BALTIMORE — Forget mid-May. Alex Rodriguez is showing signs he is going to return to the Yankees well before that.
Hitting coach Kevin Long, who speaks daily with A-Rod, told The Post that Rodriguez has begun to hit and reported that he “feels 70 percent.” Long wasn’t sure if Rodriguez was hitting off a batting tee or doing flip drills.
Rodriguez, the Yankees’ cleanup hitter, underwent arthroscopic surgery on the right hip March 9.
A Yankees official told The Post he thought the rehab was going so well, in fact, that if the organization wanted, it could have Rodriguez back on a major league field by late April.
Rodriguez remains in Colorado rehabbing the hip. The plan is for him to head to the Yankees’ minor league complex in Tampa within the next 10 days to further step up his recovery program.
“He texted me (yesterday), asking about the new ballpark,” fill-in third baseman Cody Ransom said. “He is very anxious to get back.”
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Joba Chamberlain, who could work the home opener on April 16 if the Yankees get rained out today against the Orioles, completed his spring training program yesterday in Tampa.
Pitching for Double-A Trenton against Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Chamberlain allowed two runs and two hits in 5 1/3 innings. After giving up two walks and a hit to start the game, Chamberlain retired 16 straight.
“It took me just a little bit to get going,” Chamberlain told the Associated Press. “I wanted to work on fastball command and my changeup, and I think I did a great job with those two. I think it was one of my most productive days as far as consistency.”
If rain doesn’t mess with the Yankees’ pitching plans, Chamberlain is slated to debut Sunday in Kansas City.
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A message yesterday outside the Old Otterbein United Methodist Church near Camden Yards was interesting: “May God Bless Us All — Even The Yankees.”
Maryland native Mark Teixeira grew up frequenting Memorial Stadium and Camden Yards, but knows starting today he is going to hear Orioles fans get on him.
“I had some really good buddies say nasty things when I signed with the Yankees,” Teixeira said. “I am going to get them tickets and they are going to boo me.”
Teixeira is ready to hear it throughout the league.
“I hope I get booed,” he said. “That means we are doing good. I hope I get booed the next 15 to 20 years.”