As if Alex Rodriguez Has a Poker Face

Richard Rubenstein, the publicist for the amazing life story that is Alex Rodriguez, claims the New York Yankees’ third baseman is looking forward to cooperating with MLB in its investigation of his "alleged" involvement in illegal gambling, specifically underground poker games.

Star Magazine apparently reported last month that Rodriguez was seen playing back door poker at the Beverly Hills mansion of record executive Cody Leibel, where a fight nearly busted out and cocaine was being used openly.

The All-Star slugger was questioned about the issue at the team's minor league training facility down in Florida on Thursday following his first on-field action since undergoing surgery on his right knee on July 14, but he refused to comment on the matter.

A-Rod, sporting a light brace on his bad knee, was on the field for about a half hour for a little light running, soft toss, grounders and some batting cage time. Before his injury, the Yankees Super Star was batting .295 with 13 home runs and 52 RBI on the season. He had this to say regarding his return to baseball activity:

“I had an encouraging day today. I'll have a better idea of a timetable in four or five days... the most important thing is to go back healthy."

...Not whether or not he's involved with illegal gambling.

[Daily Pitch]

Alex Rodriguez Gets Plunked, Joe Girardi Cries About it

The Cleveland Indians, as good as they were to kick off this season, are attempting to spark a rivalry with the New York Yankees... who have beat them 12 of the last 15 meetings.

The two teams will move right along with their four-game series Sunday afternoon in New York, with the Yankees leading 2-0. The first two contests featured a couple hit batsmen, including Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. Controversial! Tex, who was hit by Jon Lester earlier in the week, was nailed in the right shoulder on Friday by Fausto Carmona. He got super pissed and the benches cleared, with Joe Girardi and Manny Acta enjoying a little face-to-face confrontation.

Yeehaw! The Rangers Are World Series-Bound

Good morning good folks of Arlington and surrounding area who are not Astros fans! We're sure you slept well and dreamed of World Series parades after your long evening of celebration.

Not only are the reigning champion New York Yankees headed home, but your Texas Rangers are going to the Big Show after a 6-1, Game 6 clincher Friday night.

Yeah, they've never been there. It's their first time. They're new at this.

They are Fall Classic virgins.

A-Rod Finally Hits 600

We've been oh so tired, recovering from all the interviews we did at the Twins and Pins Charity Bowling Classic last week, so forgive us for ignoring you, our dear readers.

In the past week, we've let the trade deadline come and go, injuries have happened, and the sports news world was all abuzz because Alex Rodriguez was sitting at 599 homeruns for what seemed like an eternity. Well now, maybe baseball writers will finally have something better to talk about because he finally hit number 600.

Get off My Mound, A-Rod

There is an unwritten rule in the game of baseball. DO NOT step on a pitcher's mound when going back to your base. You just don't do it. You walk around, if you know what's good for you, especially if Dallas Braden is on the bump.

Braden is not impressed with Alex Rodriguez's baseball etiquette. In the sixth inning of the Oakland Athletics 4-2 victory over the New York Yankees, A-Rod went from first to third on a foul ball by Robinson Cano. On his way back to first, he dared to step all over Braden's hill. And oh my gosh, did Dallas let him have it.

A-Rod was clueless as usual:

"He just told me to get off his mound. I was a little surprised. I'd never quite heard that. Especially from a guy that has a handful of wins in his career ... I thought it was pretty funny actually."

Braden retorted in the opposing locker room:

"He should probably take a note from his captain over there and realize you don't cross the pitcher's mound in between an inning or during the game. I was just dumbfounded that he would let that slip his mind — being someone of such status. I don't care if I'm Cy Young or the 25th man on the roster, if I've got the ball in my hand and I'm on that mound, that's my mound. He ran across the pitcher's mound -- foot on my rubber. No, not happening. We're not the door mat anymore."

Yikes. You know, Braden looks kinda' gangsta in his Yahoo! Sports profile pic...

Anyhow, it doesn't really matter, because nothing can rain on your parade when you ignited the first Yankees triple play in 42 years.

[Fanhouse] | [SB Nation]

Yank on This

This video was shared with us today by NBC Philadelphia. We chuckled.

Enjoy Game 1 tonight, we'll be cruising 310 to Joba's liveblog actionfest.

CC Sabathia, Yankees Clobber Angels in Game 4

Working on three days rest, CC Sabathia munched his way through the Los Angeles Angels lineup for eight innings, allowing just one run on five hits, and striking out five after 101 pitches to aid his New York Yankees in their 10-1 victory.

