NEW YORK (AP) - Alex Rodriguez listened to the cheers and waved his cap. He worked out an eight-pitch walk, lined an opposite-field single into right field and flied out.
After all the huffing and puffing, a grievance, multiple lawsuits and public threats, followed by the inevitable apology, seemingly scripted contrition and never-ending genuflection, A-Rod was back with the Yankees, in pinstripes, in front of the not-quite adoring but forever-forgiving fans on a sunny opening day.
Back from an unprecedented season-long drug suspension, Rodriguez received a loud ovation and, for a designated hitter, a rare shout-out from the Bleacher Creatures.
He was dropped to seventh in the batting order during the regular season for the first time in 19 years and he went 1-for-2 on Monday during a 6-1 loss to Toronto.
"It means the world to me," he said during a string of saccharine postgame comments. "I don't think I ever took it for granted, but I can guarantee you I won't take this year for granted."
His 40th birthday approaches in July, and many of the old faces have left the clubhouse. C.C. Sabathia moved into Derek Jeter's old stall adjacent to the back door leading to the inner sanctum, and Brian McCann took over Mariano Rivera's locker in the middle of the room, the one occupied by David Robertson last year.
Rodriguez is the senior Yankee on a team that hasn't won the World Series since 2009 and has missed the playoffs in two consecutive seasons.
He admitted in 2009 using performance-enhancing drugs while with Texas in 2001-03, but said then he has transformed into Mr. Clean. He made himself out to be a hobbledehoy, used "young and stupid" as his mantra, said at a news conference in front of his teammates, "The only thing I ask from this group today and the American people is to judge me from this day forward."
And then Major League Baseball caught him in 2013. An arbitrator concluded there was "clear and convincing evidence" Rodriguez used three banned substances and twice tried to obstruct the drug investigation.
After serving his ban, he issued a handwritten statement taking "full responsibility for the mistakes" without detailing what those errors were. He did tell federal investigators he used steroids, according to a lawyer for the University of Miami's former pitching coach.
He walked in the third, singled to right-center on a full-count fastball leading off the fifth and flied out in the seventh against reliever Aaron Loup, when fans in the bleachers held up large letters and numbers that spelled out "#-F-O-R-G-1-V-3" with the "3" backward to resemble an "E."