The New York Yankees are attempting to keep the whereabouts of third baseman Alex Rodriguez’s rehabilitation a secret, after allegations surfaced last week that he was linked to another performance-enhancing drug story.
“I’m not going to say to try and keep away the extra whatever you want to call it, paparazzi, whatever it is, the stakeout wherever he is working out,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Monday at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, where he was supporting an event for Carlos Silva, who is the Yankees radio producer and engineer. Silva is battling cancer.
“That’s the only reason I’m not going to say where he is going to be on a given day,” Cashman said.
But according to the New York Daily News, Rodriguez will split his time between New York and Miami for his rehabilitation.
The 37-year-old Rodriguez underwent left hip surgery with Dr. Bryan Kelly in New York on Jan. 16. The Yankees have estimated that he could return to the team after the All-Star break.
Allegations arose last week in an article in the Miami New Times that A-Rod had a relationship with Anthony Bosch, a Miami-based man who has strong ties to the PED industry and was being investigated by Major League Baseball. Last Friday, ESPN’s T.J. Quinn and Mike Fish reported that Bosch had given Rodriguez injections at his home in Miami.
Since the allegations were made public, no one from the Yankees organization has spoken about the claims against Rodriguez. The third baseman has denied any involvement with Bosch through his public relations firm.
ESPNNewYork.com reported last week that the Yankees are looking to void the remaining five years and $114 million on Rodriguez’s contract if the allegations are proven to be true. They are currently waiting for MLB to complete their investigation, but will have a tough time voiding the guaranteed deal.
Joe Girardi, Yankees manager, said that he has spoken to Rodriguez in the past week, but only about his rehab. The allegations were never brought up in their conversation.
Cashman said that the Yankees have a regimen in place for Rodriguez during his rehabilitation and that Yankees medical officials have been in constant dialogue with A-Rod since his surgery.
Even though no one from the Yankees organization has spoken to Rodriguez, Cashman said that this is not a sign of the organization giving up on the one-time Hall of Famer.
“The only thing required right now is patience and smarts,” Cashman said. “By smarts, I mean, do not get ahead of things you don’t know about. Do not speak to areas you have no knowledge of. Do not throw out sound bites that are convenient because everybody is hungry and thirsty for answers before you can legitimately provide any.”
Cashman would not reveal if Rodriguez would be attending the opening of spring training camp in Tampa next week. Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report Feb. 11 and position players Feb. 15.
