Girardi says Mariano playing center field is not going to happen: Report

It looks like all of the speculation regarding Mariano Rivera living out a career-long dream of playing center field in a major league game can finally be put to rest. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Saturday that his closer will not get penciled in at CF and may not even pitch at all this weekend against the Houston Astros, according to YES Network's Sweeny Murti.

There have been reports that Rivera's knee has been bothering him and whispers that the reverent closer didn't want to disrespect the game by going in as a novelty.

Of playing in the outfield Sunday, Rivera said: "I did consider it strongly. If it would have been a few years earlier, then I would have done it. But now my knee is not cooperating. I'm not going to make a fool of myself out there. I respect the game too much for me to do something that I'm not supposed to be doing.''

Rivera had said in spring training that he wanted to "empty the tank'' this season. The 43-year-old said he did exactly that.

"Oh my God, yes,'' he said. "I think I spent every ounce of fuel that I had in my tank. It's empty. I had nothing left. I gave everything that I had. I can go home. I can say, 'You know what, I used every talent that the Lord gave me.' ''

If that is the case, it means Thursday's symbolic four-out relief appearance against the Rays at Yankee Stadium might have been the last time fans got to see Rivera play in a major league game.

Wow.

While it was a fun thought, Joe Girardi said Mariano playing CF is not going to happen. Still possible that Thur was his last game.
— Sweeny Murti (@YankeesWFAN) September 28, 2013

Girardi: Playing centerfield is now Mariano's call

It's not hard to believe that throughout all of the season-long tributes and "farewell" swag piling up in his living room, the gift that Mariano Rivera might end up holding most dearly to his heart after he retires was the opportunity to play center field in a major-league game just once.

Now that the Yankees season is officially kaput, there is a real possibility that Mariano Rivera will be granted his last baseball wish and play center field this weekend against the long out-of-it Astros in Minute Maid Park.

Manager Joe Girardi said before last night's series opener against Houston that it still is possible that the Yankees' retiring closer will fulfill his longtime dream of playing in the outfield in a major-league game —but it's up to Mo.

"I'll talk to him every day to see what he wants to do,'' Girardi said. "I know he's talked about playing some centerfield, but I know he has some concern about his [knee] running out there. So that's really up to him. If he wants to do it, he can do it. I'm OK with it.''

Baseball purists have called an outfield stint by Rivera a trivialisation of the game. And it was not clear if Rivera was still keen on the idea after mentioning his wobbly knee and need to respect the game.  It was not even known if Rivera will pitch this weekend. After Thursday night's emotional send-off at Yankee Stadium, Girardi said he will take it day-by-day.

"I have to talk to Mo,'' he said. "See what he wants to do.''

Still, don't bet against Mo tackling Tal's Hill Sunday afternoon as a well-deserved wrap up to his illustrious career. Purists be damned.

'Tears and perfection' as Mariano says goodbye to Yankee Stadium for the last time (VIDEO)

Mariano Rivera's last ever appearance on the mound at Yankee Stadium lived up to the emotional Exit Sandman hype it was built up to be Thursday night.  The beloved New York Yankees closer threw four outs of no hit ball before Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte — the two other last remaining members of the famed Core Four — came out to make a pitching change with two outs in the ninth.

Rivera smiled when he saw manager Joe Girardi summon both Jeter and Pettitte to make the walk over the infield grass and pull the closer from his familiar perch one last time in front of the sold-out crowd. He broke into tears when his longtime teammates hugged him as cheers and chants of MA-RI-AN-O MA-RI-AN-O filled the Bronx stadium.

As Jeter approached Rivera — after Mo's symbolic relief outing was through— he simply said to the 19-year veteran, "Time to go."

As YES announcer Michael Kay put it, "Tears and perfection."

Rivera then slowly walked to the dugout, tipped his cap to the adoring crowd and embraced his former battery-mate Girardi before walking through a gauntlet of hugs and heartfelt well-wishes from other teammates standing along the bench as the ovation continued.

Farewell Sandman.

Girardi and Showalter go at it for stealing signs (VIDEO)

Orioles manager Buck Showalter and Yankees skipper Joe Girardi got in a heated exchange in the top of the second inning at Camden Yards Monday night and had to be restrained from    possibly resorting to fisticuffs.

The reason for their woofing — Girardi thought he saw Orioles third-base coach Bobby Dickerson stealing signs, either pitch selection or location, in the first inning.

