Pudge Working Hard to Adjust to the Yanks Staff

From The Daily News:

Darrell Rasner was surprised Thursday, during all the commotion following the Yankees' latest trade, to see Ivan Rodriguez trotting out to the bullpen. The veteran catcher put aside his pregame preparations to catch Rasner's bullpen session.

"He showed up, he threw on some gear and he took the time to come out and catch my bullpen," Rasner said. "That was a classy move, especially by an 18-year veteran."

It was a first step in what will be a week-long crash course for the Yankees pitchers and Pudge as they try to adjust to a new batterymate. Three of the four Yankee starters that Rodriguez will catch said they never had gone through a midseason change to an unfamiliar catcher.

Rodriguez has never been considered great at managing a pitching staff, so it was a welcome surprise to see him jump right in and try and familiarize himself with the four starters he will catch (Mike Mussina will continue to throw to Jose Molina). He will have to figure out what each pitcher's strengths are, what pitch they can use in different situations, where they like him to set up for different pitches and the rhythm and tempo in which each pitcher likes to work.

"He's been great, he was working with me and kept saying, 'I am with you, I am there with you,'" Pettitte said of working with Rodriguez in the 12-6 loss to the Angels Thursday night. "He's come in and is trying to familiarize himself. It's just going to take time and experience."

I-Rod got a crash course on Pettitte, Rasner, Joba Chamberlain and Sidney Ponson with pitching coach Dave Eiland Thursday and the sessions will continue one time through the starting rotation.

It's good to see how hard Rodriguez is working. That was one of my concerns when they traded for him, that he wouldn't be able to handle the pitchers well. It's not definite that he will, but like I said, it's good to see he's trying.

I'm just surprised it's his hitting that has me concerned.