The Yankees are seeking information now as much as they are seeking wins. Such is life for a team that has already clinched a division title but still faces several critical decisions before beginning the playoffs.
Hideki Matsui and Cory Lidle gave Joe Torre plenty to ponder last night as Matsui returned to left field for the first time since May and Lidle had a good postseason audition, tossing 6-2/3 solid innings in a 5-4 victory over the Orioles.
In Matsui's case, it's likely he will start in left field when the Yanks open their division series on Tuesday. Torre has refused to commit to a lineup for the playoffs, leaving open the possibility that Matsui could be the DH and Melky Cabrera may play left, but he has said several times that left field is "Matsui's job."
Regardless, Matsui was happy to be back there yesterday. He was activated from the disabled list on Sept. 12 and had 11starts at DH before finally getting to play in the field again. He had three putouts and made a strong throw to second in the eighth to hold Miguel Tejada to a single.
"As a baseball player, you want to be able to do all aspects of the game," Matsui said through an interpreter. When asked if he thought he'd hesitate at all to dive for a ball like the one Mark Loretta hit on May 11 that led to his broken wrist, Matsui shrugged.
"When that time comes, I'll probably do what's best for that situation," he said. "I won't have time to think about fear or anything - I'll probably play it the same way I did before."
One ball that was hit last night was reminiscent of Loretta's. Kevin Millar led off the fifth inning with a soft flare to left that fell in front of Matsui, though diving probably wouldn't have been the most prudent play anyway.
Lidle, after all, had been rolling along despite having been idle for 12 days because of tendinitis in his right forefinger. Lidle conceded it seems likely that Jaret Wright would get the nod to start a Game 4 over him, but that hasn't been confirmed by Torre; even if he isn't a starter, Lidle figures to make the playoff roster since the Yanks will probably carry 11 pitchers.
Torre said that development wasn't directly related to Randy Johnson's tenuous situation - the Big Unit has a balky back and is a question mark for the first round - though it certainly offers some insurance should Johnson have an injury-shortened outing (or not be able to pitch at all).
"However they want to use me in the postseason is fine with me," Lidle said. "If it's out of the bullpen, I'd like to get some innings, but if I don't get used it's because our starters are doing well so it's win-win for me."
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