Yankees could relegate A-Rod to minor-league camp in spring

When Frederick Horowitz announced a 162 suspension on Alex Rodriguez this season, it didn't put an end to the soap opera surrounding the embattled third base, it only got things started.

When the Yankees show up for Spring Training in the middle of February, A-Rod is expected to be there, too, because, well, he has the right to be. Unless the Yankees step in and say otherwise, which is exactly what they can do.

If A-Rod shows up to Steinbrenner Field in February, the Yankees could relegate him to their minor league camp, rather than having him with the big league club for a normal Spring Training.

Because of the suspension, he's not on the Yankees' 40-man roster, and that means he would have to be invited to attend Major League Spring Training, and there is nothing that says the Yankees have to do that. So instead of working out with Derek Jeter, Jacoby Ellsbury and the rest of his usual teammates, he'll be practicing with a bunch minor leaguers.

And here's the funniest part, in my opinion, of the original report by Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com:

One official said the Yankees could go as far as to have Rodriguez on the minor league side but instruct their coaches to basically ignore him -- to not hit him grounders or throw him batting practice.

It would be quite funny to see the highlight clips on ESPN everyday of A-Rod standing off to the side while everyone on the field -- both coaches and players -- is ignoring him. Unless you're A-Rod, of course, because then it wouldn't be very funny.

But if the Yankees want to avoid going through this situation completely, they could decide to eat the remaining $61 million on his contract that he is owed for the next three seasons after 2014, effectively ending all relationships between he and the Yankees. Though as of now, there have not been any talks of the Yankees doing that, but it is something to watch as the time passes.

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