In fact, Girardi was so sure of what he thought he saw, he raced the full length of the Yankees dugout to let Dickerson know what he thought he saw.

And when the inning ended, a still livid Girardi came out and barked at his his Orioles counterpart in a shouting match, causing players from both dugouts to spill onto the field and  forcing home plate umpire, Ed Hickox, to issue warnings to both starting pitchers.

Even after the game was over and the Yankees had lost 4-2 to drop three games back in the wild-card race with 18 left to play, Girardi was still prickly about the incident.

"There was something I saw," he said, emphasizing his words, "and I'm just going to leave it at that."

Joe Girardi plans to call Rivera about coming back one more year

Mariano Rivera's farewell tour has been one of the far and few highlights of the Yankees rough and tumble 2013 season but now, it sounds like manager Joe Girardi wants his Hall of Fame closer to leave his pile of swag in its wrappers and come back for one more year.

Girardi will give Rivera time to settle into retirement before reaching out, he stressed Tuesday night.

“I would just say to Mo, think about it, and make sure,” Girardi said. “Just to make sure that that’s exactly what you want to do. And if it’s what you want to do, I respect it. As good as you’ve been, I still think you can probably do it.”

The manager will not lobby Rivera to return, Girardi said after Tuesday’s 6-4 victory over the White Sox, when Rivera chalked up his 40th save of the season. He merely wants to make sure Rivera’s “heart’s right when he decides it’s time.”

The 43-year-old Rivera announced during spring training that his 19th season with the Yankees would be his last.

"I told you guys already. I don't know why we're talking about this. I've already made my decision [to retire at the end of the season]," Rivera said Tuesday night after pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning. "Joe can do whatever he wants. That’s fine. I don’t tell him what to do. Other than that, I already made my decision in spring training."

Rivera is still a premier closer and has now collected 40 or more saves in nine seasons, tying the all-time record held by Trevor Hoffman. For his part, he appears to have little interest in coming back in 2014. He has admitted he planned to return after 2012, before a torn ACL altered his timetable.

So far, Rivera has offered no sign that he's eased up on that stance. The Yankees plan to honor him before their home game with the San Francisco Giants on Sept. 22.

Girardi respects that. He says Rivera has given no indication he might change his mind. “I believe he’s going to retire,” he said.

He also understands the lure of the game —post retirement.

“Knowing how hard it is to take your uniform off,” he said, “you don’t ever want to think, you know, in my mind as a player, and I’m not speaking for Mo, but I never wanted to think ‘Could I have played a little bit more?’”

A-Rod hit by Dempster pitch in first at-bat against Red Sox (VIDEO)

Alex Rodriguez was hit by a Ryan Dempster pitch in his first at-bat against Boston Sunday night, prompting both the Yankees and Red Sox players to clear the benches and bullpens in a tense scene at at Fenway Park.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi ran onto the field during the nationally-televised game, threw his cap to the ground and was ejected. He was tossed during a heated argument after plate umpire Brian O'Nora warned both teams against further trouble. Girardi loudly insisted to O'Nora that Dempster intentionally took aim at A-Rod two times before finally nailing him on a third attempt.

Dempster's fastball hit Rodriguez in the second inning with a 3-0 pitch. Dempster threw his first pitch of the inning behind the legs of Rodriguez, missed inside with the next two pitches and then threw a fastball that glanced off A-Rod's elbow pad and deflected into his back setting off an explosion of cheers by the Sox faithful.

GIF

Rodriguez was recently suspended 211 games by Major League Baseball in a drug case. He is appealing and allowed to play until there is a decision.

A-Rod benched Saturday but 'overwhelmed' by fans' reception Friday

It gets harder and harder every passing day to figure out if Alex Rodriguez actually gets it.

One night after blowing off the media and a less-than-triumphant return to the Bronx, A-Rod addressed  the same reporters who waited patiently at his locker to get a response to the Yankee Stadium reception he received Friday night.

"It was awesome, just an amazing experience," Rodriguez said of his return to the Bronx. "The fans are incredible, such great energy and such a great response. It was pretty overwhelming. I was having a hard time keeping my emotions in check… So much better than I even dreamed of. I just felt the love walking around the city. What people are screaming (is) pretty incredible. This city is the greatest city in the world."

The Yankees' pariah, who faces a 211-game ban from Major League Baseball, went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his first game back in New York since last season's postseason. He was not in the Yankees lineup on Saturday.

