Clemens passing the torch to rookies

Clemens passing the torch to rookies

Hughes, Chamberlain soaking in advice from veteran Rocket

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

Most of the Yankees were filtering out of a visiting clubhouse in Anaheim this week, scattering to the streets. Only a partially cracked weight room door provided a glimpse to Roger Clemens' inner workings.

As Mike Mussina finished dissecting a troubled start, many exited, their night complete as the clock inched toward 3 a.m. on the East Coast. But duties weren't yet over for Clemens, who grunted dozens of biceps curls into a mirror before finally permitting himself to leave the premises.

Once again, the reminder was served: It is no accident that Clemens has pitched as well as he has, for as long as he has. For the youngest Yankees, Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes, Clemens is a constant inspiration through perspiration.

"It was great to know you've got somebody like that coming in, and somebody who's so willing to talk, willing to learn, willing to teach," Chamberlain said. "He's 45 years young and he still wants to teach. He had great teachers when he was growing up, and you can tell that he wants to continue the legacy that was brought upon him to the younger generation."

The Yankees' early season financial pitch for Clemens was based upon a need for a quality starting pitcher at the Major League level, a service that the future Hall of Famer has consistently provided.

But just as he did with the Houston Astros, where sweaty afternoons were spent in workouts with starry eyed Minor Leaguers, the seven-time Cy Young Award winner has offered instruction and advice to Yankees prospects whenever possible.

"Obviously, they're paying him money to go out and perform, but he feels like the other part of this job is to help us out and mentor," Hughes said. "There's only so much you can do in this game that he hasn't already done. I think he likes the fact that he's passing the torch, in a sense."

Chamberlain and Hughes both had the opportunity to borrow from the Rocket's wisdom when all three spent time at the Yankees' player development complex in Tampa, Fla., earlier this summer.

During one of Clemens' rehab sessions, firing tuneup offerings toward his eventual Yankee Stadium relaunch against the Pirates, the hurler invited a group of prospects to observe and ask questions -- partially to help inform and pass on knowledge gleaned from 24 seasons of big league service, and also because Clemens may have been curious as to the thought process of the younger generation.

"We had some good times in Tampa," Clemens said. "I think that was the most important thing, and they paid attention. Every step of the way that I was working on coming back -- which was real important to me -- they hung out a little bit longer and watched. Now that I get to see them actually learning on the go, it's kind of fun to watch."

Hughes' last start, a Monday effort at Angel Stadium -- the California native's nearest big league facility as a youngster -- yielded the most promising results since he returned to the big league squad from injuries. Meanwhile, every Chamberlain appearance continues to be an event; wielding an electric fastball and a biting slider, Chamberlain struck out the side in an inning Wednesday against the Angels, including fanning Vladimir Guerrero for the final out.

"They're going to obviously play a big part in what's going to happen here," Clemens said. "The quicker they can understand to get a good workout routine and get a solid base that they can count on, the Yankees are planning on them being a big part of that new stadium across the way."

Projecting Chamberlain and Hughes as pillars of the Yankees' new facility rising between Jerome and River Avenues in the Bronx may be tricky business, but for manager Joe Torre, it's easy to look past age in favor of mature attitudes.

That, Torre said, is one of the most impressive aspects of sending a pair of 21-year-olds out on a regular basis: neither seems to be intimidated, only to belong.

"They're all going to be judged on how they handle the pot holes, and that's where pretty much the jury is still out, because we haven't seen that yet," Torre said. "But again, knowing their makeup, I think they've sort of been forewarned."

For Chamberlain, who completed a meteoric rise from Class A Tampa to the big leagues in his first full pro season, Clemens' most striking lesson has revolved around proper workout programs and conditioning.

"The biggest thing was to treat your body like a temple. What you put into it is what you're going to get out of it," Chamberlain said. "You can have your fun, but you also have to realize when it's time to flip the switch and time to get to work. You can do everything you set your mind to -- you just have to be patient and work hard."

