Yankees learn the hard way that stuff happens

TAMPA, Fla. — It was, to borrow a line from former Yankees manager and current YES Network analyst Joe Girardi, “not what you want.”

A major sewage issue outside Steinbrenner Field late Saturday afternoon caused foul-smelling water to seep into the bathroom inside the Yankees' clubhouse and surrounding areas, including into the hallway outside the clubhouse.

After Saturday’s 20-3 victory over the Tigers, instead of his office or one of the conference rooms close to the clubhouse where he typically meets the media, manager Aaron Boone held court outside of the clubhouse in one of the areas that did not have standing water. “It’s not great. And it’s all over the place,” he said.  “Hopefully they get it cleaned up here overnight and [we’re] back in business [Sunday].”

Not quite back in business on Sunday, but better. From an odor standpoint alone, far better. The clubhouse and the corridor outside it no longer smelled like an unemptied Port-O-Let left too long in the sun or an airplane restroom after a cross-Atlantic or Pacific flight.

“It was terrible,” outfielder Cody Bellinger said with a laugh. “It was everywhere. Bathroom. Food room. Hallway. It wasn’t out in the dugout, which was nice. But you smelled it in the dugout. Batting cages were good, and then it was in the lounge. All underwater with sewage water, seeping from the drains. They did a great job cleaning everything up.”

Said catcher Austin Wells: “I saw it, but I didn’t smell it. I don’t know if that’s a problem for myself that I didn’t smell it. But I did not smell it. I saw it, though. It was [expletive]. It was in the kitchen, the hallway, all the drains.”

But as Bellinger indicated, a night of cleanup made all the difference.

“I mean, I was surprised how much they were able to kind of get things cleaned up and sanitized,” Boone said late Sunday morning before the Yankees’ 6-4 loss to the Mets. “Credit to a lot of people who put in a lot of hours overnight and this morning. Hopefully we’re in a good position moving forward. We’ve got some probably longer-term things that we’ve got to get fixed, but should be in a good spot.”

The sewage did not make its way into the clubhouse itself but did affect some of the carpet in the coaches’ room, which had to be ripped up and replaced.

“In spots it was really bad. Fortunately, it didn’t get into the clubhouse where it could have seeped in, and we would have had to pull up carpet and lockers and equipment in the clubhouse,” Boone said. “So that part of it was good. There’s some sensitive areas that need to be addressed, and I’m sure they will be in the coming days, but for the most part we should be good. And we should be normal postgame, too, with everyone showering and doing what they need to do to end the day.”

The problem, caused by two clogged sewer lines just outside the main office-entrance at Steinbrenner Field, forced the Yankees to have to move their preparation for Sunday’s game to their minor-league complex, which is located just under a mile away.

Most of the members of the team drove themselves to the complex — except Sunday’s starter, Luis Gil, who went through his pregame routine at Steinbrenner Field and allowed one run and two hits in 2 2/3 innings in which he struck out four — and did their work.

With the four fields adjoining each other at the minor-league complex, logistically speaking, it actually is better than Steinbrenner Field for workouts. The walk between the three in-use fields there can be several minutes as opposed to the mere seconds it takes at the complex.

“We should be normal now moving forward. Today was obviously altered,” Boone said. “One of the things I talked to some of our guys about is, the attitude of everyone, where it kind of throws your routine a little bit off, everyone handled it really well. From staff to all the people behind the scenes but then the players . . . walking through with a smile, with an energy, no complaining. Thought we got really good work in over there [at the complex]. So happy with that, and it looks like we’re moving in a good direction now.”

By Erik Boland

erik.boland@newsday.comeboland11

Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.