ANAHEIM – While Bernie Williams downplayed the discomfort in his left rib cage Joe Torre admitted his cleanup hitter and center fielder was playing with an injury that would have sidelined him in the regular season.
“The rib cage is something that he felt before Game 1, is that enough said?” Torre said of Williams, who crushed a game-winning three-run homer Tuesday after feeling a twinge during batting practice. “You are talking about a point in the season where two weeks or 10 days ago he wouldn’t be playing. But this is where you are right now. You drain it and hope that every thing holds together.”
Williams went 0-for-5 in Game 2, but came 10 feet short of a three-run homer on a fly ball to center. Williams took BP during Thursday’s workout and went 1-for-2 with a double in last night’s 9-6 Game 3 loss.
“If it was a pull, he wouldn’t be able to play,” Torre said. “He didn’t even feel it when he did it. It was something he felt later on.”
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Until Brian Cashman talks to George Steinbrenner, the GM isn’t commenting on the Mets contacting the Yankees Thursday for permission to talk to third base coach Willie Randolph about their managerial opening. While Steinbrenner wants complete focus on the Angels, he will eventually grant Randolph permission to talk to the Mets.
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Rondell White reported his left hamstring felt better, but Torre was hesitant to return him to the lineup. White suffered the injury running out a grounder in Game 1 and hasn’t been seen since.
“He feels better but I am still hesitant, as far as doing anything more than being a pinch-hitter,” Torre said. If White pinch-hits and reaches base, Torre said he would need a pinch runner.
“It’s feeling better but it’s still there,” White said before taking BP last night.
White ran at about 50 percent in the outfield before the game. He was hoping Yankees’ wins in Game 3 last night and today’s Game 4 would give him an opportunity for an extended rest, but obviously, that didn’t happen.
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Steinbrenner wants Bud Selig to do away with the best-of-five format for the ALDS.
“It has to be seven games,” The Boss said before last night’s Game 3 loss at Edison Field. “I don’t know what Selig is thinking of. He has to get it to seven games. Winning three games is too easy. It should be seven.”
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Angels will start lefty Jarrod Washburn today instead of John Lackey, who supplied three innings of scoreless relief last night. Washburn gave up four runs and six hits, including three homers, working seven innings in Game 1. He will be pitching on three days’ rest.
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When a ball is hit to right field, the Angels respect Raul Mondesi’s throwing arm. However, when the ball goes to any other part of the outfield, they are running until Juan Rivera or Bernie Williams makes a putout, something that hasn’t happened thus far in the series.
“They haven’t done anything different; they go first-to-third all the time,” Torre said. “They do a lot of things to distract and make you rush things. That’s why it’s important we make them hit the ball. Walks are something we can’t afford.”
Torre wasn’t going to tell Williams and Rivera to play shallower to stop the Angels’ on the bases.
“We are aware of it and the only thing you can do is not lay back and assume someone is going to stop at second or third,” Torre said.