Alex Rodriguez News: Pro Sports Daily

A-Rod juiced to pass Reggie on home run list

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June 27

New York Daily News

"Alex Rodriguez looks as fresh as ever, which is great news for the Yankees. It's not very good news for Rafael Palmeiro and Harmon Killebrew, who are A-Rod's next two targets on the all-time home run list now that he's moved past Reggie Jackson. A-Rod drilled No. 564 in the eighth inning Friday night, taking over sole possession of 11th place from Mr. October, who was watching on TV in the Yankees' clubhouse with Derek Jeter when Rodriguez ripped Elmer Dessens' first pitch into the Mets bullpen to pass him. Rodriguez now stands five home runs from tying Palmeiro for 10th on the list and nine from matching Killebrew for ninth place, but moving past Jackson was very meaningful for A-Rod. ..."

Passes Reggie on HR list

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June 27

New York Post

columnist Kevin Kernan

"SUBWAY Series fans, in cluding Kate Hudson, who was seated in the second row at Citi Field, got a good look last night at the new approach Alex Rodriguez is bringing to the ballpark. There also was one other interested observer Reggie Jackson, who was here to congratulate A-Rod and to challenge him as well. A-Rod pushed himself too hard in his return from right hip surgery. Now he has a better understanding of how and when to back off. He said the time off in Miami refreshed him. He knows that sitting one day a week is an important part of his program now. Rodriguez blasted the 564th home run of his career deep into the Mets bullpen in the eighth inning of the Yankees 9-1 rout of the ..."

A-Rod ties Reggie, lifts Yankees

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June 26

Bergen Record

"Refreshed and renewed by his recent rest, Alex Rodriguez didn't feel as if he needed a doctor's note to find his way into Thursday night's lineup. Cleared to play through the weekend, A-Rod confirmed his improving status with a long, milestone home run and a key, two-run single in the Yankees' 11-7 win over the Braves at Turner Field. But there still was some unsettling news afterward, as Xavier Nady pulled himself out of a rehab game with elbow pain. "It's the thing you're trying to avoid, so it could be the worst-case scenario," said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, alluding to the possibility of season-ending surgery. Since Cashman's appearance and manager Joe Girardi's ejection ..."

Alex Rodriguez, Reggie Jackson and the following of doctor's orders

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June 26

Trenton Times

"Around the Yankees Universe on this sunny (at least down here) Friday morning ... Alex Rodriguez tied Reggie Jackson on Thursday with his 563rd career home run, which puts both Yankees stars at 11th all-time. As Tyler Kepner of the Times points out, some enterprising fan was ready for the moment. Kepner notes the "A-Rod Cheats" sign taped to the staircase facing the center field camera early in the game. Mark Feinsand of the Daily News wondered aloud if the situation could be strange, considering Rodriguez's use of performance enhancers: Considering that 156 of A-Rod's homers came during the three-year period in which he has admitted to using steroids, passing a Hall of Famer such as ..."

Rodriguez Gives Yanks a Positive Sign

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June 26

New York Times

"Alex Rodriguez's personal choices make him an object of derision away from Yankee Stadium. It is not that way all the time, but it happens enough to be noticeable in almost every road game. It is a burden he may carry for the rest of his complicated career. On Thursday night at Turner Field, a fan placed a sign decrying Rodriguez's steroid use directly behind the plate. Later, the stadium organist played "Material Girl," by Rodriguez's famous friend Madonna. And many fans booed him, as usual. Rodriguez responded with a ferocious performance, helping the Yankees outlast the Atlanta Braves, 11-7. He had his first multihit game in a month, with a homer, two singles and four runs batted in, ..."

Rest Plan Revised for Rodriguez

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June 26

New York Times

"When the Yankees decided to rest Alex Rodriguez for two days in Florida last weekend, Manager Joe Girardi said he would build in one game off a week until the All-Star break. Already, that plan has been altered. On Thursday, General Manager Brian Cashman spoke with the team doctor Chris Ahmad, who said that Monday's team day off and another scheduled day off, on June 29, would be enough rest for Rodriguez this week. Rodriguez had hip surgery March 9 and played 38 games in a row starting May 8, until finally admitting to fatigue. Girardi insisted he would sit Rodriguez now and then until the All-Star break, as tempting as it is to play him every day. "We're going to listen to the doctor, ..."

