By GEORGE A. KING III
DUNEDIN, Fla. – Alex Rodriguez’s spring training debut could have gone better, but it could have gone a lot worse.
Alex Rodriguez slowly won the majority of the crowd over in the Yankees’ first spring training game of the season. And even called his first home run of spring training.
During batting practice fans were very supportive, some shouting, “You the man A-Rod.”
“It was nice, just nice to play baseball. That’s what I do, that’s what I get paid for,” Rodriguez said after he was taken out of the game.
But there were some that brutally abused the slugger, who has been steeped in steroid controversy. “Where’s Madonna”, “Hey A-Roid” were just a couple of the things shouted at the Yankees third baseman. One fan was wearing an A-Fraud t-shirt with an asterisk underneath it, and a “Steroid tested, Yankee approved” slogan.
A-Rod downplayed the insults hurled at him by those in the stands and concentrated on the ones that were supportive.
“Fans were okay, I would like to invite a bunch of them to Fenway Park. They were pretty nice,” Rodriguez said. Hope this is the start of a successful year for all of fun. Thought today was very mild, thought fans were great.”
Before the game, Rodriguez told Yankees’ PR representative Jason Zillo that he was going to hit a home run in his second at-bat. And he did just that.
After walking in his first at-bat against the Blue Jays, Rodriguez blasted a home run over the left-centerfield fence and was greeted by mostly cheers, while rounding the bases. His first time at the plate the boos were 60-40, 50-50 second time and by the third time more fans were cheering than jeering.
Rodriguez said he “hasn’t heard a word from MLB” regarding the meeting he is reported to have with them.