Desperate hours in NY

It is early in the season, but it is getting late for the Yankees.

You could see the urgency in Roger Clemens's actions Friday night in Tampa. This was an obvious acceleration of his throwing program, to the point where he threw almost 140 pitches total -- before, during, and after the game against Fort Myers. There's a real possibility that he'll make only two minor league starts (the second against the Portland Sea Dogs in Trenton Wednesday) as opposed to three.

While he talks about being "smart" in making his decisions, the urgency is based on one thing: If he doesn't hurry, he may come back to a team that's too far gone to come back.

You could see the uneasiness in George Steinbrenner, who watched Clemens pitch in the Single A game Friday. The once-fiery soul -- who in the old days would have fired or traded everyone in New York and replaced them with a whole new crew -- didn't say much about Clemens's outing except, "Good job. Just like we expected."

In those days, Steinbrenner wouldn't have been in Tampa; he'd have been in New York, dressed in his blue blazer and white turtleneck, fuming about the loss to the Mets in the interleague opener at Shea Stadium Friday night.

If he had heard Kyle Farnsworth question the provisions in the Clemens deal, he would have berated the pitcher in public. He would have told Jason Giambi to shut his yap about steroids at a time when the team was going south so fast.

All of which points to another void in the organization: leadership. They lack a president and CEO who can unite the team in tough times.

This is as bad as it's been in the Joe Torre era in New York. There has been a series of missteps by management and a lot of misfortune through injuries early in the season.

General manager Brian Cashman is smack in the middle of the firestorm. His philosophy was well-intended. He wanted to get younger -- a noble endeavor in any organization -- and he thought he could do it by trading veterans like Randy Johnson and Gary Sheffield. What he didn't anticipate was Johnny Damon being injured, Bobby Abreu's game declining, and the rash of injuries to his pitching staff.

It was Cashman's decision to sign Japanese import Kei Igawa, who also was down in Tampa, trying to straighten himself out with pitching guru Billy Connors. Cashman changed the strength and conditioning regimen of his players by hiring a strength person who never had worked with a baseball team. The results were disastrous. Hamstring injuries became the norm -- from Chien Ming Wang to Mike Mussina to Hideki Matsui -- and Cashman had to fire the coach.

Damon should have been placed on the disabled list in late March or early April just to get his body right. He's tried to muddle through calf and back injuries, but Melky Cabrera easily could have filled in for two weeks.

There's also a general lack of life on the team, whether it's the result of veterans being set in their ways or becoming stagnant or Torre simply not lighting the fire. When the lineup is clicking, it's mostly due to Torre. So when it's going bad, is that also due to Torre?

Whatever happens against the Mets and then the Red Sox this week at Yankee Stadium, don't expect Torre to lose his job. Clemens, who is expected to make an appearance at the Stadium for at least one game of the Sox series, took this assignment for three reasons: 1. the money; 2. Andy Pettitte; and 3. Torre.

It would be strange to pull the rug out from underneath Torre before Clemens has a chance to provide a spark. If indeed Don Mattingly is Torre's heir apparent, having him take over a sinking ship probably isn't the best way to break in a guy who never has managed.

It's also been a little startling how the discipline has suffered.

There's no way Farnsworth should have uttered disparaging words against Clemens when the team's leaders OK'd the plan. Nor should Giambi have brought so much attention to himself -- not now, anyway -- with the interview in USA Today in which he said, "I was wrong to use that stuff." The interview prompted an investigation by Major League Baseball into his steroid use, which could lead to the voiding of his contract if he used them while with the Yankees.

We certainly want players to fess up about steroids. If Giambi comes clean, maybe others will. But it is a sensitive subject that has to be done through attorneys. It doesn't appear Giambi got counsel on his statement, and now he and his teammates may pay for his honesty.

Yes, it is late in the Yankees season, and the Red Sox have a chance to keep kicking them while they're down.

