Former outfielder Kidd throws first pitch in Bronx

NEW YORK -- Hours before throwing the first pitch prior to the nightcap of Wednesday's twin bill between the Yankees and Dodgers, Jason Kidd reminisced about what made him confident the throw would be a success.

In high school, Kidd was a highly regarded baseball player and even worked out with the team at California when he first arrived in Berkeley, Calif.

"That was part of my recruiting to go to Cal," Kidd said. "They knew I loved to play baseball. I don't know if I was good enough to make the team, but I worked out with the guys, and it was a lot of fun."

Sporting a Yankees cap and chatting with manager Joe Girardi and lefties Andy Pettitte and CC Sabathia, Kidd -- the new coach of the Brooklyn Nets and one of the greatest point guards in NBA history -- fired a strike.

Kidd threw out a ceremonial first pitch at the original Yankee Stadium when he first joined the New Jersey Nets as a player. The former high school outfielder doesn't remember if he threw a strike back then, but he felt confident heading into Wednesday.

"I feel like I can throw a strike today," Kidd said before his pitch.

He planned to aim high, "but hopefully not too high," Kidd said.

Asked how he would react to sailing the pitch, Kidd said: "I'll just pretend I was throwing to [7-foot Nets center Brook] Lopez."