TAMPA, Fla. -- Several swings into his first Yankees workout, Alex Rodriguez already had done damage -- to a car parked too close behind the center-field fence, that is.
Early into Saturday's session, New York's newest star launched a
long drive that was followed by a loud bonk. The home run ball left
a 2-inch dent and blue smear on the hood of a silver Mazda, a
rental driven by a reporter from Japan.
"I didn't think Alex would be hitting today," Masanori Hirose
said. "My mistake."
The shot was one of 10 balls Rodriguez hit over the fence in 65
swings. He took batting practice with two minor league prospects --
A-Rod was the one not wearing a helmet -- while a few groundskeepers
shagged flies.
At one point, the reigning AL MVP borrowed young Eric Duncan's
bat and promptly broke it, sending the shattered barrel flying down
the third-base line.
"Eric, there's your wood," Rodriguez called out, smiling.
"That's that minor league wood."
Duncan, the Yankees' No. 1 draft pick last June, didn't mind one
bit. As he left the field, he was carrying both pieces of the
broken bat.
"I'll be holding on to that one for a while," he said.
Rodriguez fielded about 50 grounders at third base, his new
position, bobbling one and letting another skip under his glove. He
did most of that work on his knees, drawn in close on the infield
grass.
He looked smooth on some slow rollers, charging the balls and
making strong, accurate, off-balance throws to first base.
"I'm fine, but you can't really tell where you are until you
get into a game," he said.
The one-hour session took place on two fields at the Yankees'
minor league complex, about a mile from where the big league
pitchers set up camp at Legends Field. About 50 fans fanned out to
watch Rodriguez from beyond the fence, and a flock of seagulls
landed nearby on the lush outfield grass.
A couple of Yankees officials looked on, though owner George
Steinbrenner was not among them.
"I feel like I have an injection of energy. I'm floating,"
Rodriguez said. "I'm still not aware of where I am right now.
"You look in the mirror and see the Yankee uniform, it's
awesome," he said.
Rodriguez wore dark blue shorts with a matching T-shirt. He
might put on the full pinstripes next week when the rest of the
position players report for their first official spring training
workout.
Traded from Texas last week, Rodriguez was an early arrival. On
this day, his teammates were Duncan, also a third baseman, and
outfielder Estee Harris.
"It was one of the best experiences of my life, taking in all
that he does," Duncan said.
Harris enjoyed it, too. The second-round draft pick lingered
near a chain-link fence to watch Rodriguez handle grounders.
Before the workout, manager Joe Torre and Rodriguez talked. A
Gold Glove shortstop who hit 47 homers with 118 RBIs for Texas last
season, Rodriguez is switching positions while Derek Jeter stays in
his usual spot.
"His pride will make him want to be known as a complete player,
other than a hitter who also plays third," Torre said. "I don't
think he's going to have a bit of a problem."
Taking easy swings, Rodriguez hit long balls to all fields. He
cleared the high backdrop in dead center, pulled liners to left and
commanded an opposite-field drive to right to "Get up!"
His loudest shot was the one that banged off the Mazda. Hirose
wiped away the blue smudge, caused by the "Rawlings" label on the
ball, but the dent remained.
"I guess the good news is that it's not my own car," he said.
Jesse O'Dell of Manchester, Conn., wound up with that souvenir,
retrieving the ball after it struck the hood.
"I thought it was going right for the windshield," he said.
"He hits them a long way."
Game notes
RHP Kevin Brown was hit by a ball in the right ankle during
fielding practice. He iced the bruise, and both Brown and Torre
said they did not expect the injury to be any cause for concern.