ARod Just Doesn't Get It

[love_that_reefer]

Alex Rodriguez was told by the New York Yankees to keep his cousin away from the team.

The message was given to the star third baseman on Thursday, said a person familiar with the situation, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team did not make an announcement. The message applied both to spring training and the regular season, the person said.

Rodriguez was also told the cousin should not be anywhere the team congregates, which presumably includes the team's hotel when it travels and the ballpark.

Speaking at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., general manager Brian Cashman said only that the matter of Rodriguez being picked up from his spring training opener Wednesday by his cousin "has been handled."

Rodriguez took a similar tone following New York's 5-1 victory on Thursday over the Tampa Bay Rays.

"It's been addressed," he said. "And, no further comment."

A day earlier in Dunedin, Rodriguez homered and walked twice before getting into a SUV driven by Yuri Sucart. He's been identified as the cousin who provided Rodriguez with performance-enhancing drugs obtained in the Dominican Republic. Rodriguez admitted using them while playing for the Texas Rangers from 2001-03.

Rodriguez acknowledged to the Yankees that having the cousin meet him at the ballpark in Dunedin was a mistake, the person who told The Associated Press about the situation said.

Dan Mullin, MLB's vice president of investigations, was at Steinbrenner Field on Thursday to meet with the Yankees clubhouse staff. Mullin hopes to meet with Rodriguez in the next few days, but the timing of the meeting was still not finalized.

Rodriguez received mostly cheers with a few boos mixed in Thursday, going 0-for-2 and leaving after five innings with the Yankees leading Tampa Bay 2-0. The crowd included Yankees owner George Steinbrenner.

How dumb can a guy be? When you want to try and move on and not focus on the past, you have to leave your past behind. Being escorted around Spring Training by the cousin who helped shoot you up with illegal steroids has to be the dumbest thing ARod could have done. It seems like he just doesn't give a ****. If that's true, act like it and I would have no problem but he doesn't. That Cashman even had to say anything is mind boggling. Where is this guy's head? Its like Bill Clinton continuing to have dinner with Monica Lewinksy.

[catman]

It appears ARoid has not learned anything. He still has fans that think he is innocent, but continuing this sort of behavior will turn even his biggest fans off. Mr. Selig may have to actually do something here.

[love_that_reefer]

Seems like the Yankees already have.

[cjkalt]

He must be still young and naive.

[browntown653]

Another guy whose head isn't screwed on straight. How ****ing stupid can he be?

[Dry1313]

Who cares?

I care how he produces on the field...he isn't doing roids now and his personal business is his own affair.

The whole thing about distractions is definitely a valid point, it's just something I've never thought fans should concern themselves over.