NEW YORK -- Yankees center fielder Bernie Williams, mired in a 3-for-32 slump, was scratched Saturday against Anaheim after feeling a twinge in his rib cage during batting practice.

	Williams

"Hopefully it will improve tomorrow and he'll be able to play," manager Joe Torre said after New York's 9-1 victory over the Angels. "If not, we'll have to figure out what to do."

When Ryan Thompson was cut to make room for Jose Canseco earlier this month, the Yankees were left without an experienced backup center fielder. Clay Bellinger made his first career start in center and fourth overall appearance there in place of Williams on Saturday.

Bellinger, a .209 hitter with five homers and 12 RBI, looked competent in the field, making five routine putouts.

Williams' average has fallen from .325 to .309 during his slump, but he leads the Yankees with 27 homers and 107 RBI. Torre said he thought Williams might be tired and considered giving him a day off anyway.

Williams, who felt the injury during a swing in batting practice, wouldn't blame his health on his recent slump.

"I felt pretty good physically," he said. "If anything, I was trying to do too much and swing too hard."

Williams has been healthy the past two seasons after going on the disabled list five times during his first eight years in the majors. He missed four weeks with a rib-cage injury in 1993, but he doesn't think this one is as serious.

"I really felt that one," he said. "It took a month or a month-and-a-half to heal. I don't think this is as bad."