Seoul cycle: Gregorius ready for long WBC flights
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius is getting ready for some long flight to play in the World Baseball Classic.
Gregorius is part of the Netherlands team that opens against South Korea in Seoul on March 7 and could advance to the second round in Tokyo, which starts March 12.
''A lot of electrolytes,'' Gregorius said with a smile Monday. ''Got to drink a lot of fluids - you know it's a long flight but you don't want any jet lag. Try to sleep at the right time on the plane, too.''
Yankees manager Joe Girardi thinks Gregorius will be back with the team early enough ''that he'll have plenty of time to reset his clock'' ahead of the season opener at Tampa Bay on April 2.
''It's more competitive in the WBC, and spring training you're getting ready,'' Gregorius said. ''So, both of them you're actually getting ready for the season, it's nothing different. The only difference is because you're flying, that's it. And here you're driving around.''
Also making the long excursion with Gregorius are Boston's Xander Bogaerts, Baltimore's Jonathan Schoop, Texas' Jurickson Profar and the Los Angeles Angels' Andrelton Simmons.
''It's just playing with all the guys that I played with before since we were kids,'' Gregorius said. ''We get a chance to play with each other again, have a little fun and play the game the right way.''
Gregorius expects share time at shortstop with Simmons.
''I think every team has a good team,'' Gregorius said. ''We're going to see how that goes, but I think we have a really good team, so we have a chance.''
TANAKA TIME
Masahiro Tanaka, the Yankees' scheduled opening-day starter, is to make his first spring training outing Tuesday against Detroit.
''More so than anything, just try to get the mechanics right,'' Tanaka said through a translator. ''Get the feel of the ball when you're actually on the mound, when you're actually in game action. Those are the big things I want to do well in.''
Tanaka went 14-4 with 3.07 ERA in 31 starts last season.
THROWING TIDBITS
CC Sabathia pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings in a simulated game. The lefty had two strikeouts and a walk, and said he felt fine. The Yankees plan to have Sabathia, who had arthroscopic right knee surgery last October, pitch in a few simulated games before his first exhibition appearance. ... Closer Aroldis Chapman threw 25 pitches in batting practice.
