The Yankees' rotation is set for the Division Series.
Right-hander Chien-Ming Wang will start Game 1 at Cleveland, and left-hander Andy Pettitte will pitch Game 2. When the series shifts to New York, venerable right-hander Roger Clemens is slated to start Game 3.
Tightness in his left hamstring has kept Clemens from starting since Sept. 16. The sure-fire Hall of Famer also needed time to heal broken blisters on his right foot. That problem might have led to faulty mechanics, which resulted in elbow pain -- an injury that required two cortisone shots.
Clemens gave his 45-year-old body a test in a simulated game Monday at Tampa, and said he came out of it without incident.
"I feel fine, I really do," Clemens said Wednesday before the Yankees' workout at Jacobs Field. "Everything is right on schedule for me, and I'm excited to be here. I still have to go out there and get it done in a game, and that's something completely different, but I feel good."
Clemens intends to throw bullpen sessions on Thursday and Friday to prepare to start when the series shifts to Yankee Stadium for Game 3. He's eager to pitch, pointing out that trying to win a World Series for the Yankees was the very reason he came out of retirement in May.
"It's very gratifying to have the opportunity to be here with these guys," the seven-time Cy Young Award winner said. "When I came to the team, it was a different situation. I was watching along with everybody else the pitchers getting injured, and we were behind the 8-ball. A lot of very close friends did a lot of talking to get me to come back. I've never regretted it for a moment."
This really is likely to be Clemens' final October, and he is expected to pitch through any discomfort. Pain is another issue, and the Yankees have RHP Phil Hughes standing by as a possible replacement starter.
Hughes could also start Game 4, though that assignment is expected to go to RHP Mike Mussina. Manager Joe Torre prefers veterans, trusts Mussina, and likes the way he's rebounded from his awful August stretch.
LAST GAME, YANKEES 10, ORIOLES 4: At Baltimore, the Yankees closed out the regular season with a 14-hit attack, though most of their regular players saw just limited action as a tune-up for the Division Series. 3B Alex Rodriguez completed a monster season with his 156th RBI and OF Bobby Abreu had two RBIs to give him a total of 101.
NOTES, QUOTES
Abreu has driven in at least 100 runs in each of the last five seasons, and in six of the last seven; Rodriguez's 156 RBI are the 10th highest total for a Yankee, surpassing the 155 by Babe Ruth in 1926 and Joe DiMaggio in 1948.
C Jorge Posada did not play the final game of the season, but was given the title of manager for a day by Joe Torre, who merely supervised the proceedings. Posada ended up batting .338, which is 68 points higher than his career average of .270 entering the season. He had never batted higher than .287 (in 2000) in any previous season.
RHP Joba Chamberlain entered a game in the middle of an inning for just the second time this season. He threw five pitches and retired the only batter he faced on a groundball. That completed his regular season, only allowing one earned run in 24 innings (0.38 ERA).
RHP Ian Kennedy (upper back tightness) will not be on the roster for the Cleveland series.
OF Hideki Matsui (sore right knee) won't start the opener in left field. Johnny Damon will be in left, with Matsui serving as the DH.
The Yankees will not have a lefty available in the bullpen. Torre chose rookie RHPs Jose Veras and Ross Ohlendorf over veteran LHP Ron Villone.
BY THE NUMBERS: 1,500 -- Career runs and RBIs reached by 3B Alex Rodriguez on the same night, Friday against the Orioles.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Sure, you'd love to win the division. What it took us to get to the postseason, obviously the way we celebrated, that's the most important thing." -- Manager Joe Torre, on winning the AL wild card playoff berth.
EX-INDIAN FACTOR: Bench coach Tony Pena hit historic game-winning homer in Indians' Game 1 win over Boston in 1995 playoffs; LHP Ron Villone also played for Indians.
MEDICAL WATCH: Clemens (sore right elbow, blisters on his right foot) was sent for an MRI on his elbow after exiting his Sept. 3 start after four innings. He got a cortisone shot Sept. 5, threw bullpen sessions Sept. 11 and 13, rejoined the rotation Sept. 16, but his next start was scratched Sept. 24-26; RHP Ian Kennedy (upper back tightness) was scratched from his Sept. 22 start; 1B Andy Phillips (fractured right wrist) went on 60-day DL Sept. 3; RHP Darrell Rasner (fractured right index finger) went on 60-day DL May 20 and missed rest of season; RHP Carl Pavano (right elbow ligament damage) went on DL April 15, had Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on June 5 and is not expected to return before late in the 2008 season; RHP Humberto Sanchez (Tommy John surgery in April 2007) missed the entire season.