Slumping Alex Rodriguez nears Mendoza Line for struggling Yankees

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June 24

New York Daily News

"History suggests Alex Rodriguez will break out of his slump at some point. Or does it? Sure, A-Rod has been one of the best hitters of his or any generation for that matter, but he's never had to deal with the aftereffects of major surgery, nor has he had so many suspicious eyes on him following this winter's revelation that he had used steroids. A-Rod went 0-for-4 in the Yankees' 4-0 loss to the Braves Tuesday night, dropping his average to .207, an unprecedented low for the three-time AL MVP. Even during 2006, a season in which he says he was "lost" all year, his average never dipped below .274 after mid-May. Since A-Rod became a Yankee in 2004, the latest his average has resembled ..."

Yankees Hope Days Off Help A-Rod Rest Of Way

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June 23

New York Post

"Here is a question the Yankees hope isn't answered with a yes. Is this all Alex Rodriguez has to offer for the remainder of the season? While the smart money wasn't on Rodriguez coming back from March 9 hip surgery on May 8 and immediately reclaiming the mantle of "Best Player In The Game," a .213 average in 40 games and two homers in the last month was not expected. On the advice of Dr. Marc Philippon, the surgeon who performed the surgery to repair a torn labrum, manager Joe Girardi plans to rest Rodriguez once a week until the All-Star break (July 13-16). After that the plan will be re-evaluated. "The problem with this injury is there isn't a blueprint," hitting coach Kevin Long said. ..."

Extra rest does some good for Yankees star Alex Rodriguez

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June 22

Trenton Times

"Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez said he "felt pretty good" on Sunday, after going 1-for-4 with a pair of RBIs in his first start since his two-day breather. He also seemed on board with team's intent to rest him at least once a week until the All-Star break. "That sounds like a good plan," said Rodriguez, whose rehab process has been guided by Marc Philippon, the specialist who operated on Rodriguez's hip little more than six weeks ago. "From what I understand, that comes from Philippon. We'll follow his instructions, then regroup in a month and we'll go from there.""

A-Rod snaps slump

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June 22

Bergen Record

"With a two-out rally in the third, the Yanks took a 3-1 lead on Alex Rodriguez's two-run single to left. That broke an 0-for-16 stretch for A-Rod, who returned to the starting lineup after a two-day rest for fatigue. "We're probably going to give him a day off a week, just to keep him going," said Joe Girardi, who will reevaluate that plan at the All-Star break. Girardi already has discussed the need for A-Rod to express when he needs time off, "so it's not going to be a conspiracy theory.""

A-Rod to sit out one day a week

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June 22

New York Daily News

"It was hard to tell whether two days of rest helped Alex Rodriguez, but the slumping third baseman will have some more days off coming his way in the near future to help him get past the fatigue that has slowed him down this month. Joe Girardi plans to rest A-Rod once a week for the next month, a plan Rodriguez said was devised by Dr. Marc Philippon, the Colorado surgeon who operated on his hip in March. "That sounds like a good plan," A-Rod said Sunday. "From what I understand, that comes from Vail (Colo.) and Dr. Philippon. We'll follow his instructions and regroup in a month. The idea is that I'll get stronger each month." Having been rested on Friday and Saturday - he made one ..."

A-Rod plays, but it didn't matter much

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June 22

Miami Herald

"And on the seventh day, A-Rod didn't rest. Not that it mattered much -- 1 for 4 with as many whiffs as RBI (two). For a player with Alex Rodriguez's resume, that's a line remarkable only in that it raised his batting average from .212 to .213. Maybe, to paraphrase boxing manager Joe Jacobs at a frigid World Series game, he shoulda stood in bed. Once again in Rodriguez's career, what should've been a crescendo gets blown into a flat fade. Other than courting loud, mixed reactions, Rodriguez had less to do with this series than Marlins reliever Matt Lindstrom, who picked up saves Saturday and Sunday. This weekend should've been a showcase, the first trio of Major League games in South ..."

Joe Girardi puts to rest talk of Alex Rodriguez's breather

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June 21

New York Daily News

"Conspiracy theories were popping up all over South Florida this weekend, as the locals tried to cope with the fact that Alex Rodriguez was being given the first two games off against the Marlins. Joe Girardi seemed surprised that people were making such an issue out of Rodriguez's two days off, but the manager acknowledged that when the topic is A-Rod, stories tend to become bigger than usual. "The big deal is probably that a lot of people aren't familiar with what he went through, how serious of a surgery he had and the fatigue that he went through," Girardi said. "Everything is always (bigger) when it's Alex." Rodriguez saw his first action of the weekend in the eighth inning last ..."

