A-Rod to sit out derby

Alex Rodriguez will not participate in the home run derby which will be held on July 14. Here's what he had to say about it:

"I need to stay away from that," Rodriguez, the leading vote-getter for third basemen on the American League All-Star team, told the Daily News. "My responsibility is to the New York Yankees. I need to my swing to be at its best."

Rodriguez, batting .322 with 16 home runs and 44 RBIs for the Yankees this season, made similar comments after passing on the Home Run Derby last season, when the All-Star Game was in San Francisco.

"I've never been good at it, No. 1," Rodriguez said last year, adding, "I've worked hard for my swing and I definitely don't want to let anything get in the way of it. My only responsibility this year is to the New York Yankees."

The Yankees already have one player who has been negatively affected by the home run derby (Bobby Abreu), so maybe he's had some influence in Rodriguez's decision.

I can't complain about this.