Poor Alex Rodriguez: You're the highest-paid baseball player in the history of the game and you can't get a little action on the side without the papers making a federal case out of it? Mickey Mantle must be spinning in his grave like a chunk of lamb on a gyro machine. Anyway, the Associated Press notes yesterday's Post headline on the story ("Stray-Rod") and ranks it up there with some of the all-time classics (e.g., "Headless Body in Topless Bar") of the genre. Fortunately, the A.P. tells us that A-Rod's teammates and coaches are fully behind him.

Says Yankees manager Joe Torre:

When you get into that area, I think it's over the line. It's what people seem to think is important or seem to think they have to do. In New York, there are so many more things that you talk about on a regular basis in addition to baseball. When I took this job I certainly knew it wasn't going to be about hitting and running and changing pitchers.

Given Torre's comical ineptitude at changing pitchers and getting his team to hit of late, we have to believe that it's something of a relief. We wouldn't be surprised if Torre was working on a plan to help Derek Jeter out of his slump right now!

Another Classic 'NY Post' Headline: 'Stray-Rod' — Tactless Ballplayer in Topless Bar? [AP]