BALTIMORE — Kevin Youkilis is playing in simulated games in Tampa and isn’t particularly close to rejoining the Yankees, which is news to his latest fill-in, David Adams.
“I don’t even know where Youkilis is,” Adams said before hitting his second homer and playing another error-free game in an otherwise ugly 6-3 loss to the Orioles at Camden Yards. “I understand his role on this team and know he’s a huge part of it. I know he’ll be back soon, and I don’t know where that will leave me, but I don’t even want to hear about it.”
Adams’ willful ignorance has served him well so far, because he only has been held without a hit once in seven games after being called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Though Adams might not be aware of all the details surrounding the high-priced veterans whose injuries have led him to the majors, he has grown accustomed to being impacted by them.
Last season, Adams made the switch from second base to third when Alex Rodriguez suffered a fractured left hand after being hit by a pitch in July.
“I remember specifically what happened next,” Adams said. “I was in Trenton and he had just gone down and our infield coordinator [Torre Tyson] flew in for a few days and I didn’t play for two days straight.”
Instead, Adams crammed as much work as he could into getting used to the position that he had played sparingly.
“I had some experience there, but they wanted to make sure I was up on everything,” Adams said. “And it was pretty amazing: knowing that what was going with [Rodriguez] could have an effect on me — even though it didn’t work out.”
Adams quickly corrected himself.
“Actually, I guess it did work out, eventually,” he said. “Since I’m here now.”
All of that studying seems to have paid off, because he has been tested often at third during his brief time with the Yankees.
“I think the biggest thing I was wondering about with him was the slow roller,” first baseman Lyle Overbay said. “Because as a second baseman, he wouldn’t see that play at all over there. But he’s made some great plays on those guys.”
Adams’ arm, though not a cannon, has been good enough.
“He gets rid of the ball quick and it’s true,” Overbay said. “He makes the throw like a second baseman turning a double play. You don’t know sometimes if they get used to the short throw from second, but he looks like a third baseman. He’s been on target every time.”