BASEBALL;Wetteland Recalls Game 5, When He Never Got the Nod

The nagging, four-month old question about not being summoned to secure the most important save for the Yankees in 14 years caused John Wetteland to lower his head, stare at the carpet and slide his fingers through his blond hair. There was silence for five seconds. Then he stood up. Then he spoke.

"Oh, man, I think about it," he said. "Yeah, I do. That's tough."

Three outs. All the Yankees needed in the 11th inning of Game 5 of the division series in Seattle last Oct. 8 were three outs to advance to the American League Championship Series. Wetteland desperately wanted to pursue those three outs, and ordinarily, with his team clinging to a one-run lead, in that situation, he would have been given the ball.

But Manager Buck Showalter kept Jack McDowell in for a third inning in his first career relief appearance and insisted it was his best option. McDowell never got an out as the Mariners rallied for two runs to swipe a 6-5 victory as Wetteland observed the end of the Yankee season from the bullpen.

Until today, Wetteland had not discussed the night of the significant slight.

"It was tough," said Wetteland, as Yankee pitchers and catchers trickled into Legends Field before Thursday's first workout. "It was my spot. It was my job the whole year. You could say it was my spot. Win or lose, it's the closer's spot and he should pitch. But I never really gave Buck a reason to be confident in putting me out there. Personally, yeah, it's painful. Objectively, I can see it. If I had pitched flawlessly one time it might have given him reason. We'll never know."

Wetteland will never know, but his attitude seemed to indicate that he will not let the memory bother him. Nor would he criticize Showalter, who no longer is his manager.

Despite his 31 saves and despite his 96-mile-an-hour fastball, Wetteland did not get the chance to face Joey Cora or Ken Griffey Jr. or Edgar Martinez in the Seattle 11th. He did not get the chance to push the Yankees deeper into the post-season.