Alex Rodriguez wants to get back in the Yankees lineup ahead of the May 15 schedule laid out for him. If Friday was anything to judge by, that's going to be a tall order.Rodriguez continued on his road back from March 9 hip surgery by playing in an extended spring training game between Yankees and Pirates farmhands here at Pittsburgh's minor league complex. He took seven at-bats, did not play the field and barely ran the bases. That meant no full-speed running, no hard turns and no sliding - all things A-Rod says he must do before he returns.
"I felt good," he said after hitting a single in his final at-bat to finish 1-for-6 with a walk. "I'm looking forward to playing on the field."
To make it back for the Baltimore series that begins Friday, he has only a few days to do a lot. Joe Girardi said that Rodriguez could play a few innings in the field today "if he feels up to it" during an extended spring training game.
The next series begins May 12 in Toronto and the club would have to weigh the pros and cons of playing him on an artificial surface.
"I'm not going to give a date because I don't want to put any pressure on him," Girardi said. "I've stuck to that, but I've also said recently it's possible we're going to get him sooner than May 15."
Girardi agrees that A-Rod is going to have to prove himself running the bases, but added, "Let's not rush him. He'll let us know when he's ready." On Thursday, Rodriguez sounded apprehensive about sliding.
For now I have no problems with seeing the Yanks start Ramiro Pena every day for the next two or three weeks and then bring back a fully-healed A-Rod. Pena is showing a lot more at the plate than anyone ever expected and his glove has been as good as advertised (besides that one ball he should have caught yesterday).
7 Comments:
i agree greg, but do you think you'd be this patient if pena wasnt batting .333? i know we need arod back 100% (first bc we need production and secondly bc we dont need him going back on the DL with a season ending injury) but the fact that pena's been that good (especially over the last 3 games), definitely doesnt hurt
Pena's the man
I think I would. You don't want to rush a player like A-Rod back too soon. Pena's hitting is just an added bonus.
But as I said they do need him back and I wish he were coming back sooner, but I'd rather him come back on May 15th fully healed then tomorrow at 60%.
I was hoping he would play next weekend when I'm in Baltimore for a game. Not looking likely.
Breaking News: Selena Roberts has pushed her book back another week.
Just Kidding, lol.
Hahahaha
It wouldn't surprise me if that was true.
lol if A-Rod is not running the bases, taking hard turns and sliding or playing the field how do people expect him to be back by next week.
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