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AL notebook

By MARC TOPKIN, Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 11, 2001

Ichiro got dat country grammar

SEATTLE -- Ichiro Suzuki has been one of the biggest stories all year in Seattle, yet one of the least forthcoming interview subjects.

Ichiro is not as available to the media as the other players, speaks only through an interpreter who seems to simplify his comments, tends to stare into his locker when he does talk and usually doesn't say much when he does answer questions.

So when he agreed to a formal press conference Wednesday -- the only one he would do during this series, an MLB official cautioned -- it should have been a monumental day of revelations.

Only for the rap music fans.

About the only thing Ichiro said of interest during the half-hour session was when he was asked which were his favorite performers.

"I don't know if this is an appropriate place to answer that question," Ichiro said, "but I like Snoop (Dogg) and Nelly."

TAKE THAT: While baseball fans may have overlooked the Indians, the Mariners have been making sure to point out they knew all along how tough Cleveland was.

Norm Charlton, who spent the 1999 season and spring training 2000 with the Rays, gave KJR radio a specific comparison.

"Cleveland's a good ballclub," Charlton said. "If Cleveland was a bad ballclub, if they weren't any good, they wouldn't be in the playoffs. We're not playing Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay's terrible. We're playing Cleveland. They've got a good ballclub."

REMEMBER WHEN? Indians starter Chuck Finley returns to the postseason today for the first time since 1986, when he was a 23-year-old rookie with the Angels.

"This is wonderful," Finley said. "A lot of guys playing in the playoffs probably don't have 16 years in in the big leagues, much less waiting 16 years to get back. It's been a big ride.

"I've had an up-and-down year. To end up in this position, I feel blessed."

ROCKET'S EARLY EXIT: Yankees right-hander Roger Clemens left the playoff opener against Oakland with a tight right hamstring after struggling through four innings.

Clemens didn't look comfortable and was taken out after Jason Giambi's walk in the fifth. TheYankees said Clemens was taken out as a precaution and will be re-evaluated today.

BACK TRACK: Oakland manager Art Howe got some good-natured ribbing from his players after his comments about the Yankees were blown up on the back pages of the New York newspapers.

While praising the Yankees and calling them "the team to beat," Howe also said: "It's going to take a great series from the Yankees to have a shot to beat us."

"Obviously, I made a stupid comment yesterday, I guess," he said.

Howe had just finished telling his players to watch what they say to the media. In last year's series, Eric Chavez made some ill-timed comments about the end of the Yankees dynasty that were shown on the scoreboard in Oakland before Game 5.

"The guys are actually having some fun with me," Howe said. "They have a picture up there with me with tape over my mouth."

Yankees manager Joe Torre didn't seem upset.

"I know Art Howe," Torre said. "That's the most important thing."

SOJO ON ROSTER: World Series hero Luis Sojo made the Yankees' roster for the divisional series.

Sojo, who had the winning hit in the World Series clincher against the Mets last season, was one of Torre's final picks heading into the best-of-five series.

CLOSE TO DEAL: Yankees manager Joe Torre and owner George Steinbrenner met again, and it seems the two are nearing a new deal for the manager.

Steinbrenner has made Torre an offer for two or three years worth about $5-million per year, the New York Daily News reported.

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