Let's make a deal

When Rich Harden finally returns within two weeks after a stint on the disabled list with a sore right shoulder, it will be interesting to see whether the A's make him available in a trade. His name was out there early in the season, with the Red Sox, Mets, and Yankees quite interested, though the A's denied that Harden was available at the time.

Harden fits the profile of pitchers the Sox like to acquire. He's a 25-year-old veteran with No. 1 ability.

Because of his long list of medical issues, though, any team would have to make a thorough review of Harden's records. He's not been durable at this stage of his career, having made five trips to the disabled list. Josh Beckett had a similar history with Florida but worked his way through it.

Harden earns $2 million this year but then pops up to $4.5 million next season and there's a $7 million option for 2009. Again, precisely the type of pitcher the Red Sox would have interest in.

Before putting Jonathan Papelbon back into the closer role late in spring training, the Red Sox loved the fact that they had three dynamic 26-year-olds they controlled financially in the rotation.

The other sign that they might have interest is purposely falling short on Roger Clemens, offering $3 million less than they did last year even after they were told by Clemens's agent that the number wouldn't get a deal done.

Would the Sox be tempted to make a Beckett-type deal for Harden, trading at least two very good prospects and perhaps someone on the current roster?

The Sox would have to be willing to give up one of their prime pitching prospects: Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden. There also would have to be a pretty good positional player involved; you can bet it won't be Jacoby Ellsbury, but perhaps David Murphy, Brandon Moss, or even one of their major league outfielders, Coco Crisp or Wily Mo Peña.

The Mets are down on outfield prospect Lastings Milledge after the release of his rap album, but he's an attractive player. And the Yankees have Melky Cabrera to dangle.

An old second baseman pitches in with some relief

A few questions for old friend Frank White, the great Kansas City second baseman and former Red Sox coach, who now works in community relations with the Royals.

I saw where you and Royals GM Dayton Moore recently helped in the relief aid for the horrific tornado which leveled Greensburg, Kan., 10 days ago. FW: "I'd never seen anything like it. It was surreal. The land in Kansas is flat anyway; with all the buildings down and roofs blown off of homes and businesses and schools, you could see for a mile down the road. For a while, you couldn't see a bird in the sky or a bug or anything. It was so sad just watching people trying to salvage what was left of their homes and trying to gather as much of their belongings as they could. I hope I never see that again."

What was the most memorable thing you saw? FW: "The roof had been blown off the library. It suffered a lot of damage but there was a shelf in the middle of all this where there were about 15 books that were still perfectly in place."

You had to witness your share of pretty sad stories. FW: "There was this one man who had sacrificed his own career to stay home and take care of his elderly mother. Her house was just destroyed and he said now his mom was going to be forced to live in a nursing home, which he was trying to avoid. This fellow was dressed in a Royals shirt and hat and he drove down the street in this old Ford pickup truck where part of it was damaged and the windshield was cracked. And through all of it, he wanted me to sign his pickup truck. It was pretty emotional."

You must enjoy the work you do in the community, but you must miss the playing field. FW: "I really love what I do, and I can foresee myself doing this for a long time, but I do miss the game. The only thing I would give this up for is a chance to manage in the big leagues. I've done my time in the minors and coached in the big leagues. I can see being someone's bench coach, but managing is what I feel I could do very well if I ever had the chance. That would be my desire."

Etc.

Touching the bases
Apropos of nothing: 1. Explain to me how John Smoltz is 0-2 against the Washington Nationals. 2. Ozzie Guillen's idea: Sign Alex Rodriguez to a Chicago contract in which he plays home games for the Cubs and home games for the White Sox. 3. I respect and admire Hank Aaron, but I want him to say why he won't be there when Barry Bonds breaks his home run record. 4. Baltimore manager Sam Perlozzo took all the heat for removing Jeremy Guthrie last week after a dropped popup, but do you think powerful pitching coach Leo Mazzone might have been whispering in his ear? 5. Jack Cust, not Bonds, entered the weekend interleague series between the Giants and A's as the slugger to watch.

