Alex Rodriguez has not played in a Major League game since July 7. He has missed more than a month with a knee injury, but A-Rod is set to return to the Yankee lineup this weekend in Minnesota. On Wednesday night, he began a two-game rehab stint with the Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. After having some problems in the field at third base, A-Rod was probably surprised to hear boos raining in from the crowd.
Superstars rehabbing is usually a bonus for minor league clubs. Fans pile into stadiums that would normally average only a few thousand per game in attendance just to get a glimpse at one of the MLB’s best. For that reason, one would assume A-Rod would be well-received. However, after misplaying two balls in foul territory, the crowd got on him in a hurry.
A-Rod admitted to being a little “tentative” after the game, and I’m sure the crowd only made things worse. He looked fine at the plate (1-for-3), but his fielding could be something to keep an eye on going forward.
The point here is that the boos further prove A-Rod is not a very well-liked player — even in New York. The fans in Pennsylvania obviously share a similar opinion to Keith Hernandez or they might have shown a little more support. The fans at the MLB level would be wise to go easy on Rodriguez. After all, we’ve all seen how sensitive the slugger can be.
