With A-Rod in tow, Yankees' skipper Girardi ready to go

A few weeks ago, Joe Girardi was staring down the barrel of a few dozen questions a day about the pressure to win in 2009 after his club spent hundreds of millions on free agents.

No big deal.

Then it was Joe Torre's book, and you had to figure Girardi's spring training would be consumed by discussions of why the former New York manager might have done what he did.

No problem.

But now, well, now it's going to be all A-Rod all the time - and who knows how long the firing squad will be in town.

That might be the reason Girardi got the job in the first place. Beyond the obvious - his managing ability - it's his Torre-like demeanor while handling the insane existence as Yankees manager that keeps his players focused.

"Some weeks are busier than other weeks, and this week it's been kind of busy,'' Girardi said with a hint of a chuckle, as he drove from South Florida to Tampa on Wednesday, preparing for Saturday's opening of camp.

"It's part of the Yankees. Even on what you would think is a normal day, it's not normal by any other standards.

"So am I shocked by anything anymore? I wouldn't say shocked. There are things that happen in our world that are unexpected, and you do the best you can to prepare.

"I don't like to talk about the steroid era. I'd love for it to go away, but it's not going away any time soon. It's disappointing to me because it's like throwing rocks at a game you love so much.

"Hopefully, someday it will pass and we won't be in the middle of it anymore.''

Last year Girardi opened his first Yankees camp as manager on the heels of the Mitchell Report, and the Andy Pettitte steroids conversation. This spring, it will be Alex Rodriguez and nothing but Alex Rodriguez for quite a while.

"It was short-lived last year because Andy addressed it with the media, did what he had to do, and Alex is doing same thing now,'' Girardi said. "We all know the first couple days there's going to be a lot of media, but really, once he gets through the first couple days, it should quiet down.

"I've had some good conversations with Alex the last few days, and we've been texting quite a bit.

"He's doing OK under the circumstances. He's very excited to get back on the field. Alex is like most players. He's at his best and most comfortable when he's on the field.

"He was meant to play the game, and when he's out there, everything's OK.''

It was easy to see early in his playing career that Girardi was meant to manage, and at times like this, amid the A-Rod furor, it seems he was meant to manage the Yankees.

"The first day, I'll set aside an extra hour (for the media), the next day a half-hour, and then 15 minutes. Hopefully, after that it will be baseball as usual,'' Girardi said. "Things come up, we deal with it, and move on.

"It's one thing to go through it as a player or as a coach, and to witness Joe Torre do it, but until you sit in the seat, you don't have to wear all the hats and answer all the questions.

"It's something you learn how to do, and I think I'll be better this year than last year.

"But there always going to be surprises and difficult days. That's life.''

Two weeks ago, Girardi's wife, Kim, lost her father, and Joe's dad has suffered from Alzheimer's for a couple years.

"Everyone has problems, and you have to expect the unexpected in life, in baseball, in everything,'' Girardi said. "Being a father, you know that every morning, just waking up and getting your kids off to school, it's different every single day because there are things you don't see coming.

"Baseball's the same way. You actually do have quiet days, even in New York, when you're winning a lot, but baseball never goes according to plan.

"The days you expect a slugfest, it's a pitchers duel, and vice versa. You put two clubs on paper and expect the game to be a certain way, but it's not.

"So, yeah, there's challenges, but the great thing is I love what I do, and that makes it all a lot easier.''

It's also easier when you have a major-league rotation.

"I really do feel good about the club. The Steinbrenner family and Cash (GM Brian Cashman) did a great job addressing the rotation,'' Girardi said. "Last year, we had a lot of nights when we didn't know who was going to start the next day.''

Beyond the additions of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira, players such as Chien-Ming Wang, Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada are expected to be healthy, meaning the Yankees could be sickeningly loaded in 2009.

"I can't wait to get there and get started,'' Girardi said, as neared the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. "Baseball's great, isn't it?

"I live in Florida now, so I'm spoiled, but I still feel like I did during all the Chicago winters growing up a Cub fan, and playing for the Cubs, when all you can think is that it's going to be warm soon and baseball will start soon.

"I still feel that way. It's the hope that gets you through the winter.

"I always love this time of year. I think I always will.''

brozner@dailyherald.com