Trade Worked Out Well for Ex-Dodger Vizcaino

Jose Vizcaino couldn’t believe his luck when he was traded from the Dodgers, along with cash considerations, to the Yankees for Jim Leyritz on June 21.

“That’s the game. Now look--I’m one step from the World Series,” Vizcaino said after New York’s 7-5 series-clinching win Sunday night. “I had a good time in L.A., but I’m having the best time of my life in New York.”

Apparently so.

Vizcaino’s season took a dramatic upswing after he left Chavez Ravine for the South Bronx. In 40 games with the Dodgers, the utility player batted .204 with four runs batted. In 73 games with the Yankees, he batted .276 with 10 RBIs.

“I was sad to be leaving, but I knew I was going to a winning team,” Vizcaino said. “I knew I’d have the opportunity to play in the playoffs and the World Series.

“I’m really happy to be here.”

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You couldn’t have blamed A’s Manager Art Howe or Yankee Manager Joe Torre had either skipper blasted schedule makers for the brutal itinerary that had their teams playing on both coasts on consecutive nights.

Especially when a berth in the American League championship series was at stake.

But both managers took the high road before the Yankees closed out the Athletics.

“I think both teams would rather have had an off day if possible,” said Howe, who added that his team arrived back on the West Coast at 3:45 a.m. Sunday after Saturday night’s 11-1 win at Yankee Stadium. “But, you know, since both teams are in the same situation, in the same boat, I don’t think it gives either team an advantage.”

Torre agreed.

“I don’t think guys are going to realize they’re tired until it’s over with,” said Torre, whose Yankees arrived at 3:30 a.m.

The frenetic schedule would have seemed to have favored the Athletics, one of the youngest teams in the majors, while putting the aging Yankees at a decided disadvantage.

It did not.

“When I think of getting tired of playing baseball, you’re in the wrong business if you get tired when you’re 25 years old,” Howe said. “I was 38 [and] I was still playing winter ball. You’ve got to love to play the game, never get tired of playing baseball.”

Still, the young and strapping Athletics have all winter to rest up.

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It wasn’t exactly the best of seasons for the Yankees’ Chuck Knoblauch, whose troubles at second base made former Dodger Steve Sax’s infamous throwing miscues of the 1980s seem tame by comparison.

Knoblauch’s year seemed to reach a nadir when he was replaced in Game 2.

“Even though he understood my explanation, [that] doesn’t mean you have to like it,” Torre said. “Then he wasn’t taking ground balls. You know, it wasn’t the right thing to do. We talked about that.”

Sunday, Torre batted the enigmatic Knoblauch leadoff as the designated hitter.

Knoblauch responded by going two for five, both of his hits coming in the Yankees’ six-run first inning.

THE SERIES

Game 1: Oakland 5, New York 3

Game 2: New York 4, Oakland 0

Game 3: New York 4, Oakland 2

Game 4: Oakland 11, New York 1

Game 5: New York 7, Oakland 5

Yankees win series, 3-2