For both Chamberlain and Hughes, early success has convincingly proven that they have been blessed with standout talent. But that is just the beginning of the lesson, for as Clemens warns, such gifts have an indefinite shelf life against similarly superb athletes.

"They wouldn't be here if they didn't have the makeup," Clemens said. "I've encouraged them to get something that they can believe in and count on, and take with them for a long time.

"They'll have to adjust, because people will adjust to them once they see them enough. That's all part of it. If you can survive on talent for four or five years, you're going to have to make adjustments from there on."

Pettitte thumbs aside Angels

Pettitte thumbs aside Angels

Fifth straight win for pitcher prevents sweep in Anaheim

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Andy Pettitte was the stopper once more for the Yankees' Southern California troubles, logging his fifth consecutive victory by posting an 8-2 victory over the Angels on Wednesday.

Behind Pettitte's seven innings of one-run ball, the Yankees salvaged the finale of a three-game series at Angel Stadium, moving back within five games of the Red Sox in the AL East and 1 1/2 games behind the Mariners in the AL Wild Card race.

"Andy knows when it's important for us to win, but every time he goes to the mound it's important for him to win," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "This game was enormously important."

Always a strong second-half performer, Pettitte has been especially on point as the Yankees pursue their postseason hopes, limiting opponents to eight earned runs over his last 35 innings.

As he did following his last victory, Pettitte credited small mechanical adjustments made prior to an Aug. 12 start at Cleveland for his resurgence of late.

"I'm really just feeling good," Pettitte said. "My command's been there and that's the key. I'm throwing my stuff for strikes and my two-seamer has been there. It's been a big pitch for me.

"Whenever you don't have command of the outside corner, and I lost it [earlier in the season], it's frustrating and it's difficult to pitch. Obviously I was running deep into counts with everybody. Not being able to throw deep into games is frustrating for me."

He didn't have that problem on Wednesday, pitching in front of a sellout crowd of 44,326 at the Big A.

Striking out six and walking two, Pettitte's only real blemish in a five-hit performance came in the sixth inning, as Orlando Cabrera hit a home run past the 387-foot mark in left-center to tie the game.

The Yankees regained the lead in the seventh, scoring twice on run-scoring hits by Melky Cabrera and Derek Jeter.

"You always have confidence when he's pitching," Jeter said. "Today, he was as good as he's been all year. They have a tough team and they don't strike out much. They put the ball in play, and they're pests on the basepaths. He made one mistake and I don't even know if you can call it a mistake."

On both sides, Pettitte and Angels starter John Lackey locked heads, with each pitcher surrendering just one run through the first six innings before New York pulled away.

"He was in a good rhythm and so was I," Pettitte said. "We were getting some quick outs. That's always nice to be able to do. It was just a good game."

In the seventh, Cabrera brought home Jorge Posada with a hard one-out single through the right side, breaking a 4-for-34 slide for the outfielder. Jeter added an RBI hit to right field that scored Robinson Cano, before Jeter was thrown out at second base to end the inning.

Bobby Abreu padded the Yankees' lead with a home run leading off the eighth, chasing Lackey, who came up short in his attempt to become the Major Leagues' first 16-game winner this season. The right-hander allowed 10 hits and four runs in seven-plus innings, walking three and striking out four.

Cano and Hideki Matsui each had three of New York's 16 hits, helping to fluff a late cushion for rookie Joba Chamberlain, who struck out the side around a single in the eighth.

The final out the 21-year-old Chamberlain recorded was a swinging strikeout of Vladimir Guerrero, who waved at a biting slider in the dirt for Chamberlain's 14th strikeout in just eight innings of Major League service.

"That's big no matter who you're facing, and especially a guy of Vlad's status," Chamberlain said. "He goes up there to take care of business and that's what he does best."

