Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira hit .111 and .167, respectively, in the ALDS but, as expected, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he still believes in his two highest-paid hitters who reside in the middle of the batting order.
“Tex had [39 homers 111 RBIs] and Alex didn’t play basically for nine weeks,” Girardi said, defending their regular seasons that included a career-low .248 average for Teixeira and just 99 games played by Rodriguez due to knee surgery and a sprained left thumb. “If [Rodriguez] played those nine or 10 weeks, does he have 30 and 100? Probably.”
Rodriguez, 35, batted .276 with 16 homers and 62 RBIs. With six years and $143 million remaining on the contract he is untradeable, even if he waived his no-trade clause. So, his health is a major concern to the Yankees.
“We need to keep him healthy, first and foremost, and then you see what you have,” said Girardi, who stills views Rodriguez as an everyday third baseman who might get a few games at DH. “But players have to make adjustments and I am sure our players will make adjustments to get their numbers back to what they are used to having.”
Girardi said h is convinced the right knee surgery and left thumb problem are the reasons for Rodriguez’s decline and that we didn’t witness the beginning of the end.
“I think when you look at Alex and he plays 140 to 150 games I think he will be much more productive than he was this year,” the manager said. “His meniscus thing was kind of a freak thing and not something you think is chronic. If it’s a ligament that is stretched then you worry about it. But he is older and, as a manager, I have to manage his playing time and his days off.”
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In early August, CC Sabathia admitted to The Post that he had gained “about 10 pounds” back from the 25 he lost in the offseason in an attempt to take the grind off his surgically repaired right knee. By September, many believed Sabathia had gained more than just 10 pounds.
“He gained a few pounds but I don’t think it affected him,” Girardi said. “CC works very hard. He pitched lighter this year than last year.”
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Girardi didn’t repeat club president Randy Levine’s description of the season being a failure because the Yankees didn’t win the World Series. But he described a similar feeling.
“We all know what the goal is here,” said Girardi, who has won one World Series, been eliminated in the ALCS and ALDS in consecutive seasons and failed to make the postseason in his initial season (2008) as manager. “We expect to win the World Series and if you don’t reach that you didn’t do your job. You didn’t come through.”
Girardi said he hasn’t talked to Hal Steinbrenner since before the season-ending Game 5 loss to the Tigers in the ALDS.
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Asked about the future of his coaches, Girardi said that will have to wait until GM Brian Cashman’s situation is resolved. Cashman, whose contract is up Oct. 31, is expected to return.
“That is something we will talk about. My coaches work hard and I am happy with the coaches but that’s something I have to talk about (with Cashman),” Girardi said.”
Hitting coach Kevin Long, pitching coach Larry Rothschild and bullpen coach Mike Harkey are under contract for next season. Bench coach Tony Pena, first base coach Mick Kelleher and third base coach Rob Thomson are not.
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Jorge Posada has likely played his final game in pinstripes. And even though that time arrives for every player, Girardi says it will be a very difficult parting.
“I can’t tell you exactly what will happen to Jorge but when you do say good-bye it’s difficult,” Girardi said. “I can tell how difficult that last day was for Jorge. Whenever Jorge does decide to call it quits and if this was it, we are going to miss him. We are going to miss that intensity and what he brought to the game every day.”