Notebook: Piazza on way back to Athletics’ lineup
Mike Piazza has no plans of interfering with Oakland’s winning ways of late when he gets back in the lineup.
“It seems like we’re playing well,” Piazza said Saturday. “I want to slide back on the bus.”
The Athletics will be happy to have him aboard.
Piazza is slated to begin a rehab assignment today with Triple-A Sacramento, the last big step for the 38-year-old designated hitter before he rejoins the A’s after being sidelined since May 3 with a sprained right shoulder. He missed his 40th game Saturday night, when the A’s played the middle game of their interleague series against St. Louis.
Piazza, playing in the American League and as a DH for the first time after 15 seasons as a catcher, is batting .280 with one home run and four RBIs in 25 games. Sacramento has a day off Monday, then Piazza is slated to play for the River Cats again Tuesday and perhaps Wednesday as well.
“It’s not going to feel much better in two or three weeks from now,” he said. “It will be a while before I can throw, but swinging the bat feels good. Baby steps. I’m excited. It’s been frustrating the last month. I was swinging decent when I got hurt.”
It’s never easy for a player who gets hurt right after joining a new team and wants to make a strong first impression.
After leaving the New York Mets as a free agent, Piazza was thrilled to get a new start with the San Diego Padres last season. Then, in December, he received an $8.5 million, one-year contract from the A’s.
Posada may play first
The Yankees are considering starting someone at first base Tuesday at Colorado who has little experience at the position just to keep his bat in the lineup in a game without the designated hitter.
No, not Johnny Damon. Jorge Posada.
Posada, the Yankees’ catcher, is Joe Torre’s latest candidate to play first base. Posada, who has played 17 games at the position but only one since 2002, took ground balls there before Saturday’s game with the Mets and plans to do so again tonight.
“If we decide to do that, it’ll probably be a game when (Mike Mussina) is pitching and Jorgie isn’t catching,” Torre said. “It’s possible.”
Mussina is scheduled to start Tuesday against the Rockies and next Sunday in San Francisco vs. the Giants. Torre wants to keep Wil Nieves as his personal catcher.
With the Yankees off Monday, the hot-hitting Posada (.347) doesn’t want to have two days off in a row – hence the first-base idea.
Eckstein placed on DL
St. Louis shortstop David Eckstein was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a lower back strain, and the Cardinals called up Brendan Ryan from Triple-A Memphis to start in his place.
Eckstein left Wednesday’s game at Kansas City with tightness in his lower back and sat out Thursday against the Royals and again in Friday’s series opener with Oakland.