YANK NOTES
TAMPA – It’s the money.
At least that’s part of the reason Joe Torre believes the opposition continues to rip Alex Rodriguez.
A few days after Derek Jeter said A-Rod’s yearly salary of $25 million is likely the reason the Red Sox a year ago and Ozzie Guillen this year took shots at A-Rod, Torre joined the club.
“He has a great deal of talent and makes a lot of money,” Torre said of his AL MVP third baseman, who is expected to work out today at the minor league complex after arriving in town last night. “I think a lot of it is jealously out there. He does things so easily and other guys have to work their [butts] off. But that goes with who you are and what you make. You have to deal with it.”
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Hideki Matsui was slated to arrive last night and is expected to join A-Rod and other position players for a workout today at the minor league complex. Position players are due to report tomorrow. First full-squad workout is Wednesday.
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For a second straight day George Steinbrenner chatted with Torre. Saturday, the Boss and Joe talked behind the batting cage. Yesterday, Steinbrenner surfaced in Torre’s office following the workout. The Boss also spent time in the coaches’ office.
Unlike Saturday when the Boss told Guillen to “shut up” about criticizing A-Rod’s WBC decision, Steinbrenner didn’t have anything to say yesterday about baseball. He did say his 3-year-old horse, Sweet Fervor, is a candidate to run in the Kentucky Oaks, the day before the Kentucky Derby.
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In Torre’s perfect world, he will use Tanyon Sturtze and Kyle Farnsworth for an inning each as he gets the game to Mariano Rivera.
“To me, Farnsworth is Sturtze,” Torre said of the Yanks’ off-season acquisition that cost them $17 million for three seasons. “Their stuff isn’t the same, but their roles are similar. My plan is for them to pitch one inning.”
While Farnsworth is in the throwing program, Sturtze hasn’t worked off a mound yet. He is expected to that “this week sometime,” according to Torre.