NEW YORK -- Andy Pettitte made it through his latest rehabilitation start with no difficulty and is set to rejoin the New York Yankees.

	Pettitte

''I think I'm ready,'' Pettitte said Saturday, one day after his outing for Double-A Norwich. ''My command has been good and I was able to get my pitch count up. Is my arm in midseason form yet? Obviously not. But I think it's time to get going.''

Pettitte has missed the past seven weeks with tendinitis in his left elbow. He made his fourth rehab start Friday, allowing one run and two hits in 6 1-3 innings. He threw 82 pitches.

''I threw everything,'' he said. ''My velocity last night was the same in the seventh inning as it was in the first. For me that's a good sign because when you get fatigued you need to hold your velocity. I was letting it go and threw some hard cutters.''

Pettitte has experienced elbow problems since his first spring training start March 3. He went 1-1 with a 3.09 ERA in three regular season starts, the last on April 15.

Manager Joe Torre decided to slot Pettitte into the rotation on Friday night at Shea Stadium against the Mets. Roger Clemens, who was going to pitch that game, will go Saturday instead.

It will be Clemens' first outing at Shea Stadium since beaning Mike Piazza with a pitch in July 2000, then throwing part of a shattered bat in Piazza's direction in the 2000 World Series.

The news isn't as good for another injured Yankees' starter. Orlando Hernandez complained of more soreness in his upper back after a throwing session Thursday in Tampa, Fla.

''The good news is the tests show nothing that will be a long-term problem,'' Torre said. ''We just need to get the soreness out.''