BALTIMORE – Joe Torre insisted Hideki Matsui being sent to New York last night to have his balky right knee drained today isn’t that big of a deal. However, the procedure likely will limit Matsui to DH duty against the Indians when the ALDS opens in Cleveland on Thursday night.
“It’s nothing serious,” Torre said of Matsui having fluid removed from the hinge that has been a problem for most of the season. “It won’t affect his status.”
What it does do is kill any plans Torre may have had about getting Jason Giambi into the lineup as the DH, playing Matsui in left and using Johnny Damon in center for the slumping Melky Cabrera, who has one hit in 20 at-bats (.050).
Of course, Giambi could be used as the DH if Matsui can’t make it. Matsui, who ended the season batting .285 with 25 homers and 103 RBIs, finished in a 6-for-23 (.261) mini-slide. The knee wasn’t a serious enough issue to keep Matsui out of left field Thursday and Friday night.
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By opting for the eight-day ALDS package, the Red Sox have done the Yankees a favor. Since the best-of-five Yankees-Indians ALDS will be played across seven days, the Indians can’t use studs C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona twice.
Had the Yankees-Indians been spread over eight days they could have pitched in Games 1 and 2 and 4 and 5.
Instead, the Indians will go with a four-man rotation of Sabathia, Carmona, Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd.
Of course, the Yankees can’t use their aces, Chien-Ming Wang and Andy Pettitte twice, either.
Torre announced yesterday that Wang, a 19-game winner, will start Game 1 Thursday night at Jacobs Field and Pettitte will start Game 2 the next night.
If Roger Clemens’ left hamstring is OK, he will go in Game 3 Sunday at Yankee Stadium. Torre will then have to decide between Mike Mussina or Phil Hughes for Game 4. Torre would have Wang and Pettitte available for Game 5.
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As for filling out his bullpen, Torre has to decide between Edwar Ramirez and Jose Veras for the final spot. Mussina, Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Luis Vizcaino, Mariano Rivera, Kyle Farnsworth and Ron Villone are likely on the roster.
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Cabrera returned to center field last night after not starting the previous two games so that he could clear his head. Cabrera went 1-for-5 and is in a 2-for-20 (.050) slump.
“I am not concerned [about Cabrera],” Torre said. “It’s more mental.”