The Cooler Keeps Making Friends

And that's on and off the field.

Alex Rodriguez continues to be a controversial figure in New York, and he made headlines this week with the revelations that he was seen with an unknown blonde woman in Toronto on Sunday night (who was not his wife), and then was last seen disappearing into his hotel room with her. (I guess at least he's scoring off the field.) However, one fact seems to be glossed over in this whole "A-Rod and The Busty Blonde" saga.

When the story was first reported, I noticed something really interesting about it. It was reported that the entire Yankee team, players and coaches, was staying in one hotel in Toronto, while A-Rod, by himself, was staying in another. Boy, he's a real team player, right?

And if that wasn't enough, last night, The Cooler was involved in yet more shananigans, this time on the field. Jorge Posada popped up with two outs and two on in the ninth inning last night. Howie Clark, the Blue Jays third baseman, was camped under it, when Rodriguez was running by. He yelled something that clearly distracted Clark and the ball dropped in, and it led to three more Yankee runs eventually scoring. The Jays were royally pissed at A-Rod, who claimed he yelled, "Ha!" But both Clark and shortstop John McDonald say he yelled, "Mine!" Clark thought it was McDonald calling him off, and the ball dropped in.

Once again, The Cooler is in the middle of more nonsense. While what he did may not be illegal, it sure was a bush league, low-rent play, no matter what he said. Matt Stairs made an interesting observation when he told reporters to ask Rodriguez' teammates what they thought of it, and that they would probably say "no comment." That is just what Derek Jeter said, as he said he wasn't on the field and didn't see it happen. Once again, the Yankee captain rushes to A-Rod's defense. And the rest of the team basically ran for cover after the game when the question was posed to them by the media.

Alex Rodriguez may be widely respected for his talent for hitting a baseball, but he continues to make enemies everywhere he goes. Players see him for the phony that he is, wanting everyone to love him, and he rubs people the wrong way. (Earlier in May, he made Sports Illustrated's Top 10 Least Friendly Major League Players, as voted by them.) He pulls crap in the 2004 ALCS, last week against the Red Sox, and pulls even more last night.

But that may be the least of his worries right now. His wife was spotted yesterday in New York by a reporter carrying luggage out of their apartment.

He better have a good explanation for her as to who that blonde woman was on Sunday night.

And he better wear some extra body armor the next time the Yankees play the Blue Jays.