Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez has been told by the New York Yankees to keep his cousin away from ballparks. The message was given to the star third baseman yesterday, a person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press. The message applied to spring training and the regular season, the person said. Speaking at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., general manager Brian Cashman said only that the matter of Rodriguez being picked up from his spring training opener Wednesday by his cousin "has been handled."

Saying he had a responsibility to give back, Alex Rodriguez briefly addressed the drug scandal that has enveloped his life for the past week last night in Coral Gables, Fla., when the University of Miami formally renamed its baseball field in his honor. With his name affixed to the scoreboard in left field, Rodriguez - who was greeted by a 45-second standing ovation - spoke in public for the first time since acknowledging that he took banned substances as a member of the Texas Rangers from 2001 to 2003.

Pitches -- His stuff is below average. He throws 86, 87 [mph]. He can hit 91, but he doesn't pitch there, more like 84 to 88. He has a good changeup and a curveball he'll throw at any time. He throws a lot of cutters, and the ball can break either way. Attitude -- He's got great [guts]. He doesn't know that [Alex Rodriguez] is out there or [Derek] Jeter. He doesn't care. He's been successful because he gets ahead of hitters and usually pitches down in the strike zone. Overall -- He's one of those borderline fifth starters.

No matter what kind of player you think DeShawn Stevenson is, you have to admit the Washington Wizards guard is some kind of playa. According to the Web site Young, Black & Fabulous - for the record, Mr. Flip is none of those - Stevenson appears to be making the rounds of former Destiny's Child singers. He supposedly was engaged to LeToya Luckett, but now seems to be linked with Farrah Franklin. It's a convoluted tale, complete with what theybf.com terms "some extra steamy and graphic messages" left on myspace.

Good morning -- Alex Rodriguez -- Who wouldn't opt to make $30 million a year?

So we've reached the point when, if you tell me that Alex Rodriguez is on a pace to hit 62 homers and drive in 171 runs, it actually means something. That's not to say A-Rod's remarkable first half guarantees excellent performance over the final three months. It's just to say that 73 games is a substantial chunk of a season. Even if he plays mediocre ball the rest of the way, Rodriguez will finish with outstanding numbers. So that means we have a large enough body of work on which to pick fantasy All-Stars.

Best all-around player: Mariners SS Alex RodriguezMost Valuable Player: Yankees SS Derek JeterCy Young Award: Red Sox's Pedro MartinezRookie of the Year: Athletics 3B Eric ChavezBest comeback: White Sox DH Frank ThomasWorst comedown: Rangers P Rick HellingBest addition: Yankees P Roger ClemensWorst subtraction: Red Sox 1B Mo VaughnUnderrated player: Blue Jays 1B Carlos DelgadoUnderrated pitcher: Tigers' Brian MoehlerRising star: Blue Jays OF Shawn GreenFading...

Quote: "Why would he be afraid? We're all humans and people. He said the only time he's afraid is if he's going to get killed."-- Angels catcher Ben Molina interpreting the thoughts of teammate Ramon Ortiz, who won his major-league debut yesterday.It's a fact: The A's have homered in 19 of 20 games, missing only on Wednesday night.Who's hot: The Angels' Mo Vaughn had three homers and five RBIs in the four-game series against the White Sox.Who's not: The Yankees' Scott Brosius has one hit in his past 29 at-bats.

The Orioles will have to work hard this winter to rebuild their sagging image, and what better way to do that than by making a major play for Seattle Mariners superstar Alex Rodriguez.Rodriguez, who can become a free agent after the 2000 season, has given every indication that he is not interested in signing a contract extension with the Mariners during the coming off-season. He's apparently looking forward to breaking baseball's salary record the following year.Look for the Mariners to solicit bids and try to get a huge package of major- and minor-league talent for him. The Orioles are not flush on the farm, but they probably could package a major-league starter and a couple of their "untouchable" minor leaguers to acquire one of the best all-around players in baseball.

It all sounds so inviting.Seattle Mariners superstar Ken Griffey is available.So is Toronto Blue Jays slugger Carlos Delgado.Either one would look nice in an Orioles uniform, but there is no reason to get your hopes up, at least not this winter. The Orioles aren't a serious candidate to acquire either one, and for one good reason.Sidney Ponson.That's the first name that comes up every time a team considers the Orioles as a possible trade partner. The promising young right-hander is popular in war rooms all over the major leagues.

