“I thought it was a brilliant play. We almost got away with it,” Rodriguez said. “I was stuck in an alley, boys, there was no place to go. And I gave my karate. I only got to yellow belt, but I gave them my karate. And, again, I think Brandon’s a great pitcher. I played with him in high school.” (Link)
Brandon? BRANDON?! Bronson Arroyo has one of the most distinctive first names in baseball, and A-Rod turns him into a Brandon. A guy he played against back in high school. A-Rod’s a great player, but I don’t think he knows that good PR either meets sucking it up and playing well, or making light of it - this looks like a failed attempt at humour (“my karate”). Good PR would probably involve making fun of the slap, taking outlandish slaps at stuff to show he gets the joke…
Of course, I say all that, but if the Yankees offered A-Rod for Renteria straight up, I’d say the Sox should take it in a heartbeat.