TAMPA, Fla.22 (AP) - Starting the first game in all three of the Yankees' postseason series didn't inflate Orlando Hernandez's ego.
``I don't think I'm No. 1,'' El Duque said Tuesday through a translator. ``No. 1 is for God and the Yankees. I'm the same person that came from Cuba. I don't consider myself a star.''
Yankees manager Joe Torre thinks he has four No. 1s in Hernandez, Roger Clemens, David Cone and Andy Pettitte.
``He didn't get overly giddy about it. He understood this was a responsibility as opposed to hanging a star on it,'' Yankees manager Joe Torre said. ``He's a competitor.''
There was no debate last October when Torre met with his starting pitchers at Tampa Bay during the weekend of the regular season.
``He deserved it,'' Cone said. ``When Joe asked me who should pitch Game 1, I said I'd pick El Duque.''
Hernandez was 3-0 in four postseason starts, allowing just four earned runs in 30 innings.
``I'm really, really happy that everything came out like I thought it would,'' he said. ``It's a dream come true. I'm very proud to be in a free land.''
After going 5-5 with a 4.92 ERA in 11 starts through May, Hernandez won 12 of his final 16 decisions, compiling a 3.74 ERA in his last 22 appearances.
``I was impressed by his command and being able to change speeds,'' Torre said. ``During my career as a manager and broadcaster, you'd watch team after team struggle against anybody that can change speeds. It has nothing to do with throwing 95 miles an hour. It was basically somebody that could
throw soft would get people out.''
Hernandez does face a new hurdle this season. Jose Cardenal, the former Yankees first-base coach and a person Hernandez said was ``like a father'' left in a day dispute and ed the Devil Rays.
``It hurt me a lot to see him go,'' Hernandez said. ``First of all, he's a friend. He taught me how to act on and off the field.''
The Yankees plan on hiring a translator. Another link between the coaching staff and Hernandez will be catcher Jorge Posada.
``I don't think there will be a barrier to talk to the manager,'' Hernandez said. ``But it won't be the same.''
New York still hasn't decided who will start the season opener at Anaheim on April 3.
``When you start the season, you really have to look at matchups and days off,'' Torre said. ``I don't think anybody's ego will get bent out of shape by who is pitching opening day.''
Notes:@ The Yankees will hold their first full squad workout Wednesday. Intrasquad games will be played on Monday and Tuesday. ... Cone on the presidential race. ``It's tough to vote for an owner,'' he joked, a reference to former Texas Rangers owner George W. Bush.
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