Although it initially seemed hard to believe that Alex Rodriguez wasn't furious over being pulled from the Yankees' lineup in several key situations recently, a report from the New York Post suggests that he has been having fun even when stuck in the dugout.
According to the Post, A-Rod started flirting with two blonde women near the dugout after being replaced eighth inning in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers. The report quotes anonymous witnesses saying that the struggling 37-year-old exchanged notes written on a baseball and may have even gotten a phone number.
Having heard loud boos after striking out in the sixth inning, perhaps A-Rod was attempting to win back the crowd one fan at a time.
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After going hitless in three at-bats and stranding several runners, Yankees manager Joe Girardi pulled A-Rod for Eric Chavez in the eighth. With A-Rod watching (or not) from the dugout, it was a player who had previously replaced him in a clutch spot, Raul Ibanez, who came through for the Yankees with a two-run home run to tie the game in the ninth. The Yankees would ultimately lose 6-4 in extra innings and also lose captain Derek Jeter to a broken ankle.
David Brown of Yahoo's Big League Stew believes that the flirting report should be the "final-final-final straw for 2012," arguing that Girardi should sit A-Rod for good.
If A-Rod did in fact flirt with a couple fans, he might already be in trouble off the field with the woman he is currently dating, former professional wrestler Torrie Wilson.
Of course, Wilson might not have much to worry about. Several fans on Twitter have suggested that A-Rod's cold spell at the plate might not bode well for his pick-up attempts.
UPDATE: The New York Post identified the women A-Rod was flirting with as Australian bikini model Kyna Treacy.