Fragment of information on comeback
Keith Foulke's retirement might be short-lived. According to his agent, Dan Horwits, Foulke is thinking about having bone fragments removed from his elbow, a sign that he is at least contemplating a return. "Right now, he's really enjoying his time away from the game and just spending time with his family," Horwits said. "I think he will evaluate whether he wants to get back in at some point. I don't think he's quite ready to do that yet, but he'll explore getting his elbow straightened out and then see where he is."

If you're wondering how good Greg Maddux still is, consider that on the night Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched his complete game against Detroit, Maddux threw 96 pitches for a complete game against Cincinnati that took 2:09. According to the pitch chart kept by the Padres, Maddux missed only five spots the entire night, which is pretty amazing.

We wrote about the potential for a few sinking ships last week and how owners of those teams have to take a long look at how much they're spending on payroll. One place where it just isn't happening is Texas. As positive a guy as first-year manager Ron Washington is, the Rangers have been a disaster. He's already had to call two team meetings. There's been one players-only meeting, and guys are going on the disabled list all the time. It's pretty ugly. Owner Tom Hicks has proven he'll spend the money to have a winner, but the operation has never been managed well.

Rocco Baldelli is well-liked and respected as a person and a player, but the 25-year-old native of Woonsocket, R.I., just can't shake the injury bug. He's back on the DL with a hamstring injury that could keep him out six weeks. Baldelli, who was in a 1-for-40 funk, has already missed 236 games since he entered the league in 2003, including all of the 2005 season. Injuries have hurt his earning power. The six-year deal he signed before the 2006 season is heavily weighted toward plate appearances; only $7 million of a potential $30 million remaining is guaranteed. If he makes 600 plate appearances in 2007, he'll guarantee his '08 salary at $5 million, but that now appears unlikely.

After all Phillies manager Charlie Manuel has been through -- Ryan Howard on the disabled list, Tom Gordon's shoulder flaring up, a bad moment with a radio personality -- you have to give him a mulligan on his overuse of new closer Brett Myers. It was Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee who made the decision to switch Myers, the team's Opening Day starter, to the closer role. It was the bullpen that kept Manuel up at night throughout spring training because GM Pat Gillick was unable to come up with a better relief staff. Over a stretch last week, Myers pitched in four of five games, including two non-save situations. But Myers is 4 for 5 in saves, so will Gordon get his job back when he returns soon? With the team back over .500, it's not a question Manuel is willing to answer right now.

Former Red Sox special adviser Bill Lajoie, now serving in that capacity with the Dodgers, said most teams have made their early assessments and are now looking to make deals. He suspects it won't be long before significant moves are made. "I think teams usually take the first six or seven weeks to assess what they've done and to see if they need to make any adjustments on their rosters," Lajoie said. "I think teams have done that and now they have their scouts out there looking at some of the players they might be interested in. One of the problems is you might like a player but you need some help in getting the other team to pick up some of the contract. Some teams are right at their payroll maximum, so you'd need some help."

Hideo Nomo and Mac Suzuki are eyeing a return to the major leagues. Nomo has been rehabilitating from elbow surgery in the Los Angeles area. According to his agent, Don Nomura, Nomo definitely wants to pitch again. "He's a little bit away from a return, but not too far away," said Nomura, who is also trying to get Suzuki a minor league deal. Suzuki, 31, last pitched for the Royals in 2002. Nomo, 38, last pitched for the Devil Rays in 2005.

One of baseball's best-kept secrets: Pirates lefty Tom Gorzelanny, 5-2 with a 2.43 ERA. If you think that's a fluke, he had a 2.44 ERA over his last 16 starts a year ago. Gorzelanny is a better pitcher than he is a hitter. He was 0 for 35 in the majors before getting a hit off Dontrelle Willis last week.

Nick Cafardo can be reached at cafardo@globe.com