Newsday’s Ray Sanchez on the Yankees’ error-prone third baseman and his ability to tune out the taunts of the paying customers.
As usual, Alex Rodriguez was one of the first Yankees out of the clubhouse after Sunday’s 6-5 loss to the Oakland Athletics. On a glorious June afternoon, the $25-million third baseman was drowned in boos at Yankee Stadium for the third consecutive game.
“I’m used to it now,” Rodriguez said near the clubhouse door, ready to bolt after going hitless in three at-bats with a walk and throwing error. “If my wife and my daughter don’t boo me, I’m good.”
The booing started raining on him in the fifth inning Sunday. With Derek Jeter at second base, Rodriguez flew out to short left off Barry Zito. In the seventh, with Johnny Damon on base and the game tied 5-5, Rodriguez hit another fly ball. Before the ball came down in centerfielder Mark Kotsay’s glove, the booing directed at Rodriguez was strong and loud.
“You can’t try to make up 350 RBIs,” Rodriguez said. “You have to just do what you do. Some days, it’s going to be there. Some days, it’s not.”
A throwing error by Rodriguez helped the A’s tie the game in the sixth inning. “That play was a little tricky,” he said.
That’s fine,” he said Sunday of the relentless booing. “I don’t have any complaints. All I can do is take my approach … my work ethic and come out and play hard every day.”
On the same morning that USA Today reports the Chicago Cubs will begin employing cell phones to communicate between dugout and bullpen (presumably, Dusty has watched “The Wire” and will know to switch phones regularly), the Tribune Company’s Newsday refutes earlier reports that former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was interested in being part of a group purchasing the team.
I have it on good authority that Rudy’s partial ownership might not have been approved by MLB ; neither the league nor the other owners were looking forward to be barraged with frequent email messages from Christopher X. Brodeur.
After an utter feeble disgrace of a series against the Nationals, I am ready to wave the white flag and concede the NL East to the Mets (or another Braves snake-in-the grass surge). The Phillies are a team that might actually win or sweep the upcoming series with Mets this week and then turn right around and get swept by the Devil Rays next weekend.
I hope Dusty gets a pay-as-you-go plan, because he really doesn’t call the bullpen that often.
Cell phones at Wrigley? I can see another bullshit Cub fan protest against it on the horizon, demanding that the Cubs stick to the smoke signals Frank Tinker used when they won the last Series. In the 80s it was Rob Lowe in his “no lights” t-shirt in ABOUT LAST NIGHT. I’m guessing we get Ashton Kutcher in a “no digital bullpen” protest shirt. That is, unless the Tribco just bought a cellular company, in which case it’s unstoppable.
As for Giuliani buying the Cubs, I understand the desperate hopes of Cub fans to reach out for a man who can handle epic disasters. As far as local Republican Cub fans, with our luck, The Trib will probably bring in Rumsfeld.
Ben