MLB

JETER WAITING TO ADDRESS A-ROD ISSUE

While Alex Rodriguez continues to be a walking distraction, Derek Jeter is looking to prevent the story from swallowing up his entire day.

Jeter deflected questions about A-Rod’s steroid controversy today at the Yankees spring training complex in Tampa, Fla. He is only talking baseball … for now.

“I am not going to do it every single day,” Jeter said referring to the barrage of questions he and the rest of the players will face when spring training opens in a week.

“When people are talking about how things are a distraction. They are a distraction when you talk about them every single day.”

Rodriguez yesterday told ESPN he took banned substances from 2001-03 while with the Texas Rangers. The interview with Peter Gammons was in response to an SI.com story released Saturday that said Rodriguez tested positive for two steroids in 2003.

Jeter said he will wait until all the reporters are in Florida to discuss the A-Rod issue, so he doesn’t end up talking about it every day.

“That’s being respectful to the rest of you guys, all of it at one time,” Jeter said. “I’ll do it our first day over there (on the major-league side of the Yankees’ complex). So if you got baseball questions I’ll do that. But I’m not going to answer those questions tomorrow when three more people come and when four more people come the next day. It’s better to get everyone at once.”

Jeter said he believes Rodriguez will discuss it with reporters, too.

“I’m sure he’s probably going to,” Jeter said. “I don’t want to speak for him, but I’m sure he will probably address you guys at some point.”

Brett Gardner, who is battling for the Yankees’ center field job, talked about Rodriguez’s admission.

“I don’t know if I was disappointed because over the last several years a lot of that stuff has come out,” Gardner said. “I don’t think that anyone suspected he had done anything, but I am just glad he admitted his mistake.”

Gardner said he has forgiven Rodriguez, but he couldn’t speak for the entire organization.

“I know I already have,” Gardner said. “He’s our teammate and I think everybody else in the organization hopefully has, and if not then they will. We can all work together and work toward our goal of making the playoffs and hopefully playing for the World Series.”