Yankees’ Strawberry Gets Some Rest For His Aching Toe

World Series or no World Series, nine innings of running around on a fractured right big toe proved to be too much for Darryl Strawberry on Sunday night.

So New York manager Joe Torre started Tim Raines in left field Monday for Game 2, and Strawberry’s status is wait-and-see.

“I think he’ll be all right (tonight) in Atlanta,” Torre said. “I think it’s just a matter of having him rest it.”

Torre said running the bases and touching first base with a sore foot affected Strawberry (he had to run hard on two ground balls) more than playing left field did. The Yankees expect Strawberry to be available for Game 3 tonight in Atlanta.

The Atlanta shuffle

The Braves inserted Terry Pendleton (0 for 7 this postseason) as their designated hitter Monday in place of Ryan Klesko (.179).

“There were three or four different ways we could have gone,” manager Bobby Cox said. “We could have caught Eddie Perez and DH’d (Javier) Lopez, but to be honest, I don’t know how it affects guys to DH but not play (the field). I think Terry matches up better than the other ways we could have gone.

“It was a seat-of-the-pants decision.”

Cox also said he will start Klesko in left field against David Cone tonight and may start Andruw Jones in right in place of Jermaine Dye.

BP for those who need it

With no designated hitter being employed now that the Series moves to Atlanta for Games 3, 4 and 5, the Yankees’ pitchers trudged out for early batting practice at 3:30 p.m. EDT Monday.

Reliever David Weathers’ bat had his name on it, and it wasn’t only because it was one of his leftover National League bats from his days in Florida.

“All the relievers got maybe two bats,” Weathers said. “It’s mainly for memorabilia purposes more than anything else.”

More for memorabilia than for hitting home runs?

“I’ve already got my one career homer,” Weathers said. “I’m probably done.”

Weathers at first said the Yankees’ pitchers had been working on their batting for 10 days, but then quickly amended it.

“I’m sorry, it’s been five or six days,” he said. “I don’t know what I was thinking. It only seems like 10 days.”

The pitchers’ mentor around the batting cage is pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre, who was a pretty fair hitter in his day.

“He can help us bunt,” Weathers said. “We’re just mainly here to bunt.”

Short hops:

Some non-Series talk at the World Series:

The Cleveland Indians have begun talking with Albert Belle, who will become a free agent next month. The Indians aren’t expected to make a serious offer, though, until Belle becomes a free agent and they get a chance to determine the level of interest in him.

The Indians also plan to hire an older, experienced bench coach to help manager Mike Hargrove during games. Hargrove, with one year left on his contract, has not been extended and is expected to enter 1997 with some pressure on him despite having won 199 games the past two seasons.