TAMPA — Alex Rodriguez had nothing to report about him talking to the feds concerning Dr. Anthony Galea.
“Nothing new,” Rodriguez said when asked if he had talked or had a date to talk to the feds, who are investigating the Canadian doctor who was arrested for supplying drugs.
Rodriguez, who has been contacted by the feds and said he will discuss his connection to Galea, was in yesterday’s starting lineup against the Pirates and went 1-for-2 with a strikeout.
Though Rodriguez and the Yankees believe this is more about Galea than it is him, if Galea treated Rodriguez without the Yankees’ permission — something they didn’t give — the team could discipline their third baseman. MLB also is monitoring the feds’ involvement.
Rodriguez likely was introduced to Galea by chiropractor Mark Lindsay, who oversaw Rodriguez’s rehab after hip surgery last spring.
Galea,whose signature is plasma replacement therapy that is supposedly designed to aid the healing process, and Lindsay work together at Affinity Health, a Toronto sports medicine clinic.
*
Colin Curtis hit a three-run, one-out homer in the bottom of the ninth to carry the Yankees to a 6-3 win over the Pirates yesterday in the first exhibition game of the year. It was one of three Yankee hits.
*
Yankee players and staff spent Tuesday and yesterday getting sized for World Series rings that cost about $5,000 each. The club is hoping the rings will be ready for the home opener on April 13.
Dick Kraft, a longtime friend of George Steinbrenner‘s from their days at Williams College and a VP for spring training operations, was rushed to a local hospital yesterday with a blood clot in his head and underwent surgery.
*
Joba Chamberlain felt well enough to throw a bullpen session yesterday, 24 hours after being sent home with the flu.
“He was better [yesterday] than the day before,” said pitching coach Dave Eiland, who explained that Chamberlain is on schedule to pitch tomorrow against the Rays when the battle for the fifth starter intensifies since Phil Hughes will start.
“If he feels OK he will pitch,” Joe Girardi said. “If he still feels run-down, we don’t want him going out there.”
After being sent home in the morning Tuesday, Chamberlain said he slept until 5 p.m., ate soup and went back to bed at 10:30.
*
Steinbrenner was outside his suite between home plate and first base yesterday. The Boss stayed for all nine innings and said, “I enjoyed the game.”
*
A.J. Burnett who brought the shaving cream to the face celebration tradition to The Bronx last year, got hit with one Tuesday when hitting coach Kevin Long plastered the pitcher in the face with a towel of whip cream after Burnett won the Indy Racing video game at a team outing.
“It was the best part of the day, A.J. getting pied,” Girardi said.
*
Yankee players have until May 1 to repay $15,000 to the World Series fund or the Yankees will take it out of their paychecks. Players forgot to turn in three names on the share list late last year.
In addition to Chamberlain, Burnett, Hughes, Mariano Rivera, David Robertson and Damaso Marte threw in the bullpen. Javier Vazquez threw batting practice.
*
CC Sabathia faces Roy Halladay and the Phillies today in Clearwater. Sabathia will throw 35 pitches or two innings.
*
Infielder Kevin Russo has come down with the flu.
“I hope it doesn’t go all the way around the clubhouse,” Girardi said.