"Just a day, it's a quick turnaround and he's coming off an injury," Joe Girardi said before Saturday's game against Detroit. "(I'm) just trying to manage it and keep him on the field the rest of the year."

Rodriguez received a mixture of applause and boos in his first game back but it was all Bronx cheers by the end of the game.

"For the last 14 years there's always been a mix. Do you ever get 100% of anything?" he asked. "Even Chicago was a mix. Boston's going to be a mix – well, maybe not Boston. But I was overwhelmed. Yesterday was a day I'll never forget."

Detroit starter Rick Porcello was probably A-Rod's biggest supporter at the end of the night.

"Yesterday (starter Rick) Porcello had some nasty sinkers and I obviously helped him out a little bit," he said. "I think after 10 or 12 games I'll have a better idea of where I'm at. The big thing for me is getting my legs under me."

The third baseman also dismissed reports the he'd been disciplined by the Yankees for seeking a second opinion for his quad injury a month ago.

"Maybe they sent it to my lawyers, but I'm not really going to talk about that," he said.

Rodriguez was pulled from Friday night's game for defensive purposes in the ninth inning and was not at home plate to celebrate with the Yankees after Brett Gardner's walk off single in the tenth inning. Still, Rodriguez says he was not upset by his manager's decision.

"He has a plan, I trust Joe," A-Rod said. "He's going to do the best for me and for the team…Joe and I have great communication. I have great trust and respect for him and he's going to manage it properly."

"If I didn't think he could play defense, I'd DH him," said Girardi.

Despite not being in the lineup, Rodriguez says he's been proud of the team's recent determination.

"(Last night) I had a tough night at the plate, but the good news is we came back and won," he said.

"The last few days I've thought the team has shown a lot of fight and the past two nights we could have easily scored seven, eight, or night runs. We keep putting ourselves in a position to get the big hit. I think we will. I think the other day we drew something like seven or eight walks, got eight or nine hits. That's usually a form of eight or nine runs. So hopefully that follows starting today."

Girardi miffed at fans cheering A-Rod getting hit by pitch (VIDEO)

Alex Rodriguez's return to the New York Yankees lineup has been met with about as much warmth as one would expect the scandalized third baseman's comeback could muster — especially in front of the Chicago home crowd.

After Monday night's barrage of boos in his 2013 major league debut, A-Rod finally got a little love from Chi-town — even if it came attached to a 93-mph fastball to the elbow from White Sox hurler Chris Sale.

Rodriguez was grazed by a Sale pitch in the third inning. And the fans who had booed Rodriguez for two nights, finally got to sarcastically cheer the Yankees' pariah. 

Afterwards, a miffed Yankees manager Joe Girardi scolded the mean fans.

"There is something wrong with that," he said after his team's 3-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox. "I often think it starts from the adults. If it were their child would they want him to be hit? Because the kids are only going to repeat what the adults do." 

Said Rodriguez of the cheers: "I didn't hear that. It was the weirdest thing. I forgot to put my elbow pad on — probably the first time in 2,000 at-bats. Walking up to the plate, I said, 'Whatever you do, don't get hit in the elbow.' On the second pitch, I got hit on the elbow. I couldn't believe it. I love the fans in Chicago." 

Rodriguez claimed the ball barely hit him.

Wait until Girardi hears the home town fans at a packed Yankee Stadium Friday night. Time to bring out the ear muffs.

Jeter likely to land on disabled list again in 'nightmare' season

In a twist of fate nobody could have foreseen a couple of days ago, it looks like Alex Rodriguez has a better chance of being in Monday night's lineup in Chicago than Derek Jeter does.

While Rodriguez defiantly claimed he would be suiting up against the White Sox — despite his impending suspension — Jeter looked totally dejected on Sunday evening after the Yankees 6-3 loss to the San Diego Padres. With the prospect of yet another trip to the disabled list with a strained right calf muscle more than likely, the Yankees' Captain sounded more than just frustrated.

“It’s been terrible,” Jeter said. “It’s been a nightmare. The whole season’s been a nightmare.”

After tweaking his calf last Sunday, Jeter underwent an MRI on Saturday night. The examination revealed a Grade-1 strain. Manager Joe Girardi indicated the team would make a decision on Monday in Chicago. Alex Rodriguez could replace Jeter on the roster. Jeter said he was not sure what tests, if any, he would undergo before the matter was decided.

