MLB

Teixeira, Soriano ‘feel good’ in debuts; Jeter snaps slump

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Mark Teixeira and Alfonso Soriano made their exhibition-season debuts Thursday at Bright House Field. And while they combined to go hitless in six at-bats the first baseman and DH weren’t discouraged.

“It was a real good first step,’’ Teixeira said following the 4-3 victory over the Phillies in which he went 0-for-3. “My wrist feels good which is big for me. I am happy [but] I still haven’t had a swing and a miss.’’

Soriano, who was leveled by a terrible flu, looked rusty and whiffed in all three at-bats.

“I felt good, but I have to work on my timing and swinging at strikes,’’ Soriano said.

A power outage denied Brett Webber, who was watching the game on a television, from responding to manager Joe Girardi when he asked if Lou Marson was out or safe at first base in the seventh inning.

Girardi said to Webber, “Safe or out.’’ Webber informed the manager he didn’t see the play because the power in the clubhouse went out.

Girardi also had a discussion with plate umpire Mark Wegner on the angle Marson used to block the plate.

“He moved toward the third-base side instead of behind it,’’ said Girardi, who has a meeting scheduled with Joe Torre on what is allowed and not allowed by catchers and runners at the plate.

Girardi had no beef with the game’s start being delayed for 90 minutes because of a hard rain. Before the scheduled 1:05 first pitch Pinellas County was given a tornado warning.

“If it had been four or five hours they would have banged it,’’ said Girardi, who received the tornado warning via his Bluetooth while driving. “It’s better for us to have played it. I didn’t mind waiting.’’

Believing the outfield was going to be slippery, Girardi removed right fielder Carlos Beltran from the lineup to make sure he avoided an injury.

“Just because of the weather,’’ Girardi said. “I asked [Brett Gardner] and he said [the outfield] was good so maybe I didn’t need to [remove Beltran],’’ Girardi said.

Derek Jeter entered the game 0-for-9 and grounded out in the first. But he singled in the third and doubled to left-center in the fifth.

“He had good at-bats today,’’ Girardi said. “He hasn’t played a lot in the last year.’’

Joba Chamberlain likely will face his former team Friday at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Chamberlain was on the list which was posted in Lakeland Thursday.