The New York Yankees could be dealing with yet another distraction in relation to Alex Rodriguez. The slugger was already suspended for the entire 2014 season because of performance-enhancing drug use, and now an issue in his personal life has arose.
According to a report from the New York Post, Rodriguez and his girlfriend of the past three years, former WWE Diva Torrie Wilson, have broken up. Two sources weighed in on the breakup with one saying Rodriguez wasn't willing to commit to Wilson and another saying Rodriguez's ex-wife, Cynthia Scurtis, still plays a big role in his life, which ultimately affected his relationship with Wilson.
So how will this be a distraction for the Yankees?
"Wilson is popular in the Yankee organization, as she was seen as a 'good, calming influence' over Rodriguez," writes Emily Smith. "A Yankee source said, 'Torrie is a lovely girl. The last thing Alex needs now is to be single, dating and distracted by women.'"
We all remember the incident from 2012, which was the last time the Yankees were in the playoffs, when Rodriguez wrote a message on a baseball and had it delivered to two females in the stands behind the team's dugout. The note was said to have asked the females for their phone numbers. It was an especially bad look for the slugger because he was removed from the game for a pinch hitter shortly before the incident occurred.
New York was swept in that American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers, which exacerbated the negative media attention on Rodriguez.
However, the quote from the source saying Wilson was a 'good, calming influence over Rodriguez is a bit bizarre since all of the incidents that transpired involving A-Rod throughout the time he and Wilson were dating have been fairly troubling. In fact, since the 2011 season he has played in only 265 games and underwent a number of surgeries. In 2013 he was linked to Biogenesis of America owner Anthony Bosch, who eventually admitted to supplying performance-enhancing drugs to professional baseball players. A-Rod later confessed to the Drug Enforcement Administration about his steroid use.
Let's not forget about the threats and bribery attempts A-Rod and his representation made to Bosch as well as Yuri Sucart, who is Rodriguez's cousin that initially served as the middle-man between the slugger and Bosch. The MLB documented the threats and bribery attempts in a letter to the DEA.
The relationship between A-Rod and the Yankees is the worst it has ever been. General manager Brian Cashman signed third baseman Chase Headley to a four-year, $52 million deal and said A-Rod would serve as a designated hitter; the team denied his request for an apology meeting and make amends before spring training; and the organization is also looking to deny Rodriguez his "marketing bonuses," which are $6 million payments once he reaches various home run milestones.
Based on the events that occurred in the past year, the breakup of A-Rod and Wilson is probably the least of the Yankees' worries at this point.
