TAMPA, Fla. — Johnny Damon's injured left shoulder is still too sore for baseball activities and the New York Yankees left fielder is hoping to start hitting off a tee on Monday.

"It depends if the swelling goes down," Damon said today. "If it feels good, I'll start hurrying up."

Damon sprained and bruised his shoulder when he crashed into the left-field fence trying for a leaping catch against Boston last Friday. He is continuing to get treatment and has seen gradual improvement.

"It's just slow," Damon said at the Yankees' minor league complex. "Wake up every morning and it's swollen."

Damon is on the disabled list for the first time in his major league career after 13› seasons and 1,927 regular-season games.

"I've had a hurt shoulder before," Damon said. "When I threw that ball (after hitting the wall) I knew there was something wrong. I'm not sure if it came out — because when I did the X-rays it was all intact — for a second and came back."

Damon is hitting .319 this season.

Outfielder-designated hitter Hideki Matsui, sidelined by a sore left knee, hit off a tee and took part in a soft toss session at the Yankees' complex Thursday.

Pitcher Phil Hughes, placed on the DL with a broken rib on April 30, is scheduled to throw off a mound for the first time Saturday. The Yankees are hopeful Hughes will return in September.