ANAHEIM – On one knee in front of Alex Rodriguez’ locker, Reggie Jackson believed he saw the start of A-Rod’s climb out of Hitter’s Hell.
“He looked [bad] but after the game his eyes were better,” Mr. October said following a 20-minute talk with A-Rod.
“He is going to make the turn. I told him he has to keep digging. That he isn’t getting traded, that he isn’t going anywhere.” Those same peepers Jackson locked on after an 11-8 victory over the Angels didn’t do much for A-Rod at the plate where he went 1-for-5 and struck out three times (twice looking).
“We didn’t talk about hitting,” Jackson said of the conversation. “I wanted to let him know he has support.” Had the Yankees lost their fourth straight game yesterday, the “I Hate ARod” wing of the Yankee fraternity would have feasted on his 1-for-17 slump that houses 12 Ks.
The win doesn’t mean he won’t be a target tomorrow night against the Tigers at Yankee Stadium.
But it did serve as a release valve.
“Whether I am hitting .260 or .320, the bottom line is to win,” A-Rod said. “Hopefully I can get in the mix soon.” Had the Yankees faced a right-hander yesterday, manager Joe Torre said he may have benched A-Rod, who fanned four times Saturday night.
But Joe Saunders is left-handed and Torre wrote A-Rod into the lineup.
But instead of hitting him second where he did Saturday, Torre dropped A-Rod to fourth.
“Whatever (the slump) is, we have to move on,” said A-Rod, who helped fuel a two-run third inning for the Angels with a wide throw to second on a sure double play ball. His ground single in the helped start a five-run third.
“We have to keep grinding. It’s important for me to play well down the stretch and in October and we still have a chance.” So, what window are the eyes looking out of? Can they tell where the problem is?
“From here to here,” Jackson said pointing at his shoulder and moving north.