OAKLAND - Don Mattingly, the New York Yankees' third-place
  hitter for most of the last decade, has been shifted to fifth and
  replaced in his customary position by Paul O'Neill.
     "Times have changed," said Mattingly before the new order went
  into effect Wednesday night against Oakland. "I'm not 23, 24, 25
  anymore, and our club is not the same."
     Mattingly, 33, has been plagued by chronic back problems and
  tendinitis in his right wrist that landed him on the disabled list
  just before the All-Star break.
     Mattingly took a .301 average into Wednesday night, 82 points
  lower than O'Neill's league-leading mark. Mattingly has five home
  runs and 43 RBI, compared to the blazing O'Neill's 17 homers and 69
  RBI.
     "If I was manager, I would have done it a long time ago,"
  Mattingly said of Buck Showalter's difficult decision. "I would
  have done it a month ago. Paulie needs to be in position to get as
  many at-bats as possible."


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