TAMPA, Fla. -- No TV or radio for today's game against the Tigers in Lakeland, which is too bad because it would have afforded a look at something you're not likely to see very often this season, if ever: Alex Rodriguez batting cleanup, a spot in the lineup he once owned. A-Rod, who is struggling with one hit in his last 12 at-bats, has most often been hitting sixth in Joe Girardi's batting order, a spot he will probably occupy during the regular season, too.
Girardi said after Thursday night's 7-3 loss to the Phillies that he wasn't evaluating Rodriguez yet, and that he probably wouldn't begin to until the final 10 days of spring training. But clearly, there is concern that he and Carlos Beltran need as many at-bats as possible to get ready for the regular season, which is why both are being left behind Sunday and Monday to play in minor-league games, in which they can hit every inning if they so choose.
And as for the great A-Rod at First Base experiment, it seems pretty much kaput. Girardi has been hedging all spring about when, if ever, we would see Alex on the field in a game with a first baseman's glove on. This morning, he hedged again -- "I'm not sure. It might be something we mess around with the last couple of weeks,'' he said -- before admitting the whole idea has taken on a lot less importance in his mind.
"I think it's important to get Garret [Jones] in there,'' Girardi said, making clear who his backup first baseman will be this season. As GM Brian Cashman said all winter, on most days A-Rod will be what he is today -- a $21 million part-time DH.
Here's today's lineup:
Brendan Ryan SS
Rodriguez DH
Jones 1B
Chris Young RF
Jose Pirela 3B
Rob Refsnyder 2B
Ramon Flores LF
Adam Warren RHP
Warren will be making his fourth start of the spring, by far the most on the team. He is locked into a battle with Esmil Rogers, Chase Whitley and Bryan Mitchell for the No. 5 starter's job left open when Chris Capuano suffered a quad strain ... Ryan (back strain) will be making his first start of the season. Girardi said he will play about five innings ... Yankees made a bunch of cuts last night. No official word yet, but the lockers of Tyler Austin, Mason Williams, Tyler Webb and Jose De Paula had been freshly cleaned out.
