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09:56 AM ET 10.13 | The Yankees' happiness over advancing to the AL Championship Series against Detroit, with Game 1 tonight in the Bronx, will immediately be qualified by this question: All right, now what do you do about A-Rod? "I'll have a lineup for you tomorrow," manager Joe Girardi said last night. It seems pretty simple here: Either you give Rodriguez a fresh start and play him tonight against Tigers right-hander Doug Fister (Detroit's unannounced but likely starter), or you keep him on the bench all the way through this round. Rodriguez served as a mere observer in this clinching game, his first postseason benching since the 1995 Mariners deployed him, then 20 years old, as a reserve. Eric Chavez started at third base, going hitless in three at-bats, while Raul Ibanez -- who pinch-hit memorably for A-Rod in Game 3 -- started at designated hitter and broke a scoreless tie with a fifth-inning single, bringing home Mark Teixeira from second base. When Baltimore manager Buck Showalter went to lefty reliever Troy Patton to go after Ibanez with two outs in the sixth inning, it seemed an open invitation for Girardi to bring in Rodriguez for the platoon advantage. Girardi passed, and Ibanez struck out to end the inning.

Alex Rodriguez, Elsa/Getty Images

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October 13, 2012 10:08 AM ET

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Well...at least they don't have a lot of long-term money tied up with him.

Wait....

williewilliejuan

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October 13, 2012 11:33 AM ET

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He can pitch out of the bullpen.

dkredsox1

Aarhus, DK

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October 13, 2012 11:53 AM ET

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QUOTE(#1):

Originally posted 10:08 AM ET 10.13 by williewilliejuan

Well...at least they don't have a lot of long-term money tied up with him.Wait....

There's a clause in his contract that will allow the Yankees to convert his salary to Iranian rial after this season.

.ChiSoxFan.

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October 13, 2012 12:41 PM ET

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I think you start him, and see how it goes, maybe 3 at bats. Give him the hook early if he still struggles.

Daffy Duck

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October 13, 2012 12:42 PM ET

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the manager has to use the right strategy, if a hitter is too cold then you should bring a dependable utility player WHO in exchange could give you a good run production or could start a rally when is needed most!!

alacran

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October 13, 2012 12:44 PM ET

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QUOTE(#4):

Originally posted 12:41 PM ET 10.13 by Daffy Duck

I think you start him, and see how it goes, maybe 3 at bats. Give him the hook early if he still struggles.

rodriguez should come in at any game, best thing to do is let him play 3 at bats then rest him again, even if he gets a run contribution, even if he didn't help the team!!!

alacran

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October 13, 2012 01:02 PM ET

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He starts. If he goes 0fer with a bunch of Ks again...

AllStarz Ruinating…

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October 13, 2012 01:02 PM ET

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yankees have the luxury to either play him or bench him after all he still would get paid!!!

alacran

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October 13, 2012 02:09 PM ET

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I say get him in there but bat him eighth. Let him hit his way up the batting order. If he doesn't get it going in his first three at-bats the first couple of games, pinch hit for him , then bench him altogether for game three and beyond.

Atro SYB

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October 13, 2012 02:10 PM ET

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QUOTE(#3):

Originally posted 11:53 AM ET 10.13 by .ChiSoxFan.

There's a clause in his contract that will allow the Yankees to convert his salary to Iranian rial after this season.

That stuff's not worth the tanned camel scrotum it's printed on anymore.

Atro SYB

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October 13, 2012 02:11 PM ET

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QUOTE(#9):

Originally posted 02:09 PM ET 10.13 by Atro SYB

I say get him in there but bat him eighth. Let him hit his way up the batting order. If he doesn't get it going in his first three at-bats the first couple of games, pinch hit for him , then bench him altogether for game three and beyond.

This goes for Swisher too.

ChiSoxFan

Chicago , IL

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October 13, 2012 02:11 PM ET

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QUOTE(#10):

Originally posted 02:10 PM ET 10.13 by Atro SYB

That stuff's not worth the tanned camel scrotum it's printed on anymore.

You had ARod at 'tanned camel scrotum'.

ChiSoxFan

Chicago , IL

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October 13, 2012 02:26 PM ET

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Bad Hand Bad Hip, Bad Attitude you be da Judge? He has no sense of Urgency, of course he never had that before, but he never hit 160 before! Go Figure! This a guy that when he retires, he might retire with the most home runs the most scored runs and the most RBI 's and Joe sat him! Go Figure!

Not4Nutten

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October 13, 2012 02:49 PM ET

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QUOTE(#13):

Originally posted 02:26 PM ET 10.13 by Not4Nutten

Bad Hand Bad Hip, Bad Attitude you be da Judge? He has no sense of Urgency, of course he never had that before, but he never hit 160 before! Go Figure! This a guy that when he retires, he might retire with the most home runs the most scored runs and the most RBI 's and Joe sat him! Go Figure!

He'll never break the all time HR record.