Alex Rodriguez hit the field at 10:55 a.m. this morning in Tampa. There were five fans and six sportswriters there to watch.

A-Rod ran in the outfield (”90 percent,” he said later), took a bunch of grounders and then took batting practice. He was crushing the ball to right field.

Alex said he was disappointed that he hasn’t been cleared to play. But he is encouraged because his MRI showed the quad tear is now a Grade 1 instead of a Grade 2. He won’t need another MRI. The doctors believe another few days of rehab will be sufficient.

The earliest he will play is Tuesday. He’s not sure when he will play in extended spring training. But it will likely be sometime this weekend. He agrees that the Yankees are doing the right thing by being so cautious.

Alex was quite cordial with the writers, stopping after the workout to chat.

I would have posted some exclusive cell phone photos but the sun was too bright. Picture A-Rod in a black t-shirt swinging a bat. There you go.

UPDATE, 7:12 p.m.: Stephen, a reader from Tampa, sent me this photo of A-Rod signing autographs for people at the complex. Good job by him.

That Joe Girardi is one hands-on manager.

As I write this from The Trop, he’s in the bullpen catching Andrew Brackman. Humberto Sanchez is warming up next.

They had to put a screen behind Girardi because Brackman was all over the place. Bu that’s to be expected considering he’s coming off surgery.

Now Goose Gossage thinks Joba celebrates too much. “When I broke into the big leagues, I didn’t say two words all year,” he said.

That was in 1972. Obviously baseball players should act like they did nearly 40 years ago.

There are few things more tedious than old ballplayers saying that things were better in their day. Reggie Jackson was a model of unselfish decorum, right Goose? Your old manager, Billy Martin, always a class guy, right?

The kid turns around, pumps his fist and yells and people act like he chases the hitter back to the dugout and smacks him in the head like one of the Three Stooges. Joba does nothing different than 100 other players in the majors.

Here is all you need to know: Nobody is more old school and straightlaced than Joe Girardi. He has a crew-cut, goes to church and never curses. His idea of a wild time is giving his kids extra ice cream.

Joe Girardi thinks Joba is just fine. That should be good enough for anybody.

Congrats on the Hall of Fame, Goose. But leave the kid alone. 1972 was a long time ago.

One pleasant sidelight of the blog has been getting e-mail from readers who have interesting jobs.

Music promoters, congressional aides, minor-league players, MTV executives and even a fairly high-ranking official in the Bush administration have written to blog headquarters. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that people from all walks of life follow the Yankees.

Even people in Hollywood.

Have you ever watched the show Gossip Girl on The CW? I have not. It’s from noted Yankees fan Josh Schwartz, the guy who did The O.C., and is about privileged teenagers who attend an elite private school in New York City. It’s very popular. Kristen Bell is the narrator.

Well, if you watch the episode this coming Monday, pay attention. A well-placed source (not Josh) reveals that Captain will say to Nate, “The Yankees are on today. Joba’s been pitching lights out.”

Later in the show, the entire casts debates whether Joba should pump his fist after strikeouts and a fight breaks out beteen Serena and Blair. OK, I made that part up. But the rest is true.

So now Joba is part of popular culture. Not bad for a rookie. Maybe Saturday Night Live is next.

Tell you what, he could pull it off.

Whenever the Yankees play the Rays in St. Petersburg, the injured players on the 40-man roster who are assigned to the team complex in Tampa usually come by.

So here are some updates on those guys:

Jeff Karstens (groin strain): He threw three innings in an extended spring training game over the weekend and is scheduled to go five innings on Wednesday. If that goes well, he will start a rehab assignment with either Trenton or Scranton. Karstens said he feels great physically and it’s now a matter of getting his arm strength back. Karstens is thrilled with how well his friend Darrell Rasner has pitched in the majors. “He approaches it the same way I do, we’re not going to overwhelm you,” he said. “I hope I get my chance to help out.”

Humberto Sanchez (Tommy John surgery): The big guy is throwing off a mound and is scheduled to get in a game around June 10. “I have no idea what my velocity is but the ball is coming out of my hand as good as ever and my breaking pitch and off-speed stuff is good,” he said. “I can’t wait to get with a team and get started.” Sanchez’s wife is due in two weeks, so that will take up some of his time. He is hopeful of getting to the majors in September but that could be a stretch.

Andrew Brackman (Tommy John surgery): He is only nine months removed from his surgery and is still in the process of rehabbing his arm by throwing fastballs off a mound. He will not pitch in any games this season.

Phil Hughes (cracked rib): He still can’t do much beyond conditioning. No throwing, yet. They want to make sure he is fully healed, which they hope an x-ray will show later this month. Hughes was sporting his new glasses, however. He’ll be getting a different pair for when he pitches. It was good to see Phil, who is a favorite among the writers.

The Yankees have a four-field complex across the street from Steinbrenner Field. There are batting cages, a bullpen and a clubhouse with a weight room. That’s where these guys work out.

Along with the rehab guys, there are those players who aren’t assigned to minor-league teams. Most are young prospects or low-level prospects who will be assigned to the Gulf Coast League Yankees or the Staten Island Yankees. Those leagues get started in June after the draft.