Mariano Rivera surrendered a run in the ninth inning but recorded the final three outs for the Yankees, who won just three of nine games against the Angels this season and would not see the scrappy club again until a potential postseason series.

The game also marked Torre's 1,150th win as Yankees manager, passing Casey Stengel for sole possession of second place on the franchise list behind Joe McCarthy (1,460).

"That's the biggest one for me," Torre said. "This was my lifetime, when I was growing up in the '40s and '50s in New York, during the five straight championships. Casey was obviously the architect of this whole thing. I'm very proud of this."

Notes: Out of left field, Betemit is busy

Notes: Out of left field, Betemit is busy
Mussina 'awful,' but his arm is fine; Henn saves the bullpen
By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- The Yankees had a pretty good idea of what Wilson Betemit might offer, part of the reason that he merited pursuit leading up to two consecutive trade deadlines.

After getting their man on the second try, the Yankees have been happy to see their scouting pay off. The 25-year-old has driven in 15 runs through his first 34 at-bats and, as a bonus, has taken well to first base. He earned another start on Wednesday.

"We know what he has," said Yankees manager Joe Torre. "We know he has the ability to get your attention as a hitter. He's gotten some big hits for us in the few times that he's played. I think he's a real plus for this organization."

Betemit's 13th home run of the year -- and third as a Yankee -- came in the ninth inning Tuesday, with an 18-9 blowout loss at Angel Stadium reaching conclusion. The swings meant little in the course of the outcome, but the Yankees have had to find ways to keep Betemit sharp -- an effort he has been pleasantly surprised by.

Coming over from the Dodgers on July 31, Betemit said he was unsure of how much playing time the Yankees would be able to offer him, especially since his primary position -- third base -- was manned by All-Star Alex Rodriguez, in the midst of a banner season.

"I didn't [know] how much time I would play here," Betemit said. "But I've been playing almost three times a week. To get that much playing time in here, I didn't know that. I knew I wouldn't play every day because they've got guys like A-Rod and Derek Jeter. Those guys have to play every day."

But Betemit has found opportunities at first base, joining a heavily populated mix that continues to include Andy Phillips as well as occasional appearances by Jason Giambi and Shelley Duncan. Torre pointed out that Betemit has been among the more frequent workers in early batting practice, practicing and moving about the bag.

"Right now, I know it's much better," Betemit said. "It feels good. I'm doing it right now, and that's what I have to do -- go out there and swing my bat, play my defense and play hard."

That ethic is serving to help his versatility in what could progress to be a true utility role or even a starting slot down the road. Already, Betemit has played five positions as a Yankee, including two of them for the first time in the big leagues -- first base and left field.

"He can do a lot of things and he's not afraid to work," Torre said. "We've had him out here. He feels he needs to learn and he has to do it. It's nice to have that attitude to go along with the fact that he's going to be part of this organization's future."

Give it an A-Rest: Torre had toyed with the idea of benching Rodriguez for the series finale against the Angels on Wednesday, citing that his energy appeared to be dragging, but three home runs in two games here reversed that in a hurry.

"It was just something we played with and never really made a decision on," Torre said.

Torre said that the Yankees' off-day Thursday could suffice for Rodriguez, who led the Major Leagues with 42 home runs entering Wednesday. Having already lost the first two games against the Angels, the Yankees need their heavy hitters for the potential playoff run.

Checking in: Mike Mussina called his start Tuesday "awful," allowing seven runs in 1 2/3 innings, and Torre checked in with the right-hander the day after to make sure there were no further developments that needed attention.

Torre said he ascertained that the right-hander had two good bullpen sessions leading into his two poor starts, leading the Yankees to believe that injury is not the issue.

"His arm feels so good," Torre said. "That's what's so frustrating for him. He doesn't remember the last time he's ever walked two guys in a row in the first inning."

Mussina will have another start on Monday and, leading up to it, the club will watch his side sessions closely to place the root of the problem.

