Curtis Granderson: Derek Jeter is ripping the ball in Florida
Derek Jeter listens to pitcher Mariano Rivera announce his plans to retire at the end of the 2013 season during a news conference at Steinbrenner Field. (March 9, 2013) Credit: AP
A day in New York baseball cannot go by without some mention of Derek Jeter. So here it is: Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he had not heard anything about Jeter's ongoing rehabilitation at the team's Florida camp from last fall's ankle surgery, which made Girardi happy, because "usually if I hear something, it's bad," he said.
There's more: Curtis Granderson, recovering from a fractured right forearm in Tampa, is in town to do a benefit for his foundation Monday and reported that Jeter was "looking good" in Florida sessions.
"Our schedules don't always mix," Granderson said, "but this one day, which was a physically difficult day for me, [Jeter] was taking batting practice that day, and the ball was going all over the place. He was driving it well, to leftfield, to rightfield, to centerfield, and I got a lot of work that day, out there in the field shagging."
A part of Granderson's foundation appearance includes taking some children to see the movie "42." Baseball has designated Monday Jackie Robinson Day, the 66th anniversary of Robinson breaking baseball's color line.
The Yankees are one of 18 teams with a day off Monday. Girardi was asked if it felt right for no team to be playing in New York on Jackie Robinson Day.
"I don't know," Girardi said. "I think you can honor Jackie Robinson without playing baseball in New York. I talked about taking my kids to the movie '42.' That's honoring Jackie Robinson because I want them to know what this man went through and what his legacy is, and how important he's been to our country. There's a lot of ways to honor someone without necessarily playing a game."
