Home on his mind

By Eric Wilbur

October 2, 2005

1 minute to read

Despite the pervading thought among many that Joe Torre would rest a number of his starters today to get them ready for the playoffs, the Yankee manager has made it clear that the Yankees want home-field advantage for the division series.

“No question,” Torre said during his pregame meeting with the media in the third base dugout. “It’s also the right thing to do for Cleveland.”

The Indians need a win and a Boston loss to force a one-game playoff tomorrow at Fenway. If Boston wins today, it is the wild card winner and forces the Yankees to open the postseason in Los Angeles.

“We want to go home,” Torre said. “That’s a lot of traveling that we figure we have to play our regular guys.”

Jason Giambi is the only regular absent from today’s lineup.

“We felt Jason needed the most rest of anybody,” Torre said.

— Torre admitted today was also important in determining Jaret Wright’s physical status for the New York postseason roster.

“There’s a lot we need to find out,” he said.

Boston batters have had a large measure of success in the past against the righthander. Johnny Damon is batting .353 against Wright, Trot Nixon, .400, Edgar Renteria, .500, David Ortiz, .417, and John Olerud, .400.

Torre said he would announce his team’s postseason roster following today’s game. He has yet to decide whether to carry 10 or 11 pitchers for the first round. Mike Mussina will start Game 1, and though Torre said the team had decided on the rest of the rotation, that they had not yet relayed the information to the players.