NEW YORK -- Orlando Hernandez apologized to the New York Yankees for accusing unidentified coaches on the team of questioning his elbow injury.

	Hernandez

Manager Joe Torre, speaking before Hernandez came off the disabled list to start against Seattle, said Sunday the dispute has been put to rest.

"It was unfortunate, but it's by and gone," he said. "It's more important to win games."

Hernandez had been out since July 14 with discomfort in his right elbow and minor back spasms. He made his remarks about the coaches on Friday.

"I was hurt," Hernandez said. "Not all, but some coaches mentioned behind people's backs that maybe I wasn't as hurt as much as I thought. ... It bothers me that they didn't have it in them to come to my face and say it to me. It bothers me because I don't play around with my work."

After meeting with Torre and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre, Hernandez apologized a day later.

"I committed a big mistake. The biggest mistake I committed was taking an internal matter out to the press and I apologized to all the coaches," he said. "I feel bad for making them feel bad."

Torre agreed with his pitcher that these problems are better discussed internally.

"If someone has a problem, I want them to come to me and talk about it," Torre said. "It's healthier that way."

But the manager acknowledged the issue could linger.

"There will always be that little thing out there, that element of question," Torre said. "Sometimes we magnify things. But as far as I'm concerned, he's had so much support from everybody here."

The Yankees sent reliever Randy Choate back to Triple-A Columbus to make room for Hernandez. Choate had a 1.50 ERA in 10 games as a left-handed specialist for New York, but wasn't needed when lefty Allen Watson came off the disabled list Friday.