"He knows the game he pitched yesterday; we need better than that," Torre said. "He's not ignoring that fact. Hopefully the extra day [of rest] does something for him and he can be more of the guy that we think he could be."

Bullet boy: Left-hander Sean Henn helped save the Yankees' bullpen for Wednesday night, soaking up three innings on an evening when he originally wasn't even supposed to pitch after getting up three times on Monday.

Though Torre credited Henn with "taking a bullet," Henn shrugged off the credit. The five runs the Angels scored off Henn on Tuesday likely took some of the shine away.

"Somebody's going to have to do it," Henn said. "I'm here to pitch. Anytime they ask me if I want to go another one (inning), I'm going to say yes, unless I just can't."

With Mussina out of answers in the second inning, Henn said the Yankees' relievers knew they were in for a heavy workload. The fact that they made it through 20 outs without spoiling Kyle Farnsworth, Luis Vizcaino, Joba Chamberlain or Mariano Rivera for Wednesday's finale was crucial.

"You're really looking for double plays and things like that to help the starter out," Henn said. "You're really just hoping he gets through an inning, and hopefully it clicks for him. We knew that we were already short [for the middle innings]. There's days like that."

Bombers bits: Mussina's 1 2/3-inning start on Tuesday was his shortest since Sept. 27, 2005, at Baltimore, also 1 2/3 innings. ... Rodriguez (506 homers) has passed Eddie Murray for sole possession of 21st place on the all-time list. ... Robinson Cano is in a 5-for-30 (.167) skid, while Melky Cabrera is 4-for-32 (.154).

Coming up: Following an off-day Thursday, the Yankees open a four-game series with the Tigers on Friday in Detroit. Roger Clemens (5-5, 3.92 ERA) makes his 14th start for New York and will go for his third straight victory, opposed by left-hander Andrew Miller. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET on My9.

Mussina sets tone in humbling loss

Mussina sets tone in humbling loss

Out by second, veteran puts Yankees in insurmountable hole

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Mike Mussina led a parade of Yankees pitchers into the path of Garret Anderson's career night. Some three hours later, it ended with a deflating 18-9 Yankees loss to the Angels on Tuesday.

Anderson hit a grand slam and a three-run homer as part of a four-hit, 10-RBI night, serving as the Angels' most damaging offensive performer. The home team called it a historic night, scoring its highest total of runs in a game against the Yankees, while Mussina simply called it "awful."

"It's tough to take," Mussina said. "I think that was in the top-five worst games of my career, right there. When you can't throw strikes, it really hurts. When I was throwing strikes, they were hitting them."

The Yankees fell six games behind the Red Sox in the American League East and lost a game on the Mariners in the AL Wild Card pursuit, falling 2 1/2 back of Seattle.

Mussina endured his shortest career start as a Yankee, battered for seven runs in 1 2/3 innings, his quickest hook since 1995. The early exit forced him to watch from the clubhouse for most of the fireworks -- quite literally, as the California night sky was illuminated by red sparks shooting from beyond the center-field rock pile.

"It never looked like he got into a rhythm," said Yankees manager Joe Torre. "It was the same story. He's such a touch-and-feel guy that when he can't put the ball where he wants to, he gets frustrated by it. That's what I saw."

Anderson's two-run double in the first brought home the Angels' first runs and put him on his way to coming within one RBI of the American League record of 11 in one game, set by the Yankees' Tony Lazzeri in 1936.

Mussina faced eight batters in the second, allowing five runs on five hits in that inning before handing the ball off to reliever Ron Villone.

After a string of four consecutive victories, Mussina has now been hit hard in his last two starts. He was looking to rebound from a season-high seven runs allowed in an Aug. 16 loss to the Tigers and said he felt good in his pregame bullpen session on Tuesday, though obviously the results were anything but acceptable.

"I try not to get too caught up in believing things are going to be one way and that they're going to stay that way for a long time," Mussina said. "This game isn't like that. We all go on hot streaks and we go on bad streaks. Just because you're going good for a while doesn't make the bad times any better."

