MLB

A-Rod’s reality show won’t move needle

MINNEAPOLIS — The bill finally has come due for the Yankees. And we’re not just talking about Alex Rodriguez’s mighty paycheck.

A-Rod begins his rehab assignment tonight in Charleston, S.C., just another broken down Yankee trying to get it together at Single-A ball. The Yankees should have general manager Brian Cashman throw out the ceremonial first pitch, just to make it official.

A-Rod could rejoin the Yankees in three weeks in Texas, where he once played and admitted to using steroids. The amazing truth is the Yankees are so desperate they really need Rodriguez back in the lineup.

“Alex being around the team and the guys, he has a positive influence on this team, and knowing that he is going to be in games now is encouraging,’’ hitting coach Kevin Long told The Post last night as the Yankees snapped a five-game losing streak by beating the Twins, 10-4 at Target Fieldin a battle of fourth-place teams.

Robinson Cano led the way with two home runs and a double. The Twins were leading 4-3 in the eighth when they gave the game away after reliever Jared Burton surrendered a double to Cano and a bunt single to pinch-hitter Ichiro Suzuki. Burton threw the ball into right-field on a pickoff attempt at first base as Cano scored and Ichiro went to third. Ichiro scored the go-ahead run on Zoilo Almonte’s bouncing single to left.

The Yankees added four more runs in the ninth on various Twins mistakes. The Yankees rank 25th in the majors in batting average and OPS. The players will welcome back A-Rod.

“We had our lineup before the season started and then those guys went down,’’ Ichiro said. “That’s the Yankees. Not just A-Rod, but we need [Derek] Jeter and those guys back.’’

The bottom line is the Yankees’ key players have gotten old and injured, which has been happening in baseball forever — except during the BALCO/Biogenesis Era. The players the Yankees kept did not pan out in a big way. Add to all that ownership planning to cut cutting payroll and we are looking at a long haul of mediocre baseball for the Bronx Bummers.

The big-market teams cannot steal away the best players. The Yankees must make better decisions from top to bottom. Making this a championship caliber team again is going to take time.

Certainly, former Yankees Russell Martin, A.J. Burnett and Mark Melancon are not having trouble winning over in Pittsburgh.

The Red Sox reloaded this year, the Yankees did not. When injuries came to Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson, there was no way out. They knew that A-Rod and Jeter were on their last legs as ballplayers.

David Adams is hitting .178. Kevin Youkilis is gone to back surgery. Anything they can get at third base is an improvement.

“I’m actually very excited,’’ Rodriguez told reporters in Tampa.

A-Rod loves the game and loves the attention. He is the closest thing Major League Baseball has to the Kardashians. This is Reality TV baseball at its best.

When manager Joe Girardi was asked if his team was desperate for offense, he said: “I mean, we’ve had trouble scoring runs, but that’s no secret. It would be nice to get some big bats back.’’

The Red Sox lead all of baseball with 431 runs. The Orioles are next at 410. The Yankees have 320 runs.

Rodriguez will turn 38 this month.

“I expect him to be a productive player,’’ Girardi said. “Hopefully [the hip surgery] will solve some of the things he was dealing with last year.’’

This is what Girardi will be looking for when he watches video of A-Rod in his rehab games: “That it is not a big effort to do it, that he is moving freely and is swinging freely,’’ he said.

That is life as Yankees manager now. You watch every rehab closely. You wait for the aging stars to return. You hope Cano carries the offense.

“Our guys don’t quit,’’ Girardi said after he landed his 600th win as a manager. “You hope that the hard work that they’re putting in pays off and maybe tonight is the start of something.’’

You try to survive.