Pregame notes: Rodriguez on track for tomorrow
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Notes on Aug 20, 2011 
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Alex Rodriguez expects to play tomorrow. After another day of fielding, hitting and conditioning drills, Rodriguez believes he’s in game shape and plans to be in the lineup for the series finale here in Minneapolis.
“The only way I wouldn’t is if he came in and said, ‘You know, I don’t feel good today,’” Joe Girardi said. “Then we wait. But it’s very possible he’ll be a player for us tomorrow.”
Day-by-day, Rodriguez said he’s felt less winded running the bases, and he’s felt more comfortable in the field. He’s hoping to be in the lineup and in the field tomorrow, and Girardi said he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of playing Rodriguez at third base.
“The work I’ve been able to do here, you’d never be able to do in Tampa or Scranton,” Rodriguez said. “We had full drills with Mick Kelleher at third base, did pretty much everything defensively except dive for a ball. My work with Dana was really good, really intense. Then I had a really good session again with Kevin Long. We’ve checked every box pretty much.”
Girardi said there’s no temptation to simply wait until Tuesday so that Rodriguez gets an even longer break with the off day. Rodriguez has had enough days off as it is. He doesn’t need another.
“Dana has put me through some extensive workouts and I’ve woken up really good, better each day,” Rodriguez said. “We’re progressing well each day and we have Monday to fall back on, then come back at it strong Tuesday.”
• Aaron Laffey showed up about three hours before first pitch. He’s not a very big guy, but the Yankees are encouraged by his stats from earlier this season. If he doesn’t pitch in tonight’s game, he’ll throw a bullpen because he hasn’t been on a mound in a while.
• Laffey grew up in Maryland, and it turns out he grew up a Yankees fan. He said it’s “a little crazy” to be in a clubhouse with Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. He grew up a big fan of Bernie Williams and Paul O’Neill. And, of course, he loved Don Mattingly. “All-time favorite,” Laffey said.
• Laffey said CC Sabathia was a kind of mentor for him in Cleveland. He said Sabathia, Cliff Lee and Carl Pavano sort of took him under their wing. He was making some small talk with Sabathia in the clubhouse dining room not long after getting his locker situated.
• Girardi said Rodriguez realized in his rehab games that his conditioning wasn’t game-ready. That’s why he played the games, then started the workout program (it’s usually the other way around). “I think it probably told him what he needed,” Girardi said. “He felt pretty good when he started playing the games, but I think there’s some hurdles when you come back from an injury that you have to get over. Is my leg going to be stable? Will it hold up? Can I do the things I want to do? I think he’s found out that, yes I can.”
• What is Girardi looking for out of A.J. Burnett today? “Just go out and compete,” Girardi said. “Throw strikes. Locate. For A.J. it’s mixing his pitches just like Hughes did yesterday, and locate.”
TWINS
Ben Revere CF
Trevor Plouffe RF
Joe Mauer C
Justin Morneau 1B
Jason Kubel DH
Danny Valencia 3B
Rene Tosoni LF
Luke Hughes 2B
Matt Tolbert SS
Associated Press photo
Play nice DAD. Maybe because it is only a problem for a few and not for the masses? I know that I have a problem with posters that badger other posters under the guise of trying to create blog peace. Those people are called phonies and I do not like them, but others may not have a problem with that sort of thing.
Aaron Laffey wearing No. 39.
http://yankees.mlb.com/team/pl....._id=444836
Repost:
Maine: All of the oldsters here can think of three or four posters, who continue to make the blog just about unreadable. Not difficult for Chad or his bosses to know who they are. Not sure why they don’t get rid of them. But, its their blog, so…
West Coast Yankee Fan August 20th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
Touche !
Vineyard Yankee August 20th, 2011 at 6:21 pm
108 stitches August 20th, 2011 at 6:15 pm
Once or less than.
DAD, since you are familiar with the so-called oldsters, what is your real name on here? Why should new members be frowned upon and kicked out because the so-called oldsters have a problem with them? This is a community for Yankees fans and anyone for that matter, not just people that have posted here for a given amount of time.
