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NEW YORK -- Joba Chamberlain was activated from the disabled list Tuesday by the New York Yankees, and injured infielders Mark Teixeira and Kevin Youkilis might not be far behind. Chamberlain was back in the bullpen for the second Subway Series game against the New York Mets after missing a month with a strained muscle on his right side. To make room on the roster, left-hander David Huff was designated for assignment. Teixeira and Youkilis both got five at-bats Tuesday during an extended spring training game in Florida, then headed out to begin their rehab assignments Wednesday with Double-A Trenton. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said its possible both could be ready to rejoin the team after two games in Trenton. That would make them available for the start of a three-game series against rival Boston that begins Friday. The Red Sox entered Tuesday with a one-game lead in the AL East over New York. Teixeira has been sidelined since early March by a right wrist injury. Youkilis has missed almost 30 games with a lumbar spine sprain. Huff had just been added to the roster Sunday, one day after he was claimed off waivers from Cleveland. He pitched in one game for the Yankees, allowing one run in one inning against Tampa Bay. Before getting hurt, Chamberlain had been used primarily in the seventh inning, a role that has since been filled nicely by other relievers such as Shawn Kelley and Preston Claiborne. "Everybodys throwing the ball well, so just to be able to be in the mix with those guys down there, its been fun to watch. And now to be a part of it, its going to be even better," Chamberlain said. "Ive been in every situation, so theres not going to be any situation that catches me off guard, and I think thats my advantage. Obviously, whatever inning it is and whatever situation, Im going to be ready to go and look forward to it." Girardi said he plans to use Chamberlain the way he did before the injury. "I anticipate Joba getting there. Well see how we use him right away," Girardi said. "Sometimes when a guy comes back from an injury you kind of want to kind of work him back slowly, but well see what the opportunity is." In other injury news, Andy Pettitte threw 75 pitches during a five-inning simulated game, his first game-type action since going on the 15-day disabled list May 17 because of a strained muscle in his upper back. If he feels fine Wednesday, the left-hander could return to the big league rotation early next week. Third baseman Alex Rodriguez, coming back from hip surgery in January, has resumed taking on-field batting practice as he moves into his fourth week of baseball activities. Eduardo Nunez, who had been filling in at shortstop for injured Derek Jeter, was kept off the field as he tries to heal a strained muscle on his left side. Nunez felt discomfort during batting practice Saturday and was shut down. Girardi said right-hander Michael Pineda was throwing well at extended spring training but was taken out of the game because of a cracked nail. Pineda, an All-Star as a rookie in 2011, is coming back from right shoulder surgery that sidelined him all of last season. He has not pitched for the Yankees yet after being acquired from Seattle in a trade after the 2011 season. NOTES: Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, who plans to retire after this season, was honoured by the Mets and the FDNY in a brief ceremony Tuesday afternoon before his final scheduled visit to Citi Field. Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon presented Rivera with a mounted fire hose nozzle, and New York City Fire Commissioner Sal Cassano gave baseballs career saves leader a mounted call box. Wilpon said although it seems unlikely, hed like to see Rivera again in the World Series. "You never know," Rivera said, later adding: "I have enjoyed every game that I have played here. Weve had some great games. Ive saved some games, Ive blown some games. Overall, it has been wonderful. It has been nothing but great moments and I definitely will appreciate all this." ... Rivera also accepted an invitation from Wilpon to throw out a ceremonial first pitch before the game. After a rain delay that lasted 91 minutes, a smiling Rivera climbed the mound and tossed to Mets career saves leader John Franco behind the plate. Just before that, the Mets played a video tribute to Rivera that ended with the message, "Congratulations on a Hall of Fame career." . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. . Nigeria beat surprise package Ethiopia 2-0 in the second leg of their playoff for a comfortable 4-1 aggregate victory. Victor Moses converted a 20th-minute penalty after an Ethiopian handball, and Victor Obinna made certain of Nigerias place in Brazil with his powerful free kick in the 82nd at UJ Esuene Stadium. . Speaking Thursday on TSN 1050 Thursday, the Leafs GM also touched on the questions surrounding the teams leadership and the struggles of his big-name free-agent signing. “Its not from lack of effort from the coaching staff. .com) - The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks both take aim at their first wins of the season on Saturday, as the Canucks open their home slate at Rogers Arena. . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. Niki Lauda thinks Formula One risks alienating a large chunk of its fanbase if it continues going too far in the push for safety.This week the FIA is conducting the last set of tests on the Halo safety device ahead of the July decision on whether to implement it to F1 in 2017. F1 has been relentless in the push for safety in recent years but the introduction of Halo would be a ground-breaking step which could have ramifications in all series of open wheel racing.The Halo had a largely negative reaction from fans and drivers, with Lewis Hamilton calling it the worst modification to a car in F1 history. Fellow three-time world champion Lauda thinks F1s safety push could be sanitising the sport.If you go too far with these things, its no wonder that fewer people are watching these days, Lauda told Motorsport Magazine in reference to the Halo device. I think -- in a very respectful way -- that the DNA of Formula One should be maintained, and were slowly going to destroy it if we keep on inventing what are -- for me -- too many safety issues.Lauda believes F1 fans will stop watching if the sport is perceived to be too safe with none of the risks associated with the past.Because of improvements in the cars and tracks, Formula One has never been as safe as it iis today, so now the question for me is how far can we go on safety issues without losing the interest of the people? If someone says he wants to make $40m a year, with an easy car to drive, and no risk, this is not reality.dddddddddddd..Laudas fears are echoed by Sebastian Vettel, who thinks there is a fine balance to be found between safety and the risk of racing.The fact that the cars have become a lot safer is obviously nice for us, because knowing a little bit of history shows you that many years ago the drivers werent as lucky, and I think you need to find the right compromise, Vettel said at the FIAs Sport Conference last week. The ingredients of passion, speed, danger and noise are very important.We want to make the sport safer - we cant shut our eyes if bad things happen. Its a difficult balance, and it might sound wrong initially, but I think the sport in some way has to remain dangerous because that is what is appealing to people. If you lose that ingredient, they dont sense any more that its something out of their reach - out of this world - and it becomes less exciting. I think racing should keep its core pillars. ' ' '
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