Alex Rodriguez could become the new leader of the New York Yankees after Derek Jeter announced his retirement, NY Yankees roster rumors revealed.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi admitted that finding a new leader to replace Jeter will be a tough task for him. But when asked if Rodriguez could take the role, Girardi had positive words for A-Rod.
"Alex, at heart, is a teacher," Girardi said via ESPN New York. "He likes to teach the game and where you're supposed to be and how to play a position. He likes to talk about hitting. Alex loves to talk about the game, but I don't necessarily think that he would seek that."
But while he believes that Rodriguez has leadership qualities, Girardi said in another NY Yankees roster rumors update that the 39-year-old will have to prove his worth.
Girardi said that Rodriguez, who will return from a long layoff next season after he was banned for a year due to his involvement in the Biogenesis drug scandal, will not be guaranteed to start at third base next season.
Rodriguez's health will also be a concern for the Yankees next season as the 20-year veteran was only limited to 44 games during the 2013 MLB season after undergoing a second hip surgery.
"We have to see where he is at," Girardi said on Monday. "I think that is the thing that we have to do. I believe he is going to be 40 next summer, and we need to see where he is physically at."
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is also interested to see how Rodriguez could help the team next season. Cashman also said in a NY Yankees roster rumors update that he is not worried about the bad blood that developed between Rodriguez and the team due to the Biogenesis scandal.
"I just approached it as, like any player, I've got questions I need answered here on what's best going next and I needed the player to be involved in the process," Cashman said. "So we had a good conversation on that end. I would term it 'good.' I didn't rehash anything from the past. It is not productive to do so. He's been suspended. He served his time."
