ABSTRACT:
ST. PETERSBURG – No matter where Bernie Williams hits in the Yankee order, the switch-hitting center fielder is constantly developing a feel for what mode is the best for the moment.
Moved from the cleanup spot into the No. 2 hole last Friday night when Joe Torre dropped Derek Jeter from second to third, Williams was asked if he noticed any difference.
“No, not at all,” said Williams, who was 5-for-11 (.455) with two homers and three RBIs in three games hitting behind the slumping Chuck Knoblauch going into last night’s game against the lukewarm Devil Rays at Tropicana Field.
“There are times when I have to be more aggressive, times when I have to be more selective and times when I absolutely stink.”
Prior to moving up in the order, Williams was in a 6-for26 (.231) slide while batting cleanup in 56 games, third seven times and fifth once.
While Williams is like Jeter, Tino Martinez and Paul O’Neill in that he really doesn’t care where he fits into the lineup, Williams did seek out Torre to make sure his job description hadn’t changed along with his address in the batting order.
“One of the things I asked Joe about was, did he want me to do anything different,” Williams said. “He assured me I didnt need to do anything different that I had been.”………
“No, I haven’t” Knoblauch said when asked if pitchers are approaching him differently with Williams instead of Jeter behind him.
“And I don’t think I will.”