Good news for A-Rod…Now he better step his game up! Joe Girardi has declared that Alex Rodriguez will be the New York Yankees’ starting third baseman next year.
Girardi said Wednesday that Rodriguez, who was benched this postseason after struggling at the plate, won’t have to win the every-day third-base job in spring training.
“I expect Alex to be our every-day third baseman,” Girardi said during his end-of-the-year news conference. “What is he going to have to show me? That he is healthy and ready to go.
“That’s the bottom line — that he has no concerns and we have no concerns about putting him out there every day.”
Girardi benched Rodriguez for three of the Yankees’ nine postseason games, including the decisive win over the Orioles in the ALDS and the Game 4 loss to the Detroit Tigers in the ALCS.
Rodriguez went hitless in 18 at-bats and struck out 12 times against right-handed pitchers, prompting Girardi to sit the superstar against righties. The three-time MVP ended the season without homering in his last 93 at-bats.
WRITTEN BY Andrew Marchand | ESPNNewYork.com & FULL STORY HERE