Alex Rodriguez continued his outstanding postseason play with his third longball in as many games, falling a triple short of the cycle in his 3-for-4 night. Scoring three runs, he called his stolen base "a little bit of a miracle" in a post-game interview with Tiny Ken Rosenthal, saying that this was the best he's felt all year.

The Angels Have Forgotten How to Play Baseball

The Los Angeles Angels are struggling with the fundamentals of baseball, and in turn look like a bunch of spazzes out there. Torii Hunter related his feelings best:

I think if I let my hair grow out I would have grays everywhere.... I got this feeling, man. We go home, it’s going to be a different scene. Definitely.

Captain Cheeseburger Dominates Halos

Big lefty CC Sabathia tossed eight fantastic innings Friday night for the New York Yankees, four-hitting the Los Angeles Angels to win his second straight postseason start with a 4-1 victory in the ALCS opener.

Meanwhile, the Halos played some of the sloppiest ball we've ever seen from that club. They made three errors altogether, making way for two unearned runs -- the most startling was a single which eight-time gold-glove centerfielder Torii Hunter let roll right by him.

Alex Rodriguez continued his clutch playoff hitting with a one-out sacrifice fly for his seventh RBI of the postseason, giving the Yanks the lead. Hideki Matsui followed that up with a short pop-up between third baseman Chone Figgins and shortstop Erick Aybar, but the two failed to communicate and the ball dropped to the ground while Johnny Damon rounded third to score. Angels starter John Lackey? Not impressed.

Bitch Tits Unsure About Friday Return

Alex Rodriguez, who up until today was planning on returning to the New York Yankees lineup this Friday against the Baltimore Orioles, is now unsure of when exactly he'll make the month-and-a-half he's sat on my and your disabled lists worth the wait. There are conflicting reports all over the internet, some -- manager Joe Giradi included -- saying he'll be back this Friday, while others say it's not written in stone.

Rodriguez slid for the first time on Wednesday since his March 9th hip surgery, going 1-for-5 with a walk in an extended spring training game. He singled up the middle as a designated hitter and slid into second on an infield grounder after taking a walk in the third inning. He's even hit a few bombs in the process. All good signs.

Continue reading this story at Fantasy Pros 911.

The Return of A-Rod's Pouty Face

Alex Rodriguez could return to the New York Yankees lineup a little sooner than initially expected this season... which is a good thing, since I totally picked him to be the American League MVP this Spring. I may or may not have been under the influence, but I stand by my pick.

According to Dr. Marc Philippon, the doc who operated on his hip back in March, Rodriguez could be back in pinstripes as soon as ten days from now. Dr. Philippon even watched the three-time American League MVP work out on Wednesday at the Yankees minor league complex and said:

Get Well Soon, Little Timmy

Hey, you. Who are you, and what have you done with San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum?

Following his first start of the season -- a horrible outing in which he allowed three runs on three hits over 78 pitches -- Little Timmy struggled once again. This time, against the San Diego Padres, where the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner surrendered four runs on a career-high ten hits over 5.1 innings.

"I was all over the place," Lincecum said. "It got frustrating at times. I don't know if you guys could see it on my face, but I was trying to keep my poise out there. It was a rough game and it just got rougher."

Lincecum had dominated the Pads in his previous eight starts against them, going 3-1 with an itty-bitty 0.95 ERA.

So, who is this guy? Big League Stew contemplates the possibilities, including a look-alike San Fran hippie off the streets.

[SF Giants] | [Every Joe] | [Extra Baggs] | [Fake Teams]

Yanks' Wang Feels Good

With every Chien-Ming Wang outing comes at least one great headline.

Wang (yes, we know it's pronounced "Wong") made his first start Monday since partially tearing a tendon in his foot while tearing up the bases last June. The right-hander tossed two scoreless innings for the New York Yankees in their 5-5 Grapefruit League tie with the Houston Astros.

"I feel good," Wang said. "Nothing wrong."

On Tuesday, the Yankees get to face their captain, Derek Jeter, when they play Team USA in a World Baseball Classic exhibition at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida.

The will not, however, face Alex Rodriguez, who has chosen to avoid the boos and don the Dominican Republic uniform at the WBC this season.

[Newsday] | [The LoHud Yankees Blog] | [Heartbeat of the Bronx]

Donnie Baseball is Such a Homer

Don Mattingly may be a total New York Yankees homer, but that doesn't mean I don't agree with him on the Blah Blah Steroids Scandal involving Alex Rodriguez.

It's time to move on, folks. This crap went down more than two weeks ago. In the sporting news world, that's like 20 years.

"Here is how I feel," Mattingly said regarding the matter. "He did something wrong. He admitted [he used steroids from 2001-03], now let's move on."

