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Yankees' Girardi: A-Rod must earn playing time

 
Manager Joe Girardi, above, doesn’t expect to see Alex Rodriguez until next week.
Manager Joe Girardi, above, doesn’t expect to see Alex Rodriguez until next week.
Published Feb. 21, 2015

TAMPA — Even when the Yankees' pitchers and catchers reported to Steinbrenner Field for spring training Friday, the focus remained on the empty corner locker and the controversial star who wasn't there.

Alex Rodriguez.

The three-time MVP hasn't played since September 2013 and is coming off of a year-long suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs. His time off and age (39) have manager Joe Girardi unsure of what to expect from the slugger who ranks fifth on the all-time home run list.

"He's on our roster, but I think you have to prove yourself in a sense for playing time and how you fit in," Girardi said in his first news conference of the season. "We really haven't seen him play in two years. We don't know exactly where he's at. That's something he has to prove."

And proving himself is something Rodriguez seems ready to do. In the hand-written apology he issued this week, Rodriguez said he is ready to try to earn his spot with the Yankees.

It's unclear what spot that might be. Rodriguez could spend time at first base, but Girardi said he wants to have that conversation with Rodriguez in person. Position players don't report to camp until Wednesday, and Girardi doesn't expect Rodriguez to show up before that.

Whenever Rodriguez arrives and begins to work, Girardi expects a large media contingent that will show the club's offseason additions what life is like in one of the most recognized franchises in sports.

"They're going to get their first baptism during the spring, and it's going to be a pretty big splash …" Girardi told a crowd of a few dozen reporters. "My job is to make sure that we get all of our work in, and we will do that as a coaching staff."

The Yankees have plenty of questions without Rodriguez.

Left-hander CC Sabathia is coming off of a knee injury. Didi Gregorius has the unenviable task of replacing the legendary Derek Jeter at shortstop. A partial ligament tear in his right (pitching) elbow limited ace Masahiro Tanaka to 20 starts last season.

"I feel it's healed," Tanaka said Friday through a translator. "I'm confident I can get through the season."

Whether Rodriguez will remains unknown.

Girardi said he doesn't plan to judge Rodriguez's production until late in the spring, once he settles back into a routine. Girardi didn't rule out getting Rodriguez at-bats in the minors to help him prepare for his first major-league game in a year and a half.

Even if Rodriguez isn't in town yet, the questions are still lingering, like how the aging slugger will fare without the help of PEDs.

"I don't know what it's like to be on them, so I wouldn't know what it's like to be off them," Girardi said. "It's hard for me to judge. It's hard for me to play God and see what it's like to be Alex Rodriguez. I can't do that. Hopefully, though, he's in a good place when he gets to camp, he gets the initial week behind him. It gets more back to business for him, and he can just go about his work."

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Contact Matt Baker at mbaker@tampabay.com. Follow @MBakerTBTimes.