Asked about the possibility of an injury hampering his performance, Mussina said that there is nothing wrong with him except that he was unable to throw the ball where he wanted.

Likewise, Torre dismissed the idea that Mussina may be masking something, saying, "There's nothing that I know is physically wrong with him."

"Hopefully, there isn't anything wrong," Torre said. "Obviously, with the last couple of starts, I know he concerns himself with it. We certainly do."

The Yankees briefly surged to make the game closer, putting up four runs in the third inning against Angels right-hander Kelvim Escobar.

"We're not going to stop playing," Torre said. "It's just that what we do is going to be based on how we pitch. Tonight, we didn't pitch well."

The Angels greeted Villone rudely when he opened the fourth, as the left-hander did not retire a batter and had to be relieved after allowing a bases-loaded walk to Chone Figgins, accounting for one of four runs Villone was charged with.

"It was the beginning of an ugly night," Villone said. "It could have been stopped if I'd come back and had a good inning. It's ultimately just a bad start to the possibility of us getting back on top."

Edwar Ramirez, twice released by the Angels organization in 2003 and 2005, made his first Anaheim appearance against his old club and surrendered a three-run homer to Anderson in a two-inning appearance, though one of the runs was charged to Villone.

Sean Henn, who was originally thought to be unavailable due to numerous warmup sessions in Monday's loss, volunteered for three innings of relief duty and allowed five runs, including a grand slam to Anderson that drew a curtain call for the Angels outfielder in the sixth.

Henn's performance may have staved off a possible roster move for the Yankees, who could have been left short-handed in the bullpen for Wednesday's series finale. Luis Vizcaino threw 17 pitches in the eighth, and the Yankees were able to keep rookie Joba Chamberlain out of action.

"[Henn] took a bullet for us today," Torre said.

Alex Rodriguez's 41st and 42nd home runs, solo shots off Escobar in the second inning and off Marc Gwyn in the ninth, were reduced to footnotes by the blowout final. Escobar went six innings for the victory, allowing five runs and striking out seven.

Wilson Betemit hit a three-run homer and Bobby Abreu drove in two runs for the Yankees, who have lost six of their eight games against the Angels this season.

Bullpen spoils Yanks' clutch homers

Bullpen spoils Yanks' clutch homers

Long balls by Rodriguez, Posada for naught in loss to Angels

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- The Angels have been a thorn in the Yankees' collective side, and there isn't much of a secret left to explain why. For years, Mike Scioscia's club has nipped away with aggressive play and persistence.

That familiar formula worked once more at Angel Stadium on Monday, as little-known backstop Ryan Budde connected for a game-winning hit off Sean Henn in the bottom of the 10th inning. The decisive blow led the Angels past the Yankees in dramatic fashion, 7-6.

"They play one way, with a great deal of passion," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "We do, too. Today's a day when you flip a coin."

Snapping their three-game winning streak, the Yankees fell five games back of the Red Sox, who defeated the Devil Rays on Monday behind starter Tim Wakefield. New York also dropped 1 1/2 games behind Seattle, which beat Minnesota on Monday, in the American League Wild Card race.

The Yankees came up on the losing end behind their fifth pitcher, Henn, who recorded the first out of the 10th but surrendered a double to Howie Kendrick.

Budde, who entered the game as a defensive replacement after the Angels pinch-hit for catcher Jeff Mathis, dropped the decisive hit between the lunges of Melky Cabrera and Bobby Abreu in right-center field, sparking an on-field celebration that kicked off the first game of a three-game series for the Yankees at Anaheim.

"He hit it and it fell," said Henn (2-1), who described watching the play as being in slow motion. "That's the way it works."

The abrupt ending made a winner of left-hander Darren Oliver (1-0), who pitched a scoreless 10th, and nullified great offensive performances from Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada, each of whom homered and drove in three runs for New York.

