Former player, coach makes return

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NEW YORK -- Former Yankee Roy White was hired Tuesday as the team's first-base coach, and Luis Sojo will replace Lee Mazzilli as third-base coach.

Under New York's original plan, Mazzilli was to move from first to third base coach and take over for Willie Randolph, who is replacing Don Zimmer as bench coach. Sojo was to have gone to first base.

But the Yankees reshuffled after Baltimore hired Mazzilli on Friday as its manager.

"Roy was very helpful during his tenure as a special instructor in spring training and obviously knows the Yankee way," New York manager Joe Torre said. "He's a tireless worker who is a credit to the uniform."

White was the team's bench coach in 1983 and its first-base coach in 1984 and 1986. He was a special assignment instructor in 1995 and a roving outfield instructor from 1996-98. He spent the past five seasons as Oakland's Triple-A hitting coach.

"Roy White is a classy guy and was an extremely talented player," Yankees owner George Steinbrenner said. "Roy always conducted himself as a real Yankee. It's great to have all of his experience back in pinstripes."

White played with the Yankees from 1965-79 and was a two-time All-Star, winning World Series titles in 1977 and 1978.

Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press

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