HITTERS
Bobby Abreu, RF
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .000 4 1 0 0 0 0 2 1
Last 7 Games .276 29 9 8 3 0 0 3 1
Season .283 605 123 171 40 5 16 101 25
Wilson Betemit, 3B
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .400 5 0 2 1 0 0 3 0
Last 7 Games .222 18 1 4 2 0 0 4 0
With NYY .226 84 11 19 4 0 4 24 0
Melky Cabrera, CF
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .250 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .083 24 2 2 1 0 0 3 0
Season .273 545 66 149 24 8 8 73 13
Robinson Cano, 2B
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .400 5 2 2 1 0 0 2 0
Last 7 Games .406 32 5 13 2 0 1 9 1
Season .306 617 93 189 41 7 19 97 4
Jose Cruz Jr., LF
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .000 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .000 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Season .234 256 37 60 12 3 6 21 6
Johnny Damon, CF
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .333 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 0
Last 7 Games .452 31 7 14 3 0 1 4 3
Season .270 533 93 144 27 2 12 63 27
Shelley Duncan, 1B
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .000 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .250 16 5 4 1 0 1 2 0
Season .257 74 16 19 1 0 7 17 0
Jason Giambi, DH
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .200 5 0 1 0 0 0 2 0
Last 7 Games .211 19 1 4 1 0 0 3 0
Season .236 254 31 60 8 0 14 39 1
Alberto Gonzalez, 2B
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .000 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .100 10 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
Season .071 14 3 1 0 0 0 1 0
Derek Jeter, SS
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .500 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .394 33 7 13 4 1 1 6 2
Season .322 639 102 206 39 4 12 73 15
Hideki Matsui, LF
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .333 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 0
Last 7 Games .214 28 3 6 1 1 0 4 0
Season .285 547 100 156 28 4 25 103 4
Doug Mientkiewicz, 1B
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .500 4 2 2 1 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .458 24 5 11 5 0 0 2 0
Season .277 166 26 46 12 0 5 24 0
Jose Molina, C
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .600 5 2 3 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .368 19 3 7 1 0 0 5 0
With NYY .318 66 9 21 5 0 1 9 0
Wil Nieves, C
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .667 3 2 2 2 0 0 2 0
Last 7 Games .313 16 4 5 4 0 0 4 0
Season .164 61 6 10 4 0 0 8 0
Andy Phillips, 1B
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .000 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games .308 13 3 4 0 0 0 1 0
Season .292 185 27 54 7 1 2 25 0
Jorge Posada, C
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game .500 4 1 2 0 0 0 1 0
Last 7 Games .393 28 3 11 2 0 0 5 0
Season .338 506 91 171 42 1 20 90 2
Alex Rodriguez, 3B
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game 1.000 2 1 2 0 0 0 1 0
Last 7 Games .440 25 8 11 3 0 2 13 0
Season .314 583 143 183 31 0 54 156 24
Bronson Sardinha, LF
BA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB
Last Game 1.000 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0
Last 7 Games .429 7 5 3 0 0 0 2 0
Season .333 9 6 3 0 0 0 2 0
PITCHERS
Colter Bean, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 1 0 1 0 2 4 0 2 0
Last 7 Games 12.00 0 1 0 3 3 5 4 0 5 2
Season 12.00 0 1 0 3 3 5 4 0 5 2
Chris Britton, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games 0.00 0 0 0 3 1.2 0 0 0 0 1
Season 3.55 0 1 0 11 12.2 9 5 2 4 5
Jim Brower, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 18.00 0 0 0 1 2 5 4 0 1 0
Last 7 Games 13.50 0 0 0 3 3.1 8 5 0 2 1
Season 13.50 0 0 0 3 3.1 8 5 0 2 1
Brian Bruney, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 81.00 0 0 0 1 0.1 1 3 1 2 1
Last 7 Games 32.40 0 1 0 3 1.2 4 6 2 3 5
Season 4.68 3 2 0 58 50 44 26 5 37 39
