After Alex Rodriguez was pinch-hit for by Yankees manager Joe Girardi, many fans likely began to wonder how A-Rod would react to the move.
Count Kobe Bryant among those worried that the move will begin to affect the makeup of the Yankees clubhouse.
Kobe on the Yankees finish: “I don’t like that. That’s not good for the chemistry of the team. I’m going to have to call A-Rod.”
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) October 11, 2012
ESPN’s Arash Markazi also notes that Bryant did not smile when told of Rodriguez’s benching, because he considers the Yankees slugger a “good friend.”
Bryant and Rodriguez have been known to discuss important matters before, since it was Bryant who suggested that A-Rod get a certain knee procedure done this offseason. However, Bryant’s well-publicized fallout with former teammate Shaquille O’Neal suggests that any discussion of team chemistry by the Lakers star should probably be taken with a grain of salt.