NOTES

Yankee Manager Joe Torre went with his head, rather than his heart, in selecting left-hander Denny Neagle as his Game 4 starter.

Torre initially appeared to be leaning toward David Cone, who is 8-3 in his postseason career but has struggled with a 4-14 record and 6.91 earned-run average this season. However, Cone has thrown only one inning since Sept. 30, and Neagle started Games 1 and 5 of the American League championship series.

Torre thought Neagle “nibbled” too much and wasn’t aggressive against Seattle in his last start, when he walked three in the first inning of a 6-2 loss, and Neagle took offense to such characterizations, saying he was “sick and tired of reading how I was passive in my last start.”

Neagle’s career 7-3 record against the Mets, including seven scoreless innings in a 12-1 victory for Cincinnati April 26, weighed in Neagle’s favor, as did Cone’s lack of recent work.

Cone was happy to be in the mix of pitchers Torre considered for Game 4.

“It made me feel good,” Cone said. “Joe assured me I am a part of his plans, and I have to be ready. I’m very confident the bullpen phone is going to ring and my name is going to be on the line.”