After Listening, Rodriguez Made a Tough Choice- Este es el encabesado en la section de depotes del periodico New York Time 1/20/2006 . Dice despues de escuchar Rodriguez tomo una fuerte desicion- El repotaje es en Ingles esta buenisimo, en el hay unos comentrios del manager del equipo Dominicano Stanley Javier.

By JACK CURRY
Published: January 20, 2006

Alex Rodriguez said choosing a national team was "one of the toughest decisions I've ever had to make."

Alex Rodriguez was not interested in participating in the World Baseball Classic, so he said last month that he was bypassing it, expecting that his comments would end speculation about his status. Instead, they only fueled more conjecture.

Rodriguez, the Yankees' third baseman, acknowledged in a telephone interview yesterday that he was sometimes involved in situations that became more complicated than they should have, and he said that was what happened this time. After initially saying he would play for the Dominican Republic, Rodriguez said last month he would not play at all, then announced Tuesday that he would play for the United States.
"At the end of the day, I realized how important it was for me to play because of the position that I have in the game," Rodriguez said. "When I looked at that, I felt I needed to be there."
Since Rodriguez announced a month ago that he would not play in the 16-team tournament, Commissioner Bud Selig, Gene Orza of the players union and some players had ample time, Rodriguez said, to try to persuade him to change his mind.
Instead of repeating to the various recruiters that he was not playing, Rodriguez listened. He heard Selig and Orza talk about how he could help baseball grow globally. He heard players implore him to join them. Finally, about two hours before the provisional rosters were due, Rodriguez changed his mind and decided to play.
"I know what kind of a crazy competitor I am," Rodriguez said. "If I'm in Lakeland in March and my country is playing Japan in the semifinals in Arizona, I know I'd want to be there. I'm the best guy available to help the team."
Still, Rodriguez's about-face left the Dominicans chagrined. After Stan Javier, the general manager for the Dominicans, had lunch with Rodriguez about five weeks ago, he believed that he had his third baseman.
"It was pretty clear that he was going to play for the Dominican team," Javier said. "He said he would announce it. Two days later, he said he wasn't playing at all."
Rodriguez said: "That's 100 percent true. Stanley is a great friend. That's why this has been one of the toughest decisions I've ever had to make. I don't think you can relate to it unless you grew up in the States and you have a Dominican background."
While Javier said that he respected Rodriguez's decision and acknowledged that Rodriguez was in a dicey position, Javier, a former major league player, seemed slightly miffed at Rodriguez's choice. "As a Dominican, that's even more motivation for us," Javier said.
When Rodriguez was told of Javier's comment, he said, "No matter what I did, I was going to tick somebody off."
Rodriguez said that his American-born wife wanted him to play for the United States, but his mother, who is Dominican, preferred the Dominicans. "My decision is what it is," Rodriguez said. "It wasn't about anyone else or what they thought. I think I made the right decision."
Rodriguez cited a conversation with Manny Ramirez, who is playing for the Dominicans. Rodriguez said that Ramirez told him "it was O.K. to play for the United States."
Once Javier learned that Rodriguez was not going to participate, he reminded third basemen Adrian Beltre and Aramis Ramirez that they were "our men." But, as a protective measure, Javier put Rodriguez on the roster and submitted it a day before the deadline. Initially, the United States did not list Rodriguez.
When Bob Watson, the United States team's general manager, was asked Tuesday about the Dominicans' including Rodriguez, he said that the Americans would probably do the same. There were still several hours left to make roster changes.
Still, because the United States did not include Rodriguez on its roster until after the Dominicans did, Javier wondered if things would have unfolded differently if he had not divulged his roster until "five minutes before the deadline."
Since Rodriguez made up his mind two hours before the deadline, it would not have mattered when the Dominicans delivered their roster. Javier said he was still excited about his team and was not upset with Rodriguez, but the two have not spoken since Rodriguez made his choice.
"I'm glad that the Alex situation is over," Javier said. So is Rodriguez.