NEW YORK -- Gary Sheffield was in the perfect situation to make a splash in his Bronx debut, as he stepped to the plate in the first inning with the bases loaded in a scoreless game.
Sheffield didn't treat the home crowd to a grand slam, a la Hideki Matsui last season, instead squibbing a ball about 10 feet down the third-base line. Although it wasn't a powerful stroke, it was enough for an RBI infield single, putting the Yankees on the board for the first time at home this season.
"I was just thankful to get a hit," said a grinning Sheffield. "You want to contribute as much as possible, get as many runs as possible. With this pitching staff, we should win a lot of ballgames."
The Yankees did win their opener, defeating the Chicago White Sox, 3-1, as Sheffield went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
Gary Sheffield / RF
Born: 11/18/68
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 205 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R
Sheffield described his first home game in pinstripes as memorable, citing the 55,290 frenzied fans as the best part of his experience.
"The enthusiasm of the fans, you can't even describe it as just enthusiasm. That's way beyond it," Sheffield said. "They love this team, and with every pitch, it feels like the stadium is going to fall down. It scares you at first, but it's part of it."
"Sheff mentioned that he'd never seen anything like this before," said Derek Jeter. "I know he was looking forward to it."
Sheffield said that the one moment he will remember the most didn't even have anything to do with him.
"The one I'll remember most was them cheering for Don Mattingly," Sheffield said. "That was probably the highlight of my day. I just tried to take everything in."
Lofton rests: Kenny Lofton will have to wait for his Yankee Stadium debut in pinstripes as the center fielder was not in the lineup for New York's home opener on Thursday.
Lofton, 36, was moved from center field to DH in Wednesday's 3-2 win over Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field, after having experienced stiffness in his left thigh. Lofton went 1-for-5 with a run scored in the game.
Because of the injury and the fact that the White Sox started left-hander Scott Schoeneweis, manager Joe Torre decided to rest Lofton on Thursday.
"He's had this thing in Spring Training, and it's something he's been able to play with," Torre said. "The turf may have aggravated it a little bit. I don't think it's something, because he DH'd last night. We'll just get a feel for when he'll be able to play the outfield."
Kenny Lofton / CF
Born: 05/31/67
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 190 lbs
Bats: L / Throws: L
Ruben Sierra started as the Yankees' DH, looking to improve in his 0-for-5 start to the season.
"I thought it was a good opportunity to not only get [Lofton] a day without having to worry about it, but to get Ruben a chance to play," Torre said. "Early in the year, we've played four games over two weeks, so there are a lot of people who haven't had a chance to play at all."
Torre also made a change to the bottom half of the lineup, moving Jorge Posada to the sixth spot, in front of Hideki Matsui. With Schoeneweis on the mound, Torre wanted to have the switch-hitting Posada providing some protection for Gary Sheffield instead of the left-handed Matsui.
Rocket viewing: Torre caught some of Roger Clemens' debut outing with the Houston Astros on television on Wednesday, before the Yankees left Tampa for New York. The manager later watched highlights of Clemens' performance, as the Rocket allowed just one hit over seven innings, defeating the Giants.
Torre said that he was happy for Clemens, who abandoned his retirement plans to sign with Houston after close friend Andy Pettitte inked a contract to play for his hometown Astros.
"I'm not resentful at all. I know there's been some talk of the Yankees being unhappy about it, but I'm happy for him," Torre said. "I think he was sincere about retiring. But when Andy signed with Houston, the temptation was too much for him to ignore."
Alex Rodriguez / 3B
Born: 07/27/75
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 210 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R
Basic instinct: Alex Rodriguez may have more to learn about playing third base, but Torre has been impressed with his performance at the hot corner in the first few games of the season.
Rodriguez played a big part in New York's 3-2 win on Wednesday, snagging a hard grounder hit by Brook Fordyce in the ninth inning with one out and the bases loaded.
A-Rod fielded the ball, stepped on third and fired to first, ending the game and preserving Mariano Rivera's first save of 2004.
"When that ball was hit and I saw his body language, I thought he was going to touch the bag and throw home for the tag," Torre said of A-Rod. "When I saw him throw across, I thought, 'That's a better idea.' His instincts are good. In a do-or-die situation, he made the right decision."
Mark Feinsand is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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Gary Sheffield / RF
Kenny Lofton / CF
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