Yankees' Pena not A-Rod, but he's not bad

Ramiro Peña wants to be clear: The lineup card just has "Ramiro Peña" written on it, not "Ramiro Peña, filling in for Alex Rodriguez."

"I just have to try to do my job that's it," said Pena, who will man third base for at least a few days while Rodriguez recovers from a mild strain of his left calf.

"Because if I'm thinking 'Oh, I have to play third for A-Rod,' I have to hit like three homers. It's not going to happen . . . I'm just trying to do my job."

Doing "his job" Wednesday included some A-Rod-like moments, as Pena went 1-for-3 with a triple, walk, RBI and run scored, batting ninth.

He worked a seven-pitch walk in the second inning off starter Jeremy Bonderman and knocked an 86-mph changeup into right-centerfield for a triple in the fourth, driving in a run.

While it's certainly difficult not to contrast and compare the superstar with 604 career homers to the utility infielder with just one, Peña hopes that by doing the little things and playing his customary strong defense, it will be enough. "I don't feel that pressure," Peña said. "I don't try to think about it. I'm just trying to come here and enjoy this game."

Rodriguez left Monday's game against the Tigers before the top of the fifth with the injury - he's day-to-day - hasn't played since and didn't take batting practice before yesterday's game.

"He hit in the cage today and he felt great, swinging," Joe Girardi said after the game. "But that's not running so I'll see where he's at tomorrow, but he felt better today. But he didn't run. And obviously that's a concern when you have a calf problem."

And while Peña's subbing for Rodriguez takes some punch out of the lineup - he's hitting just. 211 - there's a reason he's with the Yankees.

Despite his average, Pena has at least one hit in half the games in which he's had an at-bat (20 of 40 games). Also, nearly every defensive statistic pegs him as an excellent glove man.

Though Peña has never been known for his bat (he was a .250 hitter in the minors), his sporadic playing time as a bench player in the big leagues could be a partial cause for his subpar offensive year. "In the minors I used to play everyday, you come here and you don't play that much," Pena said. "So I have to change that thing mentally. When you get a chance and the opportunity, try to do the job . . . but I'm not a homer guy."

No, but a triple helped do the job Wednesday.