NEW YORK – Chris Woodward never knows what position he might be asked to play, so he carries gloves for use in the outfield and various infield positions.

Jose Lopez? No so much.

“I don’t have a different kind of glove to use at third base,” he said, after taking ground balls there the past two nights. “But I don’t use the glove I use at second base when I’m playing third.”

Say what?

“I have another glove, the same model I use at second, but it’s not my game glove,” Lopez explained.

“I don’t want to use my good second base glove at another position. I use a second glove that’s the same model, but not the same glove.”

Aside from the leather, Lopez was asked how he felt about a possible move to third while Adrian Beltre recuperates from shoulder surgery.

“If it was between playing first base and third base, I’d choose third,” he said. “I don’t want to say it’s easy, because it’s not. But at second base you have to move your feet, get to balls to your right and left.

“At third base, it’s almost all reactions. Even on balls that are hit slowly, it’s more about reaction than anything. At third base, it’s mostly just catch and throw.”

Forget worrying about the different angles the ball might come from in the different positions. Lopez thinks he could play a decent third base, just as he was an acceptable first baseman late last season.

“I still love second base, but if we need for me to play third, I’ll play third.” Losing patience

With lefty C.C. Sabathia starting, manager Don Wakamatsu surprised the media with his newest lineup – his 70th of the season.

Instead of putting right-handed hitting Wladimir Balentien in left field, he chose Thursday to debut the left-handed hitting Ryan Langerhans there.

Why?

“We've been waiting for consistency from Balentien, but he'll have one good game, one bad game,” manager Don Wakamatsu said. “We need to see production from him against left-handed pitchers, and I haven't seen it.

“Langerhan's numbers aren't much different against lefties and righties, he'll give you good defense and I wanted to get him some at-bats. So he's in there.”

Balentien had never faced Sabathia. Langerhans had – in one plate appearance – and drew a walk. The move may be indicative of a loss of patience with Balentien’s lack of production. Only in New York

As the game was about to begin Thusday, the Yankees were told rain was coming – so they delayed the start time 40 minutes.

Problem was, not only didn’t it rain a drop, the grounds crew never put a tarp on the field and, before the game began, watered down the infield with a hose. Short hops

Among the fans on hand Thursday was actor Jack Nicholsen, who got an ovation when cameras spotted him behind home plate. …When Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez each homered Wednesday, it was the 38th time they’d done so in the same game – and the first time it’s happened while on opposing teams.

On tap

Seattle opens a three-game series against Boston in Fenway Park with a 4:05 p.m. (PDT) game that will be televised on FSN. Probable starting pitchers: Felix Hernandez (8-3, 2.54) vs. Tim Wakefield (10-3, 4.18).