Yanks keeping close eye on Orioles’ Treblehorn

Yankees catcher Jorge Posada said Sunday that his team has been studying Orioles third base coach Tom Trebelhorn since the teams met at Camden Yards in late June to see whether he was tipping off the Orioles’ hitters about pitch locations.

The Yankees had been especially suspicious when closer Mariano Rivera was in the game. Normally, Rivera is extremely tough against left-handed hitters, but Orioles’ left-handers had six hits against Rivera in a span of nine at-bats.

Tempers flared Saturday, after the left-handed hitting B.J. Surhoff struck out for the second out in the ninth inning. Posada began yelling at Trebelhorn and pointed to his head, threatening that somebody would get hurt if the Orioles didn’t stop.

Trebelhorn was incensed with the threat, insisting he did nothing.

“If he’s not doing anything, why’s he so mad?” Posada said. “We go on, we keep playing ball, and we’ll see what happens. If he does it again, somebody’s going to get hurt.”

Sunday, Trebelhorn was more amused than angry.

“Paranoia is a dangerous thing,” he said.