CAUGHT IN THE ACT: Alex Rodriguez writes a note on a ball for a fan — OK, this time it was a young fan — before last night’s game was postponed. A-Rod, who was not in last night’s lineup, also danced around questions about his relationship with Joe Girardi and his future with the Yankees. (Charles Wenzelberg; Reuters)
DETROIT — Alex Rodriguez has long insisted that no set of circumstances would move him to waive his no-trade clause and accept a deal out of New York.
But that was then and this is now. Remember Lance Armstrong once said he would never stop defending himself against charges of using illegal performance enhancers, until the wave of evidence against him was just too overwhelming. So he surrendered his intractability, his Tour de France victories and most of his endorsements.
A-Rod’s fall has been Armstong-esque: From the peak of his sport to humiliation. Just in the last 10 days, A-Rod has plummeted from the No. 3 hitter to being pinch-hit for three times in the playoffs to not starting three postseason games, including the last two. Suddenly, Joe Torre’s decision to hit A-Rod eighth in Game 4 of the 2006 ALDS plays like unequivocal support in comparison Joe Girardi’s maneuvers.
A-ROD MAKES OFF-FIELD PLAY FOR HOTTIES
HE SURE CAN SPOT ‘EM! A-ROD’S FLIRT GAL A BIKINI MODEL
A-ROD’S ‘BALL GIRL’ APPLIED FOR SCORES STRIP-JOINT AD
BELMONT’S ‘A ROD’ A BIG LOSER TOO
Brian Cashman insisted Rodriguez was being benched due to an 0-for-18 with 12 strikeouts against righties and Detroit starting power righties. The Yankees GM said there were no ulterior motives, such as to punish Rodriguez for reportedly trying to pick up women in the stands in the late innings of ALCS Game 1 or to push Rodriguez to waive his no-trade clause.
But here is the thing: Rodriguez believes there is more to this work against righties. Given multiple chances before yesterday’s Game 4 to dismiss conspiracy theories, Rodriguez refused to say his absence from the lineup was just about his struggles. “I don’t want to speculate,” Rodriguez said.
He also responded to two other key items in different — and revealing — ways than he had previously.
When Girardi first pinch-hit for Rodriguez in Game 3 of the Division Series, Rodriguez offered unwavering support to his manager, saying, quickly, “I love Joe.” But when asked how he felt about Girardi in lieu of another benching, Rodriguez stared straight ahead a few seconds without speaking, began with an “um” and then talked about how Girardi had “been very good [to him] over the years.”
Also, A-Rod had always stated without wiggle that he would never accept a trade from the Yankees. After the Dodgers absorbed more than a quarter-of-a-billion dollars in Red Sox contracts in late August, I wrote A-Rod’s injury at that time possibly cost the Yanks their last best chance to deal his exorbitant pact because Los Angeles was so willing to take on stars and big contracts. Rodriguez was furious with me, saying there was no chance he would ever leave and to stop even suggesting the possibility.
Yesterday, though, he did not offer the same inflexible position. Asked if he wanted to stay a Yankee, he did not say yes, but merely that, “I love this organization” and that his “focus” was on winning last night’s game. Unlike the past, Rodriguez refused to eliminate all possibility of accepting a trade.
But this will ultimately not be about if the Yankees want A-Rod gone (definitely, they want out of as much drama, salary and further fade as possible) or if Rodriguez wants to go (a friend suggested to me he would be more willing to exit than ever). It is about if another organization wants A-Rod’s declining performance, creaking body, enormous salary and questionable professionalism.
Miami could be an ideal landing spot since Rodriguez is from there. In spring, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria joked with Yankees president Randy Levine about wanting A-Rod for the opening of their new stadium, a source said, and Levine kidded back to make an offer. But there is no joke now.
For what it is worth, Rodriguez is owed five years at $114 million and Jose Reyes and Heath Bell together are owed, yep, exactly $114 million. There are many problems. Reyes is way more valuable than A-Rod, so the Yankees would have to add prospects or eat tons of money. The Yankees then would probably have to turn around and try to trade Reyes and Bell for the best deals possible. Also, Rodriguez still has $30 million available in possible historic home run bonuses. In addition, can A-Rod even play in the NL without the DH for rest days?
Ultimately, though, this postseason is going to be remembered as the strongest motivator to divorce between these two powerful entities, even if the Yankees have to eat 80 cents on the dollar to make Rodriguez palatable for the Cubs, Dodgers, Angels or whomever.
Rodriguez isn’t playing for the Yankees these days. Consider it a test run for both sides.
joel.sherman@nypost.com