Jason Giambi's grand slam and six RBI led the Yankees Wednesday, with Rodriguez contributing a three-run homer. It all helped New York avoid a series sweep. Meanwhile, the Red Sox are fuming after Evan Longoria went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs to lead Tampa Bay to a 7-6 win, its second three-game sweep of the Sox this season. Game time tonight, 7:05 p.m. Hopefully they can drag this rivalry off of the scrap heap.

• M-m-m-my Kuroda. Hiroki Kuroda, just back from the DL, tossed seven shutout innings for the Dodgers in a 4-0 win over the Astros. With Kuroda back on the roster, right-hander Homer Simpson was sent back to Class AAA Las Vegas.

• Wizard Cat Defensive Player Of The Day. B.J. Upton, Tampa Bay Rays. MLB.com is calling the catch "Willie Mays-like," and that's true, in that both occurred in center field. Other than that, not so much. But it's still a fine grab, robbing Boston's Kevin You Kill Us of extra bases as the Rays continue to withdraw equity from their Mortgage With The Devil (35-year fixed). Wizard Cat gives this catch: Five wands.

After days of speculating about the state of Alex Rodriguez's marriage it appears that the one truthful item out of this whole entire scandal is that he and his wife, Cynthia (can't bring myself to say "C-Rod" — yet) are not getting along. Late yesterday afternoon, the tabs and gossip blogs began reporting that Cynthia had been stepping out on A-Rod with former Huxtable-humper, Lenny Kravitz. But Cynthia's mother tells the Daily News that the reports about her daughter gallivanting across Paris with Kravitz are absolutely false.

(Somebody tell the NY Post!)

Regardless of what's going on in A-Rod's personal life— Madonna-related, marriage-related — Yankees' owner Hank Steinbrenner just wants Rodriguez and the rest of his team to just hit the goddamn ball and not worry about anything else. At least Jason Giambi listened to him.

If anything, maybe this controversy will reinvigorate the vaunted Red Sox-Yankees rivalry that's been pushed out of the way by the Rays-Sox . It should be a fun weekend in New York.

Yankee hitter on outs with wife [NY Daily News]

A-Rod Wife Goes Down Swinging [NY Post]

From Radar, new designated tabloid scoop-ruiner:

Is there more than one cheater in the Rodriguez family? We have no idea if this is true or not, but we're just gonna go ahead and put it out there because it's probably going to be all over the tabloids in the next few days: we're hearing from several sources at the gossip weeklies that A-Rod's blonde wife, Cynthia Rodriguez, has been stepping out on her stripper-loving third baseman husband with none other than singer Lenny Kravitz.

Cynthia has been noticeably absent as rumors of her husband's affair with Madonna have swirled (rumors, it should be noted, which have been strongly denied by Madonna's camp). We're told the reason is because she's actually in Paris with Kravitz right now.

Question: Would you feel more dirty and ashamed for having sex with Madonna or that your wife has been banging Lenny Kravitz?

As if A-Rod's not having a tough enough week already, Shanoff just somehow sprinkled him with some magic Hebrew blog dust and made him Jewish.

The next story in this sage will most likely reveal that Rodriguez's mother has been having an affair with Brett Favre and then, somehow, the last 24 hours would make so much more sense.

A-Rod Cuckolded By...Lenny Kravitz? [Radar]

Reports: Cynthia Rodriguez has left A-Rod for...Lenny Kravitz? [Urbanite]

First off, it should be noted that both the NY Post and NY Daily News have this rumor-debunking information in their stories about a possible A-Rod/ Madonna romance:

NY Post: "Madonna and [Husband, Guy] Ritchie had no comment last night as they strolled into their Manhattan apartment holding hands."

NY Daily News: "Last night, Madonna and Ritchie held hands but said nothing as they returned home from dinner."

Great. Story closed. But both tabs do get points for their dogged pursuits. For example, did you know that A-Rod was interested in kabbalah ? The Post says so:

In recent months, A-Rod has shown active interest in studying the Jewish mystical practice popularized by Madonna, her director hubby, and Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, sources said. Rodriguez has visited kabbalah centers in south Florida, where the all-star and the singer both have posh homes, the sources said.

The NY Daily News gets double-bonus points for getting a quote from one of the most trusted news sources in all of sports...Jose Canseco.

Asked about a Rodriguez-Madonna merger yesterday, Canseco sniped, "That's Alex. That's what he does. He goes after people's wives. I guess he's trying to follow in my footsteps now with Madonna."

