A-Rod, The World's Free Agent

Much talk this morning about Yankees hero of the working man Alex Rodriguez telling a radio station that he is leaning toward playing for the Dominican Republic in the upcoming World Baseball Classic rather than the United States. A-Rod has never, in fact, lived in the Dominican; he was born in New York, though his parents are Dominican.

But is A-Rod's (still not official) decision to play with the Dominican because of national pride, or as a way to honor his parents or his family? Heh. Come on. Did you forget who we were talking about here?

"The Latin teams are going to have a major advantage," Rodriguez told New York's WFAN. "I think that American team might take it more like an exhibition, and these guys are kind of playing for their religion down there, the pride of their country."

So, in other words, A-Rod is, essentially, forcing a trade to the team he perceives as the Yankees. Just out of curiosity: Has A-Rod even been to the Dominican?

A-Rod Has A World Of Choices [The Journal News]