It doesn't really matter what else he said about it -- especially since he kind of went on and on -- because that sentence made a great point. I don't want to hear from his cousin and I certainly don't care what his lawyer has to say. Call him a cheater, call him a failure, just stop regurgitating old news. It's killing me.

High five Donnie.

[A Die Hard Yankees Fan] | [My Pinstripes] | [The Voice of Yankees Universe]

Blah Blah Steroids

New details have arose in the A-Rod Steroids Scandal. It turns out the former golden boy of baseball now blames his cousin for injecting him with an over-the-counter performance-enhancing substance.

Rodriguez says he chose to be shot up with drugs obtained in the Dominican Republic to gain an energy boost, which he refers to as a "stupid mistake."

Alex Rodriguez: Destroyer of Freedom, Breaker of Children's Hearts

If you've turned on a television or perused the internets today, you no doubt have heard that The Best Player in Baseball tested positive for steroids in 2003, the year he won his first AL MVP award.

Let me be the first to say, YAAAAAAAWWWWWWWN.

However, it does give me an opportunity to post the picture you see, so... you're welcome.

[SportsIllustrated.com]

Six Things I'm Thinking About Right Now

Sixish things I am thinking about right now

1. Alex Rodriguez sure gets a boner every time he sees a) Derek Jeter b) Women who look like Tom Petty.

2. Roger Clemens is a self-loving anal-sphincter who, despite his rapid downfall into perjury charges and statutory rape, still jerks off to tabloid back pages of himself.

A-Rod Sad to be Out of Lineup

Alex Rodriguez's nurse, who was also an avid Red Sox fan, told the New York Yankees third baseman he'd be out for the season.

No such luck for Boston, as A-Rod, who landed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, will be out just 2 weeks. He hurt himself on April 20 in Baltimore and sat out three games before returning to the lineup for a four-game series against the Cleveland Indians. In the eighth inning of Monday night's loss, he was replaced by a pinch-hitter after feeling a "pull" in his quadriceps while running the base paths.

"It’s painful to see that lineup without me in the cleanup spot and helping my team win every day," Rodriguez said.

Modest, too!

Rodriguez joins catcher Jorge Posada (shoulder) and right-handed pitcher Phil Hughes (strained right oblique) on the DL, for the first time since 2000.

But, the Yanks have bigger issues to worry about, like Johnny Damon impersonating an outfielder.



[MLB.com] | [The Lo Hud Yankees Blog] | [Blogging the Bombers]

A-Rod Out Again

All Star third baseman Alex Rodriguez was missing yet again from the posted New York Yankees’ lineup for Tuesday night’s series opener against the Chicago White Sox.

Batting .308 with four home runs and 10 RBIs and listed as day-to-day, A-Rod strained his right quadriceps in the sixth inning of Sunday's game against the Baltimore Orioles after reaching on a fielder's choice. Having missed only 19 games over his four-plus seasons with the Bronx Bombers, Rodriguez probably won't spend any time on the disabled list.

He's not expected to rejoin the team until Thursday for the series finale, possibly concerning his injury, but likely due to the birth of his second daughter in Miami. Morgan Ensberg is holding down the hot corner in his absence.

[NY Daily News] | [Deadspin] | [Hardball]

Detroit Steals A-Rod's Thunder

Everyone's favorite Boras client snagged his third American League MVP Award (his second MVP in Yankee pinstripes) from the Baseball Writers Association of America yesterday, winning in a landslide over the other candidates. Alex Rodriguez is just the fifth AL player to win the award three times.

But the voting wasn't unanimous- A-Rod only garnered 26 of 28 first place votes. It seems that two rogue (hero?) writers out of the Detroit area managed to throw a little rain on A-Rod's parade by voting the Tigers' Magglio Ordonez in first place. Tom Gage of the Detroit News and Tim Hawkins of the Oakland Press (Pontiac, Mich.) prevented Rodriguez from being able to do a Unanimous Victory Dance- instead, A-Rod had to settle for just a Very Convincing Victory Dance.

"I saw Magglio play every day," Hawkins said. "What I saw was a player having an MVP year. I have no quarrel with anyone who voted for A-Rod. He also had an MVP year. But with the injuries the Tigers had and the effort and performance I saw from Magglio, there's no question he had an MVP year."

Am I allowed to enjoy the outrage of Yankees fans over the two Detroit writers who voted A-Rod in second, when there was no such outrage from them about the New York writer who left Josh Beckett completely off his Cy Young ballot altogether? What's good for the goose...

[Detroit News] | [LoHud Yankees Blog]