A-Rod excited by Ty Cobb grip

TORONTO

Underneath the stands at Rogers Centre, where the ballplayers prepare each day for the upcoming game, Kevin Long experienced a Thomas Edison moment Friday afternoon.

We should begin to find out Saturday whether the Yankees hitting coach can produce as high a batting average as did Edison when it comes to innovations.

When Alex Rodriguez experienced discomfort once more in his left thumb during a session in the hitting cages, Long suggested that the ailing slugger divide his hands by about a quarter of an inch on his bat, with a small piece of tape separating the two hands. A-Rod tried it, liked it and went deep four times during on-the-field batting practice, sitting out Friday night's contest against the Blue Jays but planning to start Saturday at third base.

"It's the best I've felt in over a month," said Rodriguez, who suffered the injury Aug. 21 and last played Sept. 9. "Good idea by Kevin. We'll just take it for a while, take it from there."

Said Long: "I liked the way he was going about his business. He wasn't guarding."

The problem had been arising when A-Rod's bum thumb, on his bottom hand while batting, felt the impact of his top (right) hand during his swing. Explained Long: "What was happening was, he was taking his swing, and as soon as he made contact, he was so scared of the pain. So he was guarding his swing."

The tape, Long said, is "used to protect his bottom hand from his top hand."

While the Red Sox try to survive a run by the Rays, the Yankees can concern themselves as much with the trainer's room as with the standings. Francisco Cervelli's concussions could very well keep the animated backup catcher off the field for the rest of the season, which would seem to open a postseason roster spot for rookie Austin Romine.

Robinson Cano, meanwhile, started at second base and displayed no ill effects from the right foot injury he suffered Wednesday night.

A-Rod, with 90 games played on the season, will set his career low for a full big-league season, thanks to this thumb injury and the right knee surgery that preceded it. He has put up decent numbers (15 homers, a .367 on-base percentage and .475 slugging percentage) when active, serving as an asset to the club.

Yet the Yankees have hardly drowned in Rodriguez's absence. Without him, they are 38-21, a .644 winning percentage. With him? 52-38, or .578. That doesn't mean we've returned to the days when yakosphere troglodytes could proclaim that a self-centered A-Rod was "hurting the team." But it does mean the Yankees aren't dying on the vine without their highest-paid player.

"His health is a concern for us," Joe Girardi said. "That's why we're being patient."

The Yankees want A-Rod to simply accrue enough at-bats between now and the playoffs so that he feels comfortable in October. Both the team and the player have acknowledged that Rodriguez probably won't be 100 percent the rest of the way.

And now, with the Long idea, the Yankees have something new to try on a persistent problem. "It's definitely going to be a little adjustment," Rodriguez said. "But anything that can alleviate pain is a good move. I'm excited about it."

If he can resemble his old self between now and the end of October, A-Rod can wipe out memories of his most frustrating regular season. And he can enhance, considerably, the guru quotient of the already respected Long.