SEATTLE - A smiling Alex Rodriguez clutched a bottle of water as he talked about his bout with the flu Sunday.
"This is the first day in three days I've been out of bed," the Yankees All-Star third baseman said. "I think this is the 23rd bottle of water I've had."
Rodriguez, who has 29 homers and 71 RBIs, was back in the locker room talking to teammates - and the media - before New York completed a three-game series with the Mariners.
He said it was an easy decision for him to drop his appeal of a four-game suspension and start serving the penalty Saturday. He said he made the call Saturday morning in a phone conversation with manager Joe Torre.
He said Dr. Mitch Storey, Mariners medical director, told him he had a three-day flu. The flu knocked him out of the lineup before Friday night's series opener and Torre sent him back to the team hotel to go to bed.
He was in bed all day Saturday.
"I'm feeling much better today, but I couldn't play," he said. "I think with my sickness that appealing the suspension is a moot point. The only regret I have is I wish we would have done it on Friday."
Rodriguez will miss the first two games of a three-game series at Minnesota.
With Rodriguez out until Thursday, the Yankees flipped Mike Mussina and Javier Vazquez in the rotation in order to keep infielder Andy Phillips with the team an extra day.
Mussina, originally scheduled to come off the disabled list and start Tuesday night at Minnesota, will start Wednesday. Vazquez will start Tuesday in Mussina's place. Phillips was called up Saturday from Triple-A Columbus to add infield depth.
Rodriguez was among five players suspended after a fight between the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox July 24 at Fenway Park. The brawl started after Bronson Arroyo hit Rodriguez with a pitch, and Rodriguez and catcher Jason Varitek scuffled.
Yankees pitcher Tanyon Sturtze has completed a three-game suspension for taking part in the brawl.
Rodriguez, last year's AL MVP, said he planned to fly home to Miami with his wife, Cynthia, who is expecting the couple's first child, then fly to Minnesota to be with the team for Tuesday night's game.
Rodriguez had started all of the first 114 games before getting sick.
"This is an opportunity to recharge my batteries," he said.
Asked if he wished he would have gotten an opportunity to appeal his suspension, Rodriguez shrugged and walked away from reporters.
