Tampa, Fla., March 6 — I couldn’t resist the Murder Mystery title, and truthfully, no one was murdered (maybe no one even died), but we have a bona fide mystery on our hands. Putting on my Columbo, Sam Spade, Agatha Christie hat, let’s take a look.
Mystery One: Who? As in, Who’s that Japanese gentleman in the white cap behind me at Legends Field tonight? That’s what Sue and I were asking one hour before game time when 30-40 Japanese cameramen (no lie) trained their cameras on us as he entered and sat down. Although we never learned for certain, word on the street (OK, the aisle) placed him as a blood relative of Hideki Matsui. One thing was clear: Everybody in the Japanese press corps knew him immediately. And a seat in the left field corner would have been a fortunate choice for him had ‘zilla played (see Mystery Four), but as it was, the Yankees wisely whisked him away and got him into a place we assumed was more secure.
Mystery Two: What? If you score the games, the numbers and the patterns in which they appear become so familiar. 4-3, 5-4, 6-4-3, 3-6-1, 5-3, 5-4-2. Wait a minute. Forty-plus years of games, and what’s a 5-4-2? Bottom of the second and Jorge leads off with a booming ground rule double that hops over the left center field fence, and Juan Rivera follows with a sharp single to right. First and third and no one out. Sure, you’re disappointed when Rondell grounds hard to third and David Bell throws to second. We’ll go up 1-0 on a 5-4-3. Only Placido Polanco realizes that Jorge broke poorly from third, takes the forcing throw at second and fires home where AAA catcher Jensen slaps on the tag. Two outs, and it’s 0-0. 5-4-2, a first for everything.
Mystery Three: When? Well, our double header baseball odyssey began at 10:00 am with a trip to Sarasota for the Reds hosting the Pirates, so when Game Two was almost ready (Phils at Yanks at Legends Field at 7:15 pm) the journey was about nine hours old.
Mystery Four: Where? As in where were the Yankees? Look. I’ve been going to Spring Training for 15 years, give or take (except the February ankle-break year in the early nineties). It happens with all teams, but particularly with the top-drawing Yankees, that teams in other Florida cities are unhappy that the visitors arrive in town with few of their actual “star”ters in tow, to the extent that there exists a “gentleman’s agreement” that a road trip should include three starters and one front-line pitcher. (The reasons the problem exists are easy to see, but “Why subject your franchise guys to three- and four-hour bus trips that have to lead to back problems and bruised egos at best?” is a start.) Today I saw the Pirates (five starters and three hurlers who will be on the 25) visit the Reds (six starters and a couple of key arms), and the Phillies (five starters, two pitchers of note) visit the Yanks. And for the Yanks, Jeter started at short; Posada caught; Clemens went three. Giambi, Soriano, Ventura, Mondesi, Williams, Matsui, even Todd Zeile (!) sat. OK. Rondell played left, but he’ll hardly spend much time there. (A concession: Alfonso was announced, but was then replaced by Wilson. Perhaps a shoulder tweak?).
Mystery Five: Why? I don’t know, but I’ve never seen a home lineup in Florida like it before. But I do have a theory (though Sue thinks I’m nuts). George Steinbrenner is more beloved in Tampa Bay than anywhere, and though his team wins championships in the Bronx, he is treated best here. And Legends Field is a jewel, one that all the locals can bask in. Tropicana Field notwithstanding, his Legends Field is the home base for professional baseball in Tampa. Tonight was gorgeous, the first night game (one of only four), and Fireworks Night to boot. And George has been very vocal of late, exerting pressure on Joe Torre, on his favorite star, and on his coaching staff, expressing opinions that Joe feels are not helping. We all know the drill (which will be evoked in this column once again shortly): It’s only spring, the games don’t count. So what would be the harm of taking many innings to be played by understudies throughout the month and grouping some into this game, which has to mean more to George in front of all the locals than it ever will to the 2003 Yanks and their chances for success? Is Joe tweaking George right back?
Enough of that. What of the state of the Yanks? First, repeat after me: “It’s only spring, the games don’t count.” And there are positives. Point: Roger Clemens. He was superb. Three innings on 53 pitches, with the third extended by a desperation 1-2 Jimmy Rollins bloop into short right that produced the only run against. Pitch count comes with strike outs, and Roger was dealing, whiffing four of five batters to close the second and start the third (and five overall). He is obviously building arm strength, and looks to very strong. Point: Among the other pitchers, el duquecita continues to not be ready for prime time, and Randy Choate suffered a very ugly outing, giving up three wild pitches and a hit by pitch in a three-batter span, but young Jason Anderson restored order and looked very good. Point: Jorge continues to hit very well, and although he bounced one throw into center, he nailed the fleet-of-foot Jimmy Rollins attempting to steal early.
But the biggest point of all: With the arrival of first baseman Fernando Seguignol, is a star born? He made a fabulous catch leaning over the Yankee dugout rail and hit four balls for a greater than 1,400 foot total, notching three booming doubles and a near miss. After hitting three shots to left center batting lefty, he revealed that he is a switch hitter by turning a lefty’s first pitch in the ninth and bouncing it off the wall in the left-field corner. Hmmm. A guy who can play first and DH, hit for average, and for power, and bat from both sides. Fernando is at least 6’6′, and is an exciting player to watch.
YANKEE BASEBALL!!!