Girardi thinks Nuñez is past fielding problems

BALTIMORE -- No, Joe Girardi said, this isn't going to be the same Eduardo Nuñez in the field as last season.

Nuñez, who started at third base Monday nightwith Alex Rodriguez the DH, had a rough first game Saturday. He booted a ground ball hit to him by the game's first batter, Desmond Jennings, leading to a pair of unearned runs in the 8-6 loss.

"I thought he got over it last year, I did," Girardi said of Nuñez, who had a team-worst 20 errors in 2011. "But I think when it happens the first game he plays, people think he's right back in it. I personally don't think he is. Time will tell."

In the fourth last night, Nuñez likely saved a run with a diving catch of Wilson Betemit's two-out line drive.

Girardi said it was a good sign that A-Rod came through the three games in St. Petersburg feeling healthy. "To get three days on the turf for Alex is good because that's not something we always do a lot," he said. "I feel good about where Alex is, feel good about where Nunie is."

Gardner sits againWith the Orioles starting lefty Brian Matusz, Brett Gardner found himself on the bench for the second time in four games. He was replaced in left by Andruw Jones, who homered off righty Darren O'Day in the sixth.

"Jonesie, I'm trying to get him going and we're getting a lot of lefties here, and it's a way to keep his bat in the lineup," said Girardi, adding that Gardner will play against some lefties when Curtis Granderson gets a day off.

Gardner had an RBI single off lefty Troy Patton and stole second in the seventh. The Yankees face lefty Wei-Yin Chen Tuesday night.

Extra bases

Girardi said his decision to have a quick chat with his team after Sunday's game wasn't because he felt a message needed to be sent. "It's only three games. We talked about that," Girardi said. "It's three games. You can't make too much of it." . . . The Yankees and Mets played their final two exhibition games against each other, and Girardi said he wasn't surprised at the Mets' start. "I talked to Terry. I said, 'Your lineup swings the bats pretty good,' " Girardi said, referring to Terry Collins. "I'm not surprised. It's baseball."