TAMPA — The most talked about ankle in the Yankees’ universe is fine. The same can’t be said about other body parts belonging to Derek Jeter.
“The leg feels fine, everything else is a little rough,’’ Jeter said following yesterday’s first full-squad workout at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Asked what he meant by rough, it sounded as if the rest of Jeter’s 38-year-old body is barking.
“Everything, where do you want to start?’’ Jeter asked. “My neck, my shoulder, my back, my calf. I am talking about getting in shape.’’
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Rehabbing from October left ankle surgery didn’t allow Jeter to work out as much as other players during the offseason. He admitted to being two weeks behind.
Yesterday, Jeter took ground balls on the infield dirt, turned double plays and hit on the field for the first time. He didn’t stretch with the club or run outside. Instead he went through a stretching program tailored for his needs inside and ran on a treadmill. And he didn’t run the bases after the first round of batting practice in which he lined the initial pitch from Tony Pena to right field.
During batting practice Jeter didn’t wear a protective shin guard on the ankle but vowed he will continue to do so in games.
Jeter doesn’t know when he will be allowed to run outside and stretch with the team. But he needs no prodding that he will be available April 1 when the Yankees open the season against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.
“In my mind I don’t have to convince myself that I will be ready,’’ Jeter said. “I have already convinced myself. What I am doing now I would be doing in workouts, but I am a couple of weeks behind.’’
Earlier in the day Jeter said a stress fracture in the left foot wasn’t discovered until he was examined when he broke the ankle in Game 1 of the ALCS last October. Until the break, tests only revealed a bone bruise, which he was treated for.
Talking Sunday, Jeter said the injury was a bone bruise, then a stress fracture and then a break and some interpreted that as Jeter and the Yankees knew he had a stress fracture and continued to play. However, that wasn’t the case according to manager Joe Girardi, general manager Brian Cashman and Jeter.