OAKLAND — Derek Jeter took another small step forward yesterday and could be moving closer to resuming significant baseball activities this week.
The Yankees captain fielded grounders directly hit at him at the Yankees minor league complex in Tampa and is slated to visit Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte on Thursday to have his left ankle re-examined. If Anderson, who operated on Jeter after he fractured the ankle against the Tigers in the ALCS last October, says a second fracture that didn’t require surgery has healed, Jeter will begin more strenuous workouts.
Jeter would not immediately jump into full baseball activities but would likely start with fielding ground balls, hitting off a tee and then advancing to batting practice.
Last week Jeter, who will turn 39 this month, surfaced at Yankee Stadium but was limited to playing catch while his teammates took batting practice.
In Seattle, Joe Girardi said that Alex Rodriguez was ahead of Jeter because “Derek hasn’t done any baseball activities.’’
If Anderson says the ankle has healed, that will change.
* Jeter’s replacement Eduardo Nunez, who is out with a strained muscle on his left side, fielded grounders in the outfield and Curtis Granderson, who is rehabbing a broken hand, ran in the outfield and threw, but did not catch.
* Yankees director of amateur scouting Damon Oppenheimer is confident lefty pitcher Ian Clarkin, one of the Yankees first-round draft picks, will sign with the club instead of pitching for the University of San Diego.
“We feel very strongly that we will get it done,’’ Oppenheimer said. “We need to clean up a couple of things and for him to pass a physical.’’ “We took him out of high school, we have been on him a long time,’’ Oppenheimer said. “He runs a 6.4 60 and can hit the ball out of the ballpark. He has a plus arm and a good strong body. He can play center field or in the corners. He gives himself a lot of opportunities.’’
Clarkin graduates James Madison High School this week and the Yankees can’t give him a physical until that is completed.
As for Michael O’Neill, a nephew of Paul O’Neilltaken in the third round (103 pick), Oppenheimer likes the tools of the Michigan center fielder.
Oppenheimer said he took Josh Pettitte in the 37th round just to make sure another club didn’t take him even though Andy’s son’s plans to attend Baylor.
“We think he will be a good pitcher and a good prospect and we are not quite sure that was going to be in two months or three years,’’ Oppenheimer said. “If he had a change of heart and something happens to the coaching staff at Baylor, you never know what could happen,If somebody else had drafted him and all of a sudden he had a change of heart I would have felt sick that it wouldn’t be us to get the opportunity to sign Josh if he made that progress.” Oppenheimer said.
* Watching Jayson Nix play, it is hard to believe he was available to all 30 teams this past winter and he had to take a minor league contract and invite to spring training from the YankeesJason Nix was available to all 30 teams this winter and took a minor league contract and an invite to spring training from the Yankees. Thanks to injuries, Jeter, Nunez, Alex Rodriguez and Kevin Youkilis, he has played in 54 games and started 46.
“To say we expected him to (sign elsewhere), that would be no but we were hoping he didn’t’’ GM Brian Cashman said of the versatile infielder Nix, who is batting .256.