Thank you, Jose.

Madge's Base Brawl [NY Post]
Alex Rodriguez in late-night visits to Madonna's apartment [NY Daily News]

But leave it to the Post to put a positive spin on this so they don't completely alienate their beat writers from the Yankees' locker room during what is sure to be an ongoing ordeal:

The alleged affair seems to be having a positive effect on the Pinstripe swinger, who last night hit his 534th home run, tying him for 14th place on the all-time homer list.

Yes. Clearly. One Deadspin e-mail tipster says this affair has been going on for "months":

A co worker of mine has a good friend who is married. His wife’s family owns a private jet business in NYC and confirmed to me that A Rod and Madonna have been using the plane for get a ways for the last couple of months.

Fun.

And, of course, the pun headlines will be aplenty come tomorrow morning.

Report: A-Rod Late Night Visits With Madonna [NY Post]







Alex Rodriguez In Late Night Visits To Madonna's Apartment [NY Daily News]







Alex Rodriguez and Madonna Affair Report triggers tabloid frenzy [Newsday]

Today, Us magazine enters the Madge-Rod fray, spilling these "exclusive" details about the stealthy couple.

A source tells Us that the $28-million-a-year Rodriguez, 32, has made numerous solo nighttime visits to Madonna, 49, at her spacious home and would sneak out "as late as midnight." Says the source, "All the doormen are talking."

Rodriguez attended Madonna's April 30 NYC concert; the singer sat in his seats at a Yankees game on June 22 (it was the first time she ever was photographed at a Yankees game). Her son Rocco, 7, also sported Yankees gear on June 25 while playing in Central Park.

Alex's wife, Cynthia must be torn about this news. She totally seems like the the type of Madonna fan who once wore ripped up sweatshirts, piles of crucifix-inspired jewelry, and fingerless gloves. It all must be so bittersweet.

NY Yankee Making Late Night Visits To Madonna's Apartment [US]

Oh, if this is true, this would just be one of the most fantastically mind-blowing developments on the planet. One can only hope that the gossip-mongering scoundrels at OK! magazine aren't confusing Alex Rodriguez with one of Madonna's other orange-skinned boy toys. But according to Radar, the magazine is publishing a story tomorrow that suggests the Yankees third baseman is the new man in her life:

OK! has learned the pop superstar and baseball great have been hanging out for months, as her relationship with her 39-year-old director hubby [Guy Ritchie] fizzled. Last October, Madonna and Alex were spotted working out together at Reebok Sports Club/NY in Manhattan, according to an online source. Two months later, Alex raised eyebrows by bringing in Madonna's close friend, entertainment manager Guy Oseary—who, incidentally, has no sports background—to help steer his career...

It makes perfect sense: They work out together. She gives him career advice. Madonna's marriage is on the rocks. A-Rod likes older women with bulging triceps and inner thighs that could squash pumpkins. Sounds like true love to me. True love, for baby, that is.

Madonna and A-Rod? [Radar]

The Yankees stayed the Westin in Pittsburgh, which is attached to a convention center. The Yankees checked out today and guess who was checking in? That would be the the furry convention. These are folks who dress up as animals that have human characteristics. The Anthrocon was expected to draw 2,500 people.

Our fervent hope is that some of the Yankees will forward us their cell phone photos. Let’s just pray that Kyle Farnsworth did not bring any firearms on this trip.

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. We wonder which Yankee ended up in the room with that "masculine, she-dog" type.

When Worlds Collide [The LoHud Yankees Blog]

As tough and big as he seems, he is real wimpy around doctors or any type of medical situation. I don't know why I thought the birth of our child would be different. In the middle of the night, I realized that I needed to go to the hospital. I wake him up. The first thing that comes out of his mouth, 'Can we call your mother?' And I started, 'No. Let's wait and make sure that I am in labor, and make sure that, you know, it's the middle of the night.' And go to the hospital and everything. And finally, a few hours later, I said, 'I think you can call my mom now.'

"Uh, and the color came back to his face when I told him he could call my mom. And then forget it. I was like not even having a baby; he was the one. The one nurse had a cold cloth on his head. The other nurse had the blood pressure on his arm. And my mother was like rubbing his back. And he is passed out on a couch. And I am there, in the middle of labor. And really, I am not being paid much attention to besides the doctor and a couple of nurses. And he is there moaning. In between pushing, I am going, 'Honey, are you OK?' And are you breathing? Are you OK?' "

And that, friends, is why you should never, ever get caught walking around with a muscular stripper in Las Vegas.

