A-Rod's cousin is Yankees' black sheep
TAMPA, Fla. – Blood is not thicker than pinstripes.
The next time Alex Rodriguez needs a ride from the ballpark, he'll have to flag down someone besides his cousin.
The New York Yankees have informed Rodriguez that there is a price to be paid for claiming that a cousin supplied and injected him with performance-enhancing drugs that led to a failed steroids test. Rodriguez was told by the club that he is to keep the cousin, identified in previous news reports as Yuri Sucart, away from the team, according to a baseball official with knowledge of the team's orders. That edict came down after Sucart was spotted picking up Rodriguez at Dunedin Stadium in a burgundy SUV following the team's first exhibition game Wednesday.
Rodriguez, who is scheduled to be interviewed shortly by MLB investigators looking into his steroids use, had little to say on the matter after Thursday's game at Steinbrenner Field against the Tampa Bay Rays. Neither did GM Brian Cashman, nor manager Joe Girardi.
Cashman: "It's been handled.''
Rodriguez, when told of Cashman's comment: "It's been addressed, and no further comment.''
Girardi: "That situation has been addressed, and I'll just leave it at that.''
According to The Associated Press, Rodriguez admitted that having Sucart pick him up after Wednesday's game was a mistake. What should have been positive Rodriguez coverage – he hit a home run in his second spring at-bat – instead focused on Sucart, who has not been heard from publicly since Rodriguez said in a press conference that his cousin injected him for a three-year period with a drug known as "boli" in the Dominican Republic.
Presumably, the Yankees cannot prevent Sucart from acquiring a ticket to any game in which the Yankees play – security personnel at Steinbrenner Field are not expected to be given "wanted" posters with Sucart's picture – but the Yankees made it clear they do not want to see the men together around the club this spring and during the season, the official said.
Rodriguez heard more boos Thursday, when the Yankees made their spring home debut, than he had the day before.
"Maybe because there were a lot of Tampa Bay fans here, Girardi said, "because we are in their city. And there was a bigger crowd. Either way, it was a little louder.''
Posada making gains
The Yankees still don't know how much Jorge Posada will catch this season. Girardi said he threw Thursday and is still on track to go behind the plate for the first time on March 15. But after he homered and doubled in his first two spring at-bats Thursday, the switch-hitting Posada said he's swinging the bat much better after undergoing surgery last July to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. The injury limited Posada to 51 games, in which he batted .268 with three home runs and 22 RBIs, numbers far below the .338/20/90 he posted in 2007.
"I couldn't load,'' Posada said. "I don't want to say I had a lazy swing, but there was no extension. I couldn't drive the ball either righty or lefty.''
Girardi said the difference is noticeable.
"Physically, he wasn't strong enough because of pain in the shoulder,'' the manager said, "We couldn't catch him; he couldn't DH. We felt he couldn't help us. We missed him a lot. He looked [Thursday] like the Jorgie of two years ago.''
Gagne's transformation
Who is this man? People in Brewers camp say can't believe the change in reliever Eric Gagne. He has shaved off his beard, shed his glasses after undergoing Lasik surgery and dropped 25 pounds. Gagne, invited to camp as a nonroster player after being a $10 million bust in 2008, stands a pretty good shot of making the club as a middle reliever, according to one team official. Another nonroster Brewers invitee who could stick is former Red Sox outfielder Trot Nixon, especially after outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. was diagnosed with a right shoulder impingement that could sideline him for at least a month.
Youkilis' determination
Even with a new four-year, $41.125 million contract, Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis still is motivated by the belief that there are people who believe he won't approach his 2008 performance, in which he posted career bests of 29 home runs and 115 RBIs in addition to a .312 batting average.
"There are people who doubt me every day,'' he said. "They always seem to tell me I can't do something. I've heard it already. 'Can he do it again? He can't have a better season than that.'
"Well, we'll see. Hopefully, I can prove them wrong.''
