MOOSE ENDS SKID

Mike Mussina improved his record to 7-0, Godzilla Matsui hit a homer, and the Yanks rolled over the M's last night, 7-2. Mussina struck out 12 in 8 innings of work and drew raves from the Mariners:

"The guy is straight nasty," Joel Pineiro said of Mike Mussina. "He's filthy."

..."He spotted his fastball well and had a good knuckle curve and changeup, but he pitches very different now," [Seattle skipper Bob] Melvin said. "Now he's got the cutter and the slider, and the arm angles he can throw from.

"He doesn't put the ball in the middle of the plate, so you're looking for the ball on the corner, and when you get the balls on the corner, there's not much you can do with them, anyway."

Joe Torre added:

"He did a lot of damage with his fastball," said manager Joe Torre, who compared his ace with Giants Hall of Famer Juan Marichal.
"Marichal used to pitch from a lot of different angles," Torre said. "And he could throw strikes when he wanted to."

Joe Torre held a team meeting before the game, and seems less bothered by the Yankees sloppy defense, than he is with their lousy bullpen.

Derek Jeter started his rehab assignment in Trenton, NJ last night and will join the Yanks next week:

When Jeter trotted onto the field to run wind sprints before the game, he received a huge ovation. Even in the red-white-and-blue uniform of the Thunder, Jeter stood out. He was taller, stronger and more poised. Someone suggested that Jeter should have worn his Yankee pinstripes because he looked so different anyway. Jeter jerseys and funnel cakes were the most popular items in the stands.