TAMPA — Though his name swims in the polluted water of a defunct Miami anti-aging clinic being investigated by Major League Baseball for providing performance enhancing drugs, Francisco Cervelli has removed himself from Italy’s World Baseball Classic roster to concentrate on becoming the Yankees’ starting catcher.
“I talked to [Italy’s] manager three days ago and he understood everything,’’ Cervelli said yesterday at George M. Steinbrenner Field. “This is what I’m looking for.’’
Cervelli, battling Chris Stewart for the No. 1 job, says the Yankees didn’t pressure him to leave Team Italy.
“They told me I can do it,’’ Cervelli said of the Yankees. “It’s my own decision. I stopped playing winter ball in December and I talked to the manager in January and they put me on the roster.’’
PHOTOS: YANKEES SPRING TRAINING
Cervelli’s name surfaced Friday in a story about Biogenesis that reported the catcher paid the clinic $2,500. Cervelli said last week he went to Biogenesis for an opinion on therapy for a foot injury in 2011 and purchased supplements he believes are approved by MLB.
Yesterday morning he was unaware of the most recent report and reiterated he would cooperate with MLB if its investigators wanted to meet with him.
Cervelli’s day was physically taxing. While catching lefty Nik Turley’s batting practice session, Cervelli took a foul tip off the mitt hand that stung and a breaking ball in the dirt bounced and hit him in the right shoulder.
* Position players will take physicals today, with the first full-squad workout set for tomorrow. If everybody shows, the Yankees will have 83 players in camp. Of course, Alex Rodriguez is in New York rehabbing after hip surgery.
With the exhibition opener on Saturday against the Braves on the road, the position players aren’t going to get the luxury of settling in before facing pitchers in live batting practice.
“We will have to measure where guys are at and make sure they’re OK,” manager Joe Girardi said. “They’re going to get thrown into live BP right away. My guess is they will be a little rusty, but we’ll figure it out. We have plenty of time.’’
Girardi says he doesn’t know who will start against the Braves, but David Phelps is a candidate, since yesterday was Phelps’ second batting practice session. He is competing against Ivan Nova for the No. 5 spot in the rotation.