Baseball Guru
06-30-2001, 08:23 PM
Yankees Activate David Justice
by RONALD BLUM
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- His strained left groin healed, David Justice was activated from the 15-day disabled list Saturday by the New York Yankees, who optioned Clay Bellinger to Columbus of the International League.
Justice, hitting just .245 with 10 homers and 30 RBIs, was injured June 14 while running the bases against Montreal. He started at designated hitter Saturday against Tampa Bay.
''No sense in activating him if we're not going to use him,'' Yankees manager Joe Torre said.
Juggling his lineup, Torre gave a day off to left fielder Chuck Knoblauch, starting Shane Spencer instead. Derek Jeter hit leadoff for the third time this season, with Paul O'Neill moved up to No. 2 in the order, also for the third time.
Spencer began the day with seven hits in his previous 16 at-bats and six RBIs in that span. Knoblauch is in an 18-for-83 slide (.217).
With the Yankees not playing up to their expectations, Torre is open to changes these days. He wasn't sure whether Knoblauch would start Sunday.
''I am loyal. I don't give up on people,'' he said, then added: ''If somebody has the hot hand, we're going to go with it.
''I see there's going to be a need for people in the second half because the off-days are over. Baseball has managed to give us all the off-days when we're not tired.''
It may be that the Yankees are trying to motivate some of their older stars.
''The person who is maybe struggling is going to make the most out of his opportunities,'' Torre said.
Bellinger, brought up from Columbus when Justice got hurt, is hitless in his last 18 at-bats with the Yankees and is 1-for-22 (.045) this season.
------------------
"Man may penetrate the outer reaches of the universe, he may solve the very secret of eternity itself, but for me, the ultimate human experience is to witness the flawless execution of a hit-and-run."
LETS GO METS!!!
HELP BE AN ADDICT AND CLICK ON AN AD!!
by RONALD BLUM
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- His strained left groin healed, David Justice was activated from the 15-day disabled list Saturday by the New York Yankees, who optioned Clay Bellinger to Columbus of the International League.
Justice, hitting just .245 with 10 homers and 30 RBIs, was injured June 14 while running the bases against Montreal. He started at designated hitter Saturday against Tampa Bay.
''No sense in activating him if we're not going to use him,'' Yankees manager Joe Torre said.
Juggling his lineup, Torre gave a day off to left fielder Chuck Knoblauch, starting Shane Spencer instead. Derek Jeter hit leadoff for the third time this season, with Paul O'Neill moved up to No. 2 in the order, also for the third time.
Spencer began the day with seven hits in his previous 16 at-bats and six RBIs in that span. Knoblauch is in an 18-for-83 slide (.217).
With the Yankees not playing up to their expectations, Torre is open to changes these days. He wasn't sure whether Knoblauch would start Sunday.
''I am loyal. I don't give up on people,'' he said, then added: ''If somebody has the hot hand, we're going to go with it.
''I see there's going to be a need for people in the second half because the off-days are over. Baseball has managed to give us all the off-days when we're not tired.''
It may be that the Yankees are trying to motivate some of their older stars.
''The person who is maybe struggling is going to make the most out of his opportunities,'' Torre said.
Bellinger, brought up from Columbus when Justice got hurt, is hitless in his last 18 at-bats with the Yankees and is 1-for-22 (.045) this season.
------------------
"Man may penetrate the outer reaches of the universe, he may solve the very secret of eternity itself, but for me, the ultimate human experience is to witness the flawless execution of a hit-and-run."
LETS GO METS!!!
HELP BE AN ADDICT AND CLICK ON AN AD!!