Call Him M.I.A.-Rod

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June 21

New York Post

"Kate Hudson may be wearing A-Rod out. The slumping Yankee slugger missed most of last night's game against the Florida Marlins after riding the bench the night before as well with a case of "fatigue." The rest hasn't seemed to do much good: In his pinch-hit cameo last night, he merely drew a walk. And that R&R is expensive; Rodriguez pockets $203,704.40 a game -- even when he's riding the pine. It's not surprising that A-Rod is feeling a bit sluggish -- the wilting all-star was caught partying in South Beach with Hudson, his main squeeze, in the wee hours yesterday morning. The third baseman was seen leaving an exclusive party with the actress at around 2:30 a.m. It remained to be seen ..."

Alex Rodriguez comes to South Florida ... and takes a seat

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June 20

Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

columnist Dave Hyde

"Whaddya mean Alex Rodriguez won't play the first two games against the Marlins Get your Marlins Tickets now!? So what if he's a bit run down? Slip him a little, green pick-me-up and … Wait, don't do that. Give him salt tablets, if he's feeling tired. Who'd call him out on that, Lot's wife? Because let's be serious: A preordained, two-game layoff from fatigue is unheard of in baseball, much less one involving a guy who couldn't wait to play this series and already missed the first 28 games of the season due to hip injury. Or steroid fatigue syndrome. Or something. Lots of fans figured the big attraction about sport's biggest team coming to town was Rodriguez playing a real game at home for ..."

A-Rod's mother has to wait

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June 20

Philadelphia Inquirer

"His mother was likely not amused when she got the news.And with good reason. Imagine preparing for your son's first regular-season games in your hometown only to learn at the last moment that he would not play until tomorrow.What to do last night and today? Who to root for?"Have to tell her to save the gas money," Alex Rodriguez said. The Yankees third baseman, who bought about 100 tickets for family and friends for the three-game set, did not start last night against the Marlins in Miami and will watch again today because of what the team called "fatigue."Of course, explaining A-Rod's little 0-for-15 slump and .212 batting average is enough to exhaust anybody. Yankees manager Joe Girardi ..."

Yankees bench slumping Alex Rodriguez for two days citing 'fatigue'

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June 20

New York Daily News

"Alex Rodriguez says he's been waiting for years to start a meaningful game in his hometown. He'll have to wait two more days. After writing A-Rod's name in the initial lineup for Friday night's series opener against the Marlins, Joe Girardi decided to scratch him following a conversation between the two of them and general manager Brian Cashman. The trio decided that Rodriguez - who has been struggling at the plate for the past couple of weeks - would benefit from two days off, sitting him for the first two games this weekend in Miami. "We just feel that he's fatigued and that he could use a little blow," Girardi said. "We talked about giving him one day off and we were thinking about ..."

Slumping Rodriguez Given Two Games Off

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June 20

New York Times

"The Florida Marlins came into being in 1993, when Alex Rodriguez was a high school senior in Miami. He was about to embark on an eventful professional career that would take him many places before his first scheduled regular-season game at the Marlins' ballpark. When the time came, with the Yankees on Friday night, Rodriguez was not in the lineup. He will not start on Saturday, either. His average has dipped to .212, and he has seemed worn down from his hip surgery on March 9. "When you're running on empty," Rodriguez said, "you feel like you're not being yourself." Rodriguez said he thought Marc Philippon, the doctor who performed the operation, would have wanted him to take five to eight ..."

Does New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez need a day off?

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June 18

Trenton Times

"Alex Rodriguez's batting average stood at .224 before Wednesday's game against the Washington Nationals, with nine home runs and 26 RBI. And while A-Rod's presence behind him seems to have done wonders for No. 3 hitter Mark Teixeira's offensive production, Yankees manager Joe Girardi was asked if Rodriguez -- who hit a three-run home run on the first pitch he saw this season after returning from hip surgery -- may be a little tired. After all, Rodriguez has played in every game since his return to the lineup May 8 in Baltimore. That's 36 straight games, 33 of them at third base and three as the designated hitter. But Girardi didn't seem to want to hear it. "He had a day off on Monday,'' ..."

