TAMPA — How many times have you heard a player say winning a World Series ring is the only reason he plays baseball?
Then, more often than you would think, the ring is stored in a safety deposit box and the diamonds rarely get a chance to shine in the light.
But when Alex Rodriguez gets his 2009 World Series ring, he plans on wearing it. After all, he waited 15 years to get sized.
“I am going to wear it,” Rodriguez said with a big smile yesterday before launching a monster homer over the left-field scoreboard during a 6-2 win over the Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field. “I can’t wait to get it.”
The Yankees are hoping the rings are ready to be given out on April 13 at their home opener against the Angels.
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Sergio Mitre and Chad Gaudin, who are now battling for the last spot on the Yankees’ pitching staff instead of the fifth starter’s position, were slated to pitch against the Rays last night in Port Charlotte, Fla., in the nightcap of a split-squad doubleheader. Neither has a guaranteed contract and one could be dealt before Opening Day.
Damaso Marte, who took a Ryan Howard liner off his back on Wednesday, plans to pitch tomorrow.
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When the Yankees inked Marcus Thames to a minor league contract, they believed his ability to hit lefties would enable him to make the club and play left field against southpaws. Nothing has changed, even if Thames is batting .120 (3-for-25) and leading the team with nine strikeouts.
“He has had good at-bats,” manager Joe Girardi said “I don’t get caught up in the numbers. It’s a small sample.”
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Though Thames likely will make the club no matter how low his average dips, Jon Weber has no shot at sticking. Signed to a minor league contract after hitting .302 with 14 homers and 69 RBIs last year for Triple-A Durham in the Rays’ system, the well-traveled, left-handed-hitting outfielder is sizzling with a .588 (10-for-17) average. Even the 32-year-old’s outs have been loud.
“He has been swinging the bat extremely well,” said Girardi, who admitted there is no room for Weber, who has never tasted the big leagues in 11 professional seasons and spent parts of four years playing in independent leagues. “He has been through everything, being released and independent ball. He is having a great spring for us.”
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Major League Baseball is on the Yankees’ case again for the length of their games. MLB called the Yankees, who played the longest nine-inning games on average last season (3:08, according to STATS LLC), Red Sox and Dodgers to tell them to speed up.
“We have hitters that see a lot of pitches, that’s going to be a part of it,” Girardi said. “We do whatever we can. We tell the players what to do, but if you’re going to score runs and see lots of pitches and there’s pitching changes, the game’s going to be longer.”