Posada's foot feeling much better

PHOENIX - It was the best sign yet of progress for Jorge Posada. He was behind the plate last night for a second straight game for the first time since coming off the disabled list June 3.

"After yesterday it felt real good," Posada said of his right foot. "It feels fine right now."

He said it's been a gradual process to feel confidence squatting on the foot, which he said felt "tender" the first few times he caught after the injury.

"Every time I got out there, it felt better and better, which was encouraging," he said. "Waking up in the morning and not feeling the pain was encouraging. So as soon as I got over that and was able to play back-to-back days . . . it kept feeling better and better every time I caught."

Still, Joe Girardi isn't going to push it. He said before last night's game he was likely to give Posada Wednesday night off.

Milestone a burden for A-Rod?

Alex Rodriguez's home run total remains, by his standards, low - nine after his two-run shot in the first inning last night - but he said Monday he still expected that number to be where it usually is by season's end.

Girardi agreed, saying: "I won't be shocked if he has 30 home runs," then speculated Rodriguez might be pressing as the 600 mark beckons. With only two homers this month, he is at 592.

"I always think about that; I don't like milestones," Girardi said. "I always worry about milestones."

Jeter slump

Derek Jeter had six hits in his previous 23 at-bats, dropping his average to .280 going into last night.

"He's not getting a lot of hits right now," Girardi said. "I thought [Monday] night, he just missed three balls. I thought he had good swings, he just popped it up a little bit."

Park regresses

Chan Ho Park seemed to have righted himself when he was unscored upon in six of seven appearances May 28-June 17. But he allowed two runs in Friday's loss to the Mets and gave up a three-run homer Monday.