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi thought about sending Alex Rodriguez in 9th inning on Wednesday

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June 18

Trenton Times

"It is purely second-guessing, simply because Robinson Cano grounded into a game-ending double play. But Yankees manager Joe Girardi, when asked on Thursday, did say he considered attempting a steal of second base by Alex Rodriguez in the ninth inning of Wednesday night's game. Too many factors told him not to, though, Girardi said. Remember, Rodriguez was on first and Brett Gardner was on third with one out and the Yankees trailing, 3-2. Rodriguez never made it to second as Cano hit into the 6-4-3 double play. "We had talked about it," Girardi said of sending Rodriguez. "It's a double-edged sword. You figure if you hit into a line drive, you get doubled up. You have Cano and (Jorge) ..."

Don't worry! Slumping A-Rod says he's still working out June bugs

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June 18

New York Daily News

"Alex Rodriguez says everyone should be patient. He will hit like a superstar again. The Yankees slugger is barely three months removed from hip surgery and isn't quite himself yet. Most things still don't feel as they did before the procedure. When they do, he will leave his surprising .219 batting average behind and become a hitter people recognize. "It's going to take a minute and it's a process," Rodriguez said after going 0-for-3 with a walk in the Yankees' 3-2 loss to Washington Wednesday night. "You can't get overly frustrated. You just have to work hard. "I am coming in early every day and working with (hitting coach) Kevin Long. I feel good about the progress we're making, ..."

A-Rod's Struggles Drawing Yawns

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June 18

New York Post

columnist Larry Brooks

"MAYBE Alex Rodriguez needs controversy the way Samson needed hair. Maybe the cone of silence that has enveloped A-Rod away from the field since his return from the DL has muted his bat as well. Or maybe, just maybe, the combination of missing spring training's swings that Rodriguez religiously craves plus the daily demands of playing baseball just two months removed from hip surgery have left a residue that's created a massive slump. Honestly, it's not such a surprise that Rodriguez is having difficulty getting into the swing of 2009. It is, however, a shock that he largely had managed to escape notice before last night's 3-2 loss at the Stadium to the Nationals. His 0-for-3 extended his ..."

A-Rod Still Important To Yanks

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June 16

New York Post

"His batting average is .230. Since eight of his nine homers have been hit at Yankee Stadium the total has to be viewed with a skeptical eye because everybody homers in The Bronx. Yet, to the Yankees whatever Alex Rodriguez provides is welcomed. "The take I have to have is appreciation that we have him out there for us," GM Brian Cashman said yesterday, a rare day off for Rodriguez, who has started all 35 games since returning from March 9 hip surgery. "He is feeling his way through it and it's new ground for everybody." Even though Rodriguez isn't posting typical numbers, he has provided protection for No. 3 hitter Mark Teixeira, who went on a tear when Rodriguez reclaimed the cleanup ..."

A-Rod Tries Powering Out Of Slump

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June 14

New York Post

"Alex Rodriguez was slumping in every way imaginable -- with runners in scoring position, home runs and overall production. But, yesterday, A-Rod finally got going again. "He's going to be fine," Mark Teixeira said after Rodriguez homered, walked and reached base three times in yesterday's 6-2 Yankee loss in the second game of the first Subway Series at the new Yankee Stadium. "He's the least of my worries or anybody's worries." Still, A-Rod entered yesterday in a 2-for-18 rut, his average down to .233. He'd delivered only one homer in his last 18 games. And he had gotten just one hit in his last 15 at-bats with runners in scoring position. Yesterday, though, Rodriguez was one of the only ..."

Rick Sutcliffe tip-toes around rift with A-Rod and Mark Teixeira

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June 11

New York Daily News

"Rick Sutcliffe has no problem with Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, even after being confronted by the two players on Tuesday night for something he said during an ESPN telecast two weeks ago. Following Teixeira's home run off Texas' Derek Holland on May 27, Sut-cliffe suggested that A-Rod might have tipped Teixeira off to the catcher's setup location. The mere suggestion upset both Teixeira and Rodriguez. "They were adamant that they weren't doing it," Sutcliffe said. "All I said was that when I played, there were ways of getting that info to the guy at home plate. They were upset thinking I had accused them of doing that, but I never did that. There's no way I could know. We shook ..."