Joba Chamberlain, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 0.1 0 0 0 0 0
Last 7 Games 0.00 0 0 0 3 2.1 2 0 0 0 3
Season 0.38 2 0 1 19 24 12 1 1 6 34
Roger Clemens, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 6 2 0 0 3 4
Last 7 Games 3.38 1 1 0 3 16 12 6 2 9 8
Season 4.18 6 6 0 18 99 99 46 9 31 68
Tyler Clippard, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 13.50 0 0 0 1 3.1 5 5 2 3 2
Last 7 Games 9.26 1 0 0 3 11.2 16 12 2 9 8
Season 6.33 3 1 0 6 27 29 19 6 17 18
Matt DeSalvo, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 7.71 0 0 0 1 4.2 7 4 0 2 4
Last 7 Games 7.59 0 2 0 3 10.2 16 9 1 6 6
Season 6.18 1 3 0 7 27.2 34 19 2 18 10
Kyle Farnsworth, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 9.00 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1
Last 7 Games 3.00 0 0 0 3 3 1 1 1 0 3
Season 4.80 2 1 0 64 60 60 32 9 27 48
Sean Henn, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 3.00 0 0 0 1 3 1 1 1 1 2
Last 7 Games 3.00 0 0 0 3 3 3 1 1 3 2
Season 7.12 2 2 0 29 36.2 44 29 6 27 28
Phil Hughes, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 1.29 1 0 0 1 7 4 1 1 2 5
Last 7 Games 3.06 2 0 0 3 17.2 17 6 1 5 11
Season 4.46 5 3 0 13 72.2 64 36 8 29 58
Kei Igawa, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 5 2 0 0 5 2
Last 7 Games 4.09 0 1 0 3 11 10 5 0 7 7
Season 6.25 2 3 0 14 67.2 76 47 15 37 53
Jeff Karstens, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0
Last 7 Games 13.50 1 2 0 3 4 8 6 2 4 1
Season 11.05 1 4 0 7 14.2 27 18 4 9 5
Ian Kennedy, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 1.29 0 0 0 1 7 1 1 0 4 7
Last 7 Games 1.89 1 0 0 3 19 13 4 1 9 15
Season 1.89 1 0 0 3 19 13 4 1 9 15
Mike Mussina, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 10.80 0 0 0 1 5 11 6 0 1 2
Last 7 Games 4.26 2 0 0 3 19 21 9 0 3 13
Season 5.15 11 10 0 28 152 188 87 14 35 91
Ross Ohlendorf, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 5.40 0 0 0 1 1.2 2 1 0 1 1
Last 7 Games 2.45 0 0 0 3 3.2 4 1 0 1 4
Season 2.84 0 0 0 6 6.1 5 2 1 2 9
Carl Pavano, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 2.57 1 0 0 1 7 6 2 0 0 2
Last 7 Games 4.76 1 0 0 2 11.1 12 6 1 2 4
Season 4.76 1 0 0 2 11.1 12 6 1 2 4
Andy Pettitte, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 14.40 1 0 0 1 5 8 8 2 3 0
Last 7 Games 5.79 2 1 0 3 18.2 20 12 2 6 5
Season 4.05 15 9 0 36 215.1 238 97 16 69 141
Edwar Ramirez, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1
Last 7 Games 18.00 0 1 0 3 2 3 4 0 4 2
Season 8.14 1 1 1 21 21 24 19 6 14 31
Darrell Rasner, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 1 0 1 0 2 2 0 0 0
Last 7 Games 4.22 1 2 0 3 10.2 12 5 1 5 5
Season 4.01 1 3 0 6 24.2 29 11 4 8 11
Mariano Rivera, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 27.00 0 0 0 1 1 3 3 0 0 0
Last 7 Games 9.00 0 0 0 3 3 4 3 0 0 3
Season 3.15 3 4 30 67 71.1 68 25 4 12 74
Jose Veras, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
Last 7 Games 0.00 0 0 2 3 3 1 0 0 2 2
Season 5.79 0 0 2 9 9.1 6 6 0 7 7
Ron Villone, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 4.50 0 0 0 1 2 1 1 1 1 0
Last 7 Games 2.45 0 0 0 3 3.2 1 1 1 2 0
Season 4.25 0 0 0 37 42.1 36 20 5 18 25
Luis Vizcaino, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 0.00 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 2
Last 7 Games 13.50 0 0 0 3 2.2 8 4 2 2 3
Season 4.30 8 2 0 77 75.1 66 36 6 43 62
Chien-Ming Wang, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 3.00 1 0 0 1 6 7 2 1 3 6
Last 7 Games 3.86 1 1 0 3 18.2 22 8 1 7 13
Season 3.70 19 7 0 30 199.1 199 82 9 59 104
Scott Williamson, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 13.50 0 0 0 1 0.2 1 1 1 0 0
Last 7 Games 18.00 0 0 0 3 2 4 4 1 1 2
Season 4.40 1 0 0 16 14.1 12 7 1 8 16
Chase Wright, P
ERA W L Sv G IP H ER HR BB K
Last Game 4.50 1 0 0 1 2 2 1 0 0 2
Last 7 Games 7.20 2 0 0 3 10 12 8 5 6 8
Season 7.20 2 0 0 3 10 12 8 5 6 8
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