After starter Dustin Moseley limited the Yankees to two runs over five innings, Rodriguez hit his Major League-leading 40th home run off Chris Bootcheck in the sixth. With the Yankees trailing, 6-4, in the eighth, Posada came through with his 16th home run, a two-run shot to right off Justin Speier.

Local product Phil Hughes, a 2004 first-round pick from Foothill High School in Santa Ana, Calif., started for New York. Leaving a total of 33 passes for family and friends, Hughes held the Angels to just Mathis' three-run double through his first six innings.

"It was cool," Hughes said of pitching at Angel Stadium. "I've seen more games at this stadium than any other one, so it felt more familiar."

Pitching, as Torre said, his most competitively since returning from injuries that kept him out of Major League action for the better part of two months, Hughes saw his homecoming run into trouble in the seventh.

Kendrick opened the inning with a jam-shot single and moved to second when Hughes issued his career-high fifth walk of the night, prompting Torre to call upon Luis Vizcaino for a two-on, one-out situation.

"It was tough," Hughes said. "The walks will kill you. Fortunately, I was able to keep my pitch count down to give us a chance late in the game. You look back, and they had maybe two hard base hits and five runs on the board. It's hard to let it happen, but sometimes it just does."

As he walked off the field, Hughes was visibly upset, a rare display of emotion from a hurler who has proven normally even-tempered.

"There's no question he's special," Torre said. "Whether he's pitching here, at [Triple-A] Scranton or [Double-A] Trenton, wherever, he feels he's capable of doing certain things."

Chone Figgins greeted Vizcaino with a line-drive single to center field on a pitch that caught too much of the plate, scoring Kendrick from second base. Orlando Cabrera followed by punching a hot single to right, scoring Reggie Willits, and Vladimir Guerrero drove in the Angels' sixth run with an infield groundout.

With Kyle Farnsworth back in the eighth-inning role that he eventually lost with poor results, the Yankees nearly watched the tie zip away in the eighth. Farnsworth was saved by first baseman Wilson Betemit, who stabbed a Maicer Izturis grounder and cut down Gary Matthews Jr. at the plate.

"He was so cool making that play," Torre said of Betemit, who entered the game after Jason Giambi had pinch-hit for starter Andy Phillips. "That's the infielder in him."

Farnsworth then struck out Willits on a disputed check-swing to end the eighth, a play on which Scioscia was ejected by third-base umpire Dan Iassogna.

Mariano Rivera pitched around trouble in the ninth inning for New York, but the Yankees could only hold off the pesky Angels that long.

"It was just one of those games someone was going to have to win," Torre said. "It's tough to take, but both clubs can't win. It's tough to lose games like that, but you understand it's going to happen."

Notes: A-Rod's body 'alive' again

Notes: A-Rod's body 'alive' again

Third baseman's health restored weeks after Toronto plunking

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- The milestones are coming fast and furious for Alex Rodriguez these days. Though his 40th home run on Tuesday didn't lead the Yankees to victory, it did place him in some select company.

Rodriguez's sixth-inning home run off Angels reliever Chris Bootcheck made the power-hitting infielder just the fifth player in Major League history to hit 40 home runs in eight seasons.

The other players to do so? Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds and Harmon Killebrew (each eight times) and Babe Ruth (11 times).

"I'm proud," Rodriguez said. "It's pretty awesome, pretty humbling. I'm very humbled by the whole experience."

The line-drive home run into the left-field bullpen at Angel Stadium was Rodriguez's first since Aug. 11 and came with good timing -- homer No. 40 allowed Rodriguez to still call the Major League lead his own on a night when Milwaukee's Prince Fielder clubbed No. 39.

The drought, Rodriguez said, could date back to a painful hit-by-pitch that took place on Aug. 7, when he was hit in the right calf by Toronto's Josh Towers.

