Wednesday, September 20, 2006
HERE'S THE ARTICLE THAT EVERYONE'S TAULKIN' ABOUT:
SI.com - Magazine - A-Rod Lightning Rod In New York
Yankees Call Out Alex Rodriguez
"I can't help that I'm a bright person. I know that's not a great quote to give, but I can't pretend to play dumb and stupid." -AROD, August 2006
"(ARod's)displaying "a false confidence,"
-New York first baseman Jason Giambalco
Before Giambi went to Torre, he had scolded Rodriguez after a 13-5 win in Boston on Aug. 19. Irked that Rodriguez left four runners on base in the first three innings against a shaky Josh Beckett, Giambi thought A-Rod needed to be challenged. "We're all rooting for you and we're behind you 100 percent," Giambi recalls telling Rodriguez, "but you've got to get the big hit."
"What do you mean?" was Rodriguez's response, according to Giambi. "I've had five hits in Boston."
"You f------ call those hits?" "You had two f------ dinkers to rightfield and a ball that bounced over the third baseman! Look at how many pitches you missed!
"When you hit three, four or five [in the order], you have to get the big hits, especially if they're going to walk Bobby [Abreu] and me. I'll help you out until you get going. I'll look to drive in runs when they pitch around me, go after that 3-and-1 pitch that might be a ball. But if they're going to walk Bobby and me, you're going to have to be the guy." -Giambi to AROD
"One day last month, wading into that current, I asked Rodriguez whom he has relied on most during his difficult summer. He first mentioned Cynthia. "
But to whom has he turned on this Yankees team?
He looked down and thought in silence. Ten seconds passed.
Finally he said, 'Rob Thomson.' Thomson is the team's special-assignment coach who throws batting practice.
'And Mo. Mariano is the best. Those three.'
And that was it."
