Sunday, March 26, 2006
Cairo thrilled to be in pinstripes again
03/11/2006
TAMPA, Fla. -- Miguel Cairo could have found himself with a spot in a starting lineup this season, but he wasn't about to pass up a chance to don the Yankees pinstripes again, even if it meant he'd be relegated to a backup role.
Cairo left the Yanks after the 2004 season and spent a year across town with the Mets, but the utility infielder jumped at the chance to play for the Yankees again and said he is excited to get back to Yankee Stadium.
"It's just the atmosphere," Cairo said. "When you play in New York with this team, with the fans, it's a different atmosphere. It's something different.
"It's hard to explain, but every time you get on that grass inside those lines it's like something else gets into you. No matter how tired you are or if you're hurt or whatever, when you cross the lines it's like you don't have pain. You're not tired. It's like extra energy gets over you. You forget all that's happening.
"I am very happy and honored for them to want me back. I'm just happy to be here."
Cairo, 31, can serve as backup this season to any of the infield positions, though he'll get far less playing time than he got with the Mets last season. Cairo played in 100 games a year ago, playing at second base in 82 of those games.
Through his first eight games this spring, Cairo is hitting .273 with a pair of doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. He has been starting at shortstop while Derek Jeter is playing in the World Baseball Classic, as well as leading off with Johnny Damon also in the Classic.
Cairo said he will be happy to help the Yankees out in any way he can this season, whether it's in the infield, outfield or on the basepaths.
"I could [have started with another team]," Cairo said "But I really wanted to come back here -- be around these guys.
"There's a lot of guys you can learn from. You got Alex [Rodriguez], Jeter, all these guys. There's a reason they're so good. You see the way go about the work that they do, the preparations that have in spring training to get ready for the field. Just watching that you kind of try to use it. You try to imitate that and work as hard as you can."
With that kind of attitude, it's no wonder Yankees manager Joe Torre was full of good things to say about Cairo.
"I'm very happy," Torre said. "I know he wanted to stay here. Things didn't work out [after 2004] and it was just one of those things. It was great that the opportunity presented itself again. Neither one of us had any hesitation about the fact that he wanted to come back."
Cairo's attitude isn't the only thing keeping him on Torre's good side, his versatility is another part of what makes him so valuable in the clubhouse.
"He's such a managers friend in that regard," Torre said. "He plays first, the outfield, all the infielders spots, [and he can] steal a base. He can do a lot of things.
"And, plus, he's walking back into a place he's familiar."
Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/
TAMPA, Fla. -- Miguel Cairo could have found himself with a spot in a starting lineup this season, but he wasn't about to pass up a chance to don the Yankees pinstripes again, even if it meant he'd be relegated to a backup role.
Cairo left the Yanks after the 2004 season and spent a year across town with the Mets, but the utility infielder jumped at the chance to play for the Yankees again and said he is excited to get back to Yankee Stadium.
"It's just the atmosphere," Cairo said. "When you play in New York with this team, with the fans, it's a different atmosphere. It's something different.
"It's hard to explain, but every time you get on that grass inside those lines it's like something else gets into you. No matter how tired you are or if you're hurt or whatever, when you cross the lines it's like you don't have pain. You're not tired. It's like extra energy gets over you. You forget all that's happening.
"I am very happy and honored for them to want me back. I'm just happy to be here."
Cairo, 31, can serve as backup this season to any of the infield positions, though he'll get far less playing time than he got with the Mets last season. Cairo played in 100 games a year ago, playing at second base in 82 of those games.
Through his first eight games this spring, Cairo is hitting .273 with a pair of doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. He has been starting at shortstop while Derek Jeter is playing in the World Baseball Classic, as well as leading off with Johnny Damon also in the Classic.
Cairo said he will be happy to help the Yankees out in any way he can this season, whether it's in the infield, outfield or on the basepaths.
"I could [have started with another team]," Cairo said "But I really wanted to come back here -- be around these guys.
"There's a lot of guys you can learn from. You got Alex [Rodriguez], Jeter, all these guys. There's a reason they're so good. You see the way go about the work that they do, the preparations that have in spring training to get ready for the field. Just watching that you kind of try to use it. You try to imitate that and work as hard as you can."
With that kind of attitude, it's no wonder Yankees manager Joe Torre was full of good things to say about Cairo.
"I'm very happy," Torre said. "I know he wanted to stay here. Things didn't work out [after 2004] and it was just one of those things. It was great that the opportunity presented itself again. Neither one of us had any hesitation about the fact that he wanted to come back."
Cairo's attitude isn't the only thing keeping him on Torre's good side, his versatility is another part of what makes him so valuable in the clubhouse.
"He's such a managers friend in that regard," Torre said. "He plays first, the outfield, all the infielders spots, [and he can] steal a base. He can do a lot of things.
"And, plus, he's walking back into a place he's familiar."
Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/
