Alex Rodriguez may do the unthinkable...return to the New York Yankees lineup before captain Derek Jeter.
Rodriguez began a rehab assignment Tuesday night for the Yankees' Single-A affiliate, the Charleston RiverDogs, grounding into a double play, striking out looking, and making a barehanded play on a bunt. The results were nothing to brag about, but A-Rod isn't too concerned with results this early in the game.
For video of A-Rod's rehab effort click here.
"I put the ball in play," Rodriguez said. "That's a success. It's a slow progression, Three innings is not a heck of a lot. Three innings is not much. It almost feels like March 1st, like Spring Training."
In the field, Rodriguez's surgically repaired hip seemed to hold up well on a tough bunt that tested him right away. That was a welcome-back play," Rodriguez said. "It was a heck of a bunt; it always works out that way. I actually thought I was going to have to dive the first play of the game."
When asked about general manager Brian Cashman's suggestion that he "should shut the f-k up" rather than tweet injury updates, A-Rod took the high road. "We have the same interests. We have the same goal, which is to get me back to New York as soon as possible and hopefully, like in 2009, win a championship."
A-Rod is eligible to return to the team from the disabled list on July 22nd, when the Yankees will be in Arlington facing the Texas Rangers. It is unknown whether the Yankees will activate him as soon as he's eligible, but they are desperate for production out of the third base spot in their order.
His primary replacement at third base since Kevin Youkilis' back began acting up, David Adams, has hit the skids hard; his batting average has fallen to .189, and he has registered just two home runs and nine RBI in 33 games.
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