Closer Finds Another Nemesis

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June 7

New York Post

"Maybe the Rays are turning into the Red Sox. Last year, they beat out the Yankees for the playoffs, and yesterday, for the second straight time, Tampa Bay got to Mariano Rivera, sending the Yankees to losses each time. They pounded the closer for four runs -- three earned -- in two-thirds of an inning as the Yanks lost, 9-7, yesterday at the new Stadium. The last time Rivera faced the Rays, he gave up back-to-back homers for the first time in his career -- a fact that was not lost in the Tampa Bay clubhouse. "I think anytime you do something good against a closer and it's in recent memory, you feel a little bit more confident," said Ben Zobrist, who led off the ninth with the game tied at ..."

A-Rod Return Helped 'Em Hit The Mark

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June 6

New York Post

"THE Yankees are riding the wave now, the wave that will take them all the way to October. When Alex Rodriguez first began workouts in Tampa following his hip surgery, he said he was going to put the game first and concentrate on making the Yankees the best team that they can be in 2009. It's all about winning, nothing else. It has been four Fridays since Rodriguez returned from his hip surgery, and he has kept his word. The Yankees are a major league best 19-7 since Rodriguez returned, and teammate Mark Teixeira has taken off as the entire lineup has been lengthened. Teixeira and Rodriguez are beginning to form a modern day version of Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. If they continue to ..."

Teixeira Reaps Benefits of Rodriguez's Return

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June 6

New York Times

"Mark Teixeira is a superb hitter. With or without Alex Rodriguez slotted behind him in the lineup, Teixeira would still be a superb hitter. But Teixeira has been a much more relaxed and confident hitter since Rodriguez returned to the Yankees last month. Teixeira is an extremely organized player. He likes to follow the same routine before games because it makes him feel comfortable. As good as Teixeira is, he also likes to have a strong hitter protecting him because that makes him feel comfortable, too. "Baseball is so mental, everybody knows that," Teixeira said. "Physically, if you're clicking and, mentally, if you have the confidence that you're going to get pitches to hit, it's going ..."

Despite loss to Rangers, Yankees and A-Rod still A-OK

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June 4

New York Daily News

columnist Filip Bondy

"When they let the fans through Gate 6 Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, a few hundred had a surprise waiting for them in the Great Hall. Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi were there to shake their hands, to sign tickets, to talk baseball. It was starting to rain outside, and most of these people had paid way too much for tickets to an uninspiring, soggy game that would turn out Texas 4, Yankees 2. Yet things had been going so well for the Yanks - they had won 16 of 20 - that few in the crowd offered a word of discouragement. Nobody even suggested a trade to Cashman, or demanded he return Joba Chamberlain to the bullpen. "Great job you're doing with the team," one fellow said. "Thanks for getting ..."

From the first pitch, Alex Rodriguez has been a blast for Yankees

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May 29

New York Daily News

"Has a .258 hitter ever made as much of a difference as Alex Rodriguez has over the past three weeks? Ever since A-Rod and his surgically repaired hip returned from the disabled list on May 8, the Yankees have been rolling. At the time of Rodriguez's arrival, the Bombers were languishing in third place with a 13-15 record, but a run of 14 wins in 19 games has thrust the Yankees toward the top of the American League East, only a half-game behind the Red Sox. A-Rod provided an immediate spark, drilling a three-run homer off Baltimore's Jeremy Guthrie on the first pitch he saw this season. The Yankees split their first four games with Rodriguez in the lineup, but there was a different feeling ..."

A-Rod Busts Loose Against Former Club

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May 26

New York Post

"Kevin Long didn't need to see Alex Rodriguez match a career high with five hits yesterday. Nor did the Yankees' hitting coach, whose eyes never leave Rodriguez when the cleanup hitter has a bat in hand, require a home run. "Except for Sunday, and you have to give Cole Hamels credit, he has been good," Long said of Rodriguez, who went 5-for-5 and drove in four runs in an 11-1 victory over the Rangers. "I really can't remember a day when his swing hasn't been good. He is getting more comfortable with more at-bats." Back at the Ballpark in Arlington for the first time since he attributed a loose atmosphere in the Rangers' locker room for his steroid use while with the club, the boos weren't ..."

