Alex Rodriguez has gone ahead and recorded a message to be played after Manny Ramirez hits his 500th career home run (he’s at 498, not that he’s cognizant of it). But this message doesn’t contain the words “douche,” “asshat” or any incarnation of the word “tard.” So obviously Yankee fans are atwitter because their main guy is giving a hearty backslap to a Red Stocking. Oh noes! Dogs and Cats! 9/11! President Obama!

New York Yankees fans expressed their outrage on talk radio yesterday after they learned Alex Rodriguez had taped a message for Manny Ramirez, one which will be played at Fenway Park after the Red Sox slugger joins A-Rod as a member of the 500 home run club according to the New York Daily News.

The message? “Manny, I’m going to keep this short because I’m probably getting booed. Congratulations and many more.”

A-Rod’s message to those fans? Ramirez’s accomplishment has nothing to do with the rivalry, but is rather an historic accomplishment by one of the game’s great hitters. “This is bigger than the Yankees and Red Sox,” Rodriguez said. “This is baseball history. How many guys have 500 home runs?”

You know, it’s rare that in a situation like this that the person making $30 million a year is the most level head in the room. But it’s Yankees-Sox, so really it’s par for the course.

A-Rod defends congratulatory message to Manny [Yahoo]
Image [thesituationist]