CLEARWATER, Fla. -- The moment many of us have been waiting for all spring is about to arrive. On Sunday, Alex Rodriguez will play first base in a major-league ballgame -- in fact, in a ballgame at any level -- for the first time in his life.

"I'm excited about it," he said. "I told Joe [Girardi] to really keep a close eye on me. He said he will."

Rodriguez has taken a few grounders at first this spring, and earlier this week Girardi said he worked on some of the finer points of the position, such as where to go on relays from the outfield and how to defense the bunt. But in truth, Rodriguez has only scratched the surface of learning the position; his brand-new first baseman's glove is still being broken in for him by a clubbie.

"I haven't even started to learn," he said. "I've done a few things. I'll tell you about it after [the game]."

Earlier in the day, Girardi said he was looking at Rodriguez, who has had a pretty good spring at the plate (.303, 2 HRs, 3 RBI), as his third option at first base, behind Mark Teixeira and backup Garrett Jones. Mainly, his responsibilities will be to DH and play a little third base to give Chase Headley a day off now and then.

"Obviously, I'd probably put Jones there first, but if something were to happen to one of them, we're just trying to prepare ourselves," Girardi said. "You feel pretty good that you got two healthy first basemen, in a sense, so Alex would be kinda the third guy."

That Teixeira (.279, 1 HR, 4 RBI) has appeared healthy this spring made it less important for Rodriguez to get reps at first base. But with the way injuries have decimated the New York Yankees' aging roster in recent seasons, it's never a bad idea to have more than one spare part at each position.

"I'm thinking of first base to give Joe as many options as he could possibly have," A-Rod said. "I know he likes to give guys rest. I know he likes matchups. I just want to be an asset to Joe all year."

One of the boxes Girardi has wanted to see Rodriguez check off this spring finally got checked in Friday's rain-shortened 10-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies when A-Rod, who singled up the middle in his first at-bat, went from first to third on Stephen Drew's double. He was then thrown out at the plate by Jeff Francoeur on Chris Young's fly out to deep right, a bullet that beat Rodriguez home by five yards and caused a comically soft mini-collision at the plate with Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp.

"I know it didn't look good, but it felt good," Rodriguez said. "I told [Rupp] in my next at-bat thank you for taking it easy on me. He's a big guy."

Rodriguez struck out on a changeup from Aaron Nola, the Phillies' first-round draft pick last year, a pitch A-Rod said "I almost choked on." He completed his day by drawing a walk off lefty Jake Diekman during the Yankees' seven-run fifth inning.

"I'm just excited being someone in the middle of the lineup trying to help the team win," Rodriguez said. "I feel like I'm in a good place right now."

Let's see if he feels the same way about being at first base on Sunday.

Pin sharp: Michael Pineda, tabbed by Girardi to start the second game of the regular season, ahead of CC Sabathia, looked sharp in a five-inning stint that turned out to be a complete-game victory when a downpour caused the game to be called after the Yankees batted in the top of the sixth. Pineda allowed five hits -- two of them bloops and all of them soft -- walked none and struck out five. Pineda will make one more spring start before going against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 8 at Yankee Stadium.

Drew Yankee: Stephen Drew, a target of fan criticism for his poor (.150) three months with the Yankees last year to go with a one-year, $5 million contract the Yankees singed him to this winter, had three hits in the game, including a two-RBI single in the fifth in which the Yankees sent 12 batters to the plate and strung together five straight hits. Drew raised his spring average from .167 coming in to .231 going out. Brendan Ryan, another favorite whipping boy among Yankees fans, had two doubles. Chris Young also had a two-run double in the seven-run fifth.

Ellsbury improving: Girardi said Jacoby Ellsbury, who had not swung a bat since March 15 due to an oblique strain, came through his first cage batting practice session "very well," and will likely take live BP on the field Saturday before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Steinbrenner Field. The plan is for Ellsbury to return to action in a minor-league game Tuesday.

CC to the minors: While the Yankees are playing the Orioles, Sabathia will be starting in a minor-league game across the street at the developmental complex. Girardi said that was because he wanted to give Scott Baker, who has pitched just three times this spring and not since March 22, some work against big-league hitters. Baker, a candidate for the bullpen, will start against the Orioles.