George Steinbrenner finished his salad and stuffed shells, rose from the lunch table where he had been sitting with Brian Cashman, and headed for his ever-ready golf cart.
It is a rite of spring training at Legends Field: reporters staking out Steinbrenner to hear him speak on his own, instead of through his publicist. He tried to make a quick getaway, his tires lurching past the foot of a radio reporter. But when someone asked about the World Baseball Classic, Steinbrenner hit the brakes and took the bait.
"Well, we don't like it too well, because if a player gets hurt, he's risking a lot," Steinbrenner said Thursday. "But it was Selig's idea and he wants to do it, so I suppose we're going to do it."
The Yankees voted against the World Baseball Classic in August 2004, even though it was a concept supported by Commissioner Bud Selig and the players union. In the final vote, the Yankees abstained while three teams -- the Royals, the Tigers and the White Sox -- voted against it.
Four of Steinbrenner's everyday players are expected to take part: Johnny Damon, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez for the US, and Bernie Williams for Puerto Rico. Miguel Cairo may play for Venezuela, and Ramiro Mendoza may pitch for Panama.
Many players have backed out of participating, including second baseman Robinson Cano of the Dominican Republic and pitcher Wang Chien-ming (王建民) of Taiwan. Steinbrenner said his players were welcome to withdraw, but he would not tell them to.
"There will be some more backouts," Steinbrenner said. "Whether it's our players or somebody else's, I don't know. But I'm used to spring training being to concentrate on the World Series, and that's what we'd like to see our players do."
The Yankees petitioned to have catcher Jorge Posada dropped from Puerto Rico's roster, and other prominent Yankees will not take part. Randy Johnson was excused because of insurance costs, and reliever Mariano Rivera said he could not pitch for Panama because he did not throw all winter.
"Definitely, I wish the timing would have been different, a time when we didn't have to worry about spring training and we have been throwing already so you can participate for your country," Rivera said. "But it isn't. It is what it is. It's too bad."
At a charity event in November, Jeter said his decision to play was up to Steinbrenner. But Jeter said he never spoke with Steinbrenner about it, and he is the top shortstop on the US roster.
"I'm looking forward to it," Jeter said Thursday. "It's going to be interesting. I've never had a chance to play for my country before."
Jeter, Damon and Rodriguez (who was criticized by White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen in this week's Sports Illustrated for considering a spot on the Dominican team) will leave the Yankees on March 2 to train with the US squad. Al Leiter, the veteran left-hander in camp on a nonroster contract, said he hoped to join them, though he was left off the US' roster.
Luis Sojo, who will manage the Class A Tampa Yankees this season, is the manager for Venezuela. Sojo's team will be loaded with strong starters, including Johan Santana, Freddy Garcia and Carlos Zambrano. Is his team the favorite?
"I would say so," Sojo said. "If I don't have the best pitching staff, it's very close."
The Yankees' staff, it seems, may stay together in Tampa all spring. That will make Steinbrenner happy, even with much of his lineup elsewhere. Steinbrenner's focus never wavers from the World Series, and he was asked if he was impatient at not winning it since 2000.
"Yes, very impatient," Steinbrenner said, revving up the engine on his golf cart. "Get out of my way."
Mariano Rivera
Instead of starting early so he could pitch for Panama in the World Baseball Classic, Mariano Rivera decided to bypass the tournament and save his arm strength for the New York Yankees.
"I ain't gonna rush it," he said on Thursday after reporting to spring training. "I've been throwing all these years a lot. I wanted to take the most rest that I can so my arm feels better."
He's saved 28 or more games in nine consecutive seasons, the first reliever in major league history to string together such a streak. Even if the 36-year-old right-hander doesn't throw another pitch, many regard him as the best closer ever.
"I don't check status, I don't check numbers, but I think I've been successful enough," he said in his usual soft-spoken manner. "Coming from Panama, where I didn't have anything, and being here for so many years and having success, there's nothing but thanks."
He is fifth on the career saves list with 379, trailing only Lee Smith (478), Trevor Hoffman (436), John Franco (424) and Dennis Eckersley (390). His cutter has made lumber companies wealthy, shattering bats of left-handed hitters like a lumberjack felling trees.
He took over as closer from John Wetteland following the 1996 season and has 34 postseason saves -- most players don't even get into that many postseason games.
"I've been with Mo for 14 years," Yankees captain Derek Jeter said. "It's mind-boggling when you look at how consistent he's been all these years. I don't think anything he does amazes me anymore."
When Yankees get hurt, their cash always allows them to seek a replacement. Rivera is the one irreplaceable player because there has never been another like him.
Everything New York does is with one goal -- to hand the ball to Rivera with a lead in the ninth inning.
"I don't think like that," he said, "because I don't want to put too much pressure on myself -- that I've got to do this, or how valuable I am to the Yankees. If I do my job and I take care of myself and I take care of things that I control, we'll be OK, I'll be OK, the team will be OK."
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