Yankees GM has talk with A-Rod and his wife

NEW YORK — While the Yankees were tanking on the field Sunday, general manager Brian Cashman had an additional headache — the tank top worn by Alex Rodriguez's wife.

Cashman talked to both Alex and Cynthia Rodriguez about the shirt with foul language on the back she wore during New York's 11-5 loss to Oakland at Yankee Stadium.

"I did speak to Cynthia, and she's part of the family and obviously we just keep that in house," Cashman said Monday. "I wouldn't really comment any further than that."

Asked if he talked to A-Rod about the issue as well, Cashman said yes. He also acknowledged that the team has a policy prohibiting profane language on clothing and banners at the stadium.

"Other than that, it stays in house and within this family, and nobody else is invited in," the GM said.

Rodriguez wouldn't comment Monday before New York played the Minnesota Twins. Yankees manager Joe Torre also declined to comment.

The slugger's wife wore a white tank top to the game against the Athletics. A common, two-word obscenity ending with "you" was clearly visible when she and her 2-year-old daughter, along with an unidentified older woman, took their seats in the players' family section.

A front-page photograph Monday in the New York Post showed the back of the tank top with the obscenity printed in Old English lettering between the shoulder blades. The first letter of the first word is visible; the three other letters are intentionally blurred. The second word is 'You.' The paper's headline read: "F-Rod."

In late May, A-Rod's marriage was front-page news when the Post published a photograph of him and a woman — later reported to be a Las Vegas stripper — at a Toronto hotel.

As badly as A-Rod's day began, it got worse when he left Monday night's game against Minnesota in the sixth inning with a strained left hamstring. There was no immediate word on the seriousness of his injury. He is batting .322 with major-league highs in home runs (28) and runs batted in (80).