Jumpy

Alex Rodriguez has a ballplayer’s face and a ballplayer’s swing and a ballplayer’s heart. He is everything that is good about greatness in this game.

The pursuit of his 500th home run is obscuring that greatness a bit these days. There are too many people with too many cameras trying to get a piece of every swing. It may be wearing on him only because that has never been his game.

Rodriguez is about winning. Period. Anyone that doesn’t understand that hasn’t been paying attention.

“I’m sure he doesn’t want this home run to get in the way of what the team needs,” said Javier as he waited outside the players’ gate last night. “I think he’ll be happy when it’s over and he can go back to just being the greatest player in the game.

“I can’t wait either,” he continued. “I was so charged up during his first at bat that I got to my feet and yelled for a fly ball. Man, that’s embarrassing.

“I’m a little jumpy,” Javier shrugged. “Maybe A-Rod is, too.”