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Alex Rodriguez is with the New York Yankees in Minnesota, but the star third baseman is not ready to come off the disabled list just yet.
"The one thing that I'm lacking the most is first-step quickness and defense, and opening up my gait and really trying to make good turns going home to second or first to third," he said. "Today we did a little bit of that, and tomorrow we'll have another session."
Girardi said he was pleasantly surprised by what he saw of Rodriguez Thursday, after his third baseman said he felt "tentative" after Tuesday night's game in Scranton and getting independent reports that A-Rod's movement still appeared restricted.
"I just don't think he's moving quite as free as he was before he got hurt," Girardi said. "But it's a lot better than the report we got on Tuesday, so to me, he's closer. We've just got to make sure he's right."
Rodriguez underwent surgery on July 11 to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. Without him, Eduardo Nunez and Eric Chavez have split time at third base.