The Sky is Blue, the Water is Wet, Chickens Cluck, Ducks Quack - Talksox

He Hate Me · 02-19-2007, 03:50 PM

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html

Quote:

A-Rod admits friendship with Jeter has cooled

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- On the first day of his fourth season with the New York Yankees, Alex Rodriguez finally acknowledged his relationship with Derek Jeter has cooled.

After insisting for three years that they remained close, Rodriguez said it was "important" to him to publicly confirm what others have said since he joined the team.

"People start assuming that things are a lot worse than what they are, which they're not. But they're obviously not as great as they used to be. We were like blood brothers," Rodriguez said Monday. "You don't have to go to dinner with a guy four, five times a week to do what you're doing. It's actually much better than all you guys expect, but I just want to let the truth be known."

Jeter, the Yankees' captain, has distanced himself since a 2001 Esquire article in which A-Rod said "Jeter's been blessed with great talent around him" and "he's never had to lead."

"You go into New York, you wanna stop Bernie (Williams) and (Paul) O'Neill," A-Rod was quoted as saying. "You never say, 'Don't let Derek beat you.' He's never your concern."

Sitting in jeans and a black sweat jacket in the first-base dugout at Legends Field after his physical, Rodriguez did three rounds of interviews: English-language television, Spanish-language television and print reporters. He addressed his relationship with Jeter in all three.

"We were best of friends about 10, 13, 14, years ago, and we still get along well. We have a good working relationship. I cheer very hard for him. He cheers hard for me. And most importantly, we're both trying to win a world championship," Rodriguez said.

What's changed? He made it sound as if they had just grown apart.

"The reality is there's been a change in the relationship over 14 years and, hopefully, we can just put it behind us," Rodriguez said. "You go from sleeping over at somebody's house five days a week, and now you don't sleep over. It's just not that big of a deal."

During the offseason, former Yankee Darryl Strawberry said Jeter needs to "embrace" Rodriguez. A-Rod said he didn't feel Jeter needed to support him more.

"I'm a big boy. I'm 31 years old now, so I should be able to help myself out there," he said. "I care about what he thinks about me on the field. I think it's important for us to be on the right page. And we are. We're here to win a championship together."

When he was first asked about Jeter, Rodriguez said this would be the only time he would address the topic.

"Let's make a contract: You don't ask me about Derek anymore, and I promise I'll stop lying to all you guys," A-Rod told reporters.

While Rodriguez won the AL MVP award for the second time in 2005, he is 4-for-41 (.098) without an RBI in his last 12 postseason games dating to 2004. He got just one hit in last year's playoff loss to Detroit.

"I stunk. And when you stink, sometimes, you have to call it," he said. "I went 1-for-14 last year with an error and that's pretty lousy."

He was dropped to eighth in the batting order for the first time in a decade as the Yankees were eliminated in Game 4.

"It was very disappointing," he said. "Yes, I was embarrassed."

While Rodriguez maintained he wants to remain with the Yankees for the rest of his career, he didn't rule out exercising the clause in his record $252 million, 10-year contract that allows him to opt out after this season. Rodriguez would forfeit the $72 million owed in the final three years and could use that to become a free agent or pressure New York for an extension.

"I want to be a Yankee and I understand my contract. I understand my options. I understand the interest," he said.

He doesn't mind that his contract has made him a target.

"I love being the highest-paid player in the game. It's pretty cool. I like making that money," he said. "I was poor and broke when I grew up. I didn't have that type of money to help out children. Now I get a chance to help out children. Whatever you say is important. People listen to you. That's pretty cool. Nobody used to listen to me before."

HeadOfSoxNation · 02-19-2007, 04:23 PM

"You go from sleeping over at somebody's house five days a week, and now you don't sleep over. It's just not that big of a deal."

Ummm...I mean...I have a lot of close guy friends...and short of crashing on each other's couch once in a while when we weren't in the proper physical shape to drive home, we never did the whole sleepover thing. Well, at least not since I was like 10. That comment struck me as really funny...

shortstop · 02-19-2007, 04:25 PM

Yeah, I thought that was a strange comment too. I didn't think grown men had sleep overs.

He Hate Me · 02-19-2007, 04:34 PM

I htink most athletes wind up crashing at each other's houses. NBA players do this all the time.

SuperManny · 02-19-2007, 04:34 PM

You mean you guys don't have sleep overs 5 days a week with your close guy friends?

SuperManny · 02-19-2007, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by He Hate Me

I htink most athletes wind up crashing at each other's houses. NBA players do this all the time.

Yeah its just the way he said "sleeping over his house 5 days a week" that sounds akward.

If he just said hanging out 5 days a week no one would have thought it was odd.

He Hate Me · 02-19-2007, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperManny

Yeah its just the way he said "sleeping over his house 5 days a week" that sounds akward.

If he just said hanging out 5 days a week no one would have thought it was odd.

lol yeah I see what you mean. man, if nothing else, this will give the TShirt vendors at Fenway even more material to work with. I honestly think he's getting a 10% cut from them

**Youk Of The Nation** · 02-19-2007, 05:30 PM

An addition to the headline: Carl Pavano is injured.

MANNYHOF24 · 02-19-2007, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadOfSoxNation

"You go from sleeping over at somebody's house five days a week, and now you don't sleep over. It's just not that big of a deal."

Ummm...I mean...I have a lot of close guy friends...and short of crashing on each other's couch once in a while when we weren't in the proper physical shape to drive home, we never did the whole sleepover thing. Well, at least not since I was like 10. That comment struck me as really funny...

I doubt much sleep was actually taking place if you know what Im saying... OHH Snap

a700hitter · 02-19-2007, 07:28 PM

I don't think ARod likes his treatment in NY--- Jeter has acted like a dick, Torre has turned the cold shoulder, a cheating fat loser like Giambi has taken shots at him, and the Press and fans have killed him. I could see him opting out after this year, and I would love to have this guy playing SS, his natural position.

jacksonianmarch · 02-19-2007, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Youk Of The Nation

An addition to the headline: Carl Pavano is injured.

he says his legs are sore from running, and it is nothing to worry about. In other news, Carl Pavano was placed on the 60 day DL with a broken vagina.

He Hate Me · 02-20-2007, 01:00 AM

sore legs!!! sore legs!!

i've played 3rd base for 2 straight games, and I was fat during that time. Suck it up!!!!

shortstop · 02-20-2007, 09:29 AM

I'm thankful everyday that Carl Pavano's parents are Yankee fans.

jacksonianmarch · 02-20-2007, 02:59 PM

btw, ARod has shown up to camp 12 lbs lighter, is under 10% body fat and is faster this yr than he has been in years. ARod's bulk last yr was one of the skeptics focal points for decreased bat speed and drop in stolen bases. Sounds like he has rededicated himself in what could be a contract yr.

Optimist · 02-20-2007, 05:15 PM

I think Jeter took a better approach to this when he basically said, "Who cares?"