Out & About with Jay Greenberg.

Item! Alex Rodriguez, Yankee third baseman and all-around latino hunk, caught sunbathing in Central Park with the missus and the baby:

"Then, just like the well-heeled idiots in the beer commercial, Rodriguez' next bright idea was to sun himself on a blistering Monday in Central Park, winding up not only shirtless in yesterday's Post, but with three throwing errors and a bases-loaded seventh-inning strikeout."

Shirtless and oiled up. Yummy!


"Go to his private club would be one suggestion. We mean the one with the pool, not with poker tables or a writer with a tape recorder running while Rodriguez tells the world how much harder it is to be A-Rod than it is to be Derek Jeter."

Champagne wishes and caviar dreams.


"The Yankees pay Rodriguez $25 million a year to come to the park prepared as possible, including on nights hot enough for the trainers to post reminders about hydration, diet and 'limiting workouts.' Whatever additional heat tolerance a guy from Miami can claim, he still leaves the Yankees tolerating needless supposition that their underachieving superstar played a game fried."

Item! The Yankees don't actually pay Rodriguez $25 million per year. (But the more knowledgeable readers already knew that.)

Not that it really makes a difference. Preparation is expected from every player on the Yankees, whether they make $20 million or league minimum. Even if he took an afternoon to relax and sunbathe in Central Park, we all know ARod is one of the most prepared athletes in the world.


What did Alex Rodriguez do that offended Jay Greenberg so much?

Did he crash his motorcycle without wearing a helmet?

Did he beat his wife?

Did he get arrested for driving drunk?

Did he suddenly quit and become GM?

He sunbathed in Central Park.

That's it?

That's why he made three errors in a game? Because he sunbathed, shirtless, in Central Park? Flashing his delish pecs and hairless torso?


" '[Sunday] was an incredible game, and you [media] weren't telling me about all the great plays. I looked like Brooks Robinson, then like I did last night. I don't like it, but that's the lesson for Little Leaguers.'

Now that's some serious, self-important spin, turning three errors and an 0-for-4 after an unnecessary ultra-violet broil into a toast of himself as a lesson in perseverance. Obviously, if Alex Rodriguez knew how that sounded, he wouldn't have said it. But until he understands, how can he help himself?"

Jay Greenberg, do you even know who Brooks Robinson is? No, you don't. Brooks Robinson s not a fashion designer for the stars.


How does ARod sound, Jay Greenberg? I don't understand what you're getting at. It sounds perfectly okay to me.

It sounds like ARod said that some days you succeed in baseball and somedays you don't. It's actually not a bad lesson for Little Leaguers. Don't get too high and don't get too low. Say No to Drugs and Stay in School.