A-Rod Not So Clutch In The Delivery Room [LoHud Blog]

After briefly scanning through some of the site's previous entries, it's obvious that some of you clever wordsmiths could do wonders with posts like "Asian Muscle Part Two" or "Pure Canadian Muscle: Autumn Rady"

And, maybe, if you're lucky you could branch out into some of the other sites, like "Shemuscle.com" and "Girlsgotlegs.com" , which are guaranteed to haunt your dreams for all eternity.

So, if you've been searching for that unique opportunity that would combine your love of blogging with your love of, oh, nude ladies with calve muscles the size of a baby's head, then this is perfect.

Editor Lori Braun says the perfect candidate will be able to churn out 5-6 posts per day, be creative, and can be of any particlar sexual orientation. She says you don't have to be a lesbian. It's not even preferred! In fact, most of the women who are featured on her site(s) are surprisingly straight as a ruler. So, straight hetero males interested in fitness and/or making fun remarks or just ogling sporty celebrities or females who have overly-defined musculature are welcome. (Paging, Christmas Ape...)

Interested parties should email editor Lori . Immediately.

WTF [Gawker]

(Photo: Shemuscle.com)

Vince Jennetta, a teacher who chaperoned her class trip from Memorial Boulevard Middle School in Bristol, Conn., told The Boston Globe that Alexa is "a little shaken, but OK." The hawk was perched on a railing in the upper deck behind home plate while the group toured the stadium. The hawk flew at the girl and swooped with its talons extended, scratching her scalp.

This is surely an omen, is it not? Things like this don't just happen. The Yankees may not win this division for another 100 years.

And Alexa should consider herself lucky: If the hawk hadn't got her, the mountain lion that lives in the concession stand would have.

Action photos by the Boston Globe.

An Omen? Fenway Hawk Attacks Female A-Rod [MSNBC]

We've been arguing for the last couple of months, to anyone who will listen, that sports fans are so exhausted of the whole steroid "scandal" that they just don't care about it anymore. Yesterday was further proof of that. Alex Rodriguez and Jose Canseco have drifted into what we called in the book "The Nancy Grace Zone." The postulate states that when a sports story reaches the cable news channels, it immediately becomes a story that actual sports fans no longer care about. This has happened to the steroid story. We remember watching the "NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams" — yes, we're 94 years old — the day Roger Clemens played his famous phone call with Brian McNamee. It was the third story on the national news broadcast, after the presidential election and before the war. We had literally received one email about the call all day. People who take the time to read a sports blog all day, actual sports fans, could not care less. The steroid mess is for the casual, just-peek-in-every-once-in-a-while fan.

Which, we think, bodes poorly for the current state of "mainstream" sports journalism. They're freaking out over stories that, frankly, their core customer doesn't really care about all that much. But good luck finding substantial fantasy baseball coverage in your local newspaper.

This is just a theory, and a somewhat half-cocked one ... but yesterday, when we were doing our Canseco due-diligence, we felt like we were kind of going through the motions, researching a story that only media people really care about. Yes, yes, we're all supposed to be fired up that Alex Rodriguez was mentioned as a steroid user in Jose Canseco's book. Right? Right? So where are all the emails? Anybody out there?

Nope. Most emails were about the Red Sox-A's game, Pac Man Jones and beer taps at your table. We couldn't agree with you more.

(UPDATE: As you probably would have expected, Simon & Schuster asked us to take down their excerpts, and we have complied. But you still know what's in them, not that you shouldn't buy the book anyway.)

"My wife and daughter both love New York," said A-Rod. "Four days after I opted out (and was living in Miami), my daughter says, 'I really miss my bedroom and my toys in New York.' I wanted to shoot myself. I said to my wife, 'What the —- are we doing?' "

Hey, that's as good a reason as any! More A-Rod wisdom:

"I went for the contract when my true desire was to go play for the Mets," Rodriguez said of his decision to ink his $252 million deal with Texas eight years ago. As A-Rod looked back on the events of the past offseason, he seemed haunted by the idea that in breaking free of the Yankees he could have made another decision based strictly on money and wound up as unhappy as he was in Texas for three years. ... "So to make the right decision just feels really good," Rodriguez said, "versus being taken down a road where I'm like, 'Oh, my God, where am I? Oh, $400 million to play in some place I hate? Great, I'll blow my —- head off.'

