Girardi hopes Jeter hits 3,000 at home
Manager Joe Girardi of the New York Yankees talks with Derek Jeter before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 18, 2011 in Baltimore. Credit: Getty
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Derek Jeter indicated this past week that he'll have to be within 10 hits of 3,000 to start focusing on the milestone.
But with the Yankees about to begin a 10-game homestand and Jeter only 14 hits short of the milestone, Joe Girardi said he's very much thinking about it, and he figures fans are, too.
"Obviously, it would help if he got two or three hits today to even get him closer,'' Girardi said before Sunday's game, in which Jeter lined a single to rightfield in the third inning to increase his total to 2,986. "But I would think as a club we're starting to get excited, I think the fans are starting to get excited and would love to see him do it at home during the homestand.''
Fourteen hits in 10 games is possible but far from easy. Jeter went 10-for-35 against some pretty good pitching during the nine-game West Coast trip.
Girardi said he will not juggle Jeter's playing time to ensure he reaches 3,000 at home. But if Jeter is, say, one hit away June 22 in Cincinnati -- the end of a six-game road trip, with the Yankees beginning a six-game homestand June 24 -- Girardi could face an interesting decision.
"He's played almost every day and DH'd days we've chosen to give him off,'' Girardi said. "We have to play it to win, that's what we have to do. If I feel he needs a day off, we'll give him a day off. If not, he's going to play.''
Extra bases
Jorge Posada, who had his first multihit day since May 17, cost the Yankees a scoring chance in the fourth with some bizarre baserunning. When Posada sliced a drive into the leftfield corner, Howie Kendrick kicked the ball off the wall and then threw behind him to second. Posada, perhaps not realizing that first baseman Mark Trumbo was trailing the play, never slowed down rounding second and was easily tagged out to end a short rundown.
"I really don't know,'' Girardi said. "I looked down and the next thing I know, he's in a run-down and I'm like, what happened? First baseman did his job, he followed and I guess they threw behind him. I didn't actually see the play because I assumed it was a double.''
Freddy Garcia will pitch tomorrow night's opener against Boston, followed by A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia. Jon Lester, Tim Wakefield and Josh Beckett are scheduled to pitch for Boston. Ivan Nova will face the Indians on Friday . . . The Yankees do not have a first-round pick in Monday's draft, lost as compensation for the Rafael Soriano signing. Their first pick will be 51st overall . . . With Monday off, Girardi sat Russell Martin Sunday to give him a two-day rest.
More Yankees headlines
