TAMPA – Yesterday was the first time Roger Clemens threw to a hitter since Game 2 of the World Series, which is better known for Clemens firing a shattered bat toward Mike Piazza than the Yankees taking a two games to none lead over the Mets.
Even though it was only a BP session on the main field at Legends Field in front of about 700 sun bathers, Clemens went about getting ready for it in a serious manner.
That, however, didn’t stop club jokester Mike Stanton from giving the Rocket the needle.
“I told him, ‘This is a big day for you, we don’t want any flashbacks,’ ” Stanton said, referring to the Piazza fiasco. “Then I asked him, ‘Did you take your medicine?’ “
Clemens didn’t respond to the crack but he got through the 10-minute session without incident. Throwing only room-service fastballs, Clemens faced Paul O’Neill, Derek Jeter, Chuck Knoblauch and Clay Bellinger and didn’t have to field any broken bats. Nor did he come close to any heads.
“He’s the kind of guy you want to take BP off early because he is just working on throwing strikes, he isn’t some guy trying to show the coaches he can make the team,” Knoblauch said.
Clemens was followed on the mound by Mike Mussina. Unlike Clemens, he added breaking balls to his fastball. Like Clemens, Mussina was sharp pitching to David Justice, Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams and Tino Martinez.
While Clemens and Mussina got through unscathed, three Yankees narrowly avoided serious injury on the basepaths. Knoblauch nearly ripped Alfonso Soriano’s head off with a line drive to right. Jeter had to dodge Justice’s liner to short and Martinez sent O’Neill to the dirt between second and third with a screaming line drive.
“I tried to get out of the way but it kept following me so I had to dive,” O’Neill said.
Adrian “El Duquecito” Hernandez followed Mussina and the candidate for the No. 5 spot looked impressive working to Posada, Martinez, Justice and Williams.
On Field No. 2 Dwight Gooden pitched his first BP session and stayed mostly with fastballs.
“My shoulder feels great and today went good,” said Gooden, who is likely battling for a bullpen spot. “My bullpen [session] went well, usually the first time out I am all over the place.”
Joe Torre didn’t see Clemens, Mussina or El Duquecito throw, but his reports were that they all came through the exercise fine.