Jeter takes part in most drills with Yankees

Jeter took part in most of the team drills, including on-field batting practice for the first time since undergoing ankle surgery last October. The 38-year-old captain, who has been hitting in an indoor cage, also took part in a 25-minute defensive session at shortstop.

"It felt good," Jeter said. "It's the first time I'm doing everything on the field, in terms of hitting on the field, groundballs on the dirt. What I'm doing now is what I would be doing at the beginning of workouts anyway, but I'm a couple weeks behind."

Although he didn't take part in agility or running, Jeter got the day's biggest salute from the several hundred fans present when he first appeared. They also cheered when he lined a ball to right on his first BP swing.

While waiting to enter the batting cage, a young fan near the dugout yelled "Jeter" several times before the 13-time All-Star turned toward the stands, said "What?, smiled and then tipped his batting helmet.

A woman then asked for an autograph, and Jeter replied "(manager Joe) Girardi said no." That prompted laughs from the fans, Girardi and hitting coach Kevin Long, who was standing nearby.

After batting practice, Jeter signed a photo for the woman.

Jeter broke his left ankle lunging for a grounder in the AL championship series opener against Detroit on Oct. 1 and had surgery a week later. He says he will be in the lineup for opening day against Boston on April 1.