Joe Girardi: I Expect Rodriguez to Be Our Everyday 3B - East Idaho News
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Joe Girardi: I Expect Rodriguez to Be Our Everyday 3B

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Getty S 102012 Alex%20Rodriguez?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1351107830901Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — There are big questions this offseason in regards to what the Yankees lineup will look like come April 2013.  The biggest of them all is third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who batted just .111 in the ALCS and .120 in the postseason, while striking out 12 times.

Yankees skipper Joe Girardi believes Rodriguez can bounce back in 2013.

“Can Alex be a very good player again, absolutely, I don’t have a question in my mind,” Girardi said on Wednesday.  “The desire is there, as far as being a heads-up player, that’s there.  I expect Alex to be our everyday third baseman.”

Rodriguez is signed through the 2017 season and has a full no-trade clause. He is owed $114 million over the next five seasons.  

“I made decisions based on the season, a month, what I’ve seen,” said Girardi on the benching of Rodriguez during the postseason.  “These are things we evaluated a lot.”

Yankees all-time saves leader Mariano Rivera will hit free agency this winter after suffering a season-ending knee injury in May. Girardi was asked if this will be it for Rivera.

“It’s a decision that I think he’ll sit down with his family,” Girardi said.  “I don’t think that you push a rehab like he pushed it unless you have some interest in coming back.”

Yankees captain Derek Jeter fractured his left ankle in the ALCS and the Yankees are hoping the projected recovery period of four to five months will leave the All-Star shortstop enough time to be ready by Opening Day.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio

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