Last Updated on March 18, 2008 3:46 pm by admin
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -Yankees pitchers Mariano Rivera and Mike Mussina sailed through minor league starts Tuesday.
Rivera worked two perfect innings, striking out four, in a Double-A game. The closer threw 16 of his 23 pitches for strikes.
“I feel good,” Rivera said. “I was just working the strike zone.”
Rivera didn’t rule out another two-inning stint before spring training ends.
Mussina gave up three runs – two in his final inning – and seven hits over six innings in a Triple-A game. The right-hander threw 53 strikes in 72 pitches.
“I’m just working on pitching,” Mussina said. “Nothing at 39 I’m trying to add. I’m just trying to work on being better than I was last year. I feel good. I feel healthy. For the most part, I think I’m doing what I want to do.”
Hideki Matsui, who had knee surgery last November, played left field in the Triple-A game and went 1-for-4.
“I feel pretty good,” Matsui said through a translator. “The knee is fine. I feel fine in left field. If things go as planned, I should be ready for opening day.”