--3B Alex Rodriguez was cleared to begin a rehab assignment this weekend, and the Yankees hope the defending American League MVP can finally return Tuesday against Baltimore. Rodriguez tested his strained right quadriceps muscle running the bases and said he felt nearly 100 percent. Rodriguez will play in extended spring training games in Tampa over the weekend and join the Yankees if he has no setbacks.

--LHP Kei Igawa was demoted to Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, as expected, to make room for RHP Ian Kennedy, who rejoined the rotation after his own demotion earlier this year. Igawa has been a major disappointment, posting a 6.25 ERA last season and yielding six runs on 11 hits in his one start this year despite the club's hefty investment in him.

--RHP Ian Kennedy pitched more aggressively in his recall from Class AAA, but the results weren't the improvement he or the Yankees would like. Charged with avoiding the high walk totals he had earlier this season, Kennedy went after the Rays hitters, offering only one walk. Unfortunately for Kennedy, the Rays drilled a pair of home runs and touched him up for five runs on five hits in five innings.

--C Jorge Posada (right shoulder) continued taking small steps toward a return from the disabled list. He did some throwing Thursday and was expected to do some more rehab work with the Yankees during their upcoming homestand. If there are no problems after that, he will start a rehab assignment at the Yankees' spring training complex in Tampa or in the minors.

--2B Robinson Cano singled in the seventh inning Thursday, giving him hits in nine of his last 10 games. After his woeful start to the season, Cano has upped his average from .150 to .207 in that span.

BY THE NUMBERS
46,000,194 -- Dollars the Yankees have invested in Japanese import Kei Igawa, who posted a 6.25 ERA last season and looked even worse in his first start this year.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"If he wants to yell and scream after a strikeout and dance around the mound ... My home run was in a much bigger situation ... but I didn't dance around and scream." -- Cleveland outfielder David Dellucci, who hit a game-winning homer off Joba Chamberlain one game and struck out the next, on Chamberlain's exuberance on the mound.

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