Yankees utilityman Russo is living the dream

Every so often, Kevin Russo allows himself to marvel at the fulfillment of his childhood dream. But only for a brief moment.

"It's hard to say 'I did it' because I'm trying to stay here," the utilityman said Saturday before the Yankees' 13-11 loss to Cleveland. "There are times when I say, 'This is what I've been working for my whole life.' But I still know I have to do more to stay here."

For as long as Russo can remember, he's dreamed of being a Yankee. By the time he left West Babylon for Colorado at the age of 3, pinstripe pride already had been ingrained in him.

"It's like a dream come true," said the 25-year-old, who made his major-league debut May 8 and recorded his first career start, first hit and first RBI on May 21, going 2-for-3 with what proved to be a game-winning two-run double in a 2-1 victory over the Mets.

"I know there are baby pictures of me in Yankee stuff,'' he said. "My dad was a real hardcore Yankee fan, so he'd dress me in Yankees clothes all the time."

At any moment, though, Russo knows his fairy tale can end. It almost did Friday, when the Yankees were forced to make a roster move to make room for centerfielder Curtis Granderson, who returned from a groin injury after missing 24 games.

"I figured it would have been me," Russo said.

But it wasn't. Instead, the team kept the promising youngster and designated veteran outfielder Randy Winn for assignment.

"He's played well," manager Joe Girardi said of Russo, who is batting .250 with six hits and four RBIs through 12 games. "And he gives us a ton of versatility. So when we looked at that, we thought it made sense to keep Roos. You like to have depth in your organization, you have experience in a guy like Randy Winn, but at this time, we thought it was the right move for our club."

Russo, a star running back for Fairview High School in Boulder, Colo., where he rushed for 2,416 yards as a senior and led his team to a state title, played third base and shortstop for Baylor, which reached the College World Series in 2005. He batted .287 (37-for-129) with 20 runs and 12 RBIs in 33 games for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

But despite his infield experience, the Yankees have primarily utilized him in leftfield - a position that he'll have to share with Brett Gardner now that Granderson is back.

Russo, who went 1-for-4 yesterday, remains even-keeled and unaffected by his uncertain future with the Yankees.

"That's his personality: really quiet, calm all the time. I don't know how he does it," said former Yankee and current Indian Shelley Duncan, who played with Russo in Triple-A last year. "He's a real professional. They're lucky to have him over there. He's a great baseball player, in every aspect of the game."

"Everybody is more worried than we are," Russo's mother, Colleen, said Saturday from her sister's home in West Islip. "Don't get me wrong; I was very excited when I found out he was staying with the Yankees. But after going through what we've gone through, we all take things day by day."

Russo's father, Steve, died three years ago after a three-year battle with lung and brain cancer. He lived to see his son get drafted in the 20th round by his beloved Yankees in 2006, but not long enough to see Russo reach the majors.

"It's definitely one of those bittersweet moments," said Russo's brother Ryan, 28, who came from Colorado to witness Russo's breakout performance at Citi Field. "The one guy who taught us how to be Yankees fans, the guys who instilled that work ethic in us, isn't here. But he always knew Kevin would have a shot of getting this."

Armed with a strong support system, Russo said he plans to enjoy the ride for as long as it lasts. And as long as he's in New York, family and friends will continue to flood his cell phone with encouraging calls and text messages.

"The nice thing is, from Long Island to New Jersey to Connecticut, relatives and friends have been calling us nonstop," his mother said. "This is a good time in our lives."

Said Russo: "To be in the big leagues is a big enough feat, but for me to love the Yankees my whole life and end up playing here is very cool."