A-Rod homers in fourth straight game

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May 20

MLB.com

"The sight of Alex Rodriguez rounding the bases has become a popular new attraction at Yankee Stadium, helping the surging home team streak to their best baseball of the young season. Rodriguez homered for the fourth straight game on Tuesday as the Yankees' winning streak extended to seven games, helping put New York on the board with a two-run tater en route to a 9-1 victory over the Orioles. "It's just good to contribute," Rodriguez said. "When you're winning games, there's a lot of good stories to be written about everybody. Everyone's playing well, and I'm just happy to be in the mix." Playing through his first homestand at the $1.5 billion stadium, Rodriguez has found plenty to like ..."

Let's Hope A-Rod's Doing It Clean

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May 20

New York Post

columnist Joel Sherman

"THERE was a game yesterday, so Alex Rodriguez hit a homer. That seems to be all it takes right now. Game. Pitcher. Ball. Bat. Homer. This should be tougher for Rodriguez considering that a significant hip surgery is still in his rear-view mirror. And that he is as much a creature of routine as any major leaguer and his spring routine was totally disrupted due to that tear in his hip. And coming up fast in the left lane is his 34th birthday. Except A-Rod is now waging his own personal home-run derby. He has seven hits since his return. Five are homers. Who needs stinkin' singles? And every one of those homers has come not only in a Yankee victory, but been vital in securing that win. So ..."

Yankees have their stuffy image whipped since Alex Rodriguez's return

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May 20

New York Daily News

columnist Vic Ziegel

"They keep this up, this winning thing, this occasional last at-bat thing, and it won't be long before the announcers are pushing the official whipped cream of the New York Yankees. There was no walk-off magic Tuesday night, none needed, because Alex Rodriguez, who began the game at .188, gave the Yankees all the necessary runs immediately. He isn't the only reason the Yankees are making this strong move but you must have noticed the winning didn't begin until A-Rod returned to the lineup 11 games ago. There it is, in the day-by-day results. He missed Opening Day and the Yankees were pounded by Baltimore. They've played five games against the Red Sox and scored the right number of runs to ..."

Alex Rodriguez really connects at new Stadium with homers

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May 20

New York Daily News

"Alex Rodriguez hoped to acclimate quickly to the new Yankee Stadium. How's this for the comforts of home? The Yanks are riding a season-best seven-game winning streak, and A-Rod has belted homers in the last four of those home victories. He accounted for the first two runs with a first-inning blast off Brad Bergesen in Tuesday night's 9-1 victory over Baltimore. "I love this place. I just love New York. I love the Stadium," Rodriguez said after helping the Yanks improve to 9-2 since returning from hip surgery on May8 in Baltimore. "The Stadium to me is the best playing surface on the planet." Of course, you would have had to be somewhere other than Earth to not be aware of the constant ..."

On anniversary of gem, David Wells throws heat at Roger Clemens and A-Rod

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May 18

New York Daily News

"On the 11th anniversary of his perfect game for the Yankees, David Wells proved that he can still bring the heat. A couple of hours before the Yankees took on Minnesota at Yankee Stadium Sunday, Wells hurled some verbal brushbacks at Roger Clemens and Alex Rodriguez and all major leaguers caught using steroids. Wells said the home runs that Rodriguez hit during the time he admitted he was on steroids shouldn't count, including the three he jacked against Wells in 2003. He also questioned Roger Clemens' veracity on his constant denials that he never juiced, and said all steroids cheats should be banned from baseball after the first offense and have no shot at getting into the Hall of Fame. ..."

David Wells rips Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez

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May 18

New York Daily News

"David Wells has no sympathy for the steroid users in baseball. The hefty lefty said MLB should give harsher bans than the 50-game suspensions currently handed out to players who test positive for banned substances. He also said that players who have admitted to juicing should not be elected to the Hall of Fame. "No 50-game suspension - ban them right away," Wells said. "That would stop (steroid use) in a heartbeat. Especially with the money they are giving out today. It would be incredible if they did that, you wouldn't have to worry about steroids or HGH. "(Alex Rodriguez) admitted to it, so I mean the home runs he hit off me in Texas, should those count? I dunno. . . . They say ..."

That's Just How Alex Drew It Up

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May 17

New York Post

columnist Larry Brooks

"LOOK, let's face it, by the time spring training started, we all had grown weary of the drama encircling Alex Rodriguez, who seemed more a myth than a man, more a pretender than a champion, more a diva than a down-and-dirty ballplayer. And so, for once in his Yankees career that began in 2004, the timing could not have been better for Rodriguez when a hip problem requiring arthroscopic surgery flared in March and sent him into exile and off the front and back pages. Because when Rodriguez returned May 8 in Baltimore, somehow all of the issues, all of the questions about what he did, when he did it, and what he knew about was he was doing; all those questions seemed so last year . . . so ..."

