MLB

HANK: ‘IT’S GETTING RIDICULOUS’

TAMPA, Fla. – With Alex Rodriguez’s budding friendship with Madonna making headlines, Yankees owner Hank Steinbrenner is hinting that “outside distractions” are causing the team’s offense to break his heart.

Steinbrenner told The Associated Press today, “We’ve got to start hitting. It’s getting ridiculous.”

Though he did not mention Rodriguez by name, Steinbrenner said, “We all know they’re better than that. I don’t know. Maybe a little less outside distractions and a little more concentrating and they’ll start hitting better.”

Since a 9-0 win over the Mets on Friday, the Yankees have scored seven runs in losing three of four games.

Rodriguez, whose visits to Madonna’s apartment came to light Tuesday amid rumors of her possible divorce, is 2-for-17 (.118) in his past five games.

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The slugging third baseman had been on a tear since returning from the disabled list and last week was the leading hitter in the American League. His average has dropped from a season-high .337 on June 18 to .316 today.

Steinbrenner, the team’s co-chairman, said he has been surprised by the inconsistent offense, but noted that it’s been an area of concern for general manager Brian Cashman.

“Even when I was worried about the pitching earlier – starting pitching is the most important thing of all – but Brian would keep telling me, ‘Yes, but I worried about the hitting,'” Steinbrenner said. “That was Brian’s biggest concern even as we were reconstructing the pitching. … I thought they would go on a consistent tear, and it hasn’t happened yet.”

Tonight at Yankee Stadium, Derek Jeter shrugged when he was told Steinbrenner called out the offense.

“When you think about it, what’s he saying that’s not true?” Jeter said. “Basically, he’s right. You can’t argue with him.”

But Johnny Damon questioned if the criticism would lead to results.

“It’s OK he comes out and says it because we know,” Damon said. “There’s no secret about the struggles of this team. It’s falling on the hitters.”

After completing a three-game series with Texas tonight, the Yankees play four games against World Series champion Boston.

The Yankees are third in the AL East, 7 ½ games behind division-leading Tampa Bay and five back of the second-place Red Sox.

“Not just this one series, but maybe the next couple series is going to be pivotal,” Steinbrenner said.

The Yankees play the Rays in a two-game series next week, then travel to Toronto, where last season Rodriguez was photographed with a blonde who was not his wife, for three games before the All-Star break.

“We can definitely still make a run at it,” Steinbrenner said.

With AP, Dan Martin