CLEVELAND VS. NEW YORK REPORT / NOTES : Strawberry Hasn’t Lost Appetite or Optimism

Darryl Strawberry, who underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his colon on Saturday, said his stomach muscles were “real sore,” but the Yankee outfielder had only one complaint.

“I’m really hungry,” Strawberry said Monday in a phone call with a pool reporter. “I won’t be able to eat for another five days.”

Several players and Yankee Manager Joe Torre visited Strawberry at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York over the weekend, and several more were to see him Monday.

“I want them to focus on what they have to do,” Strawberry said. “I want them to go out and play and go out and win. I told them I’ll be OK, no matter how it turns out.”

Though doctors did not see any signs during surgery that the tumor had spread, Strawberry said the results of tests to determine if there has been any spread of the tumor to adjacent lymph nodes should be available Friday.

“I couldn’t have been more pleased,” Torre said of his visit. “Straw was very alert, he looked good, he was sitting up, and he was chatting away. The outcome [of the surgery] was terrific, and the outlook [for full recovery] is terrific.”

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Both the Yankees and Indians made strong bids to acquire pitcher Randy Johnson before the July 31 trade deadline but the Houston Astros pulled an upset, snagging the 6-foot-10 left-hander from the Seattle Mariners.

So you can imagine how relieved Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman and his Indian counterpart, John Hart, were to see the Astros eliminated by San Diego in the division series.

“He’s one of those players out there who can make you wet your pants,” Cashman said. “I’m happy the Padres moved on to the next round and I’m sorry the Astros are going home. We didn’t make a move, but at least [Johnson] won’t have a chance to knock us out.”