Tuesday, February 27, 2007 BY LISA KENNELLY Star-Ledger Staff
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Yankees unveiled their spring training starting rotation yesterday, with Chien-Ming Wang getting the call for Thursday's opener against Minnesota and Carl Pavano penciled in for Sunday after an MRI showed he only has a bone bruise in his left foot.
The rest of the rotation has Andy Pettitte going Friday, Mike Mussina on Saturday, and Kei Igawa on Monday.
Manager Joe Torre wouldn't say if the spring training rotation could be extrapolated to the regular-season order.
"There's too far to go," Torre said. "You put those first three guys in a hat. Let's put it this way, it wouldn't startle you (if any of the three went Opening Day)."
Pavano, who missed the last two days of practice after taking a line drive off his left foot during batting practice, said he expected to take the mound against Philadelphia. The oft-injured right-hander said his bruised foot was improving daily.
Pavano had no trouble with his regular weight-room activity yesterday. He expected to begin tossing today, and hoped to throw a bullpen session Thursday.
He has not pitched in the majors in almost two years due to various injuries, several of which started off as seemingly minor setbacks, such as the most recent bruise.
But Pavano, who has impressed the coaches with his throwing this spring, said this injury was different.
"I just feel so good, the way I've been throwing the ball. I just feel like this is something that could have happened to anyone," Pavano said. "I feel like this is the first time where I can actually say, 'I'm going to pick up where I left off.' In the past it's been just positive words. I don't know how committed I was to it. But I'm definitely committed to the fact that I feel good."
Following Wang tomorrow will be top pitching prospect Phil Hughes, Ross Ohlendorf, Luis Vizcaino and Mike Myers. The Twins will start Carlos Silva, followed by Kevin Slowey, Juan Rincon, Mike Venafro and former Yankee Randy Choate.
Johnny Damon returned to camp after spending the last two days with his family attending to personal matters. The center fielder did not specify the reason for his absence, but said it was not health related and that both his father and his newborn daughter were fine.
"Everything is great," Damon said. "Fortunately the little personal matter I had to take care of was in February and not July or June or any time during the season.
"I feel a lot better today than a couple days ago," he continued. "Something was worrying on me, and I took care of it."
Damon did not practice while he was away from the team, but said he wasn't behind.
"I was ready for the season a couple days ago, I'm ready for the season now," he said.
Damon added that he was looking to drop from his current weight of 217 to 210 by the beginning of the season to improve his speed.
Torre's older brother, Frank, found out his daughter Elizabeth is a match for a kidney transplant. Frank Torre has been experiencing kidney problems due to medication he takes due to a heart transplant in 1996. He hopes the transplant can be completed before Easter.
A day after Humberto Sanchez impressed Torre with his smooth delivery during batting practice, the right-handed pitcher experienced the same right forearm soreness that had pushed back his BP session in the first place. An MRI yesterday revealed inflammation in his elbow, and he will be shut down for a few days.
Sanchez, 23, has been on the disabled list eight times in his minor-league career, twice for elbow problems. But he said the forearm tightness didn't feel like his previous injuries.
Reliever Brian Bruney also had an MRI yesterday after suffering sharp pain in his left side. His test was negative, though Bruney said he felt no improvement yesterday.... Left-handed pitcher Ben Kozlowski is still shut down with a strain in his left rib cage.
Igawa will start today's intrasquad game for the home team, with Jeff Karstens going for the visitors. The rest of the home pitchers will be Steven Jackson, Tyler Clippard, Mike Myers, Chris Britton, and Jose Veras. The other visitors' pitchers will be Chase Wright, Jeff Kennard, Colter Bean, Ron Villone and Kevin Whelan.
Reggie Jackson, a guest instructor at Yankees camp, arrived yesterday. Yogi Berra was due to arrive in Tampa yesterday.
