Baseball Insider: Can A-Rod stay on the field?

There seemed one obvious question to ask Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long, who spoke Friday at the World Baseball Coaches Convention at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. One query that every Yankees fan has for the overseer of this potent offense:

How is Alex Rodriguez doing?

"He's great. He looks good," Long told Newsday Stretch. "We'll see how he does in spring training. If we can keep him healthy, good things are going to happen."

Long visited A-Rod in Miami after the third baseman's highly publicized visit to Peter Wehling in Germany last December, during which he underwent an experimental therapy called Orthokine to treat his right knee and left shoulder. "It seemed like that was a good trip," Long said. "He feels good about that."

Of course, A-Rod reported to 2011 spring training both looking and feeling great (or at least professing to feel great), and a slew of injuries resulted in the worst full big-league season of his career. As he'll turn 37 this year, A-Rod faces serious concerns that he is simply breaking down.

Whatever you want to say about Rodriguez, you can't dispute his tremendous work ethic. He loves to prepare, both physically and mentally. His injuries limited his ability to physically prepare, Long said, and some solution must be found there.

"You don't want to take away a guy's practice," Long said. "The main thing is just getting him to feel like he can do his work. His workload, we had to decrease it so much. Honestly, he was playing with the tank half-full, because he was beat up.

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"He did the best he could, and I commend him for that, but he's looking for a healthy Alex Rodriguez, and so are we."

Keep an eye on an endeavor called ClubDiamondNation.com, a "virtual baseball and softball academy" with which Long is involved, along with new Hall of Famer Barry Larkin, former Met (and Brave, duh) Tom Glavine, softball superstar Jennie Finch and new Astro Jack Cust. It's launching soon.

Back in the Game

Rick Peterson got paid by the Milwaukee Brewers to not work in 2011, just as the Mets paid him to not work in 2009. The longtime pitching coach knows he rubs some people the wrong way -- he embraces innovation, can be hard on his pitchers and, to borrow a "Seinfeld" term, can be a "long talker'' -- but you can't dispute his results. He's an excellent pitching coach.

New Orioles general manager Dan Duquette recently hired him as "director of pitching development," a good move for an organization that desperately needs to improve its pitching if it is to contend in the American League East.

"What appeals to me most about it is the fact that Dan Duquette is an out-of-the-box, forward-thinking guy," Peterson told N/BI/7IS Friday at the convention. "He always has been. He did a lot of forward thinking-type things when he was out of the game . . . I had a great interview with [Orioles manager] Buck Showalter. Buck was really open to it."

Peterson will institute his patented "3P" system, which incorporates biomechanics and psychology. He'll work with the team's scouts and perhaps scout some amateur pitchers himself. While Orioles pitching coach Rick Adair holds the more high-profile job, Peterson might be able to have more impact in this role, if minor-leaguers rise into the big leagues under Peterson's watch.

Extra Bases

The Mariners wouldn't have traded Michael Pineda and Jose Campos for Jesus Montero and Hector Noesi -- the deal will be officially announced very shortly -- unless they truly believed that Montero could be a full-time catcher. Just an elite bat wouldn't suffice. The club also believes that Noesi eventually can be better than the Yankees' Ivan Nova.

If I were to bet on whom the Yankees will acquire to take some of Montero's at-bats at designated hitter, I'd wager on Raul Ibañez. The Yankees would prefer a lefty bat, Ibañez isn't particularly concerned about money and plate appearances, and he has a relationship with A-Rod and Kevin Long.

Bernie Williams will work again as a Yankees spring-training instructor.

Classic cryptic Bobby Valentine: When he spoke Friday at the Mohegan Sun, a fan asked him if he would continue predecessor Terry Francona's tradition of playing pregame cribbage with second baseman Dustin Pedroia.

"When I went to see Dustin, I told him a custom cribbage set was being sent to me," Valentine responded. "He said he didn't even like playing cribbage, for whatever that's worth. I don't play cribbage."