NFL teams
ESPN.com news services 18y

Big Unit, Wang available in Yanks' bullpen

MLB

New York Yankees: With Randy Johnson not starting Game 4 or 5 of the Division Series, he could be a candidate for relief duty.

"I think whenever Randy feels physically able to do it, he'll jump in there," Joe Torre told the New York Post Saturday. "He's done this before where he has volunteered for bullpen work. But when you're up against it like we are right now, we certainly look for a show of hands and we'll take whatever help we can get.

"Obviously, there's more to Randy Johnson than what he can give us out of the bullpen. The health issue is the first thing, and I'm not saying there's anything wrong with him, but we wouldn't jeopardize doing something that would hurt him. So that's the first thing, and after that, we certainly would pull out all of the stops to win the game [tonight]."

Another Yankees starter, Chien-Ming Wang, could be available in relief today. According to Stottlemyre, Wang, who pitched Game 2 on Wednesday, could be in the pen tonight, the paper reported.

St. Louis Cardinals: Mark Mulder's sore arm is getting better, but not enough to where he would have been available for Game 5 of the Division Series.

"The likelihood is zero," the manager told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch before adding, "I don't think Mulder will be available in any capacity."

Mulder couldn't give an estimate when he might throw next but told the paper, "If it improves as much ... as it did since, I'd be in OK shape."

Mulder was hit by line drive in Game 2 of the NLDS on Thursday.

Spiezio charged with assault
Scott Spiezio, released Aug. 10 by the Seattle Mariners, was charged with assaulting a cabdriver over a disputed credit card fare, The Chicago Tribune reported.

During the argument over the fare, Spiezio's female companion, Jennifer Pankratz, reached through the car's glass partition to grab the credit card, grabbed it and broke the driver's glasses.

When police arrived, the driver accused the pair of taking his cell phone. A police officer used his phone to call the driver's number, and when the phone rang in Pankratz's purse, the pair was taken into custody. Pankratz was charged with battery and criminal damage to property, and Spiezio was charged with theft, criminal damage to property and simple assault. Bail for each was set at $1,000.

Detroit Tigers: New manager Jim Leyland has offered former Pirate Andy Van Slyke a job on his coaching staff, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Van Slyke would join the staff as a baserunning and outfield coach.

"This guy was such a tremendous centerfielder," Leyland told the paper Friday of Van Slyke. "He had tremendous work habits in practicing. He would prepare for a game by working on different things, like an infielder taking ground balls. He was outstanding. I think he will be a good fit. He went about things the right way."

^ Back to Top ^