Yankees Apologize for Snubbing Media

Yankee Manager Joe Torre, shortstop Derek Jeter and center fielder Bernie Williams apologized Sunday for their team’s conduct after Saturday’s 14-3 Game 3 loss, when almost every starter left Yankee Stadium before reporters were allowed into the clubhouse. Players are not required to speak to the media, but it is common protocol for them to be available after games.

“It’s not the right thing to do,” Torre said. “I talked to my players before batting practice [Sunday]. I wasn’t in a great mood myself after the game and, you know, I know they’re better than that. I think they were frustrated, but that doesn’t make it the right thing to do.”

Jeter said the media snub was not intentional. Williams said most players left early because they came out of the game so early. Jeter, Chuck Knoblauch, Tino Martinez, Jorge Posada, Paul O’Neill and Scott Brosius were pulled after seven innings because the score was so lopsided, but Williams played the whole game.

“I’m one who likes to get out of there as soon as I can,” Williams said. “I think most of the guys left early because they were out of the game early. They figured some of the guys who stayed in the game were going to pick up the slack, and I guess nobody did. I certainly apologize for that, I guess.”

Yankee ace Roger Clemens is still known as “The Rocket,” but the right-hander’s style has changed since he broke into the big leagues as a fastball specialist in 1984.

Clemens, 39, added a split-fingered fastball in the late 1980s and learned a slider a few years later. He has perfected his changeup in recent years, but as his fourth pitch, he doesn’t use it often.

“I still have a pretty good changeup, but I don’t want to get beat with it,” Clemens said. “I go back and forth with Mel [Stottlemyre, Yankee pitching coach] on whether I should use it. I call it my presidential pitch. When I need four more years, I’ll break it out.”

TODAY

MARINERS’ AARON SELE

(0-2, 5.63 ERA)

vs.

YANKEES’ ANDY PETTITTE

(1-1, 1.26 ERA)

Yankee Stadium, 5:15 p.m.

TV--Channel 11.

Radio--KSPN (1110).

Update--Pettitte, who has a 9-5 postseason record, has been superb again this October, giving up only two earned runs and 10 hits in 14 1/3 innings of two starts against the A’s and Mariners. The left-hander pitched eight innings of one-run, three-hit ball in a Game 1 victory over Seattle, striking out seven and walking one.