You see, Alex Rodriguez just wants to be loved. And that is sure to happen in New York, the only place where you can hit .314 with 54 homers and still be burned in effigy.

Well, if this steroids thing gets too hot, maybe he can play in Toronto.

A-Rod Regrets Saying No To Mets, Doesn't Make Same Mistake With Yankees [New York Daily News]
A-Rod Hates Him Some Texas [Deuce Of Davenport]

A-Rod's reaction is no reaction. How Zen.

When first told Tuesday morning that Canseco had leveled accusations against him, Rodriguez asked what more Canseco had said than in previous accusations. Told that Canseco had written about introducing him to a known supplier of steroids, Rodriguez said, "I really have absolutely no reaction."



Lavin, who posted his findings on his blog, joelavin.com, also reported that Canseco accused A-Rod of pursuing Canseco's wife, the reason for Canseco's clear animosity toward the Yankees' third baseman. When Rodriguez was told about that, he raised his eyebrows and asked, "He said that in his book?", then said, "I have absolutely no comment."

It's a pity that, if Lavin's findings are true, A-Rod is about to get pilloried because of allegations from Jose Canseco. Though, to be fair, if we were a young up-and-coming star, the minute we saw an aged, shriveling Jose Canseco sauntering toward us in the locker room, we'd hightail it in the opposite. Fast.

Canseco Goes After A-Rod In New Book [Newsday]
Source: Canseco Accuses A-Rod Of Steroid Abuse, Wife Coveting, In New Book [Deadspin]

This is Jose Canseco, of course, which means all accusations are based on personal animosity, surrounded in Canseco's typical shadiness ... and probably true. According to Levin's account of the book, Canseco wanted to include Clemens in Juiced, but his publishers said no. As for Ordonez, you might remember Maggs as the guy Canseco allegedly demanded invest in one of Jose's movies or else he would include him in his next book. (Apparently, he didn't invest in the movie.)

But A-Rod will be the real story, and even though everyone in baseball will ignore it because it's Canseco, well, as much as an idiot as Canseco is, the guy was the one guy who was right about this last time. We all know that past performance is no indicator of future results, but it's worth noting.

Here's what Lavin reports him saying about A-Rod:

As for Alex Rodriguez, Canseco says he didn't inject Rodriguez, but that he "introduced Alex to a known supplier of steroids." Canseco didn't mention Rodriguez in the first book because he "hated the bastard." He was worried that people would have "questioned [his] motives" had he included Rodriguez.

Why all the hatred, you ask. Well, Canseco claims that A-Rod was trying to sleep with Canseco's wife. Apparently, even after Canseco had been nice enough to help A-Rod find a friendly steroids supplier, A-Rod kept calling Canseco's wife.

And, in case there's any further confusion about Canseco's true feelings, he ends the chapter by saying:

So A-Rod, if you're reading this book, and if I'm not getting through to you, let's get clear on one thing: I hate your fucking guts.

So, yeah, everybody: Welcome back, baseball!

Jose Canseco Reviewed: With Spoilers [JoeLavin.com]
Vindicated: Big Names, Big Liars, and the Battle to Save Baseball [Amazon]

Selena Roberts, who's about to peddle her wares at SI, tells of A-Rod's housing complexes in the Tampa area as cheap, glorified slums.

A-Rod isn't exactly a slumlord — some renters interviewed at his other properties had milder complaints — but he has become a landlord caricature among dwellers who hold him accountable for, say, the stack of molding mattresses by the dumpster at Newport Villas on MacDill Avenue.

A-Rod is the face on their leaky faucets, and yet his name isn't in the welcome kit. Rodriguez's brother-in-law, Constantine Scurtis, is the company manager — the one whose signature is on nearly $50 million in mortgages for properties in Tampa, according to records — but some of the cashiers and cooks who live at places like Newport Riverside know who holds their house keys.

To them, he isn't A-Rod, a regular-season crackerjack on the verge of a Yankees deal potentially worth $300 million. To them, he is Tight-Rod, an apartment tycoon, who, renters say, has jacked late fees to $100 from $50 on units that run around $600 a month.

To make this clear: Alex Rodriguez is jacking up late fees on apartments he owns. Though to be fair, he has to give 5 percent of that to Scott Boras. Still.

