Via the Daily News:

Alex Rodriguez wants to get back in the Yankees lineup ahead of the May 15 schedule laid out for him. If Friday was anything to judge by, that’s going to be a tall order.

Rodriguez continued on his road back from March 9 hip surgery by playing in an extended spring training game between Yankees and Pirates farmhands here at Pittsburgh’s minor league complex. He took seven at-bats, did not play the field and barely ran the bases. That meant no full-speed running, no hard turns and no sliding – all things A-Rod says he must do before he returns.

“I felt good,” he said after hitting a single in his final at-bat to finish 1-for-6 with a walk. “I’m looking forward to playing on the field.”

He did not take questions, perhaps in an effort to duck the uncomfortable ones stemming from allegations in a forthcoming book that he used steroids as a high school player and as a Yankee, and that he tipped opposing hitters on pitches during lopsided games.

To make it back for the Baltimore series that begins Friday, he has only a few days to do a lot. Joe Girardi said that Rodriguez could play a few innings in the field today “if he feels up to it” during an extended spring training game.

The next series begins May 12 in Toronto and the club would have to weigh the pros and cons of playing him on an artificial surface.

“I’m not going to give a date because I don’t want to put any pressure on him,” Girardi said. “I’ve stuck to that, but I’ve also said recently it’s possible we’re going to get him sooner than May 15.”

Girardi agrees that A-Rod is going to have to prove himself running the bases, but added, “Let’s not rush him. He’ll let us know when he’s ready.” On Thursday, Rodriguez sounded apprehensive about sliding.

Back on March 8th, I felt that May 15th was the reasonable expected date of return for Alex. And, that’s looking more and more like it’s still the reasonable date. Perhaps, now, the bigger question is: Will Rodriguez not be near 100% when he returns? And, if he’s at 85%, what does that mean for him and the team? Does it mean he’ll only be able to play a few times a week? Does it mean he’ll need a caddy to run the bases and/or cover third late in a game? If the latter two questions are true, this could be good news for Ramiro Pena (if he’s looking to stick around in the Bronx this summer).