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Notebook Williams' struggles continue; Jeter sparks Yanks
Updated: Thursday October 26, 2000 1:52 AM
NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Yankees are still waiting for Bernie Williams' bat to reappear. The all-star outfielder, who left with his family immediately following the Yankees' 3-2 victory over the New York Mets in Game 4 of the World Series on Wednesday night, went 0-for-4 and is hitless in 15 series at-bats. Williams' career performance in the World Series has been dismal -- he's hitting just .118 (8-for-68) in four Series. "I just think he's pumped up a bit because he hasn't got a hit," manager Joe Torre said. "He wants to help this team. He's come up in key situations, and he will because he's hitting fourth." Williams, who hit .331 in the first two rounds of the playoffs, still has a ways to go to tie Dal Maxvill's record 0-for-22 for St. Louis in the 1968 World Series. Torre thinks Williams, who hit .307 with 30 home runs and 121 RBIs in the regular season, will end the slump soon. "I think he's trying to hit it over the parking lot instead of over the fence," Torre said. "It's easy to do -- you're human. That's where the human stuff takes over." Special guestAlex Rodriguez was at Game 4 rooting for friends and scouting two of the teams likely to pursue him during the offseason. Rodriguez, a free agent All-Star shortstop for Seattle, was sitting behind the plate watching Derek Jeter and the Yankees beat the Mets. "I was just in town. I just came in for a couple of meetings on some business," Rodriguez said after the game. "I'm a big fan. I was here supporting my buddy (Jeter)." A-Rod also got a few impressions of New York baseball fans. "I didn't get the New York-crazy vibe," he said. "I was a little disappointed with the atmosphere. It was real corporate. It seems like the real New York fans were outside. It was more of a Super Bowl atmosphere." Rodriguez said he watched "a great game" but it felt strange being a spectator. "I haven't watched a game since maybe high school," Rodriguez said. "It was a different perspective for me." Leadoff sparkThe New York Yankees wanted Derek Jeter to provide a spark at the top of their lineup. And he delivered immediately. Jeter, who has hit safely in 13 straight World Series games, hit a leadoff home run for the Yankees on the first pitch from Bobby J. Jones in Game 4. He is the first player to hit the first pitch of a World Series game for a home run since Cincinnati's Pete Rose on Oct. 30, 1972, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Yankees manager Joe Torre had batted Jeter second in the first three games of the World Series, and used Chuck Knoblauch and Jose Vizcaino in the leadoff spot. But Torre decided to start Luis Sojo at second base in Game 4, and thought Jeter would be more suited to leading off. "Luis has been a good No. 2 guy because he does make contact," Torre said. "We won some games with Jeter in the No. 1 hole. He's just batted second more times than any other position." The Yankees shortstop, a career .347 hitter in the World Series (25-for-72) batted second in 127 games this season, and led off 21 times. "I've batted leadoff before and I'm not going to do anything different," Jeter said. Jeter, who went 2-for-5 in Game 4, has been used throughout the batting order by Torre during his career, and has normally produced. The Mets also made a lineup change, switching Todd Zeile and Robin Ventura in the batting order. Zeile batted fourth, while Ventura hit fifth -- the same order the Mets used in Game 1. Zeile went 2-for-4, while Ventura was 0-for-4. Man stabbed in World Series argumentCARMEL, N.Y. -- What began as a tavern argument over the World Series led to a vicious fight between two men - one of whom was charged with attempted murder. Michael Maffia, 23, of Wappingers Falls, is accused of stabbing Darryl Wassil, 23, of Putnam Valley, early Sunday in the parking lot of The Stadium Bar in Putnam County. Police said they were arguing over Game 1 between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets. Wassil was taken to Westchester Medical Center for a chest puncture wound. He was in good condition Wednesday. Maffia was charged with attempted murder in the second degree. Carmel is 52 miles north of New York. Police uncover press pass scamTwo men and a teen charged $100 each and used fake press passes to smuggle baseball fans into Shea Stadium to see the World Series, authorities said. The scam was uncovered when the three approached two undercover police officers and a pair of casually dressed baseball officials and offered them a chance to see Tuesday night's game, police said. The three suspects approached fans without tickets for Game 3 of the Mets-Yankees series. Once they escorted the fans inside, the suspects would take the passes back, exit the stadium and work the scam again, police said. They were arrested after they escorted the undercover officers and baseball officials into Shea, police said. Police also seized a car in the Shea parking lot that held dozens of fake press passes for sporting events and concerts and $1,040 in cash. Steven Nederios, 31, of Fall River, Mass., and Jesse C. Pepper, 17, and Joseph Reisinger, 37, both of Providence, R.I., were charged with possession of forged documents and trademark violations.
Home sweet homeMets outfielder Jay Payton is wondering where were all the Mets fans at Shea Stadium in Game 3. Payton expected the fans, known for being loud and distracting to opposing players, to be a bit more vocal in the next few games. "I was a little upset that Yankees fans had too many tickets here," Payton said. "We didn't hear any 'Let's Go Mets!' chants at Yankee Stadium. I could hear groups of Yankees fans here. I'm sure they've got more fans than us in this city, but we're trying to change that." Andy Pettitte, the Yankees' Game 5 starter, had no doubts that Mets fans would be loud during the final two games at Shea. "Going into the other team's park, you've got to know that it's going to be loud," Pettitte said. "So, you just have to get tunnel vision and try to block them all out."
Lou clearedSeattle manager Lou Piniella will not be penalized for admitting he told Mariners pitcher Paul Abbott to throw a pitch over the head of Yankees catcher Jorge Posada during the AL Championship Series. Frank Robinson, baseball's vice president in charge of discipline, said the investigation of the matter was over. Piniella ordered the pitch in retaliation after Roger Clemens threw an inside pitch that brushed back the Mariners shortstop Alex Rodriguez.
Hawaiian PunchBenny Agbayani knows a little bit about providing some postseason punch. The Mets outfielder, who is from Hawaii, requested the scoreboard operators before Game 3 to display the cartoon character from the Hawaiian Punch beverage ads on the scoreboard every time he comes up to the plate. Agbayani, whose 13-game postseason hitting streak ended when he went 0-for-3 in Game 4, hit the go-ahead double in the eighth inning of Tuesday night's 4-2 victory. The bat Agbayani used to deliver the hit was given to the Hall of Fame after batting practice Wednesday night for display. "Well, I guess it worked," Agbayani said. The cartoon character, which had been previously displayed on the scoreboard just after Agbayani's big hits, was printed on white towels with Agbayani's name and given out to fans before the game.
Around the hornFive members of the 1969 Miracle Mets -- Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, first baseman Donn Clendenon, second baseman Al Weis, and outfielders Tommie Agee and Ron Swoboda -- took part in the ceremonial first pitch. ... Five members of the U.S. Navy injured in the bombing of the USS Cole on Oct. 12 -- Chief Petty Officer Michael O. Russell, and Petty Officers Alonzo Williams Woods Jr., Larry Bloodshaw Jr., Bobby Asher and Robert McTureous -- were honored in a pregame ceremony. Seventeen sailors died in the attack. ... Renowned artist LeRoy Neiman sketched Yankees and Mets players during batting practice. ... Uma Singh, of San Jose, Calif., missed a shot at winning $1 million when he hit the base of the target in the pregame Gillette Strike Zone Challenge. Singh, 43, a medical researcher who never played baseball before last Thursday, won the consolation prize of $25,000.
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