A-Rod's Properties And Charity Suggest Some Stinginess [New York Times]

The bug spray didn't work at all, but that isn't stopping MLB.

Major League Baseball Properties and MLB Advanced Media announced Monday that an exclusive auction of game-used and autographed items from this past postseason will begin on Friday. The auction will run until Dec. 7, and it will feature more than 50 extraordinary items that will make historic keepsakes.

They say the bug spray "promises to be a huge conversation piece," and this is true, if you are a psychotic. Or A-Rod.

That Isn't Bug Spray You're Bidding On; It's Authentic Game-Used 2007 Playoff Bug Spray [Lion In Oil]

Warren Buffett, a billionaire investor and philanthropist, reportedly advised Alex Rodriguez to accept a contract from the New York Yankees behind his agent, Scott Boras' back.

Buffett and Rodriguez have been buddies for a few years now, and A-Rod contacted him after he began to feel frustration with the aftermath of his opting out fiasco. The sides have apparently reached a 10-year deal worth a ridiculous $275 million that should be finalized early this week.

I like to imagine that they sit around sipping brandy playing cards late into the night while discussing economic theory, sodomy, and the infield-fly rule.

Babes Love Baseball

AROD wore these undershorts in official MLB games during the 2005 season, and they definitely look used and smell like it too!!
These undershorts are referred to as Sliding Shorts by Arod, but they look like Nike dryfit boxer briefs to me. Arod's worn underwear!!
They have all the proper tagging on the inside and also have the Elite hologram near the inside of the waistband.
Incredible find as Arod game used equipment is incredibly tough to get ahold of, let alone a pair of his worn undershorts.
Arod also signed the shorts perfectly on the front in bold blue sharpie, and added the inscription 2005 Game Used under his signature.

I'm going to go dry-heave for a while.

Anyway, this all is pretty much official now: A-Rod's gonna be back in the Bronx, and even though he's not gonna get this 10-year, $300 million deal, it'll be close enough for government work.

Rodriguez and his wife, Cynthia, met with Hank and Hal Steinbrenner on Wednesday in Tampa, Fla. Rodriguez told the Steinbrenners that he wanted to stay with the Yankees, and a 10-year contract that will guarantee him about $275 million is expected to be completed soon.

The Yankees typically do not offer bonuses for making All-Star teams or winning postseason awards. But Rodriguez's pursuit of the career home run record would bring increased revenue to the Yankees, and they are willing to share some of it.

So, basically, everyone came to their collective senses and made a reasonable deal that works for all sides. Man, Scott Boras really was left out of this whole negotiation!

Yankees May Pay Rodriguez For Home Run Record [New York Times]

It's No. 7 seed Brady Quinn against No. 10 seed Alex Rodriguez. We don't know if these two are friends, but maybe they should be: They probably would have a lot to talk about.

No. 7 Seed: Brady Quinn
Sat in a crowded room, then left.
Grabbed some underage crotch.
Went all dance party marathon on us.
Rocked out.

No. 10 Seed: Alex Rodriguez
"Wrote" a children's book.
Dug deep.
Made friends with "she-male, muscular types."
Opted out while we were occupied with other matters.
Changed his mind. Maybe.

So, who's gonna make the Elite Eight? Vote below.

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

And don't worry: Even without Boras at his side, A-Rod's not gonna be poor.

Rodriguez and Yankees officials have been working toward finalizing a new 10-year deal worth approximately $275 million that will keep the two-time MVP in pinstripes for the duration of his Hall of Fame career. The two sides are expected to meet Thursday in Florida with the hopes of finishing the deal. According to one source, agent Scott Boras has not been involved in the talks.

We can't help but wonder how this will affect Boras, not just in his interactions with A-Rod, but with all his clients. It's Boras' most high-profile failure, with his most high-profile client. It's sad when a couple that you've always felt were in love break up.

A-Rod, Yankees Closing In On Deal [New York Daily News]

A person close to the Yankees said this morning that Rodriguez, through an intermediary, told the Yankees that he wants to talk with the team about a new contract agreement without the involvement of his agent, Scott Boras. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no deal has been reached.

Look out, Yankees: It's a trap! A-Rod's a trojan horse Boras is sending in to drive the price up. Clearly, you all should know this by now; it's not just buyer beware, it's bidder beware.

Rodriguez Might Talk To Yankees Without Agent [New York Times]

Well, he's looking for more money, obviously. The New York Times says there might not be two teams to bid, but what we're interested in today is whether or not A-Rod is really worth all the cash.

