulated game in Tampa today and test his left hamstring. “I am sure the S.O.S. would have gone out,” Torre said when asked if Clemens was a go for today.

*

Bobby Abreu drove in two runs without a hit and finished with 101 RBIs. It’s the fifth straight year Abreu has driven in 100 or more runs.

*

Hideki Matsui had fluid drained from his right knee yesterday by Dr. Stuart Hershon. According to Torre, the bothersome hinge isn’t going to affect Matsui’s availability for the ALDS, although it may limit him to DH duty.

*

Having posted a career year months away from becoming a free agent in a very weak class for catchers, Jorge Posada is poised to make a killing this winter with whatever he does. If he stays or goes – more of a possibility than people believe – Posada is going to make an ocean of money. Yet, first the Indians loom.

“I haven’t thought about it,” Posada said of possibly being his last regular-season game as a Yankee, the only organization he has ever played for. “We have a big playoff series coming up.”

The 36-year-old Posada, who made $12 million this year when he batted a career-high .338 with 20 homers and 90 RBIs, could land a three-year deal worth $45 million One school of thought has Posada leaving if the Yankees don’t bring Joe Torre back.Posada was named the manager for yesterday’s game by Torre.

*

How far did Brian Bruney fall?

A year ago, he pitched in three of the four ALDS games. Yesterday, the Yankees told him to go home, opting to not include the right-handed reliever around like they did with Ross Ohlendorf, Chris Britton and Jose Veras.

“I was shocked,” Bruney said.