I think the message is: #ARod isnt fat. Expecting Alex back Hal: Yankees plan on having A-Rod in 2015 BY DAVID LENNON david.lennon@newsday 14 August 2014 Newsday Copyright 2014, Newsday. All Rights Reserved. BALTIMORE - Let the countdown begin. With Alex Rodriguezs suspension up after this season, Hal #Steinbrenner yesterday said for the first time that the #Yankees fully expect him back in uniform for 2015. Thats what hes planning for, Steinbrenner said. And thats what were planning for. Steinbrenner was in town for the quarterly owners meetings, where he will help choose a new commissioner with todays vote. He took a few minutes to discuss his struggling Yankees and the future of A-Rod, who is serving his Biogenesis-related 162-game suspension. Although Steinbrenner said he has not spoken to Rodriguez, he did hear a positive report from the owners brother-in-law, Felix Lopez, a Yankees executive who bumped into A-Rod in New York recently. He says he looks good, Steinbrenner said. Hes fit. Alex is a hard worker. Alex will be ready. And well just have to go from there. See how he does. See how he responds to playing every day in spring training. Point is, hes in good shape. And thats not surprising. Steinbrenner probably would like to have A-Rod on the roster now, given his disappointment with an underperforming and very expensive lineup. Despite mentioning the beat-up rotation, Steinbrenner left no doubt where most of the blame lies. The offense has been a bit frustrating, he said. Theyve been inconsistent. They know that. Thats got to change - quickly. But having said all that, were there. As we were last year at this time. The question is where are we in a month? Its up to them. He also left open the possibility that how this team finishes could determine the fate of Brian Cashman, whose contract is up at the end of this season. Not counting the 1994 strike season, the Yankees havent missed the playoffs in consecutive years since 1993, and Steinbrenner authorized spending nearly $500 million to make sure it didnt happen again. He was asked if he had made any decisions yet regarding the general manager. No, Steinbrenner said. Were so busy right now trying to figure out whos going to be playing in any given game. Well be talking about that soon enough. But you know me, we have enough things to worry about during the season. Thats where our focus needs to be. So an extension for Cashman could be tied to whether the Yankees make the postseason? Let me get to October, Steinbrenner said. Hopefully, the end of October, the beginning of November, and well go from there. He also was aware of the public stir created by the Yankees decision to hold Derek Jeter Day on Sept. 7, a Sunday, rather than his actual finale in the Bronx, scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 25, against the Orioles. He explained how they wanted Jeters ceremony to be on a Sunday because that would give more people the opportunity to attend rather than a weeknight. Plus, Steinbrenner didnt want the festivities to be a distraction that late in the playoff chase. I need everybodys focus to be on that game and on that series, he said. Particularly Derek - knowing Derek - hes going to want to have his head in the game and not have to worry about anything else. And to me it was the logical choice.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 13:26:45 +0000
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