In one corner, Rumors And Rants:

It is. In fact, signing A-Rod for the supposed $300 million over 12 years he's looking for might even be a bargain. While the overall sum of money ($300 million) seems like a lot and it is, but it's not all guaranteed and it's not all up-front. It's going to be a bigger than God number only because of the nature of the player and the length of the contract. Twelve years!? Who else can even float the idea of a 12-year contract at the age of 32?

In the other, more convincing corner, the now-famous Hardball Times article:

"He will decline offensively, he will decline defensively, and he will steal fewer bases. You like using numbers Mr. Boras so you might be interested in this one: After Rodriguez's monster year, his career OPS+ is 147. Ten players are right around that—five above and five below. The five in front are Frank Thomas, Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome, Vladmir Guerrero and Jason Giambi. The five just behind him are Lance Berkman, Miguel Cabrera, Todd Helton, Chipper Jones and Gary Sheffield. In the cases of Thomas, Ramirez, Thome and Giambi, this includes a good chunk of their decline phase—something Rodriguez has yet to begin. When you consider that A-Rod will make most of his money with his bat, well, there are 10 hitters in his neighborhood—are any of them looking for a 10-year/$300 million contract? Of course not. That's absurd."

We still think he's going to San Francisco. Makes sense.

Battling Boras [Hardball Times]
Bargain Bin And A-Rod [Rumors And Rants]

When Kige Ramsey first began doing his commentaries for "YouTube Sports," I never guessed that he would ultimately meet his end due to auto-erotic asphyxiation. This is absolutely the worst snuff film ever made.

In about a year this will be the final scene in Kige's True Hollywood Story.

And they're totally not kidding around. Nope! Not at all!

The Mud Hens prepared a letter that they plan to mail to Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras. Included is a contract offer with incentives if he hits 75 home runs per season and leads Toledo to 10 straight Governors' Cup titles. There is a catch, of course.

The letter includes a reminder that Mike Hessman - the International League's reigning Most Valuable Player - is the Mud Hens' everyday third baseman. "We think that it would be a healthy competition at spring training between the two of them," it reads. "Would your client be willing to play a different position?"

Clever, and we love that plaque they made. Of course, A-Rod isn't the only free agent out there. Don't forget Reggie Sanders, Geoff Jenkins, Mike Lamb and, of course, Sammy Sosa. Let the games begin!

Mud Hens Offer A-Rod Contract, Plaque ("And A Hot Plate!") [The Futon Report]
Every Free Agent Previewed [Cake Rocks The Party]
The Silly Season [PLAY]

We never ended up doing it, but that kind of encapsulates what we thought about the Web at the time: It's like a book, but you get to choose what happens! Now the fine folks at Fanhouse have come up with one about A-Rod. It's obviously a fantasy inspired series; looks what happens when we had him sign with the Cubs:

In the series, you finally shine on a big stage. Everyone expects the Cubs to be overmatched by the defending champion Red Sox, but with your help you stretch the series to Game 7, which is at Fenway (because of your two-run error in the All-Star Game). You go 2-for-4 with a big two-run double in the sixth inning that gives the Cubs their margin of victory in a 3-1 win that finally brings a World Series back to Chicago. Amazingly, the universe fails to collapse upon itself after you and the Chicago Cubs simultaneously win a World Series.

How cute: The only thing that's missing is A-Rod flying out of the stadium on a unicorn.

Choose Your Own Rodventure [The Fanhouse]

Anyway, as always, it's best to look to Vegas — or at least Bodog — to catch a feel for which way the wind be blowing. So far, they like the Angels. Here are their odds:

What team will Alex Rodriguez be playing for on Opening Day '08?
Los Angeles Angels 3/1
Los Angeles Dodgers 4/1
Chicago Cubs 9/2
Detroit Tigers 5/1
Boston Red Sox 6/1
New York Yankees 6/1
New York Mets 9/1
Philadelphia Phillies 9/1
San Francisco Giants 10/1
Field (Any Other Team) 5/2

As we have made abundantly clear, we're not the betting sort ... but we would think the Giants at 10-1 odds would be a reasonable investment. Plus, you know, they've got plenty of she-male, muscular types there; not to be understated.

