Yankees Have Some Fun on Their Way to Playoffs

With home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs secured, most of the New York Yankees decided to take Sunday’s regular-season finale off--even Manager Joe Torre.

Torre turned spectator, turning over the World Series champions to outfielder Paul O’Neill in a 6-2 loss at Tampa Bay that ended the regular season.

“As a fan, I can watch and second-guess like the best of them,” said Torre, who got his 400th victory as Yankee manager Saturday.

“I get a kick out of it. It keeps the players interested and they had a little fun. In a 162-game season, it’s nice to be able to enjoy the last day.”

O’Neill, who bruised his right side and lower back when he crashed into a fence Saturday night, filled Torre’s role as manager and Joe Girardi stood in for bench coach Don Zimmer as the Yankees used a lineup featuring one regular--catcher Jorge Posada.

Randy Winn’s inside-the-park grand slam that capped a six-run fourth for Tampa Bay, however, left O’Neill with few decisions to ponder.

“We’re looking forward to the playoffs, so you can have fun with this game,” said O’Neill, who joked that his teammates didn’t “play for me.”

Oakland 3, Seattle 1--The Athletics completed their first winning season since 1992 and wrapped up the AL’s best home record, thanks to strong outings by five pitchers in a victory over the Mariners at Oakland.

Ron Mahay pitched five strong innings in his first major league start and combined with four relievers on a four-hitter as the A’s finished with a 52-29 home record and an overall mark of 87-75.

The Mariners finished 79-83, winning three more games than in 1998 but ending up in third place in the AL West and with a losing record for the second consecutive year.

Ken Griffey Jr., who made out the Mariners’ lineup for the game, had an RBI single in the third before leaving the game at the end of that inning. He finished the season with a .285 average, an AL-leading 48 homers and 134 RBIs in 160 games.

Boston 1, Baltimore 0--Jeff Frye, who broke up the Orioles’ combined no-hit bid in the eighth inning, hit an RBI single in the 10th as the playoff-bound Red Sox won at Baltimore in what might have been the final game for Oriole Manager Ray Miller.

The Orioles finished 78-84. It was their second consecutive losing season under Miller, who could learn his fate as soon as today.

Both benches emptied in the top of the fourth after Boston’s Troy O’Leary flipped his bat in the direction of Oriole starter Scott Kamieniecki as an inside pitch headed toward his knees. One inning earlier, Baltimore’s Albert Belle glared at Rheal Cormier after being hit by a pitch, bringing a warning to both benches by plate umpire Tim McClelland.

Toronto 9, Cleveland 2--David Wells, who won’t have a chance to torment Cleveland in the playoffs this year, pitched his league-leading seventh complete game as he defeated the Indians on the final day of the regular season. Last year, Wells was 2-0 against the Indians in the AL championship series while a member of the Yankees.

Chicago 1, Minnesota 1--The White Sox and Twins ended disappointing seasons with a 1-1 rain-shortened tie at Chicago. The game was called after 6 1/2 innings because of rain. The umpires waited 35 minutes before they called the game.

Paul Konerko hit an RBI double in the first inning for Chicago and Minnesota tied it on Torii Hunter’s RBI double in the seventh.

Detroit vs. Kansas City, canceled--The regular-season finale between the Tigers and Royals at Kansas City was canceled because of rain.