DETROIT – When Derek Jeter homered to right in the first off Jeremy Bonderman, it stopped a streak of 128 at-bats without a homer, which was the longest of his career to start a season.
As usual, Jeter took his teammates’ ribbing in the dugout in stride, but threw down a warning following the 5-2 victory.
“I am back in the home-run race,” Jeter said. “I don’t hit a lot of homers, but it’s good to get at least one. A zero doesn’t look too good. There is nobody on this team in double digits, so they can’t get on me too much.”
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The news continues to be good concerning Alex Rodriguez‘s right-quad problem.
Working out in Tampa yesterday, Rodriguez fielded ground balls, took batting practice and ran in the outfield. He is slated for a second MRI on the leg tomorrow morning.
In the best-case scenario, Rodriguez could return from the DL Friday night when the Yankees host the Mets in the first of three Subway Series games.
The 19-19 Yankees are 5-6 without their cleanup hitter.
“So far, so good,” said Rodriguez, who is eligible to come off the DL Thursday.
“I don’t want to speculate,” Rodriguez said when asked about a return date.
If the MRI doesn’t reveal a problem, Rodriguez could start playing in extended spring training games Tuesday.
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Catcher Jorge Posada took batting practice for the second time since going on the DL April 28 with right rotator cuff tendinitis. He is slated to begin a light throwing program tomorrow.
“It’s coming around good,” Posada said.
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Jason Giambi on running through third-base coach Bobby Meacham’s stop sign and being an easy out in the fifth inning.
“I put my head down to see the bag, and when the Big G gets going, you can’t slow him down,” Giambi said. “There are no brakes.”
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For the third straight year, the Yankees are focusing on selecting a college right-hander with their first-round pick in the June draft.
The club, which picks 28th, recently sent a member of their psychological profiling department to Nashville to meet with Vanderbilt’s Brett Jacobson, a 6-foot-6, 205-pound junior for 90 minutes.
Jacobson, who has hit 98 mph on the radar gun, has expe rience start ing and clos ing. He is 1-3 with a 5.91 ERA in 16 games (four starts). In 35 in nings he has al lowed 37 hits, fanned 32 and walked 16. He has four saves.
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The Yankees took Ian Kennedy with their first pick in 2006 and Andrew Brackman first last year. Kennedy reached the big leagues last year and Brackman is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery in Tampa.
Jonathan Albaladejo was diagnosed with a sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament and a strain of the posterior capsule in the right elbow yesterday and placed on the DL. Chris Britton replaced Albaladejo, who won’t need surgery.
Wilson Betemit suffered a strained right hamstring jogging out a double in the fourth and landed on the DL for the second time this season. His spot was taken by Alberto Gonzalez.
Betemit was on the DL from April 14 to May 6 with corneal conjunctivitis.