Esteban Loaiza has only been a Yankee for a few days, but it appears that he has a pretty good idea of what he’s in for.
“I like being here and all the pressure,” Loaiza said yesterday before the Yankees faced the A’s at the Stadium. “Tomorrow’s a big day for me. The fans have been great so far and have always treated me well, but if I go out there and don’t make it out of the first inning, they’re going to let me have it.”
He’ll have his first chance to make an impression tonight when he makes his Yankee debut against the A’s. While Loaiza doesn’t have the biggest shoes to fill since replacing the disappointing Jose Contreras, there are expectations.
Loaiza was a virtual journeyman pitcher until a year ago, when he surprised everyone by winning 21 games after never earning more than 11 in one season prior to that.
In 2004 he has reverted to form. Despite winning nine games with the White Sox this year, he hasn’t pitched very well.
Yesterday, he said he was ready to change that.
“I’ve never been in this kind of position where there is this much of a spotlight,” said Loaiza, who is going for his 100th career victory. “I pitched in Chicago, but even though there are two teams there, it’s different. This is New York.”
The 32-year-old righthander said he has long been impressed with Yankee fans, never more so than when the White Sox played an early-season series in The Bronx.
“A bunch of fans were yelling at me and I didn’t know what they were saying at first,” Loaiza said. “But they were telling me that I should have won the Cy Young last year instead of Roy Halladay.”
He was still stunned that it happened.
“No other place that you go do people know that much,” Loaiza said. “And aren’t afraid to say whatever they want.”
But he’s also well aware that the same passion may be used against him if he flames out.
“I’ve been here when they’ve turned on players and it’s tough,” Loaiza said. “There are people who can’t take it. I think I’m one of those who can, but I don’t want to give anyone the opportunity to find out.”
Then Loaiza will have to do better than he did at the end of his stay in Chicago. He gave up at least four runs in each of his last seven starts to raise his ERA to 4.86, but he’s not concerned about it.
“I feel more motivated now,” Loaiza said. “I can handle this job, even if some people aren’t sure that I can.”