Acknowledging that he perhaps should have taken a day or two off after the incident -- for which Roger Clemens retaliated and earned a five-game suspension -- Rodriguez said that his discomfort is finally dissipating.

"My body felt alive last night for the first time in about a week," Rodriguez said. "I've been nursing this calf a little bit and nurturing it. I haven't felt like I've had my legs under me for about a week."

Yankees manager Joe Torre said that he had planned to give Rodriguez a day off on Wednesday for the series finale against the Angels, which would effectively give A-Rod two off-days with the Yankees' dark calendar date Thursday.

But Rodriguez isn't going without a fight. He went 3-for-5 with three RBIs in the Yankees' extra-inning loss on Monday and -- even though Rodriguez's numbers against Wednesday's starter, John Lackey, are not stellar (8-for-41, .195) -- Torre seemed open to the idea that Rodriguez could force his way into the lineup with another good game on Tuesday.

"He's trying to talk me out of it," Torre said. "We'll see. He's auditioning."

Nothing doing: Rodriguez said there has been no progress made with the lucky fan who caught his 500th home run ball.

Walter Kowalczyk, 29, grabbed A-Rod's home run on Aug. 4 vs. Kansas City; the Yankees have made it known that they are willing to deal with the Rutgers University student to retrieve the milestone baseball.

"Toughest negotiations of my career," Rodriguez said.

Crash course: Wilson Betemit may be a relative novice first baseman, but he handled an eighth-inning play like a pro on Monday, stabbing a Maicer Izturis shot and gunning down Gary Matthews Jr. at the plate.

"That's infielding," Torre said. "The thing I like more than anything about yesterday was that he caught the ball and it looked like he was in no rush to throw it. The rhythm of the game, he seems comfortable with."

The 25-year-old Betemit may have found at least a partial home. The Yankees haven't been shy about trying him at a multitude of positions since his July 31 acquisition from the Dodgers, including first base, a position he never played before the trade but was drilling at again early Tuesday.

"I feel more comfortable," Betemit said. "I never thought I'd play much first base, with those guys like Jason Giambi and [Shelley] Duncan. They can play first. But you can't control the situation. It's the manager's decision who's going to play first, and I'm feeling comfortable now."

Bombers bits: Jorge Posada was given Tuesday off, with Jose Molina catching Mike Mussina. The two worked well together on Aug. 11 at Cleveland. ... Chris Lidle, the son of the late Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle, visited the Yankees' clubhouse before Wednesday's game. ... The Yankees have right-handed prospect Joba Chamberlain available for one inning on Tuesday. If Chamberlain is not used, he would be eligible to pitch two innings on Wednesday under the organization's so-called "Chamberlain Rules."

Coming up: The Yankees and Angels play the third and final game of their series on Wednesday at Angel Stadium, with New York sending left-hander Andy Pettitte (10-7, 3.80 ERA) to the mound. The Angels counter with Lackey (15-7, 3.32 ERA), with first pitch scheduled for 10:05 p.m. ET on the YES Network.

Notes: Molina regrets preconception

Notes: Molina regrets preconception

Unsure of Yanks' chemistry before deal, catcher proven wrong

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

ANAHEIM -- Jose Molina returned to Angel Stadium on Monday with a different perspective, and only part of it had to do with his former status with the home team.

As Molina approaches the one-month anniversary of a July 21 trade for Minor Leaguer Jeff Kennard, the 32-year-old catcher said that his time in New York has changed his viewpoint of the Yankees dramatically.

"When you're in the other dugout, you think about this team having a lot of superstars," Molina said. "They're not selfish, but [we thought] they probably were playing for themselves. That's the way, when I was on the other team, we were looking at it.

"But I got here and got inside. I just ate my words. It's the opposite of what you see from the outside. You have to be inside with these guys to see the way they treated me when I came in. It changed the way I think about anybody now."