Jeter compared the pain to a “deep bruise.” He spent Sunday receiving treatment. He indicated he was not available to pinch hit. He rested these past two days, but offered no assurances that his condition had improved.

“The odd thing is there was no play where it happened,” Jeter said. "Usually, you feel it on a particular play. I didn't feel it on any particular play. We got out to Los Angeles and I began to feel it [Sunday] night and [Monday] on the off day."

Jeter already missed the first half of the season with a twice-broken left ankle. He injured his right quad in his first game back, on July 11, and landed back on the disabled list. He could not recall how he injured himself on this time. There was no particular play that caused it, he said.

“I’ve been pretty fortunate in my career not to have to deal with too many things,” the 39-year-old Jeter said. “Now it seems like I’m dealing with them a lot at one time. So I have no choice to move on. Hopefully it heals quickly, and I can get back out there.”

It would have been interesting to compare the response from the Chicago crowd each time A-Rod or Jeets went to the plate.

Girardi still has concerns regarding Jeter's health

It only took a couple of plays from Derek Jeter Friday night to convince Joe Girardi to admit he still has some concerns about his shortstop’s health. After a week into his comeback from a Grade-1 quadriceps strain, Jeter has looked slow on the base paths and awkward at times in the field.

“As we’ve talked about, he’s coming back from a leg injury,” Girardi said after a 7-2 loss to San Diego on Friday. “And I’m not so sure it’s 100 percent. But he’s trying to grind through it for us.”

Jeter responded to his manager's remarks in predictable fashion.

“I am alright,” he said after going 1-for-4 in the loss. “Like I told you, if I play, you don’t hear anything about it. I played. So I’m good.”

The first play involved a slide into third. Jeter appeared to drag his buckled right leg as he lunged into the base as he went first to third in the first inning. He chalked up the result to a last-minute decision to slide.

“It didn’t look too good,” he said with a grin. “I was going to stand up, but I tried to slide to slow down.”

The second play occurred in the seventh inning. Jeter fielded a grounder from catcher Nick Hundley and attempted to make a play at second. But he stumbled in his delivery and flung an errant throw past the bag allowing outfielder Logan Forsythe to reach safely.

"It wasn’t an awkward step," Jeter said. "He was running on the play, and he got there a little quicker than I thought. I tried to rush it, but threw it high. But it wasn't being awkward."

Jeter made his fourth straight start at shortstop after being activated from the disabled list. Since hitting a dramatic home run and single in his first game back, Jeter was 0-for-9 until a first inning single Friday night.

As usual with the Captain, this is one battle Girardi isn't going to win.

Jeter's secret sim game goes well, will be in Yankees lineup on Sunday

It sounds like Derek Jeter's top-secret simulated game went off without a hitch. According to reports, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he expects Jeter to be activated from the disabled list and in the Yankees lineup on Sunday.

Girardi revealed that Jeter played in the sim game today at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark on Staten Island at the same time that the Yankees were being shut out by the Tampa Bay Rays, 1-0, on Chris Archer’s two-hitter in the Bronx.

The ballpark is the home field of the Yankees' minor league affiliate the Staten Island Yankees.

Jeter’s whereabouts had been kept top secret by Girardi and the Yankees. He revealed Jeter's visit to Staten Island when asked at his post-game press conference at Yankee Stadium.

The 39-year-old captain tested his strained right quadriceps with eight at-bats against an unnamed Staten Island Yankees hurler, according to the Yankees manager.

He ran from first to third, from second to home, and if he feels OK on Sunday he will be in the lineup against Tampa Bay, said Girardi.

“If he comes in and feels good, he will play for us,” Girardi said. “It’s obviously someone we’ve been waiting for for a long time. We had him for one day and we won that game. Hopefully, that ratio continues.”

@RealMichaelKay The Captain is in Staten Island!!! #JeterComeback pic.twitter.com/xeWHCA7H2H
— Donny DFINE (@DonnyDFINE) July 27, 2013

The Staten Island Yankees are scheduled to host the Brooklyn Cyclones Saturday night at 7.

There is no chance that Jeter will be in the Staten Island lineup.

A-Rod's comeback stalled; Headed back to Tampa because of Grade 1 quad strain

It seemed like it was all coming back together for Alex Rodriguez and he was only a weekend away from rejoining the Yankees in Texas Monday night.  On Sunday, things fell apart once more for the rehabbing A-Rod and now it's not whether the troubled Yankee third baseman will play for the Bombers this season, but if he’ll ever suit up for the club again.

