By Times Staff and Wire Reports
Published March 6, 2004
TAMPA - Alex Rodriguez trotted down the third-base line, stepped on the plate and raised his right hand to give Derek Jeter's fist a knock. Then Jason Giambi crossed the plate, completing his grand slam.
A dream come true for the Yankees, a nightmare for the rest of baseball.
"When I was rounding third, I asked myself, "Where am I?' I felt like I was in Disney World," Rodriguez said after his Yankees debut, a 7-5 victory Friday over the Phillies.
The reigning AL MVP had played only one inning at third, that in an All-Star Game. In five innings Friday, he handled four grounders and made one tag play. He let one ball kick off his glove but recovered in time to get the out at first, where Giambi stretched to pull in a high and wide throw.
At the plate, Rodriguez went 0-for-2 with a groundout and a walk before Giambi's slam.
ODDS AND ENDS: Jon Lieber (right groin) reported no problems after throwing 43 pitches in a 10-minute bullpen session. He could pitch next weekend. ... Catcher John Flaherty dislocated his left thumb catching Lieber and is expected to miss three games.
- TIMES WIRES
Top prospect shows his stuff
TAMPA - Almost everybody at Legends Field came to see Alex Rodriguez.
But Phillies fans also wanted to see somebody else: left-hander Cole Hamels.
Hamels is the Phillies' top prospect and about as can't-miss a pitcher as there is. He showed why, too. He pitched two scoreless innings, giving up a hit and striking out three.
In the fifth, he struck out Derek Jeter, Rodriguez and Tony Clark.
"I was actually hoping they weren't going to be pulled out of the game," Hamels said of Jeter and Rodriguez. "I was hoping I could face them. When you can face the best hitters, it makes you a better player."
Hamels, the Phillies' first-round pick in 2002, went 6-1 with a 0.84 ERA in low Class A Lakewood (N.J.) last season before being promoted to high Class A Clearwater. In five starts in Clearwater, he went 0-2 with a 2.73 ERA.
PHILLERS: Kevin Millwood allowed five runs in 21/3 innings but was perfect through two. ... Tomas Perez and Mark Smith homered for the Phillies. ... Catcher Todd Pratt had surgery to repair the torn medial meniscus in his left knee. He begins his rehabilitation, which could last 2-4 weeks, in Clearwater today.
- TODD ZOLECKI
UCF graduate pitches well
SARASOTA - Right-hander Jason Arnold believed he was back on track. Friday, he proved it. The Central Florida graduate pitched two perfect innings as Toronto beat Cincinnati 4-0.
Arnold, 24, always has used a three-quarters delivery. But the arm crept up last year. He lost sink and velocity on his fastball and had no consistency with his breaking ball.
During the offseason, Arnold got back to his old motion and was feeling like the Jason Arnold of old.
"That's as good as I've seen him," manager Carlos Tosca said. "His fastball had some lateness to it, a sharp breaking ball, and he located some pitches real well."
Arnold is expected to open the year at Triple-A Syracuse. But when the Jays need a starter, Arnold likely will be among the first considered.
SOLID START: Also exorcising some demons from 2003 was shortstop Chris Woodward. Handed the starting job last season based on a solid second half of 2002, Woodward struggled early.
By late July, he lost his starting job to Mike Bordick. With Bordick retired, Woodward was assured the job was his again. And with his confidence renewed, he went 2-for-2 with two doubles and two RBIs.
"As long as it came off my bat hard," Woodward said, "I didn't care if a guy went and got it or not."
