Looking to keep captain fresh, Girardi sits Jeter

NEW YORK -- It may have been odd to see Derek Jeter's name left out of a Yankees lineup against the Red Sox, especially with the captain healthy and active, but manager Joe Girardi said it was a tough call he had to make before Saturday's matinee at Yankee Stadium.

Dean Anna made the start at shortstop in place of the 39-year-old Jeter, who was given a day off with New York playing an afternoon game after a night game. It was the second day off of the year for Jeter and his first at home.

"There's not a whole lot I can do about that," Girardi said. "When you start running guys out there too much, you risk injury. I'm sure guys would be a little more upset if he was out two weeks or a month, or something like that.

"I understand fans want to see him play, and I get that. I want to see him play. I'd love to run him out there 162 times, but I've got to do what's best for him and our team. We have day games after night games or we walk into hotel rooms at 6 o'clock in the morning, you've got to be smart about it."

Girardi has spoken about being cognizant of the expectations from crowds that want to see Jeter in his final big league season, both at home and on the road, but Girardi said that his priority is to make sure Jeter can play a full and productive year.

"I have to manage him with the focus of winning games and keeping him healthy, not it being a farewell tour," Girardi said. "I wasn't hired to put on a farewell tour. ... It's not the last week of the season and these games are obviously important to us -- today, tomorrow, the next month. I have to manage that. And I'm sorry if people came to see him today, but I have to be smart about it."