Notebook: Paul O'Neill gets plaque in Monument Park

NEW YORK – He helped unveil the plaque in front of the mound and soon stepped up to the microphone. Yankee Stadium suddenly sounded like it used to sound across the street at the old ballpark, with the chant of "Paul O-Neill" filling the air.

With former teammates David Cone, Tino Martinez, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera and former manager Joe Torre standing on the infield and family members out there as well, Paul O'Neill was given his place in Yankees baseball eternity Saturday, honored by the team with a plaque to be mounted in Monument Park.

O'Neill spent 17 years in the majors, the final nine with the Yankees, from 1993 through 2001. The famously intense right fielder hit .303 along the way here, with 304 doubles, 185 homers, 858 RBI and one batting title, in 1994. Most important, there were the four championships in five years.

"Like I said out there, let's face it, we were all lucky to play for the New York Yankees, and especially at that time," O'Neill said at a press conference during the Yankees' 3-0 loss to the Indians. "When you're traded, you're disappointed because you don't feel like you played well enough to stay where you are. That's kind of the way I felt in Cincinnati.

"But it didn't take long to feel the tradition. Talk about the perfect time to come here; we started turning it around and started winning. Being a part of that is something I'll never forget."

Pineda says he's ready: Michael Pineda threw 72 pitches Friday night in his second rehab start, going 4 1/3 for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He allowed one run and six hits, and he fanned seven.

"Everything is there," Pineda said, back at his locker Saturday morning. "The velocity is there. I'm feeling good. I'm happy with that."

Pineda has been on the DL since May 6 with an upper back muscle strain near his right shoulder. Asked if he's ready to pitch for the Yankees again, Pineda said, "I'm ready for pitching, yeah."

So will he finally make his return Wednesday night against the first-place Orioles in Baltimore?

"We haven't made a decision," Joe Girardi said. "A lot of it will depend on what happens in the next few days."

Extra bases: Catcher Austin Romine was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with Brian McCann going on the seven-day concussion DL. … The Yankees unconditionally released second baseman Brian Roberts. … Righty reliever Matt Daley was optioned to Triple-A. … Ichiro Suzuki singled to surpass George Sisler for sole possession of 48th on the all-time hits list with 2,811.

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