There are extended spring training games in the meantime. The Yankees face players from nearby complexes in Dunedin (Blue Jays), Clearwater (Phillies) and St. Peterburg (Rays). There are umpires and the score is kept, but it’s not an official league. Once A-Rod is ready, he’ll play in those games. That way he can bat every inning to get some work in.

So where was Carl Pavano, you ask? The Rajah of Rehab, the American Idle himself? He was not at Tropicana Field. The Yankees don’t want him around and he doesn’t want to be around. He’s recovering from Tommy John Surgery and isn’t supposed to be ready until August. There is little chance that he’ll pitch for the Yankees.

Andy Pettitte continued his struggles as the Yankees lost to the streaking Rays.

Alex Rodriguez will not be back this week after his MRI showed insufficient healing.

Ian Kennedy is headed back and Kei Igawa is out of the rotation. This notebook also has updates on Jorge Posada, Jeff Karstens and the manager visiting some real rays.

Jason Zillo, the hard-working media relations director of the Yankees, asked me to pass this along:

Saturday’s game against the Mets is at 1:05 p.m. So stop calling Yankee Stadium. It seems the game was listed as TBA on some schedules.

The Subway Series schedule is:

Friday at 7:05 (Channel 9, SNY)

Saturday at 1:05 (YES, SNY)

Sunday at 8:05 (ESPN)

Tonight was Andy Pettitte’s first loss at Tropicana Field since Sept. 16, 1998.

Matt Garza is pretty good. But he beat the Yankees with just a fastball tonight. The scoreboard said 92-93, but Johnny Damon said it looked faster.

Joe Girardi announced that Ian Kennedy would start Thursday. Kennedy and Kei Igawa were the only alternatives discussed. “I didn’t have a timetable (on Kennedy). We feel he’s ready to go. He’ll get another shot,” Girardi said. “We have belief in this kid.”

Because a player has to stay in the minors 10 days once he’s demoted (unless replacing somebody on the DL), Kennedy can’t be activated until Thursday. So he’ll fly here on Wednesday.

YANKEES
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Matsui DH
Giambi 1B
Cabrera CF
Cano 2B
Molina C
Gonzalez 3B
Pettitte LHP

Andy Pettitte against the Tampa Bay hitters.

Matt Garza against the New York hitters.

Notes: Nothing new to tell you at this point. We’re expecting to get the results of A-Rod’s MRI today and possibily the pitcher for Thursday. … The Yankees hand out a list of upcoming milestones every day. Jason Giambi needs two home runs to pass Paul O’Neill for 15th place in franchise history. Obviously No. 25 can never be worn again once he does that. … Ian Kennedy starts today for Scranton against Indianapolis. Game time is at 6. Steven White twirls in the nightcap.

* * * * BREAKING A-ROD NEWS * * * *

UPDATE, 6:01 p.m.: The MRI taken today on Alex Rodriguez revealed progress but not enough to start playing in rehab games. Joe Girardi just told the media that Rodriguez will not be activated this week, meaning he’s out for the Mets series.

“We can’t afford to have him come back for two days then lose him for six weeks,” Girardi said. “We want to have him fully healed.”

* * * * ROTATION NEWS * * * *

6:05 p.m.: The Yankees have not officially announced a starter for Thursday. But it will be Ian Kennedy. He will throw 1 or 2 innings tonight.

Darrell Rasner will get the Mets on Friday.

Kei Igawa is in the bullpen, probably only until Kennedy comes back.

UPDATE, 6:43 p.m.: Ian Kennedy pitched one inning for Scranton against Indianapolis.

Infield single, batter then caught stealing
F-7
5-3

12 pitches / 7 strikes. Scott Strickland replaced him.

Kennedy has thrown 8.1 innings for Scranton. 2 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 8 strikeouts. He’ll be here to face the Rays on Thursday.

Personally, I’d think you want him to show a little more down there. But you can’t run Kei Igawa out there.

UPDATE, 8:30 p.m.: Teams always look bad when they’re losing. But as you watch the Yankees play the Rays, you can’t help but be struck by how athletic and energetic Tampa Bay looks when compared to the Yankees.

That’s the case for most teams against Tampa Bay lately. The Rays have won 13 of their last 18 and nine straight at home.

UPDATE, 8:45 p.m.: That’s it for Andy Pettitte. 4 8 5 5 2 5.

Jose Molina has 2 hits in his last 36 at-bats.

UPDATE, 10:05 p.m.: You know what’s amazing? For all their issues the Yankees are only four games out of first place in the AL East. The improvement of the division has kept the Red Sox well within hailing distance.

The Yankees are engaged in optional batting practice at the moment at Tropicana Field.

Here’s how you can tell it’s optional. Alberto Gonzalez, Jose Molina, Chad Moeller and Shelley Duncan are the only players here.

Now before you think that the other guys are lazy dogs, sometimes extra hitting is too much hitting. If taking 500 swings in optional BP every day meant you would hit .330, everybody would do it. Players have their routines and getting to the park at 2:15 p.m. to take hacks is often not part of the routine.