Gorman grad’s N.Y. moment

Thursday, May 4, 2006 | 7:33 a.m.

Former Bishop Gorman High pitcher Matt Smith left his Manhattan hotel and boarded the D train on the subway to his temp job at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

"It's kinda crazy," Smith said. "I felt like an actual New Yorker. It's really unbelievable. I'm just a guy from Vegas who went to college at Oklahoma State. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd be playing for the Yankees."

The 26-year-old lefty was in the Yankees' dugout for 13 games. The team called him up from Triple-A Columbus on April 15. He pitched in two games and retired all four batters he faced.

After his major-league debut on April 18, Yankees manager Joe Torre presented Smith with the April 18 lineup card and bench coach Lee Mazzilli gave him that game's lineup sheet.

Smith was sent back to Columbus on Sunday when the Bronx Bombers needed a roster spot for pitcher Aaron Small. The move back to Ohio did not surprise Smith. On the veteran Yankee club, only he and reliever Scott Proctor had minor-league options in their contracts.

He doesn't know when he'll get back to "the show."

"I've just got to be patient, wait for my time and keep a positive attitude," he said.

He talked about his big-league experience by phone from New York.

What was your trek to Yankee Stadium like?

I walked 10 seconds out of my hotel, at Seventh Avenue and West 53rd Street, down stairs. Then it's a 20-minute ride to the Bronx. By far, it's the easiest commute I've ever had. I walked up more stairs and, bam, there it is. It takes me back for a second. Are you kidding me? Pretty crazy.

Did fellow subway commuters recognize you as a Yankee?

Not really. I usually listened to music on my iPod. Half the people on the subway listened to music. After games, it's jampacked. It's funny, seeing all those people fired up and excited. You'd hear them talking about the game. I'd take the earphones off a little and listen.

Did anyone notice you at restaurants or around town?

No chance. Usually on the road, at the hotel, autograph seekers said, "Who's that guy?" It's fine by me. Playing on a team with a bunch of All-Stars and future Hall of Famers, the last guy they want an autograph from is me. I understand that. I'm just a little fish in a big pond.

Afterward, some guys said, "Man, you faced Reed Johnson! How crazy is that?"

That was pretty funny, two Vegas guys going at it. He was definitely their hottest hitter, and we couldn't (until then) get him out.

What was it like donning the famous pinstriped uniform when the Bombers returned to Yankee Stadium on April 21?

It was definitely a special feeling, looking at myself in the uniform. I've been to a lot of sports events in my life and experienced a lot of things, but there is nothing better than being at Yankee Stadium for a night game. The atmosphere and electricity were unbelievable. The place gets so loud and the fans are so passionate, I just watched and took it in.

Talk about your transformation during your sophomore year at Bishop Gorman.

I was pretty much a short, chubby kid. (Former Bishop Gorman coach and current CCSN boss) Tim Chambers was kind enough, and dedicated enough, to run two miles with me every day after school. He definitely didn't have to do that. It wasn't pretty that first month.

I always dreaded it. He pushed me as hard as he could. It became a competition. That was the start of something good for me. He might not have thought it was a big deal, but it was to me. I can't thank him enough for doing that.

Your father, David, was a Yankees fan as a kid in Texas?

Mickey Mantle was his idol. I think it's pretty exciting for him, that his son played for his favorite team.

And didnt your mother, Sydnee, play a major role in your early baseball career?

She's the one who drove me to Little League games, kept score and was the team mom. Those two people have played a huge part in my success and who I am today. I'm fortunate to have two great parents.

How much fun did they have in New York last week?

A blast. They were so excited and proud. It meant a lot for me to have them here. Hopefully, if I'm still here later in the summer, they can come back.

Family is very important to me.

How did your two elbow surgeries affect you in the minors?

I thought, "Should I be doing this? Will I stay healthy?" But last year was a steppingstone. The Yankees put me in the bullpen for the first time. At first, I was frustrated. Little did I know that I'd find my niche. I really enjoy coming out of the bullpen and competing in tight situations.

How about all the Las Vegas connections in the locker room, from former Las Vegas 51s players Scott Proctor and Bubba Crosby, to Las Vegas resident Jason Giambi?

We talked of Vegas here and there. Giambi's a super guy. Really nice. Proctor taught me the ropes and hazed me a little bit. That's good. He gave me a hard time, saying I'm a West Coast guy. But he's from Florida, a different part of the country. So I don't even count him being an East Coast guy.