SITYS: Mussina Full of Excuses

From today's New York Post:

May 17, 2007 -- CHICAGO - Out of all the Yankees, Mike Mussina is easily the biggest creature of habit. So, when his routine was thrown off by a day off Monday and a rainout Tuesday, the veteran right-hander had trouble adjusting.

"It's tough to stay sharp," Mussina said of having six days between starts. "I didn't stay sharp."

It showed in the first game of yesterday's doubleheader against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field, where the White Sox hung a 5-3 loss on the Yankees. "We needed a well-pitched game and I didn't do it."

Working in front of the Dead Bat Society, Mussina (2-2) gave up five runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.

"Everything," Mussina said when asked what the extended rest affected the most. "I didn't feel like I had finish on my pitches."