Alex Rodriguez's teammates have enjoyed their time with him at Charleston and Tampa.

"It means a lot just to watch what he does and learn from him," said Tampa third baseman Peter O'Brien said. "He's been a real cool, down-to-earth guy. The way he carries himself is neat to see. He's a big-time pro, one of the best to ever play the game, and you can see it. He's so easy and smooth. He lets the game come to him."

Rodriguez is just 1-for-9 as he works his way back from hip surgery.

"He goes out there and does what he needs to do," O'Brien said. "Everything is done with a plan. He might only take 30 or 40 swings in BP, but every swing is with a purpose."

"He'd be commenting on pitches, saying stuff like, 'That's a good pitch right there.' Or, 'That guy has a good sink.' He was talking pitch counts," Tampa Yankees catcher Tyson Blaser said.

"He's a student of the game, and it's kind of humbling to see a guy who has that much big league time, and experience, being an All-Star, and being one of the best, that he still loves the game as much as he does."