Details About Details

Lynn Zinser at the Bats Blog on The New York Times' website talked to the authtor and editor of the story in Details, and really framed the circumstances leading up to "Confessions of a Damned Yankee".

He had agreed to it in late December, when it seemed like a good, mainstream way to raise his fashionable profile. Instead, he sat for the interview on the day he found out Sports Illustrated reporter Selena Roberts would write he had tested positive for steroids in 2003.

He agreed to go through with the interview and photo shoot, despite having just found out that his whole career and reputation might be called into question. You know what that reminds me of? This.

[The author] Gay detailed how Rodriguez drank shots of Patrón and posed without complaint for photos that would set off alarm bells in the minds of many image-conscious athletes.

A-Rod is extremely image conscious. So conscious, in fact, that he apprises himself of how he is looking in a mirror every 14 seconds.

Drank shots of Patrón? Alex, I've got someone I'd love for you to meet. You would be perfect for each other. You are both total headcases, love Patrón, and hate shirts!

[The editor] Bhattacharji said Rodriguez had every opportunity to decline any of the shots, but did not. He did not take his shirt off, but chose a sleeveless one.

I stand corrected. Wow, amazing restraint, A-Rod. "Take my shirt off? Absolutely not. That would probably come across as vain and unnecessary. Kissing myself in the mirror, though? SURE!"

A day later, Rodriguez was text-messaging Gay and nervously asking that he not write that Rodriguez had revealed his favorite Madonna song. He still said nothing about the steroid allegations.

Any guesses... I'm leaning towards "Material Girl" (obviously), but here are some other prime candidates:

1. Causing A Commotion
2. Did You Do It?
3. Express Yourself
4. Forbidden Love
5. Goodbye To Innocence
6. Guilty By Association
7. I'm Going Bananas
8. I'm So Stupid
9. Intervention
10. Nobody Knows Me
11. Pretender
12. Think Of Me
13. You Must Love Me

No wonder he likes Madonna!

When Details first approached Rodriguez’ representatives and public relations handlers, including Guy Oseary, the manager he shares with Madonna, Rodriguez saw posing for a magazine aimed at fashion-conscious young men as a way to improve his image, said Bhattacharji.

If you made a Venn diagram of "fashion conscious young men" and "baseball fans" it would look almost exactly like the one for "attractive women" and "monster truck fans".

This is exactly why you don't hire some celebretard PR douche when you are an athlete. What works for Ashton Kutcher doesn't necessarily work for A-Rod. Somehow I think no matter what kind of advisory committe he assembles, they won't be able to get him out of his own way.

As Good As It Gets?

In a way, Aaron Boone needing to have heart surgery is sort of karmic justice for the collective cardiac trauma he inflicted on Red Sox Nation on October 16th, 2003:

Boone made the announcement Wednesday, saying he has known about his heart condition since college but tests done after his routine physical determined he needed surgery. It is not an emergency, but doctors indicated the procedure was needed.

He said doctors told him he could play baseball when he recovers, but he's not sure if he will.

Godspeed, Mr. Boone. You made one of the most monumental plays in the history of sport. That swing extended the "curse" one more year and topped off one of the best nights of my life. Your knee injury in a pick-up basketball game opened the door for A-Rod, and even after this offseason, I can't hold it against you.

In 50 years, will we still look at that parabola into the left field seats as the cresendo of the Yankees vs. Red Sox Rivalry?

How could it get more momentous? That homer left the bat of a guy who had been inserted earlier as a pinch runner. It was the 11th inning of a Game 7.

Bucky Dent's dinger was in the 7th inning of a play-in game. When the Red Sox struck back in '04, it was the 2nd inning and the rest of the game felt like a foregone conclusion. For something more dramatic to occur would take a script less realistic than Rookie of the Year.

[h/t Shysterball]

CC Sastachia

One hit, one walk and seven strikeouts in 4 IP?

I approve.

Could someone please notify the American Mustache Institute?