Ripken wants answers on Rodriguez

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May 17

Philadelphia Inquirer

"A hero to Alex Rodriguez, Cal Ripken nonetheless wants A-Rod to explain why he used a banned substance.At a banquet in Florida honoring the winners of the 2008 Cal Ripken World Series, the former Orioles great said, "I want to know why. I'm going to make it my business to find out."Ripken's comments were reported in the Palm Beach Post.Notified of Ripken's comments, A-Rod stared away and said, "I'm not going there." He added that he wanted to focus only on baseball.He did that pretty well yesterday, hitting a game-winning two-run homer in the 11th inning.Little Big Man Ichiro Suzuki is known for launching baseballs into the bleachers one after another during batting practice, but he hadn't ..."

A-Rod makes quiet entrance on new Stadium stage

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May 16

Newsday

columnist Anthony Rieber

"Alex Rodriguez made his first visit since December to new Yankee Stadium on Friday night and instantly proclaimed it the finest structure since the Roman emperor Titus opened the Colosseum in 80 A.D. with a festival that lasted 100 days. "Those Romans," A-Rod said. "They knew how to party." OK, so A-Rod didn't mention Titus or the Colosseum or talk about the Romans at all. We made that up. He didn't say anything remotely surprising or interesting, which is part of what makes him the new, improved, steroid-free 100-percent-totally-focused-on-baseball A-Rod. Instead of working off a tip sheet from his private public relations staff, A-Rod has graduated from the Derek Jeter School of Bland ..."

A-Rod Must Make New Stadium Home

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May 16

New York Post

columnist Kevin Kernan

"ALEX Rodriguez is no longer a stranger in his brand new house. Rodriguez made his way through the Yankee Stadium clubhouse yesterday and asked, "Which way to the field?" "This way, Alex," I told him and proceeded to walk him out the clubhouse door, down a set of steps and past the indoor batting cages, asking him questions as we walked along. He was in awe of the place. A-Rod needed to know where the video room was located. He then made his way up the steps of the dugout and onto the field. "This is amazing," Rodriguez said hours before the Yankees beat the Twins 5-4 on Melky Cabrera's dramatic two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning of the A-Rod Home Opener, seven weeks into the ..."

Rodriguez Receives Welcome He Wanted

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May 16

New York Times

"The hot corner is where Alex Rodriguez not only plays but where he dresses, his stall fittingly in the rear of an amenity-gorged clubhouse, angled left. This will be where the news media crowd hovers, waiting for the Yankee who bats and speaks cleanup, looking for cracks in his newfound karma, his promise to leave tumult behind him, where even the insatiable celebrity known as A-Rod claims now to prefer it. "For me, it's like my opening day," Rodriguez said before his new Yankee Stadium debut Friday night in a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins, courtesy of Melky Cabrera's two-run, ninth-inning single off the premier closer Joe Nathan. Between their third baseman and the launching pad of ..."

A-Rod Excited To Come Home

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May 15

New York Post

"Thirty-four games into what honestly can be described as a disappointing start to the Yankees season Alex Rodriguez gets his first glimpse of the $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium tonight. "I am excited to see it," said Rodriguez, whose six-game season has been limited to road games. The last time he saw the Stadium was December. "It will be like Opening Day all over again." So much has happened to Rodriguez since the final game at the former Yankee Stadium. He was outed as a steroid user in Texas, admitted to using the drugs and a recent book accused him of using performance-enhancing drugs in high school and as a Yankee. So, how will the fickle Yankees fans treat Rodriguez? "I hope a good ..."

Pete Rose: A-Rod shouldn't get cheated out of Hall of Fame

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May 14

New York Daily News

"Disgraced hit king Pete Rose said Wednesday that he believes steroid cheat Alex Rodriguez should be voted into the Hall of Fame. "I'm willing to give a guy a second chance," said Rose, who has been waiting for one of his own since being banned from baseball in 1989 for betting on games. Rose was inconsistent and erratic during a radio interview on "The Dan Patrick Show." Despite saying that A-Rod should be in Cooperstown, Rose said he believes that taking steroids is a worse transgression than a manager betting on his baseball team because juicing can have a direct impact on the outcome of a game. "That's integrity of the game," he said. Rose also said that Manny Ramirez should not get ..."