You might think Scott Boras is an ass, you might think he's duping his clients and you might even think A-Rod just wants to be biggest than the game, but you cannot say that Scott Boras isn't a genius. He doesn't care what you think about him; he just wants to make his clients more money. He certainly started down that path last night, interrupting the game's greatest spectacle to make a sales pitch.

We don't think there's any way he goes back to the Yankees now — but he'd never, EVER even talk to the Cubs! — which means ... well, it means he's just gonna go to the team who will pay him the most money and not put his picture on the front page of the paper every time he tries to cheat on his wife. Sounds like a good deal to us.

A-Rod Upstages The Game [ESPN]
Scott Boras Is An Ass [Simon On Sports]
Why Are We Still Surprised? [UmpBump]
Getting Washed By The Sports-News Spin Cycle [New York Magazine]

Poor, dumb saps. With the least bit of effort they could have ousted the Yankees from the playoffs this season, but it was not to be. Rodriguez, meanwhile, had to talk his way into the lineup after rolling his ankle against Seattle on Tuesday. He became the first Yankees player in 30 years to homer two times in one inning. Cliff Johnson did it on June 30, 1977. Who were the others? Joe DiMaggio (1936) and Joe Pepitone (1962). Rodriguez, 32, leads the majors with 48 homers and 134 RBI. The team had sent him for an MRI at 3:30 p.m., which angered him, for some reason. A-Rod hates going downtown. And I repeat ... Joe Pepitone. I love typing that.

• Forget About It Jake. It's Phoenix. Jake Peavy was not built for pitching on three days' rest; it says so right there in the instructions. Taking the ball a day earlier than scheduled to try and give the Padres some breathing room in the NL West, Peavy instead gave up a bevy of hits to the worst-hitting team in the NL, the Diamonbcaks prevailing 9-6. Arizona is now a game ahead of SD in the West. Arizona's Miguel Montero homered twice, not in the same inning.

• Livin' On Timo Time. Timo Perez's single off the wall in right with two outs in the 11th won it for the Tigers, 2-1 over the White Sox. Kenny Rogers returned from the disabled list and pitched well, Mike Hessman homered, and Detroit remained 3 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the wild-card race.

• Baltimore Gives Up Several Runs. More double homer goodness, this time by Carlos Pena of the Devil Rays (one was a grand slam, and he had seven RBI) as Tampa beat the Orioles 17-2.

• The Red Pinstripe Diaries. Matt Diaz's two-out, three-run double in the ninth gave Atlanta a 9-8 win over the Phillies, who gagged up leads of 5-0 and 8-2. Diaz's hit actually skipped off the tip of Chris Robertson's glove.

Anyway, he's speaking up about steroids in baseball, not just about Barry Bonds ... but about Alex Rodriguez.

The Atlanta Braves star said Wednesday that A-Rod probably will face suspicions about steroid use - just as new home run king Barry Bonds has - because Jose Canseco recently hinted he has salacious information to disclose about Rodriguez.

"I don't doubt it," Jones said. "There's been a lot of validation to some of the things that Jose Canseco has said over the years. At first when it came out a lot of people didn't want to give him a lot of credit for it. But a lot of it has been proven true. Now, when he opens his mouth, people listen. And unfortunately, this cloud is following probably two of the best players of this century."

We continue to find it amazing that we live in a world where Jose Canseco is a wise sage soothsayer from half-ass comments he tossed off on a radio show. But when Chipper talks, we listen!

Chatter Continues About A-Rod [Steroid Nation]

Bugs & Cranks is being awfully specific about the whole matter: They're scouting pitchers who might give up A-Rod's 800th homer.

#4 Abelando Famosa: At age 12, Famosa has yet to play any organized baseball in Cuba, but he is unhittable in his local barrio just outside of Havana. No one can touch his splitter, not to mention his splicer, stickler, spitball - or especially the pitch he claims to have invented, which he calls the sling-a-ling-shot. In 10 years, Fidel Castro will be dead, opening the borders to sports agents looking to poach the country's best talent. We project Famosa has the stuff to get him into the Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, with a name like Abelando Famosa, we feel he also will be a Casanova with the ladies, staying out too late at Manhattan nightclubs and arriving to the ballpark groggy. He'll leave his unhittable sling-a-ling-shot pitch up in the zone, and A-Rod will knock the cover off it.

We think the most likely scenario, however, is their No. 1 choice: Roger Clemens.

Projecting Who Will Give Up A-Rod's 800th Home Run [Bugs And Cranks]
Life Goes On, And So Do We [The Dugout]