In an ominous sign for the Yankees’ $275 million superstar, Rodriguez traveled from his final scheduled rehab game in Scranton to New York, where an MRI taken on his left quadriceps revealed a Grade 1 strain, according to a team press release. 

Instead of making his highly publicized return to the Yankees in Texas Monday — something Yankee GM Brian Cashman said Friday was the team’s "expectation ... as long as we get through the weekend OK" — Rodriguez remained on the disabled list and will head to Tampa. 

"I am extremely disappointed with the results of the MRI and am hoping to be back as soon as possible and continue with my goal of coming back and helping the Yankees win a championship," Rodriguez said in a statement.

Rodriguez sustained the injury while sliding into second base on Friday night. He played as the designated hitter the next night. He went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Yet he sounded positive on Sunday morning. He said he expected to "strap it on Tuesday."

The Yankees weren't so optimistic later that afternoon.

"He’s going to be out for a while," said manager Joe Girardi after an 8-7 loss to Boston in 11 innings. 

"So we’ll just deal with it, and continue to play."

Rodriguez’s 20-day rehabilitation assignment expired on Sunday. He cannot play in minor-league games. The Yankees could petition Major League Baseball to allow Rodriguez to begin another 20-day assignment, because of the new injury.

But for now, he’ll be relegated to simulated games at best. For the Yankees, Rodriguez remains a $100 million problem. What, exactly, does he have left? Girardi admitted to pondering the question.

"I think we’re all a little anxious to see how he looks physically, and how he’s moving," Girardi said. "Was this surgery as successful as the other one [before the 2009 season]? From the other one he came back great, and moved fine."

"I am anxious to see him," added Girardi. "He hasn’t played in a while, and he’s almost 38. You kind of want to see what you’ve got."

The injury is the same kind that sent Derek Jeter back to the DL after a one-game comeback. The Yankees captain is still nursing a Grade-1 quadriceps strain experienced in his first game back on July 11 and the team doesn't want to see a repeat scenario with A-Rod.

"You hope for the best,” Jeter said. “I don’t have enough information on that. I hope he doesn’t have what I have."

You can't blame Girardi for suddenly developing a case of quadrophobia.

"We’ve had to deal with it all year," Girardi said. "So it’s not like it’s not par for the course."

Jeter 'pleading' with Cashman to let him rejoin Yankees before All-Star break

It only took two rehab games with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders before Derek Jeter got the itch to get back into Yankee pinstripes and now he wants Brian Cashman to bring the backscratcher.

The rehabbing shortstop admitted "pleading" with New York Yankees' general manager to let him rejoin the Yankees as soon as possible.

"I told him I want to get back as soon as possible," Jeter said before Monday night's game against the Rochester Red Wings. "I get it, I know why I am here, so I will make the most of it. I know I have to get into some games to see how I can do. Hopefully, I can get out of here soon."

Cashman, who angrily told Alex Rodriguez to “shut the f--- up” through the media when the rehabbing third baseman tweeted on June 25 that he had been medically cleared to play games, told The New York  Daily News in an email Monday that the Yanks “will take (Jeter) when he is ready, and yes, he wants to be back yesterday, understandably so.”

Jeter ended up playing another five innings for the minor league team and went 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored before a sellout crowd of 10,000 that was filled with Jeter No. 2 jerseys at PNC Park.

Afterward, he said he's making progress.

"It was good to be out there running and moving," he said. "It [his ankle] felt a little bit stiff once the game started, but it was fine after that. I felt better out there than the other days.

"I feel good overall playing and can move pretty freely. But I would feel better playing in New York."

Jeter said he won't be at the ballpark Tuesday for the Railriders' afternoon game but said he expects to be back in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's lineup for Wednesday night's game.

"I had to run a lot and it [my ankle] does feel good," Jeter said. ". . . The fans have been great here and it is good to see them out here. I'm looking forward to playing Wednesday at this point."

At the outset, Jeter looked a little tentative during his third rehab game. He charged a grounder in the first inning and made a routine throw to first for the out. In the bottom of the inning, leading off, Jeter smacked a chopper to shortstop and appeared a bit slower than usual running down the line. But he was safe when Rochester first baseman Chris Colabello bobbled the ball.  In the third, he scored from second on a single running at normal stride.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi remains optimistic about Jeter's possible return before the All-Star break.

"There is always a chance," Girardi said. "You have to see how he does in the next three or four days."