BOSTON – Jeff Nelson was certainly disappointed about not getting the call in the seventh inning of Game 2 Thursday night against the Red Sox. Joe Torre needed a right-hander to face Nomar Garciaparra with a runner on and the Yankees clinging to a two-run lead and went with Jose Contreras.
However, Nelson isn’t about to second-guess Torre for the move. Especially after Contreras needed one pitch to pop up Garciaparra and then worked a perfect eighth inning.
“If I was here the whole year, it would be a different story,” said Nelson, who was acquired in August from Seattle for Armando Benitez. “But coming here with two-thirds of the season over is different. If it was the regular season, I would be upset because that would be my job. I want to be out there, but it’s not my decision to make.”
Nelson didn’t instill confidence in Mel Stottlemyre and Torre in Game 1 when he worked one-third of an inning, gave up a run and two hits, and hit a batter.
When Nelson arrived from Seattle, he talked about signing a multi-year deal and finishing his career with the Yankees. However, in 24 games this season, he was 1-0 with a 4.58 ERA and a disturbing 10 walks in 172/3 innings.
“I don’t worry about next year,” Nelson said. “That’s my decision. Whatever happens, it’s not the end of the world.”
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Contreras has been impressive in the ALCS (21/3 scoreless innings), but the Red Sox aren’t quite ready to put him in the Hall of Fame.
When a reporter asked Jason Varitek about Contreras pitching “great so far,” the catcher didn’t take the bait.
“Great so far, what? Two innings? You know, we’ll see. We’ve got a lot more games to play,” Varitek said. “I’m not a big representative of giving the other team too much credit at this point.”
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Alfonso Soriano reported his back that was drilled by Bronson Arroyo in the eighth inning of Game 2 was feeling better.
“I had ice on it [Thursday night] but it felt good today,” Soriano said after yesterday’s workout at Fenway Park. “I swung very good. No problem.”
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Torre said Enrique Wilson will play third base for Aaron Boone today since Wilson is 10-for-20 (.500) against Pedro Martinez. However, Torre didn’t know what his lineup would look like.