A-Rod takes refuge between the lines

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May 13

Buffalo News

columnist Jerry Sullivan

"I'm guessing it wasn't this hard for Katie Couric. On Tuesday afternoon, I camped out in the visiting dressing room at the Rogers Centre, hoping that baseball's most famous player might grant me a moment or two of his time. An hour and a half later, just as I was about to give up, Alex Rodriguez finally appeared at his locker. "Sorry, not today," he said. Thinking fast, I recalled that Rodriguez grew up in Florida as a big Miami Dolphins fan. I told him his Dolphins weren't getting a whole lot of love these days, despite winning the division last season. He looked at the "Buffalo" on my press pass and smiled. "We can talk football," he said. "Or how about hockey? Want to talk hockey?" ..."

What If Alex Had Signed With Mets in 2000?

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May 10

New York Post

columnist Joel Sherman

"THE baseball world changed during the 2003-04 offseason. The Red Sox did not obtain Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees did. The Players Association quashed a deal that would have sent A-Rod from Texas to Boston, refusing to let Rodriguez reduce the value of his contract to facilitate the move. Not long after that, Aaron Boone tore up his knee playing pickup basketball, the Yankees reached out to see if Rodriguez would switch from shortstop to third, and a trade was consummated. Initially this was viewed as Babe Ruth II, the game's great player slipping from the Red Sox to the Yankees. The Curse seemed like it would never go away. That was two Boston championships ago. In recent weeks, as the gap ..."

A-Rod promises to speak softly, carry a big stick for Yankees in return

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May 9

New York Daily News

columnist John Harper

"The moment was mesmerizing, Alex Rodriguez launching a 98-mph fastball deep into the night on the very first official pitch he'd seen this season. Above all it was a reminder that his outrageous talent is at the heart of the media circus that surrounds him these days. Yet when all was said and done, what he said about his stunning return to the Yankees was surely as significant as the three-run bomb itself that set the tone for a 4-0 victory over the Orioles last night. "The less talking I do, the better," A-Rod said. "I want to let my bat do the talking." If he is serious about that, if he is done kissing mirrors for Details magazine, done trying to be some wannabe crossover Hollywood ..."

Fantasy Start For Alex's Last Chance

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May 9

New York Post

columnist Joel Sherman

"Alex Rodriguez explained it was time to grow up and he said he will do that by devoting himself more than ever to the children's game called baseball. He then did something from a kid's backyard fantasy: He joined the 2009 major league season already in progress and hit a three-run home run on the first pitch he saw, with only the whole baseball world watching. It was a "Natural" moment from the Unnatural, the tainted star. Both the Yankees and A-Rod attempted to downplay his being a savior for the struggling, tense team. But by so dramatically turning around a 97-mph Jeremy Guthrie fastball in the first inning, Rodriguez gave the Yanks their first lead and their first chance to exhale ..."

A-Rod Set For Return -- Finally

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May 8

New York Post

"Alex Rodriguez is scheduled to make his season debut tonight in Baltimore. Now, all the Yankees have to do is hope he can fix the rest of their offensive woes, their awful pitching staff and maybe play catcher. Oh, and fill all of those empty seats at the new Stadium. The third baseman has missed the first five weeks of the season as he recovered from March 9 arthroscopic hip surgery. He played in a final extended spring training game yesterday in Florida, going 0-for-2 with a walk and playing three innings in the field. "Unless something happens overnight, I expect him to play," manager Joe Girardi said. That sounds good to his teammates. "We need more production on the offensive side," ..."

Alex's Big Bat No Magic Wand

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May 8

New York Post

columnist Mike Vaccaro

"THE temptation is to believe that all will be well now, that all the ills that ail the Yankees will be vanquished once the clubhouse door swings open at Camden Yards tonight, once Alex Rodriguez walks across the threshold, once Joe Girardi pencils his name on the lineup card. From panic to panacea, in one easy step. If only life were that easy. If only baseball were that easy. If only Rodriguez had spent his down time the past few weeks getting his arm into shape so he could serve as a set-up man. If only his presence could guarantee that Girardi would stop managing with the veins bulging out of his neck and his teeth grinding themselves to dust, a tension and anxiety that is as ..."