There was nothing phony about the way Alex Rodriguez and his teammates celebrated their World Series title Wednesday night, Tribune Newspapers columnist Phil Rogers writes. PG 6

Not to be overly cynical, but what message, exactly, were the students of Milford Mill Academy supposed to take away from Tuesday's surprise anti-steroid talk by the New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez? He came to the school to discourage students from taking steroids by sharing his story, which goes something like this: From 2001-2003, starting just after signing a contract with the Texas Rangers that made him the highest-paid player in the history of Major League Baseball, Mr. Rodriguez took steroids.

Virtually the same Orioles lineup that was completely overpowered 24 hours earlier by New York Yankees ace CC Sabathia was practically lining up at the bat rack Saturday, the players eager to get their swings in and see what they could do next. A night after managing just five base runners in a shutout loss, the Orioles had 10 men reach base and eight of them score in the second inning alone. There were a few anxious moments that followed, as there always are when the Orioles try to close out a game against the Yankees.

Only Alex Rodriguez, major league baseball's $275 million lightning rod, could have completed the impressive daily double in Friday's first inning at Camden Yards. The New York Yankees' controversial third baseman, making his season debut after March hip surgery and an offseason confession that he once took performance-enhancing drugs, stepped to the plate to a rousing chorus of boos. For several moments, the palpable hatred was louder, incredibly, than the venomous Bronx cheers reserved especially for Yankees first baseman, Maryland native and alleged turncoat Mark Teixeira.

When Alex Rodriguez arrives at Camden Yards on Friday with the New York Yankees, maybe he can explain to us what would possess fellow superstar Manny Ramirez to ingest a substance questionable enough to cost him 50 games and nearly a third of his $25 million salary. A-Rod should know, because he recently admitted to years of steroid abuse while he was making $25 million per season with the Texas Rangers. Ramirez isn't admitting to more than bad judgment for taking a nonsteroidal substance he claims was prescribed by a doctor in Miami to treat a legitimate medical problem.

If you're an Orioles fan, and who can resist those lovable lunks right now, you might want to catch up on your rest over the next couple of days because you're going to have to be on your game this weekend even if your favorite team isn't. The Yankees are coming and there's a pretty good chance they're bringing Alex Rodriguez with them, so you're going to want your lungs to be in tip-top shape. It's not as if you're going to be able to just sit around waiting for Mark Teixeira to come to bat anymore.

O'Hair rallies to win Quail Hollow event golf Five weeks after he blew a five-shot lead against Tiger Woods at Bay Hill, Sean O'Hair showed his mettle in hard, blustery conditions Sunday in Charlotte, N.C., with a 3-under-par 69 and rallied to win the PGA Quail Hollow Championship when no one could catch him. Despite a bogey-bogey finish on the two hardest holes on the course, O'Hair was the only player in the final nine groups to break 70. Lucas Glover,...

With big league stars on both sides and national pride at stake, the United States and Canada gave their World Baseball Classic opener an October feel. Adam Dunn and Brian McCann each hit a two-run homer, and Team USA held off feisty Canada, 6-5, yesterday in Toronto to avenge a surprising loss three years ago. "This is a playoff atmosphere," U.S. pitcher Jake Peavy said. "Everything is on the line." Kevin Youkilis added a solo shot and J.J. Putz closed it out in a nervous ninth inning for Team USA, which was upset by Canada in the inaugural WBC. Former Oriole LaTroy Hawkins worked a scoreless inning for the win, and Putz earned the save after allowing Joey Votto's broken-bat RBI double in the ninth that cut it to 6-5 with one out. Putz then retired Justin Morneau on a grounder and got Jason Bay on a fly to right.

Hours after Alex Rodriguez played yesterday for the Dominican Republic in a tuneup for the World Baseball Classic, the New York Yankees announced that he would have his ailing hip checked by a specialist. An exam Saturday revealed a cyst in Rodriguez's right hip. The slugger is scheduled to visit Dr. Marc Phillipon today in Vail, Colo. The third baseman's status for the World Baseball Classic is uncertain. Rodriguez, 33, felt tightness and stiffness in his right hip this spring and was examined by team physician Chris Ahmad on Saturday, the Yankees said.

Alex Rodriguez has been told by the New York Yankees to keep his cousin away from ballparks. The message was given to the star third baseman yesterday, a person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press. The message applied to spring training and the regular season, the person said. Speaking at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., general manager Brian Cashman said only that the matter of Rodriguez being picked up from his spring training opener Wednesday by his cousin "has been handled."