TAMPA, Fla. — You kept waiting for Alex Rodriguez to grab a Louisville Slugger, amble over to the batter’s box and see what he had left. You couldn’t have blamed him — just one last, lingering itch waiting to be scratched. Only four home runs short of 700, would it have been wrong for A-Rod to test the reflexes against those 65-mph batting-practice fastballs?
He shook his head — no chance. A-Rod was indeed in a Yankees uniform on Tuesday but it looked a little frumpy, like it would on any 40-something who now communes with his couch.