Lloyd Provides Surprising Relief

He was the subject of scorn in New York, a lightning rod for some of the most intense verbal abuse Yankee fans have ever heaped on a player. Roberto Alomar? Roger Clemens? Nope, Yankee reliever Graeme Lloyd.

The New York press thrashed General Manager Bob Watson for the August trade that brought Lloyd and utility player Pat Listach from Milwaukee--Lloyd had elbow tendinitis and Listach a broken foot.

Half of the package of damaged goods--Listach--was eventually shipped back to Milwaukee, but the Yankees were stuck with Lloyd, a left-hander who had a 54.00 earned-run average in five August appearances and was booed mercilessly every time he took the mound at home.

Amazingly, this is the same pitcher who bailed out setup man Mariano Rivera from a ninth-inning jam in Game 4 Wednesday night and an eighth-inning jam in Game 3 Tuesday night, helping the Yankees win both games to even the series, 2-2.

With runners on first and second and one out Wednesday night, Lloyd replaced Rivera and got Fred McGriff to hit into an inning-ending double play. He then struck out Ryan Klesko to start the 10th before yielding to closer John Wetteland.

Rivera had given up his first postseason run in the eighth inning Tuesday night when Lloyd came on and retired McGriff on a fly ball and Klesko on a strikeout. The Yankees won that game, 5-2.

“There was a time I didn’t want to go out there,” Lloyd said. “But I feel a lot better now and feel I can get the job done. The trainers have done a good job on [my elbow], and I never gave up. I stayed positive.”

“My GM is pretty smart, isn’t he?” Manager Joe Torre said. “He made a hell of a deal.”