Molina had deep roots with the Angels, joining the organization as a free agent in 2001 and serving as a backstop into this season, including experiencing the World Series title run in 2002 and duty as a starting catcher last year.

Joining the club at Yankee Stadium the day after his trade, Molina put in the necessary time to adapt to the Yankees' pitching staff. He credited starting catcher Jorge Posada for his assistance in learning a new assemblage of hurlers in limited time.

Molina has already proven to be a more consistent offensive performer than his predecessor, Wil Nieves. In 11 games since joining the Yankees, Molina is batting .276 (8-for-29).

Though he still maintains a residence near Angel Stadium -- he slept there last night after the Yankees' team charter came in at about 10 p.m. PT -- Molina says he has left his Angels days behind.

"I'm here now, right?" Molina said. "You've got to just change the pace and move on, and remember all the good things that happened over there. Now, I think we have a lot of good things coming up for the team and me here. That's what we're looking for."

On the field at last: The Yankees' trip to Anaheim proved to be even more memorable for Edwar Ramirez, the 26-year-old reliever who was twice released by the Angels organization before finally making his Major League debut this season upon being plucked from an independent league club in Texas.

"I've waited a long time to be here," Ramirez said.

He had also resisted temptation to set foot on the Angel Stadium turf. Ramirez recalled how, in 2003, the entire roster of his Rancho Cucamonga team -- the Angels' High-A affiliate in the California League -- was summoned to the Major League facility for an event, about a 45-minute trip away from their home ballpark.

While most of Ramirez's teammates -- including current big leaguers Jeff Mathis, Mike Napoli and Ervin Santana -- didn't think twice about walking from the seating area to the field, Ramirez held out.

"I said, 'No, I don't want to stand there,'" Ramirez said. "When I stand there, I want to stand there because I'm playing in the big leagues. So I never went out."

That is, until Monday, when Ramirez could finally dress and have unfettered access to the playing field as a Major League player. Was it worth the wait?

"Oh, yes," he said.

A-Rest: Alex Rodriguez assumed his regular duties in the Yankees' lineup on Monday, batting cleanup and playing third base, but manager Joe Torre is considering offering A-Rod reduced duty, perhaps as soon as the latter games of the Angels series.

"We'll see over these next couple of days," Torre said. "He feels good today, but he's been dragging a little bit, like [Derek] Jeter."

Torre suggested that Wilson Betemit would play third base in place of Rodriguez, who could DH or rest entirely. Surely, the Yankees would be elated if they garnered similar results to the rest Torre placed upon Jeter; playing shortstop on Sunday, Betemit drove in four runs in the Yankees' 9-3 victory over the Tigers.

Farnsworth firing: Kyle Farnsworth's midseason struggles have not been entirely forgotten, but a string of four consecutive scoreless outings -- including a dominant one against the Tigers -- have yielded encouraging signs.

"The biggest difference I see with him when he's out there is that he doesn't look like he's trying to throw a ball through a wall," Torre said. "He's not trying to overthrow and muscle up. He just seems to be a lot more fluid in what he's doing, and the result is that he's locating down more often."

The Yankees are still mindful to protect Farnsworth, who is not likely to be asked to pitch more than one inning and is being discouraged from repeating. With Joba Chamberlain also on a modified schedule, Torre said he would continue to rely on Luis Vizcaino and Ramirez as his so-called "bail-out guys."

Bombers bits: Two former 2007 Yankees have found new homes -- left-hander Mike Myers signed a one-year contract with the Chicago White Sox with an option for next season, while Miguel Cairo has inked a Minor League contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. ... Over their last four games, the Yankees' bullpen has allowed just three hits and one earned run in 11 innings, walking two and striking out 14.

Coming up: The Yankees match up for the second game of a three-game series on Tuesday at Angel Stadium, sending right-hander Mike Mussina (8-8, 4.76 ERA) to the mound opposite right-hander Kelvim Escobar (13-6, 2.68 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 10:05 p.m. ET on the YES Network.