WASHINGTON -- President Bush was to throw out the first pitch in Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night, trying to project an air of normalcy even as the government warned of possible new terrorist attacks.

"It helps to keep the fabric of our country strong," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.

In his third visit to New York City since the Sept. 11 attacks, Bush was indulging his passion for baseball and "helping to do what all Americans are doing now, which is keeping the country doing what it typically does at this time of year," Fleischer said.

"The World Series is a time of great excitement for many Americans," he said. "The president is going to participate in that, just like many Americans, and watch and enjoy the World Series."

The game was crucial for the defending champion New York Yankees, who lost the first two games of the best-of-seven series to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The president and first lady Laura Bush were scheduled to attend the World Series a day after the FBI issued another nationwide terrorist alert, warning of possible new attacks. Vice President Dick Cheney was taken to an undisclosed secure location Monday night and remained there Tuesday to safeguard continuity of government should anything happen to Bush.

Yankee Stadium was opening more than three hours before game time to allow heightened security checks. New York assigned 1,200 police officers to the game.

Bush threw out first pitches at the Milwaukee Brewers' home opener in April, the College World Series in June and the Little League World Series in August.

He is a former managing partner of the Texas Rangers, who finished last in the American League West for a second consecutive year.

Mrs. Bush hedged when asked whether she and her husband would root for the three-time defending champion Yankees.

"You can't imagine how many times the Yankees broke our hearts" by beating the Rangers, she said on "Live With Regis And Kelly."

Yankees cooking up deal for Sheff?
The Yankees are expected to be in the market for at least one outfielder when the World Series concludes.

According to the Newark Star-Ledger, they have already had internal discussions about trading for Gary Sheffield, who was in a bitter contract dispute with the Los Angeles Dodgers last spring.

Fellow Tampa-area resident George Steinbrenner reportedly spoke highly of Sheffield when the team was discussing a trade for him in spring training.

The Yankees are not among the teams that Sheffield would nix a trade to, according to his no-trade clause.

The newspaper did not cite any sources, but quoted a person close to Sheffield as saying: "Gary would not ask for anything extra if he got to play for the Yankees. He really wants to play for the Yankees."

D-Backs make solemn visit to ground zero
Randy Johnson couldn't find the words to describe what he and 20 other Arizona Diamondbacks saw at ground zero.

The National League champions returned from a visit to the World Trade Center site, carrying FDNY hats and holding the experience close to their hearts.

"I just wanted to talk to a lot of people," Johnson said before Monday's workout at Yankee Stadium. "I told them how we appreciated what they were doing."

The Diamondbacks visited a firehouse, where they stood on the roof to get a view of the devastation, and spoke to rescue workers at the ground zero command center.

"A lot of us weren't prepared to see what we did," outfielder Luis Gonzalez said. "We are in Arizona and we see it on TV. We see all of the different stuff going on with the workers and stuff, but to actually go out there and walk on the site, it's mind boggling."

Mark Grace was amazed at the effort by all those they met.

"More than anything it was uplifting, among the scene and smell, just seeing how much they've sacrificed," he said.

He also said a lot of the rescue workers were Yankees fans.

"They were all giving Randy a rashing," Grace said. "They were great, Randy was great."

Craig Counsell, who said the experience had a deep impact on him, said the team received encouraging words, too: "We ran into a lot of Mets fans today."

With heightened security, fans told to arrive early
Security will be unusually tight for Game 3 on Tuesday night, and Major League Baseball is advising fans to arrive early.

Yankee Stadium will open at 5 p.m. to allow for the heightened security checks.

Attache cases, coolers, backpacks, backpack purses, briefcases, umbrellas, containers and bags have been banned for Yankees games since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Sgt. Lenny Tobie of the NYPD said there are 1,200 police officers assigned to Tuesday's game.

He told his officers to "challenge everyone -- make sure they're where they're supposed to be. Now's not the time to be lax."

For Games 4 and 5, Wednesday and Thursday, the Stadium will open at 6 p.m., the usual time.

Tickets for Games 6, 7 on sale Tuesday
Tickets for Games 6 and 7 will go on sale Tuesday at 9 a.m., the Diamondbacks announced.

If necessary, the teams will return to Bank One Ballpark to finish the series on Saturday, Nov. 3 and Sunday, Nov. 4. Arizona leads the series two-games-to-none.

Soon after the announcement Monday, a line of fans waiting to buy tickets wrapped around the Phoenix ballpark. Tickets also will be sold by phone, on the Internet and at Tucson Electric Park.

Ticket prices range from $60 to $175. A limit of six tickets per person can be purchased.

Hitters hit
With the shift to the American League ballpark brings the designated hitter, and Yankees manager Joe Torre thinks it gives the Diamondbacks an advantage.

"They have a lot of depth. They have a very deep bench, and I think that's one of the necessities if you're going to win," Torre said.

With Roger Clemens, a right-hander, starting for the Yankees in Game 3, Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly will probably choose either Erubiel Durazo or Dave Dellucci, both left-handed hitters.

"We have several guys on our bench that would probably be starting for a lot of ballclubs," Brenly said. "They take great pride in being those secret weapons off the bench or the part-time players that they are."

Durazo, who hit .329 as a rookie in 1999, plays behind veteran first baseman Mark Grace. Durazo hit a pinch-hit, two-run homer in Arizona's clinching Game 5 of the NLCS. He has 13 home runs, including the postseason, six as a pinch hitter.

No stopping Gonzo
Luis Gonzalez's wrist is swollen and sore. That won't keep him out of the World Series, though.

Gonzalez was hit on the left hand when a pitch by Yankees starter Andy Pettitte ran in on the left-handed hitter in the seventh inning of Game 3 on Sunday night. He grimaced in pain but shrugged it off and stayed in the game.

"No matter what it feels like today, tomorrow, just with the adrenaline and the excitement of playing here with the magnitude of this game, it's probably not going to affect me anyway," Gonzalez said before Monday's workout at Yankee Stadium.

Gonzalez, whose wide-open hitting stance -- he nearly faces the pitcher before the pitch is thrown -- might make it difficult to get out of the way of tough inside pitches.

"He was hit very close several times this year, close to the same location, and each time he came out of it with just a bad bruise," Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly said. "If we had to rate it as some of the other bruises: not as bad as some of the others. We are confident he'll be fine tomorrow."

The 34-year-old left fielder, who had 57 home runs and 142 RBI this season and hit a two-run homer off Mike Mussina in Game 1, will not let anything keep him out of the Fall Classic.

"A lot of us have been waiting our whole career to get to this point to play in a World Series," the 11-year veteran said. "With our ballclub, I think it takes a lot more to get some of us out of the lineup."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.