Of all the unusual sights that figure to be in The Bronx today, the possibility of Jayson Nix at third base in pinstripes may be the strangest of all.
But with Alex Rodriguez sidelined indefinitely and southpaw Jon Lester starting for the Red Sox, Nix could get the start at third, while Kevin Youkilis shifts to first in place of lefty-hitting Lyle Overbay.
“I’ve heard that might happen and it’s a hard thing to put into words,” Nix said. “But you can’t let it affect the way you prepare.”
Nix would be part of a very new-look infield, with Eduardo Nunez filling in for Derek Jeter at short, meaning only Robinson Cano is set to start the year at his normal position.
Even Nix is stunned by the potential lineup that may feature him and his $900,000 salary as opposed to Rodriguez and his $28 million pact.
“Of course it’s something that you have to deal with and it’s on the front of my mind,” said Nix, owner of 34 career homers compared to Rodriguez’s 647.
“It definitely is different with all the injuries, but we’ve known Alex wasn’t going to be there for a while, so it’s not something that’s just been thrown at us.”
And he insists he’s not going to be overwhelmed by the challenge of taking the spot typically reserved for Rodriguez.
“I can’t go out there and try to be something I’m not,” Nix said. “I’ve filled in for guys before and just because it’s Opening Day doesn’t mean you start doing anything differently.”
Nix’s history against Lester will likely help, since he’s 7-for-21 with three homers against the Red Sox ace.
“I’ve gotten myself as ready as I can for this situation, regardless of who was on the mound for them or who’s healthy for us,” Nix said, “because you never know how things are going to shake out. I guess this is a pretty good example.”