CHICAGO – The last time we saw Alex Rodriguez on a major-league baseball field, he was finishing up a brutal postseason as the Yankees were handed a blowout 8-1 loss.
Nearly 10 months have gone by, but nothing much has changed. Not even the final score.
A-Rod returned to the Yankees Monday night following a four-month stay on the disabled list, going 1-for-4 in the Bombers’ embarrassing 8-1 loss to the last-place White Sox, who came in riding a 10-game losing streak.
“It was fun to go out there and play the game again,” A-Rod said. “It was a tough game for us, but it was good to be out there.”
Earlier in the day, Rodriguez was slapped with a 211-game suspension, one he plans to appeal. He addressed the media for 13 minutes before the game, sidestepping any questions about Major League Baseball’s historic punishment for his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs and accused role in obstructing the Biogenesis investigation while saying “there will be a time and place” to discuss that situation.
“It was a hard day today, for sure; a long day,” Rodriguez said. “I felt pretty good. From this moment on, I want to focus on baseball, play every game like it’s do-or-die. Every game is very important for us.”
The Yankees had hoped that A-Rod’s return to the ailing lineup would provide a spark. Instead, it seemed to energize the struggling White Sox, who had lost 13 of their last 14 games. Andy Pettitte was rocked for seven runs on 11 hits in 22/3 innings, putting the Yankees in a hole that was far too deep for them to overcome. The loss was their fourth in six games on the road trip.
“We’re going through a tough time right now and we needed a good start from me,” Pettitte said. “It’s hard to swallow right now, that’s for sure.”
Joe Girardi penciled A-Rod into the cleanup spot Monday, showing confidence that the three-time MVP could inject life into the limp lineup.
“I think it’s kind of clear what the expectations are by where I put him in the lineup,” Girardi said before the game. “I expect him to drive in runs and have productive at-bats for us.”
Rodriguez blooped a single to left field in his first at-bat to lead off the second inning, then flied out a few feet in front of the warning track in center field in the fourth. He flied out to left field with one out in the sixth and looked at a called third strike with one out and a runner at second base in the eighth.
“I thought he looked OK,” Girardi said. “I thought his swings looked pretty good tonight. It looked more explosive to me.”
Rodriguez heard loud jeers from the U.S. Cellular Field crowd each time he stepped to the plate, while fans around the ballpark held up signs referencing the suspension.
“I thought they were great; I love Chicago, I love the fans here,” Rodriguez said. “Just a great town, great people. I’m just so humbled by just being on the field, being able to play the game that I love.”
Girardi didn’t think the constant boos would become a distraction for A-Rod or the Yankees.
“As long as I’ve been with Alex, he’s been booed no matter where he’s at,” Girardi said. “Players that put up big numbers are usually booed in opposing ballparks. Maybe tonight was for a different reason, but it’s not something we haven’t seen in the past.
“The Yankees are a team you either love or hate; we are booed in a lot of ballparks. It’s nothing new for us.”
So the Yankees are 0-1 with A-Rod, who will try to return the focus to baseball after a whirlwind day that began with his historic suspension and ended with another atrocious Yankees loss.
“I just hope there’s a happy ending somewhere in there,” A-Rod said. “But as far as the game, which is all I’m going to focus on and all I’m going to talk about, we have some important games coming up, and it was good to see the guys, see Jeet and Mo and Pett and talk about what we need to do to get to the playoffs.”