I’m really looking forward to seeing Alex in that lineup. He seemed so locked in thus Spring it’s a shame he got derailed.
And for the sake of blog positivity…. Let’s go AJ!
It is very possible the DL stint will help Alex down the stretch and into October as the DL stint helped Jeter.
Hi everyone,
Arod is getting ready to ply tomorrow!!, thats about the best news we heard in a while, the best pick out of waivers, lol. Seriously this line up it’s going to be scary with him on it.
I get the feeling the Phils are going to make a pitch for Matsui… Perfect for their needs and a hitter friendly Ballpark… The MVP returns to the scene of the crime.
” Girardi said. “Throw strikes. Locate. For A.J. it’s mixing his pitches just like Hughes did yesterday, and locate.”
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Location, location, location hopefully just not in the dirt.
jackamir August 20th, 2011 at 6:34 pm
You heard something that might lead you to think that?, or just your personal opinion?
The added benefit of A-Rod returning is the additional bench depth it gives us with Nunez and Chavez. I like Nunez speed as a pinch runner and hitter. And Chavez getting plenty of rest and not playing the field too much might make him a more effective pinch hitter as well.
What are we looking for out of AJ today?
Maybe that he accidentally locks himself in the men’s room.
WCYF,
Very good point you make in your post, props
Niblick August 20th, 2011 at 6:46 pm
What are we looking for out of AJ today?
Maybe that he accidentally locks himself in the men’s room……………………….LMAO ! !
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Touching up his hair color for the cameras ?
Can’t wait to see Aod and Montero (hopefully Sept 1 ) mashing in the same lineup….with Cano, Tex, and Granderson…
luis August 20th, 2011 at 6:46 pm
WCYF, Very good point you make in your post, props
*************
Arriba Venezuela!
Hm, when DAD gets called out, he has no response. Are you sure you are not PsychoinFlorida instead of DadInIowa?
mick dude getting heat over the betsy chic. what is up with that man, she digs the attention. she had the rap over at nyy as the rocketbooster person and played the same downer vibe and then cries victim. they tossed from there man. i’ve been reading at this place for several years man and she gets into fights all the time with dudes here. glass houses man
Luis:
How are things down in your neck of the woods ?
Luis – Not a bad bunch huh?
King Felix, Miguel Cabrerra, K-Rod, Victor Martinez, Johan Santana, Freddy Garcia, Magglio Ordóñez, Bobby Abreu, Omar Vizquel, Andrés Galarraga, Luis Aparicio, etc.
Jacob Ruppert August 20th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Or the response is the same copy and paste over and over.
West Coast Yankee Fan August 20th, 2011 at 6:51 pm
luis August 20th, 2011 at 6:46 pm
WCYF, Very good point you make in your post, props
*************
Arriba Venezuela!
———————————–
LOL!, thank you, but to be fair, the Venezuela i was borned no longer exist
WCYF,
Not at all, and now The Jesus is coming!!!
Or some you may not know: Concepcion, Tony Armas, Cesar Tovar, Lester Striker and the best of all but unfortunately drank himself out of the Big leagues Victor Davalillo
WCYF,
I saw Victor Davalillo play for the first time when i was like 5 or 6, he started the game at center field, then move to first base, and closed the game on the mound in the ninth with a mid 90′s fastball, the man could do it all
OHH!, i forgot he went 5-3 with a double and a homer
4 train August 20th, 2011 at 6:54 pm
Big stones for glass houses ?
Hey Jacob Ruppert since you seem intent on questioning others, how long have you been posting here?
Oh man Luis, I was fortunate enough to spend two weeks on Isla de Margarita in a little fishing town, I think the name was San Francisco but I can’t recall for sure. We were filming on a boat at daybreak and every morning the women used to come meet us with fresh breakfast. Unbelievably good, we all needed naps we would gorge ourselves on Arepas, my favorites were Rika and Jamon and Queso and Mi Negra. For dinner I used to get Pescado en salsa de coco; lots of fish there. QUE RICO!