TAMPA — Even in the middle of March there are times when you are reminded how much muscle the Yankees can flex.
Yesterday at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the world champions watched CC Sabathia, Alex Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera turn in midseason performances on the way to a 6-2 win over the Tigers.
Sabathia worked a spring-high 5 1/3 innings, allowed two runs and four hits, walked two and fanned eight. Rodriguez, who started the game hitting .211 for the spring, sent his first homer over the colossal scoreboard beyond the left-field fence in the third inning off Rick Porcello. In his second Grapefruit League outing, Rivera needed 10 pitches to hurl a perfect seventh and ended it by shattering a bat.
“I felt a lot better, the off-speed stuff was good, the changeup was good and the fastball command was good,” said Sabathia, who has corrected an early spring problem of his back leg collapsing during his delivery, which robbed him of velocity and location. “The last two times out it has been better than it was before.”
Manager Joe Girardi said he was awed by Rodriguez’s homer, but watching his Opening Day starter work as effectively as he did pleased him a tad more.
“I liked what CC did,” Girardi said before jumping into a car for the ride to Port Charlotte, Fla., where another squad of Yankees faced the Rays last night in the nightcap of a day-night, split-squad affair. “The last two starts he has been extremely efficient. He had command all day [yesterday] and an outstanding changeup. That’s pretty much what CC is.”
Rodriguez’s biggest splash this spring involved his relationship with Dr. Anthony Galea, a Canadian under investigation for HGH trafficking. Galea said he treated Rodriguez with anti-inflammatory drugs last year when the cleanup hitter was recovering from right hip surgery.
Because of the surgery, Rodriguez has cut in half the number of swings he normally takes in a spring training day. The ball he crushed off Porcello was the product of one of his best hacks so far.
“That one felt really good because it wasn’t an everyday home run,” said Rodriguez, whose 583 career homers put him eighth on the all-time list. He will pass Frank Robinson (586) and Sammy Sosa (609) this year. “I knew it was over the first fence.”
Rodriguez does not pay attention to the numbers in spring training.
“My emphasis the first part of spring training is to make sure I get all my work in,” Rodriguez said. “As you get closer to Opening Day, you want to hone in on your swing. I had a good session with [hitting coach] Kevin Long and we are on schedule.”
After missing spring training a year ago because of the hip labrum surgery that kept him out until May 8, Rodriguez said he knows the opener on April 4 against the Red Sox at Fenway Park is looming.
“It’s getting close, we are a few weeks away now,” Rodriguez said. “It’s time to get sharp.”
Girardi said is looking forward to pairing Mark Teixeira with Rodriguez in the third and fourth holes of the batting order for a full season.
“They were pretty good from May on, it makes the lineup more complete,” Girardi said.
Watching the ball get small and then vanish behind the scoreboard gave Girardi the feeling that his best hitter is rounding into shape.
“Alex’s ball was pretty impressive,” Girardi said. “The last 10 days you like to see guys make solid contact. He is pretty close.”
Rivera, despite the solid outing, still needs to develop more arm strength before camp breaks. A few of his fastballs were clocked at 86 mph and he topped out at 91.
“Everything is good, I will pitch [tomorrow],” Rivera said.