Torre makes moves while regulars are in slumps

[RLA68]

http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/NASAp...=.jsp&c_id=nyy

By Tom Singer, MLB.Com

NEW YORK -- Hideki Matsui, in the throes of an extended batting funk, was dropped to sixth in the batting order Sunday, the lowest he has hit this season. He may be down, but don't expect him to be out.
Manager Joe Torre, likening his mentality to that of Cal Ripken, Jr., isn't giving new thought to resting Matsui, who played in his 1,600th consecutive game Sunday.

"It's early. He doesn't look tired," Torre said. "You saw the same thing with Ripken, that mindset of going along every day without needing to stop and think about what you're doing. He'll correct himself."

Matt, as he is called by his manager, has a lot of correction coming. A 9-for-48 slide had his average down to .250 entering Sunday's game. Furthermore, he hasn't homered since hitting his third in four games on April 8.

"Early on, it looked like he was going to get three hits every day for the rest of his life," Torre said. "He's such a good hitter, his success is based on making up his mind what he wants to do. Right now, he's in between."

Translation: Matsui has been getting himself out, not necessarily the pitchers.

Replacing Matsui in the cleanup spot was Alex Rodriguez, and Torre's revision netted New York's first run off Ted Lilly. Rodriguez led off the second inning with a double and, after moving to third on new No. 5 hitter Jorge Posada's fly, scored on Matsui's sacrifice fly.

Matsui, who had hit fourth in 22 of the Yankees' first 24 games, certainly did not view his displacement as a demotion.

"I have not been hitting," he said, accepting the move. "But it does not matter to me where I hit. I have not felt any pressure [in the cleanup spot].

"I don't necessarily think pitchers have been pitching me differently. I only have not been able to get good pitches to hit."

The outfielder did disagree with Torre's assessment that "he doesn't look as comfortable as early on."

Said Matsui, "I don't feel that way. Only the results portray that. But I feel OK."

Jumpy Giambi: Jason Giambi remained out of the starting lineup with the tight right forearm that had forced him to leave mid-game Saturday.

Oddly, Giambi attributed the slight injury to the 2 o'clock start of Saturday's rain-delayed game.

"We were sitting around [in the clubhouse], then all of a sudden they said we're playing at two, and we all jumped up and rushed down to the cage [to get loose]," said Giambi, who thought he might have stressed the forearm by taking too many swings too fast.

Giambi underwent heat-massage treatment before the game, and hoped to be able to provide a threat off the bench -- and to be back in the lineup Monday.

Torre didn't see that. With the Yankees facing left-hander Scott Kazmir in the opener of a four-game series in Tampa Bay, Giambi is assured of getting another day of rest.

Giambi's average has been lowered to .224 by a 4-for-28 slide, and he has eight more strikeouts (23) than hits (15).

[General]

About freaking time.

[BuckFoston]

No freaking kidding.