ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — According to Alex Rodriguez and Kevin Long, the surgically repaired right knee and the sprained left thumb of the Yankees third baseman are good.
Rodriguez’s timing?
That’s not quite there yet and the reason he is hitting .200 (6-for-30) with a homer and six RBIs in the past eight games. Rodriguez went 1-for-4 in last night’s 5-2 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field.
“I never get into results,” said Rodriguez, who missed six games from Sept. 10 to Sept. 16 when the thumb flared up. “It’s more about balance and plate discipline. I feel I am right on schedule.”
Long, the Yankees hitting coach, doesn’t see Rodriguez favoring the knee or the thumb.
“His timing is off,” Long said. “We are working with his leg kick and getting better pitches to hit. As long as he is healthy he can help us at the next level.”
Rodriguez said the plan originally was for him not to play last night against Rays starter James Shields, but after facing Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader, Rodriguez felt it was important to work on his timing against a conventional hurler.
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Joe Girardi used Phil Hughes for 1 2/3 innings of relief last night and plans to pitch him tomorrow night — possibly as a starter for a couple of frames.
Hughes, who hadn’t worked since Sept. 12 because of a back problem, is being evaluated to see if he can help in the bullpen for the upcoming ALDS.
“Coming off the Seattle start and pitching well I had a chance for the playoffs but the back issue sealed the fate,” Hughes said. “I will try and help the team out of the bullpen. Physically, I am fine. If called on I will be ready to go.”
Girardi, who didn’t hand Hughes a guaranteed spot in the bullpen, said the right-hander can be used for one inning or multiple frames.
“He was OK, he hasn’t pitched in a long time,” Girardi said of Hughes, who gave up a hit and two walks. “His location wasn’t good and he made borderline pitches he didn’t get.”
“The back was a non-issue. I wasn’t locating perfectly but I felt pretty good. We have a pretty good bullpen, but whatever I can do to help, that’s all I’m looking to do. Whatever they need,” Hughes said.
Since Hughes missed almost three months with a shoulder problem that robbed him of velocity from the start of spring training, Hughes said how he trains in the off-season might change.
“I have discussed that and I will talk more with Larry (Rothschild) and the training staff,” Hughes said.
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MLB recognized Mariano Rivera as the AL Player of the Week for his record-setting 602nd save on Sept. 19. Rivera broke Trevor Hoffman‘s all-time record of 601 against the Twins.
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Before throwing and working on catching drills, Francisco Cervelli said he felt fine. After the workout concussion symptoms returned, it appears he won’t be healthy enough to be included on the ALDS roster.
“Some of the symptoms came back,” Girardi said. “He will come back to New York with us and we will try and get him healthy.”
The door is open for Austin Romine to be the backup catcher because Jesus Montero is being considered the DH against lefties.
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Russell Martin was ejected by plate umpire Paul Schrieber in the fifth inning after Hughes believed the ump missed a couple of pitches.
“I said to (the umpire), ‘Did you stretch before the game?’ He said ‘What?’ I asked him again. Then I said, ‘I believe you are kind of tight right now.’ And he threw me out of the game.
“He wanted to hear what I was going to say because why else would he take off his mask and walk around me. I kept my mask on my face, nobody knew what was going on. I thought this was a game it should be fun. I was just trying to loosen things up a bit because he wasn’t having a good time. I didn’t say he sucked, I didn’t say he was the worst umpire in the league, I didn’t say any of that stuff. I just made a joke and he threw me out. No warning. Nothing.
“He said my antics were tired. Me walking to the mound kind of slowly. But it’s frustrating when you are not getting calls. I got thrown out for being funny, I guess. I got thrown out for having a sense of humor. I had Joe [Girardi] laughing. I can’t wait to see the report he is going to write. I felt it was the perfect time to do it. I was just trying to lighten up the mood. It just popped up in my head. I think he took it the wrong way. I just thought of it on the way back from seeing Phil. Phil was getting frustrated. a My standup days are over, shortlived. We can’t talk anymore. I was shocked I got thrown out. I was just trying to get him to laugh.”
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Asked about playing the Tigers or the Rangers, Girardi said, “I don’t choose the opponent and that’s all you are going to get from me.”
Girardi is waiting to see who the opponent is before naming a Game 3 starter behind CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova.
— Additional reporting by Kevin Kernan