Full Yankee Team Takes the Field For First Time

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

TAMPA, Fla. – With most of their stars together on the field, the Yankees looked like World Series favorites.


Mike Mussina and Carl Pavano each threw three scoreless innings, and Hideki Matsui hit a three-run homer last night in an 8-0 rout of the Blue Jays. Mariano Rivera worked a hitless seventh, Alex Rodriguez had a two-run single, and Gary Sheffield went 3-for-4 with an RBI to send the Yankees to their second win of spring training.


Playing all their regulars and using three All-Star pitchers, the Yankees showed off a $200 million team that might just be worth every penny.


“They’re loaded and they know how to swing the bats,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said.


Mussina threw 26 of his 38 pitches for strikes and got the win in his second start of the spring. He allowed two hits and struck out one.


Pushed back a day because Wednesday’s game against Cleveland was rained out, Pavano yielded four hits and struck out two in relief. He threw 38 pitches, 25 strikes.


Mussina has given up one run in five innings this spring. Pavano has allowed seven hits in five shutout innings. Kevin Brown will make his second start Friday against Detroit. Rivera walked a batter in his second appearance but induced a double-play grounder to end the inning and called his outing “perfect.”


Matsui singled during a three-run fourth and homered to right an inning later, his second in two games. He is 6-for-13 this spring with three doubles, five RBI, and six runs scored.


Jason Giambi went 0-for-2 with a walk in his first action since hitting a home run Monday against Boston, but he hit the ball hard twice, a line drive to center and a one-hopper that was gloved by diving second baseman Orlando Hudson.


***


BELTRAN DRAWS BOOS


Carlos Beltran lost two balls in the sun during the same inning and heard his first round of boos from Mets fans.


Beltran couldn’t catch drives hit to center by Baltimore’s Javy Lopez and David Newhan , and the Orioles scored six runs in the fourth inning en route to an 8-2 victory yesterday over the Mets.


Lopez was credited with a two-run double after Beltran dropped to one knee and couldn’t hold on to the ball that came at him out of a blinding sun that was situated over the grandstand and directly behind home plate.


Later in the inning, Beltran appeared to let up as Newhan’s drive flew over him for a triple that drove in two more runs. The spring training crowd of 7,203 wasn’t forgiving, and fans sent boos toward the Mets’ biggest offensive acquisition.


The New York Sun

© 2025 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use