Monday, June 4, 2007 | 7:08 a.m.
Who wrote this unwritten rule book, anyway?
"Stray-Rod" is in trouble again, and this time it has nothing to do with a mystery blond and an incriminating front-page photo in the New York Post.
No, Alex Rodriguez's latest transgression that has got the baseball world's pants in a bunch is something he said within earshot of the left side of the Toronto Blue Jays' infield.
The Yankees were up by two - quite an upset these days - when Jorge Posada hit a popup to third base in the top of the ninth inning. A-Rod, on base at the time, said he shouted "Ha!" as he ran past Howie Clark, the Toronto third baseman.
Clark said it sounded more like "I got it" so he backed off to let shortstop John McDonald catch the ball. When McDonald didn't, he had to be restrained by umpires from going after the Yankee Quipper.
Let's see, according to the Unwritten Rules of Baseball, it's totally acceptable to throw a 95-mph fastball at a batter's noggin after one of his teammates hits a 450-foot home run, well within the guidelines for a second baseman to fake like a throw is coming when a batter hits a fly ball on a hit-and-run play. And when a team steals signs by putting a spy in the scoreboard, it's called gamesmanship rather than cheating.
But when A-Rod says "Ha" or "Hal" or "I got it," the other team demands he not pass go and collect another $252 million dollars.
I don't get it.
So if I'm Derek Jeter, I'd think twice about chattering "Hey batter, hey batter, suh-wing, batter," the next time Toronto is in town.
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